by Holly Jacobs
Mattie didn’t even attempt to hide her smile as her mother made a beeline to Maeve and called out, “Maeve, by any chance do you have Jenn McKinlay’s newest book on your order list....”
Soon, all the guests had arrived. Sophie mingled from one table to the next, talking to each guest, receiving hugs and congratulations from everyone. Mattie and Lily collected the gifts from the guests and made sure that each woman found a seat and had a drink in hand.
“Now for the fun. Time for toilet paper bridal gown contest,” shower-queen Lily commanded.
Mattie groaned.
It turned out that the normally easygoing Lily not only had definite opinions about pastels and showers, she also felt that a shower needed a schedule, one she stuck to with military precision. Lily brought out rolls of toilet paper for each table and the guests began to concoct the best dress for Sophie.
As hostesses, Lily and Mattie couldn’t play...something Mattie was going to be eternally grateful for. They arranged the buffet instead, while the hilarity ensued.
“Pastels and toilet paper,” Mattie muttered.
“Come on. Get in the spirit.” Lily glanced at Mattie and laughed. “I promise, when it’s your turn, there won’t be a pastel anything or a roll of toilet paper in sight.”
“I don’t think that’s a promise you’re going to have to worry about anytime soon,” Mattie replied. The mere thought of marriage brought on that old feeling of claustrophobia. Marriage meant being stuck.
Not that she couldn’t manage staying put for twelve more years. But somehow that notion no longer caused her to feel trapped. She was discovering she liked taking care of the kids. And she was okay at it.
Not perfect, by any means, but perfect in her attempt, and that seemed good enough for the kids.
Mattie focused on Sophie, who was watching the dress-building process and laughing. She was obviously having the time of her life. Not only today, but with the whole process. From the engagement party to this crazy shower...Sophie was practically shining with joy and excitement.
As far as Mattie could tell, Sophie didn’t have cold feet, no doubts at all.
“She’s absolutely head over heels for Colton,” Mattie mused.
“Yeah, she is,” Lily agreed. “It’s nice to see a couple who’s obviously so perfect for each other. When you look at her, you know she’ll be this in love with Colton when they’re celebrating their fiftieth anniversary.”
Mattie leaned against the table, next to her mother’s potato salad and felt a bit choked up at the thought. To cover that unexpected surge of emotion, she snarked, “I suppose we’ll have to throw the party?”
“Oh, for sure,” Lily teased. “I’m sure pastels will be in order for that, too.”
It was impossible to stay snarky around Lily—or even Sophie’s wedding glee. Mattie gave in and grinned. “It’s a date. Wherever I am in fifty years, I’ll come back to help you plan and execute Sophie’s party.”
“You don’t see yourself here in fifty years? Happily married with a huge family of your own? Zoe, Mickey and Abbey will be grown, probably with kids of their own. They’ll need a grandmother.”
They would, but that was Bridget. Mattie wasn’t even trying to play surrogate mom. She might have borrowed Bridget’s family, but she knew it was just that—borrowed. But Finn, he was really their uncle. Maybe she should rethink custody. Even thinking about rethinking made her heart break, but this shouldn’t be about her—about her wants. It had to be about the children.
Mattie didn’t say any of that to her friend. “No,” she assured Lily. “I’m sure if the kids’ hypothetical future children need a surrogate grandmother, you or Sophie will play that role. I’m here for the next twelve years. But when Abbey’s done with school and off to college, I’ll probably take off again.” Normally, when she thought about moving to a new place, starting a new job, reinventing herself, a sense of excitement and freedom swept through her. This time, it didn’t.
“What are you looking for out there, Mattie?” Lily asked softly. “What do you think isn’t in Valley Ridge?”
“I don’t know. I’m looking for...” She searched for how to describe it. “You’re a nurse. You’re used to a hospital, but then you came here because Finn hired you to help Bridget. And you’ve stayed. You’re doing home health care, and helping Hank at the diner. Why? You could have gone back to Buffalo. Finn said they were holding your job for you. So why did you stay?”
“Caring for Bridget showed me that’s what I wanted to do. One-on-one care. There are a number of people in the area who need help after surgeries or during illnesses. But it’s not simply an area of health care that I found I loved. It’s the town. I...well, I fit here.”
That was it. That’s what Mattie wanted Lily to understand. “You do fit here. And I don’t. I love Valley Ridge.” She spotted the toilet paper bridal outfits. “I used to love walking down to the library and finding Mrs. Anderson there. Now I find Maeve, though the thought of Maeve Buchanan working in a library boggles.” She laughed as she remembered the younger girl in school. She’d spent more time in the principal’s office than Mattie had. “I love it that I know who lives in what house—and who used to live there. I love that people wave as they go by. I love my mother having me and the kids,” and Finn, she thought, but didn’t add, “over to dinner with my brothers on Sundays.”
She loved bringing the kids home from school and passing by the shops and Hank’s diner, going down Main Street and seeing so many familiar faces. “I love all of it,” she said softly, “but...”
“But?” Lily prompted.
“But you fit into the fabric of Valley Ridge better after a year than I do after a lifetime here.” Well, not quite a lifetime, but close to it. And on the surface, it might appear she fit—she knew people and they knew her—but the fit was like a secondhand pair of jeans. They might be the right size, but they’d been broken in by someone else, and never quite felt right. “I guess I move around, change jobs and cities like other people change their clothes, looking for someplace I fit as well as you do in Valley Ridge.”
Lily reached out and took her hand. “I think you fit into the fabric of Valley Ridge better than you think you do.”
The toilet paper wedding dresses were done and as Sophie was the bride-to-be and Lily and Mattie the hostesses they were called on to vote.
The winning dress was modeled by Maeve and her entire table cheered her on. Mattie grinned at her mother, who did a fist pump and woo-wooed loudly.
The guests helped themselves to the buffet, and then to the very pastel cake that read Congratulations Soon-to-be Mrs. McCray.
As soon as everyone was sitting with coffee and cake, Lily commanded, “Presents.”
Mattie took notes while Lily handed Sophie her gifts to open. Mattie discovered, along with pastels, oohing-and-aahing over gifts was necessary to the shower experience.
As the event wound down, Mattie’s mother came over. “That was one of the best showers I’ve ever been to. You and Lily did a great job.” She pointed to the wine bottle coolers. “You know, you are so talented. I’ve always been amazed how you can take any job or project and make it look easy.” Her mom stopped, as if realizing she was making Mattie uncomfortable.
That was her mom...always tuned in to how other people felt.
“I came to tell you it was a beautiful day and I love the cooler.” She picked up the stoneware container she’d won. “You are so very special,” she added as she leaned forward and kissed Mattie’s cheek. “I wish you could see that.”
“Uh. Thanks,” was all Mattie could think of saying.
“See you tomorrow for dinner. Finn, too, of course.”
“Of course.” Though her mom noticed her discomfort over the earlier part of their conversation, she didn’t seem to notice the terseness in Mattie’s response to her mentioning Finn and Sunday dinner.
Mattie followed her mom outside and waved as she drove
down the winding driveway. Mattie stopped and stared out at the lake. The Nieses’ cottage sat back in the trees, but had a clear view of the water. The deep blue waves slapped gently against the base of the rocky cliff nearby.
Her mother had been the last of the guests. They’d sent Sophie off earlier with her car loaded with gifts.
All that was left was the cleanup.
Mattie looked around and spotted Lily talking to someone—some man—by the edge of the cliff. They were far enough away that Mattie couldn’t hear what was being said, or even identify who the man was, but he obviously hadn’t pleased Lily. She stomped back up to the cottage in a very unLily-like way.
“You okay?” Mattie asked.
“Sure, I’m fine,” Lily assured her in a way that practically screamed she was anything but fine.
“Who was that you were—” she almost said yelling at, but switched to “—talking to?”
“That was Sebastian ‘I’m-sure-Hank’s-all-right’ Bennington.”
“He’s home!” Mattie couldn’t help but smile. She might have spent a lot of time in the principal’s office, but Seb had spent a lot of time in the Sheriff’s office. “It doesn’t appear that you two hit it off.”
“No. I don’t think we did.” She was quiet a moment, and then added, even more emphatically, “No, I’m sure we absolutely did not.”
“Anything I can do?”
“No.” She hesitated, then added, “I take that back, yes. If he asks, would you assure Mr. Sebastian Bennington that I didn’t come to Valley Ridge with some nefarious plan to steal his inheritance.”
“What?” Mattie had been a lot of places and met a lot of people. She liked to think she was immune from being shocked at anything folks said or did, but obviously she wasn’t quite as immune as she thought.
“He’s mad that I bought into the diner. I tried to reassure him that I’m simply a silent, minority partner.” Lily sighed. “Hank needed help and I’ve been pitching in when I have time. But it’s taken more and more time. He was forgetting to call vendors, place orders and pay bills. I’ve taken over most of that.”
“That’s a lot, on top of your home visits,” Mattie said.
“I work at Hank’s mainly in the evenings.”
“There’s something wrong with Hank, isn’t there? Really wrong, I mean.” The first time he’d called her by the wrong name, she’d known it in her gut. “That’s what the doctor’s appointment was about? He’s been confused, called me Juliette a few times.”
Lily hugged herself. “A niece. She lives on the West Coast. I’m not his caregiver, so I’m not breaking any confidences by telling you, yes, I think something’s wrong with Hank. Like I said to you before, I’m not related and I’m not his caregiver, so I have no leg to stand on in terms of dragging him to see a doctor. I was hoping to enlist his grandson, but now that we’ve met, I’m not holding my breath that Sebastian will be supportive.” She paused half a breath and corrected herself. “At all.”
“You’re there for Hank. That’s something.”
“It’s not enough. We might have gotten close since I moved into his apartment, but I can’t make him go to a doctor and get an official diagnosis. Sebastian could, but I don’t think he will. He won’t admit there’s a problem.”
“You’ll convince him.”
Lily scoffed. “I know I only just met the man, but I don’t think he’s someone prone to being swayed.”
Mattie knew there was more than a little truth to that statement. “You’ll figure out something. It’s obvious you and Hank have developed a friendship.”
Lily nodded. “Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a disconnect. It’s not only the memory lapses...”
“No, it’s not a simple lapse. I’m sure when Seb’s spent some time with Hank he’ll figure out what to do.”
“I hope so. I’m in such an odd position. With my clients, my observations have weight with the doctors. If I were family, I’d have that to give me clout. Here, beyond being part owner of the business, I’m discovering that officially I don’t count for much.”
Mattie was desperate to reassure her friend. “You count with me. Huge. I relied on you in the past. And I still rely on you—not as nurse, but as a friend. I’m not good at this...” She wasn’t sure how to describe it, but she waved a hand between them. “Friendship. It was easy for me with Bridget. She’d known me most of my life. But when I left I moved around so much. I had friends, but not someone I’d call in the middle of the night. But I’d call you and Sophie.”
Lily grinned despite her current concerns. “I’d call you, too.”
“Hank’s lucky. So is Sebastian, though he doesn’t know it yet. And you can be sure I’ll tell him you’re the best thing to happen to me and Hank in a long time.” She snorted. “Steal his inheritance.”
“If I’m honest, that’s not exactly what he said.”
Mattie wanted to smack her old acquaintance upside the head. “Doesn’t matter if it’s exactly what he said. If it’s what he meant, he’s a dolt.”
Lily laughed. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“We should tidy up the place and go.”
Mattie looked at the remnants of the party and knew that Lily still needed some time to cool off, so she said, “Yes, we should finish cleaning up. But it would be a shame to waste this view.”
They sat on a picnic table while looking at the lake. There was water as far as the eye could see. Boats were mere dots on the horizon. Bobbing up and down, sailing from one point to another.
For this one moment, Mattie was at peace.
She knew that the peace probably wouldn’t last for long amidst the chaos of a house with three kids and a gigantic dog. But for now, she savored it.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“HURRY UP! AUNT MATTIE said the shower would be done soon and she’d be here by five-thirty, and that’s only a few minutes away,” Zoe called as she dashed upstairs, presumably to check the bedrooms.
Finn surveyed the living room. It didn’t look too bad, if he did say so himself.
The kids were completing a final check for anything they’d overlooked. Actually, he suspected they were running around to merely run around. Bear thought it was great fun and continued running, which led to shrieks from the younger two kids, and a lot of Quiets! from Zoe.
When Finn had helped with Mattie’s pickup parties, she always made them seem effortless. As the kids finished one job, she’d assign another. Never overwhelming them, but keeping them on task with a goal and treat dangling in front of them like some proverbial carrot.
He’d tried to emulate her method and found it was much tougher than it looked. But he did understand the reward part. “I’ve called for the pizzas. They should get here right after Aunt Mattie does.”
“She’s gonna be surprised, ain’t she?” Abbey wiggled with excitement. She launched herself into his arms, obviously trusting he’d catch her.
Finn found himself wrapped in Abbey, her small head tucked up under his chin, her braid tickling his neck. She smelled clean and sweet, like the lotion Bridge had used. He hugged his youngest niece tightly. “I think Aunt Mattie’s going to be very surprised.”
He felt almost as excited as the kids when he thought about how pleased Mattie would be. She was the kind of woman who would see the value in a gesture like cleaning the house and buying some pizzas.
He wanted to please her. He wanted to see her smile as she walked in and saw the effort they’d made. He realized that he put stock in her happiness. He wasn’t exactly sure when it had started to matter to him, but he knew that it did.
And at the realization he felt guilty about the lawsuit, because he knew that hurt her.
It wasn’t only guilt. It was almost a physical pain. For the first time in his life, Finn wasn’t sure what was the right thing to do.
Maybe he shouldn’t do anything until he figured it out. He was mulling that o
ver when Abbey spoke up.
“Aunt Mattie thought we was gonna have to pick up tonight, but we ain’t ’cause we got it all done,” Abbey said. “Tomorrow we can all do something fun. Maybe we can go to the zoo. If it ain’t raining.”
“We’ll have to see what Aunt Mattie has planned, but we could certainly ask her.”
“I was a help, wasn’t I?” Abbey asked. “You’re gonna tell her I was a big help?”
“You were and I am.” She hugged him even tighter at his response. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Abbey wriggled in such a way that he knew she wanted down, so he set her gently on the floor. He might not feel his normal sense of certainty about a lot of things right now, but he was certain that the kids needed him...and he needed them.
Mattie fit into the equation, too, though he wasn’t quite sure where.
Normally he’d mull a question to death, but he found that having kids around didn’t lend itself to quiet introspection. Abbey looked up at him and laughed. “Yeah, you didn’t know where the dust cloths was.”
“No, I didn’t,” he admitted.
“There’s her car,” Mickey cried from the couch, where he’d been watching out the window.
Bear, who’d been sitting next to him, barked loudly. Finn had discovered that with the big dog present, doorbells were absolutely unnecessary.
He knew the little ones were excited, but he was surprised when Zoe came flying down the stairs. It must have been obvious because she shot him a defensive look. “I wanted to see how the shower went.”
Finn was as anxious as the kids. When Mattie didn’t immediately come through the door, he glanced out the window and saw she was hauling garbage bags out of the trunk of her car.
“I’ll go give her a hand and lead her in for her surprise,” he said.
He stepped outside into the brisk evening and called, “Want some help?”
Mattie pulled out another garbage bag. “I’ve got it.”
He smiled. “I know you do, but let me help.”
She handed one of the bags over to him, and they carried them to the small garbage can next to the garage. She started to open the garage as if she were going to go through it into the kitchen.
