Changing His Plans

by Jo McNally

  * * *

  After the Cuppermans left, Nate looked for Brittany. She wasn’t by Hank’s cage. Then he spotted her in the back, staring up at the porcelain signs hanging on the back wall with prices attached. There were some “smalls” back there, too—vintage metal toys, old bottles and some decorative odds and ends. She was examining a small porcelain piece, hand-painted with tiny roses and decorated with enamel.

  “It’s a hat-pin holder,” he said.

  She frowned, examining the small holes in the top of the six-inch piece.

  “Hat pin? Oh, like back in the Victorian days?”

  He reached past her to a small box on the shelf and pulled out a long metal pin with a blue bead of glass on top of it. He put it in one of the holes in the porcelain holder.

  “This piece is probably early 1900s. Women still wore hats a lot, especially to church and special occasions. Their hat-pin holder would sit on their dressing table so they could select whatever pin matched their outfit.”

  She smiled as she set the pin holder back on the shelf, with the hat pin still in it. “You sell antiques along with your hardware. Where do you find them? Other dealers?”

  His eyes scanned the shelves. He needed to do some dusting out here.

  “Only if I need something specific. I prefer to go picking.”

  “What’s picking?”

  “That’s where the fun is. I go to barn sales and estate sales, or sometimes just walk up to someone’s place and ask to poke around their outbuildings. Just like that show on the History Channel.” She gave him a blank look. Yeah, she probably wasn’t the type to curl up and watch a couple of Iowa guys climb around haylofts on television. “Never mind. You’ll just have to trust me that it’s fun. You have to dig through a lot of dirt and junk, but when you find a treasure, it makes it all worth it.” He thought for a moment. “You asked earlier what my passion was, and I guess it’s picking.”

  He picked up a metal windup toy car, complete with rubber tires and a little guy at the wheel, goggles on and looking like he was ready to race. “I found this one shoved to the back of a shelf in an old barn, behind a bunch of oil cans and auto parts. The doors open...” He tugged on the tiny door to show her. “See? The driver comes out, and most of the time he’s missing when you find the car. But this one’s intact—original paint, all the little pieces. It was like finding a gold nugget in an abandoned mine.”

  Brittany was giving him a funny look. She was in her all-business attire today. Linen trousers, a crisp cotton shirt and a tailored beige jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, tied with her one nod to whimsy—a bright yellow silk scarf with bold pink-and-white flowers. Nate couldn’t help thinking he missed the soaking-wet pink capris from last night. Her mouth slid into a slanted grin.

  “This little toy felt like a nugget of gold to you? Have you ever seen a gold nugget?” She took the car from him, staring at it dubiously. “Because this is not anything like that. It’s a child’s toy.”

  “It’s a piece of history,” he answered, taking the car from her and setting it carefully on the shelf. “It’s something you can’t get anymore. There’s a limited number still left in the world, which makes each one unique. I look at picking antiques as rescuing things like this from today’s disposable society. If no one does that, we lose a part of our past.”

  Brittany’s eyes were wide. “So you’re some kind of superhero for old stuff?”

  He chuckled. “Something like that, yeah. Luckily, there are still people out there who collect these things. When I sell something, I know it’s going to a good home where it will be valued, not shoved in a corner.”

  She blinked a few times, her face going pale. Her lips parted as if he’d just knocked the wind out of her. What had he said? He was just talking about selling antiques, and good homes, where things were valued... Oh, damn. She’d said something last night about her family not being able to feed themselves easily, much less a pet. Maybe things were even more dire than a lack of food, if she connected with him saying something was valued in a home.

  “Hey...” He put his hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to look up at him. “The lesson here is that everything, and everyone, deserves to have a home where they’re appreciated for what they are. And it’s never too late.” He nodded toward the toy car. “That car was covered with dirt and cobwebs, and look at it now.”

  Her eyes were shinier than usual, and she gave him a hard smile that hardly trembled at all. “I don’t know why you think I need the greeting-card sentiments, Nate. I brushed off my cobwebs a long time ago.” She gestured down, a touch of bitterness creeping into her voice. “And look at me now, right?”

  He was looking at her. What he saw surprised him. He’d had a hint that she had a story behind the corporate veneer, but now he saw her as a double image, with the uptight, put-together real-estate broker layered over the pink-clad woman in bright orange flip-flops and her hair piled on her head, washing a dog in a claw-foot tub. There was a disconnect between the images, and he wondered if she felt it. Or had she fooled herself into believing her own marketing spiel?

  Before he could respond, the door chimed. It was Darius, reporting for work. Nate had watched the seventeen-year-old grow up in Gallant Lake. His mom, Maya Malone, had him when she was in high school and refused her parents’ insistence that she give him up. She’d fought hard to raise a good kid while little more than a kid herself, and she’d succeeded. She was married to the mayor now, and the two women had adopted a set of twin girls a few years back. Darius adored his new baby sisters, but he was also thankful for any opportunity to get out of a house filled with women. Nate had a feeling that was why he’d asked for a job at the hardware store. Lots of testosterone in this old place.

  He introduced Brittany and Darius, with Hank whistling and laughing in the background. Hank loved Darius, mainly because the kid was always teaching him new stuff to say. Some of it Nate approved of. Some...not so much. But he was a good worker and customers liked him. His presence gave Nate a chance to get out of the building once in a while to go picking or just run errands. He watched Darius showing Brittany the computer inventory system the teenager had installed and maintained. Nate appreciated the benefits of technology, but he was a traditional guy through and through. He preferred records he could touch.

  As the noon hour rolled around, more customers wandered in. Some were tourists from the resort, looking to take selfies in the quaint old hardware store. Some were regulars, looking for actual hardware items—hinges, nails, paintbrushes. And through it all, Brittany stayed. When it got busy, she sat in the corner, on the old Stickley armchair he’d found hanging from a hook in someone’s barn. Nate had refinished it and put a new leather seat on it. Brittany sat on it like it was a throne, watching everything going on in the store.

  He had a strong hunch this was more than casual curiosity. From the focus in her eyes, she could have been some business consultant doing a study on him. Did she really think he was fooled into thinking she’d given up on the idea of him selling the store? He may not know her well, but he knew she wasn’t the type to give up that quickly. That didn’t bother him. It wasn’t like he was going to change his mind. But one thing did bother him: this mystery client of hers. What kind of business would someone be that eager to bring to little Gallant Lake? Some franchised fast-food place? She said the client wanted waterfront. This entire side of Main Street was waterfront. But how much waterfront did they want? Why was she talking to everyone? If all she needed was one property, there were several on the market.

  He opened the door to Hank’s cage and let the bird hop onto his shoulder while he poured food into his dish. Hank was in a whistling mood today, making music almost nonstop.

  “Can I hold him?” Brittany was at his side. Her defenses were relaxed again, her focus on the noisy bird and not business. Nate liked her this way, but he still didn’t trust her. Some
thing didn’t add up. But the sparkle in her eyes right now made him push his suspicions aside.

  He smiled. “Sure. Hold your arm straight out and get ready. He’s heavier than you think.”

  She did as he said, and Hank gladly jumped over to her, quickly moving up to her shoulder to pick at the bright bow in her hair. Nate went to get the bird, but Brittany pulled back.

  “He’s fine. It’s an old scarf anyway. Hey!” Hank had tugged some of her hair along with the scarf. “Is he...is he laughing?”

  Nate nodded. “Technically, he’s not laughing, but it’s one of his favorite sounds. He does that when he’s happy.”

  “So he likes me?” Brittany’s expression faltered so briefly Nate wasn’t sure he’d seen it. But he thought he saw a flash of vulnerability there. She wanted to be liked.

  “Yeah, he likes you. And your bright scarf.” Nate hesitated, but couldn’t hold back the words he wanted to squelch. “I like you, too.”

  She looked up in surprise, her eyes softening. “You sure it’s not just the bright scarf?”

  He chuckled. “I’m sure. But I’m still never selling this store.”

  Something clicked into place in her eyes. It looked a lot like a silent challenge accepted.

  “Never say never, Nate. Things change. People change. Minds change.”

  Hank laughed on her shoulder. “Ha ha ha ha ha!”

  Nate nodded, reaching out his hand to put the bird back in his cage.

  “I agree, Hank. Your friend Brittany is being very silly right now. She doesn’t know how much I hate change, does she?”

  Chapter Six

  “Brittany, you said one sugar and extra cream, right?”

  Nora Peyton was behind the counter at Gallant Brew, pouring coffee. The coffee shop was quiet, in the lull between breakfast people and lunch customers. Brittany had started stopping by over the past week during that quiet hour to chat with Nora. Some days, like today, Nora’s cousins and friends gathered at the same time.

  “Yes, thanks,” she answered, taking a seat at the table. Nora’s two cousins were already there. Amanda Randall, petite and cheery, was the wife of the owner of the Gallant Lake Resort. Mel Brannigan owned the town’s one and only boutique, Five and Design. A baby carrier sat on the chair next to her, where her newborn son Patrick was sound asleep.

  Nora brought a tray of coffees to the table. She was just sitting when the front door opened. Brittany recognized the tall blonde, Mackenzie Wallace, from the liquor store up the street, but she didn’t know the brunette with her. Nora introduced them—the quiet woman was Cassie Zetticci. She worked at the resort, and Nora explained she used to live in the apartment above the coffee shop. An engagement ring sparkled on her finger. She saw Brittany looking at it and confirmed she was engaged to the chief of security for Randall Resorts International, Nick West.

  Once everyone had their beverage of choice and had pulled tables together to make room for all to sit, Mel lifted her cup in a mock toast.

  “Welcome to Gallant Lake, Brittany! I heard you’re in real estate. The more strong professional women in this town, the better.”

  “Well...I’m just visiting...”

  Nora gave her a curious look over the rim of her cappuccino. “I thought you said you were thinking of relocating? That’s why you rented a place here for so long, right?”

  This wasn’t the first time Brittany had let her guard slip since arriving here. It was as if the mountain air was interfering with her ability to maintain her professional focus. She recovered with a wide smile.

  “Well, yes, but it’s only a possibility, not a sure thing. I don’t know if I’m ready to give up my Florida beaches.”

  Mel sighed. “I hear that. I lived in Miami for a while, and when winter comes blowing in around here, I dream of those beautiful beaches.”

  “But you’re also here on business, right?” Mack Wallace reached for a cookie from the tray Nora’s employee, Cathy, had just delivered to the table. “I’m engaged to the police chief, and Dan heard you were talking to a few business owners.”

  She concentrated on keeping her smile in place. The small-town grapevine was catching up with her plans sooner than anticipated. But it was bound to happen at some point, so she’d have to shift her story a little.

  “I have a client who might be interested in opening a business here. He wants waterfront property. So I’m combining my personal and business lives while I’m here.” She leaned forward, and several of the women leaned in, too. “But I’m not even sure the guy will pull the trigger. And before you ask, he won’t tell me what the business is. Dealing with these eccentric types is enough to drive me to drink, I swear.” She looked out the window, across Main Street to the small gazebo near the lake, and off to the left, Nate’s store. “Don’t shoot me for saying this, but it seems more business—more people—would be a good thing, right? For your own businesses?”

  Mel and Mack looked at each other and nodded. “It’s true,” Mack said. “More traffic would help the bottom line, but we don’t want to lose what makes Gallant Lake special. I mean, I’m the only one here who actually grew up in this place. I’d hate to see it turn into some honky-tonky tourist town.”

  Nora agreed. “Or some generic, gentrified suburb. It’s a fine line between having the right amount of businesses and losing the town’s personality completely.”

  Brittany looked around the table. “So all of you other than Mack came here from somewhere else? How did that happen?” She’d only come here because Conrad told her to. She couldn’t imagine what the draw was for these professional women.

  Amanda smiled, nudging Nora’s shoulder. “I started it, right? I came here for an interior design job and ended up marrying the boss. Then Nora’s daughter came to visit me and fell for a boy who lived here. When they ended up pregnant, Nora bought the coffee shop to be closer to them. And ended up marrying her neighbor, the boy’s father, Asher. Mel came here because we were here.”

  “That’s true,” Mel said. “But I stayed because Gallant Lake felt...safe...for me.” She glanced at Brittany. “I was newly sober and struggling. This place just felt like home for me. So much so that I chose it over following the love of my life to LA.” She looked down at the sleeping baby near her side. “Luckily, he came to his senses and came back to join me here.”

  “This does feel like a safe place,” Cassie said. She’d been quiet so far, and Brittany hadn’t been able to figure out if she was shy or standoffish. But her sweet smile said it was the former. “Cathy is my aunt.” She nodded toward the coffee counter, where Cathy was stacking cups and counting sugar packets. “I needed to...hide. From my ex.” She raised her chin, summoning up an inner strength Brittany couldn’t help but admire. “I came here and got a job at the resort and had a little workplace romance along the way. Nick was my real safe place, but the town—” she looked at the women sitting with her “—and the friends I made here gave me strength, too.”

  After a beat of silence, Nora reached over and patted Brittany’s hand. “So be careful, girl, or you’ll get caught up in the magic of Gallant Lake and end up living here forever.”

  “I don’t really do forever. I like to stay on the move.”

  A puffy white cloud slid across the sky, releasing the sun’s warmth it had been hiding. The buildings she’d first thought of as sad when she’d arrived now looked...friendly in the morning light. The faded clapboard buildings were soft and simple. The brick ones, like the hardware store and Nora’s coffee shop, seemed strong and understated. If she was going to settle down in some cozy little town, this one had its appeal. But this life wasn’t for her.

  “She sounds like you, Mel! Big world traveler resisting the pull of our little mountain hamlet.” Amanda finished her coffee and glanced at her watch. “My daughter Maddy has a doctor appointment in an hour. She got into some poison ivy and she’s just miserabl
e. I’m hoping we can get her some prescription lotion or something, poor kid.”

  She said her goodbyes and the women talked about their families and husbands or fiancés. Something Brittany didn’t see on her agenda for a very long time. She tried to ignore that little voice telling her she didn’t have that much time left. She was only thirty-four. There was plenty of time. Wasn’t there?

  “And speaking of hot guys, Brittany, I saw you at Nate’s store the other day.” Nora gave a broad wink. “Was that business or pleasure?”

  Mack nodded, a wicked glimmer in her eye. “Oh, yeah—Dan told me he saw you two walking a dog together the other night near Dan’s place?”

  A buzz of oohs and aahs went around the table. Mel’s eyes went wide. “You were at his place? That’s not far from our house. Are you guys a thing?”

  “No!” Brittany practically shouted the word, which just amused the other women. “Seriously, so not a thing. That was a fluke.”

  She actually wasn’t so sure. It was quite a coincidence when Nate appeared on Lakeshore Drive just as Brittany was walking Joey a few days ago. With no gym in town, the dog gave her a reason to get out and get moving. He was surprisingly good on a leash, happily trotting at her side as she kept up a brisk pace. And just like that, Nate was striding toward her from the opposite direction. He’d joined them for a while, explaining his house was at the end of the road. He pointed it out—a simple square house, well kept and nicely landscaped. It was painted dark red, with tan trim and black shutters. Traditional, just like Nate.

  They’d parted at his driveway after an awkward silence. She half wanted him to invite her in, and he seemed to half want to invite her in, but it didn’t happen. She liked the guy, and he said he liked her, too. But that didn’t mean he trusted her. He couldn’t seem to be in her presence more than ten minutes without asking about her client and quizzing her on what properties she’d seen. She had the story down pat, but she could tell he didn’t quite buy it. And yet he never accused her of anything. He just gave her that disappointed look and kept digging for the truth.