“Not that it’s any of my business, ‘course, since I’m happily married and all,” continued Peggy, waggling her left hand to display a wedding band and a tiny diamond. “But you know, it’s hard not to notice such a fine specimen of a man, even if you grew up with him. I mean, I ain’t dead.”
“What was his wife like?”
Peggy shrugged. “Smart, I guess. Like, sort of nerdy? Tall and blonde. Thin. Like a model. Basic nightmare.”
Of course, thought Serafina. A man who looked like Joe was bound to have a gorgeous ex-wife. It appalled her that she felt even a momentary stab of disappointment. What was she thinking? That he would find her attractive? And anyway, what would she possibly have in common with a cowboy who had spent his whole life in this mountain town?
Though she was itching to hear more about her landlord, she was too embarrassed to ask. Just then the waitress arrived and set a huge plate of steaming food in front of Peggy.
“And what can I get for you today?” the waitress asked Serafina.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t even looked at the menu.…” Serafina began, reaching for the menu that was propped up behind the salt and pepper shakers.
Peggy leaned toward Serafina. “Everything on the menu’s good, but nothing beats the biscuits and gravy with home fries.”
“Great,” Serafina said, and closed the menu. “I’ll have that.”
“Carb central but hey—it’s cold outside; you’ll burn it off just tryin’ to stay warm,” Peggy said happily as she bit into a biscuit. “Shiver into shape, I call it.”
Serafina knew she should watch her diet—she’d been pigging out ever since that terrible day when her life fell apart. But right now she wanted, she needed, the salt, grease, and carbs to get her through her day.
“So I hear you want to keep the shop, even though Joe was going to rent the space to someone else?”
“Another sonic boom?” Serafina asked wryly.
Peggy nodded. “No secrets in a small town, girlfriend. Best get used to it. The cotton-tops know everything that goes on here on the Main Street.”
“It doesn’t bother you?” Serafina asked.
“Sometimes. But there’s a flipside: folks also always know when somebody needs help. Two-way street.”
Serafina was so accustomed to being on her own that she wondered if she’d be able to adjust. Assuming she had the chance.
“Personally, I’m glad you’re gonna keep that place open,” Peggy continued.
“Do you work on Main Street too?” Serafina asked.
“Sure do. The place next door.”
“The…um…?” Surely Peggy didn’t mean the Low Down Dirty Shame Tattoo Parlor?
“You should come by! Get a tattoo to celebrate your new endeavor here in Snow Creek! A snowflake, maybe? I do great snowflakes. Works of art, if I do say so myself.”
“I really don’t…I mean, I’m kind of a wimp.”
“Doesn’t hurt all that much, I promise.”
“Okay, what I really meant is, I’m not the kind of person who gets tattoos.”
Peggy smiled around a huge bite of golden hash browns. “What kind of person would that be? A person like me, for instance?”
Serafina could feel herself blush, and the coffee soured in her stomach. “I didn’t mean—”
“I’m just teasing!” said Peggy. “There aren’t many people in town interested in tattoos, either. Business picks up when the tourists arrive in the winter months, though, so I make ends meet. I’m also a mom, and a freelance graphic designer. I just always wanted a tattoo parlor named the Low Down Dirty Shame, so when the storefront next door opened up, my husband rented it for me as a birthday present.”
“That’s so sweet.” Even if she and Drew had not broken up, Serafina thought, he would never have rented a tattoo parlor just to please her. Drew had never done anything just to please her, she realized with a start.
“Yup, he’s a sweetie all right. So, probably if you want to talk Joe into letting you stay, you should have a business plan. I don’t think Darlene managed to make much money. Knowing Joe, he was letting her stay out of the goodness of his heart.”
Peggy’s words seemed to confirm what Serafina had suspected last night. “Actually, I was thinking of making a few changes. I want to open an educational science store.”
“Oh yeah?” Peggy pushed her chin out a little. “What would you sell in a store like that?”
“Educational toys, quality computer games, that kind of thing. Adult math games, abaci, chemistry sets…oh, all sorts of things.”
“Oh, well, isn’t that nice?” Peggy said. “You have yourself a good old time with that. That sounds really…nice. Maybe some of the tourists would like that.”
“The skiers must get bored, right? There are families coming through, with kids in school…?”
“Oh, sure, maybe so.”
Serafina wasn’t much good at reading people, but this much was sure: Peggy wasn’t bowled over by her idea. Her landlord hadn’t been, either. Serafina had a hard time wrapping her mind around this. She had always found numbers to be fascinating, the way they made patterns and eventually, when you strung them together properly, allowed you to interpret the world, even predict the future. How could anyone not find that enthralling?
“Look at the time! Sorry to eat and run, but I’ve got a rancher coming in at nine to get a horseshoe tat on his bicep. He wants it to bounce up and down when he flexes his muscles,” said Peggy as she gathered her things and left money on the table to cover her check. “But you know what? If anyone can help you with a store like that, it’ll be Mr. Science. You get him on your side, and you’ll make it a success for sure. Sera, it’s been great meeting you. Welcome to Snow Creek, and I’ll see you around!”
And she was gone before Serafina had a chance to ask her who this “Mr. Science” was. But Peggy’s offhand remark had buoyed her hopes. If Snow Creek had a Mr. Science, then Serafina wasn’t the only nerd in town.
Still, her vague notions of turning the store into a showcase of science weren’t coalescing, and with the cowboy claiming the lease was up, she was going to have to do some pretty fancy footwork. Peggy was right. She needed a business plan, and she needed one fast. If she cashed in her 401(k) from the university she would have enough money to last her for a year or two, until she got established. But first, she had to get her landlord to be reasonable—she didn’t want to give up Aunt Darlene’s storefront. It was full of memories, and the location was perfect. How could she make her appeal to the cowboy in terms he would understand?
She had her work cut out for her.
Fortified by her giant breakfast, Serafina headed back to the store with a renewed sense of purpose. She would go through her aunt’s things, sell off the inventory as Joe had suggested, and use the money to fund the science store. She would come up with a cute name for it, and put together vivid window displays that would bring people in. If she lived simply, turned in her rental car and bought something cheap, then maybe….
As she started across the street, Serafina saw Riah jumping out of Joe’s old truck. Her heart sank as Joe got out and strolled over to chat with the Bench Boys out front. She didn’t feel up to running the gauntlet. She wanted to find this Mr. Science and get him on board with her ideas. Maybe with some local support she would be able to wrangle the Cowboy for a break on the rent.
“Good morning,” Serafina said to the Bench Boys.
“Mornin’,” each replied in turn.
“Good morning, Joe. Riah,” Serafina said.
Riah nodded briefly.
“Howdy doo, ma’am,” Joe replied with another tip of his hat.
Riah rolled her eyes and Serafina tried to stifle a grin as she unlocked the front door. Riah slipped in, and Joe followed her.
“Something I can help you with this morning?” Serafina asked, setting her purse behind the counter and starting to peel off her scarf and gloves. In the short walk from the diner, her toes had already go
ne numb. She was going to have to factor a new wardrobe into her budget.
“Just thought I’d pop in, see how things were going.”
Today Joe was wearing his sheepskin jacket again, but the flannel shirt underneath was the color of rich cream. Serafina had the entirely inappropriate desire to run her hands over the fabric. What was wrong with her? Probably it was written all over her face; probably this was why Peggy was warning her off.
“Don’t you have some cows to round up?” she snapped, irritated by her reaction to him. She heard Riah snort in laughter behind them.
“It’s not cattle-driving weather. Besides, I told you, I’m no cowboy.”
“Then what is it that you do do?”
“Well, like you noted the other day, I mostly hang around and chat with the big boys, and collect exorbitant rents from flatlanders like you.”
Another snort from the teen.
Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He took a twenty-dollar bill out and handed it to his niece.
“Why don’t you run on down to Rosie’s Bakery and get us all some breakfast.”
“I just ate—” began Serafina.
“I’m not hungry—” began Riah.
“Coffee, then,” said Joe, and fixed his niece with a commanding look.
The girl snatched the bill and left.
Joe watched his niece leave, a pained expression on his face. He had spent a restless night, thinking about what to do with the store. As much as he wanted to help his friend Liam, Riah needed him more. If he rented the shop to Liam, Riah would lose her job as well as her place to hang out after school and on holidays, and Joe feared their relationship might never recover. Darlene had offered Riah a much-needed refuge, just as she had done for him so many years ago. The least he could do was keep Darlene’s shop open a while longer so Riah wouldn’t lose Darlene and her refuge at the same time. But this science shop idea had to go.
“Brrr, it’s cold in here,” said Joe. “You like it this way?”
“I’m from San Diego,” Serafina said, annoyed at his criticism. Yes, it was cold. But she’d fix that…eventually. “No, I do not like it this way.”
“Light the fire for you?”
“That’s very kind of you, but I can do it.” She lied. She and Drew had a gas fireplace in their condo in San Diego. She had no idea how to build a fire.
“I’m sure you can. But I would be happy to help.”
“It’s really not necessary.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I couldn’t ask such a thing.”
“You didn’t ask; I offered.”
“Still, I—”
“It would be done by now if you’d said yes when this conversation started.”
Serafina laughed despite herself. Accept a kind gesture once in a while, she scolded herself. Why make life more difficult than it had to be?
“I, um, okay, thank you. That would be very nice.” Serafina watched as Joe set about efficiently cleaning up the ashes from yesterday’s fire, balling up old newspapers, breaking up kindling, and building a teepee of firewood.
“Gotta know how to build a good fire if you want to survive in these parts,” Joe said in a conversational tone. “Power goes off all the time during winter storms, and when that happens a space heater’s just a useless tin box.”
“I can imagine,” Serafina said, mentally adding “Learn how to make a fire” to her to-do list.
“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about the shop,” Joe said as he took the box of matches from the mantle and crouched down to light the newspaper.
“Please…Joe,” Serafina interrupted. “I know you don’t think I can make a go of it, but give me a chance to figure something out. It just so happens I have an appointment with Mr. Science.”
“Mr. Science?”
“Do you know him?”
He glanced over his shoulder at her and nodded slowly. “I’m acquainted with him, yes. You say you have an appointment with him?”
“Mm-hmm,” she murmured. What had possessed her to say such a thing? Of course Joe would know him. Everyone in this town knew everyone else.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I want to discuss my ideas for the store with him,” she said, watching the flames grow and expand, sending out delicious waves of warmth.
“Think he can help?”
“Everyone says if I get him on board, I have a good chance of making this store a success. He seemed very excited by my ideas.”
“How about that,” Joe said as he stood and replaced the matchbox, and fixed Serafina with his intense gaze. “Well, now, I guess you should probably meet with Mr. Science, then, and we’ll just see what he says.”
As before, Serafina seemed to lose the ability to breathe. She couldn’t get over how his eyes seemed to gleam with an inner strength that was at odds with their soft, baby-blue hue.
She was so distracted it took a moment for his words to sink in.
“Oh, um…great. Thank you. I’ll let you know how things progress.”
“You do that.”
The door flew open, and Riah entered with a dramatic flourish. She plopped a pink bakery box on the counter, and set a cardboard tray with three Styrofoam cups beside it.
Serafina watched as Joe opened the pink box, chose a hot cross bun, and picked up a cup of coffee. He nodded at them and left without another word.
Riah’s expressive gaze followed her uncle as he closed the door behind him, and Serafina detected a whiff of guilt and regret. When Riah realized she was being observed, she looked away, picked a cream-filled pastry from the assortment in the box, and took a huge bite.
“I take it you don’t get along well with your uncle?”
Riah shrugged, still chewing.
“I’m sure he means well,” said Serafina. Her heart went out to the girl. “But we adults can be clueless sometimes.”
Suspicion clouded Riah’s eyes. “I know he’s cute and all, but don’t trust him.”
“I wasn’t planning on asking him out,” Serafina said lightly.
“Good. Because he’s not the good guy everyone thinks he is.” She took another bite of the pastry and hesitated, as if making up her mind about something. “Even Darlene couldn’t see it. But I know things.”
“Things like what?” Serafina asked, trying to remain calm. Was the girl overreacting, or trying to tell Serafina something important? “You can trust me, Riah. I’ll help you if I can.”
“Right before the accident…I walked in and saw him kissing my mother. Can you believe that? His own brother’s wife.”
“I….” Serafina wanted to reassure Riah, to tell the girl that she must have been mistaken, that she hadn’t seen what she thought she had. Or that life was complicated, that Riah was too young to understand. But all she felt was anger. “What did Joe say when you asked him about it?”
“Nothing. He never says anything. But I know what I saw. Anyway, he’s okay in some ways, but you shouldn’t trust him.” She bit off more of the doughnut and spoke with her mouth full. “By the way, Mrs. Cornelius wants to know if you have Darlene’s gift. Like, if you read for people and how much you’re charging.”
“Oh, no, I don’t believe in all that.”
Riah finished chewing and swallowed. “Wait, what?”
“I don’t believe in reading cards.”
“What do you mean, ‘you don’t believe’? How can you not believe? How can you be Darlene’s niece, and her heir, and not believe?”
The door chimed as Peggy came into the store.
“Peggy, can you believe this?” Riah demanded. “Serafina says she doesn’t have the gift, that she can’t read cards.”
“So it doesn’t pass down through the generations, then?” Peggy asked.
“I don’t think it’s encoded in the DNA, if that’s what you’re asking,” Serafina said.
“How do you know?” Riah asked, and Peggy nodded.
“Pardon?”
“How do you know it isn’t encoded in the DNA? Has anyone ever looked?”
“I have no idea, really,” said Serafina, and tried to imagine the scientists of the international genome project searching for the “occult” gene. “I’ve never actually tried, because I don’t believe in…” she gestured to the crystals balls, pendulums, and tarot cards, “…all this.”
“It doesn’t matter if you believe in them,” Peggy said solemnly. “What matters is if they believe in you.”
“What does that even mean?” Serafina asked.
“I’m not sure, but doesn’t it sound great?” Peggy said with a laugh.
“What happened to the rancher coming in for a tattoo?” Serafina asked, hoping to change the subject.
“He chickened out.” Peggy sighed. “Wuss.”
The front door opened, bringing in a blast of cold air and two middle-aged women.
“Janet, Lorraine, come on in!” Peggy said. “Meet Serafina, Darlene’s niece. Serafina, this is Janet and Lorraine, long-time residents of Snow Creek, and Darlene’s customers.”
“Welcome,” Serafina said to Janet or Lorraine; she wasn’t sure which was which.
“We were just discussing Serafina’s occult gift,” Peggy said. “Or, to be more precise, her lack of same.”
“Serafina, seriously—you’ve never tried?” Riah exclaimed. “How could you not try?”
“If you’ve never tried, then you don’t know for sure if you have a gift, do you?” asked Janet or Lorraine.
“I, um….” Serafina didn’t know how to explain to these eager women that she believed in science, not the woo-woo world of the supernatural.
“If I had even a thimbleful of Darlene’s blood,” grumbled Riah, “you better believe I’d be using it to read the cards.”
“She’s got you there,” said Peggy with a broad smile. She plopped onto the couch in front of the fireplace, and pulled her knitting out of her bag. “My, this fire feels good.”
Janet or Lorraine joined her, and asked Peggy about her son getting a tattoo.
Love on Main Street: A Snow Creek Christmas Page 4
