by Jaclyn Hardy
“So, what are you working on?” Rachel stood behind him. There was more flour on her apron than there was before.
“I had some emails I needed to answer, but now I’m working on something else.” Patrick pulled up another page. “My dad left a bunch of money when he passed away. Like, a lot more than what we expected. So now I’m trying to figure out where I can put it to help the business grow a little more.”
Rachel stared at him. “Your dad left a bunch of money, and you’re putting it into your business? Why not use it to fix up the house?”
“I’m doing that too. It’s not going to be cheap to make all the repairs the inspector wants, so a lot will go there, like the flooring that we’ll need to replace once the plumbing and electrical are done.” He held up a hand when Rachel started to argue. “I’m keeping the flooring as close to the original as possible, but there’s damage to the wood because of age.”
“And the woodwork?” Rachel asked.
Patrick patted the chair next to him. “Come and look.”
Rachel sat down and leaned in, making his heart race. He pulled up a basic floor plan of the house, along with notes on what he wanted to do. The house would remain the same, with offices instead of bedrooms. He was pretty happy with the concept, but he could see that she still had her doubts.
“This is really good. Except . . .”
“Except?” Patrick prompted.
She pointed to the front desk. “You wanted this farther back here so it’s not in the way of the offices, but I worry that adding these offices is going to close it all off. What did you do to the ballroom?”
Patrick zoomed out. “I kept it as a conference room.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t like it?” Patrick glanced at her.
Rachel stared down at her hands. “It’s not that I don’t like it. I’m just sad to see the ballroom as . . . well, not a ballroom.”
“Ah. Well, you’ll like this.” He minimized the picture and pulled up a YouTube video he’d found. “See? The tables can be pushed back, and the projector goes up into the ceiling so you won’t even know it’s there. The chandeliers will stay. And the blinds in the windows can be hidden for social events like Christmas parties or whatever.”
Rachel stared at the video until it finished. “That’s really cool. Won’t it cost a fortune, though?”
Patrick chuckled. “Believe it or not, that’s one of the cheaper costs of this project.”
“The whole thing looks beautiful. I can’t wait to see the house transform.” Rachel stood and put her hand on his shoulder before going over to take a batch of rolls out of the oven.
Patrick hoped she didn’t hear his sudden intake of breath as she walked away. He could still feel where she’d put her hand. He was distracted as he pulled out the papers from the inspector and made the changes needed in the plans. Time frames had to be adjusted, but he wanted to be open by the next quarter. That was, if his partners went for the idea.
He read through the proposal for the hundredth time, wording and rewording it to make sure it sounded just right. Asking his friends and colleagues to move to a different state was going to be difficult, but after running the numbers, even with the major renovations, having the business based in Idaho would save them thousands of dollars a year, especially since the house was already his, so rent wouldn’t be an issue.
Satisfied that he couldn’t improve the letter any more than he had, Patrick hit send. No doubt they’d wonder if he needed therapy for what seemed like the early onset of a midlife crisis, but it was worth a shot.
The smell of huckleberry pie wafted through the kitchen as Mama opened the oven to pull out the pies that had just finished baking. Only a few more batches, and they’d be ready for the celebration the next day. Rachel looked forward to the break after going between her normal chores and helping out over at the mansion.
The last week had been spent tearing out walls so the electrician could fix the wiring, and it was exhausting work. Rachel would drop into bed each night completely exhausted.
“Mama, I can finish the rest. You get some sleep. Tomorrow’s the big day.” Rachel fought a yawn.
“I wish I could sleep. I still have to finish tying the last quilt. If you’re sure you’re good with the pies, I’ll go do that instead.”
Rachel gave her mom a quick hug. “Of course. They’re almost done anyway.”
Mama kissed her cheek and left the room. Rachel heard the news come on the TV as Mama shut the door. Rachel opened the window to let in a fresh breeze and breathed in the smell of rain.
Patrick sat at the table working on his computer, and Papa was already in bed so he could get up to feed the cows. Rachel loved this time of night when the ranch was asleep. She filled another crust with apple pie filling and covered it with oat crumble before setting it in the oven.
It would be another forty-five minutes before this batch was done, so she poured a cup of tea for herself and another one for Patrick.
“Here you go. Thought you could use it.” She sat across from him and sighed. It felt good to sit down after being on her feet all day.
“Thank you.” He took a sip. “This is really good. What is it?”
“Chamomile with lots of honey. It helps me relax after a long day.”
Patrick stared at the cup. “Are you sure there’s not more honey than chamomile?”
“There might be. It’s the only way I can tolerate it.” Rachel grinned sheepishly.
“Sounds like me trying to drink coffee. I do everything I can to hide the actual taste of it.” He took another sip. “Sorry if I’m keeping you up. I’m trying to put out a few fires at work.”
Rachel nodded toward the oven. “I still have another two hours or so before I’m done. I’m not in a hurry.”
“All right. I’m almost finished.” Patrick went back to his laptop, and Rachel took their mugs to the sink.
Lightning flashed in the distance, lighting up the night sky. Rachel checked the timer for the pie. There was another half hour until it would be done. She left the house and stood out on the porch, enjoying the breeze. The screen door squeaked as it opened, and Patrick came to stand beside her.
“My favorite thing to watch is lightning out on the ocean. It’s like the air and water are fighting each other. But this is different. There, you get the smell of sea water. Here, you get so many other smells.” Patrick stared out at the night sky.
“That’s the wheat and sagebrush. If I could bottle up any smell and keep it forever, it would be those smells.” Rachel shivered.
Patrick wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Rachel laid her head against his shoulder. She should have been nervous, but she felt right at home standing there with him.
“Can I ask you something?” she whispered, almost afraid of the answer.
“Of course.”
Rachel shifted so she was looking up into his eyes. “Are you happy here? I mean, is this what you pictured when you thought of coming here?”
Patrick ran his thumb along her jawline, turning her knees into nothing but Jell-O. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. But I have to say, it’s turned out so much better than I could have imagined.”
Rachel’s breath caught at his words. She moved closer and took his other hand in hers. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.”
He leaned down, brushing her lips with his, sending a rush of desire through her. Patrick pulled back, almost as if asking permission to kiss her again. Rachel went up on her toes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The world seemed to evaporate around them as they stood there, and Rachel didn’t want it to end.
She led him over to the bench and sat down with her legs draped over his, their arms around each other. She kissed him again, cringing when she heard the timer go off on the oven. She let out a sigh and stood.
“I’d better go switch out the pies. I’ll be back in a sec.” She hurried into the kitchen, practically floating as sh
e pulled out the pie, put the last two pies in, and then set the timer. When she went back outside, Patrick sat on the bench with his arms spread across the back. He smiled when she sat next to him.
“It’s so beautiful out here. No buildings to get in the way—it’s just wide-open fields.”
Rachel laughed, thinking back to their argument when he first got here. “I thought you said the city was better because the buildings were so unique and wonderful.”
“What did I know?” He kissed the top of her head and put his arm around her. “It’s going to be hard going back in a few weeks.”
“Will you stay there for long?” Rachel felt her world fall out from underneath her.
“No, I need to get my condo ready to sell and sign some papers with the company. I’ll only be there for a week or two and then I’ll come back here.”
Relief washed over her like a warm blanket. “That’s good. I’ll miss you while you’re gone, though.”
“I’ll miss you too.” He kissed her again and stood. “I want to stay out here all night watching the storm with you, but I really need to get some work done before I head to bed.”
Rachel took the hand Patrick offered and stood. She stayed outside for a moment longer, staring out at the storm, the memory of the kiss still on her lips.
Rachel stood in the doorway of the kitchen, checking to make sure they had everything they needed. She grabbed the last case of pies and closed the door behind her. Patrick came around the corner in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
“No boots for you today, huh?” She met him by the porch, not sure what to do next. She wanted more than anything to kiss him after the night before, but she kept wondering if it had been a dream.
“I figured I’d save those for when I do ranchy things. And since we’re going to be walking around in the heat all day, I wanted to be comfortable.” Patrick took the case from Rachel.
“Ranchy?” Rachel laughed.
Patrick grinned. “It’s my new word.”
“I like it. You may want your hat. It’s going to get hot while we’re at the parade.”
“It’s in the car waiting for us.” Patrick walked to Mama’s truck and set the basket inside.
“There you are. We need to get out of here.” Mama climbed in the front seat. Papa set another basket inside and climbed into the driver’s side.
Patrick pulled his attention away from Rachel. “Rachel can come in my car.”
Mama glanced between them, and Rachel caught the smallest smile on her face. “Works for me. We have a bunch of stuff in the backseat anyway, so you’d be squished.”
Rachel’s parents pulled away, leaving a trail of dust behind them.
“Should we go?” Patrick asked.
“Yep, let’s head out.” Rachel climbed in, and they followed her parents into town. Rachel’s nerves were getting the best of her as she sat next to him. She needed a distraction. “Oh, hey, wasn’t your meeting this morning?”
“Yep. My partners aren’t terribly thrilled with the idea of moving the company, but I was expecting that. I’m hoping I can get them to visit so they can see the place for themselves.”
Rachel frowned. “I’m sorry they didn’t go for it. What does your mom think about the whole thing?”
“She loves the idea—or at least, I think so. She’s too busy playing at her new condo to take many of my calls.”
“Do you think she’d come too?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not sure she’d want to leave, with my dad buried there and all.”
Rachel took his hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be prying so much.”
“You’re not prying.” He smiled. “I don’t mind talking to you about anything. You know, I had a really rough time when he passed. Talking with Mom only helped so much. But since coming here, I’ve been able to get over a lot of the pain by staying busy. I mean, I’m sure it’ll come back to bite me at some point, but for now, I’m actually at peace with everything.”
“I’m glad.” The town came into view a few minutes later. “Be ready to be mind-blown.”
Patrick glanced over at her and chuckled. “It’s that good, huh?”
“You have no idea.”
The city was awake and buzzing with activity when they parked. They helped Mama set up her table before she shooed them away so they could look around.
Music played from the park, and the streets were lined with people ready for the parade. Rachel bought cinnamon rolls and snow cones for the two of them, and went to find a spot for the parade.
“I didn’t realize how many people live here.” Patrick gestured toward the crowds.
“Not everyone does. We have families come back to visit, and others come to sell their items. I told you, it’s huge.” Rachel sat down for the parade. “It’s grown over the years. You’d think people would get sick of it, but they always come back and bring friends.”
Patrick’s shoulder brushed up against hers as he sat next to her on the curb. “That’s commitment right there. The local hotels and businesses must love that.”
“Oh, they do. And they charge through the nose at the hotels. Which is another reason I invited you to stay at the ranch. I realized getting a room was going to be a little harder than usual.”
“But I’ve been staying at the ranch for the last two weeks. Surely the hotel rates don’t go up for that long.”
Rachel shrugged. “It’s not just for today. People schedule their reunions around the holiday.”
“That’s so strange to me. Well, I’m glad you let me stay with you. It’s nice to be so close to the mansion.”
“Of course.” Rachel was thankful when she heard the sirens indicating that the parade had started. Sitting right next to Patrick left her thoughts jumbled.
People from the surrounding towns, schools, and businesses went by on floats, throwing candy, spraying water at the crowds, and handing out flyers.
By the time the parade was over, the sun was hot, and it was a relief to stand and step into the shade of the ice cream parlor.
“Okay, I admit that you guys have a pretty cool parade.” He pulled out a handful of candy. “I think I have enough to last a lifetime or two.”
“Here, you can have mine as well. Otherwise, I’ll eat it all myself.” Rachel gave him a grocery sack full of candy she’d collected.
Patrick took it from her and added his candy to it. “I’m going to take this to the car and then be back, okay?”
Rachel watched him go before heading to Mama’s booth.
“Oh, hey, you got here just in time. I’m out of apple pies. Can you run and grab some?” Mama asked while putting money into the till.
“Sure. Where are you parked?” Rachel pushed away thoughts of Patrick and went into business mode. She could deal with her feelings later.
Mama handed her the keys and nodded toward the small grocery store. “It’s around back. If you can find the blueberry and cherry pies, we’re almost out of those too.”
“Got it. Just let Patrick know where I went. He’ll be here in a bit.”
Rachel weaved her way through the crowds, smiling and waving at neighbors. She knew if she stopped, they’d ask about the concert that night, so she kept walking.
There were several coolers in the back seat of the truck, each marked with the contents. She grabbed the cooler with the apple pies and added a few of each of the others. If sales kept going, they’d be sold out by midafternoon.
Getting through the crowds was a little easier with the cooler in her arms, since everyone jumped out of her way, but her arms still ached when she set it down. She organized the pies for display while Mama spoke to customers. Conversations carried on all around her, making her smile. Seeing all of her friends and family was what she loved the most about the celebration.
“Oh, there you are, Rachel. I was afraid I’d missed you.” Mrs. Peterson’s voice rang out over the noise of the crowd.
Rachel groaned inwardly before t
urning to smile. “Hi, Mrs. Peterson. Did you enjoy the parade?”
“It was lovely. Just lovely. Now, about the concert. Do you know what you’ll be singing yet?”
“No. I was hoping you were able to find someone else.” Rachel ignored the glare from Mama.
Mrs. Peterson’s smile dropped for a moment before she plastered it back on. “No, we weren’t able to find anyone else. I think the whole town wants to hear you. You’ll sing for us, won’t you?”
Rachel sighed and nodded. “I told you I would. As for which song, I’ll have to think about it.”
“Wonderful. Whatever you choose will be beautiful, I’m sure. Just let us know in the next hour or so. We need to get it put into the program.” She beamed and moved on to the next booth.
Mama patted Rachel on the back. “I’m proud of you, sweetie. Getting back out there is the best thing you can do for yourself.”
“I guess so.” Rachel wanted to curl up in a ball. Saying she would sing was one thing. Actually doing it was going to take a whole other level of courage she wasn’t sure she could muster. But whether or not she thought she could do it, she’d made a promise, and she wasn’t going to back out, even if that meant making a fool of herself by freezing in front of the whole town.
Patrick came up to the booth holding two ice cream cones. “Hey, it’s hot enough out here, I figured you could use something cool.”
“Thank you, but—”
“Just go, sweetie. I have things covered.” Mama smiled, but Rachel knew that look. Mama always used it when she was in matchmaking mode.
Rachel took the ice cream from him and waved to Mama. “This is exactly what I needed. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Patrick sat down on a park bench that had some of the only shade in the square. “Your booth seems to be doing well.”
“People love Mama’s pies. And her quilts are sold for hundreds at auctions, so people snag them while they’re cheaper.” Rachel watched a little girl let go of her balloon and stare at it floating up into the sky.
Patrick rested his arm across the back of the bench. “Hey, have you ever thought of selling her quilts or pies online? I bet they’d do really well.”
