Harlequin Heartwarming March 21 Box Set

by Claire McEwen

  The mayor shook his head and smirked. “Believe me, you’re the best choice. You’re an important visitor. A fine military man. What do you say?”

  It had been a long time since anyone had valued Aidan’s opinion for something other than as an expert interpreter. When the mayor put the offer in those terms, it sounded like it was Aidan’s patriotic duty to accept. His stomach already thanked him for the privilege. “You’ve got yourself a judge.”

  Something like relief spread across the man’s face. “Thanks. See you around.”

  Mayor Wes practically sprinted away.

  CHAPTER SIX

  AIDAN SNAPPED THE measuring tape back into its metal carrying case. Measure twice, cut once was one of the first lessons his father had taught him. Now he’d be teaching Danny about tools and passing on those same lessons.

  He walked over to the long boards and grabbed the top one on the pile. Consulting the rough diagram of oversize constellations he’d drawn from Natalie’s sketches after the mayor’s visit, he was satisfied with his choice. Same as his stomach would be satisfied, no doubt, in a couple of weeks after getting his fill of pie.

  Natalie might be right. There might be something about Hollydale that defied expectations. There were other people in town more connected to the community who would make a suitable judge. And yet the mayor seemed to have singled him out. Maybe there was something to small-town life, something similar to military life but without the carousel effect of people coming and going. He knew that feeling too well, considering he was the fourth generation of Murphy men to join the army. His father hadn’t accepted an honorable discharge until Shelby was Danny’s age and they’d settled in Cathy’s hometown of Cincinnati.

  Whistling, he laid the board on the sawhorses and fetched his saw. As soon as he retrieved it, Natalie and Danny returned. Her red hair glinted in the rays of the sun. There was a freshness about her that sparked something in him, the part of him jaded from the impact of all he’d seen over the past fifteen years. Her gaze narrowed in on the neat pile of cut wood near the chassis.

  “Look at what you’ve accomplished since we’ve been gone. If you weren’t holding that saw, I’d give you a huge hug.”

  It was easy to see why any parent would consider themselves lucky if their child landed in her kindergarten class; her tone was encouraging without carrying any condescension.

  He laid down the saw. “I’d have been done by now if it weren’t for the interesting offer that came my way while you picked up lunch.”

  Her smile widened, and she leaned forward as if she couldn’t wait to hear what he had to say. “Good news?” She gestured for him to join her at the pavilion, where Danny had already started eating his sub. He should mind the familiarity, even be wary of it, but he was coming to understand her openness was just a part of her.

  Allowing himself this one distraction, he slipped his hand in hers. In the normal course of his work, he’d be winding down the training of recruits, simulating different scenarios, using his foreign-language skills, the main reason he’d already been recruited for his postmilitary career. He felt like he was playing hooky with the blue skies, chatter and laughter nearby and the sweet mountain air filling his lungs.

  And yet? He didn’t want to feel guilty. Natalie’s vitality added something he couldn’t put his finger on, but he had to stop noticing her. The optimism she radiated from head to toe brightened his afternoon, and he pulled back from the unexpected attraction. This was his sister’s best friend.

  He glanced at Danny, who was cramming two chips in his mouth at once. Instead of telling him to eat more slowly, he let it go. Though he felt like he was getting soft at his old age of thirty-six.

  Getting along with Natalie and smoothing the transition would benefit Danny in the long run. So for the next few weeks, he’d make those his top priorities.

  “Aidan? What’s your good news?” She tapped his arm.

  “Mayor Wes stopped by, and I’m going to judge the pie contest on the Fourth of July. Danny can be my helper.” Good thing his leave did come through.

  Her lips curled up, and she brought her hand to her mouth before she bent over laughing.

  He held out his palms. “What’s so funny?”

  One more laugh escaped before she smoothed the ruffled edge of her tunic. “Please tell me you rejected his offer.”

  There was underlying concern in her voice, the type that usually meant someone cared. Still, why the concern over judging a pie contest? “Any reason I should have?”

  “You have no idea what you’ve committed yourself to, do you?” She whistled and reached for her lunch. A loaded submarine sandwich with all the extras, the same way he’d ordered his. “For the past twenty-six years, Hollydale has gone all out celebrating Independence Day. It’s one reason this is my favorite holiday. The town comes together and throws a big party. Everyone contributes something.”

  From what he’d seen so far, he could understand that. People and parties suited her, while he’d like nothing more than to take a couple of days and hike the mountains alone, maybe do a little kayaking.

  “Nothing seems amiss to me. Can no one in Hollydale bake a decent pie?” Maybe that was the problem. Pretty town, bad bakers. Now he could end up with indigestion, or worse.

  “Belinda Chastain is known as the Pie Queen in these parts. She bakes the most delicious cherry lattice pie.” She smacked her lips. “Flaky crust, fresh sweet cherries. It’s heaven on a plate.”

  He wondered if he should get back to work. “Good to know.”

  Natalie patted his arm, and he settled on the bench once more. She handed him his lunch bag. “And then there’s Hyacinth Hennessy. Her lemon meringue pie is scrumptious. The meringue is so light, and the lemon curd is simply to die for.”

  “As judge, I’ll get to try both, along with all the other entries. Nothing wrong with that.” Her hand remained on his upper arm, and he wanted to lean in. He kept back, however, as it wouldn’t do to get used to anything in Hollydale other than Danny. He pulled out his sub and began to unwrap it.

  “What other entries? No one else ever dares submit a pie. Hyacinth has thirteen blue ribbons, same as Belinda. It’s gotten to the point where it’s almost unbearable to live around here for a year until there’s a tie again. What’s worse is the judge who does break the tie moves into the doghouse with the family of the losing baker. Norm Braswell had to drive to and from Asheville for a year to buy his fish bait when he declared Hyacinth the winner since Belinda’s husband owns the local gas station, which is also the site of our best local bait shop. Mary Anne Whitten was banned from the garden club for a year when she declared Belinda the winner.”

  She settled back, and he crammed a bit of sub into his mouth and chewed. “So, I’m it, the fall guy.” Something about that rubbed him the wrong way.

  Here Natalie had been trying to sell him on Hollydale, and now? His opinion of the town turned on a dime. However, he’d made a commitment, and he’d see it through.

  He wrapped up the remainder of his sandwich for later and jumped off the bench, more determined than ever to finish sawing the wood for the frame.

  “Aidan, wait!” Natalie caught up to him quickly.

  “I want to complete this part of the project first.”

  She tapped her cowboy boot. “Listen to me first. Now that I’ve thought about it, you’re the perfect choice. You’re calm and you inspire confidence in those around you.”

  “If you believe all of that, why fight me about Danny? I’m his uncle, and I should be the one who inspires confidence in him in the future.”

  She glared at him before looking over her shoulder and then returning her gaze his way. Danny gave no signs of having heard them. Instead, a chocolate chip cookie held his complete attention. “You promised you’d give Hollydale a chance. Shelby felt there was something about this town that could give Danny s
tability and a home. There’s more to the town than what’s on the surface.”

  The underlying context didn’t escape him. She wanted him to give her a chance.

  The sky darkened, gray clouds rolling in out of nowhere, an afternoon shower in the immediate future. He quickened his pace.

  She turned around. “Danny, stay there. We’re going to clean up so we don’t get caught in the storm. They come up quickly here in the Great Smoky Mountains.”

  Arriving at the area with the sawhorses and piles of wood, they reached for the same board, their fingers brushing each other’s. His awareness of her heightened.

  He pulled back and picked up the tools from the ground. “I’ll keep an open mind.”

  She smiled, and a distant rumble of thunder cut off any further explanation as they worked together to protect the supplies from any damage.

  * * *

  NATALIE SLIPPED HER hand out of Danny’s as they entered her mother’s kitchen the day after a whopper of an afternoon storm. Unlike her bright yellow kitchen, Diane had painted hers bright red to match her ceramic rooster collection sitting atop the cabinets.

  Every Valentine’s Day, her dad presented her mom with a new addition to the rooster collection, and her mother laughed and placed it alongside the others. Each time, Natalie saw the love reflected in her father’s eyes for his wife. Becks and Mike had always groaned and left the room when the parents started hugging, but Natalie remained, soaking in the love in this space, hoping someday someone would look at her the way her parents looked at one another.

  For a while, she’d found that someone when she and Francisco were engaged. Then he died too soon, and her dreams fell by the wayside.

  Bubbling water on the stove sparked Natalie’s curiosity. The starchy smell of potatoes greeted her, and she glanced at her mother, who rested her paring knife alongside a big ceramic bowl.

  Diane rose and greeted Danny with a warm embrace. “I’m so happy you came over to help me this afternoon. Nothing like a handsome fellow to make the cooking more fun.” Diane winked at Natalie.

  “Thanks, Mom, for watching him so I can work on the float. You’re an angel.”

  “Where’s Aidan?”

  “He’s meeting with the Realtor about Shelby’s house and her downtown property. He texted me the electricity’s back on, but the water and gas have to wait until Monday.”

  “Glad I can help, then. Danny can peel the eggs, so it worked out for the best.” She winked again, this time in Danny’s direction.

  Natalie headed off, intending on a quick getaway, but her mother wasn’t having any of that.

  She shoved a chopping knife her way. “Your father wanted a test run of potato salad before our big family picnic this weekend. Out of the three of you, for some reason, yours always comes out the most like my mom’s.”

  “Probably because Becks follows the recipe too closely and measures everything, and Mike makes a goofy joke and always forgets to add something.” Five minutes couldn’t hurt much, and Diane was doing her a huge favor.

  Natalie settled onto the wooden chair across from her mother. Danny sat next to her at the oak table, which had seen more than one food fight between her and Mike before Becks ran for Mom. Natalie discarded the first Vidalia onion and the second before settling on the third.

  “Why that one, Aunt Natalie?” Danny propped his arms on the table.

  Natalie waited for her mother to say something, but there was only silence from the other side.

  Natalie reached for the two discards and showed them to him. “This one has a black spot, and this one is too soft in the middle. For me, it’s touchy feely. That’s how I get the sense of which one’s right.”

  Danny touched each of the rejected ones. “Why not use the good half of these?”

  Diane reached over and ruffled his hair. “You’ve got old-fashioned common sense. Natalie’s going to have her hands full in a couple of years with you.”

  Natalie’s stomach twisted at the thought of Danny growing up anywhere other than Hollydale. Shelby had wanted Danny surrounded by people who’d give him roots and pass on something as simple as the Harrison Family Potato Salad recipe. She sliced the onion with an expert hand. At least now, if any tears fell, she’d have a good excuse.

  “Danny’s here!” Her father announced his presence, and Natalie popped out of her seat.

  “So am I.” For right now, although the park was starting to call her name.

  Dad met her halfway and gave her a side hug. “Hey there, Nattie-girl.” Only he was allowed to call her that. “Hey, Danny, want to go work on catching that baseball some more?”

  “I’m supposed to peel the eggs.” Danny reached into the small bowl, pulled out one of the hard-boiled eggs and turned it around as if he didn’t know what to do next.

  Natalie reached over and showed him how to peel one and then caught her father tapping his foot, as if waiting for her permission. How times had changed. “Go ahead outside and have fun.”

  With a second glance her way, Danny waited until she gave a slight nod. Then he jumped out of his chair and hugged her. “Thanks, Aunt Natalie. You’re the best.”

  If Aidan had his way, Danny would be on a plane to Fort Lewis outside Seattle, perhaps even as soon as the fifth of July. Natalie chopped her onion with that much more force.

  “I have the feeling those aren’t onion tears.” Her mom’s hand neared her own before backing away. “Does this have anything to do with Shelby’s brother returning?”

  Her mother always had a sixth sense about her children.

  Natalie laid the knife on the cutting board. “He wants full custody of Danny.”

  “I see.”

  Do you? If her mother could bring all of this into one neat bundle so she and Aidan could do the right thing for Danny, Natalie would love to hear it. All night she’d struggled with balancing Shelby’s final wishes with Aidan’s ties to his nephew. It might have been easier if she didn’t think she and Aidan had some sort of connection, something unrelated to the young boy at the center of all this.

  Ignoring that connection made the most sense. Admitting there was something between them made her more vulnerable than she already was.

  Besides, Danny fit in perfectly with her family. Even now, her father set aside time to teach him how to throw a ball. Would Aidan do the same?

  “You can make this potato salad in your sleep. I’ll be back to pick up Danny in a few hours.”

  Mom laid her hand over Natalie’s and, for the first time, she met her mother’s gaze. “We’ll support you no matter what. You know that, right?”

  Somehow, Natalie didn’t have the heart to hear the rest of that speech, the unspoken “but” giving her pause. She’d heard that same tone whenever she’d suggested having cake before dinner, bringing the ducks in from the rain or staying up all night in order to see the sunrise. “I have to go build the best float in the Hollydale parade. Something fun and bright.”

  “Are you biting off more than you can chew?”

  And there’s the rest of that speech. Her mother would never have asked the same of either Mike or Becks. Natalie jumped out of her chair and grabbed her purse from the hook on the wall. “Shelby thought I was up to the task. I can bring something special back into Danny’s life.”

  She stopped short, unable to leave but unable to face her mother, the person she thought would be the most understanding. Without turning around, she knew her mother was behind her.

  “Sweetheart.” Her mother touched her shoulder.

  Natalie didn’t flinch.

  “I wasn’t talking about Danny. I was talking about the float. Maybe you should call Marisa and tell her something’s come up.”

  Facing her mother, Natalie became that much more determined in her quest to make the holiday special, not just for Danny, but also for Aidan, who needed to s
ee the people around her coming together to build something good and lasting. And that he could see she wasn’t wrapped up in herself.

  “Everything’s going to turn out for the best.” Her own words didn’t sound all that convincing, so she reaffirmed them in a stronger way. “This isn’t just about me. It’ll come together, maybe not as I expected, but life is filled with twists. Just wait and see.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  NATALIE HELD THE door of The Busy Bean for Danny, and he slipped in under her arm. Only ten minutes late this morning, and this delay wasn’t even her fault. At least, it mostly wasn’t her fault. Her sister had called especially early considering Becks lived in California, so Natalie couldn’t cut her off. No matter how much Becks insisted she only wanted to chat about her baby daughter, there was something wrong with Becksher. Natalie was sure of that.

  Just like there was something wrong with Danny, although she couldn’t put her finger on what was amiss, same as Becks. The Busy Bean was one of his favorite places, right up there with Miss Louise’s Ice Cream Parlor, yet he hadn’t mustered any enthusiasm for this morning’s trip.

  Catching sight of his scowl concerned her. Many times he called Deb’s hot cocoa “the bestest in the world,” and Natalie’d indulged him with weekly visits. Food and drink were no replacement for a mother’s love and attention, but the comfort of the cheerful coffeehouse, with its delicious aromas of chocolate and sugar, seemed to buoy his spirits. The residents who smothered Danny with love made it almost like a second home and well worth the trip.

  She looked the other way when Mitzi Mayfield, the owner of A New You hair salon, sneaked Danny his favorite flavor of lollipop from her not-so-secret stash after a haircut. And Miss Louise always added sprinkles to Danny’s cone when Natalie hadn’t even paid for them, shooing her away when she tried to do so. From the Summer Country Music Series to the Spring Fling, there was and always would be something for Natalie and Danny to do.