Diamonds And Denim (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots)

by Danni Lee Nicholls

  Bert pointed to the engine. “You’ve got a blown head gasket.”

  Mick shook his head. “A what?”

  “A blown head gasket.” Bert began pointing to various parts. “Here, let me show you.” He pulled a cap out of the engine. “This is the coolant,” he said. “When I hook this up, see how coolant comes out?”

  Mick nodded.

  “That’s not supposed to happen. Have you noticed any white steam from the exhaust?”

  Mick looked down at the floor. His mechanical knowledge of cars was limited to nothing. He turned the car ignition on and it started. He had the oil changed every so often, because he figured it was a good idea. “I-I—”

  Bert nodded, showing a crack of sympathy in his softening voice. “Well, we’ve got some good news and some bad news. First, the good news. I can get the parts. Because Jags are basically Ford engines, I can order the parts and fix the car. There’s more good news, too. I know it’s taken me a couple of days to get back to you, but that’s because I’ve been looking into every crack and crevice of this car to make sure there’s nothing else wrong. So far, I think the rest of it is clean.”

  Mick sighed with relief. Then he looked at Bert. “And the bad news?”

  Bert shook his head. “Well, the bad news is bad. It’s going to cost around three thousand dollars and take about two weeks to fix. And there is an outside chance I might find something else wrong, but I doubt it.”

  Mick closed his eyes as despair sank to the pit of his stomach.

  Bert gave him a thoughtful look. “I truly am sorry. I was hoping to just get you patched up and on your way. I know you were heading to somewhere else when all this happened.”

  Mick appreciated the change in Bert’s demeanor. He must not have heard of his earlier accusations of theft.

  Bert continued, “You might consider just selling it as is and flying to wherever you wanted to go.”

  “Do you want to buy it?” Mick asked hopefully.

  Bert shook his head. “No. There’s no need for this kind of car around here. You’d probably have to advertise online, but it’d still be a tough sell. Folks probably aren’t going to drive here, especially in this weather, to see a Jag they need to tow.”

  The weather. Mick peered into the deepening whitish-gray day. “This is just an early snow squall, right?”

  Bert shrugged. “Hard to say, exactly,” he said. “Although it is early for snowfall, it ain’t unheard of.” He wiped his hands on a rag. “Well, do you want me to get started on it or what?”

  Mick’s shoulders slumped. “My choices are fairly limited, and I need a working car, so let’s go ahead and fix it.”

  Bert eyed him carefully. “You’re good for the money, right?”

  The earlier despair grew into defeat. “Yeah. You’ll get paid.” Mick began to back away.

  Bert’s words followed him. “Before you go, I’m going to give you a friendly piece of advice.”

  Mick turned back to Bert.

  “You might want to consider selling those earrings of yours and buying a new car that’ll get you back on the road. There’s a dealership across town.”

  “Would they take the Jag as a trade-in?”

  “Probably not in its present condition,” Bert said. “That’s why I suggest the earrings.”

  Mick fingered the diamond in his right earlobe. “I suppose you know someone who’ll give me top dollar for these.”

  “Me? Nah. No one around here would invest in something like that. You’ll have to sell those online, too.” He threw the rag onto a toolbox. “Let me know what you want to do.”

  Mick turned to head back across the street, but then turned and faced Bert. “Can you … I mean, would you give me Willow’s cell number?”

  Bert’s eyes turned to little brown pebbles. “She don’t want those earrings either, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  Mick shook his head. “No. It’s about something else.”

  “Well, I suspect if she wanted to talk to you about anything, she would’ve given you her phone number herself. She’s as good as married, that girl, so give it up.”

  “I’ll take that as a ‘no,’” Mick headed across the street as curiosity nicked at him. If Willow was engaged, why didn’t she wear a ring?

  “I’ll let you know how things are going with the car,” Bert called after him.

  Mick heard the goodwill leave Bert’s voice as it trailed in the breeze. He waved Bert off without turning around.

  Chapter 10

  The following week, Willow sat in Ruby’s sunroom, gazing at the lake. The weather had relinquished its snowy grip, although several inches dimpled the lawn that led to the lake, now gray as it mirrored the iron-clad skies threatening rain. A fitful breeze carried itself across the lake, making small ripples that rushed toward shore. The aspens, which had been so cheerful in their fall robes of yellow, now looked drab as their remaining leaves hung limp on sodden branches, matching Willow’s mood.

  Willow sipped the hot chocolate Ruby handed her. The deliciously sweet milk mixed with just the right amount of chocolate and sugar warmed Willow from the inside. Holding her mug high, she turned toward Ruby. “I love your recipe for hot chocolate. This gives me a reason to look forward to the colder weather.”

  Ruby sipped her own mug. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “What’s in it?”

  “You may be my best friend, but I’m not telling you. If I did tell, you’d probably never drink it again because it has so much fat in it. But drink up. What your mind doesn’t know, your body can’t hold against you.”

  Willow nestled down into her seat. Her favorite sweater cradled her, along with the flannel blanket Ruby had offered when she’d sat down. She reached for Pilot, who nuzzled her fingers from the foot of the chair.

  “I know the weather isn’t sunny and bright, but it’s still pretty. Don’t you think?” Ruby asked.

  “Especially here on the lake. I love your house.”

  “Been in my family for generations,” Ruby said. “It’s part of the reason I hesitate to move out. I’ll never find a place like this.”

  Both women were silent for a moment. Then Ruby said, “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

  Willow tried to remain calm in spite of her nerves that jumped at Ruby’s question. “How about you start?”

  “Well, Bert stopped by work for his morning cup of joe the other day. I guess the Jag is in really bad shape. It’s going to take three thousand dollars to fix the car, and most likely two weeks or longer.” She paused a minute before continuing. “Bert also said Mr. Studs accused Missy, who’s working as Bev’s cleaning girl, of stealing those earrings, but he later apologized. I guess he found them in his shaving kit. He felt just awful and was so embarrassed.”

  Cold sparks of anger burst within Willow. “Well, he should be embarrassed,” she spit out before pursing her lips together in irritation.

  Ruby arched an eyebrow in her direction. “Mr. Studs has asked just about everyone he knows for your phone number, including Bert. You can guess how that went. At first Bert thought it was to see if you would be interested in buying the earrings so he could finance getting the car fixed, but I guess that wasn’t the reason.”

  A small jolt of surprise flashed through Willow at the thought of Mick trying to get in touch with her.

  Ruby shifted in her seat. “He also asked me for your number. But he wouldn’t tell me why, and I wasn’t comfortable giving it out. When I questioned him, he just told me the two of you had some unfinished business. Bert got the same line.” Ruby gave a little fake pout. “I wish he’d ask for my phone number.”

  Willow took a sip of chocolate, hiding behind the big mug, but said nothing.

  Ruby continued, “Bert is such a dichotomy, really. He’ll spread gossip like wildfire, but he wouldn’t give Mr. Studs your phone number. He’s always been a bit protective of you.”

  Willow set her mug on the end table. “It’s not me, really. Any
time I’m in the same room with him for longer than thirty seconds, he asks me when Curtis and I are going to tie the knot.”

  “We’re all asking that question,” Ruby said.

  Willow shook her head in irate disgust. “Curtis hasn’t asked me to marry him. Anyone can see I’m not wearing an engagement ring!” Her breath came in small heated puffs.

  Ruby nodded. “I don’t blame you. Curtis has been MIA for a long while now, and I think Mr. Studs may have given you more to think about.”

  Wariness overcame Willow, and she stopped breathing. Was the rumor mill at work? “What makes you say that?” she asked.

  “I saw the fireworks between the two of you that morning at the Jumpin’ Bean,” she said. “It was like two sparks coming together to create some sort of wildfire.”

  Willow grabbed the mug and took another sip of chocolate as her earlier feelings about Mick surfaced. For days now, she had tried to pretend that Mick’s accusation around the theft of his earrings meant nothing, and that his presence meant even less. But nothing could erase the forming of a deeper connection between her and Mick that came with their few and precious moments. The reality both enticed and frightened her. She shook her head while dismissing those thoughts. “That may have been the case, but Missy isn’t the only one he accused of taking his precious earrings. He accused me first.”

  Ruby’s eyes grew large. “Wow! Really?”

  “I haven’t spoken to him since.” A sense of indignation rose up in Willow, and she reveled in it, hoping it would stay.

  Ruby was thoughtful. “I bet that hasn’t stopped you from thinking of him, though, has it?”

  Her earlier animosity dissolved like the sugar in Ruby’s hot chocolate. “No,” she whispered.

  “Look, Willow. I love you like a sister, and I care deeply about your happiness, so I’m going to offer one piece of advice.”

  Willow looked up. “What’s that?”

  “Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

  “You mean I should just put this behind me and leave Mick alone. It would be easier since he’s been such a jerk.”

  Ruby shook her head. “I don’t mean that at all. I mean think of what would cause you the least amount of regret and the greatest amount of happiness, and do that. Whatever it may be.”

  The thought snagged on Willow’s earlier feelings of irritation. “I don’t know, Ruby …”

  Ruby shrugged. “That’s okay. You don’t need to know anything today. Give it some time.”

  Willow smiled as the pressure lifted from her soul. If Mick was looking for her, maybe it was time she was found. “How did I manage to get so lucky in snagging you as a best friend in kindergarten?”

  Ruby grinned. “I think you shared your potato chips with me at lunch. I was an easy catch.”

  Willow laughed before taking another sip of chocolate and turning her attention back to the lake. The two girls swapped memories from high school for several minutes while they finished their hot chocolate. As the afternoon wore on, Willow folded the flannel blanket covering her knees and stood. “I need to go,” she said. “This snow means some extra chores.”

  Pilot stood with her and wagged his tail as he looked up with happy expectation.

  “You could always opt for the city life, you know.”

  “As if Sunrise Creek qualifies for city life.”

  Ruby laughed as she walked Willow to the door.

  Willow hugged her best friend. “Thank you.”

  “You’ve done the same for me,” she said.

  Willow smiled. “You’ve given me some direction.”

  Ruby slowly nodded. “Tell Mick I said hello,” she said as Willow walked toward Clementine.

  Willow stopped and turned. “You know me too well, don’t you?”

  Ruby grinned. “Of course I do. After all, your secrets are my job.” She waved before stepping back into the house. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  Willow returned the wave as she hopped into the truck. Turning on the heat, she pulled Pilot close. Pilot gave her hand a quick lick before gazing up into Willow’s eyes.

  “How about we stop by Bev’s place? I think it’s time we had a conversation with Mr. Studs. The least we can do is give him the opportunity to apologize.”

  Pilot blinked.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. You liked him a lot more than I did, anyway,” she said.

  A few minutes later, Willow left Pilot in the cab, stepped out of the truck at Bev’s motel, and glanced across the street. The Jag sat in one of Bert’s bays with the hood up. Bert was tinkering with the engine as if he was doing surgery.

  Willow turned from the scene and walked into the office of the motel. Bev smiled at her from behind the counter. “And what brings you in here this cold and wet fall morning?” she asked.

  “I hear one of your guests is looking for me.”

  Bev nodded. “He’s asked everyone around here for your phone number, but we didn’t know if you wanted to hear from him. He’s been kind of a jerk. Did you hear how he accused Missy?”

  Willow nodded, suddenly glad she had only told Ruby the story of Mick’s accusation. “I also heard he apologized.”

  Bev’s smile returned. “Practically groveled, poor man. He really did feel bad, and he should feel bad. Missy put up a good front, but she was in tears after that conversation. He did his best to make good, but I’m still not comfortable giving out phone numbers, and I had no idea why he wanted to talk to you.” She leaned over and whispered. “Did he accuse you, too? Curtis would have his hide for that.”

  Willow bit down on her tongue for a quick second before leaning in and giving Bev a sweet smile. “You have my permission to give him my number,” she said.

  Bev gave her a conspiring look as she pulled away and pointed out the big picture window that faced the parking lot. “You can give it to him yourself,” she said. Her smile widened. “Meet our new …” She hesitated. “What do you call a man who is a maid?”

  Willow turned to see Mick behind a cart full of towels, hotel sundries, and cleaning supplies. Her mouth fell open in disbelief. “You hired him?!”

  “Missy went into labor a couple of weeks early, and he needed a job. It’s a win-win. It can be hard to find help around here this time of year.”

  Willow grinned. Seeing Mick filled her with unexpected delight. Seeing him behind Missy’s cleaning cart made her smile even wider as her appreciation for his humble work ethic grew. He wasn’t too proud to take a maid’s job to help himself and Bev out, even if he was a New York City boy.

  Her eyes locked with Mick’s just long enough for her to see glee mirrored in his eyes. He looked genuinely happy to see her.

  Leaving the cart, Mick moved into the office and came to stand beside Willow. The warmth of his body traveled toward her on some unseen frequency, and she leaned in for a moment before realizing she had never before embraced Mick. The moment turned awkward. She swallowed. “It’s good to see you,” she said. “And Bev tells me you’ve been working for her.”

  “Since Missy went on maternity leave. I’ll be here until the Jag is fixed.”

  Willow peered around Mick and looked out the window at the miserable Jag but said nothing.

  “Um, can I talk to you for a few minutes, privately?” Mick asked.

  “Sure thing.”

  Willow followed Mick through the back door of the motel to the shores of the lake. The day was still cold and cloudy. The earlier threat of rain had turned with the temperature and now promised more snow. The trees pressed their fresh white branches against the gray sky.

  Mick took a towel and dried the lakeside chairs before sitting. “I could sit out here all day,” Mick said with a sigh. “I can see why you never get tired of this beauty.”

  Willow sat in one of the cold chairs and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. She gazed out over the icy water.

  Mick scooted his chair close. “I don’t know why you came by,” he said. “But I’m glad you did. I
owe you an apology.”

  “I hear you found your earrings.”

  “News gets around fast, doesn’t it?”

  Willow shrugged as she continued to gaze out toward the lake, tucking her earlier jubilation back inside of herself. She wasn’t going to give anything away. “It can.”

  “Willow … I’m so sorry. It was such a bad knee-jerk reaction, with the emphasis on jerk. There’s really no excuse.”

  Willow glanced at him as her hurt spilled out. “What made you do such a thing?”

  “I haven’t told anyone else this. Not even Simone knows. But I was mugged about three weeks before I came out here. It left me …” He searched for the right word.

  Willow gave a start at the name of a woman, but she focused on her conversation. “It left you vulnerable?”

  “Yeah. Still, that wasn’t any excuse for me to unload an accusation on you. I could’ve simply told you I couldn’t find them in a reasonable tone. Maybe we could’ve looked together.”

  “I see you’re wearing them now,” Willow said.

  “Yeah. I don’t want to lose them again. It turns me into a jerk.”

  Willow smiled and raised her eyebrows.

  “I really am sorry for how I treated you. It was degrading and rude.”

  Willow reached over and placed her hand on Mick’s arm. His skin was warm under her palm. “It’s okay,” she said. “You’re forgiven. I’m sorry about what happened to you. Those experiences carry a reverberating trauma.”

  Mick shook her words away. “Yeah, but still …” He turned to face her. “Will you still go out to breakfast with me?”

  She smiled as her earlier concerns about the rumor mill were dismantled over her growing desire to learn more about Mick. People would say whatever they wanted, but she wasn’t responsible for any of it. “Same deal?”

  “Yep. You can pick the place and drive, and I’ll pay. I’m working now, so I can afford it.”

  Willow grinned. “Can you leave now?”

  “I’ve just got to refill the cart for tomorrow, and then I’m all yours.”