Divining Elise

by Jody A. Kessler

  “That looks a little big on her,” Elise said.

  Rob set her back down, closed his eyes, and shook his head. “I bought the smallest size. Is she miniature or something?”

  Elise tried not to laugh again at his expression. “Did you buy the newborn size or size one?”

  “How am I supposed to know?”

  She worked her lips back and forth. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but she is your daughter, right? Did you take the parenting classes? I thought they were pretty helpful when I was pregnant with Colton.”

  He swallowed, shifted his gaze to the baby.

  “I didn’t have a chance to take any classes,” he said. Rob refastened the diaper then swaddled the baby in the thin receiving blanket.

  “You have time.” Elise laid her hand on his arm and squeezed. “I’m embarrassed. I shouldn’t have pried into your business and I haven’t even asked her name.”

  “It hasn’t been decided yet, but we’re calling her Allison for now.”

  “That’s a pretty name,” she said, trying to be more encouraging rather than finding amusement at his struggles.

  Elise adjusted her crutches and signed to Colton that they were leaving.

  Rob cradled Allison in his arm and closed the truck door. “I stopped by a daycare this morning that had an opening for an infant, but I couldn’t leave her there. The place had a bad smell.”

  “The smell?” she asked.

  “It was more than that. I’m not sure if I can explain it. A bad vibe or aura about the place.”

  “That’s smart to trust your gut. That’s what I always do. If it doesn’t feel right in here,” She held her hand to her solar plexus. “Or here.” Her hand moved to her heart, “Then the answer is no.”

  Rob watched Allison’s face. “I think I agree with you, but I don’t normally have instincts like that. It was unnerving. I do need to find someone soon. This little girl can’t help me with demolition or remodeling. And I need to spend a lot of time installing our new equipment and begin crafting my recipes.”

  “You’re a chef?”

  “No, a brew master. I didn’t know about Allison when me and my brothers bought the building.”

  “Sounds like there are a lot of changes going on for both of us.”

  He seemed reluctant to leave, and she found staying in his company easy.

  “Yo, Rob!” A man strutted out of the brewery.

  Elise knew they were related instantly. The angle of the brow line and jaw were too similar.

  “I’m missing my lunch. Did you snag it?”

  “No. And tone it down. Baby Allison is almost asleep.”

  The man glanced at the baby and his next words were quieter. “Hey, I set it by the workbench and now it’s gone. I need to refill my tank.” He patted his stomach.

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Rob said.

  Bodie stuck his head out the door and yelled, “I told you to check the roof!”

  “What is he talking about?”

  Rob looked between Bodie and the other man. “Our brother thinks we have a ghost who places stolen items on the roof.”

  A tingling chill ran across Elise’s back. The fine hairs on her arm rose to attention. Colton took her hand without her saying anything to him.

  “What?” the other man asked with obvious skepticism.

  “Just check. If you don’t find it up there, I’ll buy you something from the diner. Hi, Elise! Hello, Colton!” Bodie waved then disappeared back inside.

  Colton waved back, then watched the two men with his wide owlish eyes.

  Rob said, “Elise, this is my brother, Shane. Elise and her son, Colton, are the new managers of the bookstore.”

  “Hi there, big guy,” Shane said to Colton.

  Colton kept one hand on hers, but reached out and grabbed the edge of Rob’s jeans, holding onto both of them simultaneously.

  “He’s deaf,” Elise said. “He’s getting better at reading lips, though, but he misses a lot.”

  “You’re the owner of the car. I heard my stupid brother caused you a world of misfortune yesterday. You should sue his ass. He’s loaded, by the way. He can afford to lose his shirt a few times over.”

  “Go away,” Rob said.

  “Yeah, apparently, I need to go look on the roof,” Shane said with a sudden boisterous flare that Elise found hilarious.

  Who were these Everett brothers? And why were they all so drop-dead gorgeous?

  Shane squatted down in front of Colton and held out his hand. “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, sir.”

  Elise freed her hand from Colton’s grip and signed the message. Colton reached forward to shake Shane’s hand.

  “That’s a nice helmet. I used to wear my hockey helmet constantly when I was a kid. I loved that thing. And it drove my mom crazy,” Shane said.

  Elise translated Shane’s compliment for Colton and received a bashful smile in response.

  “Too bad you’re not still wearing your helmet. It’d help muffle the B.S. spewing from your pie hole,” Rob muttered.

  “Whatever,” Shane said, blowing off his brother’s retort. “I’m going to find my lunch and kick some otherworldly ghost ass. It was a pleasure meeting you both.” He saluted to Elise, gave Colton a man nod, and strode off toward the back of the building where an extension ladder led to the roof.

  “Sorry about Shane. He can’t help himself. I’m not sure why. Probably had a lack of oxygen at birth, or constantly beating him up when we were young has finally come back around to bite me in the karmic backside.”

  Elise laughed at both brothers. Shane’s ego and outgoing nature irked Rob just enough to make Rob’s response even more hilarious. The byplay between them took her mind off the mention of the ghost inside the building. She didn’t want to think about that.

  “We need to get going, too. I’ll see you around,” she said.

  “I’m going to the store. I couldn’t help but notice you might need a few things for your apartment. Would you like to go with us?” He glanced down at the baby then back to Elise and Colton.

  She hesitated.

  “I swear I’m a safe driver, and I slept... Well, I sort of slept last night. Sleeping is not the same with a newborn in the house.”

  “That’s the understatement of the year,” she said.

  “It is, isn’t it? I have to buy diapers that fit the baby and who knows what else. I probably need to pick up a hundred of these spit up shirts.”

  Elise stared at the truck, then at her pathetic car, then at Rob. Blessed Mary have mercy, she thought, and sighed. “I could use a trip to the store. You saw my apartment. We need everything.”

  “Let me buckle up Allison and we’ll go. I’ll be your tour guide since you’re new in town.”

  “First, Colton needs to change out of his wet shorts. And my mijo needs a bite to eat.” Movement caught her attention and she glanced up at the roof of the brewery.

  “It’s up here!” Shane called down to them and held up a paper bag. “You hid my lunch up here, didn’t you? Imbecile. Paybacks are brutal, you dillhole.”

  Rob rolled his eyes and waved at Shane. Elise caught Rob’s middle finger sticking up a little higher than the other fingers.

  He glanced at Elise. “I didn’t touch his lunch.”

  She nodded and refrained from commenting.

  Seven

  COLTON SAT IN THE BACKSEAT, eating a kid’s meal of chicken and French fries. Rob had to admit that it was easy to forget about him since he was always so quiet. He’d never been around any deaf people before and needed to make minor mental adjustments.

  “Thanks for stopping to grab lunch,” Elise said.

  They ate inside his truck in the parking lot before tackling the chore of shopping in the super store. Granite Lake didn’t have a wide enough variety of home goods, so after Colton changed out of his wet clothes, they drove to Evergreen Heights.

  “Maybe sometime we can eat something real. Between last night and toda
y, I’m getting burnt out on all the salt and grease.” Rob ate his last bite of hamburger and wadded up the paper wrapper.

  “You mean you’re an actual living, breathing male who doesn’t live on fast food, beer, and junk?”

  “Hey now,” he said with a playful warning. “Beer is not to be classified with fast food. It belongs in its own class, and it’s nutritious and good for me.”

  “Oh, right. You’re an expert in making beer. I guess I’ve never had many beers that are supposedly healthy.”

  “I’ll make sure to remedy that. You like beer, don’t you?” He wasn’t sure why, but her answer held more importance than he would have guessed. Please, don’t let her say she only drinks frou-frou cocktails, wine coolers, and flavored lemonades.

  “I drank my share of beer in high school and college. It was mostly cheap keg beer that didn’t do much for my taste buds. I’d have to say that I’m more of a tequila drinker. Margaritas or maybe an occasional sangria.” Elise shrugged. “I work a lot, and when I’m not working, I’m taking care of Colton. That doesn’t leave much time for recreational boozing.”

  “Wait. What are you saying? You don’t glug-glug while shelving books?” Rob brought his hand up to his mouth like he was drinking from a flask. “I thought all librarians were closet drinkers,” he said with a grin.

  “Yes. You’re totally on to us. It’s a secret society. We prefer only the finest wines and aged whiskeys. Now that I’ve divulged my secrets, I’m going to have to kill you.”

  “Well, that escalated quickly.”

  Elise laughed and the sight of her smile with her soft, shapely full lips and straight white teeth made him swallow. The tightening in his groin informed him just how sexy he thought this single mother was. In reality, he didn’t know if she was single. He wanted to ask, but she’d made herself clear as crystal that she wanted to keep her distance from him.

  “I might be willing to try one of your special beers. Someday. Maybe. On one condition.” She laughed again.

  “Negotiating a deal, are you? I didn’t know librarians were also so shrewd.” Rob reached for the backpack on the seat by Allison’s car seat.

  “We definitely are,” she said.

  “Let’s hear your terms,” he said as he dug out the baby formula and the bottled water.

  “You send your customers to the bookshop when they need a coffee and reading material to sober up before driving.” Her poker face, with one arched brow, made him stick his tongue inside his cheek. Her adorableness rating just clicked up a notch.

  “I give you free samples of my world class beverages and send customers to your shop in trade for your opinion of my work. Did I hear that correctly?”

  “You did.” She squared her shoulders. The tip of her tongue moistened her lower lip.

  “Your terms are very one-sided.”

  “Take ‘em or leave ‘em.”

  “I’ll think about it,” he said, playing his own astute card. The corner of his mouth ticked.

  Elise bit her lower lip and broke eye contact. Poker face vs. poker face, but the underlying current of electricity running between them was palpable and intimate. Neither of them broke and Rob liked how well they were matched.

  “I need to give her a bottle before we get the shopping over with.”

  * * *

  The idea that he was an unknowing participant in a hidden camera family circus show crossed his mind more than once as they traversed the mega store. With Elise in the electric cart while he pushed an absurdly gigantic plastic monstrosity shaped like a racecar, he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind.

  They made their way through the aisles and Elise picked out everything she needed. His sympathy for her empty apartment escalated when she chose a small cookware set, but bought paper plates and plastic silverware instead of spending money on real dishes.

  “I didn’t plan on these extra expenses,” she said. “I have to furnish my home a little at a time.”

  Elise added two bath towels, two hand towels, and every other household necessity to the cart, but absolutely nothing extra. Rob was also in the process of moving into his new place, but at least he owned decent towels, sheets, and dishes. He wanted to offer to pay for everything, but he’d already figured that Elise was a woman with pride. He wouldn’t insult her by offering to pay, no matter how much he wanted to.

  Elise’s knowledge of the baby department was invaluable in his opinion. She suggested the baby formula that could help Allison stop spitting up so much, showed him the difference between pajamas with snaps vs. zippers and thereby making all the difference in the world for the constant diaper changes, and taught him about baby carriers you wear. Of course, Rob had seen these contraptions on mothers and fathers, but he’d never really paid attention to them. Elise explained that they freed up your hands, but also kept most babies comforted and quieter than they would be in the car seat carrier. She picked one out and told him to buy it.

  After checking out, they loaded the kids and bags into the truck and climbed back inside.

  “Do you mind if we make one more stop?” Rob asked.

  “You’re driving, so it’s up to you,” she said.

  “Then I have an errand to take care of while we’re in town.”

  She shrugged. Rob didn’t know if he liked trying to divine her mysterious ways or if she were merely a challenge he couldn’t resist.

  “A mattress store,” she said when he pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine.

  “Are you interested in going inside? I need a mattress set for my guestroom. Shane sleeps on my couch when he stays with me, but I’m not a fan.”

  “Really?” she asked with doubt and skepticism. The silent accusation of an ulterior motive glinted in her shrewd eyes.

  He raised his hand as if swearing an oath. “Really. Shane owns a house full of furniture in the Bay Area, but he hasn’t moved any of it to my house. I don’t really want him to, but it’d be better than crashing on my sofa when he’s in town. You don’t have to come in, but in case you want to find a bed, they might keep mattresses in stock—and I happen to own a truck and could maybe carry a mattress up the stairs for you.”

  She shook her head with dismay, and possibly amusement, then opened the truck door.

  As they drove into downtown Granite Lake, Rob noticed Shane’s SUV parked at the brewery and dialed his number.

  “I need you for a minute,” he said after Shane answered. “Come across the street to the back entrance of the bookstore.”

  Shane arrived a couple of minutes later. He took one look at the loaded truck bed and said, “Yeah, yeah, I know what I’m good for.”

  “You owe me. One of these mattresses is for your lazy butt to sleep on instead of my couch,” Rob said.

  “I suppose that’s a decent trade,” Shane said, as he eyed their day’s haul.

  Rob and Shane hauled the mattresses and shopping bags upstairs for Elise and Colton. They stood in the dining area by the kitchen and Shane turned to Elise.

  “That’s a raw deal about your apartment getting cleaned out without you knowing. Rob could sue them for you. He may not have any experience in small claims, but he still has his law license.”

  “Do you always have to run your mouth?” Rob asked. “First, you told her to sue me, now you’re suggesting she use me to sue the former owner. Please, stop being you for the next decade.”

  Shane cracked a grin. “What can I say? I’m full of great ideas.”

  “You’re definitely full of something—something brown. And you’re also lawsuit happy,” Rob added.

  “It’s part of my job to satisfy my clients and come up with practical solutions. That often means finding money owed to them.”

  “Well, today you can just be the pretty face with the muscle,” Rob said.

  Shane turned to Elise. “Did you hear him say I was pretty? I knew my brother had a secret crush on me.”

  Rob shoved his brother’s shoulder.

  “Th
anks for your help. Come over for free coffee anytime after we reopen,” Elise said.

  Shane rubbed at his shoulder as if he were injured and winked at Elise. “Getting paid with coffee is even better than having a pretty face. And with that promise, I’ll bid you a nice evening.” Shane let himself out.

  “I’ll be right back.” Rob disappeared down the stairs behind his brother.

  Eight

  ELISE GLANCED AT THE BABY in her car seat carrier. Most people asked if it was okay to leave their little one behind before disappearing, but he did say he’d be right back. While Allison slept, she made tiny noises, grunts and whimpers that reminded Elise of when Colton was a newborn. The motherly instincts kicked in and she would be happy to cuddle the baby for hours. Rob still had not explained a word about Allison’s mom, and she hadn’t mentioned that Colton’s father was in prison because of drugs. If the subject of Allison’s mamá was as sore as her own painful past with Javier, then she didn’t want to drag it out into the open.

  Putting away a kitchen full of groceries became an arduous and frustrating task with crutches. She leaned them against the counter and tried moving around the kitchen. Her knee felt well enough to bear some weight and made the chore of putting everything away a lot easier. As long as she was careful to not move both her shoulder and leg in certain directions, she’d be back to herself in a couple of days.

  “I forgot I had a child,” Rob said when he walked back inside. He held three brown beer bottles and a shopping bag.

  “At least, you didn’t do it in the parking lot at the store,” she said, recalling the one time she walked up to the grocery store and forgot Colton was in his car seat. She was with Javier and they’d both forgotten about the boy for about ninety seconds. Long enough to give her heart a start and leave a lasting memory.