Write Me Home

by Crystal Walton

  Ti raised her shoulders. “Just a tad.” She set a hand on his forearm, her voice as gentle as her touch. “She has a reason, Ethan. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prove her wrong.” With that, she flitted up the hill toward some measure of hope he couldn’t see himself.

  He swiped the pinecone from the ground, tossed it in his hand, and chucked it across the field into the woods. He probably should be glad she didn’t want his help on this one. The thought of calling Jenni sent shivers down his spine worse than any roaches would have. He raked his fingers through his hair. What was he doing back in this town?

  “She has a reason.” Ti’s words pummeled through him. If Izzy were here, she’d tell him to stick with it. Always the valiant one. If he made it through this summer, maybe he’d finally live up to her level of bravery.

  His fire pager beeped. Dispatch announced a call nearby, and Ethan released a sigh of relief. At least there were still some fires he knew how to put out.

  Cass shed her sweatshirt, tossed it in the passenger seat, and yanked the door to her Passat behind her. Why did Ethan have to be so quick to intervene? Did he think she was incapable of running the place? After the way she’d almost lost it back there, what else would he think? Worst part was, he was probably right. She reversed from her parking spot.

  Ti flagged her down. “Where are you going?”

  “Into town.” Somewhere she could think clearly.

  Rather than argue, Ti simply leaned against the deck, smile in place. As always. If Cass could live free of responsibilities, maybe she could smile like that, too.

  Ti drifted out of view in the mirror, but guilt for thinking about her best friend like that dug into Cass’s gut all the way to the bottom of the driveway. She shouldn’t take her frustrations out on Ti. With the way things were going, her free spirit might be the only source of levity around this place.

  Idling at the crossroad, Cass looked both ways, unsure where she was heading. Maybe it didn’t matter. She turned left, set her arm on the door panel, and waited for the sun-soaked breeze to carry her stress into the mountainside.

  A sign grabbed her attention several miles down the road. Without thinking, she pulled into the lot as if a homing device steered the car instead of her. A bell above the flower shop’s door joined the sweet fragrance of gardenias ushering her into one place up here that finally felt like home.

  Surrounded by the familiarity of flowers, she almost curled into a ball in the middle of the floor, just so she could soak it all in. The colors, aroma, tranquility. All those years of managing Mom’s shop had caused their share of heartache. But through everything, the beauty had always anchored her. Like one small constant ray of light.

  She smoothed out her tank top and shoved the lump in her throat back down. She couldn’t break under pressure. All the work she’d put in proving to Dad she could hack it in business wasn’t about to end now.

  “Can I help you?” A short, round woman in an embroidered apron strolled out from behind the counter, carrying a spray bottle. Her gentle voice and soft expression drained the tension out of Cass’s shoulders.

  She let out a breath. “If it’s all right, I’d just like to browse the flowers for a while.”

  “Of course. Take your time.” She cupped her hand under the leaves of a peach dahlia plant and misted the petals. “Don’t you love early summer?”

  “My favorite time of year.” Cass drifted around the arrangements. Freesia, pansies, hyacinths. Pinks and oranges burst from each shelf. In the far corner, she slowed by a hutch filled with bouquets made of wild flowers.

  The bell above the door chimed again. A clean-cut guy about her age, wearing a light gray dress shirt and textured tie, approached the counter. “Do you have any Daphne plants in?”

  “Wrong season.” Cass darted her head toward the flowers in front of her and bit her lip. Nobody’d asked her. “Sorry.” She ducked behind a back display, moved on to a simple plant that most people probably overlooked, and leaned over to smell it.

  “They’re stunning in yellow, aren’t they?”

  She peered at the guy from the counter, standing right beside her now. “Excuse me?”

  He motioned to the flowers. “Anemones. I rarely see them in that color.”

  If she could get her eyelids to move, maybe her jaw would follow. A guy like him knew about flowers?

  A perfect smile sloped up his closely-shaven cheek. Evidently, some guys in Haven’s Creek owned a razor.

  “Didn’t mean to intrude.” Dipping his head, he turned.

  “You just caught me off guard.” She ran her hand along the flower’s stalk and kept her gaze on the petals.

  He laughed softly. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  She could’ve asked him the same thing. He certainly didn’t fit the rugged mold she expected for this area. Not like Ethan did—all muscles and scruff, solid work hands that smelled like the earth. Why did he have to be so . . . ? Her stomach plummeted at the realization.

  The guy leaned in front of her. “Are you okay?”

  Aside from apparently being attracted to someone she shouldn’t be? She cringed. No wonder she was so edgy around him. What was wrong with her? She was supposed to learn from her mistakes, not repeat them.

  The ceiling vent poured cool air onto her bare shoulders, somehow bypassing her hot cheeks altogether. “Yeah, fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m from Queens. You?”

  “Bona fide Haven’s Creek native.”

  Her head flashed up toward a sultry grin.

  “Let me guess. Caught you off guard again?”

  She fumbled her purse strap, words floundering even more.

  “In all fairness, I’m technically from the city. Moved here when I was five. My uncle took me in after my parents died in a car wreck.”

  Her hand flew to her chest. “I’m so sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago. And this town isn’t a complete dead end. As long as you know the right people.” He rubbed a knuckle across his eyebrow. “I never could get into the farming business, though. Guess my city roots had a stronger pull. I work in Manhattan a few days a week. Telecommute from here the rest.”

  “Ah.” Made sense now. She swept past him to the next display. “Wall Street?”

  “Maybe one day.” He slid his cuff above an oversized watch. “Speaking of business, I need to run. Pleasure to meet you . . .”

  “Cassidy.”

  “Nick Ashton.” His smile hitched up his cheek again. “Hope your time in Haven’s Creek isn’t boring.”

  Not if Ethan DeLuca had anything to do with it.

  Nick slipped by her into an open section of the floor. He stood for a moment before turning and handing her a torn-off piece of paper with his number on it. “In case you happen to get too bored and need a night out.”

  With all the work she had to do, that wasn’t likely. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Please do.” With another dip of his chin, he strode through the rows toward the exit.

  Nick Ashton, huh? She would’ve filed him away with every other power-suit guy in Manhattan if it weren’t for his knowledge of flowers. Either way, she already had enough distractions to worry about.

  Images of the roaches shuddered over her again. But same as it had in the moment, the genuine concern in Ethan’s eyes shook her even more. She turned the paper around in her hands and sighed. She might end up needing the distraction of a night out more than she wanted to admit.

  chapter six

  Priceless

  The exterminator van’s taillights faded around the bend of the driveway the next morning. In the canteen, Ethan pried a piece of plywood off with the back of his hammer. Cassidy had taken care of it. Just like she’d said she would. Not that he was surprised. The woman was more than capable of handling things and obviously had something to prove.

  In a pair of rolled-up jeans and a fitted gray T-shirt with a butterfly on it, she rounded the back
of the main building and strolled toward him.

  At least it wasn’t as hot in here as it had been yesterday. Maybe the place wouldn’t go up in flames from whatever fireballs she decided to throw at him today. He steeled himself as she approached, but the sunlight caught soft features instead of her usual hard lines.

  Sandy rose from his retired position in front of the counter and scratched his ear with his hind leg, hair flying everywhere. She stopped to pet him. “Almost twenty-four hours later, and I still feel like I have things crawling on me.”

  He slid the hammer’s claw under another rusted nail and jimmied it out. “I don’t blame you. I’m pretty sure those roaches showed up in my dreams last night.”

  Was that an actual smile he’d gotten out of her? Unable to look away, he couldn’t help returning it.

  She folded her arms on the counter. Her gaze roamed around the inside of the canteen until it landed on the shelves behind him. “Are there any Swedish Fish back there?”

  He peeked over his shoulder at the supply of outdated candy. She couldn’t be serious. “Yeah. You have a loose tooth you’re looking to pull out?”

  The side door opened, and she headed straight for the yellow box. “I haven’t had these in forever.” She tore into the package and tapped a handful of red gummy fish onto her palm. Her face lit up like she was a preteen camper, ready to live off a sugar rush for the next week.

  He kept his mouth shut, but his laughter tumbled out anyway.

  Long curls brushed over her cheeks. “What? You don’t like candy?”

  “Oh, no, I do. Just not usually the expired kind.”

  She tossed two fish in her mouth. “Your loss.”

  Who was this girl? Don’t tell me she has split personalities.

  The box hit the floor as she flailed her arms around her hair. “Something just landed on me.”

  Ethan dropped the hammer and steadied her by the shoulders before she ended up knocking over the shelves.

  Head down, she grabbed his sleeve. “If it’s a spider, I’m gonna scream.”

  With her color-changing eyes hidden from him, he didn’t bother hiding his grin. She looked as cute as she had during the squirrel episode the other day. This close to her, scents of vanilla overrode the smell of sawdust and lured him even closer.

  “Do you see it?”

  He cleared his throat, refocused, and searched her hair until he found the culprit. “Let’s try to make it one full day without any screams.” He swept the ladybug into his hand and held it out for her to see.

  Straightening, she looked from the bug to him and made a face that wrinkled her freckled nose. “It felt heavier when it landed.”

  “Common mistake,” he said with a wink.

  She stopped him before he flicked it. “Don’t kill him.” She uncurled his fingers and scooped up the tiny bug.

  “They might seem harmless, but if they breed here, you’ll end up having to call that exterminator back.”

  While pulling her lip to the side, she nudged the ladybug onto the counter and waved him off like she was trying to set him free. “Guess we better hope he finds a new home, then.”

  A fierce taskmaster who beamed over eating candy and saving innocent bugs’ lives. She wasn’t as tough as she tried to let on.

  A hint of sadness creased her face when she met his glance. She blinked it away and nabbed the box of fish from the ground. “So, I’m curious how you’re able to drop everything in your life to move here.”

  Back to business. He scratched his cheek and reached for his hammer. “Guess you could say I don’t set down many roots. I room with Briggs and Sanders. Between the three of us, my share of the rent isn’t much.”

  He squatted, lifted a two-by-four he’d taken down earlier, and eyed it from several angles to check if it was too warped to salvage. “I have more than enough in savings to cover it while I’m gone.”

  “What about your job?” Cassidy propped her foot against the wall behind her.

  “I took a leave of absence. Transferred to Haven’s Creek’s volunteer squad for now.” Using the wood for balance, he pushed up to his feet and adjusted the pager on his belt. “The station will still be there when I get back.”

  “Sounds like a bold move.”

  Smiling, he flicked his chin at her. “Look who’s talking.”

  Rather than retaliate, she dodged his stare. “Where’d you learn construction?”

  Why was she evading? And what was with the twenty questions? He spun the board on its corner. “I worked with Habitat for Humanity for about a year. Got out of this town for a while.” He wiped his face on his sleeve. “I learned a lot. Helped out where I could.”

  “And never stopped?”

  He looked over, but she didn’t unlock her focus from the box in her hands.

  Ti swung around the opening in a hat twice the size of her head and some kind of crazy fringed shirt. Face scrunched, she peered inside. “Cass?”

  Cassidy pushed off the wall and stashed the candy behind her back like she’d been caught with drugs. “What’s wrong?”

  Ti lowered a pair of police-style sunglasses down her nose. “Um . . . you might want to see for yourself. It’s the cabins.”

  Cassidy looked from her to Ethan, dread already shadowing her eyes.

  He stowed the hammer through his belt loop and nodded at Ti. “We’ll be there in a sec.”

  She disappeared around the corner, and Ethan inched toward Cass. “You good?”

  A series of blinks brought her gaze to his. “Yeah, sorry. Fine.”

  Doubtful. She was probably worried something could top the roach infestation from yesterday. He dipped his head at the fish behind her back. “I’m sure it’s nothing a little expired candy can’t cure.” He leaned in to whisper. “And don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

  The corner of her mouth slanted to the left. “Better be. ‘Cause if Ti finds out we broke into the candy, we’re both gonna be stuck eating nothing but nuts and berries all summer.”

  Laughing, he followed her through the door. “Is that why the fridge is so empty?”

  “You don’t miss much,” she said in the same teasing tone he’d used on her yesterday.

  But once outside, business mode kicked in. On a mission, she charged up the hill so fast, he had to jog to keep up with her.

  Sandy ran ahead of them, probably thinking they were getting ready to play. Ethan met him at the stairs to the first cabin and held him back. “Not right now, boy.”

  Ethan skipped both steps, wheeled through the door, and stumbled straight into Cassidy’s back. She stayed glued in place, hand clamped over her mouth.

  Ti weaved around them. Halfway across the foam and feather-covered floor, she turned. “I came to scope out what needed to be painted and found it like this. What do you think happened?”

  Cassidy finally moved then. She drifted from bunk to bunk, tracing her hand down gaping tears in the mattresses. He might not’ve known her well enough to read all her expressions yet, but that glossed-over look wasn’t good. The stress lines crinkling her face left his insides almost as gutted as the mattresses.

  She clutched a gashed pillow against her torso. “How did they get in here?”

  Ethan met Ti’s same confused stare. “Who’s they?”

  “Whoever did this. Kids. Gangs. I don’t know.” The pillow and its contents landed on the floor. She cupped her forehead.

  Ti moved to her side and reached for her hand. “We’re not in Astoria. I kinda doubt kids from the sticks walk around with knives, vandalizing people’s property for kicks.”

  Cass withdrew her hand. “Then how else do you explain this? Wild animals?”

  Ti shrugged. “Makes more sense.”

  Both girls turned toward Ethan, as if just remembering he was in the room with them. Cassidy splayed a hand toward the mess. “What do you think? Animals or vandals?”

  Both sets of eyes searched his for an answer he didn’t have. What was he supposed t
o say? Do? He couldn’t fix this. At least, not without time and money. No wonder she was stressing. She probably felt short on both.

  If nothing else, at least he could defuse the tension. He snagged one of the pillows on his way toward them. “Well, there’s really only one way to tell for sure.” Without giving Cass a second to prepare, he swatted her in the face with the pillow. Feathers spewed everywhere, dousing her and the floor in white and gray layers of softness.

  The wooden bunk beds had nothing on how stiff her face turned. Priceless.

  “Yep.” He picked a ball of fuzz out of her hair. “I’d say it was animals. See the way the tear marks release the feathers like that? Definitely animal work here.”

  Ti sidestepped away from them. “You’re bold, my friend.”

  “So, I’ve been told.” He looked at Cass, straining to keep the corners of his mouth straight.

  She advanced. “You find this amusing, don’t you?”

  He backed into a bedpost. “Would it make you feel better if I said no?”

  “No, but this might.” She clobbered him with two pillows at once. “How’s that for amusing?”

  A series of camera flashes followed a trail of giggles. They both snapped their heads toward Ti. She set the camera down and ran, but Cassidy was too fast. An all-out pillow fight took over the middle of the cabin.

  Ethan slinked off the battleground toward the camera. Five pictures later, he lowered the camera, a smile freeze-framed on his face while the two friends wiped off feathers matted to their cheeks in laugh-induced tears. So, Cassidy McAdams knew how to have fun after all.

  She turned, as if hearing his thoughts. “What are you smiling about? You know you’re cleaning this up, right?”

  Joining forces, both girls chased him out of the cabin all the way down the field with a train of feathers floating behind them.

  They obviously had a ton of work to do, but he couldn’t let the moment end. Not yet. He spun and continued speed walking backward. “You know what you need?”

  Cassidy motioned for him to go on, probably patronizing him, but he’d take the chance.