Weller waved off the suggestion. “I’m fine. I’ve gotten worse bumps playing with my kids when they were babies.”
Griffin nodded, hoping the man didn’t change his tune about his injury.
After Weller left, Griffin’s headache refused to quit. Even aspirin wasn’t touching it. Maybe a good workout was what he needed. So he grabbed his Bluetooth earbuds, and changed into sweatpants, a t-shirt, and his running shoes then headed out. For him, his long runs had always been the best time to clear his head, like his own brand of meditation. Only today, his brain refused to turn off. He couldn’t get Stevie out of his mind. She’d not only made the house her own little bohemian paradise, but she’d even cultivated so many plants and flowers in the yard that she used for her concoctions, like the medicinal tea she’s brewed for him the night before. Surely it would take her years to recreate a garden similar to the one she had. She’d obviously invested a lot of her own money in the cottage. Too bad that Aunt Dorothea hadn’t thought to put her verbal agreement with Stevie into the lease.
And what about Stevie’s cat rescue area? What would happen to that if she was forced to move? But he couldn’t dwell upon her predicament. She’d signed the lease, and despite the fact that she may not have taken note of some of the legalese, he couldn’t turn his nose at a prospective buyer merely because the man would likely kick her out. Finding one who’d let her stay could take months, long enough for him to lose the Brooklyn house. The sooner the properties sold, the sooner he could get out of this weird town, and back to New York.
As if that wasn’t as strange a place as this.
Tears for Fears sang about ruling the world in his ears.
Aunt Dorothea must have willed him the properties for a reason. The logical one was that she’d wanted him to have the money and to do with it something that would be meaningful to his life. Certainly buying his own home would be life-changing.
As losing hers would be for Stevie.
So much for clearing his head. Gritting his teeth, he tried to purge all thoughts of her from his mind.
He rounded a corner and found himself in the heart of the downtown commerce area, and passed a few businesses that lived up to the town’s Halloween theme: Mummy’s Diner, The Hallowed Bean, and Misty’s Boo-Tique. Which only brought his thoughts back to Namaste, and the cat’s very sexy mistress. He was already sweating enough thanks to the workout, but images of Stevie only raised his internal temperature. Her tall, slender frame and graceful gait were like that of a dancer. He shouldn’t be dwelling on what that satiny-looking skin of hers felt like, yet he was.
Lost in his thoughts, he stepped off the curb and nearly walked right in front of the trolley. Just in time, he stopped. Yeah, he had to get hold of himself. Best thing he could do was to avoid Stevie, not think about what selling the rental house would mean to her.
Taking a left onto Crossbones Drive a few minutes later, he glanced at the mountains in the distance. Couldn’t deny that this was a beautiful area. He understood why his great aunt had lived here for so long. What he still didn’t get was why she’d left all her worldly possessions to him, a relative she’d barely known. If she’d wanted to do something nice for him, why hadn’t she made more of an effort to forge a relationship with him?
Maybe she was too much like his mother, who’d ignored him most of his life. Even after she’d been released from prison, she’d never once come to visit. Sure, she’d sent the occasional birthday card, and she’d contacted him through Facebook when he’d been in college, but he’d refused her friend request there.
Too little, too late.
Nearing the top of the hill, he spotted Stevie next to her car. The trunk was open and she kept checking the fitness tracker band around her left wrist. As he got closer, he heard her huff several times and crane her neck toward her house.
He stopped at the end of the driveway. “Good morning.”
She whipped her head around, eyes wide. “Oh, hi, Griffin.”
“Everything okay?” he asked her.
Her cheeks were pink, making her even prettier. “I should have learned a long time ago that there’s no rushing my grandmother. Grandpa used to tell her that they had to arrive places an hour before they actually did. He said that was the only way to get her anywhere on time.”
“Is she leaving?”
“Just for a week. I’m taking her to visit her cousin, who lives about an hour and a half from here. But if she doesn’t hurry up and get moving, I won’t make it back in time to teach my one o’clock class.”
“You teach a class on Sundays?”
Her dark eyes registered surprise. “Two in a row, actually. First yoga, then meditation. Since some of my clients can only find time on the weekends, I do classes on both Saturdays and Sundays. I don’t have the luxury of turning away business, particularly not now.”
Not now because she feared she’d have to move soon, and come up with all the expenses that entailed? Now he felt like even more of a heel. “I could take your grandmother where she needs to go.” The words had tumbled out of his mouth.
Stevie’s brow shot higher. “You did hear me say that it’s an hour and a half away, right?”
His phone buzzed in his pocket. “Excuse me.” He checked the display. Bud Weller. Dismissing the call, he squared his shoulders. “It’s a beautiful day. And your grandmother seems like…a lovely woman.” Who was quite protective of her granddaughter.
Stevie pursed her lips. “I don’t know. It seems like a huge imposition.”
“It isn’t, trust me. I enjoy driving, especially when the scenery is as pretty as it is here.”
Mrs. Mercer hobbled out of the house. “Would you mind getting my suitcase, dear?”
“Of course, Grandma.” Stevie held up her index finger for him to wait. “Let me make sure that’s all right with her.”
“Why don’t you let me ask her?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah, sure.” She jogged to her porch then disappeared into the house.
Griffin approached Mrs. Mercer. “Good morning. Nice to see you again.”
Her smile exaggerated the wrinkles around her mouth. “Same to you, Griffin.”
Tipping his head up to the sky, he drew a loud breath. “Beautiful day for a drive.”
Mrs. Mercer scowled. “Not when a certain young lady with turquoise braids is rushing me.”
“Stevie?” He rubbed his chin. “I’ve got an idea. I’m itching to go for a drive through the mountains. All I’m missing is companionship.”
She set a hand over her heart. “You mean me?” Her face lit up with a rosy flush.
“I do. Mrs. Mercer, would you do me the honor of letting me drive you to your cousin’s?”
She playfully jabbed his arm. “I had no idea that you were such a flirt. But I’ll only take you up on your offer if you’ll start calling me Cledith.”
“Cledith it is.” He glanced down at his running clothes. “Do you have time for me to grab a quick shower? I promise I can be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“I’m in no rush. It’s my granddaughter who’s chasing a clock.”
After he’d helped her back to Stevie’s porch, he headed home to clean up. Strangely, he was looking forward to the time with Cledith. Growing up, he hadn’t had a single adult female relative he was close to since his dad had severed all ties not only with Griffin’s mom but also with her family. And his paternal grandmother had passed on before he was born.
Cledith was exactly the sort of grandmother he’d always wanted—wise and kind, with the slightest hint of stern mama bear. Not that he needed her to fill that void for him now. He was an adult, and way past that sort of thing. He probably shouldn’t take the time for the drive, but if it helped out Stevie, what harm could it do? Plus, in truth, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to glean some insights about Stevie from her grandmother.
Fifteen minutes later he stepped up onto Stevie’s porch to pick up
her grandmother. Both women were seated on the loveseat. Stevie gave him the sweetest, most disarming smile.
His whole body tingled. He coughed, afraid his voice would fail him. Forcing his gaze to her grandmother, he picked up her old-fashioned suitcase. “Ready?”
Stevie helped Cledith stand. “This is so nice of you, Griffin. Thanks.”
He waved off her appreciation. “She’s doing me a favor. I’ve never seen this part of the country before, and who knows when I’ll be back here. I might as well do a little sightseeing.” Hooking the older woman’s arm, he led her off the porch and to his car.
Stevie brought over a bouquet of lavender tied together with a yellow ribbon and handed it to him along with the address where her grandmother was going. “The blooms are for Etta, Grandma’s cousin. You’re a lifesaver, by the way.”
He just hoped that he wouldn’t be the person who’d be the opposite of a lifesaver when he sold her house.
She peered past him and sighed.
“What?” he asked.
She frowned. “I’ve been trying to entice that feral kitten over for a week. It’s unusual to see one that small all alone so I’m afraid it’s an orphan.”
“If it gets hungry enough, it’ll come to you.”
Her lips bunched to one side. “Doesn’t always work that way.” Backing away from his car, she waved to her grandmother. “See you next week, grandma.”
Minutes later he steered the Volvo out of the neighborhood, and the orange, black and purple buildings of the downtown business district came into view.
“Do you have time for one quick stop?” Cledith asked.
“Sure. Where?”
Pointing to the left, she said, “There. Delaney’s Delectibles. They have sinfully good pastries and cakes. I’d like to bring a box of truffles to my cousin.”
“No problem.” He parked in front of the sweet shop and helped his elderly passenger into the store. Glass display cases were chock full of every conceivable confection. All sorts of wonderfully sweet aromas awakened his appetite. “Wow.”
“Told you.” After she’d asked for half a dozen honey-bourbon truffles from the brunette behind the counter, she pointed to the red velvet valentine tortes. “And two of those, with a few napkins, please. Maybe a couple of the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes as well.”
When they returned to the car, she offered Griffin a torte. “You have to taste this.”
How could he resist? The flavor and texture were amazing. “I’ve never eaten anything so delicious.”
“You should try Stevie’s lavender tea bread. She uses the lavender from her garden.” She pointed at a pink, red and white poster on the lamppost next to the car. “I told her she ought to enter it in the Valentine’s Day Bake-Off. She’d better sign up soon, though since Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away.”
He read the advertisement as he finished the sweet. Beating the red velvet torte would be tough.
“I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day. Every year, my Cedrick bought me a dozen pink roses, which are my favorite.” She wiped her cheek.
His chest tightened. “I’ve never been much of a fan of that particular holiday.”
She raised her brow at him. “When you’re in love, it’s the most wonderful day of the year. Now that he’s gone though, everything reminds me of him—especially since I still live in the same house we shared for more than forty years.”
“Forty years, wow.” His dad insisted that they move every year or two, which Griffin later learned was because his father feared his ex-wife—Griffin’s mother—would find them, and try to gain visitation rights.
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll like the community where Etta lives. Although I doubt it. Sounds like a holding pen for a bunch of half-dead fools who spend their days playing shuffleboard or bingo.”
He started the car and pulled out onto the street. They passed a fountain with a gargoyle in the middle. “Did you see that? I could swear that statue just blinked.”
“I’ve heard tourists mention that. Probably animatronic or something.”
Looked pretty lifelike to him. He scrubbed a hand over his face.
Cledith pulled a plastic water bottle out of her gigantic purse and offered it to him. “You must be thirsty.”
It was the same brand as he’d had at Stevie’s house the night before, apparently locally bottled, according to the label. Now that she’d mentioned it, he was thirsty. “Thanks.”
“Do you have a sweetheart?”
“I’m divorced.” The torte soured in his stomach.
“I see.” Cledith reached into the box for a cupcake. “Your expression says it all. You were hurt, just like Stevie was.”
It was none of his business, but something compelled him to ask. “What happened to her?”
She exhaled loudly. “That girl has a heart of gold. No, not gold, something softer and more fragile. You see, she had a rough start, which began before she was even born. Her father took off as soon as he found out that she was on the way. Her mama couldn’t get that drug monkey off her back, and then Simon, Stevie’s half-brother, well, he followed in their mother’s footsteps.” She shook her head. “Stevie tried and tried to save them, but somebody’s got to want to be helped.”
A lump lodged in the back of Griffin’s throat. His GPS directed him to take a right turn onto the highway.
Cledith pulled out a crinkled tissue from her giant purse and dabbed it under her nose. “I think Tommy reminded her of her brother Simon in certain ways. He’d spent part of his youth in foster care, just like she and her brother had.”
“Tommy?” he asked.
“Her ex-boyfriend.” She let out a growl. “Don’t get me started on him. Turned out that he had a problem with gambling. A year and a half into the relationship she had to end it. But Tommy wouldn’t take no for an answer. He stalked her. So badly that she was forced to leave Charleston to get away from him, which was when she moved to Nocturne Falls.”
It made sense that Stevie rescued cats. Sounded as if she tried to save more than animals, though.
“What’s your story?”
He could feel Cledith’s eyes boring into him. “I already told you.”
“I taught middle school English for twenty-seven years, son. I know the Cliff Notes version when I hear it. I’m sure you remember those. My students would skim those skinny booklets instead of actually reading a book. And I’m talking about classics—The Great Gatsby, A Farewell to Arms, Catcher in the Rye.”
He chuckled. “I was never one of those students. I followed the rules, even if that meant reading some dreaded book that I hated.”
“Tsk, tsk. Those are all wonderful stories.”
“What did your husband do?”
“He was also a teacher, science.” She let out a bittersweet sigh. “We’d planned to move down to Florida after we retired, but we never got around to it. There’s a spiritualist community in the northern part of the state. When Stevie moved to Nocturne Falls, she’d been trying to decide between there and Freedom Moon Camp. Nocturne Falls won the coin toss.”
“Spiritualist? Like a place for witches?” That sounded like somewhere his mother would fit in. His jaw automatically tightened.
“Witches, psychics, healers.”
Cledith pointed to a blue sign that read, ‘Rest Stop - five miles.’ “I’ll need to stop,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
A few minutes later, as he waited for her to use the facilities, he checked his cell and found a message.
Working on my offer. Should have it ready by the first of the week.
Bud Weller
Selling the properties quickly would mean he wouldn’t have to do many repairs. On the other hand, it would also mean that Stevie would have to move out sooner, rather than later. Not to mention that he’d never really get much of a chance to know her.
Whatever happened, happened. The sooner he sold the proper
ties, the sooner he’d have the down payment for the place in New York. He should be more excited about that. Only he wasn’t.
Chapter Four
“Did your grandmother leave already?” Mallory asked when she arrived for Stevie’s four o’clock class a few days later.
“She’s visiting her cousin in Helen for the week.” Stevie closed the curtains and started lighting candles to create the perfect soothing atmosphere. “She’ll be back after that, and stay until the end of the month.”
“Good. Then I’ll get to see her again. She’s a sweetheart.” Mallory rolled out her yoga mat in the middle of the room. “I keep trying to get Cyrus to come to your meditation classes, but he says that he had enough contemplation time during his years in his genie lamp.”
Stevie laughed. Mallory’s fiancé was now officially retired from his genie duties. “No doubt.”
“Darcy and Amethyst should be here any minute. We all just left the salon. What a crazy day. Every one of us was booked up.”
Stevie managed a smile, but the last time the three women—who all worked at the Hair Scare—had taken her class together, they’d buzzed on endlessly about their amazingly wonderful boyfriends. Darcy and Aiden’s wedding was fast approaching, and the other women were both in pretty serious relationships that very well could eventually lead to marriage. Nothing made Stevie more aware of the fact that she was single than being bombarded by happily coupled women. “What about your twin?” she asked. “Do you know if Jordan plans to take class today?” If Jordan was coming, at least Stevie would have one unattached compadre.
Mal shrugged. “I wouldn’t count on her. The pet-sitting/dog-walking thing is keeping her pretty busy almost every day.”
When Ember showed up a few minutes later, Stevie drew a relieved breath and pulled her bff into a hug. With her jet-black hair, flawless bone structure, and gorgeous olive skin, Ember could still grace any billboard or magazine cover, as she had before she’d retired from modeling a few years ago. Whenever Stevie went out with her, guys swarmed around Ember as if she was the last female on earth. Yet Ember—like all other Amazons—had no need for a man.
The Yin to His Yang Page 5
