The Fixer-Upper Bride: Country Brides & Cowboy Boots (Cobble Creek Romance Book 2)

by Maria Hoagland

  A tear slipped down Frankie’s cheek. “And then I was afraid Darren’s DUI would give Kathy and James more fodder for the custody case if they knew Harper was spending so much time with me—and I didn’t want to lose her.”

  Though Darren’s case had nothing to do with Christina, Frankie was right. If nothing else, it would infuriate the McAfees enough to start a serious suit. Perhaps it wasn’t fair for him to hold this against her, yet he was helpless to excuse it. “Thank you for spending so much of your time with Harper these last few weeks. It’s been a great transition for her into Cobble Creek, but with play rehearsals, she’ll be spending a lot of time with Sarah Jane …”

  “No, I understand. You need to put Harper first. I’ll still be around, if you need anything. She’s a great kid. I’ve enjoyed spending time with her, but you’re right, things should be getting busier for me too, at the shop, so …” Frankie took a long pull on her straw, never taking her eyes off the railing and landscaping across from them. “Did Tess stop by your booth yet?”

  The question, while out of place with their previous topic, communicated exactly what she’d intended. He’d lost her. “No. I don’t expect her to come. She says she doesn’t like community get-togethers.” I hate to be reminded how small our town actually is were her exact words.

  “Not even to see Harper and buy some jam?” Frankie was offended, and for the first time, Logan realized he ought to be too, for his daughter’s sake at least.

  “I’m not sure she realizes what a big deal this is to Harper.” Though pretty much anyone who’d talked to her in the past three weeks should have known. It was all she talked about.

  “And you’re with her because …” Frankie clapped her free hand over her mouth and turned beet red. “I’m sorry. It’s totally not my place, but, well …”

  She didn’t finish what she was saying, but he desperately wanted to know what it was going to be.

  “Come on, Frankie.” He bumped her playfully with his shoulder. “You can’t leave it like that. You’ve already said too much to stop.”

  “Probably true.” Frankie twisted in her seat, pulling a bent knee onto the bench and looking at him for the first time since they’d started the conversation. “Can I ask you a question instead?”

  “Of course. Since when do you need permission?” He chuckled, knowing it was true. Despite the tension between the two of them, he valued Frankie’s opinions, wanted her advice, and craved her attention.

  Frankie’s eyes searched him, and his stomach lurched. What had he done?

  “Don’t you want to be with someone you like doing things with … and who likes doing stuff with you?”

  Like her. When would Frankie see him—there, right in front of her since the beginning, hers for the taking—instead of setting him up with yet another woman? Logan had been trying to make it work with Tess because he had no chance with Frankie, but whenever he spent time with Frankie, he knew it wasn’t going to work with Tess. Not when his heart was elsewhere. “What alternative do I have?”

  Frankie’s eyes flickered to his face and then to the side where a family was spreading out a picnic. She didn’t answer, but at least she didn’t offer to set him up with anyone else. “We ought to get back.” She stood. “Were you going to get something for Harper?”

  Disappointment made his feet feel like concrete, but he should get Harper something to eat. “Yes, I bet she’s hungry. Let’s head back.”

  The food trucks were closer than he’d realized, and it didn’t take long to find the right one. By the time Logan made it through the line and back with a foil-wrapped cheeseburger in hand, Frankie had some news for him. “Brooke texted.” She showed it to him. Can you tell my dad G&G are here?

  Logan took off for the Frank & Signs booth as quickly as the crowd of people would allow until he realized Frankie was falling behind again. Though he wasn’t crazy about leaving Harper to fend for herself with his in-laws, they were her grandparents, and they were generally quite good with her. He could take a few extra seconds getting there. He paused, waiting for Frankie to catch up, and although he wanted to reach out for her hand once again, he had no real reason to do so.

  When they made it back to the booth, Kathy gave him a glare to rival any he’d earned from her in the past. “There you are. I thought you’d abandoned your daughter with strangers,” Kathy said as if Logan had left his ten-year-old in a bar. “But Harper’s been entertaining us. In fact, we hear you’re dating someone. Actually, Harper mentioned at least three women and she hopes you marry some girl named Frank?”

  Kathy had to be getting it wrong on purpose. Not even she was that dense.

  His patience for her snapped. “Do you want me to move on for Harper’s sake or not move on for Harper’s sake?” Logan allowed the sarcasm to drip freely. “I have trouble keeping track of how you want me to live my life.”

  “Now don’t get all upset …” James, the peacekeeper, butted in. “We’re just making sure our little girl’s little girl is taken care of. That she has what’s best for her.”

  “I’ll be the one to decide what that is, thank you.” Logan kind of meant that to be under his breath but at the last second didn’t care. He gave himself exactly two seconds to nurse his hurt feelings and then decided to accept the situation as it was. Kathy and James were here—a surprise visit to check up on him and throw him off guard, he had to assume—and he was going to make the best of it. He handed the cheeseburger and half of the frozen lemonade to Harper and then turned back to James and Kathy. “While my businesswoman continues, perhaps you’d like to come over to my booth and have a tour of the office.”

  Proud of himself for his professionalism, Logan introduced his in-laws to Lucy and then led them through the office, thankful it was fully decorated. His cabinets were filled with patient files, the stock shelves holding prescriptions to be picked up, and an assortment of frames graced the walls, ready to be picked out by customers. It was a better office than he’d worked at in Denver, and this one was his. And he made sure to carefully point out each detail as they went.

  When they made it back outside, Logan was surprised to find Tess talking with Frankie under the awning on the sidewalk.

  “Logan, honey!” Too late. She saw him. Logan cringed at Tess’s saccharine sweetness—all for show and not a bit of it true. In front of Kathy and James, and worse, in front of Frankie, it grated on Logan’s nerves even more than usual. “You’re here!”

  Of course I’m here, Logan wanted to say, but settled instead on, “I’m surprised that you are.”

  Because his former in-laws weren’t going anywhere, Logan reluctantly introduced everyone, taking note when Kathy’s raised eyebrow indicated that the one who called him honey wasn’t Frankie.

  “We don’t want to keep you, Logan, dear,” Kathy said.

  “I’m a bit peckish,” James added. “Is there a place to eat around here?” He looked disdainfully at the people carrying finger foods around him. “A place to sit down and eat?”

  After giving them directions to Tony’s Diner, Logan only felt slightly better with them gone, considering they left him in that awkward position between Frankie and Tess.

  “I need to get back to my booth.” Frankie excused herself.

  “So …” Logan said when he and Tess were alone.

  “So …” she repeated, standing stiffly.

  What could she possibly want? “So I’m surprised you’re here.” Logan leaned against the brick of the storefront between his office and Frankie’s shop. “I thought you weren’t going to come.”

  “Well,” she said, straightening her shoulders, “I’m not here, here.” She waited for Logan to raise his eyebrows in question. “I came because my friend Paul called and said I needed to see what my boyfriend was up to.”

  Logan bristled at the term. Did a few dates automatically make him her boyfriend? “And?” While he didn’t have any idea what she was talking about, he really didn’t care, either.

&nbs
p; Tess rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. She faced him, taking each of his hands in hers, and he couldn’t look away. “Come on, Logan, I’m not an idiot.”

  She paused, presumably to let that sink in, and all Logan could think was I’m in for it. But he didn’t care. Tess could be mad at him. It didn’t matter anymore. He could no longer pretend.

  “Maybe you don’t see it yet, but I do. The more you and I spend time together, the more obvious it is that we aren’t on the same path.” She raised both shoulders and dropped them, feminine and delicate. “I was willing to give it more time, see if something would develop, but seeing you and Frankie together today … I’m going to step back, Logan, and let you have your space.”

  She paused, squeezing his hands. Was she waiting for a reaction? Because he just didn’t have it in him to be disappointed. It saved him from the conversation he’d already planned in his head.

  Her eyes were intent. “Can I give you some advice? I know Frankie. Don’t give up on her. It’s not too late to show her you care about her.”

  Despair hit him like hard reality. He’d been trying, for weeks. “How?”

  Tess shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess you’ll have to figure that out.”

  So much for knowing her. Neither of them had a clue. Tess leaned forward and hugged him, leaving a kiss on his cheek he hoped wasn’t outlined by her lipstick.

  What was he supposed to do? He watched Tess walk away with more relief than disappointment, but he still felt loss. With the mess he’d made of his personal life, perhaps moving to Cobble Creek was a mistake. His fragile heart had been bruised in the process, but that was okay. It was Harper he was worried about. With Frankie backing out of their life, it would hit his daughter hard. Logan should have known better than to allow Harper to get involved before he was serious with anyone.

  And then there was James and Kathy showing up out of the blue, just in time to see the explosion of his relationships. That couldn’t look good. Maybe he should concede defeat and move back to Denver where Kathy could take care of Harper again.

  His eyes flicked involuntarily back to Frankie, and when she noticed, he looked quickly away. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he forced a smile and went to beg Lucy to take over the booth for the rest of the day so he could get away from the mess of his life.

  Chapter 16

  Frankie watched Logan’s former in-laws, Harper’s grandparents, walk toward the diner, their shoulders slightly drooped—whether with age, worry, or disappointment, she couldn’t know, but the responsibility she felt for Darren when he was struggling made her suspect it was a combination of all three. As much as she wanted to be on Logan’s side, she couldn’t resent the people who so obviously cared for their granddaughter, and she couldn’t condone the severing of any healthy familial relationships. Even with their daughter gone, especially since their daughter was gone, the McAfees deserved to have a relationship with their granddaughter.

  “Question for you, Harper.” The two of them had been fronting the jam jars and fixing the lopsided bows tied around each. “Do you know why your Grandma and Grandpa came today?”

  Harper took a sip of her lemonade. “I don’t think Dad told them about the festival,” she said. “They were surprised about the stuff you and I worked on.” Harper brushed some invisible dust from the table. “I think it’s because they miss me, and they think we should move back to Denver.”

  Frankie was surprised Harper would know that. “Did they tell you that?”

  “Kind of.”

  “What do you want? Do you miss your old town? Your old school?” This could seriously backfire for Logan, but the girl needed an opportunity to talk about it.

  “I like living here, and I want to be with Dad.” Harper’s eyes followed the McAfees, though.

  “Have you told them how you feel? They would probably feel better about this if they know it’s what you want. Show them you’ve put thought into it, that you have solid reasons for your decisions—that will be enough. You could reassure them you’ll come visit, or they can visit you.” Frankie gave Harper a side-arm hug. “They miss your mom, and they don’t want to lose you too. I bet that’s what this is mostly about.”

  Harper wrapped her arms around Frankie’s neck, stretching up on tippy-toes to reach. “Thank you, Frankie. I’ll do that.”

  “Make sure you tell them thank you for coming to visit,” Frankie suggested as Harper started to turn away, ready to run off to catch them.

  She hoped she hadn’t said anything wrong. It felt weird meddling in someone else’s family, but being an outsider made it easier to see the whole picture.

  Harper half skipped, half ran toward her grandparents, twisting around people in the crowd, calling out to them. It was obvious when they heard her; they both stopped and turned toward Harper, ready to listen to her every word. And James and Kathy seemed to accept what Harper had to say, because after only a few moments, she was hugging them both, and then miming across the street to get permission from Logan to go to the diner with them.

  Harper had done it—she’d told her grandparents what she wanted most. Now Frankie needed to take her own advice, and might have done just that if she hadn’t witnessed Tess and Logan’s tender moment while she spoke to Harper. Hand holding, an embrace, even a kiss on the cheek. It was pretty obvious.

  She needed to get her mind off Dr. Logan Wells. Distraction. Always the best remedy.

  “Hey, Dad, how’s business in here?” Frankie ducked into the shop to grab a project; festivalgoers might enjoy watching her work on.

  Her father looked up from a Hot Rod magazine from the ’70s and smiled. “Been pretty steady. Even sold a few of the bigger pieces people plan to come pick up later when the alley’s clear. How’s it outside?”

  “You ought to switch me, see what it’s all about.” She chuckled at her own joke, knowing he wasn’t about to take her up on it.

  “I don’t need to go out there to know what it’s like. I’ve been a resident of this town longer than a snake squished under a car tire. There’s a reason I wanted to be inside here, and it has to do with all them people out there.” He picked up his magazine and tried to snap it in front of him like a newspaper. While it probably didn’t make the sound he’d been hoping for, it did bring a laugh from both of them. “Do you need me to call your brother? Get him out there to spell you?”

  “No, Pops. I’m good.” Frankie walked around him and glanced at her workshop. “I think I’m going to make a few more critters.”

  “You mean to work on outside?” It didn’t take him long to consider. “Good idea. Shows everybody what our shop is all about.”

  The confidence and pride in her father’s voice warmed Frankie’s heart. There’d been a time she’d had to convince him her ideas could work out, especially with her critters which were more steampunk than country, but not anymore.

  “Thanks, Dad.” She grabbed a toolbox of supplies, a velvet display tray so it would look fancier and she wouldn’t lose anything important if the wind picked up, and a packet of small tools. Walking past her father, she gave him a peck on the cheek.

  “What was that for?” The old man bristled, but she could tell the surprise pleased him.

  “Love you, Dad,” Frankie called out as she hustled out the front door and back to the booth.

  Once Frankie got absorbed in her latest critter project, all other concerns fled. Seeing steampunk sculptures online, Frankie had started creating a few of her own. This particular bunny, constructed from gears and clock parts, was nearly finished, and then she planned to build an owl.

  “Well, this definitely doesn’t disappoint.” The man in his mid-thirties was dressed in a button-up shirt with a nametag on a lanyard and wielded an official-looking camera. Frankie had been so involved in her project that she hadn’t noticed he’d been watching. “Mind if I take a photo or two?”

  Figuring he must work for the local newspaper, Frankie signed the consent without reading it, musing inste
ad over the backhanded compliment. “What do you mean, this doesn’t disappoint? Why would it?”

  “To be honest, I thought Logan was exaggerating—he went on and on—but he did convince me enough to make the trip out here, and I’m relieved to find it was worth it.” He flipped over his nametag so she could read it and handed Frankie a business card for a well-known national magazine. “Andre Devereux.”

  Andre Devereux? She knew the name. Everyone involved in modern design knew.

  “I’ve looked at a few of your pieces,” he continued, “and I’d like to run a feature on you, if you don’t mind.”

  “Mind?” Of course she wouldn’t mind. The exposure garnered from an article written by him and featured in that particular magazine could save her business. Boy, did she owe Logan. “Are we talking print or online?” She could drive a hard bargain, but honestly, either one would be worth it.

  “Both, if they’re accepted. I texted my editor while you were in the shop, and she said she wanted it ASAP to fill in a slot for next month. What do you say?”

  Frankie nodded, knowing she must be grinning like a twitterpated fangirl. Which she was. “Take all the pictures you need. There are more pieces inside, if you want.”

  “I’ll take a gander, for sure, but what’s going to capture everyone’s attention is exactly what you’re doing right now. The piece, the process, the people in the background watching. We’re all fascinated, and our readers will be too.”

  “Shoot away.”

  Andre stepped back and started snapping, and Frankie tried her darnedest to forget he was there. It took a few moments to get her hands to quit shaking, but she found her groove again in no time.

  When he’d gotten the shots he needed, he scheduled an interview for the next morning over breakfast and left her wondering if it had all been a dream.

  “How much for the desk?”

  Without looking up, Frankie recognized the grating voice and braced herself. “Oh, hey, Paul.” She squirmed, making a split-second decision, but it felt wrong to sell the piece when she, Logan, and Harper were all tied up in it. “I’m sorry, but the desk is no longer for sale. Can I interest you in something else?”