by Mia Ross
“So, Ellie says you’ve been in Ohio. How do you like being back in Liberty Creek?”
“Much better,” Lindsay replied as she slipped out of the coat that hadn’t buttoned in weeks.
Brian glanced around and asked, “Where’s your mom?”
“On a ship somewhere in the Aegean,” Holly replied, shaking her head. “This is her first winter in a long time, and a couple weeks ago, she’d finally had enough. She’s visiting friends around Greece and Europe, then meeting up with Oliver and his grandsons in Rome.”
“Wow,” Lindsay said, stunned by the dizzying itinerary. “She knows people all over the world.”
“Daphne Mills never met anyone she couldn’t have fun with,” Holly replied in a fond tone.
Lindsay couldn’t believe she’d heard that correctly. “Your mother is Daphne Mills? The movie star?”
“Retired movie star,” Holly confirmed. “These days, everyone just calls her D.”
From nowhere, a little boy appeared and asked, “Can I take your coat?”
“This is our son, Chase,” Holly explained, ruffling his mop of brown hair in a motherly gesture. “Chase, this is Lindsay Holland. She’s going to be working at the forge with Uncle Brian.”
“Cool!” he approved, flashing a gap-toothed grin. “It’s gonna be awesome when he finishes it and can start making stuff. Have you seen the things he’s got sketched out to make?”
She slid her new boss an accusing look. “No. He didn’t tell me about any of that.”
“I hate to brag,” Brian said, echoing his comment at the bakery with an innocent expression that did nothing to mask the mischievous glimmer in his eyes.
Picking up on his bright mood, she laughed. “Since when? You really need to come up with a line I haven’t already heard.”
“I’ll work on that,” he conceded lightly.
People she’d never met were milling around the main floor of Ellie’s home, exchanging stories and jokes with one another. Brian introduced her around, and she did her best to follow along. Normally, she had a steel-trap memory, but the unfamiliar names and faces blurred into a swirl of relatives she feared she’d never remember on her own.
She was grateful when he angled her away from the throng and headed back to the foyer. “Looks like Mom and Gran have outdone themselves again. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” This time last week, she hadn’t been sure how long her meal money would hold out, and the stress of traveling in the winter had sapped her energy and left her too worried to eat much of anything. Now that she was settled, her appetite had finally caught up with her.
Placing his hand on her back to guide her forward, he said, “Let’s get you some food, then. After that, we’ll take our time filling everyone in.”
“I hate to be rude to your family by ignoring them and stuffing our faces.”
“Don’t worry about it. They understand.”
He sounded so confident about that, she decided to take him at his word. The formal dining room of Ellie’s stately home had been transformed into a buffet area stocked with everything from spiral hams to platters full of roast beef. Lindsay counted four different salads, bowls of various potatoes and enough fresh-baked bread to keep a deli going for days.
The mingled scents of so much deliciousness were almost more than she could process, and she breathed it all in with a smile. “This is incredible. The inspector didn’t leave until almost two. How did they manage to do so much in just a few hours?”
“Never underestimate the power of good news,” Brian informed her with a chuckle. “Or a motivated bunch of Calhouns.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Moving along the buffet, they filled their plates and found a couple of chairs in a corner of the bustling living room. Some of the people she remembered, others were new to her, but they all had one thing in common.
They were having a fabulous time.
Laughing, talking, making sure the kids were more or less behaving themselves. Since Lindsay’s arrival, the old house had been quiet, with only Ellie, Brian and her around to break to silence. Tonight, it was full of raucous life, and Ellie seemed to be everywhere at once, her delighted face making it clear how overjoyed she was to have so much company.
“I think Gran missed her calling,” Brian mused. “She should’ve been a ringmaster at a circus.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Lindsay replied, stunned by the coincidence.
“Really?” When she nodded, he winked at her. “Great minds and all that.”
“Oh, you’re still an arrogant piece of work.”
“Part of my charm.”
He flashed her a shameless grin that made her roll her eyes. “If you say so.”
Those warm blue eyes met hers so directly, her heart rate spiked into hummingbird range. She covered her reaction by sipping some of her cranberry juice. Once their unexpected connection was broken, her pulse settled back to a more normal pace. Apparently, time hadn’t eroded all those old feelings, after all. The small-town boy she’d adored as a teenager still had the power to rattle her usual composure and leave her feeling slightly light-headed.
It would’ve been nice to know that before she accepted a job that would require being around him so much. But there was no help for that now, she reminded herself sternly. No one else in town was hiring, and she couldn’t travel elsewhere to work. She’d just have to make the best of it.
Hoping she just came across as mildly interested, she said, “So, did you have a nice New Year’s?”
Squinting up at the ceiling, he came back to her with a chuckle. “I was sound asleep by ten and watched the Times Square ball drop on the morning news. Exciting, huh?”
“I was in bed by nine,” she confided, resting a hand on her stomach. “I guess my party days are in the past.”
“Emma always hosts a kids’ party at the church so parents can go out to dinner and know their little ones are having fun, too.”
“How is your sister?” Lindsay asked, glancing around. “I don’t see her anywhere.”
Brian’s expression darkened, as if a cloud had suddenly blocked out the sun. “She hasn’t been feeling well, so Mom convinced her to stay home tonight.”
Lindsay got the feeling there was more to the story, but she was hesitant to pry into family business. Still, he seemed so upset that she couldn’t simply go on as if she hadn’t noticed. “I’m sorry to hear that. Is it something serious?”
“Leukemia,” he answered on a sigh so heavy, she could almost feel the weight of his concern. “She’s a real trouper, but the chemo’s been tough on her.”
“And everyone who loves her, I’d imagine,” Lindsay added, feeling instant sympathy for what he must be going through. Brian sometimes came across as cocky and self-assured, but she knew better than most that beneath all that attitude beat a soft and generous heart. Years ago, he’d offered it to her on a platter, and out of stupidity she’d turned away from it without a second thought.
If only she’d had the sense to take what he’d tried to give her back then, her life would have turned out completely different. She had no doubt that come next New Year’s Eve, Brian’s business would be on firmer footing and he’d be sharing that traditional kiss with someone special. She just wished she could feel as confident about having the same for herself.
Discouraged by the thought, she tried to distract herself by buttering a flaky roll. “So, you have to tell me...what is Daphne Mills like?”
“A little flaky, but nice. She’s always been real good to Sam, even before he connected with Holly. He had a tough time after he came home from the army, but he’s doing well now. Daphne had a hand in that, and I’ll always appreciate it.”
The fondness in his tone was even more endearing than the mock boastfulness she’d heard earlier, and she felt an unfamiliar tug d
eep inside her. All her life, she’d longed for a family like this one, full of people who genuinely cared about each other and their neighbors. People who saw a need and pitched in wherever they could to help. That feeling of community had been missing from her vagabond existence, first with her mother and later with Jeff.
She still wanted it, she realized with a ferocity that startled her. For herself and her child, who deserved better than to grow up here and there, never truly belonging anywhere. A sudden rush of emotions threatened to swamp her, and she focused on her plate to mask them until they receded.
“Lindsay?”
The worry in Brian’s voice was unmistakable, and that tug was back, a little stronger this time. Some part of her seemed to be leaning toward him, but her painful string of failures yanked her back to a more cautious—and much safer—distance.
Summoning a calm expression, she met his concerned gaze. “Yes?”
He studied her for several long moments, and she endured his assessment as calmly as she could manage with her heart doing its best to pound its way through her chest.
Finally, he broke away and stood. “I’m going in for seconds. Would you like anything?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
He gave her one last look, then shook his head slightly before strolling back to the buffet. As she watched him go, Lindsay let out a pensive sigh.
She’d reconnected with Brian only a few days ago, and already she was having trouble viewing him as nothing other than her new boss. Working so closely with him every day was going to be a lot tougher than she’d anticipated.
Chapter Five
Brian was dead asleep when something jolted him instantly awake.
Disoriented by grogginess and the pitch black around him, he blinked in the late-January darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust so he could figure out what he’d heard. It was 3:00 a.m., and the sound of ice pinging against the glass drew his eyes to the window. Outside, all he could see was swirling white.
After staring out for a few seconds, he noticed there was an odd quality to the snowstorm, a weird revolving light that looked vaguely familiar. Once his brain kicked in with the answer, he jumped from his bed, tugging on his snowmobiling boots and jacket before hurrying out the front door.
The wind hit him with a force that felt almost angry, and he staggered back a couple of steps before he grabbed the porch railing and managed to regain his balance. A quick glance confirmed his suspicion, that a snowplow had missed its turn and crashed headlong down the creek bank, coming to rest at an alarming angle. Brian raced toward the iconic covered bridge, which was missing several feet along one side, all the while praying for the safety of the driver in the elevated cab.
The interior dash lights were on, and Brian could see the driver slumped across the wheel, thankfully held in place by his seat belt. The truck was still running, and the steep incline made it tough to climb up the side. With some effort, he managed to haul himself up the mounting steps only to discover that the door was locked. Out of ideas, he settled for banging his fist on the window.
“Hey!” Nothing. He tried again, and this time the driver stirred slightly. Hoping for the best, Brian shouted, “I’m here to help get you out. Unlock the door!”
The man moved slowly, fumbling around with a gloved hand, trying to locate the mechanism. Electronic locks, Brian fumed silently. What a pain. In the old days, he probably could’ve jimmied the thing open with a crowbar.
After what felt like an eternity, he heard the telltale click of the lock releasing and grasped the handle for a good tug. It came open, but the heavy door nearly crushed him as gravity interfered with his efforts. Struggling against it and the slant of the truck, he clambered up to the wider top step and took a moment to catch his breath.
“I dunno what happened,” the driver mumbled, cradling his head in one hand.
“There’s a huge patch of ice back there,” Brian informed him. “You must’ve hit it and started skidding toward the bridge. It’s a good thing the creek’s frozen, or you’d be soaking wet besides. Can you reach over and shut off the engine?”
“Yeah.” The truck went silent, and he lifted his head to peer out the windshield. “This storm turned out to be a lot worse than they were predicting, and the roads are really bad. I need to get back to work.”
“Hate to break this to you, man, but that’s the creek bank.” Brian pointed through the windshield to illustrate his point. “This truck’s done for tonight.”
When it dawned on him that he was truly stuck, the guy let out a low groan. “Guess I better call in and get someone else out here.”
He reached for the dash radio, but he was still a little dazed and missed the switch. Brian took charge and was relieved to hear a voice he recognized on the other end of the line.
“Alan, this is Brian Calhoun. One of your trucks just went in the creek. I’m here with—” he checked the guy’s badge “—Darren, and he’s basically okay but definitely needs to see a doctor. I’m taking him over to the cottage at the forge, so can you call an ambulance and the sheriff for us?”
“All our EMTs are out on the highway, but I’ll send a couple certified volunteers to your place. Darren?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t worry about anything other than getting to a doctor, son. We’ll cover the roads till you’re cleared to come back to work. Okay?”
The young man nodded, and Brian translated, then thanked Alan and signed off. After that, he wasted no time in helping Darren from his seat. Now that the engine was off, the truck was quickly cooling down, and he wasn’t keen on either of them turning into a Popsicle while they waited for medical help.
Between his still-dazed companion and the crazy angle of the truck, it was slow going, but Brian finally lowered them both safely to the ground. Once they were in the relative warmth of his house, Darren looked up and whispered a heartfelt “Thanks.”
Darren was sore more than anything, but Brian was still concerned because the driver had been nearly unconscious when he’d first found him. After they shed their winter gear, he walked his guest into his small living room.
“Have a seat,” he said, tossing a jumble of dirty clothes onto the floor to make space on the couch, “but don’t fall asleep.”
“Okay.”
Brian tossed a couple of logs onto the coals and stirred up the fire. “Want some coffee?”
“That’d be great.”
The pass-through from the kitchen allowed Brian to keep an eye on Darren while he threw together a snack of spray cheese and some crackers he found in the back of a nearly bare cupboard. He really needed to do some grocery shopping, he thought as he went back into the quickly warming room with a middle-of-the-night snack.
“Crackers might be stale,” he warned with a chuckle to lighten the mood. “I thought the cheese might cover that up.”
“Thanks.” Darren downed one in a single bite, then made a face and chased the food with a long swallow of coffee. He didn’t say anything, but Brian could guess what had prompted the reaction.
“Cheese is spoiled, right?” His poor visitor nodded, and he grimaced. “Sorry about that. Like your night hasn’t been bad enough without me trying to poison you.”
“I should be the one apologizing, yanking you out of bed during a blizzard.”
“No problem. I grew up here, so this kinda weather doesn’t faze me.”
While they waited, he kept Darren talking, in part to pass the time and also to make sure he didn’t nod off. Just in case he had a concussion, Brian didn’t want to take any chances. Before long, an enormous diesel pickup truck sporting a blue emergency light on the dash emerged from the storm to park in front of the porch.
When Brian chuckled, Darren gave him a quizzical look. “What’s so funny?”
“It’s my dad, Steve. My parents live over in Waterford, but
he must’ve picked up the call on his scanner and started driving.”
“He was worried about you,” Darren commented with a droopy smile. “That’s nice.”
In the years he’d been away from his map-dot hometown, Brian had become accustomed to the anonymity of living in Portsmouth. On a night like tonight, it was comforting to be reminded that even though he was all grown up, his father was still watching out for him. “Yeah, it is. I’ll be right back.”
He met Dad and his buddy Warren at the door and was promptly hauled into one of Steve Calhoun’s trademark bear hugs.
“Scared the life outta me,” he muttered, giving Brian a mild shove that was eased by a smile. Looking over at the sofa, he added, “What’s the story?”
“Ask him yourself, but go easy. His name’s Darren, and he’s still a little wonky.”
“Gotcha.”
The two older men approached casually, introducing themselves as if they were all meeting each other at a restaurant instead of after a frightening crash. A quick assessment of Darren’s condition brought up some somber looks, but Brian noticed that they were careful not to alarm him.
“All right, then,” Dad announced as he stood up. “It’ll be a haul, so we’d best get moving. If you’ve got folks to contact, you can do that on the way. I don’t recommend them driving anywhere until the storm breaks, but tell them you’ll be at Waterford Memorial.”
It was more of an order than a suggestion, and Darren wisely nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“And you,” he added, pointing at Brian, “call your mother for me. Tell her we’ll be a while because the bridge is out of commission so we have to go upstream to the commercial truck crossing. That back road hasn’t been plowed yet, so it’ll be slow going. I’ll be home soon as I can.”
“Got it. Drive careful.”
After another quick hug, they were gone.
Alone in his house again, Brian called his mom and delivered the message she’d obviously been anxiously waiting to hear. After assuring her that he was all in one piece, he hung up and stared out toward the bridge. He couldn’t see it, but he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed earlier that the crash had left it too damaged for Dad to use on the way into town. Then again, he’d been focused on the man inside the huge truck that had been clinging to the bank.
