Hometown Family

by Mia Ross

“’Cause you needed a computer.”

  “How did you know which one to get?”

  He grinned. “Kyle. He used your old one, so I figured he’d know what to get.”

  “You put some thought into this, then. Why?”

  She was obviously trying to make a point, but he was so far behind her she might as well have been at the finish line. Then inspiration struck. “Because.”

  A grateful expression drifted across her pretty face, making him feel like a hero. “That’s good enough for me.”

  * * *

  Around three, Caty bolted from the diner with an advance on her first week’s pay and that day’s tips in an envelope. Her wallet and everything in it had been destroyed in the fire, so this was all she had to work with. It wasn’t much, but she managed to get some very basic clothing and a closeout bedding set with matching curtains.

  By the time she’d stocked up on generic toiletries and a few groceries, she had five dollars. She was kicking herself for not having already transferred her money to a Harland bank account. Operating from a distant bank was easy when you had an ATM card and a computer. When you didn’t, it was impossible. It wasn’t the first time she’d lived hand-to-mouth, but she was woefully out of practice.

  Without anything to put in it, a wallet had seemed like a waste of money. She tucked her remaining bill into a plastic sandwich bag and stashed it in the jar underneath a batch of Ruthy’s latest experimental cookies. A tantalizing combination of crumb cake and butterscotch, they melted in your mouth.

  Supper also came compliments of her new boss: fresh salad and roast beef left over from lunch. They were in the small fridge beside take-out cups of sweet tea. Other than that, the icebox was empty. Fortunately, Caty thought with a grin, she now worked in a restaurant.

  Once she spread her new things around, she stood in the center of the room to assess her work. The entire apartment was smaller than her Charlotte bedroom, but the splashes of color brightened things up considerably. Satisfied, she showered and put on her only pair of jeans and a blue tank top with a misty rainbow on it. Far from her usual style, she’d bought it because it was the right size and had cost only two dollars.

  Then, after waiting all afternoon, she sat down on her bed with her shiny new laptop. Hooking on to the Wi-Fi Ruthy maintained for her customers, Caty logged into her music account and loaded the contents onto the computer. In deference to Matt, she bought some compilation albums from the rock section and created a playlist to store them in. She even added some new songs for herself. In less than five minutes, the speakers were putting out the latest country-rock anthem about taking the curves life throws at you and making them work.

  Bobbing her head in time to the catchy tune, she spread out on the floor the patchwork quilt she’d found in the closet. She set out her borrowed dishes picnic-style and got the food out of the fridge. She’d just popped the roast beef into the microwave when someone knocked on the frame of her open door.

  Matt stood there with his hands totally full. A Ruthy’s Place take-out bag hung from his wrist so he could hold a foil-topped bottle in his hand. In the other was an enormous bouquet of velvety red roses sprinkled with baby’s breath.

  “Matt, they’re beautiful!” Taking them from him, she breathed in their sweet fragrance. “Is this crystal?” she asked, lifting the elegant vase to see it better.

  “It was the only one they had that was big enough.”

  She assessed him with a long look, and he finally cracked a grin. “Thought it was pretty.”

  “It is. Very.”

  There was just enough space for the flowers on her tiny counter, and she stepped back to admire the effect. He didn’t strike her as the romantic type, which made his gift that much more thoughtful.

  Impulsively, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss. Still holding the take-out bag, he pulled her close for another, much longer kiss. Somehow, it felt gentle and strong at the same time. The effect was so amazing, she didn’t want it to end.

  He drew back, eyes twinkling a warm blue as he grinned down at her. “Is that a thank-you?”

  “I guess so,” she admitted with a smile of her own.

  “Then you’re welcome.” Kissing the tip of her nose, he set the rest of his load next to the sink. “Something smells good.”

  “You sound surprised,” she teased, then added, “I should’ve told you I don’t drink.”

  “John told me,” he replied, handing the bottle to her. “It’s sparkling grape juice. Still goes pop when you open it.”

  “Are we celebrating something?”

  Grinning, he took an object out of his shirt pocket and dangled it in front of her. Attached to a shiny MG fob was a set of brand-new keys.

  “They came!”

  “Just before I left the farm. Excellent timing, huh?”

  Recognizing her own words, she laughed. “Very excellent. I opened a bank account this afternoon so they can transfer my money here from Charlotte. As soon as I have some cash, I’ll pay you back.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  She almost insisted, then thought better of it. He was being generous, and she didn’t want to ruin the gesture. The microwave dinged, and she asked, “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving. Ruthy sent this.” He opened the bag to show her half a crumb-topped apple pie.

  “Awesome! That’s my favorite.”

  While she pulled out the roast beef, he added the pie to their picnic. She saw him glance over his shoulder before sliding several twenty-dollar bills under the quilt. Sneaky. When she cleaned up later, she’d find them but he’d be long gone so he wouldn’t have to accept her thanks in person. Pretending not to notice, she took their food over and switched the music selection.

  “You didn’t buy those songs for me, did you?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I know you don’t like country.”

  “Well, thanks.” He unwound the foil from the bottle and worked the cork loose with a satisfying pop. After filling their plastic cups, he stretched out beside her and tapped his cup against hers. “To getting your wheels back.”

  “Amen to that,” she agreed and took a sip. “Mmm, that’s good.”

  Matt tilted the bottle with a grin. “May was a very good year.”

  “Now I just need my new license, and I’ll be all set.”

  “Wouldn’t worry about that,” he said between bites. “Everybody around here knows you.”

  “It’s illegal to drive a car without a license.”

  “You didn’t seem to mind that when you were fixing to steal my truck.”

  She didn’t have a good defense for that, so she just laughed along with him.

  “I like what you’ve done in here,” he said with approval. “Looks like a flower garden.”

  “Thanks. Ruthy won’t let me pay her, so I offered to spruce it up a little. She said I can refinish the floors and paint, as long as I keep it light and gender neutral.”

  “Shouldn’t take long,” he commented with a quick glance around. “Kind of a step down, isn’t it?”

  An optimist at heart, Caty didn’t normally complain about things she couldn’t control. But this was Matt, and she knew he wouldn’t hold it against her. “Yeah, but I don’t have much choice.”

  He frowned at that. “Don’t tell me. The biddies are talking about us shacking up.”

  “More or less.”

  “I thought you did what you wanted no matter what other folks thought.”

  “That was before.” Setting her fork down, she got his full attention. She relayed what Ruthy had told her about her father, and his frown darkened to something more sinister.

  She cut him off before he could say the foul word forming on his lips. “Don’t. I know it’s t
rue, but please don’t say it.”

  “I won’t, but I’m thinking it. Real loud,” he added with venom.

  “I can hear you,” she teased to ease the murderous look on his face.

  “Guess this means you won’t be hunting for him.”

  “Not anytime soon. I wish I’d never found that letter. The fire would have taken care of it, and I could have just gone on the way I was.”

  “Not knowing the truth?” Matt gave her a skeptical look. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

  He was right, it didn’t sound like her. But she was so disgusted by the whole thing, she finally understood why her mother had lied about it all those years.

  “That’s what I want,” she insisted. “I figure other people must know, even though they’re too nice to mention it. I’m staying here in Harland, and I’m going to open my own law practice. I can’t do anything about the past, but I don’t want to give people any reasons to doubt my judgment now.”

  “Okay, I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.”

  “I don’t like it, either, but I really think it’s for the best.”

  “I’ll go along, then,” he grumbled. “To make you happy, not ’cause a bunch of clucking hens can’t keep their yaps shut.”

  “Works for me,” she said to lighten the mood.

  While they traded small talk, she almost asked if he still planned to return to Charlotte. Then she decided the question would make him feel cornered. It was his choice, and she wouldn’t dream of trying to influence him. She truly loved this man, and she prayed they might have a future together.

  But in the end, it was up to him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  One Saturday afternoon in late October, they actually knocked off while it was still light. John headed into town for his delayed date with Annie Granger, and Marianne took the kids to see the latest Disney 3-D movie. Caty was working the closing shift at the diner and had begged off seeing Matt so she could go to the Fairmans’ for supper. She was exhausted, and he wanted her to relax, so he hid his disappointment and wished her good-night.

  The only problem was, it left him completely on his own.

  After living alone for so long, coming and going as he pleased, since returning to Harland he’d gotten used to always having someone around. Even Tucker was MIA today, although Matt could hear excited barking coming from the back woodlot. If the crazy Lab brought home another half-dead squirrel, Marianne wouldn’t let him back in the house for a month.

  Matt ran through the shower and pulled on some sweats he hadn’t worn in a while. They just about fell off him, and he had to tighten the laces on the waistband. His farming/fitness routine was a success, he mused, grinning as he rummaged through the fridge. He wasn’t all that hungry, so he grabbed an apple and headed back outside.

  Every vehicle on the farm was running like a top, and he’d just washed and waxed his truck. His bike didn’t need anything, either. So he wandered around, looking at nothing in particular.

  The sun was setting, and the blend of red-and-orange streaks in the sky caught his attention. Framed by the show of color, the ancient oak tree’s turning leaves made a picture all their own. He didn’t know why, but he strolled over and sat down with his back against the rough tree trunk. While he finished his apple, he watched the sun slide bit by bit beneath the horizon, turning the sky over to the harvest moon, glowing more brightly as day gave way to night.

  Dad’s favorite place, he mused, looking up at the moonlight filtering through the branches. From here, Matt could see hundreds of acres in one direction, woods in another, and the two houses out toward the road. This was his family’s history, and against his wishes it had become his responsibility.

  Next week was the beginning of November, which meant he had to give his boss an answer on when he was coming back. The thing was, sometime over the last couple months, when had become if. Matt still wasn’t a farmer at heart, but he didn’t mind it as much as he once had.

  Being in Harland wasn’t as suffocating as he remembered, either. Sure, people were nosy, and the interest in his changing relationship with Caty wasn’t exactly welcome. But he understood the reason for it. He didn’t have the best reputation, and she was one of the town darlings. They were mostly worried about him ruining her, which made him smile.

  As if she’d let him.

  David the highfalutin lawyer had soured her on taking risks with men. In a way, he’d done her a favor. His betrayal had made her more cautious, which was fine with Matt. He didn’t mind digging in and working a little harder with Caty. She was more than worth it.

  When had he decided that? Thinking back, he sifted through the past three months and came up with the answer. It was after he’d returned from Charlotte, when he couldn’t get her out of his mind no matter how hard he’d tried. He’d even attempted avoiding her, which had only made him think about her more.

  That was a long time ago, he realized, grinning at his own stupidity. How dense could he be? Just thinking about her made Matt happier than he’d ever been in his life. Riding those emotions, he suddenly understood why his father had never remarried. He couldn’t imagine himself with anyone but Jan, and he’d preferred being alone to settling for anything less than the love he’d had with her.

  That was the kind of love Matt had been searching for all these years. He just hadn’t realized it.

  There was something about this tree, he thought as he pulled out his phone and dialed his boss’s number. Sitting here made him see things differently. Maybe there was a little of Dad left in this spot. Whatever the reason, Matt’s tough decision had just gotten a lot easier.

  * * *

  Caty hurried through the door into her tiny apartment and checked the clock on her computer. She’d rushed out to Kenwood to buy something decent for church and had just enough time to de-tag her new clothes and get dressed. It had been a long, challenging week, but she had a lot to be thankful for. She was determined to go thank God in person.

  She tucked her pretty ivory blouse into the waistband of her burgundy skirt and zipped everything up. Smiling, she took her splurge out of its box and unwrapped the tissue from around a pair of black suede pumps accented with little velvet bows in the back. She’d bought the exact same pair a few years ago and had been thrilled today to find them at the shoe outlet next to a petite-clothing store.

  After slipping them on, she went into the bathroom and pulled her hair into a French twist. Assessing her reflection, she frowned. This really wasn’t her look anymore. She took her hair down and pulled it back with a hair band so it fell in loose waves down her back. Much better. Her silver choker glittered in the light, and she grasped it for a dose of encouragement.

  Ruthy had told her she could have this room as long as she needed it, which Caty really appreciated. But she wouldn’t be a waitress for long. After some serious consideration, she’d decided to use the insurance money to pay off her student loans and bank the rest. She’d let people know she was ready to take on any kind of legal work, from real estate to pet adoption.

  With her stellar credit and lawyer’s credentials, she could easily borrow enough to rebuild her darling little house. It wouldn’t be exactly the same, but it would fill the gaping hole on Oak Street. And the one in her heart.

  She would keep believing, Caty vowed, and count her blessings every day. Because, really, the alternative didn’t suit her at all.

  Someone knocked on the door, and she called out, “Who is it?”

  “Sawyer car service.”

  “What on earth?” she muttered as she hurried to unlock her door. What she saw on the other side rendered her completely speechless.

  There stood Matt, wearing the same suit he’d worn to Ethan’s funeral. Today, she noticed that his tie exactly matched the color of her new skirt
. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought he’d even shined his shoes.

  After giving her a quick once-over, he grinned. “You look great.”

  “I used some of the money you left me for some new clothes.”

  “Money?” he echoed.

  “Yes, Matthew.” Thanks to the heels, she didn’t have to stretch very far to kiss him. “Thank you.”

  “I really like the way you thank me.” Wrapping his arms around her back, he pulled her close. “Missed you.”

  His voice had a warm, mellow quality that made her go all squishy inside. “I missed you, too. Where are you going dressed so nice?”

  “With you.”

  “But I’m going to church.”

  “I know.” He looked totally calm, but she caught the trace of uncertainty in his eyes.

  Baffled, she reminded him, “My license came in the mail yesterday. I told you that.”

  “I know,” he repeated. Tracing the curve of her cheek with his finger, he quietly added, “I want to go with you.”

  “Don’t do this for me,” she said, concerned that he was making a big decision for the wrong reason.

  “I’m not. I’m doing it for me.”

  He was looking her straight in the eyes when he said it, and this time she didn’t see even a flicker of hesitation.

  “What changed your mind?” she asked.

  “The night of the fire. I asked God to let you live, and He did.”

  Astonished, she didn’t know what to say. “You prayed for me?”

  “Worse. I got on my knees and begged.” He didn’t look very happy about it, but that he’d made such a huge gesture to save her touched her deeply.

  “Does this mean you’ve forgiven God?”

  “Yeah, I have. Mom was too sick for anyone to save, even Him.” Looking down, he took a deep breath and then reconnected with Caty. “I still hate it, but I can live with it.”

  She remained silent to give him a chance to mull that over. He held her gaze with a steady one of his own. No gray clouded his blue eyes. In them was a calm she’d never seen when he mentioned his mother.