Cooking Up Trouble

by Judi Lynn

  He went to the coffee pot, poured himself a cup, and went to reheat it in the microwave. They’d always been comfortable with each other. But things had changed. She scowled.

  He took his mug to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. He stretched his long legs and cocked his head toward her. “I came to talk.”

  She sighed. Gary came across as easy-mannered, and for the most part, he was. But when he made up his mind about something, nothing could shake him. She sat across the table from him and glared.

  “I didn’t want to fall in love with Sadie,” he said. “I thought I was completely happy with you.”

  She grimaced. “This is supposed to make me feel better?”

  “I want to explain.”

  She felt like sticking her fingers in her ears, like small children do, but he’d just outwait her. So she crossed her arms. The sooner he spilled his guts, the sooner she could get on with her life.

  “I cared about you. Still do.” He leaned forward to make his point. “I hate it that I blew it, that I hurt you. And I’ve gone over and over what I did, what happened. The only thing I can say is that I was crazy about you as a friend, but with Sadie, there was chemistry. The like was there, but so was the desire.”

  Her hand went to her throat. It was true. She wasn’t the type who could stir passion in a man. They might like her, admire her, care about her, but they wouldn’t love her. Hurt clogged her throat. She couldn’t talk. She blinked and looked away. What could she say? “Why didn’t you love me?” She’d thought he had.

  He frowned. He read her too well. “I loved every minute I spent with you. You know that, right?”

  Voice small, she said, “But I wasn’t enough. I’m never enough.”

  Eyes wide, he stared. “My God, is that what you think? Who knows how that works? I sure as hell don’t, but you’ve got it wrong. Some man’s going to look at you and want you more than he’s ever wanted anything in his life.”

  She released a sigh of disgust. “Isn’t that what every boyfriend says to the girlfriend he’s just jilted?”

  “But it’s true.” Gary ran both hands through his wavy, blond hair, mussing it—which only made him look better. “You only need to let it happen, Tessa, and it will. You’re too wonderful to live alone.”

  She pushed away from the table and walked to the door. She opened it and motioned for him to leave. “You’ve had your say. I listened to you. Have a nice life and congratulations on the baby.”

  He slowly rose, carried his cup to the sink, and rinsed it. He stopped and bent close to her on his way out. “Let love in, Tessie. It will find you.”

  She nodded for him to leave.

  Once he drove away, she closed the door and slumped against it. She shut her eyes and pushed her feelings into their usual hiding place. She didn’t want to deal with them.

  Tessa couldn’t settle enough to concentrate on anything for the rest of the afternoon, so she finally gave up, got in her pickup, and drove into town to have supper. Maybe the bustle and noise of Mill Pond’s favorite diner would quiet her thoughts. She sat at a small table for two and ordered the high-calorie meal that she usually avoided—pork Manhattan with stuffing arranged between a slice of white bread cut in half, buried under lots of gravy. She was sipping her lemonade when Leona Jackson carried her Cobb salad over to join her.

  Tessa wasn’t in the mood for Leona, but she didn’t want to be churlish. Subtleties rolled off Leona like water off a duck. Only rudeness slowed her down, and it took more than that to be rid of her. Tessa sighed and decided the planets had destined her day to be shitty.

  Leona dropped into the chair across from her and smiled. Crocodile grins looked friendlier. The woman wanted something. She got right to it. “I met that nice neighbor of yours a few days ago, and my, oh my, is he handsome.”

  “He’s nice, too. His fiancée has no idea how lucky she is.” Tessa waited, but Leona managed not to hear the hint.

  “That boy hardly ever comes to town. I hear he spends all of his free time with you.” Leona narrowed her eyes, studying her, then shrugged. “Where’s his girlfriend? Why isn’t she with him?”

  The waitress brought Tessa’s food and refilled her lemonade. Once she left, Tessa looked at Leona. “Ian came early to get the lodge in shape as a resort. Once he gets things ready, Lily’s going to move in with him.”

  If Leona knew the plan, soon the town would. Everyone would hear that Ian was engaged, and his fiancé would move in with him soon.

  Leona pouted. “I wonder how long that will take. Passions can cool, can’t they?”

  Tessa chose not to respond. If anyone knew the answer to that, Leona would.

  Leona sighed. “I mean, look at him—a total hottie. I bet he’s used to getting plenty of female attention.”

  Tessa rolled her eyes. Was Leona declaring Ian fair game? She forced a smile and tried to change the topic. “Are you going to the church social on Sunday?”

  Leona’s expression lit up. “Why? Is your neighbor going to be there?”

  Oh, boy, Ian might as well have a big target sign painted on his forehead. “I don’t know. I haven’t asked him.”

  Leona’s enthusiasm faded. “But he might be?”

  Tessa shrugged. “It’s according to whether Lily’s spending a long or short weekend.”

  Leona’s ardor faded. “You’re telling me he’s well-and-truly taken.”

  “Pretty much.”

  Leona sighed. She finished her salad, and Tessa quit picking at her food. They paid their bills and Tessa drove home—her plan to boost her mood, a bust.

  There was only one thing to do. She filled a coffee cup with dark cherry sorbet and reached for Ilona Andrews’ latest urban fantasy. A few hours later, Kate Daniels and Curran had kicked every supernatural’s butt. The book finished, Tessa felt better. She headed to bed.

  Tomorrow morning, she’d pick up Ian and take him shopping for antiques. Appropriate because at the moment, she felt worn and weathered.

  Chapter 8

  Ian turned to give her a quizzical look. “You’re awfully quiet this morning.”

  “I’m talked out.”

  “Really?” He frowned at a pasture, filled with alpacas. “People don’t raise and eat those, do they?”

  Tessa smiled. “That’s Bob Thorton’s farm. His wife, Ester, dyes and weaves the wool.”

  “Into what?”

  “All sorts of things, but mostly wall hangings. She sells them online.”

  Ian shook his head. “You know, before I moved here, I thought the Midwest was pretty behind, out of the loop. I pictured farms and industry. But there’s a lot more.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re from New York, right?”

  He nodded.

  “In the Midwest, we think both coasts are too full of themselves.”

  He threw back his head and laughed. “I guess I deserved that. I talk about Indiana like it’s behind the times.”

  She glanced his way. “So, what did you do in New York? What in the world brought you to Mill Pond?”

  “Both fair questions.” He hesitated. “I was a stock broker, made lots of money with my own investments. I worked for my brother in the summers when I was going through college. Construction.” At her look, he grinned. “Lots of cement and earth moving. No flat tire changing. And once a year, our family all heads to a house on the beach in North Carolina. I have great memories from there. So I decided I wanted to open a resort.”

  “And you have the business know-how to make it work.”

  He nodded. “I’ve got all the big things covered. It’s the small, everyday things that threw me a little, but I’m learning.”

  “Everyone wants you to succeed. If you have a problem, all you have to do is ask someone.”

  “I’m getting the feel of it. You guys do community really well.”

  “Better than I expected. Small towns don’t welcome newcomers all that well. You’ve managed a small miracle. People are claiming you as
one of our own.”

  “That’s not typical?”

  “Nope. Most people are born and raised here, so are their parents, and their parents’ parents.”

  “So I’m lucky?”

  She smiled at him. “I’d say you made your own luck.”

  “Thanks!” He looked at her. “Having you take me under your wing helped.”

  “We’re . . .”

  He grinned. “Neighbors. I know. Where are we going today?”

  “I thought we’d start at an antique shop on the highway. It’s my favorite, and then we can stop in Pierceton and Angola. If we come up empty, we’ll take the round-about way home.”

  He grinned. “This sure is pretty country.”

  “I like it.” She motioned toward a field with horses. “You have someone who knows horses to help you choose ones for your stables, right?”

  His dark brows furrowed together. “I thought I’d buy one of each color.” When her jaw dropped in shock, he laughed at her. “I bet on horse races. I know there are good horses and not so good horses.”

  She nodded, satisfied.

  When she turned silent again, he frowned. “What’s up? Something’s bothering you.”

  “My ex came to visit me yesterday. Said he wants me to be happy. He and Sadie are expecting their first baby.”

  He gave a low whistle. “He’s the guy who turned you off men, right?”

  “Yup, that would be Gary.”

  He stretched his arm across the back of the seat to lay a hand on her shoulder. “Look, we’re friends. If you ever need an ear, a shoulder to cry on, whatever, I’m here for you. It goes both ways. When you need something, let me know.”

  She gave a quick nod, and he pulled his hand away. “Hmm, no touching. Just like a cat.” He gave her a stern look. “You know how to give, Tessa Lawrence, but you’re not so good at receiving. You need to work on that.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel. “I’ve had enough lectures lately.” Her voice sounded surly, even to her own ears.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll drop it. If you ever want to talk about it, though, I’m here.” When she pulled into the gravel lot of the shop, he turned his attention to the rusted wash tub by the front door. A butter churn sat next to it. He gave her a questioning look. “You’re sure this is a good place?”

  “Shopping for antiques is a crap shoot. Sometimes, you get lucky. Sometimes, you find junk, but I like this place. Come on.”

  He followed her inside and stopped, surprised. “It’s bigger than it looks.”

  The large pieces of furniture sat in the center, near the front of the store. Ian saw a long, trestle table and went straight to it. “I like this.”

  “Where would you put it?”

  “Behind one of the leather couches. I could put a lamp and some memorabilia on it.”

  Tessa nodded. She could picture that. It would work.

  He looked at the price. “Not cheap, but not terrible, either.” Tessa motioned to one of the clerks. “We’re interested in this.” They began haggling about prices. Ian watched, bemused. When they settled on a number, the woman behind the counter grabbed a Sold sticker. Tessa led Ian up and down aisles. They found two, matching side tables. He chose a big, wooden chest to use as a coffee table. “Can I stain it a different color?”

  “Grams likes to refinish old furniture. She can help you.”

  He found some pink glass Depression-era dishes he liked. “We could put those in the corner cupboard over there.”

  By the time they paid for everything and loaded it into the back of her pickup, Tessa didn’t think they could haul anything else that was very big.

  “We can go to the small towns to look for little stuff, though, right?” Ian had the gleam in his eyes that true shoppers get. Tessa sighed. She avoided shopping as much as possible. It showed. Her outfits needed updating. She never thought about it until she stood next to Lily or Leona, but she could use some spiffing up. But today was dedicated to finding antiques for Ian’s lodge, so she started toward Pierceton.

  They hit every shop there and still went on to Angola. Ian bought an old-fashioned horse collar to hang on the wall. He bought a quilt. Tessa had to curb him when he found braided rugs in all sizes. They settled on a half dozen. By the time they started back to his lodge, she couldn’t fit one more item in her truck.

  Halfway home, Ian pointed at a root beer stand on the side of the road. “We should stop there, get something to eat. Then we don’t have to worry about anyone taking what we bought.”

  Like he’d worried before. Not. She couldn’t keep him out of a store. Tessa pulled in, and Ian pressed the button on the speaker to place their orders. Tessa got two chili dogs, and he got a pork tenderloin sandwich. When he bit into it, he groaned with pleasure. “I’ve heard about these. I’ve never had one.”

  “You’ve never had a PT deluxe?”

  He shook his head. “I think it’s a Midwest thing.”

  Tessa couldn’t imagine life without those giant breaded treats. While they ate, they talked about where he was going to place each piece of furniture and each accessory he’d bought. On the drive back to his lodge, he could hardly wait to start carrying things inside.

  Tessa hurried after him as he strode into the great room and smacked into him when he came to an abrupt halt. She peeked around him and gasped.

  One of the two, huge, crystal chandeliers had smashed to the floor. Glass shards had sprayed everywhere.

  Ian looked up and motioned to where it was mounted to the ceiling. It had obviously pulled away. “The same crew that installed my shower doors put up the chandeliers.”

  Enough said. Tessa took in the volume of the mess. “This is going to take hours to clean.”

  Ian’s muscles bunched and his fingers curled into fists. “They’re going to pay for the chandelier. I’ll make sure of that, but Lily found these online. There were only two of them.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m going to have to replace them both. One chandelier isn’t going to work.”

  “Where did you find the workers you hired?” This crew must have put in as little effort as possible. Both projects they did were failures. “Ask around before you hire someone for your next job. People here will give you the names of people we trust.” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called Grams. “Ian’s chandelier fell. He has a king-sized mess. We could use some help cleaning it up.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Ian shook his head. “You’ve already spent all day shopping with me. I can’t ask you to help with this.”

  “You didn’t, so quit wasting time. Find us some brooms.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, saw her expression, and headed to do as told.

  A half hour later, Tessa stopped sweeping glass as cars started pulling into the drive. Ian dumped the pile they’d collected into a large trash can and looked up as David and Darinda hurried inside and stopped to stare.

  “If I knew who screwed up both of your jobs, I’d kick their friggin’ asses!” Darinda fumed.

  David put a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head. “Nope, what’s done is done, but it won’t happen again. We’ll recommend the right people for Ian.”

  Luther and Kayla knocked and stepped inside next. Luther stared. “Holy shit! What happened?”

  Tessa pointed to the bare wires on the ceiling where the weight of the chandelier had broken away. “Shoddy workmanship. They didn’t attach it right.”

  Kayla squared her shoulders. “Where are more brooms? Your cleaning supplies?”

  Garth stepped through the doors next. “Lord almighty! I’ve never seen a mess like this.”

  Leona followed him into the room. Poured into a skintight dress and wearing high heels, she didn’t look the part of clean-up help. Her streaked-blonde hair was pulled up in a sexy, mussy, Gibson-girl look. She went straight to Ian and pressed herself against his side. “Oh, darling, I bet you’re upset. I’d do anything I can to h
elp you.”

  Garth sniggered. “In that dress and shoes? You’ll be lucky if you can keep your balance in here. Glass is everywhere. I want to see you bend over to sweep it up.”

  Leona glared at him. “What do you know? You play in grease all day.”

  “I sure as hell do. I can make your engine purr any time.”

  Her full, red lips opened in surprise. She pointed a finger at him. “Watch your mouth, Garth Roarke, or I’ll walk a picket line at your garage.”

  He grinned. “If you wear that dress, I’ll bring you out bon-bons to keep your energy up.”

  Leona’s comment was cut off when Grams strode into the room. She let out a long sigh. “This isn’t right. No one’s this lazy or stupid in Mill Pond. I’d demand my money back.”

  Ian shrugged. He’d gotten over his first burst of anger and looked around in awe. “I can’t believe all of you came to help me.”

  Grams shook her head. “We couldn’t leave you to clean up this mess alone. You don’t deserve it.”

  While they worked, Evan Meyers—who owned the goat farm next to Tessa’s property—and his wife came to help. Soon, other people from Mill Pond joined in. In a couple of hours, they were finished and people offered Ian sympathy and support. By the time everyone left, they’d carried all of the furniture from Tessa’s pickup into the lodge and helped Ian find the right places for it.

  Before people wandered off, Garth announced—loud enough for everyone to hear and spread the word—”I’m glad it wasn’t vandalism this time, but you need to think about protecting your property, friend. If I were you, I’d pay for a security system. I have one for my garage.”

  Evan nodded. “You’ll want one when you have guests start staying here. People like the idea of security.”

  Ian blinked, surprised. “I didn’t think about it, but you’re right. I have too much money invested here to not protect it.”