And if those feelings did have a place, well… Well.
* * *
CLINE ROLLED INTO THE KITCHEN just as Willa was putting her coffee cup in the sink. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey.”
He opened the refrigerator, pulled out a gallon of milk. “Katie said you’re leaving tomorrow.”
Willa nodded. “I’d say we’ve used up the welcome mat.”
Cline set the milk on the table, a frown creasing his forehead. “Since you and Katie came here, this house has been alive in a way it hasn’t in a really long time.”
Something in his voice made Willa’s heart contract. “Thank you, Cline.”
“Actually, I wanted to thank you.” He hesitated, and then said, “You and Owen—”
She heard the question behind the words, didn’t know what to say. “Maybe it’s a case of wrong place, wrong time.”
“Is there such a thing, or is that just what people say when they don’t know how to see something for what it really is?”
Willa thought about those last words her father had written. To weed out the insignificant. Look for what’s really important. “You’re not supposed to be this wise at seventeen.”
Cline smiled at that. “I thought Owen could use a party since it’s his birthday. Think you could help me throw something together for him tonight?”
“I’d be happy to,” she said.
* * *
AFTER LEAVING THE HOUSE, Cline wheeled his chair down to the barn. He found Jake in the tack room oiling a saddle. “You seen Owen?”
“He’s in the office.”
“Thanks.”
Cline rolled down the aisle, stopped halfway and knocked on the closed door.
“Come in.”
Cline swung it open, wheeled inside. “Just me,” he said.
Owen sat at the desk, a stack of papers in front of him. He waved him in. “What’s up?”
Cline looked down at his hands, then said, “I shouldn’t have left Katie at that party last night.”
Owen watched him for a moment. “Probably not.”
“I was so busy thinking about myself, I didn’t think about her.”
“We’ve all been guilty of that,” Owen said, his voice softening.
Cline was silent a moment. “Is that kind of what you’re doing with Willa?”
Owen sat back in his chair, his expression giving nothing away. “What do you mean?”
“Clearly, you’re crazy about her.”
Owen picked up the pencil on the desk, tapped the point against the stack of papers in front of him. “In this case, I don’t think that would be enough.”
“But how do you know?”
Owen released a sigh. “I’ve never met a woman I wanted to spend my life with until now. And here I am, either get married or lose this place. How could she believe my wanting her has nothing to do with any of that?”
“Have you told her that?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“So you’re just going to toss it all out the window?”
He hesitated, and then said, “I’m going to tell her how I feel about her. Tonight. After midnight.”
Cline’s gaze widened. “But then you’ll lose the farm. And Dad will win.”
“It’ll go to you, Cline. There’s nothing lost in that.”
He threw up his hands. “Even if I have other things I want to do with my life?”
“I’m not telling you what you should do with it. That’ll be up to you.”
Cline glanced away, then met his brother’s gaze. “Sometimes I think this has been your intention all along. That you want me to have this place out of guilt.”
“Cline—” Owen began.
“You didn’t cause this to happen to me, Owen,” he interrupted, pointing at his legs. “I know I’ve been kind of a jerk lately. But if I’ve directed it at you, it’s only because for whatever stupid reason, people take stuff out on the ones they love the most.”
It was the closest he’d ever come to telling his brother he loved him. Sudden gratitude shone in Owen’s eyes.
“Whatever happens,” Owen said, “nothing’s going to change between us. Dad had his reasons for what he did, and I guess to him they made sense. But you and me? We’ll always be on the same page, okay?”
Cline stopped himself from arguing further. He knew his brother, and Owen had made up his mind about which way he was going with this.
This particular track was a dead-end road. Which meant he had to find another way in.
* * *
HE STARTED with Louisa.
“Well, of course, we can do a party for Owen’s birthday,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron. “I wish we’d thought of it sooner, so we could have it today.”
“Tonight,” Cline said. “Could we have it tonight?”
“Tonight? But how on earth—”
“It’s really important, Louisa. Willa said she’ll help. And I know Katie will. Please?”
She gave him the same look she gave him for snacking too close to supper, then said, “Tonight it is.”
Cline popped her a kiss. “Thanks, Louisa!”
She waved him away, blushing.
He flew out of the kitchen then, tires whooshing against the wood floor.
* * *
JAKE’S ROLE WAS TO GET Owen out of the house for the rest of the day. He faked a virus and asked Owen to make the two-hour drive to pick up some papers for a mare being shipped out of the country later that evening.
Owen called the house and asked Willa to go with him. With Louisa smiling in the background, she said, “I promised Natalie I would come by this afternoon.” Which, technically, was true.
“How about dinner tonight?”
“Okay,” she said.
“I’ll be back around eight. Is that too late?”
“No,” she said. “I’ll see you then.”
The house was busier than a beehive for the rest of the day. Everyone pitched in, taking a role. Cline worked the phone, making up a list and placing calls.
Willa, Louisa and Katie cooked. They made an enormous sheet cake, slathered it with chocolate icing, which Cline said was Owen’s favorite. Willa made bite-size ham biscuits; Katie made chocolate-chip cookies (Cline’s favorite); Louisa put together a huge tray of finger sandwiches, pimento cheese and chicken salad.
Jake hung balloons and streamers in the living room and on the terrace.
Midafternoon, Cline rolled into the flour-strewn kitchen, waving a notepad. “Any last-minute suggestions for invites?”
Katie opened the refrigerator, put away the eggs and milk. “What about Judy?”
“Is she the one who’s taking care of your diner?” Cline asked.
“Yeah,” Katie said. “What do you think, Willa?”
“If it’s okay with Cline,” Willa said. “I’d love for her to come.”
Cline waved a hand. “Sure it is.”
“I don’t know how she’d feel about driving,” Willa said, thinking of Judy’s old car.
Jake walked into the kitchen. “Where is she? I’ll be glad to go pick her up.”
Willa smiled at Jake. “I think she’ll be giving me extra credit for this assignment.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
OWEN PARALLEL PARKED the farm truck in front of a stretch of high-end retail stores. He got out, went inside the discreet entrance to Beckman’s Jewelers.
A black-clad salesclerk frowned at him from behind the counter, her hair pulled back in a bun so tight it made slits of her eyes. He glanced down at his dirt-splattered blue jeans and muddy boots, then shot her a wide smile, deliberately keeping it blank of apology.
“May I help you with something, sir?” she asked without looking at him, power-buffing a thumbnail with an emery board.
“Yes,” he said, pointing at the center of the case where the largest rings were displayed. “I’m hoping you can.”
Her eyes widened. She dropped the nail file in a drawer, popped it closed
. “Indeed,” she said.
* * *
KATIE HAD HUNG THE LAST of the streamers across the terrace doorway when Cline waved for her to follow him. Willa and Louisa were in deep discussion over where to place the cake table. Katie got down from the ladder and jogged after Cline.
He turned into Owen’s office, waited for her to step inside and then closed the door. “So here’s the deal. Owen thinks if he asks Willa to marry him while it’s still his birthday, there’s no way she’ll ever believe it had nothing to do with the inheritance.”
“Does it?”
“I’ve never seen my brother in love. Owen’s in love.”
Katie smiled at that, proud somehow that it was her sister who had come along in time to turn that around with a hunk like Owen. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why would you do all this when you’re the one who inherits everything if Owen doesn’t get engaged?”
Cline shrugged, glancing out the window behind the desk. “Maybe because I think deep down he believes if he lets all this revert to me, it will somehow make up for where I am. For whatever part he thinks he played in it.”
“Would it?” she asked softly.
He paused, then said, “No. At some point, I finally figured out that holding a grudge doesn’t work for anybody. Least of all me.”
The conviction in Cline’s voice stirred a well of admiration inside her. “Anyone ever told you you’re amazing?”
Cline looked up at her. “Not recently,” he said.
“You’re amazing.”
He smiled at her. “So,” he said. “I’ve got a plan.”
She smiled back. “I never doubted that.”
* * *
ONCE THEY’D FINISHED with all the decorating, Willa and Katie borrowed Cline’s van and drove into Lexington to buy something to wear.
At Louisa’s recommendation, they went to a different shop than the one they’d gone to when they’d first arrived at Owen’s.
Annabelle’s carried a nice eclectic mix, funky enough for Katie, a little more mainstream for Willa.
The salesclerk left them to browse. Willa pulled a dark blue dress from the rack, held it up for Katie to see.
She gave an adamant headshake followed by, “Too Queen Mother.”
Willa laughed.
Katie riffled through a smaller rack, stopped, flipped past and then yanked one out, holding it up with a wide smile. “This one.”
The dress looked like nothing Willa had ever worn. “I’m not sure,” she said.
“Just try it on.”
Reluctant, Willa took the dress inside the fitting room, shrugged out of her jeans and slipped it on. She came back out, stood in front of the mirror.
Pale blue with skinny straps and a fitted waist, she had to admit it was flattering.
Katie grinned, clapped her hands together. “That’s it.”
“It’s beautiful,” Willa said. “I’m just not sure it’s me.”
“Judy always says when you’ve found the perfect thing, it’s time to quit looking.”
“Except that I think her context was men.”
Katie smiled a mischievous smile. “Who said mine wasn’t?”
* * *
JAKE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY with Judy at the same time Willa and Katie got back from shopping.
At the sight of them, Willa jumped out and ran to Jake’s truck.
Judy slid out of the passenger side, wrapping her in a warm hug. “If you aren’t a sight for sore eyes.”
“Oh, you, too, Judy,” Willa said. “I’m so glad you could come.”
Jake got out of the truck and helped Katie with the bags she pulled from the van.
“Well, me, too,” she said, glancing up at the house and surrounding pastures. “Wow.”
“Yeah,” Willa said. “I owe you so much for taking care of the diner for me.”
Judy shot a glance at Jake. “I think you just managed to pay me back.”
Willa looked at Jake and smiled. “Oh.”
Jake turned his gaze on Judy.
She instantly blushed.
“It was my pleasure,” he said.
* * *
BY EIGHT-FIFTEEN, Owen still wasn’t home.
Cline had directed everyone to park behind the barn so the cars wouldn’t be visible. The living room overflowed with guests, neighbors and business associates, some of Cline’s friends from school, all sipping the punch Louisa had made with a secret recipe so good she fairly beamed from all the compliments.
Just when everyone began to think Owen wasn’t coming, Cline said, “He’s here! Places!”
Katie giggled and rolled her eyes.
Willa smiled, and they both ducked behind the foyer doorway. The house was so quiet they could hear Owen’s footsteps on the walkway outside.
He opened the door, stepped in and flipped on the light.
“Surprise!” The house full of people exploded all at once. Sam barked his own greeting, running circles.
Owen braced a hand in the doorway and then smiled. He searched the crowd now milling in the foyer, his gaze settling on Willa. They stared at each other for a long moment.
“Happy birthday,” she said.
He crossed the floor, stopping in front of her. “Now it is.”
* * *
OWEN HAD TO GIVE IT to his little brother. He knew how to pull off a party. Cline had confessed the whole thing had been last minute, and yet there wasn’t a single thing to indicate it hadn’t been weeks in the making.
A buddy of Cline’s—headed for Juilliard on scholarship—played the piano. The upbeat repertoire of everything from Hank Williams Jr. to Josh Groban had the whole room dancing.
Owen had spent the first hour of the party making small talk with guests. The entire time he was aware of Willa, her smile, her laughter, that incredible dress she was wearing. He could barely take his eyes off her.
They finally arrived at the same spot in the room. He put a hand on her elbow and said, “May I have this dance?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “What if I step on your toes?”
He grinned. “No cake for you.”
“Oh, and it’s such great cake.”
He opened his arms, and she stepped into them.
* * *
KATIE AND CLINE stood at the edge of the room, watching Owen and Willa dance.
“If they don’t look like they should be together, who does?”
Jake and Judy danced by. Katie peered around them. “It is kind of sickening, isn’t it? To look at them, you’d think there wasn’t anyone else in the room.”
“Ready for phase two of Operation Owen-Willa?”
“Ready and willing, sir.”
“Okay. Let’s move in.”
* * *
OWEN DIPPED WILLA across his left arm, barely resisting the urge to kiss the arch of her neck.
“Okay, that’s enough of that.”
He brought Willa, laughing, back to an upright position. They both turned to find Katie giving them a look that belonged on the face of a mother with teenagers out past curfew.
“Sorry,” Owen said, trying to sound like he meant it.
“Cline wants to know if he can borrow your watch for a minute. His broke this afternoon, and he keeps asking everyone what time it is. Louisa’s got him watching a batch of cookies.”
Owen took off his watch, handed it to her. “Ah, sure.”
“I’ll bring it back in a few minutes,” Katie said.
And if Owen thought the request a little curious, he forgot about it as soon as he turned his attention back to the woman in his arms.
* * *
AT ELEVEN O’CLOCK, Cline and Katie met in front of the oversize grandfather clock in the far corner of the living room.
They’d had to bring Jake and Judy in on the gig because they needed them to stand in front of the clock so Cline could make the adjustment without the whole room turning around to look.
He move
d the oversize hand, then quickly closed the door, looked at Katie and grinned. “Done,” he said.
She smiled back. “Done.”
* * *
THE CLOCK STRUCK twelve. Sean hit the last few notes of a Jill Scott favorite.
Owen stopped dancing, looked down at Willa.
“It’s midnight,” she said.
He brushed the back of his hand across her hair. “Yeah.”
“You’re not sad?” she asked.
“About what?”
“The provision in your father’s will.”
He studied her for a moment, and then asked, “Come outside for a minute?”
“Okay,” she said, wondering why he hadn’t answered her question.
He led her through the mingling guests onto the terrace.
Above, the sky was perfectly clear, stars scattered like diamonds. They walked over to the rock wall, looked out at the barn and the fields beyond.
“What a great night,” Willa said.
“Having you here, it’s been amazing.” His voice was low, sincere.
She looked up, met his eyes. “Being here has changed my life, Owen. Literally.”
He reached for her hand, laced his fingers through hers. “I used to think there would never be anyone I could feel this way about. That for me, the real thing just didn’t exist. That everybody else was making it up.”
Willa’s heart beat a steady drum at the base of her throat.
“And then you came along, and nothing looks the way it used to look.”
She stared at him. “What are you saying, Owen?”
“I’m saying,” he said softly, “my little brother is right. I’m crazy about you, Willa.”
She tried to speak, couldn’t find the words. Finally, she managed to say, “Owen, I—”
He pointed at his watch. “Ten past midnight. I’m thirty-three. And no longer the owner of Winding Creek Farm.”
Understanding hit her in a wave. “You waited until after midnight—”
“Yeah,” he said.
She shook her head. “Why?”
“So you would believe me when I say what I feel for you is real. It’s real, Willa.”
“Owen,” she said, her voice raspy with disbelief.
He kissed her then, a long sweet kiss. When he pulled back, he slid a hand in the pocket of his jacket, removed a black velvet box.
She stared at it, eyes wide.
The Lost Daughter of Pigeon Hollow Page 18
