Small-Town Bachelor

by Jill Kemerer

  * * *

  Stupid chips and dip.

  Claire plodded down aisle three of Lake Endwell Grocery, her flip-flops slapping against the linoleum. She should have stayed home. She didn’t even like baseball. Surely she could have found an old romantic comedy on television or rented something. Anything.

  A sale on potato chips caught her eye. Loved the taste, but this brand lacked the heft to properly dip. She moved farther down. The other brand had thicker ridges, but—she narrowed her eyes as she lifted the bag—the manufacturers put, like, six chips in and pumped the rest with air.

  With a bag in each hand, she tried to figure out which held more chips.

  What was she doing? She’d hit a new low, wasting time in the snack aisle at the grocery store. Grabbing two of each, she moved to the candy aisle and snatched four packages of M&M’s, a giant pack of Skittles and two Tootsie Pops for good measure. If she was going to sit through a game at her loud brothers’ house, she needed sugar and lots of it.

  She dropped her loot on the express-lane counter and glanced up—and wished she hadn’t.

  Tammy and Mark. Dressed up for a night to remember, from the looks of them. Tammy’s smile slid away as she eyed Claire. Mark dismissed Claire with a quick turn of his head. “I’ll be right back.”

  A teenage kid scanned the first item from her mound of junk food.

  Why now? Why did she have to run into these two when all signs pointed to her being on some sort of eating binge?

  “Claire. Good to see you.” Tammy slowly perused her selections.

  Be nice. “You’re dressed up. Big plans tonight?”

  A blush rose to Tammy’s cheeks. She lowered her gaze, then met Claire’s. “Actually, yes. Mark just proposed.” Tammy thrust her hand out, revealing the huge sparkling diamond on a simple gold band.

  Claire’s heart swan-dived and landed on the floor with a splat.

  Of course. Tammy and Mark.

  A proposal, a wedding, a forever with the man she loved.

  Clarity filled her head.

  Claire wanted it too.

  She loved Reed. She wanted forever with him.

  Lifting her head high, Claire took a deep breath. “Congratulations.”

  Tammy seemed to be fighting emotions. Claire didn’t care—time to round up her load of calories and sprint out the door.

  “Thanks.” Tammy shifted her weight from one spike-heeled strappy sandal to the other. “Well, I’ll see you around.”

  “That’ll be $21.59.”

  Rummaging through her purse, Claire found her credit card and handed it to the kid. Accepted her bags. And left without another word.

  In the safety of her car, she pounded the steering wheel with her fist. Why did she have to run into them tonight? At least Mark hadn’t lingered. She’d avoided having to speak with him. But Tammy...

  Her ex-boss really had looked beautiful. The ring really had sparkled.

  Claire blinked away tears. She and Tammy had gotten along so well at first. They’d been friends. And now, instead of being genuinely happy for Tammy, Claire resented her. Resented how Tammy had shut off their friendship because of a guy. Still couldn’t get past the injustice of being fired.

  A tear slipped down her cheek, and she angrily flicked it away. It was stupid to be this upset. So they were getting married. It didn’t involve her.

  Her eyes welled with tears. If it didn’t involve her, why did it bother her so much?

  Because I’ve been wearing my bitterness, and it’s heavy. I resent Mark for spreading rumors about me. I’m mad at Tammy for firing me. I still blame Justin for my life not turning out the way I wanted it to.

  She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. Yes, Tammy had fired her, but losing her job had allowed Claire to help Reed with rebuilding the town. And who cared if Mark told lies about her? Claire never liked him much anyhow. As for Justin...

  She stared ahead as cars pulled in and out of the parking lot.

  Lord, please forgive me for the anger and bitterness I’ve been clinging to.

  Something pressed on her heart. Asking for forgiveness from God was a start, but she too needed to forgive.

  Could she? Tears threatened again. Oh, how it hurt.

  Help me say this and mean it, dear Jesus, You who spared nothing for me.

  She dropped her head in her hands.

  Forgive them all. Bless Tammy and Mark’s marriage. And take care of Justin too.

  There. She felt empty. Lighter. For the first time in years, living somewhere other than Lake Endwell didn’t sound terrible. Maybe Chicago wasn’t that bad. Not bad at all.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “What are you talking about, Dad?” The planes of Tommy’s face sharpened as he glowered at Dale, then at Reed. Bryan appeared equally stunned from the other recliner. The announcers on TV laughed before discussing the one-two pitch.

  Reed closed his eyes, inwardly groaning. Why had Dale blurted out his unofficial and unlikely-to-happen plan? At least Claire wasn’t here—that would be a nightmare.

  Unaffected by the tension sizzling in the room, Dale rocked back and forth on his heels. “Reed moving to Lake Endwell. I think it’s a good idea.”

  The vein in Tommy’s temple pulsed. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

  “What’s the problem, then?” Dale crossed his arms over his chest.

  “The problem?” Tommy snorted with a shake of his head. “You’ve run Sheffield Auto forever, and now you want to quit? I think you’ve lost your mind.”

  Dale cocked his head to the side. “I haven’t lost anything. I’ve found it. You and Bryan have been running the day-to-day operations for years. What’s the big deal?”

  “I can’t believe you.” Tommy waved his hand, dismissing the topic. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You’re the CEO,” Bryan said. “Who is going to step in and run it?”

  “One of you can,” Dale said.

  Tommy and Bryan both looked at their father as if he’d grown pink pigtails.

  “We don’t want to run it,” they said in unison.

  Dale stepped back, his face falling. “What? Why?”

  “I have my hands full with my dealerships.” Tommy raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t want to make company decisions too. I want a life.”

  “It’s not that time-consuming,” Dale said. “I go in for a couple hours in the afternoon and I’m done. You two practically run the company as it is.”

  Bryan drummed his fingers against his thigh. “I don’t want the responsibility. I’m not going to be the one who runs Granddad’s company into the ground. Why do you want to do construction anyway? What brought this on?”

  “Yeah, is this some sort of midlife crisis?”

  Reed’s gut heaved as the argument heated up. He had never intended to divide their family. He hadn’t planned on involving their family at all until Dale suggested it. This was becoming an explosive mess. Way to go, Reed. Still got that special touch.

  “I’d better leave,” Reed said.

  “No, Reed. Stay.” Dale held his palms out. “Maybe it is a midlife crisis. I don’t know. I’m restless. Bored of pushing papers around, checking on investments and calling it a life. If either of you doesn’t like your job, you can quit. No one ever said you had to work for the family.”

  Tommy’s face reddened. “I don’t want to quit! Why would you even say that? This is about you quitting. Not me.” He pivoted and stalked to the kitchen.

  The front door opened and Claire, carrying bulging plastic bags, entered.

  This couldn’t be happening.

  Reed dug his fingernails into his palms.

  Had she been crying? Some of her hair escaped a loose ponytail, her face was
flushed and her posture defeated. Reed moved toward her.

  “Great.” Bryan threw his hands up. “Let’s find out what Claire thinks. Don’t tell me you’re going along with this?”

  Reed halted. Bryan was going to blab everything. Here. In front of Claire.

  “What do I think about what? Here, take these.” She pushed the bags to him and slipped her flip-flops off.

  Everything in Reed wanted to go to her, to curl his arms around her waist, pick her up and whisk her out of there. To explain. But his heart had stopped beating a minute ago.

  This night would get worse before it got better.

  Claire threw him a sharp glance. Reed’s muscles tensed.

  Bryan moved the bags to his other hand. “Reed’s opening a construction firm here and wants Dad to be the superintendent.”

  Her face drained of color. Reed took another step. “Nothing is concrete. I might be opening a business—”

  Dale nodded. “And I mentioned I wanted to be the super. You two got ahead of me. Reed and I are just talking about it.”

  Claire faced her dad. “What about Sheffield Auto?”

  “That’s what I said.” Tommy barreled back in. “Can you believe this?”

  A flush crept up Dale’s neck. “You’re all making a big fuss about nothing. If no one wants to step up and run the company, I’ll still do it. I’ll do both. We’ll discuss it later.” He turned to Reed. “I’m sorry, son. Didn’t know I was starting a war.”

  Reed almost corrected him. Dale wasn’t the one starting a war. Reed was. It was always him.

  On cue, the door opened and Libby, Jake and Sam filled the small entrance. Reed couldn’t tear his gaze from Claire.

  “Looks like we’re missing a party,” Sam said. “Hope you have food. I’m starving.”

  Tommy proceeded to fill Sam in on the conversation, but Reed didn’t listen. He longed to go to Claire, to pull her aside. But she’d captured his gaze a minute ago and hadn’t stopped staring, accusing.

  How could he explain? I didn’t mean to hurt your family, Claire. I thought this time might be different.

  He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off with a jerky shake of her head.

  “What’s the big deal?” Sam shrugged. “If Dad wants to quit and you two are happy running the dealerships, I’ll oversee the rest. It’s not like Dad won’t show me the ropes. If I have questions, he’s right here.”

  “Now, wait a second!” Tommy bellowed.

  “You don’t know what you’re doing.” Bryan rolled his eyes.

  “Stop it!” Dale thrust his hands out. “I didn’t raise you to be disrespectful to each other, and you’re being rude to Reed.”

  Reed couldn’t stand here any longer. This plan would never work. Claire and her brothers resented him. Her big blue eyes had filled with tears, and her face grew paler by the minute. He wouldn’t wrench their family apart—not for any reason.

  He stomped his crutch on the floor to get their attention. “I’m not starting a business here. I’m going back to Chicago.” He closed the distance to Claire, searched her eyes and took her hand in his. “I’m sorry, Claire.”

  Her lips trembled. A tear slipped down her cheek.

  He deserved this. He shouldn’t have stayed. And he should have confided in her about the business before talking to Dale. To have her witness the chaos he inflicted on families? Cruel. No wonder she stared at him as if he’d kidnapped one of her otters.

  “Jake, would you take me home?”

  Jake nodded.

  “Reed, wait.” Dale came up to them. “I should have spoken to the boys privately—I didn’t know they would go crazy. Don’t go—they’ll cool down.”

  “No, I’m the one in the wrong. Forget I ever brought up the idea.” And Reed left.

  * * *

  Claire dug her fingers into the edge of Tommy’s unmade bed, her knee bouncing, and stared unseeing out the window. She’d befriended Reed, taken care of him and, against her better judgment, gotten close. Pretended this time would be different. That she wouldn’t get hurt. What did she know?

  “Claire?”

  She straightened. Libby sat beside her, the bed creaking under her weight.

  “Why aren’t you trying to convince Reed to stay?” Libby tipped her head to the side.

  Why was Libby so perceptive? Although it didn’t take a lot of analytical skills after her reaction back there. Weariness climbed up Claire’s body, pressing on her tight shoulders.

  “I wouldn’t be the reason he’s staying.” Claire trailed a finger along the wrinkled sheet. She let out a mirthless laugh.

  “I’m not following you.” Libby slipped her arm around Claire and squeezed. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. One minute we’re having dinner at Granddad’s cottage, and the next Reed’s making me laugh and we’re working together and talking all the time...” She bit her lip, not wanting to continue. Not knowing how to continue.

  “And you might be a little bit in love with him,” Libby said.

  “How dumb can I be? I’m tired of being so optimistic about life. I’ve got to start seeing the world the way it is—not the way I want it to be.”

  Reed hadn’t considered staying for her, and he hadn’t bothered to confide in her. How hard would it be to say, “Hey, Claire, guess what? I’m thinking of starting a business”?

  Duped. Again. With nobody but herself to blame.

  The fact that he’d told Dad and her brothers before her? Humiliating.

  All the time they’d spent together. All the laughter—the secrets—the kiss. Worthless.

  “What am I going to do?” Claire dabbed her eyes, sniffling. “If I don’t get the zoo job, I guess I’ll sell Dad’s cars or something. Looks like someone will have to.”

  “You couldn’t do that!” Libby sounded horrified.

  “I was kidding, Libs.” She took a deep breath and tried to control her emotions.

  “You’ll get the zoo job. You will.”

  The whir of the ceiling fan blended with the muted voices of the men in the living room.

  “Tommy still lives like a pig. Can’t he make his bed once a season at least?” Libby smoothed the covers. “At least it doesn’t smell in here, I guess.”

  Claire barked out a laugh. “Remember his football cleats? My word, they reeked.”

  “I remember. I’m still trying to forget.” Libby chuckled, then sobered. “What if Reed changes his mind and moves to Lake Endwell?”

  “He won’t,” Claire said. “You heard him.”

  “But what if—”

  Claire rose, clenching her hands together. “It wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t be doing it for me. It would be to start a business. Or to be near Jake. I don’t know. But I’m not a factor in the deal.”

  She wasn’t an everyday girl for Reed—she wasn’t even a Tuesday girl. She was nobody. Maybe God’s plan was for her to be alone. Forever.

  “Reed hasn’t visited Jake in years,” Libby said. “He could start a business anywhere. You two grew close—anyone could see it. Reed is not the type of guy to move here without a good reason.”

  “Yeah, and I’m not the reason. He’s not moving here, okay? Let’s drop it.”

  “Now who’s being uncompromising?” Libby asked. “Shouldn’t you at least talk to him before you judge? That’s what you and Aunt Sally are always telling me.”

  “We’ve barely spoken since the Fourth.”

  “Big whoop. Get everything out in the open before he leaves.”

  Libby was right. Claire hated it when she was right. “It’s hard.”

  “Hey, I know it’s hard. But it’ll be worth it. You’ll know where you stand.”

  “What if I don’t want to know? Reality never lives
up to my dreams.”

  A soft smile lifted Libby’s lips. “Sometimes reality is better than your dreams.”

  * * *

  Reed had been living in a fictional haze of his own making, thinking he could figure out how to have it all. He leaned on the crutches, the crescent moon casting a squiggly glow on the lake. What good was having it all if Claire hated him?

  “You sure about this?” Jake flicked the outside lights on and stepped onto the deck at the cottage. “You don’t have to go. Tommy and Bryan get hotheaded over everything. Two minutes later, they’re back to normal. Don’t take it personal.”

  “It’s not them.”

  “What is it, then?” Jake stood next to him and leaned against the rail. “Dale? I can see why you might not want to work with him, but he has connections. He could help you get established here. Hey, it’s your call.”

  “It’s not Dale. I respect him. I’m dumbfounded he offered.”

  “He offered?” Jake sounded perplexed, peeved even.

  “Yeah.” Reed hopped on one foot to the lounge chair and carefully extended his cast on the cushion before setting his crutches down.

  “Why would he want to work with you?” Jake towered over him.

  Reed rubbed his forehead, ignoring his menacing brother. What was so bad about working with him?

  “Sit down,” Reed said. Tree branches rustled in the wind. “My neck is going to snap trying to stare at you.”

  Jake grunted, but he dragged a chair over and dropped into it. “I’m trying to figure out all this interest in you. Dale’s always been friendly with me, but we don’t exactly sit around talking all the time. I can think of maybe two occasions, tops.”

  “What are you trying to say, Jake? I’m stealing your future father-in-law? Come on!” Reed opened his hands. “Dale came over every day to help me with this cast because I couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t dress myself. Couldn’t make a bowl of cereal those first days. We talked. We have a lot in common. I wasn’t trying to come between you, if that’s what you’re saying.”

  No matter what Reed did, he found a way to mess up family dynamics, even between Jake and Dale.

  Jake hung his head, his elbows propped on his knees. “I—maybe I’m jealous.”