by Judi Lynn
“Not if a semi hits you first.”
“You’re not that lucky.”
Chapter 2
At night, in her motel room, Karli called other motels around the area, hoping to find a place to stay, but Keagan was right. Mill Pond was a happening place. Every room was taken. Seems tourists came in November to buy handcrafted items for their Thanksgiving tables and to hike the trails in the National Forest before the snows fell.
She’d never been to the shops in Mill Pond. When her parents came to town, they drove straight to Axel’s farm, stayed as short a time as possible, and then left. Even at its best, the farm had been nothing to brag about. Eloise kept the house clean, raised her children, and cooked food that filled bellies. End of story. Karli wondered if her grandmother had always been so dispassionate or if being married to Axel had drained her of all hope and stamina.
When hunger struck, Karli drove to a McDonald’s. She usually avoided fast foods, but she didn’t have the energy to engage with anyone at the local diner, and she had a feeling people around here were friendly. Probably far friendlier than she was.
Her room at Nick and Meg’s Hotel had a pamphlet that listed local attractions, and she was amazed to read about the trendy resort on the lake, Harley’s Winery, a microbrewery with specialty hot dogs, and the many shops on Main Street. Art’s Grocery caught her eye with a long list of local offerings available in his Olde Time Store. The butcher’s counter stocked ducks, Guinea hens, and fancy cuts of meats—all organic. She paused when she saw Handmade Dinnerware on display by Keagan Monroe. How many Keagans could there be in Mill Pond? Was it Grandpa’s neighbor, the mailman? He did strike her as artistic.
She glanced at her watch and was surprised to see that it was already eight-thirty. It had been a long day. She called her mom on her cell. “Axel hasn’t improved with age,” she told her.
Her mom sighed. “I didn’t expect him to.”
“You never told me what a nice, little town this is.”
“Mill Pond? We hardly ever interacted with anyone, except for school. Even there, we were sort of the odd kids out.”
“I can see that. Is that why you always drove home to see your youngest brother?”
“I felt sorry for Charlie. Everyone left as fast as we could, and he was stuck there with Dad until he graduated. Then he left, too.”
Karli wondered if Axel would be worse or better to the last kid in the family. She’d bet on worse, since Charlie wouldn’t have anyone to defend him. “How did that go for him?”
“Charlie’s a sweetheart. Everyone loves him. People had him spend the nights at their places most of the time. He wasn’t home any more than he had to be.”
The word “sweetheart” made her think of Keagan. “Your neighborly mailman’s sure a decent guy. Do you remember him?”
“Never met him. I went to school with his mom, though, a wonderful woman. She’d smile at me whenever we passed in the halls.”
Karli shook her head. “That’s as good as it got for you?”
“We wore clothes about twenty years out of date, hardly ever left the farm, and everyone cringed when they saw our dad. My older brother, Kurt, and two of my sisters had Dad’s temperament but worse. Kids avoided us.”
Karli’s heart hurt for her mom. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it made me a stronger person, but don’t let Dad bully you. He won’t make anything easy about making arrangements for him.”
“I’ll manage. I don’t have to take his crap, and he knows it.”
There was another sigh on her mom’s end of the phone. “Thanks for doing this, Karli. He won’t appreciate it, but I do.”
“I’m used to uncooperative patients.” She didn’t have to live with them, though. “Let me take care of this, and I’ll see you before you expect it.”
“If you need help, call me,” her mom said. “I can drive to Mill Pond in half a day. We’ll miss you in Indy.”
“Miss you, too. ‘Night, Mom.”
With that, she turned off the bedside light and nuzzled into her pillow. She was tired. There was nothing to do but clean a room for herself at Grandpa’s house tomorrow and get things settled as fast as she could. She’d wake up early and get a fast start. And since she was stuck here for a while, she might as well look around the town. It seemed as if Mill Pond had a lot to offer.
Chapter 3
Keagan drove to his parents’ farm early in the morning. Heavy frost covered the fields, and fog swirled in the low spots on the way. It was only a twenty-minute drive from the two-story that he rented in town with his roommate, Brad, and he knew every inch of the way. He’d been looking for property to buy for a while now, but farms were too big and ranch houses in town with tiny yards were too small. He’d better find something soon, though, because his landlord was getting the itch to convert the rental into a bed-and-breakfast. He’d make more money, for sure.
No lights were on in either house—the old homestead or the ranch his sister and her husband lived in. The fields were all harvested. Hopefully, his dad and brother-in-law were sleeping in this morning. Keagan cut his headlights so they wouldn’t shine in the windows and drove to the far shed where his studio was. He could only spend an hour here before he had to leave for work at the post office, but he’d hand-painted eight dinner plates last night. The paint would be dry by now, setting off the pattern he’d embossed in them, and he wanted to glaze them today. The woman who’d ordered them at Art’s Grocery had chosen the fall leaf pattern with hues of rust, red, and gold, and she wanted to collect them this coming weekend when she made a return trip to Mill Pond.
When he walked into his studio, the smell of wet clay greeted him. The heavy blocks were sealed in thick bags, but somehow, the odor always permeated the room, and he loved it. He glanced at his pottery wheels and long, drying counters. The teapot in the shape of a cat sat ready to be painted in the corner. The customer wanted the teapot to look like a tuxedo cat—black with a white chin, nose, and paws—just like the picture she’d given him. He’d paint that after supper tonight.
He pulled on a work apron and got busy, finishing ten minutes before he had to leave for work. His cell phone rang and he glanced at his mom’s number.
“Hey, K, when you stop to deliver mail for us today, come up to the house and I’ll give you a casserole to drop off at Axel’s place.”
He grinned. This happened more often than he’d expected. People knew his route. If their houses came before a friend’s, they’d often give him something to drop off on his route, besides their mail. Not technically allowed, but this was Mill Pond. Rules could bend here.
He closed up his workshop and started toward town, slowing by the house to give a quick honk, and his mom blinked the front porch light in a good morning signal. He could picture her, standing at the front window in her flowered terrycloth robe with the sash pulled tight around her slim waist and her chin-length hair slightly mussed—a smart, pretty woman. She worked as a paralegal for the town’s main lawyer, but she must have taken today off.
When he got to the post office, Pete glanced up and grunted. “Heavy load today. More catalogues and ads than usual. That time of year, getting ready for the holidays.”
If Keagan wanted to finish his route before supper, he’d better get a move on. It was after eleven when he pulled up to his parents’ porch. He handed his mom their mail, and she handed him a cardboard box with a foil-covered, disposable pan inside it. He sniffed, and his mouth watered. “Tamale pie?”
She smiled and reached for a plastic container. “I made one for us, too, so you could have some.”
“Thanks. You’re the best.” His mom was a wonderful cook. He knew his way around a kitchen, but cooking for one person wasn’t that exciting, so he kept it simple. “Have a great day, Mom.”
“You, too.” She turned to go back inside and he heard his sister’s voice,
and then he remembered. Mom and Marcia were canning vegetable soup together today, using up the last of whatever vegetables they’d picked from their gardens. It was an annual event before they tidied up their gardens for next spring. This year, good weather had hung on longer than usual, so they were just getting around to it.
He followed his route up and down country roads until he came to Axel’s house close to noon. Karli’s Dodge Charger was pulled in the driveway, close to the front door. The car’s trunk was open, and she was bending over to pull a box of cleaning supplies out of it.
Great ass. He shook his head, surprised at himself, but the woman was easy on the eyes. Don’t go there, he warned himself. She was the type of woman who’d cause him grief. Think with the right head this time. Three more bags of groceries poked out of the trunk.
Keagan hopped out of his truck and went to help her carry things into the kitchen. If he kept her at a distance, they could be friends. Anything more, and he’d regret it.
“Thanks.” She put the eggs and meat in the refrigerator, along with the milk. “I thought I’d stop in town and buy a few things before I came.”
“Good idea, there’s not much in the cupboards. My mom sent a casserole for you. I’ll go get it.”
She had most of the groceries put away when he came back—a bag of potatoes, a few cans of vegetables, and a can of coffee. She lifted the foil off the pan the minute he set it down. “This smells wonderful. What is it?”
“Tamale casserole. The bottom’s a mix of ground chuck, onions, diced tomatoes, and black beans. The crust’s a corn muffin mix.”
“I want some. How about you?” She tore the plastic off a stack of paper plates she’d bought. “I don’t trust any of the old man’s dishes until I wash them.”
He wouldn’t either. “I can’t stay, have to finish my route, but Mom said to tell you hi.”
Axel’s voice interrupted them. “If you two ever stop yapping, I’m hungry out here.”
“You haven’t gotten out of bed yet?” Keagan called.
“Don’t be daft. Had to use the bathroom, didn’t I? Then I got a bottle of Ensure.”
Karli rolled her eyes. “Tell your mom thanks. I appreciate the food.”
With a nod, Keagan left and returned to his truck. For the rest of his route, though, he thought about the casserole. And Karli. She was one cute girl, and she didn’t put up with any flack. A good thing, or Axel would run over her.
He thought of the house and felt sorry for her. She was one determined woman to stay in a place in shambles with an old man who was mean as spit. He didn’t think she had a prayer of convincing Axel to go to a nursing center, but she might be able to come up with something else. He wished her luck.
Chapter 4
Karli took a plate out of the cupboard and washed it. Axel would need something sturdy to eat on. She searched the kitchen drawers for silverware and washed those, too. While she rinsed and dried them, her mind drifted to Keagan. He was plenty attractive, despite the scars on the left side of his face. There was something about him that intrigued her. He was quiet, secure in his own skin. She glanced at her reflection in the kitchen window. Guys always hit on her. Always. But he acted indifferent. It bugged her.
She dished the hot food onto Axel’s plate. She’d see Keagan tomorrow when he delivered the mail. Maybe she’d wear a V-neck shirt, show a little cleavage. Maybe he was a boob guy and not into legs. When she started her new job in Indy, it would last three months. She could easily drive down here a few times a month if she and Keagan connected. She shook her head. What the hell was she thinking? She didn’t have to chase guys. They chased her. She’d better get a grip.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing out there? Eating the casserole without me?” Axel shouted.
“There was steam coming off it. Too hot. It should be okay now.” She carried the food into his room. An empty carton of cottage cheese sat on his TV tray. Good. He’d wheeled himself into the kitchen last night to get it and then wheeled for Ensure this morning.
“Did you clean a spot for your lunch?” She reached for the remote to turn down the volume on the TV, but he snatched it first.
“Leave my things be. I like it this loud.”
“I’ll turn it up later. I’d like to talk to you while you eat.”
He got a mulish look on his face and pulled the remote closer to his chest.
She looked at the full plate of tamale pie she’d carried in and shrugged. “Fine.” She turned to carry it back to the kitchen.
“Where are you going, girl? I said I’m hungry.”
“Then turn down the TV.”
He glared. “It don’t matter what you say. I ain’t gonna do anything you want.”
“Then I’ll bring you a carton of applesauce.”
His gaze riveted on the hot food, and he tossed the remote on a nearby chair. “There. You happy now?”
He wouldn’t hand it to her, but she didn’t care. She’d dealt with worse. She’d had patients in hospitals that she’d had to restrain so they wouldn’t yank all of their IV tubes out. She put the food on his TV tray and went to get the remote. After pushing the mute button, she sat across from him. She’d eat her food later, couldn’t make herself eat with him. He was too disgusting with his stained shirt and leftover food stuck in his beard. “I know you don’t want to leave your home, but you’re reaching a point where you need to.”
“Bullshit.” He shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth.
She sighed. “Your house is in terrible shape. So are you. You can’t get around very well. If a fire started, you wouldn’t make it out of here. And you’re not eating right.”
“That’s my business, not yours.”
“What have you got against a nursing center? You’d get three squares a day and a shower once a week. They’d let you have your TV in your room and they have activities. You’d be moving up in the world.”
“People would think they had the right to boss me around. No one tells me what to do.”
“Even if it’s for your own good?”
“I do what I want.”
He did indeed. “Why not go now when you have a choice rather than waiting for poor health to make it for you?”
He stuck out his chin. “Let them try.”
She shook her head and rose. “What if I try to arrange for you to get Meals on Wheels and some in-home nursing?”
“I don’t want some strangers sticking their noses in my business.”
She was losing patience. “Well, you’d better cozy up to the idea, because you’re not safe on your own.”
“I can make it outside if a fire starts. The door’s right there and Keagan put a handle on the doorframe that I can use for support.”
He’d finished his meal, gave her a look, and tossed his plate against the far wall. He’d eaten every bite, and the plate was plastic, so it didn’t do any harm.
She laughed at him. “Are we two?”
“We aren’t anything. Go home, girl. I don’t want you here.”
She bent and picked up the empty plate. Then she put his remote on the chair she vacated. “Learn some manners, old man.”
“Hey, I can’t reach the remote there.”
“Use your wheelchair since you can do so much.” She went in the kitchen and dished up a plate of food for herself. After eating it, she took out the stack of six more dishes and the rest of the silverware to put in the soapy water. No dishwasher. Why would Eloise need a modern convenience when she had twelve children to help her?
The TV blurted to life in the back room, so Axel had gotten his remote. Karli wondered how much he actually could do. When everything was in the drying rack, she wiped down the cupboards and counters. She groaned when she looked at the stove. Axel was lucky he’d never had a grease fire. She emptied the dirty water in the sink and refilled it. It to
ok an hour and a half to get the stove clean enough to use.
When the kitchen was tolerable, she concentrated on the parlor. The room was a decent size with only a wooden rolltop desk in it. The desk was nice. There was plenty of room for her queen-sized air mattress to sleep on. She opened the window to let in fresh air, found a dust mop in a broom closet, and swiped down the walls and ceiling. Then she brought in a broom. A few hours later, the room was clean, but dingy.
Someone knocked at the front door. She glanced at her reflection in the glass doors that closed off the parlor from the living room. Her hair had gone a little wild, since it was damp with sweat. Her top clung to her. So did her jeans, but she was presentable.
A heating and air conditioning truck was parked in the driveway. Axel’s furnace worked, so she wasn’t sure why it was here. A stocky guy with a headful of blonde curls and sparkling green eyes stood at the door. His nose was a little big and his hands were huge. When she hurried to greet him, he grinned. “Hi, I’m Brad King, Keagan’s roommate. He told me you’d come to town.” His gaze raked her body, and his grin grew wider.
She got it. He’d come to check her out. Keagan must have told him that she was attractive. Wait a minute. Why did he send his roommate instead of hitting on her himself?
Brad held out a large pizza box, and the smell of pepperoni made her mouth water. “I thought I’d come bearing a gift to welcome you to Mill Pond.”
Time had gotten away from her. It was later than she’d thought. Her stomach felt like an empty cavern. She opened the door and welcomed him inside.
Chapter 5
Keagan pulled his SUV behind Brad’s truck in Karli’s drive. His friend hadn’t wasted any time, but then, Brad was partial to pretty, single girls. Keagan walked to Axel’s sagging porch and gave a quick knock on the door.
Karli opened it and settled a frown on him. Had he upset her? How? She looked pretty damned appealing with her dark curls scraped back in a ponytail. She was a little thing, didn’t quite make it to his shoulder, but her pissed-off energy still carried weight. He nodded to the big foil tray of fried chicken and another with fried potatoes that he carried. The aromas had to make her happy. “You’re in luck, neighbor. Supper from Ralph at Ralph’s Diner.” He glanced inside at Brad with his pizza. “Oh, you already have supper. Maybe you can save the chicken for tomorrow.”
