A Memory to Cherish

by Kay Correll

  “Sorry for the inconvenience, ma’am.”

  Beth nodded and turned to Mac. “Would you carry these for me please?” She dumped her stack of papers into his arms as if to prove he really was there to help her.

  He followed her to the door. Behind him he heard the officers and the janitor talking in low voices. But not low enough.

  “Wonder whatever Miss Cassidy is doing with that character. Sure doesn’t seem her type.”

  Chapter 4

  Not my type indeed! Beth bristled at the callous comment, hoping Mac didn’t hear it. She might agree he wasn't her type, but there was no use hurting his feelings.

  “I’m sorry about all that mess in there.” She felt his hand brush past her to push open the door.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “But if I hadn’t asked you to stop here, it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “But I insisted on going in with you.”

  She turned to face him and grinned. “Okay, it’s all your fault then.”

  He grinned back. “You sure are a handful of trouble.”

  Beth grinned. “That’s what my mom used to say about boys like you.” She could just hear her mother's voice in the back of her mind. Trouble with a capital T.

  “She might have been right, you know.”

  “I don’t think so. You're not at all like I imagined.”

  “You spent time imagining what I was like?”

  “I mean… I just figured… oh, never mind.” There he stood with that lopsided grin spread across his face. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to smack the grin off his face or trail her fingers along his smirking lips. She remembered those lips. How could she forget them?

  It had been so long ago, but she still remembered every detail. She had been fourteen or fifteen. Never kissed a boy in her life. She had taken a shortcut home, through the woods behind the school. She’d seen him sitting under a tree with his head in his hands. The sun had highlighted the blackness of his hair, head bowed against some unknown demon. She’d walked quietly up to him and he’d looked up in surprise.

  She still remembered their exact words. “You okay?” she asked him.

  “Sure, why wouldn't I be?”

  “I just thought…”

  “Does your mama know you cut through these woods all alone?”

  She took a quick step back and put on a brave front. “No, not that it matters.”

  He shook his head. “Girls. Not a lick of sense in their heads.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “I’ll walk you to the edge of the woods.”

  “I can find my own way.”

  “I'm sure you can. I’ll walk you anyway.”

  She turned then and stalked away from him. Away from his piercing look. Away from his steel blue eyes. Away from trouble. With a capital T.

  She felt him following her and picked up her pace, hurrying but trying not to seem like it. Then on the last hill before reaching the edge of the woods, she’d slipped. She slid down the path, spilling books and papers in her wake.

  He quietly picked up each paper and book as he climbed down the hill after her. “Here.” He gook a clean bandanna out of his pocket. He reached out and slid her skirt up. Just a little. He must have seen the fear in her eyes. “I just wanted to clean up the blood. I won’t hurt you.”

  She nodded silently. With the gentlest touch, he wiped the blood from her knees, then settled her skirt back into place.

  He held out his hand to help her up. She didn’t know how long she sat there, spilled flat on her rear, hair tangled with twigs. She finally reached out to take his hand, and he pulled her to her feet.

  “Ow.” She stumbled against him, clutching his jacket to keep her balance.

  “You okay?”

  “My ankle.” She muttered a forbidden swear word.

  “Girls shouldn't swear.”

  “Oh, and you’re an expert on girls I suppose.”

  “I suppose.”

  She remembered willing herself to ignore the pain and trying to take a step. She cried out in pain and blinked back the tears.

  “I'll help you.”

  She nodded then, too tired to argue. She just wanted to be home. He wrapped his arm around her and practically carried her up the hill. She still remembered how strong his arm felt. How safe she felt. At the same time, a flutter of apprehension coursed through her for enjoying the feel of his arms wrapped securely around her.

  But she instinctively knew he’d get her home okay. As long as her mother didn’t see them coming… Then she’d be dead.

  He deposited her on her front step of their cabin at the lodge and piled her school books beside her. As he started to walk away, she’d grabbed his hand. The electric charge that raced through her caught her off guard. He’d swung around, stared into her eyes, and bent over and kissed her. She still remembered how it felt. His lips hard against hers, but gentle. And she remembered kissing him back.

  He’d pulled away then, nodded, and hurried away. His nod somehow felt like some kind of dismissal.

  She still remembered the feel of his lips, now, while she stared at them in the dim light of the parking lot. She had kissed lots of boys… men…. since then. But she still remembered her first kiss.

  He probably had no idea.

  He probably didn’t even remember it.

  He probably didn’t know it had been her.

  She probably didn’t remember that day. Years ago. The day he’d kissed those inviting pink lips. Tender, inexperienced, and seeking lips. Those lips had kissed him back, he remembered that. With a promise of something more. Questioning. Probing. Pulling him closer.

  He had broken off the kiss, turned, and sped away. Racing away in slow motion. From the magnetic pull that had threatened to yank him back.

  Mac shook the old memory clear and walked her back to the truck. Without a word, he silently climbed inside and started the engine.

  He needed to get her home.

  Out of his truck.

  She gave him her address, and after what seemed like way too long, he pulled into her driveway.

  “Thanks for your help.” She looked over and smiled at him.

  “It wasn’t a problem,” Mac lied. It certainly had been a problem. All these thoughts and feelings of inadequacy that he’d so carefully hidden away for so many years were now back in full force. Swarming around him. Reminding him. Calling him names. He was never going to get away from it.

  “Well, thank you. I mean it.” She reached for her papers and slid out of the truck.

  He felt like he should offer to walk her to her door, but he didn’t. He did sit in the drive and make sure she got safely inside. She turned and gave him a quick wave before she slipped inside the door.

  He shook his head to clear his thoughts, feeling amazingly like he remembered feeling when he sped away after kissing her all those long years ago.

  He shoved his hand through his hair in exasperation. Fool. A woman like that wanted nothing to do with him. They lived in different worlds. And he had made a pretty good world for himself. He sure didn’t need any prissy school teacher, even a cute one with a sassy smile, coming into his life and messing up his organized, predictable world.

  Certainly not one who wanted to be mayor of a town that had given him nothing but trouble. He was done with Sweet River Falls. Completely.

  He threw the truck into reverse, pulled out of her drive, and he headed back to his own safe world.

  Chapter 5

  Nora and Annie sat out by Lone Elk Lake, watching the sun set over the water. Two best friends enjoying the tranquility and a few minutes out of their busy schedules. “It’s so wonderful here.” Annie sighed. “You’re very lucky to be able to walk right out your door and see this view. I do love living in my father’s house, but this view is magical.”

  “It is. I do worry about all the talk about development of the land. I hope it doesn’t really happen.” Nora frowned.

  “I’ll do any
thing to help you to stop it. Surely the townspeople don’t want that to happen. That’s why zoning laws were put into place.”

  Nora smiled at Annie. Sometimes it helped just to sit and talk things over with her. She’d known her almost her whole life. Friends like that were something to treasure. “I hope you’re right.” Nora watched a glittery ray of light dance across the ripples of the lake. “I do worry about Beth though.”

  “What do you mean?” Annie turned, her brow furrowed.

  “I… I think she’s running for mayor because she’s hoping to stop Dobbs. Stop anyone from rezoning the lake. She’s trying to help me. Help preserve the beauty of the lake and the peacefulness of it. Save the lake, to save the atmosphere and specialness of the lodge.”

  “I’m sure she does want to help you and save all this.” Annie flung her arm wide.

  “I won’t have the same clientele or people staying at the lodge if the lake gets condos and motor boats. My customers come for the peace and quiet. We get so many people who come back year after year. If the lake changes… well, everything will change.”

  “Well, maybe Beth can help prevent it if she gets elected for mayor.”

  Nora looked at her friend and took a deep breath. “The thing is… I don’t think that Beth really wants to be mayor. I think she’s just running to help save the lake and save the lodge.”

  “Do you really think that?” Annie frowned.

  “I really do. But when Beth gets her mind set on something, there is no talking her out of it.” Nora leaned back in her chair, and they sat side by side until the last of the sun slipped behind the mountains and the first stars came out, highlighting the perfect peace of Lone Elk Lake.

  Later that evening, Annie stood in the doorway of the master bedroom of her father’s house.

  No, it was her house.

  She always had to remind herself. Her father was gone, and the house was hers. Well, hers and Nick’s now.

  She turned as she heard Nick approaching. He wore a welcoming smile, one she’d quickly come to look forward to when he came home each day.

  He gave her a quick hug. “Hi, sweetheart. What are you doing standing here in the hallway?”

  “I think it’s time we did something with this bedroom.” Annie pointed to her father’s room. She hadn’t changed anything since he’d died. She even had some of his clothes in the closet. Same quilt on the bed. If she pulled open the bedside table drawer, she’d find his old worn Bible and a stack of three-by-five cards and a pen that he always had near to jot notes on.

  The heat of a lone tear trickled down her cheek, but she knew in her heart it was time to move on.

  “We don’t have to do this.” Nick reached for her hand.

  “It’s silly that we’re squeezed into my tiny room when there’s this perfectly roomy master suite.”

  “I’m fine where we are.”

  “No, it’s time. I know it is.” She looked at Nick. “But… well, can we paint it and make it look… different?”

  “Anything you want.”

  Annie looked at him, her heart swelling with love. It might have taken them years to get to this point, but she loved this man so much. She stepped into the master suite, and he came to stand beside her. She looked around the room. “I think some light sage paint on the walls would brighten it up. New curtains. I promise not to make them too girly.” She grinned at Nick.

  “I’d appreciate that.” He winked at her.

  “We’ll get a nice down comforter for the bed. I’ll clear out the closet and chest of drawers.”

  “You’re sure?” He touched her chin and tilted her face up.

  She looked into his eyes. “I’m sure.”

  “As you wish. But you know I’d live in a barn with you, if that’s what you wanted.” He tossed a teasing grin at her.

  “I think we can do a bit better than an old cold barn and a hayloft.”

  “A nice comfortable bed is always good,” he said agreeably and took her in his arms.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him, listening to his heart beat as she pressed her cheek against his chest. She pulled back and looked into his eyes.

  “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, Mrs. Chambers. I’ve never been happier.”

  Chapter 6

  Beth finished her morning run, dodging the puddles from the previous night’s storm. She grabbed the once-a-week town newspaper as she sped up the walkway to her house. She pulled the cord with her house key from around her neck and started to unlock the door. She’d learned that hanging the key around her neck was the only way to make sure she still had it when she got back from her run. She momentarily felt like a latch-key kid.

  The door swung wide as soon as she grabbed the doorknob.

  Darn-it-all, she’d forgotten to lock the door again. She could have sworn she remembered locking it as she left. Beth could almost hear her mother’s admonition. You might live in a small town, but a woman living alone with her children should always lock her door.

  She was getting better at remembering to lock it. She was.

  Usually.

  Beth pushed open her door and stepped inside. One quick look assured her she’d been wrong.

  Totally wrong.

  She hadn’t left the door open. Someone had broken in.

  One quick glance took in the broken vase, the knocked over furniture, the drawer from the desk by the front door dripping its contents onto the rug.

  She backed out quickly. Out to safety. This was not something she was going to deal with alone.

  Beth turned and ran down the street and around the corner to Main Street and raced up the back stairs of the Brooks Gallery to Sophie’s apartment above it. She burst into her friend’s apartment. “Sophie,” she shouted as she sprinted through the door. The thought flitted through her mind that Sophie really should remember to lock her door, too.

  Sophie came rushing out of the bathroom tying her bathrobe around her.

  “What is it?” She wrapped a towel around her dripping hair.

  “Someone—” Beth gasped for air and bent over to catch her breath. “Broke—into my house.”

  Sophie grabbed the landline phone off the wall and pressed it into Beth’s hands. “Call the police.”

  Beth nodded. Most people kept a landline here in Sweet River Falls because cell service could be so spotty in the mountains. She gasped in more air while she punched in the phone number for the police, listed conveniently on the memo board by the phone. Why do people list the police number by the phone? It’s not like they have to call them all the time. Her thoughts bounced around. She forced her attention back to the matter at hand. The one she was trying to forget.

  Daniel Smith answered the phone at the police station. Good. He’d had a crush on her in grade school. He’d want to help her. Her thoughts were ricocheting all over.

  “This is Beth Cassidy.” She was still fighting for breath. “My house has been broken into.” Beth turned and looked at Sophie. “No, I’m at Sophie’s. Okay, I’ll wait here for you. No, I promise I’m not going in there alone. No, not with Sophie either. Okay. Bye.”

  Sophie came over, pushed her down in the kitchen chair, and pressed a hot cup of coffee into her hands. “Calm down. Now tell me what happened.”

  “I came back from my run. The door swung open. I thought I’d left it open again. I could hear my mom lecturing me.” Beth rubbed her shoulder. “But I looked in and the place is trashed.”

  “Geez, Beth. That’s creepy. Who would want to trash the place?” Sophie toweled her hair and sunk into the chair next to Beth.

  “I don’t know. Money, I guess. I didn’t go in long enough to see if anything was missing.”

  “Good choice. Let the police check it out first.”

  Beth still struggled to get herself under control. Like she needed this right now. “Oh, I better call my mom and stop her before she brings the boys home. I don’t want them walking into a house ful
l of police.”

  “Okay, call her and let me run and get dressed and I’ll come over to the house with you when the police say it’s okay.”

  Beth punched in her mother’s number and drummed her fingers on the counter as she counted the rings. No answer. She tried her mother’s cell phone. Still no answer, but with such come and go service in the mountains she wasn’t surprised. “Sophie, get a move on. I can’t reach Mom. I want to get there before she does.”

  It was too late.

  Beth could see her mom’s car in front of the house as they approached. Her mother was arguing with poor Daniel Smith.

  “Beth!” Her mother came rushing up to her. “What is this town coming to? Nothing but hoodlums. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Her boys came running up to her. She encircled them in a big hug, grateful they’d been away from home when the house was broken into.

  “Mom. You okay?” Worry creased Connor’s face.

  “I’m fine, really.” She quickly reassured him.

  “They won’t let us look inside. Can we go inside? Can we?” Trevor started to pull her toward the house.

  “Not until the police are finished looking around.”

  “Didn’t I tell you to lock your door?” Her mother gave her the world famous what-did-I-tell-you look. Suddenly she felt like she was ten years old.

  “Mom, I was sure I locked the door this morning.”

  “Well, young Daniel here says there is no sign of forced entry.”

  Beth was just sure she remembered locking the door when she left for her run. She’d made up a little saying to remember it. Katydid. K. D. Did it. Keys, door, did it. She was sure she had chanted that as she left.

  “Beth, there is no sign of anyone forcing the lock. You sure you locked it?” Daniel came up to her, looking official in his uniform with a notebook in his hand. Quite different than the gawky kid with ill-fitting pants and black glasses in high school.

  “I really think I did.”

  “Well, who all has a key?”