Stealing His Heart (McCormick's Creek Series Book 4)

by Jen Peters

  Mrs. Cooper nodded.

  Raine took a deep breath. She shouldn’t be nervous—this was her area of expertise. But the only time she’d tried to do business with personal problems in the background was after her fiasco in Seattle. Then, she’d gotten completely shut out. Shoved out, actually. She couldn’t afford that now.

  Keep it professional, she reminded herself. Professional and focused.

  “We have one part of the contest for individuals and families,” she said, “but we also have a commercial contest. Businesses can sponsor a tree, and it could be decorated as a traditional Christmas tree or with something uniquely tied to that business.”

  “I understand,” Mrs. Cooper said. “You don’t mind if I keep working, do you?” She went back to the grill, but kept her head cocked to listen.

  “Sponsorship is a hundred dollars, less than you’d spend on a small display ad in the local paper. You’ll get a listing in the program, you can do a blurb about something special about your business, and the winner will receive a hundred dollars. I know it’s not much, but…” She was rambling, so she stopped.

  Mrs. Cooper wiped the now-shiny grill down. “Do you have many businesses signed up?”

  “Only a few,” Raine said. “The drug store, the Inn, and the Chamber of Commerce. I’m hoping for at least ten, though. And the proceeds will be split between a scholarship fund and financing next year’s Christmas festival.”

  “After that grant presentation last night, I’m sure you’ll be getting more.” Mrs. Cooper washed her hands and turned around. “You know,” she said, looking straight into Raine’s eyes, “I can’t just forgive and forget—you hurt Robin terribly—but I will admit you seem to be on the right track now. We’ll see if that continues, but for now, yes, I’ll sponsor a tree. And I’ll mention it to a few other people.”

  The tension drained out of Raine. “Thank you, Mrs. Cooper. That means a great deal to me. And I do know it will take time to prove that I really have changed. Someday I hope Robin can see that too.”

  Mrs. Cooper nodded curtly and turned to the sink. “Just keep your focus on someone other than yourself. Time will tell.”

  “Thank you,” Raine said, straightening her papers. “Could I put a flyer in the window?”

  “Sure, just—”

  “I’m starting to see it too,” Robin said from the doorway.

  Raine tensed. How long had her old friend been listening?

  “Your changes, I mean,” Robin said. “I never thought I’d see you go out of your way to help someone.”

  Raine looked down. “I stayed in a very selfish spot for a long time. Again, I can’t say ‘I’m sorry’ enough.”

  “Yeah, well, I can’t say I forgive you yet, but I can tell…” Robin picked at a fingernail, then her voice perked up. “Your calendar idea was really good, by the way. It won’t be out for another couple weeks, and I’m actually getting pre-orders!”

  Raine grinned as she met Robin’s eyes. “Are you really? That’s awesome!”

  “Justin thinks so too. And Cliff.”

  “So what stage is the shelter at? Will this help?”

  Robin actually smiled. Widely. “We’re breaking ground in a couple of weeks. And we’ve got enough donated funding to keep us going the first year, so the calendar money can go to unexpected vet bills and such.”

  “That’s wonderful—I’m so glad!”

  “Yeah, well…” That seemed to be Robin’s way of starting a hard subject, and Raine tensed again.

  “In return, to keep this all even, I wondered if you needed help with the Christmas trees. Not too much, because I’m swamped with the shelter and here,” she motioned to the restaurant, “but something.”

  That was as unexpected as anything, and Raine’s heart lifted with hope for the future. “Well, yes, actually. I could use help either directing set-up traffic on that Saturday, or maybe putting up flyers for advertising.”

  “Um, helping that Saturday? I’ve had my fill of talking to businesses lately.”

  “Of course, I’m sorry.” How could Raine forget? Just because they were speaking now didn’t mean that Robin was suddenly her jolly old self again.

  “Just let me know when to be there.” Robin turned as a talkative family came through the front door. “Bye, Lorraine.”

  Raine braced herself against the hurt of ‘Lorraine,’ knowing she still deserved it. “Shall I put the entry form on your desk, Mrs. Cooper?”

  “Sure. I’ll get it back to you tomorrow. You can put the flyer in the corner of the front window. And don’t give up.”

  Raine posted the flyer and left, giving a wave to Robin. No, she wouldn’t give up. Not if it took another year. She shouldn’t have expected things to change fast, but it was nice to know that they were at least starting to change.

  She had a couple hours before she had to be at work, but she didn’t think she was up to knocking on more business doors. A hike would be nice, but she didn’t want to risk running into Brandt. So it was back to the house to work on plans for next year’s events.

  Chapter 27

  Rain and Monday combined to be as depressing as any song on the radio could make them. Brandt fumed as he swept the floor and wiped down the shelves of Trailhead Bikes. It was usually Rudy’s job, but he couldn’t afford to pay him so many hours anymore. And with it raining all day, he couldn’t be up on the trails anyway.

  He could understand being frustrated that he hadn’t gotten more grant money, but he hadn’t expected to still be so angry. Suck it up and move on, right?

  Except he couldn’t seem to.

  Maybe it was because so much was on the line.

  Maybe it was because he’d really and truly fallen out with Raine that night.

  He’d thought they might have something, but now he turned the other way if he saw her around town. He knew it wasn’t true, but he felt like she had stolen the grant money from him, and that made it harder to face her.

  And yet, he missed her. Missed her laugh, missed the furrowed brows when she was determined to do something. Missed the way he felt when he was around her. And when he kissed her.

  Brandt was still surprised at who she was inside herself, but that complexity was part of what drew him to her. There was so much more to her than anyone else he’d dated.

  Not that he and Raine had ever really dated, but spending time together…wow. He couldn’t deny how his heart had felt, how he somehow felt complete when he was with her.

  And now he was the complicated one. Missing her, wanting to see her, and yet resenting her at the same time.

  Feelings…ugh. Much better to be active, pushing his mind and his body, fueled by the challenge of whatever he was doing.

  But sweeping the store was no challenge, so here he stood, angry and confused and worried.

  He mentally slapped himself, finished the floor, and headed to the computer. If he couldn’t be active now, he could at least plan for when he could.

  His event to-do list seemed to scold him for neglect. It was long and detailed, and the dollars required seemed unattainable. He scanned it, looking for things to cut.

  Not the insurance, not the stand-by ambulance. Maybe the beer garden, or the outdoor lights. Did they really need canopy sections? What if he just posted the date on a few websites and didn’t do any paid advertising? That would cut the design cost as well as the ad cost.

  Right. And then the only ones who would come would be his personal network, which wasn’t large by any means.

  What if they didn’t do a printed program?

  He threw his pencil against the wall. Stupid idea. With no printed program, there would be no trail maps, no list of restaurants in town, nothing to thank the sponsors…sponsors!

  Brandt checked his email and groaned. He did have two local businesses offering hundred-dollar sponsorships, but two of his three targeted companies had declined. They only worked with established events, not start-ups.

  He growled. How was an event su
pposed to become established if no one would step up at the beginning?

  He wished he could brainstorm with someone, and found himself back to fuming about Raine. He’d gotten used to talking to her, and now she wasn’t available. Or accessible. Or whatever.

  He sure wasn’t going to spend Thanksgiving with her, either. And not with his family. He’d already told them he wouldn’t be there, and he was in no mood to answer the inevitable questions. He’d figure something out.

  The downpour outside made the trails totally unsafe, but sitting in this office was making him worse. And no one was going to come out to browse bikes or anything else in this weather.

  He flipped the sign to Closed, locked the doors, and took off to work up a sweat at the gym.

  * * *

  Monday afternoon, three days after the grant committee decision, and Raine was restless. Despite the dismal weather, she had found more businesses willing to enter a Christmas tree in the contest. She’d put flyers in store windows and organized volunteers for set up and tickets. She’d made preliminary plans for next year’s events, all while working at Sam’s over the weekend and getting Tyler up and off to school that morning.

  With all her time filled with things she enjoyed—well, maybe not cashiering, but she had settled in to it—why was she so disgruntled?

  The mountain trails called to her, but the rain had been steady for two days and the ground was muck. She didn’t have her own bike, and neither did Tori, but she wasn’t about to ask Brandt for a loaner. She had chanced to see him on Sunday, and the heat of his glare had kept her at a distance.

  “Hey, Raine, come play Monopoly with us.” Tyler pulled at her hand.

  She followed him into the kitchen, but her heart wasn’t in it. Tori kept rolling doubles (but never enough to land in Jail) and beat them easily in a short fifteen minutes.

  “I made cupcakes this morning,” Tori said. “Want to help me frost them?”

  “Not really. I’m…I don’t know what I am.”

  “In love, and on the outs with him,” Tori said with a smile.

  Raine whipped around. “I am not! There is nothing like that between us!”

  Tori shrugged. “A week ago, there was. You were floating from one thing to another like a butterfly, light and joyful about all the possibilities in life.”

  “There are still possibilities, just not with Brandt. And I don’t have to be manic all the time.”

  Tori set the butter and powdered sugar next to a mixing bowl. “Whatever. You’ll get through this.”

  “There’s nothing to get through!” Raine almost stomped out of the room, then decided that she was much too far into adulthood for that. She exhaled slowly. “Sorry, there really isn’t anything to get upset about. Maybe I’m just bored. Still mostly stuck inside even though the rain stopped.”

  Tori looked at her, considering. “Didn’t I see some running shoes in your room?”

  “Hah! I haven’t jogged in ages.” She paused. “I guess I could, though.”

  Her cousin pushed her gently out of the kitchen. “Go. Burn off some excess energy.”

  So Raine found herself on the sidewalk five minutes later. Where should she run? Just down the street? Which way?

  She took off toward Main Street, crossed it, and headed up the hill on a back road. No sidewalks, but still paved and not much traffic. It felt awkward at first, then she found her rhythm, and her muscles remembered her long, easy stride.

  The cool air felt good against her skin, and deep breaths cleared her head and cleansed something inside her. Up the hillside she pushed, heart pounding, lungs and muscles working hard.

  This. This was what she needed, not to be stuck inside doing mental work.

  On her way back down the hill, she saw Justin pull his truck into a driveway. “Hey there, no work to do?” Raine said, slowing to a walk.

  “Nobody’s having electrical problems, so I figured I’d catch up on some paperwork. And—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, Brandt pulled in behind him. “I picked up the pie from your mom’s,” he said, getting out of his own truck. “We can…what are you doing here?”

  “Running. That’s not a crime now, is it?” Raine snapped. How could he not even have noticed her there? Her own skin tingled at the sight of him. How could he not be reacting the same way?

  She clamped her feelings down. “I thought you’d be at the store.”

  “Uh, I’ll be in the house,” Justin said.

  Brandt shrugged. “Nobody’s coming in on a day like this. I put the ‘Gone Fishing’ sign up.”

  He looked at her, his face softening. He took a step forward. “Raine, I…”

  His voice was gentle, and Raine’s body leaned toward him of its own accord, but she forced herself to take a step back. He had hurt her Friday night, just like she’d predicted, and she wasn’t going to set herself up for it again. She needed to put some walls up and just get through the next few weeks.

  “I have to go,” she stammered. “It’s getting dark.” She took off down the hill before he could answer.

  * * *

  By the day before Thanksgiving, Raine was weary of the effort it took to keep Brandt out of her thoughts. She’d been sure he was going to kiss her the other day, but she had to be strong. It just didn’t make sense to be involved with him right now, no matter how much his blue eyes or deep chuckle warmed her heart.

  She tried to focus on helping Tori with feast preparations. She wasn’t a tremendous cook, and of course her cousin wanted to do everything from scratch, but Raine could cut apples and mix the pumpkin filling for the pies.

  “Your mom didn’t want to come out?” Tori asked, rolling out pie crust dough.

  Raine shook her head. “She says they’re going to her new in-laws’ for T-day—she’d rather come here for Christmas.”

  “You okay with that?”

  “Sure, it’s her life.” There was a little part of her that was a young girl again, a girl who wanted her mother around for important times. Maybe that was just part of being back in McCormick’s Creek—she wanted things to be like they used to. But she couldn’t turn the clock back, could she?

  Tori glanced at her. “What about Brandt?”

  “No!” Raine’s voice came out shockingly loud. “I mean, he’s not coming any more. Maybe he’ll go up to his parents or hang out with somebody here, but he’s not my problem, right?” She pushed him out of her mind—he was only a distraction now. She peeled another apple, amazed again at how many it took for a pie. “What about Linda? I heard she kicked her husband out. Maybe she doesn’t have anyone to spend Thanksgiving with.”

  “No parents?”

  “They don’t get along, and Linda doesn’t like confrontations. She’d enjoy herself here, though.” And that would give Raine someone else to keep her mind occupied.

  Tori draped the pie crust over the tin and pressed it gently into place. “Go ahead and call her, then. More people is always good.”

  Thanksgiving morning was filled with the smells of turkey roasting and the sounds of the Macy’s Parade on TV. That had been a ritual their grandmother had started, keeping them out of trouble for an hour or two. Tyler wasn’t too impressed, though, so Raine played Legos with him while they watched.

  Linda arrived, and they cooed over the baby, who was sweet smelling and gurgling happily. Linda looked a lot better than when Raine had seen her last.

  “It’s good to have you here,” Raine said, giving her a hug.

  Linda nodded, her eyes misting up. “I wasn’t sure what Thanksgiving would be like, the way things are going. I appreciate you inviting me.”

  Tyler introduced the baby to each of his stuffed animals and superhero figures. Raine and Linda set the table while Tori stirred homemade gravy. All of them salivated over the crisp, brown turkey on the table.

  They had just said grace when an alarm went off.

  Tori and Linda looked outside.

  “What?” Raine asked.
r />   “That’s the fire alert,” Tori said. “Haven’t you heard it before?”

  “I wonder where it is,” Linda said, picking up the baby.

  They went together to stand on the front porch, then the middle of the road, searching for the smoke.

  “There!” Linda finally pointed. “South side of town. Not near my place, thank goodness.”

  Tori nodded. “Let’s go back in. Nothing we can do.”

  They passed turkey and mashed potatoes and Waldorf salad, but Raine couldn’t help glancing out the window. An unsettled feeling kept her fidgeting. Brandt would be spending Thanksgiving with his family, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t still be in town and answering the fire bell.

  She pushed food around and managed a bite or two, then placed her silverware carefully on her plate and stood. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

  Tori opened her mouth to speak, then nodded agreement. “Be careful,” she said.

  Raine grabbed her jacket, waved to them all, and ran for her car.

  Chapter 28

  Brandt knocked at Javi’s grandmother’s house with a bouquet of chrysanthemums in hand, grateful for the invitation for Thanksgiving dinner. Things were too depressing right now for him to face his family conflicts as well. He’d made an excuse, but he knew they didn’t believe it. He was just glad no one had shown up in the morning to drag him back.

  Even so, it was odd to come to a Thanksgiving dinner where the smells included turkey mixed with chilis and Guatemalan spices.

  Javi opened the door and dragged him into a packed living room. “Silencio! Mi familia, este es mi amigo, Brandt. Brandt, these are my cousins.”

  They sent up a cheer and lifted their beers to him, while a chorus of young children clamored for treats. He lifted his hands from his side. “Sorry, I didn’t bring anything. Except these.” He handed the flowers to Javi. “For your grandmother.”

  Javi nodded his thanks. “Abuela, las flores son para ti.”

  A small woman turned from the stove. She approached and took his hand. “Ah, the friend of my grandson. Gracias, and welcome to our home.”