Springtime at Hope Cottage

by Annie Rains

  Family. Friends. Community. Life. These were great leads for a freelance article, possibly for Carolina Home. Maybe she’d shoot Michelle an email later.

  “Hey, you two.” Mitch walked up to the table where they were sitting. He was still dressed in uniform, and Josie noticed that half a dozen ladies were craning their necks to check him out.

  There. “Why Women Love Men in Uniforms.” Yes!

  Josie got a little jolt of excitement and pulled out her phone while Mitch and Kaitlyn kissed. She’d never been a huge fan of public displays of affection. The p in PDA should’ve been private instead of public in her opinion.

  There! Another article. She was feeling all kinds of inspiration suddenly. She attended a lot of events in New York but there was something different about taking part in these small-town, feel-good community activities; they were good for her writing mojo.

  “I’m just going to grab a plate and come join you two, if that’s okay,” Mitch said, lifting his gaze from Kaitlyn to Josie.

  “Of course it’s okay,” Josie said, even though she really wanted Kaitlyn all to herself. There was another lead for an article: “How to Ration Time Between Your Best Guy and Best Girl.”

  Josie started typing in her notepad app on her phone.

  “Here you go, Mitch,” a sweet older woman said, handing him a plate. “I saw you walk in and fixed this up for you.”

  Mitch accepted it and kissed the woman on the cheek. “That’s nice of you, Ms. Shelby. By the looks of this, you must think I’m starving to death.”

  The older woman appeared to blush at his attention. “I’ve always loved a man in uniform. And you fill yours out beautifully.” She winked at him, blushing even darker.

  “Dating Among the Senior Population.” Another idea!

  “Are you working?” Kaitlyn asked, looking over Josie’s shoulder at her cell phone.

  “The ideas are pouring in. This place is gold.”

  Kaitlyn shook her head with a laugh and then turned her attention back to Mitch. Josie placed her phone back in her purse, finished her plate of food, and finally got up to say hello to Tuck, whom she’d spotted sitting near his sister, Halona, and her son, his mom, and a man who Josie guessed was his father.

  “Josie!” Lula said as she approached their table. “Hello, dear. Are you having a good time?”

  “Yes. This is a wonderful thing. I’m afraid I only had a few items to donate but I helped Kaitlyn cook a pot of spaghetti and some of the bread.”

  “Oh. Do you hear that, Tuck? Josie cooks. I’ll have to invite you over one day so I can teach you some of my American Indian specialty dishes.”

  Josie nodded. “That sounds fun. The Three Sisters Stew you made the other night was delicious.”

  Lula looked pleased. “Thank you. This is Tuck’s father, Don.”

  Like Tuck had told her before, Don was Caucasian and balding. Tuck didn’t seem to have inherited any of his genes from him.

  “Nice to meet you, Josie,” he said with a nod.

  There was a familiarity to his smile that did remind her of Tuck, however. “So nice to meet you.” She waved at Halona and Theo sitting across from them.

  “Why don’t you join us?” Lula asked.

  “Actually, Mom,” Tuck said, scooting back from the table, “I’m done eating. I was thinking of heading home.” He looked at Josie. “Would you like a ride?”

  Josie felt her cheeks heat and hoped his family didn’t notice. Maddie was back at Beverly’s tonight, and she wouldn’t mind having Tuck all to herself. “Yes, that’d be great. I rode with Kaitlyn but now that Mitch is here I feel like a third wheel.”

  “I’ll call you about doing some cooking together,” Lula said. “I hope you’re not leaving town in the next week.”

  “I’m not sure.” Josie had thought her apartment building would’ve reopened already, not that she was complaining. She hadn’t figured out what she was going to do about Tuck when she left. A clean break was probably best but she didn’t like to think about that.

  Tuck stepped up beside her. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Let me just tell Kaitlyn so she doesn’t wonder where I’ve run off to.” Josie weaved through the crowd, spotting Mr. Jenson, who’d made a scene at the restaurant the other day, and veered in the other direction. She didn’t need a repeat of that incident. Thank goodness Mr. Garrison had gotten the article taken down.

  Speaking of Mr. Garrison, she spotted him sitting with his family at one of the tables and waved. She also waved at Dawanda from the fudge shop and Sophie from her new favorite boutique. So this is what small-town living felt like. It was warm and cozy, like a pair of wool-lined slippers on a chilly night.

  Josie reached Kaitlyn and dipped down to whisper in her ear. “Tuck is taking me home.”

  Kaitlyn gave her a playful grin. “Since when have you started thinking of Hope Cottage as home?”

  * * *

  Tuck pulled into his driveway and cut the engine. “We could stay here and make out like teenagers,” he suggested, gaining a laugh out of Josie. He loved her laugh. Loved pretty much everything about her.

  “Were you guilty of back seat make-out sessions when you were younger?” she asked.

  “I was a hot-blooded male after all. I still am,” he said in a deep, raspy voice.

  Josie leaned across the seat and pressed her mouth to his. Her tongue traced the edge of his outer lip before he opened to her and deepened the kiss.

  “I missed you last night,” he groaned, letting his hands roam over the curves of her body. When Maddie was sleeping under his roof, they’d reverted to no touching. He had no intention of keeping his hands to himself tonight though.

  “Me too,” she said as she slid her fingers through his hair and her tongue stroked his.

  They kissed for ages, his desire for her mounting. Also gaining momentum was his need to tell her exactly how he felt. There was no time like the present; nobody was promised tomorrow. He’d learned that hard lesson already. He’d told Renee he loved her every day but had she really heard him? Had she known?

  “Josie,” he said, pulling back and looking at her in the dimly lit Jeep. “I don’t know what it is about you but you drive me crazy in the best possible way. I’m whistling as I work and going to community events that I would never enjoy. A month ago, you couldn’t have paid me to go to something like one of those dances or that festival. You make everything fun. You make waking up every morning seem easy, when for the last couple of years, it’s been a small feat. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life because of you.”

  Her lips, swollen from kissing him, parted as she sucked in a breath. “Tuck,” she whispered.

  Like a boulder rolling down the mountainside, his path was set, and he couldn’t stop now. He took her hands in his. “You don’t have to go. You could stay here at Hope Cottage.”

  Traces of something wild flickered in the depths of her blue eyes. “What?” she asked, drawing back just slightly.

  “There’s no reason you have to leave so soon. You could stay and give us a shot.”

  “Us,” she repeated.

  “Yeah. Us. You don’t have to say anything right now. I just wanted to tell you how I felt. Then I wanted to take you inside and show you.”

  A slow grin emerged on her lips. “I’ve always loved show-and-tell,” she whispered.

  This thing between them wasn’t one-sided. He could see that much in Josie’s sparkling eyes. He brought one of her hands to his lips, kissing the delicate skin. Then he got out of the Jeep and walked around to open her door and lead her inside. Maybe if he gave her a good enough reason, she’d change her plans and choose to stay in Sweetwater Springs. She’d choose him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Tuck waited at the bus stop the next afternoon. Beverly had a follow-up appointment so he’d agreed to meet Maddie after school. He’d seen her last night at the spaghetti dinner but he’d barely gotten to talk to her. He’d been too busy wi
th Halona and Theo, his mom, and then Josie.

  Had he even said goodbye to Maddie? Guilt socked him in the gut. He’d make it up to her this afternoon. Maybe he could take her out for ice cream or something.

  Thunder rolled overhead. Another storm was brewing. Hopefully, it would hold off until Maddie was off the bus. She was getting around much better these days but muddy ground would make it more difficult.

  The bus rumbled around the bend with its noisy engine and stopped to let several students off. Tuck stood, his heart lifting in anticipation. The angry little girl he’d met a month earlier had turned into a feisty, witty clone of Halona at that age. She had a lot of his own qualities too. She was quiet, reflective, and loved animals. And he loved her more than he ever thought he could.

  He also loved Josie. He’d wanted to tell her last night when he’d asked her to stay at Hope Cottage but he’d held back. It was enough that she knew that he thought they had something worth pursuing. And they did. Two females had completely stolen a heart that he was beginning to wonder would ever be whole again.

  A boy Maddie’s age stepped off the bus and gave Tuck a curious look before turning to walk down the road. Tuck watched the steps. When no one else came down, he drew closer to talk to the bus driver.

  “Maddie Locklear?” he asked.

  The driver shook his head. “She didn’t get on this morning.”

  “Of course she did. I spoke to her grandmother.”

  The boy turned back. “Maddie was absent today,” he called. “She didn’t come to class.”

  Tuck looked at the bus driver again and then stepped away so the bus could continue on its route. “Are you sure?” he asked the boy.

  “Positive. We have the same homeroom.”

  “I see. Thanks.” Tuck watched the boy walk away. Maybe Maddie had stayed home, and Beverly had failed to mention it. Beverly had an appointment though. Would Maddie have stayed at the house alone? Was she old enough for that? he wondered, pulling his phone out and dialing Beverly.

  “Hello?” she said, answering on the third ring. “Tuck? I’m at my doctor’s appointment. Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah. Just making sure Maddie is with you,” he said easily. Beverly had a lot on her plate. He couldn’t fault her for forgetting to mention Maddie’s absence from school.

  “No, you’re picking her up at the bus stop near my home, remember?” Beverly said. “Oh, Dr. Metts just came in. You are at the bus stop, aren’t you? I don’t want Maddie to be alone.”

  Tuck looked around. Yeah, he was at the bus stop but where was Maddie? “Don’t worry. I’m here.” He didn’t elaborate on the situation. Beverly needed to focus on her health right now. And hopefully, by the time she was done with her follow-up, he’d have figured out what was going on. And whatever it was, Maddie better have a good excuse.

  “All right. I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” Beverly said.

  “Yep.” He disconnected the call and dialed Josie. Maybe Maddie had skipped school to go on another shopping trip. Josie wasn’t that irresponsible but she really wanted Maddie to like her again. It was possible.

  “Hi,” she said cheerfully.

  Tuck swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth. “Where are you?”

  “The Sweetwater B and B with Kaitlyn. I was thinking about doing another interview for Carolina Home.”

  “Just you and Kaitlyn?” he asked. Please say no.

  “That’s right. Why? Is everything okay? Did you remember to pick up Maddie at the bus stop?”

  He started walking fast to Beverly’s driveway, a bad feeling settling in his gut. “I showed up but Maddie apparently didn’t make it to school today.”

  “What? Where is she?”

  “Good question,” he said, pulling his keys out of his pocket. He got inside the Jeep and cranked the engine. As he did, he heard another rumble of thunder overhead. The skies had turned darker in the last fifteen minutes. “I was hoping she was with you.”

  “No. I haven’t seen her since the spaghetti dinner last night.”

  Tuck pressed the gas and took off down the street. “Did you get to talk to her there?” he asked.

  “I tried,” Josie said, her tone of voice telling him that the conversation hadn’t gone well.

  “I see. I’m going to look for Maddie now. Any idea where she might have gone?”

  “On foot?” Josie asked. “Not a clue. Maybe downtown if she got a ride.”

  And that was something else he didn’t want to contemplate. Any stranger could’ve picked Maddie up and taken her who knew where. “I’ll let you know when I find her,” he said, ignoring the next question that popped into his mind. What if I don’t find her?

  * * *

  “I need a favor,” Josie said, turning to Kaitlyn. “I need to borrow your car.”

  “What? Why?” Kaitlyn glanced over her shoulder as she stood over a pot of boiling water on the stove.

  “Maddie didn’t show up for school today, and Tuck is searching for her.” Josie felt breathless as she spoke. Josie had skipped school many times as a student but so many things could happen to a young girl. Especially one who couldn’t move fast enough to get away. “Please,” Josie added.

  “Yeah, of course. My keys are in my purse. I don’t need them; I’m watching the inn for the rest of the night.”

  “Hopefully it won’t take that long to find her.” Josie grabbed Kaitlyn’s purse and dug inside.

  “Where will you go?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “I don’t know. The mall maybe?”

  Kaitlyn turned to face her. “That’s a good start. Little girls love the mall, right? Let me know what happens. I’m sure she’s fine.”

  “I hope so.” Josie located the keys and jingled them in the air. “Found ’em. Thanks.” She hurried out the front door of the B&B as a light sprinkle began to fall. Maddie would definitely want to take shelter somewhere. But what if she couldn’t?

  Fear gripped Josie’s heart. Tuck must be out of his mind with worry. She headed to the mall a few miles away and walked around, searching every corner. She flashed a picture that she’d taken of Maddie on her phone to a few store clerks, who just shook their heads. After the mall, Josie wrapped her raincoat around herself more tightly and walked downtown.

  “Oh, I do hope you find her soon,” Dawanda said when Josie stopped in to ask if she’d seen her. “The storm is supposed to be another nasty one. I heard Serena Gibbs saying so on the news this morning.”

  Josie was already cold and shivering herself. “Any suggestions for where I can go? A place that young people like to hang out?”

  “The movie theater was always my hideout,” Dawanda offered. “Or maybe a friend’s house.”

  Josie shook her head. Maddie always said she didn’t have friends but she’d hung out with a few girls her age at the festival. Josie had been too absorbed in Tuck to find out who they were. She should’ve asked. “Thanks. I’ll keep looking.”

  “Good luck!” Dawanda called.

  Josie stepped back onto the sidewalk, and a gust of wind hit her with enough force to make her take a step backward. Maybe Maddie was at the salon. Or maybe the Sweetwater Café. Perhaps Sophie’s Boutique. There was a rack of teen clothes in the back that Maddie had enjoyed looking through on their day out together.

  As Josie continued walking, her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She looked at the caller ID and tapped the screen before holding it to her ear. “Please tell me you found her.”

  “No,” Tuck said. “I was hoping you had.”

  “I would have called you,” Josie told him.

  “I know. I’m about to dial up Alex at the police department. It’s time to call in reinforcements. I need to call Beverly too.”

  “She doesn’t know?” Josie asked.

  “I didn’t want to worry her unless it was necessary,” Tuck said. “And now it’s necessary.”

  * * *

  Tuck pulled into the parking lot of the Sweetwater Police Station and
nearly ran inside.

  Tammy, the secretary, looked up as she sucked on a straw in her Coke bottle. “Can I help you, Tuck?”

  “Yeah. I need to see Alex. Is he back there?”

  “He is. Want me to call him and ask—?”

  “No,” Tuck said, turning down the hall toward his friend’s office. This was an emergency, and he knew Alex wouldn’t mind.

  “Maddie is missing,” Tuck said, flinging open the door.

  Alex looked up from a file on his desk. “What?”

  “Maddie, the little girl I was with at the festival. She’s missing. She didn’t come home from school today. Actually, she didn’t show up at school today either.”

  Alex stood and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair as they talked. “You’ll fill me in on the way out. Let’s go. Any idea where to look?” Alex asked.

  “I should know where she likes to hang out but I don’t.”

  “You’re her PT. Why should you know where she’d be?”

  Tuck glanced at Alex as they hurried past Tammy’s desk and out the front door, realizing he hadn’t told any of his buddies the truth yet. “Because I’m her father.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “You’ll also explain that on the ride. I’ll drive, you look.”

  A moment later, they climbed into Alex’s SUV and tore out of the parking lot.

  “She’s not Renee’s?” Alex asked once they were on the road.

  “Of course not. If she were, she’d have been with me the entire time. It happened when Renee and I were broken up in college. I didn’t know about Maddie until a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Why not?”

  Tuck shrugged, his gaze glued out the window, looking in places that didn’t make sense for Maddie to be. In trees, ditches, the neighbors’ yards. “I’d ask Maddie’s mom but Crystal died six months ago in the accident that injured Maddie’s leg.”

  Alex shook his head. “That’s tough, man. But congratulations on having a kid.”