Hawthorne Harbor Box Set

by Elana Johnson

  She loaded up with drinks and got herself back to Trent’s immaculately landscaped house. Inside, she expected the toys, the shoes, and the dogs, and she got all three.

  She also found Trent sitting at the table with Porter, both of them looking at a worksheet like it was written in Japanese. “Food,” she said, gladly handing over the bag with the bottled drinks in them to Trent.

  She laid everything out on the counter just as Porter said, “Done, Daddy,” and he came over to Lauren. “Did you get the mini tacos?”

  “Two boxes, bud.” She smiled at him and handed him one. “How’s the window frame coming?”

  “Great. Wanna see it?”

  “Sure I do.” She took her box of tots with her and followed the boy down the hall to his bedroom. He showed her how he’d made all the corners fit together, and Lauren complimented him on a job well done.

  Back in the kitchen, she found both Trent and the pizza gone, and she wandered into the living room where he’d settled. She sat beside him on the couch and he offered her a piece of pizza.

  She took it and they ate, and while there weren’t any earth-shattering secrets spilled, Lauren felt comfortable in his presence, his home, with his son and his dogs. And when he started breathing deeper, she got up, took the pizza box back into the kitchen, and helped Porter get into bed.

  On her way out, she paused and gazed down at the most beautiful man she’d ever met, falling a little deeper in love with him while he slept. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head and then snuck quietly out the door.

  * * *

  “Hey, Mom,” Lauren said when her mom answered.

  “Lauren, how are you? How was the unveiling? We’re sorry we couldn’t make it. Your dad’s not been feeling well.”

  The unveiling was a couple of weeks old now, and Lauren only had one more day to wait until the applications for the Festival of Trees would be delivered to her. She’d taken two more jobs, and they were interior remodels, thankfully, as the November weather started to worsen.

  “It was great,” she said, fiddling with a pencil on her countertop. “I called, because I have a question about…something.”

  “What is it?”

  She’d been spending her days working on the kitchen remodel at the Wheeler farm, and her afternoons with Porter as she built Trent’s deck. They shared almost every evening meal together, unless he had a meeting or she had to attend to Aunt Mabel.

  “It’s about....” Lauren couldn’t get herself to say it.

  “About what?” her mom asked. “Lauren, you’re scaring me.”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “I’m fine. I’ve been seeing someone.”

  “Oh.” No squeal of joy. No happiness. No surprise either. It was almost a defeated sound.

  “He’s a nice guy, Mom.”

  “That’s what you said about Rick.”

  Lauren nodded, though they weren’t in a face-to-face conversation. “I know.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Trent Baker. He used to live in Seattle.”

  “Mm,” her mom said, obviously not caring about his former residence.

  “We’re working together on the Festival of Trees. He has a six-year-old son.”

  “Lauren.” Now her mom’s voice held plenty of warning.

  Lauren didn’t need her mother’s approval. Neither of her parents had been particularly supportive when she’d changed her major to construction management, but she’d done it anyway. It had taken a couple of years, but they’d come around, and they’d never stopped loving her.

  But for this, she desperately wanted her mom to approve of her and Trent’s growing relationship. Why, she wasn’t sure. Probably because she’d made such a mess of the last serious relationship she’d been in.

  “I haven’t told him about Rick yet,” she said.

  “Are you changing for him?” her mom asked. “Because Lauren, he should love you for who you already are.”

  “I know that, Mom.”

  “I don’t want to lose you again.”

  “You won’t,” she said. “He’s a great guy, Mom. I swear. I’m…wondering if you guys might be able to come for Christmas. Aunt Mabel wants to do a family thing at the Mansion, and the Festival of Trees will be done by then, and winter is my slowest season.” She spoke in a huge rush, glad Aunt Mabel had suggested hosting Christmas dinner at the Mansion.

  It was almost like her great aunt knew what Lauren wanted—a safe way for Trent to meet her parents, and for her parents to meet him—and provided a way for it to happen. With all the other Magleby’s there too, the pressure would be less than if Lauren had a dinner at her house and invited Trent, Porter, and her parents.

  “I’ll talk to Dad.”

  “And Darrel and Eldon and Byron. I want them to come too. Everyone is invited.” While she’d told Trent that her mom had run away to Seattle to get married when she was only seventeen and that it was a scandal, what she hadn’t told him was that her mom was often still excluded from big family events.

  “Well, you call them and ask them,” she said. “Darrel is nearly engaged, and they might be doing something with her family.”

  “Darrel is nearly engaged?” Lauren really needed to talk to her brothers more. None of them liked to talk on the phone, but they were glued to their devices and would definitely participate in a group text.

  “He’s been dating Kimmy for two years now. I sure hope they’re almost engaged.” Her mom didn’t sound happy about that, but Lauren didn’t press the issue. Darrel could date whomever he wanted, for however long he wanted.

  “Okay, I’ll get in touch with them,” she said. “And please think about it? I’d love to have you guys here.”

  “I’ll let you know soon.” The conversation turned to her dad, and what he was suffering from this time. He had several chronic conditions, and Lauren thought her mother was a saint for how she nursed him back to health over and over again.

  When she finally hung up, Lauren stared at her phone, hoping and praying her parents would come for Christmas.

  She needed to prove to them—and herself—that she could find a decent guy, and she knew Trent was that man.

  “Will they come?” Aunt Mabel asked as she entered the kitchen.

  “Maybe.” Lauren sighed and got up from the table in her great aunt’s dining room. “Mom said she’d talk to Dad, and I’m going to text my brothers.”

  Aunt Mabel wore a look of sympathy, and she shuffled into the living room with Lauren behind her. “We all make mistakes, Lauren. You’re a good woman, and they’ll see it when they come.”

  “They know I’m good.”

  “No, what they know is that you tried to be exactly what Rick wanted you to be. You stayed with him when he was abusive. You became someone else. And that hurt them, even if they still loved you and respected your choices.” Mabel picked up her knitting. “You should be glad you never married him.”

  “I am glad of that,” Lauren said, her feelings inside knotting and tangling. The truth was, her tumultuous relationship with Rick had changed her, even though she’d let her dyed hair grow back out and taken control of her business again.

  “Have you told Trent about him yet?”

  “No,” Lauren said, sighing as she reclined the couch and put her feet up. “We haven’t quite gotten to talking about past relationships yet. We haven’t even kissed yet.”

  “Girl, it’s been weeks since you started seeing him.” Aunt Mabel wore a twinkle in her eye. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Him,” Lauren said. “I’m waiting for him.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Trent’s gaze got drawn to the Michaels Construction truck as he strode toward the front doors of the community center. Trucks and trailers crammed into the drop-off lanes, but Lauren’s was right up front, with both the driver’s side and the passenger doors open. The back held more wood sticking out in odd angles than Trent had ever seen.

  His pulse quickened at the
thought of seeing Lauren. Though he saw her nearly every day and had for weeks, every time they could talk was a welcome experience. After his shift tonight, he was taking Porter to see his parents in Bell Hill, so he wouldn’t get to see Lauren at dinner that night.

  His mother was making turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, because he’d been invited to Mabel’s for Thanksgiving dinner and he’d accepted. The Chief would be there with his family, and his brother and his wife too.

  Trent liked Adam and Janey, and Jess too, though he was quite a bit older than Porter. He liked Andrew and Gretchen, and their daughter Dixie. And he definitely knew he’d be fed well, and get to hold Lauren’s hand, and if he hadn’t kissed her by then, he might explode.

  But he didn’t exactly have a plan for that, and he’d been playing things by ear. She was gorgeous to him, and sweet to Porter, and about half the time, Trent fell asleep on the couch while she was there, only to wake sometime later to find his son tucked in bed and Lauren’s truck gone.

  He thanked her every time, knowing she worked long, physical hours the way he did. He’d tried to stay awake, but there was something so soothing and relaxing about having her snuggled into his side, the television on, and their breathing happening in tandem. It lulled him into this sense of peace and comfort he hadn’t had in so long.

  He entered the community center to the scent of cinnamon and pine trees, not the greatest combination in his mind. He glanced around for Lauren, but there were people everywhere. Some stood along the front windows, guarding boxes. More stood in a line that stretched toward a table in front of the big multi-purpose room. That was where the trees would be set up, and Trent skirted the people and headed for the table.

  Mitch Magleby and his assistant Alecia manned it, along with three more people wearing community center nametags. It seemed like people were moving through the line and past the table at a steady clip. He caught sight of Shawn, and he turned toward him.

  “Morning,” he said, shaking the man’s hand. “I’m here to do whatever you need, and I’ve got someone outside manning traffic and keeping things civil. We also have teams of officers rotating in and out all day long.”

  “That’s great.” He wore a smile but kept a keen eye on the people. “This is crazy.”

  “I heard there were a third more registrations this year over last.” Trent turned and surveyed the crowd too. A couple of people looked his way, and he lifted his hand in greeting. “At least that’s what Lauren said. Said she had to order more lumber for the stands.”

  “She told me that too.” Shawn sighed and added, “You can go in and see how things are going in the showroom. I think we have enough eyes out here.”

  “Sounds good.” Trent stepped away from the man, the showroom his prize destination anyway. Lauren would be in there, no doubt, setting up stands and trying to stay one ahead of the people coming in to start decorating their trees.

  He slipped behind the table, said a quick hello to the people there, and proceeded into the showroom. This place was much less noisy and crowded, though he knew everyone out there would soon be in here. With helpers, family members, co-workers and all of their decorations and signs.

  He paused and took a deep breath, reminding himself of how much he loved the Festival of Trees. He’d brought Porter every year since they’d been back in town, and once he’d even purchased one of the trees to help with juvenile diabetes.

  See, every tree was sold at auction for charity, and the good causes were as varied as funeral funds for a family member or sending the proceeds to help with cancer research. Some were put up in memory of loved ones, but even those were sold and the money donated to the community center, library, or other city offices.

  One year, the wife of the retired Fire Chief had done a tree in memory of her late husband, and all the money went to a barbecue in the man’s honor. The police department had finally been invited to one of the firemen’s dinners, and Trent could still taste the steak if he thought really hard about it.

  The room stretched before him, and he wondered if they really could fit over two hundred trees in here. Not only that, but shops would fill the hall on the north side, with dolls, handmade crafts and quilts, cookies and candies, and fudge. Oh, the fudge. Trent’s mouth watered just thinking about it.

  “Excuse me,” someone said, and Trent stepped to his right to avoid getting struck with the giant gingerbread house coming through the double-wide doors that had been flung open.

  “Need a hand?” he asked, stepping back toward the door to find two of the community center helpers holding it open.

  “We got it,” Brandon Thrush said, his voice strained. “Back wall, Mandie?”

  “Yep, keep going straight.” She continued to direct him toward the main walkway that led back to the gingerbread house displays, and Trent just watched. He’d loved the gingerbread houses the best when he was a boy, and he’d tried to make one himself when he was thirteen. It had been an epic failure, so he appreciated and understood the skill and craftsmanship that went into creating the castles and palaces and quaint cottages that people brought to the Festival.

  As the place started to fill up, he walked through the displays, helping a couple as their stand started to tip and then whistling softly as he simply patrolled the activity. It wasn’t a bad way to spend the day, though his stomach did start growling by ten-thirty.

  He caught Lauren’s eye once and headed her way, saying, “Can you break for lunch at all today?”

  She exhaled and wiped her hair out of her face. “Maybe if you bring something back and we sneak into a back room.”

  He liked the idea of sneaking away with her. Anywhere with her, and he said, “I’ll get us something on my break.”

  She nodded, stepped into his personal space and squeezed his fingers, then turned back to Gene and another man whose name Trent couldn’t come up with at the moment. “All right, guys. Is this one ready?”

  Trent walked away when he wanted to stay, circled around several more times, and then stepped out to the lobby again. The line didn’t seem to be getting any shorter, and the parking lot wasn’t clearing out at all. He found Lou and said, “I’m making a food run. You want to go inside for a bit?”

  “Have you seen the lot?” Lou looked like he’d broken up a dozen fist fights already.

  “We have to eat,” Trent said. “We get a break.”

  “Call the Chief and have him send over more people.” Lou held up his hand and blew his whistle. “You can’t come down here.” He waved both hands and pointed to the right. “Parking is up the hill.” He turned back to Trent. “There’s no way I can leave until I have a replacement.”

  “I’ll call Adam,” Trent said, pulling out his phone. “I’ll bring you some food. We can escape to a back room to eat.” He couldn’t believe he’d just invited Lou to his private rendezvous with Lauren.

  It’s not a private rendezvous, he thought as he tapped on Adam’s number and the line started ringing. “Hey, Chief,” he said when Adam picked up. “We need at least two more men up here. Lou and I are ready for lunch.”

  “Jason and Gil should be there by now.”

  “Really?”

  “I sent them at the time your plan said to,” Adam said. “You haven’t seen them?”

  “It is pretty crazy up here,” Trent admitted. “I see why they wanted police at the setup.”

  “I’ll radio them,” he said. “Hang on.” The line went mute, and Trent kept walking toward his police cruiser. He wished he had his dogs with him. That would really keep people in line. They’d be coming to work the bag station once the Festival began, and he couldn’t wait to see how Wilson did. If he did well, he might be ready to move onto a real working unit.

  Adam came back on the line with, “They’re stuck on Locust. Gonna turn on the siren and get there.”

  “Okay, thanks,” Trent said. A moment later, he heard the police siren, and five minutes later, he’d given them directions for what to do inside
. “I’m going for food,” he said. “Have you guys eaten?”

  Jason gazed around and then shook his head. “No, get me whatever you’re having.”

  Trent got in their car and kept the siren going to get out of the parking lot and away from the fray. The line at the deli was no better, as it seemed every citizen of Hawthorne Harbor had decided today was the day to eat out for lunch. He finally made it back to the community center forty-five minutes after he’d left it, laden with sandwiches, chips, and drinks.

  Inside, he found Mitch and asked where the command room was, and Alecia got up and led him to it. Only two people were inside, and they were busy setting up sound equipment and making sure the electrical breakers were equipped to handle the incoming surge of Christmas lights.

  Trent put the food on the table and used his phone to let everyone know where he was and that he had their lunch. Send in Lou first, he sent. Then you guys can come in after we’re done.

  He also sent Lauren a text that said, Food in the control room. I’m back here now. Then he sat, not realizing how tired his legs were and how badly his feet ached until he wasn’t using them. He opened the club with extra roast beef he’d gotten for himself and had taken one bite when the sound crew vacated the room.

  The silence felt like a balm to Trent’s weary soul, as did the sight of Lauren as she walked through the door. Trent jumped to his feet and wiped his mouth, still chewing. He swallowed and approached her with, “Hey, there you are,” coming from his mouth.

  She sighed into his embrace, and Trent wondered if he could kiss her right here, in this back room of the community center, with wires everywhere.

  She clung to him for only a moment, and then she said, “I’m starving. Tell me you got a Cobb salad with the lemon poppy seed dressing.

  Trent’s heart warmed, and he stepped over to the table and produced exactly what she wanted. “I listen sometimes,” he said.

  She flashed him a grateful smile and started digging in the bag. “No forks?”