Love Under Construction

by Mills, Britney M.

  And all that could be a pipe dream if this didn’t go through. Colton’s mind flashed to Becca’s irritated face, and he groaned. If he wasn’t supposed to make her mad, he was definitely off on the wrong foot.

  Chapter 3

  Walking out of Town Hall, Becca blew out a deep breath. Just what she needed in her life, some big lunkhead coming in and thinking he could disrupt the entire balance of Sage Creek. She’d hoped the mayor would set him straight, but with the man’s determination to have this project approved, she could see the mayor giving the construction worker pointers on how to win over the town.

  She just needed to focus on getting the orders in for all the flowers she’d need for the wedding this weekend, the Founder’s Day Festival, and Mother’s day.

  “Becca, did you just get out of the meeting?” Susie Jones stood before her, the picture of perfection, if there was such a thing. Her dark brown hair fell to her waist in loose curls, and her outfit looked as though she could step on a runway at any moment. Susie had gone to school with Becca but was a few years younger. She’d stayed in Sage Creek after graduation, taking a job at the bank soon after. At the beginning of the year, she’d taken over the bridal shop in town as Stacy Carston was ready to retire to a year-round tropical climate.

  “Yep. The meeting just got out. Are you looking for someone?” Becca glanced back to the building, trying to remember every person who’d been in regular chairs. None were related to Susie, and all the men were old enough to be her father.

  “No. Okay, well, yeah,” she said, tucking her hair behind one ear. “There’s a guy who walked in and looked pretty amazing. I gave him directions to the room before I left the city building. You had to have seen him. I think he’s from out of town.”

  Becca rolled her eyes. Leave it to Susie to only worry about a guy when their small town was hanging in the balance. She turned to look at the entrance just as that Colton guy walked out of the building. “You mean him?”

  Susie nodded emphatically. “Yes, it was definitely him. Isn’t he scrumptious?”

  He’s not a dessert, Susie.

  Normally, Becca might agree with her. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his voice was smooth as chocolate to her ears. Now she was just as bad as the girl next to her. Except she knew his motives, and she wasn’t going to be swayed by his good looks, even if he did check quite a few of her boxes. The similarities between him and Peter were too great, and she had to stay focused on saving the town from disruption.

  Susie touched Becca’s arm, pulling her out of a quick daydream. “I think I’ll say hi before I head home.” She gave Becca a little wave as she walked over to where the new guy was standing.

  Stomping off down the street, Becca fumed. The sting of changing the town she loved so dearly, even by a few dozen homes, didn’t sit well with her.

  This was her oasis, her town of peace. She didn’t need someone to come in and interrupt that, especially not a guy from the big city. She just needed to make sure the council voted no next week. What could she do to convince people? She’d need a plan and a darn good one to make sure the council members sided with her.

  David Wallaby might agree with her, but for entirely different reasons. She’d been half-grateful for his comments during the meeting, but then he kept talking. Maybe it was good they hadn’t voted today. As she ticked through the members of the council, she realized how many people were already for the subdivision. She’d need to start working on each of them throughout the next week.

  Becca’s stomach growled, and she knew she’d need sustenance to create any in-depth plans to thwart the subdivision. After debating whether or not to cook at home, she turned and walked down to the Sage Creek Diner just west of her flower shop.

  Pulling open the door, she was hit by the familiar smells of meat, potatoes, and pie, all of which sounded amazing right then.

  “Becca, how are we doing today?” Velda asked from behind the large counter. A woman in her late fifties or early sixties, she’d been running this place since Becca could remember. She’d been a friend of Becca’s mom, and Becca remembered how the two could sit and talk all day if they didn’t have anything going on.

  Just the thought caused the tears to rush to Becca’s eyes, and she blinked them away. She wasn’t usually so emotional, but it seemed as if everything reminded her of her parents the past few days.

  Sitting on one of the turning stools at the bar, Becca rested her hands on the countertop, bottling up her emotions. As much as she loved the owner, she wasn’t in the mood to have any deep discussions, especially when the place was fairly packed.

  “Going all right, Velda. Can I get the French dip sandwich?”

  “Of course, dear. Anything interesting go on at the council meeting?” Velda pushed a rag around the countertop, wiping the same section over and over again.

  Rolling her eyes, Becca nodded and leaned forward, lowering her voice. “A guy from Denver came to get approval for plans to build down on the old Johnson farm.”

  “I think I saw him when I came to open up for lunch. He’s a handsome man, don’t you think, Becca?” The glint in her eye caused Becca to shake her head, trying not to smile. As much as she hated being set up on dates by the locals, Velda was much better in that area than most.

  Becca groaned. “Don’t get me started, Velda. He’s trying to change the town. You know I couldn’t be with someone who wants to disrupt life here in our perfect little haven.”

  Velda leaned forward and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Life can go on, dear girl. Peter wasn’t right for you. That doesn’t mean every guy is going to disappoint you.”

  As much as Becca didn’t want to agree with that statement, she felt the truth of it hit her in the chest. She’d never really forgiven Peter for leaving her at the altar over a year ago. They’d planned to get married near the anniversary of her family’s death. Now, instead of a celebration of a new life to help get her through that tough time, she had one more memory to slice through her as she reflected over her life.

  Deciding to avoid the direct comment, Becca said, “We vote on it next week. I just hope the town realizes we don’t need new development. We have everything we need already.”

  “In some ways, yes. But there are several things we don’t have. It would be nice to have a movie theater to see some of the newer movies when they come out. Or a bigger grocery store,” Velda said with a shrug. “There are always advantages on the other side of the disadvantages, Becca. Just remember that.”

  Another citizen who was Team Development. Becca would have to hone her persuasive speech or she’d be pushing everyone to the other side.

  Velda turned away, calling out the order of the French dip sandwich to the chef in back.

  Becca pulled out her phone, trying to get her mind to wind down a bit. The tulips still had a few weeks of blooming to go, but she made a note to order more at the end of May. She could grow a lot of flowers in the garden she’d created in her backyard, but sometimes it was better to supplement with shipments from other flower nurseries nearby. Tulips were the first thing most guys asked for when buying flowers for their wives, and she often wondered if it was the only one they knew besides roses.

  She felt the air move when someone sat down on the stool next to her. Not wanting to look up at first, she swiped and clicked some more on her phone. There were how many stools empty? They couldn’t have chosen one a few seats away?

  Velda came out with a cup of hot chocolate for Becca and then turned to the person next to her. “What can I get you, handsome? I’m Velda.” The woman’s voice had changed, and Becca looked up with a groan. Colton.

  “Hi, Velda. I’m Colton. Do you have a turkey club?” he asked in that deep baritone voice.

  Becca opened her mouth, ready to ask Velda for a takeout box. She did not want to be sitting by him through all of her dinner.

  “We sure do, hun. Anything else?” Velda winked in his direction, and Becca’s mouth dropped open. First Susi
e and now Velda? She hoped the people would look at the facts of the subdivision rather than the man’s sheer size. And strong jaw. And dreamy chocolate-brown eyes.

  Becca looked away and took a sip of her hot chocolate, hoping the sweetness would distract her from the thoughts racing through her head. She was supposed to be annoyed with him, not admiring his features.

  “Rough meeting today, huh?” It took a minute for Becca to realize he was talking to her, and while she wanted to turn up her nose and move to another spot in the diner, she knew her mother would roll over in her grave if she heard her daughter belittle some newcomer.

  “That’s actually quite tame for our council meetings. One time, Jerry Porter brought his horse into Town Hall. When it got spooked, several things were broken, and Jerry ended up with a broken collar bone.”

  The smile on his face made her thaw somewhat, but she knew she’d have to be firm and not let some city boy soften her up. She couldn’t let him get to her. The town depended on her for that at least.

  “So, what is there to do for fun here?” Colton asked, his dark brown eyes fixed on hers. She was grateful Velda brought her French dip right then so she could break her gaze away. “It seems I’ll be in town longer than I expected.”

  Taking a bite, Becca chewed and swallowed before patting her lips with a napkin. A quick internal debate about whether she should even risk talking to him was won over by the idea that Sage Creek was about hospitality, no matter what the person was there for.

  “There’s quite a bit of everything. We have local game nights where a bunch of people join up to play board games. You can go swimming in Sage Creek pond just up through the pine trees behind Town Hall. And there are some good hiking trails up there.”

  “And?”

  She should have bitten her tongue at that point, but her patience was wearing thin, and she let the words fly. “We’re not a big city with dozens of things to entertain you, Mr. Maxfield, and if that’s what you’re thinking, you may as well go right back to Denver. If you’re more adventurous, you’ll find that we create a lot of our own fun by sheer imagination.”

  Turning to take another bite of her sandwich, she tried to hide the smile caused by the slack-jawed expression on his face. A surge of satisfaction flowed through her. She just wished the guy sitting next to her was Peter and that she’d finally given him a piece of her mind.

  “You’re right,” Colton said after a minute or two. “I may have been a little small-minded. Would you mind showing me around tomorrow? I could use a tour guide.”

  Becca stopped chewing mid-bite and slowly turned to look at him. Swallowing, she asked, “You want me to take you around town?”

  “Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind. It seems like you know the people and most of what goes on in this town.”

  Dropping her voice to a whisper, Becca said, “Are you trying to say I’m the town gossip?”

  Colton sat back with his hands in the air, his eyes as wide as when he mentioned he’d forgotten the test documents during the meeting. “That’s not what I meant; I promise. What I meant was that you seem to know a lot of people, and you might be able to give me the best history of Sage Creek. Help me understand this place.”

  This guy was a smooth talker. She’d have to keep her guard up if she was to make an impact on derailing the subdivision. But maybe spending time with him would show her some of the weaknesses that would come with the development.

  “It would have to be after work. I own the flower shop on the next block over on the corner of Fourth and Main.”

  Colton’s eyes narrowed as he studied her face. “Flower girl, huh? What made you decide to go into flowers?”

  “If you want a tour of the place, stop asking so many questions,” Becca said, pursing her lips. “Meet me at the flower shop at three tomorrow.” She called over the counter, “Velda, put this on my tab. I’ll be by tomorrow with the money.”

  With that, she stood and walked out of the diner, her stomach protesting that she should’ve gotten a to-go box.

  Why were men so infuriating? Especially the ones who didn’t enjoy the small-town life?

  Chapter 4

  Colton stared at Becca’s nearly untouched plate as he thought through their conversation, feeling bad that he’d run her off before she could eat. Was the subdivision the only reason she disliked him so much?

  He was grateful when Velda brought his sandwich to the counter. She seemed to eye him for a minute before turning to get something from the back. Taking a bite of the sandwich, he savored the flavors. He hadn’t had one this good in quite some time, the thick bacon and perfectly sliced tomato mixing well with the mayonnaise, turkey, and lettuce. At least the food in the small town was good, even if the residents were a little crazy.

  As if deciding to finally talk to him, Velda stepped up to the counter. Colton grabbed a napkin from the holder in front of him and wiped his mouth as he looked up at her.

  “Becca’s not always like that.”

  With a frown, he said, “Like what?”

  “Ornery. Snappy.” Velda had one eyebrow raised, as if waiting for him to catch up.

  “Okay.” He wasn’t sure why she was telling him this. Dipping his head, he took another bite of the sandwich, trying to chew quietly. He felt Velda’s eyes boring into his head and looked back up, nodding at her. He didn’t want to be rude, but he also didn’t want to keep thinking about the woman who smelled of fragrant flowers and had a gaze that pulled him in.

  Velda smiled. “She’s just a little worried about things changing around here. She lost her family a few years ago, and she thinks if things don’t change, it will be like they’re still here with her. Sometimes, I think she’s holding on too hard and won’t be able to move on.”

  Colton looked around, still unsure why he, a stranger to Sage Creek, needed to know any of that. He was just here to do a job, not get involved in the local dynamic.

  But then the mayor’s words rang through his mind, and he nodded. It seemed if he was going to crack the hard layer that was Becca Taylor, he was going to have to change tactics.

  “I own this place, by the way,” Velda said, circling her finger as if to encompass the entire building. “Anytime you need anything, just come on in. I’m here to help.” She smiled at him and walked to the other side of the bar to fill a water cup for another customer.

  Colton finished his sandwich and fries, going over the events from the day. Seeing the plate of unfinished food next to him, he waved Velda over. “Will you box this up? It seems I need to make a peace offering.” He paid for both his meal and Becca’s, along with a tip.

  “Can you tell me where I might find Becca?” he asked the older woman.

  With a mischievous grin, Velda said, “Of course, darlin’. Just head straight down Fourth and cross Main Street. Hers is the first house on the right.”

  As he walked out the door of the diner, he heard her say, “Good luck.”

  He took a few steps, taking in the beauty of the night sky. The moon was full, and the stars seemed close enough to touch. He’d never seen anything like it. In Denver, he didn’t take much time to look, but he knew they were never this bright.

  Following Velda’s instructions, Colton stopped in front of the white two-story house. It was well-kept from what he could see in the moonlight, and it fit her. He smiled as he realized she lived right next to the flower shop. Not a long commute there.

  Raising his hand, he knocked on the door and then took a step back. He looked down at his shirt and swiped at a glob of mayo that must have fallen out of his sandwich. The door opened, the light behind backlighting the person at the door.

  “What are you doing here?” Becca asked. She flipped a switch for the porch lights and pulled her arms across her chest.

  “I figured you were probably still hungry, and I felt bad if I was the cause of you leaving so abruptly.” He held out the Styrofoam container to her, and she hesitated, looking between him and the container for several seconds
before reaching out and taking it.

  Her hazel eyes glanced up at him again, and when Colton tried to breathe in, something in his chest hitched. With her hair pulled up into a ponytail on the top of her head and dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, she looked beautiful even while comfortable.

  “Uh, thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.” Her words were soft, as if surprised by something so simple.

  Colton shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal.” He paused a moment, trying to decide where to go from there. Part of him wished she would invite him in, giving him an opportunity to get to know her better. But he realized they were to tour the town the next day. That would be enough. He didn’t need to start tangling his emotions already. The subdivision wasn’t a done deal, and even if it passed, it was best to keep his heart from going through the wringer when he’d have to eventually leave Sage Creek.

  “I’m going to head back to the hotel, but I’ll be at your shop tomorrow at three.” He smiled at her, hoping she’d at least acknowledge the appointment they’d set for the next day.

  “Sounds good. I’ll have to brush up on my town history while I finish my food.” Colton watched as the corners of her mouth teased a smile before revealing her bright white teeth. Her face lit up with the smile, and it took him a few moments to realize he was staring at her awkwardly.

  Nodding his head, Colton waved and stepped down one step on the porch. “Good luck with that. I expect to be winning any trivia tournaments you have here by the end of the tour.”

  She chuckled, the light laughter making him join in. A few seconds later, she shut the door, and Colton felt like he’d been released from some trance.

  As he walked down the road back to his hotel, he thought about the mayor’s and Velda’s words about Becca. He’d caught a few different sides to her already, but maybe there was some hope that he could at least sway her vote to his side.