One Hundred Decisions: An Aspen Cove Romance

by Collins, Kelly

  “Yes, it is summer, which means lots of idle hours. What’s your plan for Will when you’re at work?” She continued to make notes.

  “He comes with me to the diner. He has his own table where he can draw and read.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a healthy scenario. His body needs to move.”

  Natalie rubbed her forehead hard enough to make her skull ache. “I’ll look into other arrangements.”

  “He’ll also need a physical and immunizations, school supplies, and clothes.”

  Natalie listened to the extensive list of Will’s needs and wanted to shout, I QUIT! When she looked at him and saw the excitement in his expression as he pointed to his new T-shirt, she stayed quiet.

  “I got this today. I also went to the library and got a book.”

  Fran sighed. “I know you want to stay here, and I know your sister is trying to do what she thinks is right, but we’re working with an odd situation.” She smiled at Will. “It might be better if you went outside to play.”

  “Where? In the woods?” he asked.

  Fran looked at Natalie with a see-what-I-mean look.

  “Anything concerning Will should include Will.” It wasn’t fair that adults made all the decisions. “This situation affects Will, and he should have a say so.”

  “Fine,” Fran huffed. “It might not be pleasant.”

  “You want to stay, Will?” Natalie asked.

  His head bobbed. “Yes.”

  Natalie wanted to tell Fran that Will was used to unpleasant moments. Finding his father foamy mouthed and unresponsive wasn’t something a kid should experience. Whatever she had to say was gravy.

  Fran cleared her throat. “Why would a father leave custody of his son to a daughter he abandoned years ago? I have to wonder what he was thinking.” Her expression turned grim. “Given his habits, there is the question of whether he was in his right mind or thinking at all.”

  Natalie had grown up fighting for everything. She didn’t have much, but what she had was important. A week ago, she’d had no idea that Will was her brother, and now that she knew, she wouldn't let the Department of Social Services take him away.

  “I understand this isn’t your typical situation. It’s obvious that I’m not set up for life with a teenage boy.”

  “It’s more than that,” Fran said.

  “I know. Listen, I might be a total failure when it comes to raising him, but I want to try. People like Will and I have little. We weren’t given a lot in the beginning. Take me away from him and he has even less, and vice versa. If you take him from me, you’ll only put him with another stranger. They may have a better house. Maybe they’ll have more resources, but they can’t offer what I can, and that’s the experience of knowing exactly what he’s going through.”

  Fran looked around the tiny house and frowned. “This place is small and isolated. It’s barely adequate for an adult.”

  A fire burned in Natalie’s chest. She had felt nothing like it since she moved out of her final foster home, ready to prove to the world she had value. “What if I move to a bigger place?”

  “That only solves one issue. He needs friends and peers. Teenagers are tough to raise. Even the most well-seasoned parents struggle.”

  “Give us a chance to prove you wrong.” She looked at Will. “Get something to write on and something to write with. Let’s make a list of things we need to do to satisfy Mrs. Dougherty’s concerns.”

  Will pulled a pad of paper and a crayon from his backpack. “I’m ready.”

  Natalie stared at the green-eyed little boy who was proving to have as big a heart as he did an attitude.

  They spent the next ten minutes making lists of things Fran would like to see from accommodations to healthy food. Natalie scoffed at that because peanut butter was a protein, and corn chips had to count as a vegetable.

  “You’ve got a month to figure it out, or we’ll have to look into a better setting for Will. There are lots of families who could offer him everything.”

  “No, they can’t. I’m his sister. Show me a family who can top that.” The steel around her heart fractured, and a flood of emotion overwhelmed her.

  Fran left, and Natalie collapsed on the couch next to Will, who stared at the list.

  “How do we pay for all this?” His voice warbled with emotion.

  She inhaled deeply, pushing down her own desperate need to cry. “We beg, borrow, or steal. We’ll make it happen, whatever it takes.”

  He swiped an errant tear from his cheek. “Don’t forget rule number two—no stealing.”

  Chapter Eight

  Jake loved a good challenge, but he hadn’t come to Aspen Cove to take on a new project. He was there to open B’s Book Nook and get back home to negotiate the partnership he’d chased for years. Now that he was here, he couldn’t help himself.

  Each time he saw Will, he saw a boy with lots of potential but little opportunity. Then there was his sister, who pulled at him in different ways. She was tough yet vulnerable, closed off, but somehow still open. She was brave and still scared. He saw these things in her eyes. She hadn’t told him her story, but those green eyes spoke of a lifetime of challenges.

  He walked into Maisey’s. It was summer, and the town grew busier each day. The booths and tables were filled with locals, tourists, and construction crews. The scent of bacon and maple syrup filled the air. In the corner booth was Will, who stared at his pancakes with a look of boredom etched across his face.

  “Can I join you? I hate eating alone.”

  Will snapped his head up. “Sure. I’m used to eating alone, but I like company.”

  Jake took the napkin from the table and placed it on his lap. “Not a big appetite? Only pancakes today?”

  He shrugged. “Not a big budget. I eat my sister’s employee meal, and she doesn’t want to take advantage.”

  Jake sat back and considered Will’s statement. He knew they struggled financially. It was why Will had stolen the Harry Potter book. Limited money meant limited resources. If his memory served him right, when he was twelve, he could empty a refrigerator in two days.

  Jake pulled the menu from the holder and set in on the table between them.

  “If you could have anything on this menu, what would it be?”

  Will’s eyes grew wide. He turned the menu around so he could read it. Taking his time, he went through everything available.

  “I like the pancakes, but I also like sausage.”

  “You didn’t have sausage with yours today?”

  His shoulders lifted with a breath and then sagged. “I did, but I ate them first, and now all I have left is the pancakes.”

  “But you’d eat more sausages if you had them?”

  He rolled his eyes like Jake’s question was idiotic.

  Will was a growing boy. He’d probably eat anything that wasn’t breathing and wouldn’t kill him.

  “You like bacon?”

  “I do, but I like sausages better.”

  Natalie swung by. “Do you want tea or juice?”

  Jake considered her question for a moment. “Let’s live on the edge. I’ll have juice and a chocolate milk.”

  She smirked at him. “Weird combination.”

  “Hey, don’t knock what you haven’t tried.” He closed the menu and put it back in the holder. “Since I’m going wild, and swinging by the rafters, I thought maybe I’d have bacon and eggs and a double order of sausage.” He looked at Will and winked.

  “You accuse me of trying to kill you, and now you’re killing yourself?” She shook her head.

  “Life isn’t worth living unless you take a few risks. Are you a risk-taker, Natalie?”

  She nodded toward Will. “I must be because I took him.” She left before he could reply.

  “Are you trying to kill yourself?” Will picked up his fork, preparing to take a bite of pancake.

  “Nah, I’m sharing my resources. The chocolate milk and sausages are for you. I can’t have you starving if I p
lan to put you to work, can I?”

  Will dropped the fork, and the clatter it made drew the attention of the surrounding tables who gave them a passing glance before returning to their conversations.

  “You want me to work with you again today?”

  “Do you want to come to the shop?”

  He chewed his bottom lip and nodded. “I do, but I’m not sure Natalie will be okay with it. She doesn’t want me to be a pest.”

  “How about you be my partner for the day?”

  Natalie swung by to drop off the juice and chocolate milk. She eyed him before she handed the milk to Will. “Don’t spoil him. I can’t afford for him to get used to a life I can’t sustain.”

  Will laughed. “You can’t fool my sister.”

  “I can see that.” He was about to ask if Will could come to the shop, but the door opened, and she shot toward the new customer like an arrow seeking a target.

  Will drank deeply and came away with a milk mustache. He cocked his head in thought. “Can I ask you a question? I mean, since you’re a life coach and all.”

  “Sure. I’ll do my best to answer.”

  Will’s lips drew into a thin line. “I heard somewhere that boys turn out to be exactly like their fathers.” He chewed on his bottom lip. “Does that mean I will use drugs?”

  It was an innocent question that punched Jake in the gut. Statistically, the odds were not in Will’s favor. Children of drug addicts were twice as likely to be users themselves. That wasn’t something he’d tell Will. Kids his age were sponges and soaked up information. He didn’t want to plant a seed that might become a reality through suggestion.

  “Absolutely not. You get to choose who you are. Everything we do in life is a choice. Each choice has a consequence. If I ate sausage and bacon and drank loads of soda, I’m deciding to compromise my new kidney. I used to eat and drink lots of those things. That was before I came down with kidney disease. I know those foods are bad for me, so I make a choice to avoid them.” He emphasized the word me so Will would know it wasn’t a blanket statement that applied to everyone.

  “Right. Like I stole something, but I know better, and can make better choices.”

  “Exactly.” He high-fived Will just as Natalie brought over the food.

  “I’m assuming the sausages aren’t for you either.”

  “You’re smart … and pretty.”

  Will laughed. “This time, you are totally hitting on my sister.”

  Jake shook his head. “There’s no crime in complimenting a beautiful woman.” He looked up at her and watched her lips lift into a smile, but as fast as the smile came, it left, and she was off running again.

  “Your sister seems stressed. Are you guys, okay?”

  Will shoved a sausage into his mouth and spoke around it. “Not really. Lots of shi—stuff going on.”

  “Anything I can help with?” He picked up his turkey bacon and took a bite. He made a point of chewing with his mouth closed so Will would get the idea. When he swallowed, he spoke again. “If you need something, it’s better to ask than do without.”

  He shrugged. “It’s okay. People like us are used to doing without.”

  Another punch rocked his insides. “People like you?” He was afraid to ask what Will meant, but he needed to know. “What’s that mean?”

  He leaned in and whispered. “The people no one cares about. The ones no one wants.”

  A boulder-sized lump lodged in Jake’s throat. He chewed another piece of bacon while he pondered how to answer. This was the kind of stuff that fell in his lane, but none of his clients had ever been preteen boys who felt worthless. He glanced toward Natalie, who leaned against the counter and stared back. Did she feel the same? Was she exactly the woman Maisey described? Was she afraid of jumping in with both feet because it was too risky?

  “Just because you feel unloved at the moment doesn’t mean you are unloved.” He chanced another look at Natalie, who continued to stare at him. What did she see when her eyes narrowed in his direction? They seemed to ask if he was a friend or foe. “Your sister cares for you. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t give you her meal.”

  Will forked a bite of pancake and was about to shove it in his mouth when he stopped and put it down. “It’s not that. If she doesn’t feed me, Social Services will take me away.”

  He said it matter of fact like he was talking about the weather.

  “I’m sorry about your father, Will.”

  His lip quivered. “Do you think my father ever loved me, or did he love the drugs more?”

  Jake inhaled and let out the breath in a whoosh. “I’m sure he loved you, but he made bad choices, and that’s a lesson you can learn. It might be the greatest lesson your father ever taught you. When you make poor decisions, it affects everyone.”

  He nodded and went back to eating his pancakes.

  Natalie walked over with the bill. “If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave this here. No rush.”

  He reached out for her hand before she could run away. A single touch sent a jolt through him. She seemed to be the only woman who affected him that way. It was either that or static electricity in the air. He stopped a moment to gather his wits. “Can Will come back to the shop and help again today?”

  She stared down at where his hand touched hers. Was she feeling the same heat he did? Was it possible to feel connected to someone he didn’t know?

  She pulled free and turned to Will, who sat straight and looked at her with a hopeful expression. “Do you want to go to the bookstore?”

  He loved the way she involved him. By asking, she made him feel included and responsible for his decisions, which would only help him make better choices in the future.

  “I do.”

  Each time she looked at Will, her eyes softened. “Okay. Don’t be a pest, and if he says he’s had enough of you, come back to the diner.”

  “He’ll be fine. We’ve got books to order, and if I’m lucky, applications to sift through.” He considered their situation. “Hey, what about you? Are you interested in working at the Book Nook?”

  She frowned and shook her head. “I waitress. That’s what I know. That’s what I do.”

  Will piped in, “Yeah, but you could make a different choice.”

  She turned around and walked away.

  Jake put enough money on the table to cover their breakfasts and a hefty tip. “Grab your things and come on. We’ve got books that need readers.”

  When he arrived at the Book Nook, Mrs. Brown and Bailey were standing at the door. “Back for another go?”

  “I’m a glutton for punishment,” she said.

  He opened the door and turned to Will. “Why don’t you take Bailey to the kid’s books and help her pick out something she’ll like? Make sure she doesn’t get into anything else.” He leaned in and quickly told Will the details. Surprise colored Will’s face, but he offered Bailey his hand and led her to the children’s books where he pulled out a few until she picked The Very Hungry Caterpillar. They slid to the floor, and Will started to read, using different voices for different characters.

  “Your son is amazing with her. Maybe you should start a story hour.”

  Jake didn’t correct her. Will wasn’t his son, but if he had one, he’d be proud for him to be like Will. He wasn’t a bad kid; he’d just had a bad life. Will would grow up to be a fine man if given love, support, and boundaries.

  * * *

  Just after two o’clock, Natalie walked in, looking worn and worried. She glanced around and leaned on the counter.

  “Hey, Jake,” she said with no inflection to her voice. “Where’s Will?”

  He was certain if she wasn’t holding on to the wood countertop, she’d be in a heap on the floor. “He’s in the office looking at porn,” he teased.

  “Okay,” she said on an exhale.

  He counted to himself and got to three when her head snapped up, and her jaw fell open. “He’s what?”

  Jake laughed. “You
have life left in you after all. When you entered, I thought you were a zombie.”

  “I feel like one. Who knew having a kid around would be so exhausting?”

  He walked around the corner and put his hand on her back, then led her to a table. She collapsed onto the chair.

  “I’m sure it’s challenging, but what’s got you so beat?” It was a good choice of words because she looked not only tired but ready to give up.

  She rubbed at her eyes. With her elbows on the table, she cradled her head and sighed. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  When she looked at him, doubt turned her once clear eyes cloudy with concern.

  “I’m sure you can handle it. Something tells me you can handle more than the average person, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.”

  “That’s the only way I know.” She grabbed the edge of the table and attempted to stand, but he placed his hand on top of her arm.

  “Stay with me and talk for a few minutes.” He glanced toward the door at the back of the store. “Will is fine. He’s in the office looking at pictures of reading nooks and picking out stuff for a kid’s corner. Someone suggested a great idea.”

  “I’m not running your register.” She leaned back and crossed her arms.

  He took in her body language. This was a perfect example of nature versus nurture. Her and Will’s mannerisms were identical.

  “Okay, but what if Will did a story hour each week? We can call it Winding Down with Will.”

  Was that a tear he saw in the corner of her eye? She swiped at it. “He loves to read, but …” She swallowed hard. “I’m … I’m not sure—” She covered her face and let out a squeak.

  “Come here.” He could see she was ready to crack and took her hand to lead her around the corner where no one could see her cry. He stopped in front of the romance section and stood before her. He lifted her chin, really getting the first close look at her where she wasn’t rushing away from him.

  God, she was pretty. Silky brown hair, alabaster skin, and those eyes filled with tears that only made them glow a brighter green. “What’s wrong?” His hands slipped to her shoulders to keep her there. He watched as silent tears spilled down her cheeks.