Lottie chuckled.“Bag of tricks?You mean my purse?”It was really more of a large tote and had caused her more than enough back and shoulder pain as she hauled it around, but she liked to be prepared for every eventuality.
Nate smiled and shrugged.“You know what I mean.It seems like every time I turn around you’ve got some little surprise for someone.”His brow furrowed slightly.“You must have been making a ton of money in tips and Branch and Brew to be able to afford that.”Lottie shifted nervously.Nate had just given her the perfect set-up for her explaining her financial situation and how she’d used it to help him, but as she hesitated, he smiled and kissed her.As he rose from bed, he smirked as he started to pull on his clothes from the day before.“Mind if we stop by my apartment first?I don’t think my ugly Christmas sweater will help me be taken seriously.”
Lottie smiled, though she could feel that it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“I don’t mind at all.”
Slipping from the bed, Lottie quickly dressed in one of her vintage red dresses, forgoing any make-up and tossing her hair into a matching snood.The little mesh pocket was perfect for keeping her hair back while also matching her style.When she emerged, Nate gazed at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and from the sheer amount of love in his eyes, Lottie believed him.
“Ready?”Nate held out his hand and she slipped hers inside, the warmth from his skin moving over to hers and winding its way into her heart.
After a quick wardrobe change for Nate and a stop at Warm Delights for coffee and cinnamon rolls, the two arrived at the Miller/Goodwin property line.Lottie smiled as she gazed out the passenger window of her cherry red Ford Thunderbird.When Nate had pleaded with her to drive the classic car Mrs.G had also willed to her, Lottie relented like they both knew she would.Nate could ask the world of her and she would give it to him if at all possible.As she spotted the two older patriarchs of both families standing near a fallen fence, Lottie couldn’t help but chuckle.
Turning to Nate, she smiled when she found him staring at her.“What are you thinking, Lovely?”
Cheeks warming from the endearment, Lottie shrugged and grabbed the pink bakery box from the backseat.“Just laughing at how not too long ago, you and I looked a bit like that.Arguing over something or other.”
Nate brushed the backs of his fingers along Lottie’s neck.“I still plan on arguing with you, Charlotte.”He leaned closer and placed a kiss just below her ear.“But I also plan on making it up to you afterwards.”
Lottie turned her head and captured his mouth with her lips, kissing him soundly.“I’m holding you to that,” she said.Placing one last quick peck on his cheek, she left the car and approached the two older men who couldn’t be bothered to notice her.They were waving their hands animatedly now and bickering loudly enough to draw the attention of a couple who was walking across the street.Not wanting the argument to escalate any further, Lottie stepped up to the two men.“Good morning, Gentlemen.”
Two gray heads swiveled her way, the looks of consternation that had been on their face replaced almost instantly with looks of welcome.“Well, hello there Miss Lottie.”Ramis Miller was one of the oldest and crankiest members of the Applewood community, but he also had the capacity to be one of the nicest if you knew how to butter him up, which of course she did.
Lottie spotted him eyeing the bakery box in her hands and when she saw George Goodwin doing the same, she smiled and flipped the lid open.“Did you two want a cinnamon roll?I ordered a few too many, and I know how much you both enjoy them.”
Nate came up to Lottie’s side and smiled at her as he greeted the two gentlemen.“Good morning.”He shook the hands of the men that weren’t currently grabbing a cinnamon roll and nodded to the fallen fence.“So I hear we have an issue.”
Lottie smiled politely up at the older men who looked like they were gearing up to start arguing again.“You know what I read the other day?It was something about how a problem is just a puzzle with a missing piece.”Lottie had more likely heard that from one of her more senior friends, but she loved using the little nuggets of wisdom she procured from all sources anywhere she could.“So how can the mayor help you find that missing piece?”
The two older men seemed slightly disarmed by her interjection and as Mr.Miller rubbed the back of his beck, Mr.Goodwin spoke.“Well, the fence was downed last week when the wind was blowing like crazy.Fences are expensive and I can’t afford to repair it.”
“And I can?”Mr.Miller spoke up, a few crumbs from his cinnamon roll flying from his mouth.Lottie flicked one of the stray pieces off her shoulder as she smiled politely at the man.“We all know you’re hiding money in your mattress.How else could you afford one of those new fancy phones?”
Lottie spotted the old flip phone attached to Mr.Goodwin’s belt buckle and tried not to laugh.That phone was at least a decade old, if not more so.Nate looked between the two men as if the answer to their problem weren’t obvious.“Can’t you just split the cost?”
Nate’s question prompted both men to launch into complaints about inflation, the price of lumber, and how neither was physically able to build it themselves to save cash.Money was no issue for Lottie, but she didn’t want to come right out and tell the men she would pay for it.There was a certain amount of pride involved, and she didn’t want to damage theirs even if it meant solving their problem easily.
Unable to help herself from saving them some trouble, Lottie placed a hand gently on Nate’s shoulder and smiled at the two men again.“You know, Mr.Franklin down at the hardware store owes me a favor, and there are plenty of people who would love to volunteer their time to help get your new fence up.It could be like an old fashioned barn raising.”She batted her eyelashes at the group for good measure.“If I can get the lumber delivered and a few people to help build it, can we consider the matter closed?”
The men thought as they chewed on their pastries, finally nodding their agreement.“Yes, but I want to oversee construction,” Mr.Miller griped.
“Same.”Mr.Goodwin turned to Nate.“You’ll be here too, right, Mayor?”
Nate looked slightly shocked, but nodded.“Of course.I’m more than happy to help.”
After everyone shook hands, the two men wandered back onto their property, now bickering over who would actually be in charge of the project as Lottie and Nate went back to her car.Before turning the engine over, Nate draped his arm over the steering wheel and stared at her.
“I don’t know whether to be impressed with your negotiating skills or irritated that you inadvertently signed me up for manual labor.”
Lottie chuckled as Nate started to drive them back toward her house.“You should always be impressed by me,” she told him with a smirk.Reaching over, she ran her hand up the front of his thigh before gripping it near the top.“As far as the manual labor goes, the idea of seeing you all sweaty and swinging a hammer around is pretty hot.Maybe when we get back home, I can show you how much I like the thought of it.”
Nate pressed his foot down on the accelerator and Lottie chuckled, loving the ease of interaction between them.This had been what was missing from her life the last ten years, and she was beyond happy to have it back.
