“You can’t have her. You can’t.”
19
CALEB
Now . . .
Work had finally started on Alderman’s Pharmacy. Liking hands-on experience, and to keep an eye on the historical elements, Caleb joined the construction crew removing rotting beams and floors and the odd wall someone added in the seventies to the upstairs apartment.
Thursday afternoon, Jenny Finch arrived in her high-heeled, high-fashion manner to check on the progress. Caleb rolled out the printed plans across the long, dark mahogany counter where Alderman’s used to serve milkshakes, floats, and fizzes.
“Excellent, Caleb. I love it.” Jenny compared the plans to the pictures she’d acquired when she bought the place. “I want to walk into 1902 when I pass through that door. Let all the modern stuff be behind walls, under the floor, and in the attic.”
“Sourcing some of these items, like the pulls for the old soda fountain, will be pricy. We may have to order custom made.”
“Do what you have to do. I want the detail, Caleb. I picked you because I knew you’d make sure the pharmacy was restored to its original beauty.”
He regarded her for a moment before rolling up the plans. “What brought you to that conclusion?”
“I do my homework.” Jenny slid her arm through the arched handles of her Hermès handbag. His ex, Lizzie, had educated him on Hermès Birkin, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. “Listen, I got a call from a Mac Diamond. He offered to buy me out. Says he has plans for the East End and doesn’t want me to lose my investment. But I don’t roll that way.”
If Caleb didn’t respect Ms. Finch before now ... “Mac wants the entire East End as his money-making playground.”
“So I gathered. Listen, if you need anything from me, let me know. And what’s this about something called the Org. Homestead?”
“He told you about that too? It’s more of a street, really, with twelve Florida Cracker homes. Mac wants that area to be a nine-hole golf course with a clubhouse. It’s prime real estate, for sure. Higher ground, lots of trees.”
“But you want to restore the homes?” Jenny leaned in for his reply.
“Yes, get people living in them again. Progress is good until it rolls over history. They tried to demolish the Starlight skating rink in the eighties, but the town and a secret deed saved it.”
“Fascinating.” She headed to inspect the second floor, her high heels thunking against the old floorboards. “If you need money, let me know.”
Duly noted.
For the rest of the afternoon, his conversation with Jenny clung to him, offering hope and relief. There were good people in the world. Okay, maybe Mac Diamond wasn’t a bad dude so much as driven, ambitious, and callous toward the wants of others.
Swinging a hammer helped him process, along with hauling out large pieces of lumber to the dumpster. Lost in the demolition ofthe old kitchen, Caleb finally noticed the bright afternoon hues had faded to gray. What time was it, anyway? Six fifty-five. He hollered good night to the foreman, then scrambled for his truck. The Main Street meeting started at seven. He called Dad once he hit Sea Blue Way.
“Can you feed Bentley?”
“Already done. You got to get the rhythm of this parenting thing, son,” Dad said.
“I’m trying, but being a single parent is no joke.” Which made him think he should cut Cassidy some slack in that department.
At the Starlight Museum, he walked into the warm conversation of Adele, Mercy, Ivan, and Duke, along with the heady aroma of a chicken casserole. Dust fell from his jeans and shirt as he set his iPad on his chair.
“Sorry I’m late.” You could hear his stomach rumbling all the way to Tucson.
“Help yourself to a plate, Caleb,” Adele said. “It’s one of my signature recipes.”
“Adele, you don’t have to bring food to the meeting.” Which seemed hypocritical to say as he scooped out a large pile of steaming chicken in a creamy sauce, darn near weak with hunger. “But thank you.”
“She can’t help it, Caleb,” Ivan said. “It’s a disease with her. Got to feed and clothe everyone.”
“Just doing what the good Lord told me to do. You do know the good Lord, don’t you, Ivan? Immanuel, God with us? He’s part of our town.” She pointed to the replica image Immanuel. Same as on the wall of the Starlight. “He wrote a whole big book for us to learn about Him and His love. But you got to read it if—”
“Adele, will you hush up?” Ivan squinted at her. “Pastor does all the preaching I need.”
