“Long enough to know that you love Esther.”
Fred sighed.
“I won’t say a word to anyone except God and probably Lacey.”
Fred nodded.He wouldn’t even attempt to ask Will not to share what he knew with his wife.He hadn’t asked Eddie to keep things from Ava either.It just didn’t seem right to do so.But there was one person he did need Will not to say anything to – well, maybe two.“Just don’t tell Mom or Gran about what we discussed today.”
“But I can tell her about Esther?”he teased.
Fred chuckled.“She already knows.I’m not you.”Will had tried to keep his girlfriend a secret from their mom – not without reason, of course.
Will laughed.“I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thanks.”He pulled out his keys.“I’m off to discover just how much I love or loathe driving to Marydale as a commute.”Right after he picked up Sean from the Drummonds’ parking lot.He might be the one “in charge” for the day, but he knew he’d do a better job of it if he had someone like Sean helping him.Was that the sign of a good manager or a guy who was completely and totally not designed to take a leadership role like that?
“God, I could use a little help please,” he said as the engine of his car roared to life, and then, he laughed as his music picked up where he had left it with TobyMac singing “Help is on the way.”He backed his car out of the driveway and said, “I certainly hope so, God.I certainly hope so.”
Chapter 18
Estherdoublecheckedthatshe had the correct wiper blade in her hands for the fourth time as she waited at the service desk at Drummonds.She had put this task off long enough.That half-flapping, half-hitting the windshield on the passenger side wiper needed to be replaced.Sooner, rather than later.If the weather reports were correct, they would all be enjoying a white New Year’s.
She looked at the door to the shop as it opened.It wasn’t Fred, which caused her to sigh softly.Secretly, she had hoped he would be the mechanic they would get to help her install these.Maybe he had seen her and passed it on to someone else.She wouldn’t blame him.He still thought she was dating Steve.
“Hey, you’re Esther, aren’t you?”the mechanic said.
“I am.”
“Fred’s friend?”
“Yep, that’s me.”Or it had been.And she hoped it could be again.Maybe after the holidays were over and the fact that she wasn’t dating Maddie’s dad circulated through the parents’ gossip circle.
“Parker.”The guy stuck out his hand to shake hers.“We sort of met at the Waterwheel.”
“Oh, you sing in that band.”She had a fuzzy recollection of meeting him that night before they left the pub.It had been a quick introduction.“You look different in your coveralls.You were there with your aunt, weren’t you?”
“I sure was.”He grinned.“Aunt Patty’s been my mom for many years, and she actually co-owns the Waterwheel.So she never misses a gig.”He pointed to the wiper she held.“You need that put on?”
“I do.I figured I should have two working ones before the snow hits.”She handed it to him.“Fred has always taken care of this sort of thing for me before.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her.“Fredster’s not falling down on the job, is he?”
He wasn’t.She had just messed things up where Fred was concerned.But did she want to try to explain that to Parker?Not really, so she shrugged.“It’s complicated.”
He chuckled and motioned towards the door before starting to walk that direction.“Probably due to you having a boyfriend.How come you didn’t get him to do this for you?Please, don’t tell me he’s not a car guy.”He clutched his coveralls above his heart dramatically.
Esther couldn’t help but laugh.“I don’t know if Steve is a car guy or not.I never asked him.”
“Well, that should be the first question you ask him – right after are you single and do you live with your mom.Which I am and I do.”
Again, Esther laughed.“Steve’s a divorced father of one.Not living with his mom.Definitely single.A really great guy, but no longer my boyfriend.”Her cheeks felt warm despite the bite of the late December wind.
Parker had just removed the old blade and paused before starting to replace it with the new one.
“It was my choice.”She was certain that was the question written in his expression, but he was too polite to ask.“He just wasn’t right for me.”
While he worked, Parker’s head bobbed up and down as if he completely understood what she had just said.Not that she had given much information.
He snapped the new wiper blade against the windshield as he returned it to its working position.“You’re set for the storm,” he said.
