And if he happened to make her dinner while he was at it? After the turns his life had taken in the last month, he damn well deserved a night that wasn’t all about the job.
FALL SUNSHINE WARMED her face as Amy turned the corner past Lucky’s Grocer onto Main Street. Her worn gray tennis shoes slowed their speed when she saw the handful of shops, brightly painted and welcoming. At the far end of the road sat the pizza parlor, awash in deep reds. Closer to Amy, the hair salon—The Strand—had the door open to let in the late-day warmth. The sandwich place across from Last Chance Vintage must be new.
Her sister had placed late-blooming mums in bright silver buckets outside her consignment shop. As Amy’s feet hit a welcome mat, she realized she’d made the whole trip without once reaching for her baton—not even just to feel the weight of it in her hand.
Being back in Heartache—at least this part of town—made her smile. She’d passed a lot of fun summer nights on the town green behind Lucky’s. Live bands played there sometimes, and she remembered dancing under the stars while her family ate barbecue on Friday nights. The kids would hurry up their meals to run to the playground.
A bell chimed a happy tune as she entered Last Chance Vintage, but it wasn’t her sister Erin behind the counter. Amy recognized the blond ponytail, though, and the wide smile of her sister-in-law, Bethany.
“Amy!” Bethany squealed it more than spoke it, dancing out from behind the counter, already lifting her arms for a hug.
Amy had no chance of refusing. And maybe it was the bright sun of the day—or the fact that she’d been on the receiving end of an incredible kiss today—but she squeezed Bethany back.
Her oldest brother, Scott, and Bethany had already been married for eight years when Amy left town. In her early teens, Amy had gone over to their house for sleepovers sometimes, and Bethany had never made her feel like she’d been an obligation. They’d make popcorn and watch bad horror movies after they tucked in Amy’s niece, Ally.
“It’s so good to see you,” her sister-in-law exclaimed, her rolled-up jeans and work boots paired with a khaki anorak and bright pink sweater underneath. She used to be a teacher until she’d found her niche managing Finley’s Building Supply, proving herself invaluable and increasing the amount of money the store made every year since she’d taken it over.
Amy knew because her father used to send her the company statements. All the Finley siblings owned a portion of the building supply company. So even when she refused to take anything from the family, she’d been aware when they were thriving and when the economy hadn’t been as kind to them. Even though she’d maintained her distance from the family, she’d kept track of their lives. Missing them and yet unable to make herself return.
“It’s really great seeing you, too.” Maybe it was easier tobe with Bethany because they shared a different kind of history. Amy had never held her sister-in-law responsible for not stepping in to intervene when Mom had her worst days because Bethany had never lived in the same house. Bethany had never knowingly abandoned her.
Stepping back from the hug, Amy took in a quick glimpse of the store’s interior. There were stacks of vintage linens arranged in an antique pie chest, to more whimsical touches like a fallen picnic basket spilling shiny, mismatched silverware onto a gingham blanket. White leather go-go boots and a patch of purple shag carpet decorated a display of Ts for old rock bands. But despite the artsy vibe of the antique displays, the store actually had an expansive amount of floor space devoted to new and gently used clothes. A handful of shoppers picked through the racks even now when it must be almost closing time.
“How’s Ally?” she asked Bethany.
“Having fun at college. I miss her while she’s away, but it’s okay because I know she’s happy and thriving.” She tucked her hands in the pockets of the anorak and rocked back on her heels.
“I’m so happy for her. And you.” Amy had new appreciation for the way a child’s life dominated a mother’s heart. There’d been her intense grief for the baby she’d lost. But even today, listening to Cynthia’s desperate voice on the phone when she had asked about her son, Amy had empathized. Perhaps more than she should have, in light of how Sam had reacted afterward.
“Thank you. Scott and I are very lucky that we repaired our marriage when we were close to calling it quits. But what about you? How’s the house project going?” She bit her lip and peered around the store. “Actually, don’t answerthat yet. We should find Erin so she can hear. And Nina, too.”
Waving Amy forward, she headed toward the back of the store, leading her past two dressing room stalls covered with long swaths of blue toile. The planked hardwood floor squeaked in a few places as Amy walked over it, but she liked the way Erin had maintained some of the building’s original architectural features. The additions added to the feel of a turn-of-the-century general store with lots of rich wood to anchor all the colorful offerings. The scent of rose potpourri seemed to emanate from a few electric oil burners.
“Nina is here, too?” She hadn’t expected to see so much of her family at once. Nina wasn’t formally her sister-in-law yet, but she would be soon enough.
While her oldest brother, Scott, had been married to Bethany for ages, her brother Mack had only just gotten engaged to Nina Spencer. But Mack and Nina had been dating at the same time as Amy and Sam. There’d been a big blowup between them a few months before Amy had left town, though. Mack’s best friend had been in an accident in Mack’s car on the night of their high school graduation. For a devastating few hours, the Finleys had thought Mack had been the one who’d died.
Nina left town shortly afterward, and Amy had often wondered why. But she was back now, and she and Mack were planning a future together. They had opened a restaurant together in Heartache.
“We all came over to help Erin get the mobile unit ready for a Dress for Success event this weekend. That’s her initiative to help underprivileged women source clothing to wear to work. Plus, a local woman asked Erin to help her find an outfit to give a deposition against Jeremy Covington.”Bethany peeked into a back office and then, when the room proved vacant, she pushed open a heavy rear door labeled as a fire exit. “I think they might be outside helping her find a dress.”
Sunlight poured over Amy through the open door. She tried not to linger on thoughts of a down-on-her-luck woman trying on outfits to give a statement against Covington while Amy...
Couldn’t.
She shut down the guilt and looked around the parking area behind the shop. It was mostly vacant except for a large custom RV with the store name stenciled on the side. A door to the motor home was open, and the lights were on in the back. Rock music and laughter filtered into the parking area.
“Erin?” Bethany called, leaving the fire exit open so she could see inside the store. “Someone’s here for you.”
She grinned at Amy.
How strange to be here, waiting for a glimpse of the sister she hadn’t seen in ten years. Her stomach jolted with nerves as she wondered if Erin would hold a grudge—no matter how nice of a face she put on her feelings. Erin and Amy were actually more alike in temperament than her other siblings. Heather alone had a sunny disposition.
“Well, hello, stranger. We’re just finishing up in here.”
Amy halted in the doorway to stare at her. With reverse highlights in her hair and a pink headband to hold it off her face, Erin didn’t seem to have aged a minute since Amy had seen her last.
Despite the stern-looking black lace-up boots she wore and the tough-girl jean overalls, her smile was friendly. Genuine.
