“Mom’s asked me to step in for Mrs. Myers.”
“Yeah. Her husband has been recently diagnosed with cancer. I think it’s hit the family pretty hard.”
Hunter nodded. “So that means I’m going to help with setting up the venue and getting it ready for the dance.” Hunter looked like a deer in the headlights as he shared the news, no doubt waiting for Aaron to lose his shit. It was then that it clicked and he understood what Hunter was saying—they’d be spending time together.
Aaron’s heart skipped a beat, this time in happiness, not the anger Hunter most likely expected, but he quickly tamped those feelings down.Jeez, what the hell’s wrong with me? I amnotlooking forward to spending time with Hunter.
He schooled his features. “Right. That makes sense, I guess. C’mon, follow me and I’ll show you where the cartons are.”
As Hunter followed close on his heels, Aaron was conscious of every step on the hardwood floor. This dance couldn’t come fast enough, because he wasn’t sure if he could handle spending much time with Hunter Cavendish.
6
Aaron loved his town. He loved the pace of life in Cavendish Crossing and the tremendous community spirit. The townsfolk stood by one another, something he attributed to the town’s small size, and the relationships built up over generations. Although some of the families didn’t give him the time of day, others made up for it. Of course, not everyone knew everyone, but if you walked down Main Street you were guaranteed to run into friends of your folks, people you’d been to school with, and a few of the more notable characters who inhabited the local area.
“Morning, Joe.” Aaron nodded to the older man as he passed him on the sidewalk. Joe had been delivering the post for as long as Aaron could remember.
The old man tipped his hat and kept walking, shoulders hunched against the cold.
Aaron hitched his load higher in his arms and climbed carefully to the front door of the community hall. No way in hell was he going to slip on the steps and drop any of his precious cargo. The new fairy lights had finally arrived—yards and yards of delicate twinkling lights that glowed mellow gold instead of the bright white light of so many sets. Aaron had put in a special order, and it was worth every penny. He couldn’t wait to see the strands strung along the rafters of the old building.
Thankfully he managed to juggle his boxes and unlatch the door without losing either his footing or his grip.
The inside of the hall was pretty much empty. Damn, they had their job cut out for them changing the cavernous room into a warm and welcoming dance venue. Aaron smiled at the thought of the end result—it would be well worth it. The hall had been constructed in the late 1880s and had been the hub for the town’s entertainment for well over a century. Countless dances had taken place on its well-worn hardwood floors, and its walls had housed thousands of celebrations. Aaron liked the idea of the historic old building being filled with fun and festivity, like it was originally intended, because these days it only hosted the annual Christmas Dance and a handful of weddings through the year. The rest of the time it was a venue for community activities such as Pilates and bake sales.
Aaron’s footsteps echoed on the bare boards as he made his way to a trestle table that ran along the side wall. He placed his boxes carefully, shrugging to relieve the tension in his shoulders once he’d lowered his load. It was chilly inside, so he left his coat on. A quick check of the time showed he was a few minutes early, so he headed to the kitchen at the back of the building to see if he could rustle up a cup of coffee. He was surprised to see the coffeepot already brewing and Mrs. Myers at the sink.
“Mrs. Myers, I wasn’t expecting you.”
She turned to look at him over her shoulder, her smile wide. “Hello, Aaron. I’ve just started the coffee. Can I offer you a cup?”
“Thanks, but I can get it.” He crossed the room and reached for the mugs with the familiarity that came with spending a lot of time in the old hall and knowing its layout well. “I thought you’d abdicated your duties.”
She laughed, turning around and drying her hands on a tea-towel. “You make me sound like the queen.”
Aaron shrugged and sent her a wink. She was pretty much Cavendish Crossing royalty, after all—she’d been involved in organizing every event he could remember. “If the shoe fits.”
She waved the tea towel at him. “Oh, get away with you, boy.” But her eyes glittered with mirth.
He lifted the now-full carafe, filled the mismatched mugs, then handed her one before taking a seat at the table. “But seriously, I know you probably have more important places to be.”
“Hmm.” She sat down and sipped delicately from the mug. “Possibly true, I suppose. But it’s nice to get out of the house every once in a while. A little break, so to speak. I’ll be back home soon enough.”
Aaron nodded, but he couldn’t imagine being in her position and having to deal with the heartache of knowing she was most likely going to be losing someone she loved soon. “I’m sorry—”
“I know you are. If only all the sorrys could fix the world, it’d be a much better place, wouldn’t it?”
Her smile was gentle, and he knew she didn’t think he was being flippant. But Jesus, it was hard knowing the right words to say in these situations. “Is there anything I can do? Any help you need at home?”
She reached across and laid a hand on his. “Thank you, dear boy, but it’s all under control. So many wonderful people have been helping out. You know, I haven’t had to cook a meal in weeks!” She leaned in conspiratorially. “If you promise not to tell, I can give you a couple of casseroles.”
Aaron chuckled. If there was one thing there was never a shortage of when someone was injured, sick, or generally going through a hard time in Cavendish Crossing, it was offerings of food. “I’ll let you know.”
“Anyway, I’m not here for long. I just wanted to drop off the planning folder for you.” She pushed up from the table to retrieve a festively covered binder from the counter where her purse was. She put it on the table between them. “Everything you need is right in there. Guest list and final numbers, check list of the items we have and what still needs to be purchased, the schedule. I can’t thank you enough for taking the load off, and I just hope it’s not too much work for you. I know the store is busy at this time of the year.”
Her words reminded him just how busy he was with preparations and the Christmas rush. It was his prime selling season, but also his favorite time to be in the store, so he couldn’t complain too much. “I’m sure I’ll manage. Plus I’ll have help with the dance. Hunter Cavendish is going to lend a hand.” Just how much of a hand, Aaron wasn’t completely sure of.Hunter pitching in with the labor to get this place up to scratch?
“Did I hear my name?”
