I pass by the familiar sights of Collier’s Creek—the town square where Jake’s Day is held each year, the quaint, old-fashioned homes, the picturesque park where families gather on weekends. It’s all part of the tight-knit community I’ve known all my life. It must be such a different world for Kit. He’s spent his entire life in the city, then spent recent years alone, nursing his grief.
Is it possible for two people from such different backgrounds to make a life together? Would he even want to? I resolve to find out.
But first to drop off Uncle Shawn’s groceries. I slow down as I approach the cabins. I head through the gates and straight to Uncle Shawn’s house, where I see he has a visitor. I park directly in front and get out of the car. The afternoon sun casts long shadows across the gravel road, a faint breeze rustles through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. It’s beautiful, but cold. I quickly grab the bag of groceries from the back. I smile when my gaze lands on the other bag, excited at the thought of preparing a meal with Kit.
The sound of conversation greets me as soon as I enter the house.
I stop at the kitchen doorway, hesitating when I hear Geraldine talking. She’s a friend of Uncle Shawn’s and a bit of a character, and she sure knows how to chat. I don’t want to get pulled into a long-winded conversation, so contemplate leaving the groceries on the floor in the hall. I can always text Uncle Shawn that they’re there. But what I hear next stops me in my tracks.
“… and he’s so much older,” Geraldine says. “I mean, what could they possibly have in common?”
“Age is just a number, Geraldine,” Uncle Shawn replies. “How they feel about each other is all that matters.”
Yes! Go Uncle Shawn.
“Of course, of course,” Geraldine continues. “But they’re bound to face some challenges. We all know how people talk in this town.”
Fuck! Damn gossip!I can’t believe it’s the second time in one day. I know Mrs. Hendricks only has my best interest at heart, but Geraldine is just an old busy-body who likes to foist her opinions on everyone else.
“Too much, if you ask me,” Uncle Shawn mutters, echoing my own thoughts. “Felix is a good kid. He has his head screwed on right. Now, let’s get back to the raffle donations. That’s what you came here for, right?”
“Oh, of course. The hospital fundraiser—”
“Excuse me,” I interrupt, stepping into the room. “Hi, Uncle Shawn. How are you, Geraldine?” I keep my voice steady and polite as I nod her way.
Her eyes widen, her face nearly the same color as her pink-tinged hair, before she regains her composure. “I’m fine, Felix, thank you for asking. And how are you doing? Have you settled back in after your time away? I was sorry to hear about your troubles.”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ve got the groceries you asked me to pick up, Uncle Shawn,” I say, changing the subject.
“Thank you, my boy.” Uncle Shawn rises from the table and takes the bag. “Did you want to stay for supper?”
“No thanks, not tonight. I’ve got plans, so I’ll have to take a raincheck.” Geraldine opens her mouth to speak, but I don’t give her time to ask any questions. “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow to go over the project outline.”
After a quick goodbye, I fly out the door. I’ve got a dinner to get to.
Chapter Sixteen
Kit
The phone rings just as I complete a final read through of my latest chapters. I see Mike’s name on the display. It’s as if the man has ESP.
I smile as I hit the answer button. “Hey, Mike, how are you?”
“Kit, you sound upbeat. I’m not interrupting, am I?”
“Actually, you’ve got perfect timing.” I lean back in my chair, grinning at the computer screen and the document full of words.Goodwords.
“Oh! Now you’ve got me intrigued. The writing’s still going well, I take it?”
“I’ve got a dozen new chapters for you.” It’s hard to hold back my enthusiasm. It’s been a painful process to get this far, but I’ve turned a corner and it feels damn good.
Mike chuckles. “Well, it’s about time. I haven’t heard you this excited in years. Must be that small-town charm working its magic, eh?”
I smile thinking of Felix. He’s been like a breath of fresh air. “I think you’re going to love them, Mike. I can’t wait to see what you think.”
“And I can’t wait to read them. Listen, now you’re back on track, we should leverage what you’ve got going and start thinking about marketing. I know you’ve avoided the spotlight since… well, you know, but we’ve got a real chance for you to make a huge comeback.”
My stomach tightens at the thought of putting myself back out there. The bookstore event went fine, but that wasn’t about me. “We’ve already had this conversation.”
