“Good girl.” He leaned in and kissed her. So sweet, it had her arching up.
“Okay, so this is not the place for that.” His laugh was shaky. “I’ll see you around, Lani.”
“Sure, see you round.”
She stood there looking at those mugs until she heard the murmur of male voices leave the store. Then she selected one blue mug with Redwoods on the front and one red one with the lake on it. Hurrying to the counter, she paid for all her items before she could chicken out.
“How are you feeling now, Mr. Drubber?”
She’d liked Mac Drubber from the start. He was gruff but had a soft heart.
“I’m good now, Lani. Millie dropped me off some chicken and vegetable soup, and I think that fixed me up.”
Lani scrambled to come up with who Millie was, and could only find Millicent Lawrence.
“There’s soft under that hard exterior,” Mac said as if reading her mind; the people in this town were way too good at that. “She’s got a good heart. Circumstances have just created a hard exterior shell.”
“I’m sure she has, and I’ve no problem with her.”
“Well, you’d be the only one.” Mac gave her one of his rare smiles as he bagged up her things.
Leaving the store, Lani found she was smiling. The lightness was growing inside her, and Noah’s words had contributed to that. Could she really make a life here? Something was stopping her from leaving, and maybe it was because she believed this was the place for her to stop running and make a home.
“Put that down, Buddy!” The dog was sitting outside waiting for her with a roll of what looked to be pastry in his mouth. It was wrapped in plastic.
“I don’t want that back,” Buster said, arriving. “He snuck in the back door and stole it off the counter.”
“I’m sorry, Buster. I don’t think he meant it, and I fed him this morning—”
“It’s okay, Lani. Relax. I left the door open knowing he was there, and he is a dog. They love sneaking stuff.”
His apron had black and white stripes with the words Boss Dog on the front.
“I’ll pay for it.” She couldn’t believe Buster was taking it so well.
“Don’t be insulting. Stuff happens, and I have more.” Buster bent down to eyeball Buddy. The dog dropped his head, still with the roll of pastry in his mouth. “If you eat all that it will make you sick, bud. Take the plastic off first too; it’s not good for your insides.”
He then wrestled the roll out of the dog’s mouth, unwrapped the plastic, and gave him a piece.
“I’ll put the rest in the trash, it’s not good for him.”
“You two get over here and give us a hand, will you!” Newman was standing on a step ladder.
“‘Please’ is the universal word you add on the end of that shit.” Buster patted Buddy’s head and nudged Lani ahead of him. “Besides, Jake and those losers from Ryker are around here somewhere, get them to help.”
“We missed them, and now they’re likely in the Howler eating and drinking.”
“Want me to get them?” Lani asked.
“Why would I need them when I have three strong women and Baker Boy to help me. Just grab that end and climb the ladder over there. Mrs. Roberts Haigh, you and Hope hold up the banner. Buster, you tie off the ends.”
Lani did as she was told after putting down her purchases.
“Tie it to that tree, Lani.”
When it was done, they all stood in the street looking up.
“Only in Lake Howling,” Lani said, reading the words. “‘Date the person you’ve always dreamed about but never had the courage to ask. #datenightauction. All proceeds go to the renovation of the church.’”
