Fortune's Twins

“Oh, my God,” was all Eli could think of to say as he took in the rotting carpets, peeling wallpaper and cobwebs. Wasps had built nests in the chandelier. Ivy grew through cracks in the windows. In the dining room, the ceiling had caved in, and it smelled as if a colony of stray cats had taken up residence.

The kitchen was even worse. The appliances were circa 1940. Even if the stove worked, he wouldn’t want to use it for fear of asphyxiating himself or causing an explosion.

“Hell, I can’t live here,” he said, disgusted.

“Glad that’s settled.”

“Is Mac’s Auto Repair in the same shape?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“I bought that, too.” The mechanic’s shop, which faced Main Street, backed up to his property. It was a perfect setup for his business. “I’m a mechanic,” he explained.

“Really?” Her irritation with him fled, at least for the moment. “We haven’t had a real mechanic in Jester for years.”

“What about Tex’s Garage?” He’d noticed the small gas station with one car bay on his way into town.

“Tex mostly works on farm equipment. He can manage a quick oil change, but if there’s anything seriously wrong with a car, we have to drive or be towed to Pine Run to have it fixed. But I don’t know that there would be enough business here for you to make a living. That’s why Mac closed up and left.”

“I’ll manage.”

She narrowed her eyes, her momentary affability vanished. “We’ll see about that. Shall we check upstairs?”

He didn’t see the point. He couldn’t live here until he did some work. “I don’t suppose you have a vacancy at the boardinghouse?”

“No, I’m all full.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze, so he kept staring at her. “Oh, all right, I do have an empty room. But you can’t stay with me. What would people say?”

“You don’t rent to male boarders?”

“Well, yes, I do. Oggie Lewis has been with me forever. But everybody knows—thinks you’re the father of my babies. The gossips have been going nuts ever since your first visit to town.”

“Then I suggest everyone will think I’m here to look after the welfare of my children. And is that so bad?”

She sighed. “But what if they’re not your children?”

He sighed right back at her. “Gwendolyn, we both know they’re mine. So why don’t we stop pretending?”

He wasn’t sure what reaction he expected, but it wasn’t fear. Yet she looked up at him with huge green eyes, and that’s what he saw.

“You’re not…I mean, you don’t want them, do you? You aren’t thinking of a custody battle or something like that, are you? Because if you are, mister, you’re in for a helluva—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did I say anything about custody?”

“No,” she admitted.

“I wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t rip two innocent children away from their mother. What kind of monster do you think I am?”

Her voice softened. “I don’t think you’re a monster. But I don’t know you very well.”

“I’d like to remedy that.” His finger traced her jawline, and she didn’t flinch from his touch. He thought about mentioning marriage again. But clearly Gwen was feeling vulnerable right now. If he pushed again, she might close up to him completely. He’d settle for moving into her boardinghouse—for now. “So how about you show me that empty room.”

“It’s not much,” she admitted. “It’s the smallest room in the house. I usually stick Harvey Brinkman in there when he comes to town.”

“Who?”

“Harvey Brinkman. He’s a reporter from the Pine Run Plain Talker, a real pill. He took up residence in Jester after the lottery win. Thought I’d never get rid of him. Anyway, the room is small, but it has a little sitting area and a private bath. No shower, though, just a clawfoot tub.”

“Sounds fine.”

“You probably don’t like dogs. Irene, one of my permanent boarders, has a little Welsh corgi, and you have to be nice to him. Rules of the house.”

“I don’t mind dogs at all. In fact, I had one until recently.”

Her face clouded. “What happened to it?”

He shrugged. “Old age.” It still hurt a bit, thinking of Shadow. The big mutt had showed up at the garage, and after a couple of days Eli had been unable to resist those sad eyes and had started feeding him. Next thing he knew, he was hauling the beast to the vet, and Shadow was his. He’d kept Eli company during the day, and guarded the garage at night. He’d died last year.

A noise at the front door snagged their attention. “Yoo-hoo. Gwen? Did you fall down a rabbit hole?”

“We’re in the kitchen, Stella,” Gwen called. “But don’t bother coming in, we’re coming out.”

When they emerged into the welcome daylight, Eli saw the woman belonging to the voice. She was a cute, pudgy lady in her fifties with curly blond hair and a friendly smile.

“Eli, this is Stella Montgomery. Stella, meet our new boarder.”

Eli shook Stella’s hand. “Just temporary, until I get my place fixed up.”

“How nice to meet you,” Stella effused. “Will you join us for tea? I know Oggie would enjoy having another rooster at the hen party.” She tittered at her own bon mot.

“Thanks, but I have a lot to do.” He had to get that truck unloaded somewhere, which meant he had to find someone to help him. “Do you ladies know of a strong man who might be looking to earn some extra money? Oh, what am I thinking? Nobody in Jester needs money.”

“Don’t believe everything you read in the paper,” Gwen said.

“Ask Oggie how to get in touch with Jimmy—he’s custodian at the school,” Stella said helpfully. “Oggie’s another of your neighbors and the school vice principal. I’ll introduce you.”

GWEN SHOWED Eli his room, which he found satisfactory. She introduced him to Oggie, who grudgingly gave him Jimmy’s phone number.

After Eli left to take care of things, Gwen rejoined her guests on the porch. They all stared at her expectantly, dying to know the whole story.

She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction, she decided. Only Sylvia knew she’d picked Eli up in a bar and had known him precisely ninety minutes before she’d slept with him, and Sylvia would never tell.

“We won’t be seeing him again, huh?” Wyla said, enjoying the fact she could throw Gwen’s words back at her. “Apparently he has other ideas. Why’s he here? Is he going to make an honest woman out of you?”

“We’re not getting married,” Gwen said flatly.

“Why not?” Oggie wanted to know. “I’ll have a talk with that young man.”

“Oh, Oggie, you’re a dear, but I wish you wouldn’t. I believe Eli would marry me if that’s what I wanted. But it’s not necessary in this day and age. Single women raise children all the time. When I marry, it will be for love.”