Home For Keeps

“Almost four acres. Half of that is common land, never to be built on. Phase 1 is only about an acre, similar to the size of a football field.”

“So there will be a Phase 2?”

“Down the road. Maybe. Assuming Phase 1 is successful. So far we’re about half-full and still working on completing a half-dozen town houses. Let’s hope that tour operator didn’t scare away people who might have been thinking of moving in.”

“I doubt that’s likely. He was just too outrageous for anyone with sense to buy into his story.”

“Hopefully you’re right. At any rate, if we went ahead with the second phase, we would probably add some single-family homes.”

“That would be good to bring in families with kids.”

“Exactly what we’re hoping to do. We want the community to be multigenerational, with the option for our more mature residents to age in place.”

As they walked through the network of winding streets, Grace talked about their objectives. “We want to protect occupant health by using safe building products, including what we can of mold-and fire-resistant materials. And we hope to reduce the impact to the environment by using energy and water resources more efficiently.” Grace sounded apologetic when she said, “But I’m preaching to the choir. You already know all that.”

“That may be true, but it’s nice to hear someone else talk about it.”

Caleb appreciated that Grace knew her stuff. Despite the fact that she claimed to be an amateur, she’d gotten so much right. He liked the walking paths carved through the forest so that residents could experience nature just outside their door. He particularly liked the chance to walk through the area with her.

“This is the rental building where Nellie lives,” she pointed out, taking a path that led behind it toward a stand of trees. “Let me know if you see any ghosts, okay?”

“A cow with glowing red eyes?”

They laughed together as they got on the walking path that cut through the trees behind the housing.

Caleb loved the near silence surrounding them. He could pick up welcome noises. A bird’s wings flapping. A small animal foraging for something to eat. A squirrel racing from one tree to the next. Grace seemed equally happy just being one with nature for the moment, not having to keep a conversation flowing. The expression on her face looked as serene as if she were meditating on the outdoor beauty. He liked that, plus he felt comfortable with her. As if he’d known her for months or years rather than a few days.

“Angela would love this trail,” Caleb said. “She would find dozens of places to hunker down and sketch.”

“I noticed how much she used nature in her art at your place the other day. If you wanted to bring her out here sometime, I have no objection.”

“I don’t think she wants to go anywhere with me at the moment.”

“She knows you love her. She’ll calm down.”

“I can hope.” Then Caleb reminded her, “I want to pay for the damage. Did you figure out how much I owe you?”

“Not yet. How about I send you an email when I tally it up.”

“Sounds fair. What I should do is find a way to make Angela pay for her own bad choices before she does something worse. I had a rough go of it myself when I was her age.” Surprisingly, Caleb found himself opening up to Grace, probably because she’d been so concerned for Angela and Kiki. “I was reckless. Got into all kinds of trouble. I didn’t expect to end up being a Dad at sixteen.”

“Oh...wow...you were a kid yourself.”

Rather than shocked, Grace sounded compassionate, which made Caleb appreciate her even more.

“I had to grow up fast. Thankfully, I had a terrific mother, who helped me make a U-turn with my life. I took custody of Angela, got myself through high school and into college. Took me a lot of years going to school while working in construction and other hard labor jobs. I had to make a decent living while getting my degrees.”

“But it was all worth it.”

He nodded. “I did it for Angela. Not that she sees it. She has no idea of how hard it was for me to give her the comfortable life she’s had. I wanted to be a good example, so that she would make better choices for herself than I did at her age. Lately it hasn’t seemed like I succeeded.”

“You can’t blame yourself. Every teenage kid goes through something. It’s part of growing up. What you did for her...that was everything. Give her some time, and she’ll realize that.”

Caleb hoped Grace was correct. Drawn to her caring nature, he didn’t miss the fact that she was a fine-looking woman. A little fancy for him, wearing what he thought was a designer dress and heels so high they were practically eye-to-eye. The look suited her, though, appearing...effortless.

Caleb wouldn’t mind getting to know Grace Huber better.

If only Angela wasn’t having an absentee-mother crisis.

Realistically, he couldn’t have met the appealing woman at a worse time.

CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_fb3e02c3-f6f4-5718-8e0a-1fd4073cf1c4)

GRACE HUMMED TO herself as she got ready for her meeting with Heather Scofield about the landscaping for Green Meadows. She kept playing the time she’d spent with Caleb the afternoon before over and over in her head. It had been a simple walk, but she couldn’t remember when she’d had such a good time with a man. She’d been so focused on work since Dad announced he was contemplating retiring, that she hadn’t even thought about dating in some time.

Well, now she was thinking about it!

There was a lot she appreciated about Caleb Blackthorne beyond his good looks. His devotion to his daughter touched her deeply. She liked the fact that he taught environmental studies. He was a man of principle. She’d meant to forgo billing him for the repaint job on the community center, but his reminder had convinced her she needed to let him make up for his daughter’s actions.

Most of all, she’d loved just being with Caleb on that walk. They had a like appreciation of nature. She was always trying to identify birds and often spent free time reading nature magazines, so she’d been aware of everything around her, and he hadn’t cut in with forced conversation. They both had been comfortable just being together, listening to the sounds of birds flying and small animals scurrying around. She couldn’t have had a better time.

She was smiling to herself just thinking about it when Heather appeared at her office door.

“You certainly look cheerful this morning.”

The smile turned to a grin. “I have a lot to be cheerful about.”

That’s when she noticed Heather’s expression was just a little distressed. And, in addition to her portfolio, Heather held a sheet of paper gripped tightly in one hand.

“Uh-oh. What’s wrong?”

Heather crossed to her desk. “Sorry.” And set the paper down in front of her.

It was a flier.

SPOOKY TOURS... HOSTED BY VINCENT PRYCE shouted at Grace from the top of the flier, and it took her a moment to read the rest. See the old Whitman farmstead, where ghosts were responsible for the deaths of an old man and his wife! Now they are haunting the grounds, too.

Choked up, she said, “If only there was something I could do to stop him!”

“I don’t know on what grounds as long as he stays off yours,” Heather said. “I mean, he can drive down the street and say whatever he wants about the area. I don’t know that anyone can stop him unless he’s defaming someone who is still alive and who can sue him.”

Grace’s stomach tightened at the thought of instigating a lawsuit. Not that it would go anywhere under the circumstances. “Well, maybe no one will want to go on that tour. At least not potential residents.”

“The best way to calm people down is to get to know them personally,” Heather said.

“I haven’t exactly had a lot of time for socializing this past year.”

“I know you were really busy. But things at Green Meadows are winding down now.”