Hometown Holiday Reunion

While it wasn’t large, it had a nice-sized living room with a bay window that overlooked Main Street. Both bedrooms were down a short hallway, on either side of a bathroom that would benefit from a good scrubbing but was otherwise acceptable. She wasn’t much of a cook, but the galley kitchen and its appliances were in decent condition, and the breakfast bar separating it from the living area would do double duty for eating and homework.

“So,” he began in a conversational tone, “I can’t help wondering why a lifelong country girl like you is suddenly interested in moving to town.”

“I’ve been renting the bottom half of the old Johnson place for the past couple of years, but they’ve been hinting at selling it so they can move to Ohio to be closer to their grandkids. When Judge Markham decided to retire in December, he gave me a nice severance and a glowing reference about the administrative work I did for him. It was a decent job, but not really my thing. I mostly stayed because he and Granddad were friends for so long, and I could work flexible hours when I needed to.”

“Because you’re a mom now,” Cam filled in with an incredulous look. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one.”

So was she, Erin had to admit. But only to herself. She feared that if she ever voiced the tiniest smidgen of self-doubt, it would somehow get back to Parker’s social worker and she’d lose him to the system she was so determined to rescue him from.

Eight years old, he was on the verge of being considered unadoptable, which meant a forever home was almost out of reach for the shy boy. Over the past few months, she’d made slow but steady progress with him, until he now looked her in the eye without flinching. She hated to consider what might happen to him if he was torn from the life she and her large, loving family had worked so hard to give him.

So, in typical Kinley fashion, she’d simply decided that she wasn’t going to let that happen. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking about starting my own business, and with the apartment up here, this place would be perfect.”

“For what?”

He seemed genuinely interested, and her heart leaped with the excitement she always felt when she talked about the dream that had edged closer to reality over the past year. “A pet store. Not your average one, though.”

“Of course not,” he said with a chuckle. “You never do anything like anyone else.”

There was a tinge of admiration in his tone, and she couldn’t keep back a smile. “You make that sound like a good thing.”

“It is. There’s plenty of boring, predictable folks on the planet. We certainly don’t need any more.” Leaning against the counter that divided the kitchen from the living room, he said, “What’ve you got in mind?”

“All right,” she shot back, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Who are you, and what have you done with Cam Stewart?”

“Whaddya mean?”

“You’re being nice to me.”

“I’m nice.” When she gave him a wilting look, he laughed. “Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But I can be pleasant, if the situation warrants it.”

“Meaning this one does?” He nodded, and after studying his serious expression she opted to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, it wasn’t like he could still stuff her in a locker and stand outside of it laughing his head off while she tried to bang her way free. “Well, I was planning on stocking all the usual supplies, but also some fancier things for people who like to spoil their animals. I’m going to call it Pampered Pets.”

“I like it. Pretty much sums up what you’re offering to your customers.”

“Kind of like the new Wash and Dine Snack Bar you opened next to the café,” she commented, figuring it was only fair to compliment him in return. “We’ve needed a Laundromat for a while, but you went one further and made it into a fun spot to hang out. I’ve heard lots of great things about it from folks at church.”

His chiseled jaw tightened almost reflexively, then slowly eased as if he was making a concerted effort to relax. “Good to know.”

His clipped response warned her that she’d misstepped, and she frowned. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Course not.”

Any fool could see that he didn’t mean what he’d said, but she decided to let the matter drop. She didn’t want to start an argument with someone who had the power to help her make a stable home for Parker and get her new business off the ground. “I’d like to rent this place for three months, with an option to buy when the lease runs out. That gives me a chance to get all my ducks in a row before making a huge commitment I might end up regretting.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” he said with a wry grin. “Wish I could’ve done that with my ex-wife.”

It was Erin’s turn to gawk. “You were married?”

“For more than a year. Sherry and I were about as different as two people could be, but there was something about her.” He punctuated the very personal revelation with a rueful grin. “We both gave it our best shot, but eventually she decided I wasn’t worth the trouble. Considering the way my parents ended up, I don’t know why I thought I could make it work.”

For Erin, the situation was exactly the opposite. Her parents’ marriage had been full of love and laughter right up until the day her father died. That was why she was so picky about her relationships. If it wasn’t wonderful, she wasn’t interested. Which explained why, at twenty-eight, she was a frequent bridesmaid but had never walked down the aisle herself. “Sometimes people change when we’re not looking, and it’s smarter to admit that and move on.”

“Is that what happened to you and whoever’s heart you broke last?”

“You just assume that’s how it ended?” When he grinned, she couldn’t help smiling in return. “That’s very flattering, but actually it was the opposite. He claimed our relationship suffered because I was so preoccupied with Parker, but I got the feeling that wasn’t the whole story.”

“You were probably too much for him from the get-go. Some guys have no clue what to do with a strong, intelligent woman like you.”

She appreciated the boost to her ego, especially since it had come from someone who had no reason to sugarcoat things for her. “Whatever the reason, it wasn’t fun.”

“I can relate to that. The last six months of our marriage were the worst time of my life.” He paused, and his eyes filled with misery. “Until Mom’s stroke, anyway. I guess that takes first prize now.”

Cam had always been the capable type, top five in his graduating class and an all-star point guard and wide receiver throughout high school. Because he’d had so much going for him, he’d been arrogant to the point of being downright cocky. He’d finally come up against something he couldn’t defeat, and Erin’s heart went out to him.

Reaching over, she rubbed his arm in sympathy. “I’m sorry for the reason, but your mom and Natalie must be glad you’re here. They’re proud of those big construction jobs you’ve been doing, but they must like having you around for more than just a quick visit.”

“So they keep telling me, but I have a life to get back to. My boss has been great, but he can’t keep my spot open forever. I’m staying just long enough to get the café and this building in shape to sell so Mom will have some financial security. After that, Alex and Nat should be able to handle whatever needs to be done.”

Always the practical one, Erin thought sadly. Sentimental as a buzz saw, Cam had never been the emotional type, and clearly his divorce hadn’t helped any in that department. More than once, she’d suspected that his lack of empathy came from becoming the man of his family when he was twelve. That was the year his father, David, walked away from his wife and children and never looked back.

Mentioning that now probably wouldn’t go over well, so she kept the observation to herself. “Does that mean we have a deal?”

“Yeah. It’s not like I’ve got buyers lined up outside my door or anything.” The gloom in his eyes lifted ever so slightly, and he gave her a wry grin. “At least with you I know what I’m getting into.”

“That’s the spirit,” she teased, lightly knuckling his chin. “I’m assuming your sister’s got a lease form we can use to make this arrangement legal.”

“No doubt.”

“How much rent are you planning to charge me?” He named a figure, and she blinked at him. “Is that for all three months?”

“Funny. What were you thinking?” She countered, and he winced as if he was in serious pain. “You’re killing me with that. Be reasonable.”

In truth, she’d anticipated the pushback, so she made a show of reconsidering the price even though she’d purposefully gone in low. She might not have a fancy college degree, but one thing she’d learned from all the court cases she’d documented for the judge was how to negotiate. For her, getting the numbers right could be the difference between being financially secure for six months or an entire year. With a new business on the horizon, those six extra months could bend an outright failure into a modest success.

“Okay, how ’bout this?” she suggested in a brisk but friendly tone she hoped would appeal to him. “I’ll split the difference between your rent figure and mine. You leave the For Sale sign on the building, and if someone else shows interest in it we’ll talk about making a change.”

After a few moments he offered his hand, and they shook to seal their bargain. Erin’s previously cautious enthusiasm began bubbling, and she asked, “Can I paint the walls any color I want?”

“Now you’re pushing.”

He hadn’t seen anything yet, she thought with a grin. But since he’d given her what she wanted for a price she could live with, she was willing to overlook his grumbling. “Do you have time to go see Natalie now?”

“Sure.” She started to pull her hand back, but to her surprise, he held on, reeling her closer until they were barely a step apart. “One thing, Kinley.”

“What’s that?”

“No pink.”