Two-Part Harmony

“She’ll be fine.” He started the truck and it growled to life. “I think she needs to say goodbye to your grandmother in her own way. She’s afraid that she’s going to lose the bakery without Addy.”

“She mentioned that. Yes.”

He drove down Main Street in the direction of the farmhouse. “What about you? Isn’t there something besides singing that you’ve wanted to do?”

“Never. If you don’t keep your focus on this business, then you miss opportunities. There’s no room for doubts.”

“There are other careers out there.”

“Not for me.” She reached over and snapped on the radio. A mournful male voice sang about letting go of regrets. She switched it off. “You think you know Megs so well, and me. I’m telling you that you have no idea.”

He glanced at her, then back to the road. “I’m starting to realize that.”

He pulled into the driveway and parked the truck near the garage. The faint lights from the dashboard sent splashes of blue and red over the hard planes of his face. She ignored it before she did something crazy like reach out and touch those sharp cheekbones and strong jaw.

She swallowed hard. What was wrong with her? This was Saint Sam, the man who was supposedly the second love of her grandmother’s life. He wasn’t a potential love interest for herself though. He probably thought of her like a sister, anyway, like he did with Megs. If that’s even what he really thought about her.

He put his arm across the back of the bench seat. “Kelly.”

She twisted to face him and wished for a moment that he could be more than a family friend. He was more than handsome. And he’d been so sweet during all this funeral business. Some of Grammy’s effusive compliments for him seemed to be true. The potential of more hung in the air between them for a moment, but she broke the tension and held out her hand. “Good night, Sam. Thank you for the ride home.”

He slid his warm hand into hers and held on to it. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m available. Call or text me anytime.”

“I don’t have your number.”

He took her phone sticking out from the top of her purse and typed in his phone number. “Now you do. And I mean it. Anytime.”

He handed the phone to her, his fingers touching hers again briefly. She almost dropped the phone from the touch. “Thanks.”

They got out of the truck, and Kelly walked to the house and the side door that led into the kitchen. Sam began to head up the stairs to his apartment. He called out, “See you tomorrow at the lawyer’s.”

Confusion followed Kelly as she went inside.

* * *

SAM PACED OUTSIDE of the lawyer’s office until he spotted Megs and Kelly strolling down Main Street from the Sweetheart. Must be one of the perks of working in downtown Lake Mildred. But then, his job took him all over the county rather than keeping him cooped up in an office. And that’s the way he liked it.

Megs walked up and gave him a hug while Kelly watched him intently as if trying to figure out something. Good. He didn’t know what or why he’d be inheriting anything, either.

He opened the glass door and let them both pass in front of him into the office. Sam removed his leather jacket and folded it over one arm. He also adjusted his tie, which he’d worn out of respect for Addy.

A secretary ushered them into a private office and shut the door behind them. Sam held out a chair for Megs. She thanked him before he held out another for Kelly. Sam pulled a third chair closer to Megs and draped his jacket over the back of it.

Megs watched him. “You don’t look like you slept much.”

Sleep? What was sleep after all? He shrugged. “No big deal. I had a lot of things on my mind.” He yawned for emphasis and stretched his arms out.

“I know the feeling.” Megs gave him a soft smile as the door opened, and Zac Hall stepped inside. Sam stood and held out his hand. “Good to see you, Zac.”