Every Yesterday (Boot Creek) (3 page)

“That’s enough out of you two. Especially you, Jackson. You’re the one jumping in the deep end. Don’t come whining to me if you figure it out too late.” Finding out late would have just put everything he worked so hard for at risk. He’d considered his two broken engagements mistakes of the best kind.

“Just pointing out that you keep giving us hell about getting married when in reality you were the first to even think about it.”

“I woke up, though. Didn’t I?” He lounged against the window. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of those mistakes.

“To put it in car terms,” Jackson said. “If you have one car that breaks down on you all the time, it doesn’t mean you then just walk everywhere the rest of your life. You test-drive a new model.”

“I find a model like this,” Noah said raising the phone in the air. “She’ll damn sure already be taken. Seriously sexy. Seductive. Elegant. And the leather seats so supple that when you run your hand across them, you don’t want to ever stop.”

“You’ve been sucking to many exhaust fumes, man,” Ford shook his head. “And you’re in California. Practically a Costco of women. Not like you’re up in Alaska with me. And even I get out more than you, it sounds like. You talk about that car like she’s a woman. The perfect woman.”

Noah sucked in a breath. It was true, and if a woman ever aroused him like cars did, that would be one fine day. “If I ever meet a woman that fits that description—makes me feel like that car does. I will marry her. On the spot.”

Jackson glanced at Noah. “Guess your bachelorhood is safe.”

“Completely,” Noah said. “But cars and women are similar in some ways. Cars can be moody, but they can also make us feel cool. They are sexy as hell. Can even make us look sexy. They can be fast and loud, dangerous and so empowering you don’t even care if the man stops you and writes you a ticket. In fact, if he does, it’s more proof of what she can do.”

“Okay, that’s just weird,” Ford said. “Maybe you’re a candidate for one of those android girlfriends they were talking about online a few weeks ago.”

“I heard about that. No emotion. No negative feedback. No bitching if I’m late or spend too much money on another car. Yeah, I’d give it a try,” Noah said.

“I think I’
m glad I
’m getting married,” Jackson said. “Not sure I want a bride who can short-circuit.”

“Trust me. Women short-circuit too. Been there. Done that,” Noah said with a laugh as he leaned forward between the seats. “How long a ride is it?”

“Hour and a half northwest. Anyone need to grab something to eat before we get there?”

“No, I’m good,” Noah said.

“Me too.”

“Cool. One of the bridesmaids owns a bed and breakfast. That’s where y’all will be staying. She said she’d have some snacks for you when you arrive. For a small town we have lots of great places to eat. We get some good foot traffic at the interstate end of town.”

“As long as there’s a burger within driving distance, I’m good to go.” Noah watched the sun-drenched landscape zoom by as they sped down the highway.

“You’re set then, because the Blue Skies Café has about the best burger you’ll ever have. Anywhere. Beefalo. Angie worked there and her boss is throwing us a party. Guy knows how to cook. And those beefalo burgers rock.”

“Cross between beef and buffalo?” Noah asked.

Jackson glanced into the rearview mirror, making eye contact with Noah. “Yeah. It’s awesome. The farm I worked for supplies all the meat to the restaurant. I swear that’ll ruin you for any other burger.”

“Kind of like Boot Creek ruined you for any other town?”

“Yeah. It’s a good place to be. I wandered in and I guess I never left. But I’m not the only one. I swear the place has a one-way door . . . people come and never leave.”

Noah turned and looked out the window at the light traffic and wide open spaces.
Well, this was one guy who’d be leaving Boot Creek at the end of the week with no regrets.

Chapter Three

At the corner of Water Loop Way and Crump Farm Road, lights shone through the glass block windows of what used to be the only gas station in Boot Creek back in the sixties. Of course, that was when Water Loop Way was the main road through town. That hadn’t been the case for a long, long time.

Now the old Mobil station was Megan Howard’s residence and the home of Balanced Buzz,
the beeswax aromatherapy candle company. It was a perk that she was located straight across the street from the post office too. What she couldn’t deliver locally, she shipped out from there.

Megan pulled her red Karmann Ghia under the cover of what was once the canopy over the gas pump island. Now it was just a convenient carport, especially on nights like tonight when she hadn’t expected rain and didn’t have an umbrella handy. She hated to curse the rain. She knew the farmers had been really hurt by the long dry spell. Maybe the rain would save the crops and finally cool things down a little bit.

She unlocked the building and headed straight back to the work area she used for Balanced Buzz. One hundred mason jar shot glasses filled the cooling racks. She’d wicked and poured them late last night. Plucking six jars from different places on the rack, she lined them up under the light to check them. The wax was setting right, and the color was consistent. She held the swatch of fabric from her bridesmaid dress next to the candles.

A perfect match.
Just like the bride and groom.

She went back out to her car and got the bags of craft supplies she’d picked up in town and carried them inside, leaving the front door unlocked for the girls who would arrive shortly. A trip to the craft store was never a cheap one for her. All the things on her list would have fit in a single bag, but those impulse purchases had filled two more. She couldn’t deny herself all the cool stuff she found when she made the trip into the city.

It felt like the
Pretty Woman
moment as she walked back inside with all the bags dangling at her sides by their handles.

Sorting through all of the goodies, she spread out what they’d need tonight on the long worktable in the back of the workshop, and then she tucked the rest of the treasures in the storage closet to go through later.

She was just arranging all the ribbon, glue, and beads on the table when the old bell that had been a part of the Mobil station sounded. Someone had pulled in front of the building. Not an electronic sensor, but one of those old hoses that kicked the bell when a car crossed over it.

She poked her head out around the partition as Katy and Flynn walked inside. “We’re here,” Flynn called out.

“Hey y’all. I was just getting set up.” She and the girls would be working on decorating the candle jars for Angie and Jackson’s wedding this Saturday.

“I love the feeling of this place. It’s like the history of the old service station still hangs in the air,” Katy said. “It has such a great old vibe to it. I could totally live here.”

Megan wrinkled her nose, “Right. Because Lonesome Pines is such a shack?” Everyone knew Lonesome Pines was the nicest place in town. Probably in the five neighboring towns too. And now Derek and Katy were working on reopening the creek-side estate as a retreat, breathing new life and purpose into the place.

Everyone in town was so excited—having highly compensated physicians at the new retreat was sure to boost their quiet little town’s economy.

“That’s like comparing apples and oranges. And this place is like . . .” Katy seemed to be searching for the word. “A pomegranate. Extra special and unexpected.”

“I think I like being a pomegranate. Come on back,” Megan said. “I’ve got everything we need.”

Katy followed Flynn and Megan to the back of the workshop toward a long table. Beyond the large windows that lined the wall to what used to be one of the bays in the original garage, night-lights sparkled like little stars against the shiny paint of the big black and gold car parked there. “Is that your dad’s car? The one Angie and Jackson are using for the wedding? I heard it was a classic car. Not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that. It’s huge,” Katy said.

“It sure is,” Megan said. “Kind of like Daddy’s personality.”

“How are you doing?” Katy asked. “Angie told me how close you and your dad were.”

“I miss him like crazy. I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Understandable.”

“He drove me crazy when he was alive. We were so close, until he remarried. I’m sure the last thing I said to him was something snarky. I can’t even remember for sure what it was.”

“I’m sure he knew you loved him.”

“I do love him. Did. Whatever. I wish that stupid wife of his had called me as soon as they’d taken him to the hospital. I might have been able to at least talk to him before he died.”

“Don’t torture yourself with those thoughts.”

“I do. I can’t help it. But at least she finally gave in and had the car delivered. She didn’t want to, but the lawyer made it pretty clear she didn’t have a leg to stand on.”

“It’s a whale,” Katy said. “What kind is it?”

“DeSoto Adventurer.” And even though Daddy had been the one to offer it to Jackson and Angie to drive away in, it was killing Megan inside. She wanted to protect it. It was the only thing she really had of his. She refused to let herself get caught up in that right now. She pasted a smile on her face. “It’s a cool car, from what I understand there aren’t many of this model out there anymore.”

“You could probably make two cars out of the metal used to make that one,” Katy said.

Megan hadn’t considered that, but Katy had a point. “It looks bigger in here than it does outside.”

“It’s big no matter how you slice it,” Flynn said with a laugh. “We needed that car when we were in college. Instead we were stuffing ourselves in your Karmann Ghia. Good thing I was a gymnast.”

“I had to have very limber friends,” Megan said with a laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when Mom and I need storage space for the holidays. I had to have the guys push all of my shelving against the walls to make room for the car. I guess I’ll have to stack stuff in the work area and in my apartment.”

Flynn jumped up. “I know. You could just fill up the car!”

“True. Why didn’t I think of that?” She swept her hands against each other. “Another problem solved. Is there anything we girls can’t do together?”

“Or you could get your space back by selling the car. It’s really pretty. I’ve heard some old cars can be worth a ton of money, and that one looks very well kept,” Flynn said. “And more practical than using it as a storage bin.”

“It’s pristine. Daddy always bragged that the Desoto has never seen a raindrop, but I can’t sell it.”

“Maybe someday.” Flynn’s expression softened. She’d lost her dad a few years back, so she knew what Megan was going through.

“Never.” The words had come out like a bite. She caught herself immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m still a little emotional about it all, and it’s the only connection to him I still have.”

“Don’t apologize. You know you don’t have to do anything you’re not ready to. Plus, who else has the room to store a car this size?”

“True,” Megan agreed.

“I brought some extra stuff I had that I thought we might be able to use too.” Flynn owned the only B&B in the town, if one didn’t count Lonesome Pines Inn, which wasn’t officially an inn anymore since Naomi Laumann had turned it over to Katy and Derek to use for Derek’s doctor’s retreat business. The timing couldn’t have been better for the tall, reedlike blonde to take over the business from her grandparents.

“Thanks,” Megan said.

Flynn started pulling craft supplies out of what seemed to be a never-ending bag. “Stuff I’d gotten on sale that’s been sitting in my hope chest for way too long.”

“Anyone hear from the guys today?” Megan asked.

“Not me,” Katy said.

“All of the guys are staying with me at the B&B. Jackson stopped by on the way to the airport to pick up Noah and Ford.”

“Is Ford the one from Alaska?” Katy asked.

“I can’t keep them straight either.” Megan pulled out a chair.

“Yes. Ford is from Alaska.” Flynn leaned forward with a sparkle in her eyes. “I’m dying to meet these guys. Those pictures Jackson had were from like seven years ago, but they were all hot. Why is it good-lookin’ guys always seemed to travel in tribes?”

“I don’t think I’ve noticed that,” Megan said.

“The only one I could find online was Noah,” Flynn said.

“Okay, now you just sound like a stalker,” Megan said.

“I am not stalking. I’m curious. I hope Ford isn’t like five feet tall or something since that’s who I have to walk down the aisle with. That would suck.”

Megan had never had to deal with the problem of being too tall for someone. Of course, as pretty as Flynn was, Megan wasn’t sure any guy would have a problem with her height. “Don’t sweat it.” Megan nodded for Flynn to follow her. “We don’t have to marry them, and no one will be looking at us as we walk out of the church with those guys. All eyes will be on Angie. So, who cares?”

“Easy for y’all to say. Katy has Derek and you don’t want a relationship. I do.” Flynn pouted like she always did when they got on the subject of men, but then living in a small town could feel like slim pickings sometimes. “It’d be kind of nice if this guy was at least a potential candidate. We don’t get that many new guys in Boot Creek.”

Katy winced behind Flynn’s back. This was an old subject that got rehashed often.

“You can have mine if yours is a dud. Now quit moping. Come help me get the candles.” Megan hoped Flynn would quit her pouting if they got down to work.

“While y’all do that, do you mind if I take a look at your apartment. Angie’s told me about it, but I’ve never seen it.”

“Sure. Make yourself at home.”

Katy went to the right toward the apartment and Flynn followed Megan to the left where Megan’s workshop was filled with all the equipment she needed to keep Balanced Buzz going. Against the back wall the cooling racks wrapped around two walls, but only five feet high. No sense having anything taller than she could reach.

“What can I do?” Flynn picked up one of the shot-glass-sized mason jars. “These are too precious.”

“They’re cool, aren’t they? Can you grab those two boxes from the top shelf labeled ‘Lids’? We’ll need those. You can put them on the bottom shelf of the cart.” Megan wheeled the plastic, two-shelf utility cart across the room and started loading the candles onto the cart.

Flynn carefully placed the lid boxes underneath. “I’ll help you get those.”

The small glass jars fit easily onto the cart. “That’s all of them.”

Flynn pushed the cart like a gurney across the glossy black-and-white tiled floor through the workshop and around the corner to the table in the next room. Megan usually used this space for projects. At one time she’d even used it as an art studio, but that had been years ago.

Flynn parked the cart up against the end of the table. “You have to admit it would be nice to have someone new in town.” She unloaded the two boxes of lids onto the table.

“Someone new as in someone of the male persuasion, I take it,” Megan said.

“Well . . . anyone, but yes, men. And if they show up for a wedding, doesn’t that have to bring some kind of good fortune? I mean, what’s more romantic?”

“We’re back on that again,” Megan mumbled.

“The Blackberry Festival,” Katy said as she walked in. “That’s what got me to stop in Boot Creek. You can just troll the gas station on festival day. Worked for Derek.”

“I hate to break it to you, Flynn, but we think weddings are romantic. Men, not so much. In fact, I think weddings make most guys nervous. Nearly gun-shy.”

“I can never catch a break,” she said.

“It’s going to be fine.” Megan patted Flynn on the arm and headed back to the table. “If you quit trying so hard, you’ll find someone.”

“We better at least have some fun.”

“Quit being such a downer,” Megan said. “Of course, we’re going to have fun. It’s Angie’s big day. She’s our best friend. And I’m sure those guys are going to be great. Jackson is. We’ll be all dressed up and the reception is at Derek and Katy’s. What could go wrong?”

Flynn shrugged. “You never know.”

Katy took a seat at the table. “Megan’s right. When you quit looking so hard you’re going to find a great guy. Right now your biological clock is almost scaring me!”

Even Flynn laughed at that.

“I think you’re trying too hard.” Katy patted Flynn’
s arm.

Megan was pretty sure she didn’t have a biological clock, because the last thing on her mind was kids, much less a husband.

No, thank you. Not with her family or her history with men.

Megan had to really bite her tongue from starting in on Flynn about her obsession with finding a man. It was like she’d rather pick the wrong man than be without one, and it was hard to watch the train wreck.

She nodded, settling in at the table. “Okay, we’d better get started here.”

Katy took one of the jars off the cart. “So, what exactly are we doing to all of these?”

“The stickers that normally go on the front will fit right on the bottom. That way if anyone wants to reorder they can, but we’ll be decorating these custom for the wedding guests. Angie gave me creative license, so here’s what I’m thinking. I have this ribbon in soft yellow that should match the rosebuds and other flowers really nicely, plus it will look summery fresh against the blue beeswax candles. I had some charms made. See?” She held out a stacked set of silver-stamped charms. The bottom one was round with T
HANK
Y
OU
around the bottom edge. A shiny silver heart sat on top of that..

“Those are adorable.”

“Aww.”

Each tiny charm had A
NGIE AND
J
ACKSON
and the wedding date on it.

“If you don’t think it’s too much work, I have these pearls we could string on each side of the charm to kind of hold it tight. I think that would look nice.”

“It’s for Angie. Nothing’s too much work.”