Paper Hearts (12 page)

“Your
younger
sister,” Ursula shouted after her.

Before she reached the counter, she nearly ran into the woman who’d arrived with Dr. Willoughby. His sister. Not his wife.

“I’m sorry,” she said, not sure if she meant for almost knocking her over or just for being a disappointment.

Kate spun around, her face bright. “Not at all. This place is adorable. Are you the owner?”

Abigail forced a smile, which in her current state was about as easy as pushing toothpaste out of a squeezed-empty tube. She nodded.

“I love it. Too bad you don’t have a stage. It’d be the perfect place for live music.”

Abigail’s embarrassment subsided as she followed Kate’s gaze to the corner of the area where all the tables were set up.

“A little corner stage is all you would need. I could get my brother to build it for you. He’s actually pretty handy even though he’s a doctor.” Kate flashed a smile. “You know, because doctors are usually so bookish.”

Abigail raised a brow.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with being bookish.”

She smiled. “It’s fine; I know what you mean. Are you a musician?”

Kate nodded. “Guitar. And this is just the kind of place I love to play. I’ve been told I have a real coffee-shop vibe. If you ever need anyone, I mean.”

“How about next Friday?” Abigail had no idea what it would take to host a musician in her bookshop. She didn’t even know if Kate was any good, but there she stood, inviting her to play, mostly out of some innate need to do everything she could to get people in the door. And bringing in live music was one of the things on her list.

No time like the present.

“I’m in,” Kate said as Jacob joined them. “And Jacob will be over tomorrow to build your stage.”

Judging by the look on his face, Jacob was about as happy about that as Abigail was.

“W
HAT WERE YOU THINKING,
K
ATE?”
Jacob loved his sister, but she had a knack for disrupting his life.

She followed him into the old mercantile, Junie close behind. “I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape. It’ll take you maybe half an hour to build a little stage in the corner
for your tenant
. Who happens to be adorable, by the way. She’s the kind of girl you should be letting sleep on your couch.”

He let out a sigh. “I don’t want to outfit her space with a stage, and I certainly don’t want her sleeping on my couch.”

“Why not? It’s a great idea. The stage, I mean. And I get to be the first musician to try it out.” She grinned. Always grinning. Always seeing the bright side.

So different from him.

He rubbed his temples. “I have to kick her out, Kate.”

She frowned. “What? Why?”

“For one thing, we’re going to need the space. For another thing, the previous owner practically gave that space to her. You wouldn’t believe what she’s paying.”

“So what? You can’t extend a little goodwill?” She dropped her knapsack of a purse on the floor to punctuate her sentence.

“I can’t take on her bleeding business just because I feel sorry for her. I have my own business to get off the ground. Besides, as soon as Kelly reviews her lease, she’ll . . .”

“So that’s what this is about. You can’t do something kind for a perfectly wonderful person
 
—your neighbor
 
—because you’re afraid Kelly will think you’re too nice.” Kate’s eyes narrowed.

“I know you don’t really care for her, Katie, but the woman knows her stuff.”

“The woman knows how to spin something to get what she wants
 
—and, Jacob, I don’t think it’s just your money she’s after.”

He looked away. This wasn’t exactly news to him. He could tell when a woman wanted to be more than friends.

He hoped he didn’t have to address that anytime soon. He didn’t want their business relationship to turn awkward.

Jacob glanced at Junie, who had sprawled out in the back corner with the book they’d just purchased. Of course she was his primary focus
 
—no one would question that
 
—but that didn’t stop him from wishing there was something he could do to protect Abigail too.

The very thought of it made him cringe. He had to stop trying to protect everyone all the time. He wasn’t put on this earth to be anyone’s savior.

Hadn’t Gwen taught him that?

“I don’t like it any more than you do.” He looked out the window to where a group of tourists had stopped in front of The Book Nook. They glanced in the windows, took samples from the girl in the hat, and went inside.

He had to hand it to Abigail Pressman. She knew how to get people in the door. It didn’t escape him that she could be his greatest ally.

“Give her a chance at least,” Kate said. “She’s got a good thing going.”

Jacob sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

And think about it he did. For the rest of the day and well into the night. He thought about it so much, he wanted to pack his house in his truck and move away. Maybe Kelly was right. He needed a thicker skin.

Maybe if he were smart, he’d turn the whole thing over to Kelly and let her decide what to do. But he couldn’t do that. This was his business. His responsibility.

Jacob’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. His stomach wound into a tight knot when he saw Kelly’s name on the screen.

“Jacob, were you downtown this morning?”

“Yeah, I brought Kate and Junie down there for breakfast and
 
—”

“That bookstore was packed. I couldn’t even find a place to sit,” she said.

“That’s great. A good sign for business, right?” Jacob didn’t want to get into a debate with Kelly right now. It was Saturday, for pete’s sake.

“You know what she’s doing, don’t you?” Kelly’s laugh lacked any sense of amusement.

He pressed the ridge at the top of his nose, willing the stress away. “I’d say she’s doing a good job of getting people in the door.”

Another laugh. She had to be mentally pacing
 
—he could hear it in her tone. “She’s the Loves Park sweetheart, and she is on a warpath to turn the whole town against us before we even open the doors.”

“Kelly, I don’t think
 
—”

“No, Jacob, I know women like this. Quiet and mousy, the
kind no one ever notices. They’re the most dangerous because you never see them coming.”

But he had noticed Abigail. More than once.

“What game do you think she’s playing?” he asked, losing patience.

“The kind of game that makes us public enemy number one. Don’t you get it? If we boot out the Loves Park darling, they’ll hate us. It’s sabotage.”

“I’m not sure that’s really her style.”

“Don’t let her innocent act fool you. She’s dangerous.”

He didn’t argue with that. He’d spent so many minutes thinking about Abigail Pressman, he could see the danger.

“You have to kick her out now, before she does any more damage. Give people time to forget it ever happened before we open,” Kelly said, not seeming to realize that he didn’t take orders from her. “I’m serious, Jacob. You go talk to her or I will.”

She hung up before he could respond.

Sunday morning, Jacob awoke to the smell of coffee. A welcome aroma after tossing and turning the whole night, playing out scenarios that all involved Abigail Pressman. It didn’t matter so much what Kelly or Kate told him to do about his tenant. The real trouble was that his own heart seemed to have betrayed him because, whenever there was a lull in his thoughts, his mind turned to the color of her eyes or the softness of her skin. He’d quickly shove the thoughts aside, reminding himself he had no time or interest for romance. This town wouldn’t have the same bewitching pull on him as it did on everyone else.

Kelly was right about one thing
 
—if they put Abigail out on the street after she campaigned for the affection of Loves Park for a year, the town would never support his practice.

Jacob pulled on a plain T-shirt and brushed his teeth. It was ridiculous to keep speculating. He and Abigail were both adults. He’d go talk to her. Maybe an agreement could be made.

In the kitchen, his sister flipped pancakes with the kind of flair that had Junie cheering
 
—the kind of flair that was sure to end in culinary disaster.

“You’re up early,” he said.

“You should be up early,” Kate said without pause in her flipping.

He didn’t miss the accusation in her voice. His morning routine used to be quite different, especially on Sundays. Until his wife’s death, every day he’d been up at dawn for a little coffee and Jesus. He’d spent hours in his old recliner praying
 
—no, begging
 
—that God would intervene for Gwen.

But God had stayed silent. Now Jacob returned the favor to the Almighty.

He ignored his sister and poured a cup of coffee, put on his sweatshirt, and went out on the back deck to take in the view. A dense fog hovered over the lake like steam, camouflaging the mountains in the distance. It almost restored his faith in his Creator.

Almost.

Kate joined him after a few minutes, but she didn’t speak. Not right away. He got the impression that his little sister had her own questions for God. A part of her had always seemed restless, but there was something different about her now. Happiness didn’t radiate from the depths of her anymore. All of that smiling felt more like a put-on.

What was she running from?

He glanced inside, where Junie sat with a plate of pancakes, watching one of her cartoons.

“You picked a great place to start over,” Kate said, inhaling the mountain air.

“We always talked about moving here. It’s touristy but with that small-town charm you girls like so much.”

Kate laughed. “I was surprised, given the whole love and romance thing.”

“I promise I didn’t factor that in.”

It was mostly true. He and Gwen had only been here once, but the town had become part of the fabric of their relationship.

“I read an article online about this place. I guess they’re pretty famous for their Valentine’s Day celebration. And their Sweetheart Festival. And their Rose Ball.” She let out a sigh. “Yeah, you’ll fit right in.”

He groaned. “I get the impression that being single here is practically like being a leper.”

“How are you doing?” She looked at him. “Really.”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

“I half expected to see Gwen when I got here yesterday.” She tossed her blonde hair back. “Sometimes I forget.”

He wished he could forget. Wished for the day when he would wake up and the empty space on her side of the bed wouldn’t be the first thing he thought of. Wished the pangs of guilt would subside. If only he’d been there for her. All that medical training and he’d still been helpless.

And he’d taken the coward’s way out.

“Can I stay with you for a little while?”

Kate’s question brought him back to the present. He welcomed the distraction. “I thought you had an apartment in Denver.”

She shrugged. “It didn’t work out.”

“What’s going on, Katie?”

Another shrug. “Let’s just say you’re not the only one who needs a fresh start.”

He didn’t like the way that sounded. He’d always been
that
brother. The one who threatened Kate’s boyfriends. The one who carted her off the field with a broken leg when she was thrown
from her horse at a riding competition. The one who x-rayed her head when her mountain bike flipped over. He’d spent years worrying about Kate, and still, he’d never seen the uncertainty behind her eyes the way he did now.

“You okay?”

His sister rarely showed any emotion except optimistic joy. It usually got on his nerves because it challenged the cynic in him. But now that it seemed to have disappeared, he missed it. Missed the version of her that didn’t seem wounded. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else he loved hurting.

That pain was too familiar.

“I’ll be fine. Just need some time to clear my head.” She pressed the bridge of her nose
 
—hard
 
—and emerged with a smile. “Can I stay here? I can help with Junie.”

He looked away. “What makes you think I need help?”

He felt
 
—not saw
 
—her look at him.

“Of course you can stay, Katie.” Then he made her hold his gaze. “As long as you promise to tell me if you’re ever not okay.”

She touched his shoulder. “I’ll never be
that
kind of not okay, Jacob. I promise.”

An unspoken understanding passed between them.

He smiled, then took another sip from his mug. “You have to make coffee every morning.”

“You like it?”

“It’s really good.” Another drink. “Better than when I make it.”

“You won’t be able to get it anymore if you kick Abigail out of The Book Nook. She told me it’s her exclusive Loves Park blend.” She bumped his arm with her own and let the silence hang between them. “You’re in such a hurry to get your practice open.”