Everybody Knows (Sunnyside #1) (15 page)

“That’s how you got to be so adaptable. Resilient
and efficient.”

“I guess so, but this conversation must be boring
you to tears.” She forked up her last bite of fried rice and turned the subject
away from her family and history. “How are your car-wreck patients today? Did
your family get home?”

“My patients are doing great. Two of the boys went
home and the third one is holding his own after additional surgery. And as for
my family—”

He’d put his phone on the table when he got there,
and at that moment, it buzzed. Leaning over it, he checked the visual.

“—that’s them now. Excuse me for a second.”

He walked outside, onto the screened porch.
Clearing the plates, Harper got out bowls and all three ice cream containers.
He had good taste. Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey,
and
Chocolate Fudge Brownie. The Ben and Jerry’s trifecta. It
didn’t get any better than that.

“Hey, Josh, what’s up?...Yeah, okay... I’m at
Uncle Tim’s house, still finishing up a couple of things. I’ll be there soon.
How much longer for you?... Okay. Everything all right? How’s Dad?... Yep,
great. It was awesome... Sure, and tell Rachel her house is empty again, so if
she sees anyone lurking inside, she’s free to bash them over the head... Okay,
you, too.”

“Everything all right?” she asked when he returned
to the kitchen.

“Great.” He jerked his chin toward the cartons on
the table. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like. Are those okay?”

“Are you kidding? This is ice cream nirvana. The
holy trinity. And people thought I wouldn’t have all the amenities I need in a
small town. As long as there’s Ben and Jerry’s available, I’ll adjust. Which do
you want?”

“Cherry Garcia with a side of Chocolate Fudge
Brownie.” She dipped as directed. “What are you having?”

“I think I’ll have the Chunky Monkey with a side
of the chocolate.” She put the lids back on the two containers and reached for
the third one. “And a dab of Cherry Garcia on top.”

He laughed. “I wanted that combination, too, but
it seemed overly indulgent after you lectured me on proper nutrition. I can’t
believe you have such a sweet tooth.”

“I try to keep it in check, but moving is
stressful, and ice cream provides that protein you think I might be missing
with the absence of meat.” She smirked and licked the dipping spoon. “And I can
do self-delusion as well as the next person. The Chocolate Fudge Brownie is the
only indulgence here. The other two contain fruit.”

“There’s fudge sauce in the fridge, if you want
it. And whipped cream.”

“You demon! You really do offer me the most
tempting treats.”

He laughed with her, and they settled on the back
porch to enjoy their treat, cozy in the soft and velvety darkness. “I talked to
Liam about that barn slash gym he’s setting up. With all these carbs and sugars
you’ve been feeding me, I need to get back to exercising right away.” She
arched her spine, pushed out her chest, and stretched. Her spine sent out
audible cracking noises. “But the way my back feels now, I need yoga, not
cardio.”

“Here.” Zach stood her up and moved into place
behind her. “Let me help with that.”

He put one arm around her stomach, the other
across her shoulders, and then pulled back. The crunching sound filled the
night air. When he released her, every bone, muscle and joint in Harper’s body
went limp. Good thing he still had a grip on her.

But maybe her physical reaction had more to do
with the front of his body touching the back of hers from feet to shoulders.
Now, if they just laid down on the floor and rolled around for a few minutes...
or hours... she’d forget all about back pain.

“How’s that?” Zach’s mouth
lingered so close his breath teased Harper’s ear.

“Great for me.” She turned her face to see him more
clearly. If she read him right, his actions had moved from medical therapy into
something more like... foreplay.

The light from the kitchen window shadowed his
eyelashes against his cheeks. And the way he smelled was nothing short of
delicious. With a slight head adjustment, she could turn the moment into a
kiss. She wanted desperately to kiss him, taste him, enjoy that mouth on hers
until she was breathless.

But she couldn’t do it.

She didn’t know him yet, not really, and she
wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship that might affect her acceptance in
this small town. She’d be living in Sunnyside for two years. More than enough
time to explore whatever attraction she felt for him. Whatever attraction he
might or might not feel for her.

Her voice came out in a choke when she tried to
speak. She cleared her throat and tried again. “But not so great for you. After
the day I’ve had, I probably smell like an old sweat sock.”

His expression went from intense to distant in a
flash. “I’ve smelled worse.” He stepped back and returned to the old wicker
chair. “I worked on a farm growing up, remember?”

She swatted at him for the insult, returning them
to a relaxed and friendly footing.

“So what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“I have a firm commitment with some packing boxes
that will keep me involved all morning. I plan to spend the afternoon at the
festival in the afternoon. Any must-see events you’d recommend for a newcomer?”

“The softball game kind of kicks off the
afternoon. A lot of people go to that because it’s the local business owners
against the politicians and city employees. Everyone’s got an ax to grind
against one group or the other, but it’s mostly a friendly rivalry. And then
the social hour for the library will be mandatory for you. Lots of food and people
to meet. There’ll be a band in the town square with dancing until it’s dark
enough for fireworks.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Yeah, it is. If you like that kind of thing.” He
didn’t sound like he did, but she didn’t press him on it as he stood to take
his empty bowl inside.

Just as he reached the kitchen door, a woman
rapped on the screen door. A woman who looked softer and more vibrant, but
startlingly like Zach. “Hi, honey,” she said to him. “I’m home. Did you miss
me?”

He swung open the screen door to let her inside.
“How could I? You called me every fifteen minutes.”

She smiled up at him, looking so pretty and tanned
and relaxed that she made Harper feel like a wallflower without even trying.
“Well, there was a lot going on. You never call me to volunteer the details I
need, so I have to call and pry them out of you.”

He turned to Harper. “This is my sister, Rachel.
Rach, this is the new librarian, Harper Simmons.”

“It’s great to meet you,” Harper said. “I love
your house. Thank you for letting me stay there.”

“You’re very welcome. Better my place with Cleo
than Cora’s Cordial and her multitude of cats. Not that Zach left me much
choice, but I hope you liked it. I’m still pulling it into shape, but even when
it’s finished, it won’t be fancy.”

“It’s great. I’ll take warm and cozy over fancy
any day. I honestly loved it. But even if I didn’t, it would have beat sleeping
in my car, which seemed my best option there for a while. So thank you.”

“Happy to help. Well, bro, you ready? Your
family’s home, and I was sent to find you. Josh said you were working on
something here.” She took note of the empty ice cream bowls then peeked into
the kitchen as if searching for any half-finished projects. “I don’t see
anything left undone, so let’s go.” She linked her arm through his. “We brought
a pot roast with us from the farm. Dad’s getting a little growly from hunger.”

“You can go on,” he said. “I’ve already eaten.
I’ll be there in a minute.”

“And had dessert, too, by the looks of it.” An unfriendly
gaze swept over Harper. “When should I tell Dad and Josh to expect you?”

“I’m right behind you.” He waved her out the door.

“Nice to meet you, Harper,” she called out as she
crossed the yard.

“You, too.” The footsteps faded away. “You should
probably go.”

“Right. Call if you need anything.”

“I will.” She couldn’t imagine any situation that
would require her to call him. “Thanks for the food and the back adjustment.”

“My pleasure.”

“Your sister’s very protective of you.”

“Tell me about it.”

“She looks a lot like you.”

“Yep, but she looks more like our mom than I do.”

Harper chewed her thumbnail. What had his sister
picked up between them that could have made her take such an immediate dislike
to Harper? Another strike against her in the Sunnyside Popularity Bowl. “See
you tomorrow at the festival.”

“Here’s a tip for you.”

“What?”

“Try the funnel cake. You’ll love it.” Dipping his
head, he dropped a casual kiss on her lips before disappearing into the night.

After a morning of unpacking, Harper looked forward
to getting out among people and tasting the local treats. No reason why Zach
would have, of course, but she’d been a little disappointed he hadn’t stopped by
with breakfast again this morning.

After he’d left the night before, she’d gone for a
short walk to unwind and had gone by the library to make sure it was secure and
unmolested. While she’d been out, she’d located a little grocery store on the
brink of closing for the night and managed to stock up on a few supplies.

The town square looked like an explosion of stars
and stripes. Booths and people were everywhere with children running around
seemingly carefree and unsupervised. Everything about the celebration
proclaimed Fourth of the July the way it ought to be. She didn’t recognize many
people but met the stares of strangers with a smile and a hello every chance
she got. By this time next year—heck, maybe next month—she’d know everyone and
be an accepted part of the community.

Checking out an event schedule, she saw that it
was nearly time for the softball game a couple of blocks away. While talking to
Nathan on the phone, she headed to the game. The first time they’d connected
since Monday, Harper had a multitude of details she did and didn’t want to
share.

She’d talked to India and Fiona earlier. They were
going to a party that night at the shore. They would look stunning, the food
promised to be scrumptious, and a gentle ocean breeze would cool things down.
Homesickness for them panged, but she set it aside. She’d lived that life
already.
This
was her life now.

On the way to the ballpark, she stopped at a booth
and bought an ear of corn—on a stick! When she asked if it was fresh, the woman
at the window assured her it was. “The first of the season. Just picked this
morning.”

Harper needed half a dozen napkins to keep the
butter from running down her chin and dripping on her clothes, but when she bit
into the corn, she declared it “Ummm, delicious.” The woman gave her a smile
and a nod as she turned to wait on the next in line.

Halfway down the block, Harper was approached by
Mike Moran, one of the library volunteers. He was accompanied by his wife and
their two-year-old son in a stroller. “I told Heather about the money you’d be
paying us, and we both wanted to thank you.”

“Oh, no, I should be thanking you.” Harper hoped
they’d mistake her blush for the heat. “The sooner we can reopen the library
the better. Skilled workers like you are invaluable.”

“But this helps us out, too,” Heather said. “It’s
been a hard summer. Not much construction lately, and this unexpected money
will help us get by.”

“When the library reopens, you should bring your
little boy in for story hour. We’ll have some other programs he’ll enjoy, too.”

“I will if I can manage around my work schedule,”
she said. “He’d like that.”

Except for her interactions with Zach, it was one
of the rare times she’d felt welcome since she came to town. One of the rare
times she’d met someone from Sunnyside who didn’t resent having her here. The
feeling put a fresh spring in her step.

When she reached the baseball diamond, most of the
council members were on the field. The warm-up activities seemed more chaotic than
organized. Although why anyone would want to play any game under the blistering
sun, she couldn’t imagine.

Luckily, she’d brought a hat, water bottles, a
towel, and sunscreen in her tote bag. As she headed toward the bleachers,
hoping to find space to squeeze in, Barbara Gentry came off the field. “Welcome
to the Twenty-Second Annual Softball Game of the Forty-Fourth Annual Fireworks
Festival.”

She made a little face at the numbers because
Barbara said, “It’s a mouthful, I know, but people keep track of these things.
It makes a difference to a lot of people around here.”

“There’s a lot to be said for tradition.”

“That’s right. Now come over here out of the sun
and sit with my son.” She gestured to a gorgeous man in a folding lawn chair
under a big old shade tree. “It won’t be for long. I always take the field like
I’m going to play and then, in the first inning, I fake an injury and they
substitute Brady into the game in my place. Act surprised when it happens.”

“And yet another tradition.”

“Brady, meet Harper, the new librarian. Take care
of her until I get back. Harper, that’s my son Brady. He’s harmless, but he’ll
try to flirt your socks off before you even sit down.”

“For the record, she’s not wearing socks, Mom.” He
smiled, and Harper liked the way his eyes crinkled in the corners. “I may have
to concentrate on removing one of her other articles of clothing.” He eyed
Harper’s halter top, denim mini-skirt, and sandals like he was trying to decide
which one to go for.

Handsome and charming and comfortable in his own
skin he occupied one of two chairs with a cooler in-between. A much more
restful personality than his mother’s frenetic energy or his sister’s
sullenness. Now, here was a bona fide hottie with dating potential for her to
report to Nathan about. “Would you like a beer, Harper? Water? A soda or
lemonade?”

“Lemonade sounds like heaven.”

He pulled a jug from the cooler and poured the
beverage into a plastic cup then handed it over. “You must be new in town or we
would have met before.”

“I just arrived on Sunday.” She took a sip and
almost purred.
Delicious
.

“Welcome to Sunnyside.” He tipped his glass in
salute.

“What about you? Barbara said you’re her son, but
you don’t look like Brianna or seem like one of the locals.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. I like it here in
small doses, but it’s very confining. I spend part of the time in Sunnyside,
where everything is always Up!—with an obligatory exclamation point—and part of
the time in St. Louis, where I maintain gainful employment.”

“Gainful employment as...” She rolled her hand in
a fill-in-the-blank gesture.

“An architect.”

“Interesting,” she said even though her attention
kept returning to Zach’s rippling muscles as he warmed up on the field.

“It is.” His attention had also wandered in
another direction. “Well, look who’s here.” He stood up as Rachel arrived with
an older man and a young couple. The younger man must be Zach’s brother. His
features were a distinct combination of his siblings. The group might have
waved and passed Brady and Harper by, but he stepped out of the shady circle to
greet them.

“Hey, Josh.” Brady held up his hand for a
complicated high-five and then leaned in to hug the pretty girl beside him.
“You’re looking good, Susannah. All grown up and gorgeous. I don’t know how I
didn’t notice that before. You know you can do better than one of the Novak
boys, don’t you?”

She beamed, but answered right back, clutching
Josh’s hand tightly. “Oh, no. Now that I’ve caught him again, I’m not letting
him go this time.”

Brady turned to the older man and shook his hand.
“Gene, how are you, sir? I heard they threw quite the birthday bash for you
last weekend. Sorry I missed that.” When he turned to Zach’s sister, he held
back from physical contact, but his eyes ate her up. His animation dimmed, and
everything about him toned down a few notches. “Hello, Rachel.”

She extended a frosty greeting. At first, Harper
thought the chill was directed her way but then decided it was Brady who was
getting the big freeze.

“Here to watch Zach play?” he asked the group but
his gaze settled on Rachel.

“Obviously.” She sniffed and raised her chin.

“He’s bound to be the star of the show. He usually
is.”

“He’s a great ballplayer,” Mr. Novak said. “But
you had your moments, too.”

“We shared some good times on the ball field back
in the day. I haven’t played much this summer, but Mother will insist I get
into the game if there’s an opportunity.”

“Zach hasn’t played much this year either.” Mr.
Novak removed his cap and mopped sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. “But
he wouldn’t miss this one.”

“Have all of you met the new librarian? This is
Harper Simmons. Harper, this is all the Novak family except for Zach, who’s on
the field showing off.”

“No, here he comes now,” Josh said.

And sure enough, here came Zach and Kate.

If there had been some odd undercurrents before,
the arrival of Zach and Kate turned their little corner of the field into a
swirling quagmire. Although she pretended not to be interested, Rachel kept
watch on Brady out of the corner of her eye while throwing Harper disdainful
looks. Zach played it cool, but his attention kept returning to Harper while
Brady focused on Rachel. And Kate kept a careful watch on... well, Rachel.

“Glad you could make it.” Zach stepped closer to
Harper. “Have you met the rest of my family?”

“Brady did the honors,” Josh said.

Mr. Novak and Josh seemed friendly enough, but
Susannah was more reserved in her response.

“Are you enjoying the festival?” Zach asked
Harper.

“So far. When will the game start?”

“In about ten minutes.” He looked toward the field
to see what was going on. “We’d better get back, though. Enjoy the game.” He
took a few backward steps. “See you later, Brady.”

“Sure,” Brady agreed. “Let’s meet up tonight at
the Lucky Dog so I can beat you at pool.”

“You can try,” Zach shot back with a grin.

“And the trash talk begins,” Rachel muttered.
“Even when you’re on the same team, you’re so competitive.”

“Now, Rachel,” Zach said as if explaining the laws
of the universe to his sister, “it’s not really competition if the two players
aren’t even in the same league.”

Brady laughed. “I didn’t know you realized that.
I’ll try to go easier on you from now on.”

With a grin, Zach pulled Kate back to the field.
“Don’t bother. I can beat your sorry ass straight-up any day of the week.”

“Hah.” Kate jumped neatly into the rivalry.
“Neither one of you guys can hit a softball farther than I can.”

“You’re on,” Brady declared. “Shortest ball or
most strikeouts buys beer after the fireworks.”

“Works for me,” Zach said. “I’ll be good and
thirsty after I hit one out of the park.”

“Bring your money,” Kate advised before turning a
puppy-dog look on Rachel. “You’re coming to the Lucky Dog, too, aren’t you?”

Rachel’s gaze flickered toward Brady. “Not sure.”

“You’re still going to help at the Cheerleader’s
Bake Sale booth, though. Right?”

“I am,” Rachel agreed. “What time do you need me?”

“Whenever you’re ready.” Kate gave Rachel a look of
longing before jogging onto the field.