On Monday, she would be going back to work. Her world had been put back together again, yet it had been permanently altered. She’d dug down deep inside her heart and discovered that she had just as many flaws as the next person. Luke had accused her of being needy, and the truth was, she had been just that. Especially in her relationship with James. She had also come to truly care for Annie and Timmy and she was genuinely happy that they lived next door to her now. She looked forward to being able to see them whenever she wished.
She also realized Luke was growing more and more important to her. What she felt for him was different than anything she’d ever experienced. She felt enormously happy when he was happy. Ever since the festival, she noticed that he hadn’t displayed anger about selling the house, his move, giving away his wife’s clothes or even the fact that the kids were going to public school. These were enormous hurdles for any family, yet Luke faced each one head-on. The kids seemed happier and more resigned to the idea of making new friends in a new place. No doubt living at Mrs. Beabots’s house had brought some of the comfort and stability that one of the hovels the wretched rental market in Indian Lake could never provide.
In a few days school would start. Summer was nearly over, and Sarah had to admit that as her life moved forward, there probably would never be a more propitious time in her life. She’d made many changes of her own that summer. She hoped that she’d become a better person. She was trying. Perhaps, she thought, that was all any one person could ever expect of themselves...that they could just keep trying.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
S
ARAH
’
S
FIRST
DAY
back at work was filled with welcoming hugs from her coworkers and a closed-door meeting with Charmaine.
“I’ve met with a couple, Emma and Ralph Collingswood, from Atlanta, who are moving here and want to open an aromatherapy shop,” Charmaine said, handing Sarah a folder with the couple’s business plan, photographs of storefront designs they wanted to emulate and a budget sheet.
“This is going to be tight,” Sarah offered as she looked over the paperwork.
“That’s exactly what I said. I told Emma that the only way she could get this kind of work done was to hire us. Between my contacts in Chicago and your network of friends in the estate auction business in this area, we might be able to find the kind of antiques she wants to create the look of a turn-of-the-century apothecary shop she wants.”
“Did they buy this property on Main Street, or are they renting it?”
“Renting. It’s a ten-year lease and they got it for a steal.”
“Did you use Cate to broker the deal?”
“Absolutely. With the kind of money the Collingswoods will put into the building, the landlord should be doing flips.”
“I would think. So when do you want me to meet with the clients?”
“Tomorrow. Nine in the morning. We’re doing a Skype conference. I’ll introduce you then. I want you to get started on the drawings. That gives you time to check out the building today, see the city engineer and schmooze him a bit. Apply for the permit. You know the drill.”
“When do they want to have the grand opening?”
“May first.”
“Opening day of tourist season.”
Charmaine winked. “You got it.”
Sarah closed the folder. “I’ll get on it,” she said and started to rise.
“There’s one more thing.” Charmaine stopped her. “I want to know what you’re going to do about the church.”
“What about it?”
Charmaine held up her finger, whirled her Italian black leather swivel chair around and stuck a pod of caramel macchiato coffee in her Keurig. “Want one?” Charmaine asked.
“I’m good, thanks. So tell me what you mean.”
Charmaine whirled back around and looked Sarah squarely in the eyes. “I had a meeting with Jerry Mason over the weekend.”
“Luke’s boss.”
Charmaine raised an eyebrow, but continued. “Yes, well. Jerry has had a rough summer. The city council squashing the new retail center didn’t help anybody, especially for the fall and winter. Fortunately, for us, I got on the phone and secured several jobs out of Chicago. But Jerry depends on the building that is going on right here in Indian Lake. So I was thinking, now that it looks like you’ve nearly got the money secured for the church, that you could give the bid to Jerry’s company.”
Sarah smiled. “I thought of the same thing.”
“You did.”
Sarah nodded. “Actually, I thought of it when Luke and I were working on the festival together. I just wasn’t sure how long it would take or if I could pull that much money together. Thanks to your generosity, we can go forward with the renovations. Jerry’s company absolutely fits the bill. The Church Council asked for three bids. One was from a firm in Gary. Another from one in Chicago. They were both way over our budget. I figured since Luke knew how much money we had nearly to the dollar, he and Jerry would bid appropriately.”
“When are you sending this information over to Jerry?”
“I faxed it an hour ago,” Sarah said with a gratified smile.
Charmaine took the cup of steaming coffee from the Keurig and sipped it. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re back, Sarah.”
“I’m glad to be back,” Sarah replied. “And not just physically.”
“That’s what I meant,” Charmaine replied perceptively.
* * *
W
HEN
S
ARAH
PULLED
into her driveway, she was surprised to see Timmy sitting on her front steps with his arm around Beau.
She got out of the car and walked up to them. “Hey, guys.”
“Hi,” Timmy said, stroking Beau’s head. “I bet you’re wondering what I’m doing here.”
“That did cross my mind,” she replied.
“I came to ask you for a job.”
“What kind of job?”
“I was thinking I could walk Beau every day for you. Brush him. Stuff like that. After school, you know?”
“I see. And how much would you charge me for this?”
Timmy shrugged his thin shoulders. “Twenty five cents a day. When I get bigger, I could give him a bath, too. Once my dad puts in a bathtub.” He pointed to Mrs. Beabots’s house. “I’ve decided to be a vet’narian. So this job would be important for my future,” Timmy said earnestly.
Sarah hid her smile behind her palm. She nearly had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. The little boy had clearly thought of every pitch he could.
“I think it’s a fine idea,” she said. “What does your dad think about all this?”
“I haven’t asked him.” He looked at her pleadingly.
Sarah instantly understood what Timmy was up to. “And you want me to go to him and ask him about this job for you. Is that right?”
Timmy looked sheepishly at his sneakers. “Yes,” he answered quietly.
Sarah looked at Beau, who was smiling as Timmy continued stroking his head. She glared at the dog. He ignored her. “You’re not helping, Beau.”
Beau let out a bark.
Sarah folded her arms across her chest. “All right, Timmy. I will ask your dad for you. But don’t blame me if he says no.”
“I won’t, Miss Sarah!” Timmy squealed. “This is going to be great!” He hugged Beau around the neck so tightly Sarah was afraid her dog would choke.
* * *
S
ARAH
SAT
IN
a red-velvet Victorian chair in Mrs. Beabots’s front parlor. The house had two parlors, one of which was always kept behind locked doors and added to a growing mystique that Sarah believed her elderly friend purposefully perpetuated. Thus, this smaller, but still elegantly appointed room was where they usually gathered for tea or coffee.
Timmy sat on the floor petting Beau, which was, without question, Timmy’s favorite pastime. Annie sat on the red-velvet French settee poring over a stack of songbooks Sarah had loaned to her.
“I’d give anything to play the piano,” Annie sighed.
“And I think you’d be a natural, Annie. You have a good ear, but you’re also learning to read music very well. Mrs. Cook commented on it just last Sunday. Playing the piano would help you in the years to come. I could teach you, if you’d like.”
“You would?” Annie’s blue eyes flew open. “That’s like a dream come true!”
“I’d be most happy to do that,” Sarah assured her, and continued pouring tea for herself and Mrs. Beabots. “We will have to ask your father first.”
“I’ll ask him myself,” Annie replied confidently.
“Sarah,” Mrs. Beabots said, placing a crocheted tea cozy over her English Rose teapot to keep the liquid warm, “would you mind checking the sweet potatoes for me?”
“Not at all,” Sarah said, rising and going to the kitchen.
Because Luke wouldn’t have a kitchen installed in the ballroom for several months to come, a microwave was his only means of warming up food for his family. Mrs. Beabots had offered to make the evening meals for everyone. Luke had agreed on the condition that he pay for the groceries and for her hours of labor.
Mrs. Beabots accepted. Again, with her spit handshake.
“The potatoes need another twenty minutes or so. I brought a casserole of creamed corn. It’s bubbling nicely,” Sarah said, coming back to the living room. She took a cup of chamomile tea off the tea tray and handed it to Mrs. Beabots.
Annie instantly looked up from her songbook with a grimace. “Creamed corn? Not regular?”
Sarah smiled. “I make my own creamed corn. I roast the corn and then cut it off the cobs. The rest is a secret, but I make it with whipping cream and a bit of sugar.”
“Don’t tell Dad about the sugar,” Timmy warned. “He’ll throw a fit.”
“It’s only a tablespoon. Just enough to bring out the flavors. I made a double batch,” Sarah said.
“It’ll be perfect with my pork roast and baked apples,” Mrs. Beabots said, floating a paper-thin slice of orange in her tea.
Just then, they heard the sound of Luke’s truck pull up and his door slam.
Timmy looked at Annie and then at Sarah. “Dad’s home,” he said with a quaking voice and a great deal of wide-eyed apprehension. “Maybe we should wait till tomorrow to ask him.”
“Ask him what?” Annie whispered to her brother, but Timmy was already standing at attention as Luke came in the front door.
“I saw all of you sitting in here through the window when I pulled up, so I came in this way. I hope that’s all right,” Luke said, looking at Mrs. Beabots.
“Perfectly fine, dear,” Mrs. Beabots said.
Luke looked at Sarah, “Hi,” he said with a wider smile than Sarah thought he’d intended. Or had he?
“How was your day?” Sarah asked.
“Brutal. This heat is a killer. Reminds me of...never mind.” He looked at Mrs. Beabots. “Mind if I take a shower before dinner? Believe me, everyone here would appreciate it.”
Mrs. Beabots nodded. “Supper will be ready in about half an hour.”
Luke started to turn away.
“Dad!” Timmy said too loudly and too anxiously.
“Timmy? What is it?”
“I...er...uh...Sarah wants to give me a job.”
“A job?” Luke’s eyes tracked from his son to Sarah, who was smiling at Timmy and not looking at Luke.
“What kind of job?” Luke asked.
“Walking Beau every afternoon after school. Giving him a treat and brushing him. She’s going to pay me twenty-five cents a day.”
Luke took a long, purposeful moment before saying, “I assume this would include Saturday and Sunday since the dog has to be walked every day. That would mean you would earn a dollar seventy-five cents a week.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“And why do you need this money?” Luke asked.
“To save up for vet’narian school. It’s for my future,” Timmy said with a series of little nods as if assuring himself his negotiations were going well.
“I see,” Luke replied, scratching his cheek. He turned to Sarah. “When did he come to you with this idea?”
“Today,” Sarah answered honestly. “I told Timmy he had to ask you first.”
Beau had scooted over to Timmy’s side, propping himself directly under Timmy’s hand. Timmy was stroking the dog’s head without even knowing it. Sarah watched Luke observing his son. She had given Luke a perfect opportunity to ease Timmy into the responsibilities of owning a dog. Luke wanted Timmy to have a dog someday, but she knew he also wanted Timmy to understand the importance of that decision.
“Okay, Timmy. I will agree to your taking the job, but you have to promise that in bad weather, you don’t go far from this house. Just to the corner and back.”
“Okay.” Timmy finally allowed delight to explode all over his face. “So I can start tomorrow?”
“If it’s okay with Sarah,” Luke said.
“Fine with me. Miss Milse will be at the house all day. So whenever you want to come over.”
“We start school next week, but for the rest of this week, I could come over two, maybe even three times to take him out,” Timmy rattled excitedly.
Sarah laughed. “As many times as you want, Timmy.”
“Yes!” Timmy plopped down next to Beau and hugged the dog. “Did you hear that? I can see you anytime I want.”
Luke smiled at Sarah and mouthed the words,
Thank you.
Annie jumped up, holding her songbooks. “Dad, I was thinking of asking you if Sarah could be my piano teacher.”
“Your what?” The smile on Luke’s face faded as if it were melting wax.
Sarah saw it and reflexively braced. Something was wrong. The air in the room suddenly filled with tension.
Mrs. Beabots put her teacup down. Her eyes went to Luke and then to Annie. She glanced at Sarah and gave a quick warning shake to her head.
Sarah remained silent.
“Piano teacher,” Annie answered innocently. “She’s really good and maybe she could teach me on Saturdays or something. I really want to learn....”
“When I can afford a real piano teacher, we’ll get one, and not until then. Understand?” Luke said firmly, enunciating each and every word—though Sarah noticed he did not growl.
“But Dad,” Annie started to argue. Luke cut her off.
“Not now, Annie.”
Sarah quickly realized that Luke thought she had overstepped her bounds with his kids again. She didn’t know if he believed she’d put Timmy up to his request, but suddenly everything had gone awry. It was up to her to set him straight. Because he needed setting straight.
Sarah rose and faced Luke. “Whatever you want, Luke. That’s fine. Just so you know, it was not my idea to hire Timmy. He came to me. He does want this job. Can he still have it?”
“Yeah. Sure. I guess.”
“As for Annie, I offered to teach her. I think the discipline of piano lessons would be good for her. I don’t expect to be paid. However, you’re right. I’m not a piano teacher. So the decision is up to you if you want to wait and get someone who is truly qualified.”
Sarah turned to Mrs. Beabots. “I need to go. I have a new project at work and I’ll be up till midnight working on it.” She leaned over and kissed Mrs. Beabots on the cheek.
“Good night, dear,” Mrs. Beabots said.
Sarah walked past Luke, who avoided eye contact. “’Night,” he said.
Timmy jumped up and raced to Sarah. “Thanks for everything, Miss Sarah,” he said. “Can Beau stay for a while? I could bring him over after supper.”
“Only if it’s okay with your dad.”
“Fine,” Luke grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
Sarah went straight to her study. She opened her blinds and looked out at Mrs. Beabots’s house. The lights were on in the dining room, indicating they were sitting down to supper.
For half an hour, Sarah moved papers around her desk, checked her emails, texted Maddie and looked up several auctions on line for items she could use in the aromatherapy shop.