“Not a thing.”
Natalie took the last sip of her coffee and carried it to the sink. “Well, I’m going to see if I can hunt down Tucker.”
“Have a wonderful day exploring, dear. I think you’re going to find Chestnut Ridge a wonderful place to settle. We could use some new faces around here.”
Chapter Thirteen
NATALIE WALKEDoutside to fresh cool air, and sunshine that warmed her cheeks. Energized by the colorful foliage and high hopes, she headed to her car.
Driving the Mustang down Main Street, she wondered what it must’ve been like for Jeremy when he was young. They’d been so happy living in the present, never bringing up the past or looking too far ahead, and she’d never regretted that until now. Now, she wished she knew everything about every second of his life.
Chestnut Ridge was welcoming by the light of day. The buildings were old, but cared for, by the looks of the colorful paint and bright awnings.
Wooden benches lined the street in front of almost every business. Each one was painted in a different way, some of them almost like miniature murals. The one in front of the hardware store had been painted like an American flag waving in a breeze. In front of the ice-cream shop the bench had been painted in the colors of Neapolitan ice cream—pink, chocolate brown, and a creamy vanilla.
She followed the directions Orene had given her to the fire station.
When she pulled in front of the bright red metal building, two guys sitting in lawn chairs sat watching two others roll up huge hoses from the fire truck. It didn’t look like light work.
She parked and walked over. “Good morning,” she called out with a wave. “I’m looking for Tucker.”
The guys in the lawn chairs nudged each other, then one hollered back, “Is he expecting you?”
Despite their childish yukkity-yuks Natalie approached with a polite smile. “Could you please get him for me?”
The guy didn’t budge; instead, he stuck his fingers between his teeth and let out a whistle, then yelled. “Tucker!”
A tall, lanky, dark-haired man wearing a T-shirt with the fire department logo marched out and pulled his hands to his hips. “Why can’t you walk inside to get someone like the rest of us? That’s just plain rude.”
The man looked about her age, but he hadn’t noticed her yet.
“You got company, man.” The whistler nodded in her direction.
“Hi.” Natalie walked over and extended her hand, pleased to see he didn’t look any more impressed with those goobers than she was. “I’m Natalie Maynard.”
“Oh?” His brows pulled together for a hesitant moment, but then his eyes widened. “Hey! Jeremy’s wife. Wow. It’s good to see you. I can’t believe you’re here.” He pulled her into a hug. “Welcome to Chestnut Ridge.”
She felt like a rag doll in his arms and, for some reason, she did a dorky half curtsy as she stepped back, freeing herself from the bear hug. “Thank you.”
“This is great. Come with me.” He pressed his hand to her shoulder. “Let’s go talk where these clowns can’t eavesdrop.”
She followed Tucker inside. His office was all the way in the back of the fire station past the fire trucks, small but orderly.
He sat down behind the desk, and she took the seat across from him.
On the wall there were scores of pictures of him hunting, and fishing with friends. Her breath caught at Jeremy’s smile. He was younger, probably a teen in the picture, but there was no mistaking his grin. Tucker was on the other side of a trophy so big it took the two of them to hold it up. She quickly averted her eyes, hoping to keep her emotions in check.
“I should’ve called before I came up here, but it was kind of a last-minute decision. It’s a long story that ends with me staying with Orene last night.”
“You know Orene?”
“I do now. Happened to see an old ad on the internet and stopped to rent a room.”
He laughed. “Yeah. That worked out, though. Orene loves company.”
“It was really nice. She said you could show me the best way to get to the cabin.” Natalie slid the index card with the cabin address on it over toward him.
“Yeah. I’m your guy.” He picked up the card and laughed, handing it back. “You can keep this. I know where it is. One of the roads is pretty bad, but I’ve kept the other one clear. It’s on a good rock bed too. What are you driving?”
