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My last view of Valerie’s sweet face right before I graduated makes my heart ache. My hand comes up to rub my chest and Tom scowls. “You feel alright?”
“Yeah. Just a little indigestion.” Or a pain in the heart that never healed. When I gave it to Valerie all those years ago, I never got it back. She holds it in her little hands and doesn’t even realize it.
I’ve seen her around town but she won’t get anywhere near me. It’s my own damn fault but I was trying to do the right thing by her. She’s so smart and going away to college was the best thing for her. I’m not built for learning like that. That’s why I left town and went and found my own future. I apprenticed with a carpenter. I love working with wood. Love putting the finishing touches on a beautiful home. Little things that make it stand out as a labor of love instead of just a house.
On this house, I’m making a stunning, hand-carved mantel and some built-in shelving in the office that the client wants.
When I had worked for about six years and considered that I was as good as I was going to get, the yearning to come home had hit me. I knew that I might run into Valerie and that she’d probably be married, maybe even pregnant with her first child. It didn’t matter, I ached with the need to see her even if I couldn’t have her.
It hurts to see her. Hurts so bad that I can’t sleep right most nights. If I do sleep, I dream about her. The last time I kissed her, the light dimming in her soft grey eyes, tears glistening on her dark lashes.
I close my eyes, the pain of that memory enough to break me.
“Hey! You good? Why don’t you come out with us? You look like you need to cut loose and have a little fun.”
I see a familiar car pulling up in the driveway of the house we’re working on. My forehead crinkles and my eyes narrow.What the hell?
“Naw. I’m good. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Fine,” he huffs. “But if you change your mind, we’ll be there about nine tonight. Give me a chance to whip your ass at pool.”
Snorting, I glare at him. “We both know the last time we played pool together, I kicked your ass and cleaned you out.”
“I was sick that night. Wasn’t in top form.”
“Anyway. I’ll catch you later.” Holding my breath until he leaves, I wait to see who gets out of the damn car. The tinted windows hide them from my view and a little piece of me can’t help but hope that it’s my woman. A twinge of disappointment hits my belly when I see who steps out.
Why the hell is Hetty, Valerie’s grandmother here?
She stalks up to me, scowling at me as she looks me up and down. “So this is what you decided to do with yourself? I’ve got to say I’m really disappointed in this younger generation!” She huffs, coming to a stop in front of me.
“Hello, Hetty. It’s been a long time.”
“It didn’t have to be this long. You should have dragged my granddaughter off to a minister long before this. I guess it’s up to me to take care of what should have been fixed a long time ago.”
My belly drops to the ground and terror streaks through me. Hetty loves her granddaughter and usually has her best interests at heart. Some of her methods are a bit rough around the edges though.
She tends to rush into things without too much thought and sometimes it feels like being run over by a truck.
“What the hell are you talking about, Hetty?”
Glaring at me, her grey eyes narrow. “Is that any way to talk to your elders, boy?”
I flinch. She also doesn’t take kindly to bullshit. She decides what is bullshit so it’s hard to tell when she’s gonna get insulted.
“Sorry, Hetty. What can I do for you?”
Sniffing, she looks slightly mollified. “That’s better.” She pauses and looks uneasy which is enough to set off alarm bells in my head. “I wanted to talk some business with you.” Her head darts left and right at the busy job site. “This place isn’t very private though.”
“How about we get in my truck? Nobody will hear what we have to say.”
I have to admit I’m curious what disaster could have Hetty showing up at my job site and wanting to see me. She hasn’t had shit to say to me since I broke up with Valerie.
I hold my hand out to my truck and she sighs. “Fine. We can talk in there.”
She walks around the truck and I open the door for her. Then I take a deep breath and walk around the front. Restless energy surges through me and I can’t stop thinking about what she wants. I step inside my truck and shut the door, shoving my misgivings aside in favor of curiosity.
“What do you need, Hetty?”
