Chapter 7

"Your phone is buzzing, Phoebe!"

"Thanks, Dad." Phoebe leaped over the lazy greyhound lounging on the floor and ran into the living room, where her dad was sitting in the window reading the morning paper. Her book rested on the small table between the two chairs because she'd been reading there before he'd challenged her to rock, scissors, paper to see who made the coffee. She'd lost.

Grabbing her phone, she answered.

"Hello."

"Why are you breathless? And do I want to know?"

"I jumped Barry to get to my phone. What do you want, Caleb?"

"Can't I just want to talk to my favorite sister?" Her brother's deep voice held its usual mocking tone.

Caleb was three years older than Phoebe and rarely serious unless it was to do with his business or the love of his life, Jonathan.

"Your only sister."

"Right. So, I'm at an appointment, and I forgot to bring that box of sample coffee beans that are in my room. Also the catalogs beside it. They're on the table by the door."

"Shouldn't you be more on it considering it is your business and livelihood? All that, plus you're just starting out and should make a good impression."

"You'd think so, but in all honesty, I always make a good impression, so this just makes me seem more human. Like, can this guy really be that awesome? Wait, no, he forgot the product he's trying to sell," Caleb said. "Don't forget, I'm the cool Stanway kid."

Phoebe snorted. "Sure you are."

"I'll take you out to lunch if you bring them to me, Pheebs."

"All right. Text me the address."

"Will do. Love you."

"You too."

"It's amazing he does as well as he does when he forgets stuff so often," her father said, still reading his paper.

Lloyd Stanway had retired from his position as chief of the Lyntacky Fire Station two years ago and these days helped his son grow his business, if he wasn't playing bridge, and spending time with his friends. Tall like Caleb, his hair was snowy white, and he was the calmest person she knew, which had come in handy raising two kids after his wife died when Phoebe was two.

"He's lucky he has us and Jonathan to keep him straight," Phoebe said.

"There is that, but to be honest, Caleb is a pretty slick operator. He just doesn't want anyone to realize that. I'm proud of that boy for getting his business off the ground. He was telling me he has clients all over the state ordering his coffee beans now. "

"It was good that Jed and Cill Knox could lease him one of their barns too. If he's not here, his chief operating officer can run things for him."

"I'm enjoying dipping my fingers into the coffee bean-roasting business," her father said.

Since he'd set up his enterprise, Caleb had employed two workers and their dad to oversee the operation when he wasn't in Lyntacky. So far, it was working well. Phoebe knew she'd be called in to help now that she was home, and she would, because her dad was right, Caleb had done well, and she was proud of him too. Plus, they'd been there for her when she'd needed them most.

"I'll be back later, Dad." She kissed the top of his head.

"All good, honey. You have some fun."

"Actually, you could be onto something. I'm a writer. We rarely get out, so this could be exciting," she mocked.

"Ha-ha. But you do need to get out more. I have a better social life than you."

"All true. I saw Blue Jay McAllister two days ago, Dad. She's back for her father's birthday."

His smile was wide. "I like those McAllisters. Hell of a thing, Sawyer Duke and Birdie getting together."

"Hell of a thing," Phoebe agreed. "Blue asked me if I wanted to move into the cottage on her parents' land." Her dad lowered his paper and looked at her over the top of his reading glasses.

"That sounds like a good opportunity for you, Phoebe, but only if you want it. I'm happy with you here."

"I know, but you like your privacy like I do. Plus, there are those parties you're always having."

"Oh, those." He waggled his eyebrows, and she laughed.

"I'm going to check the cottage out later and decide. I'll also stock those donuts you like that you're not allowed too many of because of your cholesterol."

"Sounds like a win all around to me then. Now you get on, and I'll drag Barry out for a walk, which he'll hate every minute of."

"See you later, Dad." She bent to pat the still-slumbering greyhound before leaving.

Phoebe let herself out the back door. The Stanway home was a two-story place in the center of Lyntacky. The yard was big enough, so their father had built what he called a man cave. He stored his fishing stuff and other things he'd bought over the years and now never used in one-half of it. Caleb had claimed the other half as his accommodations when he was back in town. He wanted to find a place of his own, but as he was rarely here, he'd never gotten around to it.

The day was warm, and the sun would be hot as they marched toward noon, but right now, it felt good on her body as she ran along the worn path she'd walked since Phoebe had learned to do so.

Her father had talked about moving out of this place, but he said it had too many memories, so he'd stay for a few more years. Phoebe passed the big, leafy oak that still had a tree hut in which she and Caleb had spent hours as children. She ran a finger down the worn rope of the swing beneath.

Once, she'd thought her children would play on this, and they still might. But they wouldn't be Brody's children, like she'd originally thought. Phoebe had been a silly, innocent fool thinking he felt the same. He probably had, but clearly when she left Lyntacky, it had been out of sight, out of mind.

"Water under the bridge, Phoebe," she muttered before taking a deep breath and opening the door to Caleb's room. She stepped inside to chaos. Clothes, boxes, and crap everywhere. Locating what he needed, she closed the door again. Being in that much mess made her itch. Phoebe liked control. That was how she coped. Caleb was the opposite.

Grabbing her bag and yelling bye to her father, she got into her car. Phoebe read the message Caleb had sent. Come to Limpet's bakery. Larry Limpet's bakery wasn't Larry's anymore but was now owned by Ryder Duke.

Now that she'd seen Brody, she was happy to see other Dukes, so that wasn't a problem. Phoebe had liked his family and missed them after she'd left to study.

Driving slowly down the street, she waved to Dee Heckler, who lived three houses to the right of the Stanways, much to the horror of some residents. But not Phoebe. She loved Delores and Red Heckler for being true to themselves.

Dee had been the girl most likely to end up on the wrong side of life in school. Then she'd married Red Heckler, who was a gentle giant, and they had a family, a large house, and ran the local bar in town, the Rollaway. People had been wrong about her, and Phoebe was happy about that.

Looking at the Hecklers gave Phoebe hope that there was someone out there for everyone, and that maybe a happy ending was coming her way too one day.

"Hey there, Phoebe!" Dee called through her open window.

"Hi, Dee," Phoebe returned.

The woman was wearing tight shorts in flaming red and an equally tight black tank top. Her platinum hair, which was not a color anyone was born with, was pulled up in a high tail. She was roller-skating with her kids around their driveway.

Life goals , Phoebe thought. Everyone should live their life exactly as they wanted and not how anyone else thought they should. That was what she tried for these days. No one dictated her choices. She wore what she wanted… okay, not strictly true, as Blue Jay, Caleb, and Jonathan usually had a lot to say about what hung in her wardrobe, but when they weren't around, she made her own choices.

Seeing the drive-through sign out at the Beckers', she nudged her car into the narrow opening between gnomes.

Klaus and Lea Becker had started a coffee shack way before they were popular. It was odd in a small town but took up the slack for those out and about early when nothing else in town was open. Plus, the coffee was amazing now that they used Caleb's beans.

"Well now, my day just got at least ten times better. Hello, Phoebe," Klaus said, leaning out the window as she arrived.

"Hello, Mr. Becker."

"Just Klaus will do, Phoebe."

"I'm old enough now to use your first name? What's the age cutoff?"

Tall, bald, with straight shoulders, she had no idea of the man's age but guessed it to be around eighty. His German accent was still strong, as was his wife's.

"It's time" was all he said. "Would you like an apple strudel muffin with your coffee? Caleb bought one earlier. By the time he'd reached the end of the street, he'd eaten it and turned around to drive through for three more."

"The man has hollow legs," Phoebe said. "I better take four, and then I can feed him another and take the rest home for Dad. "

"Four it is."

She heard the coffee machine, and then he was handing her a to-go cup and bag full of wonderful-smelling strudel muffins.

"So how is the book coming along, Phoebe? Lea and I have just finished your Harry Cove series and thoroughly enjoyed them. We especially loved Pixie."

"You read my books?" She took a sip of her coffee and hummed her enjoyment.

"Of course. We are taking them to book club tonight."

"I heard about that. It's at the McAllisters', right?"

"Yes," Klaus said, sipping his own coffee. "Meadow is hosting. You are welcome to join us."

"Blue Jay invited me too."

"We'd love to have a famous author, and if you have your pen, I'd be honored if you'd sign my books and perhaps talk about your writing process? We'd all find that interesting."

"I'm not famous."

"Of course you are. I've seen how many reviews you have on your books, Phoebe. I also know how proud your father is of you, as he's my fishing buddy."

"Thank you, Mr. Becker."

"Klaus," he said, smiling.

"Klaus, right. That may take time."

"I'll see you tonight, Phoebe. 7:00 p.m. at the McAllisters'."

Seeing no way out, she left. Phoebe could go once, check out the cottage and hand over a few of her books to those that read them. Small-town life was a readjustment after New York, where no one knew your business unless you wanted to tell them.

Home , she thought. She was ready to be here and enter the next stage of her life, even if it meant seeing a certain Duke, and today she was taking another step toward that. Something that would help her remember she was strong now, and no one would make her a victim again.