13. Abby

13

ABBY

A fter church on Sunday, which Abby had enjoyed immensely, Luke dropped her and the kids at home. As promised, he’d been friendly but not overly so, keeping their conversation about surface topics. By the time she’d fed the kids lunch, it occurred to her that the week was coming whether she wanted it to or not. She had to figure out how to keep everyone fed and content and off to school.

The kids went upstairs to gather dirty laundry, and Abby sat at the table, making a list for the grocery store. She sat staring at an empty scrap of paper for a few minutes before deciding she had no idea how to plan a menu for a week and reluctantly reached out to Grace for help.

Grace, bless her, suggested some casseroles to prepare now and freeze for the week. She had then sent a text with a shopping list and promised to come over later to help Abby cook.

Fortunately, the weather had warmed from the frigid temperatures of the day before, leaving the roads clear of ice. With the kids and Rufus in tow, Abby drove to Hearth and Holly, her list in hand. Sophie asked if she and Jack could stay with Rufus outside while she shopped.

“Yes, but stay here so I can see you,” Abby said.

“We will.” Sophie pulled a book out of her knapsack and curled up in a chair. Jack and Rufus sat together on a bench to watch people come and go, some heading to Santa and others coming in to shop.

The moment she came in, Max Hayes strolled over and gave her a warm hug. “What can I help you with?”

He was the only brother who had not been at church that morning. Grace had said he loved to use the store as an excuse to escape what he referred to as overly long sermons.

“Your mother’s offered to help me cook some meals for the week. She’s sent me with a list.” She pulled it out of her bag to show him.

“Great. Let me help.”

There were several other customers in the shop, but they seemed to be doing well enough on their own. Plus, Max’s employee, a pretty young woman, was at the register.

After a few minutes of Max taking her around and recommending local brands for her recipes, Abby decided the second-oldest Hayes brother had one of those personalities that made everything seem like a fun adventure. He was much more outgoing than Luke, but there were enough similarities between them that it was obvious they were brothers. Although Max’s exuberant energy and quick wit were a juxtaposition to Luke’s steady, calming presence, they shared a kindness and decency that they’d obviously learned from their parents.

He took her over to the produce section, where bins and baskets of corn, squash, lettuce, and various fruits were displayed. She was thrilled to see they had fresh produce, even this time of year. When she asked Max how this was possible, he explained that the greenhouse, located not far from the store, grew vegetables all year round.

“Do you grow all of this?” Abby asked, amazed.

“No, no. I’m more skilled at sourcing the best cheese and wine than growing fruit and vegetables. A local gardener rents the space from me and then sells me his goods, which I turn around and sell to my customers. Because we source almost all of our goods locally, we’re able to keep the costs low for our customers, which is important to me. I’m not only a business owner but a member of this community. I want people to feel they get a fair deal when they shop here. The previous owners gouged people, relying on tourists’ money. When I bought it, I wanted to turn it back into what it should be. A local business with local products. If I keep my prices competitive, they’ll keep coming here instead of going to one of the big grocery chains.”

“Well, you officially have my business. And since I will soon be working for Doc Ford, I can actually afford to feed Sophie and Jack.”

“Doc Ford’s a great man. You’ll be happy there, I think.”

After her basket was full, Max guided her over to the register. He introduced her to his comely helper, a redhead named Daphne Brooks.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Daphne said, smiling shyly and tucking a stray copper curl behind her ear.

“You too,” Abby said.

“Daphne’s just moved here too.” Max’s eyes sparkled. “She’s a city girl like you.”

“Where from?” Abby asked.

“Suburb of Atlanta,” Daphne said. “Born and raised.”

“What brought you here?” Abby asked, curious.

“I came here for a girls’ weekend and fell in love,” Daphne said with a quick glance at Max. “And decided I would stay forever.”

The way she said it made Abby wonder if she had fallen in love with Sugarville Grove or Max. Maybe both?

As far as Abby could tell, the relationship seemed to be purely professional. Max appeared oblivious to the way Daphne’s green eyes softened when they landed upon him.

Despite her protests, he insisted on giving her the friend and family discount. Finally, she had no choice but to accept his generosity. “Your family seems to be on a mission to help me,” Abby said. “I’m beyond thankful.”

“Ramona was our good friend and neighbor,” Max said simply. “She was a wonderful person, as you know.” Sadness crept into his voice. “It’s still hard to understand that she’s gone.”

“For me too.”

“You let me know if you need anything. I mean it.” Max smiled gently and reached into the pocket of his green apron, and pulled out an invitation. “This is an invite to my annual ugly sweater contest. I’d love you to come.” He handed her the invitation, printed on a thick green card.

She took a look, amused to see Max in a photograph, presumably from the year before, wearing a green furry sweater with plastic Christmas bulbs hanging from it. The date of the party was not for three weeks. With the way things were going of late, who knew what could happen in that amount of time.

“Ugly sweater contest? I don’t think I have one.” The idea of a party intimidated her. She hadn’t attended many parties in her adult life and was not accustomed to large crowds. School and work had been all-consuming, leaving little time for socializing. Since she’d come back to Sugarville Grove, she was starting to wonder what she’d been missing from her life. The Hayes family was fun. She was not fun.

The children needed her to be fun. She wanted desperately to give them fond memories from their childhood, despite losing their parents.

“You have to come,” Max said. “I hold it upstairs in my apartment. Food and wine. Christmas music. It’s always a blast. This will be my third one and I don’t like to brag, but the invites are as coveted as those to the Met Gala.”

She laughed. “Really? Well, in that case, I’ll be there.”

Max grinned. “I promise, you’ll love it.”

As relieved as Abby had been when Luke suggested friendship rather than romance, at least for the time being, the memory of their kiss lingered. He was never far from her thoughts as she and Grace had cooked together or when she’d folded several loads of laundry or cleaned the kitchen.

She and Grace, with a little help here and there from Sophie and Jack, had spent several hours together in the kitchen, making a lasagna, a macaroni and cheese casserole, and a batch of chili, all of which they put in the refrigerator for the week to come. For Sunday dinner, Grace had invited them over, but Abby had declined, feeling it would be better for the children to have a quiet night at home.

Grace had then suggested Abby make miniature pizzas on English muffins and a salad for Sunday dinner instead. “The kids can help spread the sauce and sprinkle cheese and put the pepperoni slices on top. They’ll love it.”

Abby had taken her advice, running back to Max’s store to get what she needed. As usual, Grace had been right. The children were thrilled with their thrown-together dinner. They ate at the kitchen table together, with Rufus at her feet, hoping for a dropped piece of pepperoni.

“Are you excited to return to school tomorrow?” Abby asked.

Both nodded their heads but pointed out they only had two weeks before they were off for the rest of the year.

The idea filled her with dread. How in the world was she going to start a new job and take care of the kids at the same time? Although Grace had assured Abby that she would happily watch after them at her house during the break, she still felt uneasy. She was not accustomed to accepting help, and lately, it seemed all she did was take and take some more from the Hayes family.

Regardless, if she wanted it to come or not, Monday morning arrived. Abby was up at six to shower and brew coffee, plus make the children’s lunches. Sophie had informed her on the way back from church yesterday that she and Jack hated school lunch and that their mother always packed a meal for them. Sophie had shown her their lunch boxes, which had several compartments and small thermoses for hot or cold liquids.

Jack liked peanut butter and jelly, whereas Sophie wanted tomato soup in a thermos and a cheddar cheese sandwich. Just as she had the lunches packed, the kids came downstairs.

Abby was pleased to see they’d already dressed and combed their hair. Even Jack looked tidy.

“You guys look great,” Abby said. “Sit. I’ll make you some breakfast.”

She whipped together some scrambled eggs, one of the things she could actually make with no worries, and toasted several pieces of bread. The children ate and then went back upstairs to brush their teeth. When they were ready, the three of them donned jackets and headed to the car, with Rufus following. Apparently, he didn’t want to miss out on anything that happened in their new family unit.

Their bus stop was at the end of their shared dirt road. The weather had warmed and the snow had started to melt, leaving everything muddy and slushy.

The yellow school bus arrived a few minutes after they’d arrived. She got out with them, walking up to the bus to introduce herself to the driver.

“I’m Abby Parker. The children’s guardian. I’ll be with them most mornings, but Grace Hayes will meet them some afternoons.”

The driver’s name was Macy. A gray-haired woman with a gap in her two front teeth and a gruff voice that sounded like she was a smoker, Macy seemed friendly enough. Not at all like some of the bus drivers she’d known as a kid.

“Kris already told me about you taking the kids, so I expected you,” Macy said, leaning forward to address Abby through the open doors of the school bus.

Kris? It took Abby a moment to realize she was talking about the gossipy postman, aka Santa.

Abby thanked her and stepped back from the bus as the doors closed, making a whooshing sound. She glanced up to see Sophie and Jack sitting together in one of the seats near the front. Sophie had told her earlier that this was one of the last stops, which explained why the bus was already packed with kids. Jack waved to her from the window, but Sophie had immediately started talking to a friend.

Abby waved back at Jack and waited until the bus had pulled away before heading back to her car. She sat for a moment, feeling uncertain and lost. What would her day be like? She hoped Doc Ford would keep her busy so her nerves didn’t take control.

The answer came faster than she’d expected. It was a call from Doc Ford, asking if she could meet at the Nelsons’ farm. There was something wrong with their goats, and he’d welcome a second opinion. He gave her the address, which she typed into her phone. “Also, wear rubber boots. It can be muddy.”

“I’ll run back to the house and change into boots and be there as soon as I can,” Abby said.

Finally, something she knew how to do.

When she returned to the house, she was surprised to see Walter and Luke already working to repair the front porch. They’d torn apart the stairs, leaving a pile of rotted wood.

She parked in the driveway instead of the garage, knowing she needed to head out quickly, and greeted Walter and Luke with a smile. “You boys are getting an early start.”

Both men stood, hammers in hand. Abby’s heart raced at the sight of Luke. He looked utterly delicious with his tool belt buckled around his waist, wearing a thick flannel shirt and jeans. Work boots and a blue knit hat pulled over his ears completed his outfit. This was a man. A man who knew how to do real work. Who knew it would be such an attractive quality?

Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Not to mention, he was fixing her run-down house, as he’d promised. How could any woman in her right mind refuse him?

Walter apologized for showing up unannounced. “We had a slow day at the farm and thought we’d knock the porch out this morning.”

“Please, don’t apologize. I’m very grateful you’re here.” She told them Doc Ford had called and needed her to meet him at the Nelsons’ farm. “I have to go, or I’d stay to help.”

“No need. We have this covered,” Walter said.

Luke held his hammer aloft, his gaze on her. “Did everything go okay with the drop-off at the school bus?”

“Yes, no mishaps. I even managed to feed them and send them off with full lunch boxes. Thanks for asking.”

Luke grinned and reached over to fist-bump her. “Well done.”

“I’ll leave the front door unlocked,” Abby said. “Feel free to go in for the bathroom or coffee or whatever.”

“Expect a patio free of hazards,” Luke said. “And have a good first day at work.” He stepped toward her as if to hug or kiss her goodbye but seemed to realize what he was doing and stopped before he reached her.

“Thanks, guys. I’ll see you when I get back.” She practically ran past them and into the house, afraid if she stayed a moment longer she’d throw herself into Luke’s arms.