Her Small-Town Romance

“Okay.” Bryan drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch.

“Lots of folks show up?”

“Only one.”

Dad raised his eyebrows. “One, huh?”

“Yeah, and she probably won’t be back. I’m typing up fliers later. I’ll get more people next week.”

“This class is important to you, isn’t it?”

A twinge of guilt poked at his conscience. Bryan had always been close to his father. Dad had done a good job raising the five of them after Mom died. But Dale Sheffield could not keep a secret, and the last thing Bryan wanted was town gossips whispering about his plans. They’d chattered for months about Abby’s indiscretions and the subsequent divorce. He’d just as soon drive pine needles under his fingernails than have the citizens of Lake Endwell discussing his life ever again.

Sam appeared from the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He yawned, shoving his hand through rumpled hair. “Hey, Dad. Bryan.”

“You look like you need a pot of coffee,” Dad said. “Or are you sick?”

“Long night. I’m hiring an assistant manager. The new dealership took off better than I expected.” Sam plopped onto the couch next to Bryan. His black basketball shorts and faded green tee made him look more like a college student than the CEO of Sheffield Auto. Sam had opened his own dealership after Christmas, which brought the total to five across three counties. Bryan managed two and Tommy the other two. “How did your class go?”

“Only one girl showed up,” Dad said. “She might not be back.”

Sam snorted, grinning. “Way to go, Bry. You scared her off, didn’t you?”

Bryan squirmed. He hadn’t scared her off. Not in the way Sam implied.

But you lied to her.

“Don’t say that.” Dad frowned. “Bryan knows the woods better than anyone, except maybe your granddad, may he rest in peace.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Sam reached for the remote and cocked an eyebrow at Bryan. “I still don’t know why you put the course together. This whole thing is pretty random, if you ask me.”

Bryan didn’t answer. His little brother noticed too much.

“Bryan is sharing his knowledge,” Dad said. “My father would want him to. I don’t remember you ever wanting to get your feet muddy in the woods. Maybe you should take the class.”

What a horrible idea. Bryan glowered at the bottle of iced tea in his hand. He didn’t need Sam making wisecracks while he tried to teach. It was difficult enough getting the students there. He didn’t want to fight for their respect, too.

“I’m more brains than brawn.” Sam tapped his temple.

Bryan sniffed. “More mouth than anything.”

“Hey, my conversation skills made up for your silence. You barely said a word to Lily and Kayla last weekend.”

Dad cocked his head to the side. “Who are Lily and Kayla?”

Sam stretched his arms over his head and yawned again. “Paulette insisted we meet her cousin’s daughter and friend.”

“Roxanne and Paulette are as bad as Aunt Sally.” Bryan screwed the cap back on the iced tea and set the bottle on the end table.

“Worse,” Sam said. “Kayla and Lily were nice and all, but I don’t need to be set up, especially not by middle-aged meddlers at work. I can find a date on my own.” He jerked his thumb at Bryan. “Now, this one needs all the help he can get.”

“Leave me out of it.” Bryan lurched to his feet. “I don’t want help.”

“Sure you don’t. You’re a real dating machine.”

“That’s it.” Dad rose, holding his hands out. “I’m tired of you two arguing. I’ve been saying it for months—this living arrangement isn’t working out. Maybe it’s time for one of you to move.”

“No...” Bryan shut his mouth. He’d almost blurted Sam would have the place to himself if Bryan moved to Canada this summer. If he didn’t keep a tighter lid on his plans, the whole family would be lining up to talk him out of them. He already dreaded their inevitable rant about his commitment to Sheffield Auto if he got the job. “We’re fine, Dad. Just messing with each other.”

“Don’t take things too far.” Dad gave them both a long look before asking Sam who he had in mind for the assistant manager position. Bryan let out a breath.

One problem averted. What about the other?

In this tiny town, Jade would find out soon enough he wasn’t married. He should have told her the truth right away. He didn’t want her first impression of him to be a lie. It took a lot of courage for her to come today.

It wouldn’t be hard to find her. He’d call Aunt Sally.

He owed Jade the truth.

* * *

This place was quiet. Too quiet. Dusk had fallen, which meant Jade would be exposed to outside eyes as soon as she turned the lights on.

Buy curtains.

Another thing to add to her list. Not tonight, though.

Jade sank low into her navy couch. People said small towns were so cozy and great to live in, but this silence felt eerie. Where were the traffic sounds, planes flying overhead and sirens? Without having her cable hooked up, she couldn’t turn on her television for companion noise. What she did hear unnerved her. The wind made a rippling whoosh through the siding every now and then, and the relentless drip, drip of the bathroom sink matched the pulse pounding in her temples.

Would she ever be comfortable enough to call this town home?

She yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. At least she’d made a dent in the unpacking. After her embarrassing hyperventilation session with Bryan, she’d driven back to the one-bedroom apartment above her soon-to-be store. A set of stairs outside led to the tiny kitchen with cabinets painted gray. Newer dark laminate countertops were speckled with silver flecks. In the front of the apartment was a decent-size living room complete with beige walls and tan carpet. A short hall revealed a bathroom and her bedroom—beige, of course.

She loved every square inch of it.

A knocking sound came from the kitchen. Jade shot to her feet, grabbed the empty bronze candleholder from the end table and crept through the piles of boxes in the kitchen. Another knock sounded.

Just the door. She exhaled, setting the candleholder on the counter, and opened the door a sliver.

“Hi.” Bryan loomed in the doorway. He appeared taller and his shoulders broader than when they were outside earlier. “Sorry to bother you, but I, well, I need to talk to you about something.”

Her heartbeat galloped, partly because he was even more handsome than she remembered, and also because he’d tracked her down like some sort of stalker. Had he followed her here? She remained behind the door, using it as a shield. “How did you know where I lived?”

“My aunt Sally. Sorry, I’m not a creeper. I didn’t follow you or anything. It’s just, well, nothing is a secret in this town. Aunt Sally is friends with Jules Reichert.”

“My landlord.”

“Yep.”