Finding wings, p.21
Finding Wings, page 21
That cracked everyone up, and Mateo milked his moment in the spotlight for all it was worth. Rafe laughed along with the rest, but every time he was around Mateo, he couldn’t help but think of Robby and how things could have been.
When they’d finished their pizza and helped clean up, Rafe and Britt said their goodbyes and headed to his car. “Where do you want to go?” Britt asked.
“I don’t care. Wherever you want to. You’re not hungry, are you?”
“Are you kidding? After all that pizza?”
“Well, how about I just take you home then?”
“I thought we were going for hot choc—” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You’ve just been … I don’t know … cool tonight. And I don’t mean cool cool but cold. As in distant.” She stopped walking and put a hand on his forearm. “Did I do something to upset you?”
Instantly chagrined that he’d made her feel for a minute that his mood was her fault, he pulled her to himself and held her. “No, Britt. Never.” He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin, loving the smell of her hair, the feel of her in his arms. “You’re the best part of my day. Every day.”
“You mean every day I get to see you. Which isn’t nearly often enough.” She pouted. She leaned into him and held on tight.
“I’m sorry I was moody. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“So talk to me.”
“It’s about Ma, mostly.”
She pulled away and sought his eyes. “I’ve been wanting to ask you all night if there’s anything new, but I didn’t want to ask in front of everyone.”
“I appreciate that.” He shrugged. “There’s really not much new. I went with Ma down to the station, and she gave a description and filed a complaint. But we’re going on a description that fits probably half the guys in the casino on any given night. I feel almost guilty because my buddies at the station are spending extra hours watching her house, in case the guy makes good on his threats—”
“What kind of threats?”
“To kill her. To kill me.”
“Rafe! What?”
His laughter was sharp. “They’re idle threats. Like I told Ma, they need her alive to get the money from her.”
“But Rafe! What if they’re not?”
“Don’t worry. Ma’s been staying with me, which”—he gave a dry laugh—“might have something to do with my mood.”
“That bad?”
“It’s not Ma’s fault. She’s as antsy as I am to get her back in her own house. The chief really does believe the threats are idle. They see players like this guy work the casinos sometimes. They’re just looking for somebody they can control. Sadly, Ma was an easy mark. She said he was her ‘boyfriend’ for a while. So I guess you were right.”
“Oh no … I never meant it that way though.”
“I know. What makes me sick is that she didn’t even know the guy’s name.”
“At all? Even when they were … dating?”
Rafe shook his head. “He went by Buck Obermueller. At least that’s what he told Ma. She thinks he was lying about everything now. Buck sounds like a nickname to me, and nobody by that name comes up in police records. But like I said, all they have to go on is a description, and it probably matches a dozen guys at the casino and a hundred in this town: Tall, bald, piercings, tattoos. The only good thing that’s come—”
“Wait …” Britt held up a hand. “You said tall, bald? Like a shaved head?”
“I don’t know if he shaved or was just bald. Why?”
“And a pierced ear?” Her voice rose. “A big gold hoop earring in his left ear?”
He cocked his head. “Why are you asking?”
“Rafe, there was a couple staying at the cottage last week, and that’s what the guy looked like.” Her brow furrowed. “I couldn’t say about tattoos. I only ever saw him in their car. A blue SUV. But they were in town to gamble, and the woman he was with—the one who made their reservation—told me he’d made her pawn her diamond nose ring. They were from Indiana—well, at least the woman was. She said in the messages before they checked in that it would be her husband with her, but she slipped up and called him her boyfriend when we were talking once.”
He frowned. “Did she ever say his name?”
“If she did, I don’t remember. Buck doesn’t sound familiar.” She gave a little laugh. “I always thought of him as Mr. Clean because he looked just like the guy on the cleaning bottles. He was nice looking, but kind of rude. Or maybe standoffish is a better term. He never would wave or even look my way if we met on the lane or in front of the cottages.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Just a few days. They were booked there for almost a week. I can check the booking information and give you the exact date. And the woman’s contact info. Her name was Kathy. I don’t remember her last name. It started with an L, I think.”
He shrugged. “It might not be anything. But it’s worth checking out.”
“Do you think your mom is safe?”
“I’m guessing she is, but I’m having her stay with me for a few days. I’m not taking any chances.”
“I’m glad.”
“She isn’t going to sleep until that guy is put behind bars. Or at least run out of town.”
She pulled up the app and searched for the info, but Rafe put a gentle hand on hers.
“You’d better check the company’s policies. You probably have to go through a special process to share a guest’s private info. The guys at the station will know. But if you just give it to me, not only could it get you in trouble, but it likely wouldn’t be admissible in court either.”
She put a hand to her mouth. “I didn’t even think about that. I’m glad you told me before I forwarded the info.” She scrolled through the hosting information for a few minutes. “Here it is …” She read from the site. “Data Requests from Law Enforcement. There’s a form you can fill out to request information.”
“Great. Can you send me that link?”
“That won’t keep the information from being inadmissible?”
“As long as you’re not sending me personal information about the woman. Just forwarding the link to a request form shouldn’t raise any red flags.”
He only hoped this whole mess didn’t raise any red flags with the woman he was growing to love more than life itself.
CHAPTER 30
February
DID YOU HEAR?” QUINN ANNOUNCED to the motley group gathered outside his house on moving day. “The groundhog saw his shadow last week.” Judging by the frown on her brother-in-law’s face, he didn’t consider this good news.
Britt groaned, her breath forming a cloud in the chill air. “That means six more weeks of winter, right? Well, five now.”
Rafe looked skeptical. “I wonder how often that actually pans out.”
“Tell you in a minute …” Mateo pulled off his gloves and tapped his phone’s keyboard. “Thirty-nine percent … What? Stupid groundhog is wrong more than he’s right. I’m not listening to his prediction.”
“Me neither, buddy.” Luke put a hand on the back of the kid’s neck. “But I predict that if you don’t put that phone away and get to work, Quinn won’t let you have any of those cookies he brought from the bakery.”
Mateo rolled his eyes, but slid the phone back into the front pocket of his hoodie. “So what am I supposed to move?”
Britt hefted a box from a stack next to the front door and loaded it into Mateo’s arms. “You can start by carrying this to the truck. And then come back for another one.”
“Then wash, rinse, repeat,” Quinn said.
“Huh?” Mateo wrinkled his nose. “I don’t get it.”
The adults laughed, and Luke steered the boy toward the rented moving truck. “It just means you keep coming back for boxes till we’re done.”
Britt blew on her hands, wishing she’d remembered to grab a pair of gloves, but though it was in the mid-thirties right now, it was supposed to be in the sixties by noon. Quinn and Phee didn’t have much furniture, and he estimated they’d be finished unloading at the new house before noon. “Except for the most important thing.”
“You’d better mean me.” Through the open door, Phee’s voice carried from inside the house.
“And you’d better not be out of that bed,” Quinn hollered back.
“I’m fine.”
Quinn gave Britt a pleading look. “Can you go talk to her? Where’s Jo?”
“I’m on it. Jo’s on her way. She’s running a few minutes late.” It was Jo’s turn to be on Phee-watch and she’d been given the assignment of packing up the master bedroom—under Phee’s supervision—while the rest of them loaded the truck.
Phee’s spirits had been so much better since the doctor had relaxed her bed-rest rules two weeks ago. She continued to do well and the placenta previa seemed to have, indeed, resolved itself. Her doctor warned them Phee would likely still need a cesarean delivery, but the risks she’d faced earlier were much less now and her mood showed it. With the added excitement of the move, Phee had been positively cheerful the last few days.
Britt found her oldest sister in the dining room dusting the chairs. “Phee, those are just going to get dusty again in the truck. Would you please go get in bed? For your husband’s sake?”
Phee affected a pout. “I feel like such a slacker with everybody else working their tails off.”
“You have the most important job on earth: keeping that baby safe until it’s time for her to come out.”
“Or him!” Phee countered. The betting pool was heavy on predictions of a girl—especially since there were three Chandler sisters.
“Now, put down the dust rag, back away from the table, and get yourself in bed.” Britt snatched the dust rag from her hand.
“Party pooper.” But Phee did as she was asked and headed back to the bedroom.
When Britt was sure her sister was settled, she walked back through a house strewn with moving boxes and partially disassembled furniture. It might have been sad, seeing the house in such disarray, but Quinn and Phee had never planned to live here long-term. Quinn had built this house—with another girlfriend in mind—before he and Phee fell in love, and they’d begun building their house on the Poplar Brook Road property shortly after their wedding.
All Britt could think about was how much easier things would be having Phee right up the lane from her cabin. Phee’s doctor—and Quinn—still wanted someone with her, or at least nearby, at all times, but Britt and Jo would be able to run back and forth between the cottage and cabins and get some smaller tasks done while they were on Phee-watch. It had been a long haul, but they were beginning the home stretch now.
And for Britt, that meant one thing: more time with Rafe Stuart.
In the guest room down the hall, Luke and Mateo were working on taking a bed apart. Britt stuck her head in the doorway. “Have you guys seen Rafe?”
Luke hooked a thumb in the direction of the front yard. “He was in the back of the truck last I saw him, supervising the loading.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
She’d been so happy it worked out for Rafe to be here for moving day, but she hoped they’d be able to find a few minutes alone once the moving was finished. Between his working overtime and her helping Quinn and Phee pack, they’d barely seen each other the past couple of weeks. She missed him. And they had a lot of catching up to do. About his mom and that whole mess and about their future. The closer they came to Phee’s due date, the more Britt saw a little light at the end of the tunnel—especially now that she and her sisters would all be back on the property together.
It was hard seeing so little of Rafe. Her daydreams were full of scenarios where he lived here too. Where she saw him every day and woke up beside him every morning. She warmed at the thought and shoved a box into the truck a little harder than necessary, as if that could explain her pink cheeks to anyone who noticed. The truth was, she didn’t know how Rafe felt about moving out here if they got married. He was committed to his EMT job, and living here would put him at least ten minutes farther from work.
But if they married and Rafe wanted her to move into town, how could she keep the inn running? With her sisters taking on other responsibilities—a baby and Mateo—it would fall to her to keep doing the bulk of the work. Was that even what she wanted? With Quinn and Phee building their house here, they were all kind of locked into keeping the inn up and running.
Had she been trapped by circumstances once again? Would she always be the one who had to make the sacrifice for what she really wanted and step into a role simply because she was needed?
She brushed the troubling thoughts away, not wanting to ruin a rare day with Rafe. But they niggled at her the rest of the morning. Along with what she knew was the more important question: what did she want out of life? And why hadn’t she been able to figure that out by now?
By eleven o’clock, they had everything moved except Phee. The guys put together the new bed in the master bedroom, and Britt and Jo made it up with freshly laundered sheets and then hung sheer white curtains at the windows for privacy. Phee would no doubt choose something different for the room eventually, but for now, the space looked bright and airy.
Mary, Phee’s former boss from the flower shop in Langhorne, had sent a cheery bouquet of pink and blue flowers for the occasion. Britt could picture a crib and changing table in the alcove off the bedroom. Phee would be ecstatic to have a new point of view and new inspiration being in their forever house.
Quinn stuck his head in the door. “Shall I go get her? Is everything ready for—Whoa!” His gaze swept the room. “This looks great, guys! I can’t wait for Phee to see it!”
“Then go get her!” Britt shooed him off, and she and Jo bustled to put the finishing touches on the room.
Pulling back the curtains, she spotted Rafe with Luke and Mateo, breaking down the huge cardboard boxes. They were in animated conversation, and her heart swelled to see Rafe here at the property fitting in as if he’d always been part of their family.
Please, Lord, could that be part of Your plan?
Rafe hauled another load of cardboard boxes to the waiting truck and loaded them inside. Having promised Robby he’d visit, he’d been afraid he might have to cut out early, but apparently the saying was true: Many hands make light work. He chuckled to himself, wondering if that quote might be from you-know-who. He’d google it later and try it out on Britt if it was.
He looked toward the house, wondering how things were going with her. He’d seen Quinn drive up earlier and help Phylicia out of the car. He assumed that’s where Britt was, but he hoped for a chance to talk to her alone before he had to leave. This text-messages-and-stolen-kisses relationship was not going to cut it. He needed some serious time with her.
At one o’clock, with the empty moving boxes loaded for recycling, Phee happily ensconced in her new house, and the moving crew gathered on the lane between the cabins and the new house, Quinn declared they were finished. “We’ve got pizza coming for anyone who can stay.”
“Count me in!” Mateo crowed, then quickly looked to Luke to make sure it was okay.
“You bet,” Luke said. “We’re in.”
Rafe shook his head. “Thanks for offering, but I need to run. My brother is expecting me this afternoon.”
“Sure appreciate your help today, Rafe.” Quinn stepped forward and the two shook hands.
“Happy to help.” He took a step back and caught Britt’s eye.
The smile she gave him said she was longing for time alone as much as he was. He waited until the group began to meander toward Quinn and Phee’s house for pizza, then pulled Britt aside. He put himself between her and the dispersing group, shielding her from view. He stroked her cheek. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too. You sure you can’t stay for pizza?”
“I’m sorry. I need to go see Robby.” He hesitated, looking down at the gravel. “You wouldn’t want to go with me, would you?”
“You wouldn’t care? Robby wouldn’t care?”
He gave a low chuckle. “I make no promises about Robby, but I’d love to have you go with me.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “Could I have five minutes to clean up a little?”
“Sure. But you look fine to me.” He touched her face again. “More than fine.”
“I’ll be right back.” She started for the cottage, then turned back. “Do you need some water or anything?”
He waved her off. “Thanks. I’m good.”
“Don’t leave without me.”
“I’ll be right here.” He pointed to the spot where he stood.
Didn’t she know that he never wanted to do anything without her ever again?
CHAPTER 31
BRITT BRUSHED HER TEETH AND quickly changed into a clean blouse. Melvin appeared in the doorway of her bedroom and meowed up at her. Suddenly, wheels started turning and excitement rose inside her as an idea formed. “Wait right here, buddy …”
She hurried outside to where Rafe was waiting.
“That was quick.”
“Well, I had an idea. This might be off the wall, but hear me out.”
“I’m listening.” But his demeanor said he was skeptical before even hearing her suggestion.
“Remember last time we visited, and Robby said he wanted a cat?”
Rafe nodded, obviously not tracking.
“What if we took Melvin with us to visit? Do you think the home would allow that?”
“Hmm … Well, family members bring pets all the time, so I know it’s allowed.” His smile said he was pleased but that the idea had never crossed his mind. He thought for a minute before continuing. “I’m just not sure how Robby would react.”
“Maybe he wouldn’t understand that Melvin is only visiting? I’d feel awful if he thought we were bringing him a … permanent cat. But Melvin can’t stay.” She cringed. “Sorry. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea.”
