think Wiley wanted to leave right away on account of the storm,” Grammy continued. “Your mother already left.”
Mimi tried not to let that revelation upset her. Her mother hadn’t even said goodbye. Of course, what had she expected? A joyous reunion as if her mother hadn’t deserted them years ago? “Alison and I should get on the road, too.”
Alison strolled in, nibbling on a finger-size eclair. Mimi’s mouth fell open when she saw Seth Broadhurst behind her, looking like a lost puppy.
“Mimi, Dad’s car won’t start so he’s going to ride with us in the Jeep.”
Giddy laughter bubbled up inside Mimi. How ironic. A used-car salesman with a car that wouldn’t start.
She stared from her grandmother to her sister to Seth. Alison had just given her the perfect excuse. “Sure. Grammy, I’ll have to take the chest some other time.”
“Oh, honey, I did want you take it with you today.” Grammy clutched a hand to her chest as if she might be having the big one. Mimi had seen her grandmother fake the gesture so many times she almost laughed.
“But there’s no way we can fit all three of us and the chest in Alison’s Jeep,” Mimi said gently.
“I can give you a ride,” Seth offered.
All eyes swung to him. He leaned against the doorjamb, a Val Kilmer look-alike with his warm brown eyes and sandy-colored hair. His whole demeanor seemed steeped in sexuality, something she’d never noticed before. “I have my Lexus. There’s plenty of room in the trunk,” Seth said in a low voice.
Mimi stammered a refusal, uncomfortable with the idea of Seth and the hope chest being in close proximity of each other. Odd things had happened after Hannah had opened her hope chest.
“Thanks, Seth,” Alison said, answering for her. “Dad’s in a hurry.” Alison hugged her grandmother and strolled from the room, leaving Mimi with no choice but to accept the ride and take the hope chest with her.
But what the heck. Seth sounded so forlorn. He might be depressed about Hannah’s marriage. Maybe he needed some company. She’d cheer him up just like she did when she took in a stray dog.
“SO, WHY DIDN’T YOU WANT to take the chest with you?” Seth asked as he hoisted the bulky wooden box.
Mimi caught the opposite end, the two of them shifting and juggling it sideways to fit through the front door. “What makes you think I didn’t want to take it?”
“The look on your face,” Seth said. “What gives?”
“It’s tradition for the grandmother of the Hartwells to give each granddaughter a hope chest when she’s getting married.”
“You’re getting married?” Seth asked.
Mimi shrugged at his incredulous tone. “No, never—the very reason I don’t see the need for a hope chest.”
“So you’ve sworn off men because of that creep Joey?”
“No, just commitment. I want a guy to have fun with.”
And he wanted a woman to settle down with. They were complete opposites. Not that it mattered.
Still, somehow she looked vulnerable….
Mimi wobbled and accidentally slammed the chest into his side. He gritted his teeth to hide the pain shooting through his ribs. “Just angle it a little more to the right and I think we’ll have it.”
“Sorry,” Mimi said softly.
Vulnerable, hell. She was a walking danger zone. Especially with that throaty voice.
Mimi caught her bottom lip with her teeth as she tried to follow his instructions, at the same time not letting the wooden doorjamb scrape the delicate gold embossing. For someone who didn’t even want the chest, she certainly seemed determined to keep it from harm.
“Watch out for ice on the steps,” Grammy warned. “That sky’s so dark it reminds me of ’eighty-two when that blizzard knocked out everyone’s power for days.”
“I hope you’ll be all right here, Grammy.” Mimi looked worried. “Do you want to come to Sugar Hill with us?”
“Heavens, no,” Grammy said. “I’ve got plenty of wood and canned food here to last me. And my buddy Winnie will be by directly to spend the night.”
Seth’s foot hit the slick wood and he wobbled, throwing Mimi off balance. She stumbled forward, almost taking out Seth’s eye with the corner of the chest. He exhaled, thinking he’d be black-and-blue all over before they finished. Finally they both steadied themselves. He inched his feet along so he wouldn’t fall as they descended the remaining steps and crossed the front yard.
Mimi’s grandmother was right. The sky was black, the snow falling so thickly the dirt road was already blanketed. With the sun fading and the temperature dropping, the roads would ice over, making driving dangerous until the few snowplows available could be resurrected to clear the streets.
“There’s Winnie now.” Mimi’s grandmother waved at an elderly lady in hot-pink sweats exiting a blue sedan. Seth wanted to offer his assistance, but he had his hands full. Instead, he nodded a greeting and veered sideways, leading Mimi down the dirt road toward his car. Mimi’s grandmother yelled goodbye and ushered her friend inside. Snow crystals dotted Mimi’s curly auburn hair and clung to her eyelashes. She must be freezing in that slinky rose-colored bridesmaid dress. Her breasts were practically spilling out, her nipples puckering against the satiny fabric.
“Where the heck did you park? Sugar Hill?” Mimi asked.
“No, but I arrived late, so I had to park down the hill.”
“You could have moved your car up to the house,” Mimi said.
Seth winced as his foot hit a rock. “You seemed in a rush to leave, but if you want to set this thing down, I’ll go get it.”
“It’s not that heavy,” Mimi said. “And I’d hate for the chest to get wet.”
“You’re awfully protective of something you don’t want.”
Mimi frowned at him as if he was a moron. “My grandmother did have it specially made for me. Don’t you have any respect for family tradition?”
So, she had a sappy side to her, just as he’d suspected. Mimi was much more emotional than Hannah had ever been—that is, until the day Hannah had canceled their wedding. “My family isn’t the sentimental type. What’s in here, anyway?”
“I don’t know. If it’s like Hannah’s, it’s Pandora’s box.”
“What do you mean?”
“When Hannah opened her hope chest the night before her…er, your wedding, her whole life went crazy.” Mimi blew her bangs from her eyes and averted her gaze.
“You mean her hope chest had something to do with that weird dream, the reason she canceled the wedding?”
“The
