at what it might have been like for Mary and Joseph when they returned to his hometown after Joseph took Mary to be his wife. Audiences would be able to feel what they may have gone through because they were doing what God asked of them. Earlier when Applegate talked her into helping, he’d told her all about it and it sounded intriguing.
Fortunately for Haley, there was no acting involved for her. She’d agreed to come only to help with the props, a job she’d enjoyed during high school. She was pretty artistic, although when it came to swinging a hammer she was all thumbs and there were plenty of Haley Bell stories to prove it. Now Will, he was good with a hammer.
She found herself glancing toward the back of the room, where he stood, legs planted shoulder width apart, arms crossed as he focused on what Lacy was saying. Her pulse jumped again just looking at him and she quickly focused forward once more. She certainly hoped he wasn’t on her team. The thought of having to work close to him just didn’t settle well. There was so much past between them that it was obvious they would only bring turmoil to the present effort. And that wouldn’t be good for anyone.
Lacy started reading off the list of committees. There was the costume committee—something Haley would never be on, seeing as how the one time she’d tried to hem a dress she’d accidentally sewn the skirt of the dress she was wearing to the dress her grandmother was teaching her to hem. Then there was the food committee, the marketing committee, makeup committee and onward down the line until last, but not least, the props committee. A sense of dread started filling Haley with each committee list that was called out and Will’s name didn’t appear. When Lacy started reading the props committee members, Haley knew she was doomed even before their names were read back-to-back. It was everything she could do to keep the alarm she felt from showing in her expression as she felt gazes bouncing off her at every angle. She swallowed hard and though her palms were perspiring she kept her hands still, not allowing herself to wipe them on her skirt for fear everyone would see that she was sweating. It was a trait she’d learned when negotiating property contracts. But this was different. This was more personal. She didn’t want to be stuck on a team with Will. The man was a spur in her past that she didn’t want to revisit. If she’d known he was living back in Mule Hollow she probably wouldn’t have come home. There was no way she wanted to spend time with him.
But it was done. There was nothing she could do about it and not look suspicious. Not to mention how it would disappoint her grandpa.
She forced herself to think positively. She was a big girl now. This was a good time to wipe the slate clean. She could pull Will Sutton’s ever-present memory from out of the dark closet she’d stuffed it in all those years ago and expose it to the light—then move on with her life. Her California dream life. A life that was wonderful, and fulfilling, and…and everything she’d ever wanted.
She straightened in her chair.
This was a good thing.
A step forward. That was what this experience would be. A big gigantic step toward…her future.
Chapter Six
Will didn’t miss the look that passed between Norma Sue and Esther Mae the minute the names were read. The moment he heard Lacy call out Haley’s name, he zeroed in on the two known matchmakers. He hadn’t even realized Haley was going to help with the program. Now he was pretty sure he was being set up. But why? Why would anyone want to do that?
He thought Haley would be gone by the weekend, and now he realized that she must be staying. He needed a cup of coffee to digest that bit of information. He strode toward the table where cookies and a coffeepot sat. Listening to Lacy continue to describe all that needed to be done before the big production in five weeks, his brain rolled over the time he didn’t have that was going to be required of him for this. It was going to be a tight squeeze to get it all done, but it was the thought of spending time with Haley that filled him with dread.
He should have seen it coming. Haley could draw anything, so it was logical that Applegate had recruited her. Trying to shake the unease rising in him, Will took a cautious swallow of hot coffee and studied her profile. She looked as tense as he felt, no doubt just as wary as he was of this development. There was no denying that she would be a big help to the program. And the program was what this was all about. He should just relax and ignore the red flags he was seeing—
“Somethin’ on yer mind?”
Applegate suddenly slapped him on the shoulder in greeting. Will sloshed coffee down the front of his jeans and glanced at the older man. He hadn’t realized anyone was in the kitchen behind him, especially Applegate. He had no idea how long App had been watching Will stare at his granddaughter.
“No sir,” he said, taking a quick swig of the scalding liquid and feeling the inside of his mouth fire up as he met Applegate’s gaze. Will made a concerted effort to keep his eyes off Haley when they automatically started to slide back in her direction. He couldn’t afford to let himself slip up like that again. The last thing he needed was to start speculation that he was standing in the back of the building staring longingly at Haley…. It might have been true, but that didn’t mean he wanted everyone to notice he still had feelings for her.
To his dismay, instead of heading back to his chair, Applegate planted himself beside Will, folded his thin arms across his chest and settled in. He was so thin he reminded Will of a praying mantis as he cut his eyes toward Will and caught him staring.
“I figure we’re gonna be puttin’ in some long hours ta get this stage setup designed and finished in time,” he said, raising a bushy brow.
Will relaxed a bit, relieved that Applegate wanted to talk about the program. “You’re right about that. But I didn’t see anything in those plans that requires welding. Why do they need me?” he asked.
Applegate cleared his throat loudly and shifted from foot to foot. His dour expression remained, but Will read his body language. Applegate was hedging. “We hoped you could come up with some easier way to help move the sets around.” He cut his gaze at Will. “Ken ya do that? Plus, I got you on the drawing team. It ain’t jest your welding that gotcha on my crew.”
Dread settled over Will at the mention of drawing. He had a feeling he and Haley were going to be spending a lot of time together. Looking away, he focused on Lacy as she waved her hands to get everyone’s attention again.
“Time to break up into individual groups so team leaders can set up work schedules,” she called out, her face beaming. “All cast members see me.”
Will hadn’t known Lacy long, but it was obvious she had a heart for Mule Hollow. He’d moved home to help keep the town alive, but it was evident that Lacy had come here, set the town on her shoulders and was pushing with all her might to make it a place people wanted to set roots in. He liked her, and watching her get this production together he could fully understand how she’d been able to talk a bunch of dusty cowboys into painting their town the colors of a Joseph’s coat of many colors. He smiled as she waved her arms over her head then met her husband Clint’s gaze and sent him a kiss airmail. Something tugged inside Will watching the affection that passed between his old friend and his new wife. Will had always wanted that, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that he would probably never have it.
A flash of red caught his eye and, as quick as that, he was watching Haley again as she removed the little red coat she’d been wearing. The room was warm as toast, but when she slipped her graceful arms from the wool coat, he wished the heat would stop working. It was obvious that she’d stayed in shape, though she did look a bit thin to him. She probably worked out alongside the rich and famous at one of those preppy little gyms. After all, networking was a fact
