had thought about it but couldn’t come up with an explanation. “Just coincidence, I’m sure.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Sally glanced up. “Hey, did you see the flyer up front advertising a lecture by Winona Cobbs?”
“Who’s she?” Lily asked.
“A character, that’s for sure.” She laughed. “No one really has any idea how old she is, but my guess is somewhere in her nineties. And she knows things.”
“What things?” Lily’s eyes widened.
“Just things no one can explain. She says she’s psychic and that’s what the lecture is about. Everyone in town is going. You should come.”
“I’ll think about it.” Mallory was glad the other woman had changed the subject to something other than Caleb.
“So Caleb accepted your invitation to dinner.”
Somehow Mallory managed to hold in the groan. To react in any way was, in itself, fodder for town talk, so she remained neutral. “The poor man was trapped. He couldn’t say no.”
“Oh, he could have.” There was a knowing look in Sally’s eyes. “Trust me.”
“He cooked hamburgers and played a game with us after dinner,” Lily cut in.
“Sounds like he got pretty comfortable.” Sally finished putting the clear top coat on the little girl’s toes. She helped her get out of the chair without nicking the still-wet polish and said, “You know the drill, sweetie. Go to the station up front and stick your feet under the light. Let those little piggies dry.”
“I will. Thanks, Sally.”
“You’re welcome.” She pulled a clean set of pedicure tools from the little table beside her, then lifted Mallory’s left foot from the swirling water. “Now that little ears are occupied, I’m going to give you some advice.”
“Is it included in the cost of the pedicure?” Mallory was trying to lighten the mood.
“Just remember it’s worth what you paid for it. Also that I care about you.”
“This sounds serious.”
“It is.” She lifted her gaze. “Caleb Dalton is a notorious charmer who’s too good-looking for any woman’s peace of mind.”
Mallory decided not to admit that she’d fallen into the typical category where he was concerned. In her humble and objective opinion, he was both charming and way above average in the looks department.
“The thing is,” Sally went on, “he’s never stuck to one woman for any length of time. It’s always superficial and then he moves on. No one can figure out how, but his exes are all still friends.”
“I’m not sure whether you’re warning me or singing his praises.”
“Both,” Sally admitted. “He doesn’t feel the need to be with one woman when he can have them all.”
“I see.” She watched as the woman shaped her nails, then trimmed the cuticles. She needed to respond to the statement, but waited until she was sure her voice would be normal, nothing to give her away. Because the truth was that when Caleb was around, she smiled more, glowed just a little and felt a flutter in her heart that took the edge off monotony in life.
“I appreciate the warning, Sally, but I’m not looking for anyone. It’s been pointed out that I got to Rust Creek at the peak of the gal rush, but it wasn’t about finding a man.”
“Okay.” The other woman buffed her toenails. “What with you being a newcomer, I just thought you should know.”
Mallory smiled, then held still for the polish. When that step was finished, she swung her legs to the side so as not to smudge her freshly painted toes. After handing over her credit card to pay for the pedicures, she joined Lily at the nail-drying station. There was a clear plastic holder with the flyers Sally had mentioned. In bold letters at the top it said Embracing Your Inner Psychic.
She took one of the papers that had all the information and put it in her purse. Although she didn’t believe that anyone could see the future, if the whole town was going, she would, too. That was what you did when trying to belong.
And wouldn’t it be nice to know what was yet to happen? Mallory thought as an uninvited image of Caleb’s roguish grin popped into her mind.
Maybe sometime in the near future that foolishness would stop. She really hoped so.
In church on Sunday, Mallory and Lily listened to Pastor Alderson finish his sermon and make announcements. The last one was about the pancake breakfast fund-raiser being held directly after services.
“Some of our neighbors still need assistance to rebuild homes and businesses damaged by last year’s flood,” the pastor said. “We need to open our hearts and give as generously as possible to get folks who are still struggling back on their feet. See you there.”
Everyone in the packed community church stood and filed out the back door.
“Can we go to the breakfast?” Lily asked. “I like pancakes.”
“Of course we can.” Mallory gently squeezed the small hand tucked into hers, then held on tight as they were swept along with the crowd.
They slowly moved to the multiuse room where the fund-raiser was being held. At the door was a table where volunteers were taking money and handing out tickets.
“Hello, Mallory.” Thelma McGee, an older woman who had taken in many people displaced by the disaster, waved them over. Beside her was a metal cash box for the money collected. Her son, Hunter, had been the former mayor of Rust Creek Falls and the only casualty of the flood. A tree had fallen on his car, and the speculation was that it startled him into a massive heart attack, killing him instantly.
It had been a year since the tragedy, but sadness still clouded the woman’s eyes. Mallory couldn’t imagine losing a child and squeezed her niece’s hand again. “It’s nice to see you, Thelma.”
“You, too.” Thelma smiled at Lily. “And you just get cuter every time I see you, young lady.”
“Thank you.” Lily smiled shyly. “We’re here for breakfast.”
“And I’m here to take your money,” the older woman said.
Mallory paid the asking price and received two tickets. She hadn’t been here during the disaster, but this was her town now and help it she would. She handed over a twenty-dollar bill. “Just to help a little more.”
“That’s very generous, dear.”
“It’s the least I can do. I wish it could be more.”
“Everything helps,” Thelma said. “Go on in now and enjoy.”
“Thanks,
