just be a moment kids,” Charmaine hopped out of the minivan and made a dash to the post office, obviously needing time away from the escalating chaos in the back seat. She stopped before she got to door of the post office and called to Lily, “Come look.”
Lily unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the minivan. She could hear the kids scramble out behind her.
“Here it is,” Charmaine pointed at the large public notice board in front of the post office when Lily joined her. It wasn’t very full.
“There’s not many notices,” Lily said, stating the obvious. She remembered a time when papers overlapped each other so much it was a struggle to read what they said. Now she could count what was there on one hand. There was a notice about a lost cat, kittens for sale, an advert for Tupperware (she noticed Tricia was selling that too); a flyer about the rodeo that was two weeks ago; and a house for rent. “At least I can call about the house.”
“Look Mommy, a kitten,” Charmaine’s youngest daughter, Sarah, pointed at the picture of kittens for sale.
“Yes honey, you’re right, kittens, but you have kittens in the barn at home. We don’t need any more right now.”
“But Mommm,” Sarah whined and looked at her mother with pleading eyes.
“Look over there, sweetie, would you like to play on the swings?” Lily bent down to the four-year-old’s level and pointed to the playground across the street. “I’ll take them to the swings while you get you mail, if you like.” she said to Charmaine.
Relief washed over her friend’s face.
“Oh you’re a Godsend. Thank you Lily.” Charmaine dashed into the post office as though she was afraid Lily would change her mind.
“Come on kids. Look both ways,” she warned before they ran across the street. There was no one coming of course, but better safe than sorry.
Lily was pushing Sarah and her older brother Wyatt on the swings while keeping an eye on Cody, the youngest, when she noticed someone coming out of the bar and getting in their truck. The air closed in around her and it suddenly felt like there was a brick in the bottom of her stomach, along with a million butterflies just taking off in flight. Wade Copeland: the hottest guy in town. That he was coming from the bar should come as no surprise, he was always the bad boy at school, she just thought he would have grown up. Apparently he was now the town drunk instead.
“Aunt Lily, look at me!”
Lily wrenched herself from the eye candy down the street and turned to see Wyatt standing on top of the slide. She hadn’t even noticed he’d jumped off the swing, she’d stopped pushing when Wade caught her eye. “Honey, I think you should sit down now please.”
“But look what I can do; watch me!” Wyatt wobbled and her heart caught in her throat. She stood paralyzed as he slid down the slide on his feet. “See? Want me to do it again?”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and shook her head. “That was a great trick, sweetie, would you like me to push you on the swing now?”
Wade grabbed his hat and shoved it on his head. He was well sick of this place. Spilled beer and roasted nuts obscured the aroma of the roast beef the hotel was serving for lunch and it was giving him a headache. Besides, it was time he got back to work. He cursed Mark for only sending him a text just now. He could have saved himself a trip into town, let alone an overcooked lunch, if he’d known his lawyer couldn’t make the meeting. He’d call him tonight and go over the papers then. He wanted to get that piece of dirt next to him. It’d fit onto his ranch perfectly.
He shrugged into his sheepskin jacket and pulled the collar up before pulling the heavy door of the hotel bar open. The sunlight bounced off the remnants of the dirty snow into his eyes. He tugged his hat lower, wishing he hadn’t left his shades in the truck. His breath steamed up around him but the sun warmed his face. It was supposed to be spring for God’s sake but as usual, winter was reluctant to release her grip.
Today was a balmy ten below zero. Downright tropical compared to last week when the blizzard had blown through. He was sick of winter. Its only redeeming feature was Christmas and that was long gone, although some residents still had their lights up. He’d even spotted a Christmas tree in a front window on the way to the bar this morning. Some people were just way too enthusiastic about the festive season. It wasn’t normal.
He headed over to his truck and pulled the keys from the ignition, no one locked their vehicle in Bassville, and walked down the street to the post office. He might as well pick up the mail while he was here.
Charmaine Jacobson’s truck was parked out front. He needed to talk to her husband Bradley about the PTO on his tractor. Bradley was the best mechanic around. Maybe this morning wouldn’t be a complete write-off after all.
“Aunt Lily, look at me!” Charmaine’s youngest, Cody, yelled from the small park across the street.
Wade stopped in his tracks. Aunt Lily? He slowly turned around to look. He wasn’t quite sure what he was hoping to see. A different Lily perhaps? But fate wasn’t that nice. No, it was Lily Montgomery. Damn, and she looked good.
His feet moved on their own accord and crossed the road. He stopped too close to her. He could smell her sandalwood perfume and it hit him in the gut. She shouldn’t smell the same after all these years. Longing rocked his body before he could take a step back.
“Having trouble with the kids, Lily?” he drawled.
She looked up at him in shock. It was clear she hadn’t noticed him approach. It rankled him that she obviously didn’t have the same reaction to him as he had to her. But then again, she never did.
“I’m fine,” she said and turned back to the child who was now standing on the top of the slide trying to reach out to the crossbar on the swing. “Cody honey, it’s time for you to slide down. Your sister is waiting for her turn.”
Cody just looked at her and climbed up onto the handle on the slide platform to get a better reach of his destination.
“Cody, do come down.” Lily’s voice caught in fear as she urged the little boy to do as she wished.
“But you let Wyatt do it,” he sulked and stretched his foot out further.
“Not really, honey. Please sit down and use the slide properly,” Lily begged.
Wade watched in amusement. He was close enough to catch the little tyke if he fell, but Lily didn’t seem to register that small fact. She was too busy working herself up into a state.
Her breath caught, making a strangely erotic sound in the back of her throat, when Cody finally built up enough nerve to jump.
Wade caught the boy easily in his arms and swung him high in the air, causing the little urchin to succumb to a fit of giggles.
“Cody, you could have been killed,” Lily admonished as she reached for the boy.
Wade put the little imp on the swing and gave him a big push. “He’s all right Lily. No harm done.
