“How old would Lindsey be now?”
“Twelve.”
“Man, Blake, I don’t know what to say.”
“Yeah, me either.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
Blake nodded and walked down the wide aisle between rows of stalls. He stopped at the open double door.
“I’ll let you know. And I thought I’d warn you that I stopped to visit our grandmother and she’s on her way out here.” Blake shot a look toward Jesse’s house.
“That’s good to know. I’m sure she only has the best of intentions.”
Blake actually smiled. Maybe because he enjoyed their grandmother focusing on someone other than himself, or because he felt some amazing relief, knowing where Lindsey was. “See you later, brother.”
Jesse waved and went back to work.
When he walked up the steps to the back door of his house, he knew Laura would earn her keep and more. The deck had been swept, the flowers were no longer wilting and the patio table where he liked to drink his morning coffee had been wiped off. He headed for the door but it opened before he could reach for the handle.
Laura jumped back and her hand went to her heart. “I didn’t see you.”
“Sorry about that.” He hung his hat on the hook next to the door and swept his hand through his hair. “I’m going to fix a sandwich. Do you want one?”
“No, I can run up to my place for lunch.”
“I’ll make us both a sandwich. There’s no need for you to walk down there.”
She walked out the back door to the edge of the deck and shook a rug out. After several hard shakes, she turned to look back at him. “I really don’t need to be taken care of.”
“I know you don’t. But I really don’t want you to work more than a few hours today. You need to get your strength back.” He studied the little garden at the side of the house. The garden he’d been meaning to plant something in for as long as he’d had this house. “Did you plant flowers?”
She nodded a little. “I should have asked. It’s just that I saw the plants on the table in your utility room and they were starting to look bad. You had tomatoes, too, and a few pepper plants.”
He motioned her inside. “I’m glad you planted them. I do this every year. I buy plants, consider planting them, get busy, think about them once or twice and then I forget them until they’re brown and long past saving.”
“A doctor who can’t keep a plant alive.” She smiled as she said it. He ignored that smile—with effort.
“Exactly.” He touched her back as she moved ahead of him into the kitchen. The house smelled like pine cleaner and fresh air from the open windows. “This is great. I’d forgotten that a house could smell this good.”
“It wasn’t really messy, just...”
He stopped when he reached the kitchen. “The word you’re looking for is neglected. And what’s in the Crock-Pot?”
She walked past him and lifted the lid. “Roast. I hope you don’t mind. I found it in the freezer and thought it would be an easy meal for you. It’ll be done by six this evening and if you don’t want it tonight, I can put it in a container and you can reheat it tomorrow.”
“Amazing.” He’d lived the bachelor life since he’d left home for college. He’d forgotten what a woman’s touch did for a place.
A car door interrupted his musings. He glanced out the window and saw the corner of a silver car. He pulled ham and cheese out of the fridge. Behind him he heard the water running and Laura washing her hands.
“You have company.”
“That would be my grandmother, here to check on you.” He put the luncheon meat on the counter and found bread in the cabinet.
Laura turned from the sink, a towel in her hands. “Does she know that I’m working for you?”
“I’m sure everyone in town knows. I bought two meals at Vera’s two nights in a row.” He handed her a paper plate. “Don’t worry about it.”
Her eyes widened and pink stained her cheeks. He felt bad about teasing her, but in the past two days he’d learned that she was easy to embarrass, and when that happened, pink crept up her neck to her cheeks.
“Well, I hadn’t planned on worrying until you said something. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”
“They won’t.” He grinned because she was watching the door. “Relax, I’m just teasing.”
Before his grandmother could knock, he called out for her to come in. She did. The door banged softly behind her and he heard her mutter something about needing to kick off her shoes before she tracked in mud. The comment reminded him and he looked down at his boots and cringed. Even the hems of his jeans were caked with mud. When he looked up, Laura smiled and shook her head.
“I tracked in on your clean floor.” He reached for a roll of paper towels and she stopped him.
“The mop is still damp. I’ll clean it up after you’re finished with lunch.”
Granny Myrna stepped into the kitchen. She eyed the two of them and helped herself to a cup of coffee.
“Now, isn’t this cozy?”
“Gran, it isn’t what you...”
She raised a bejeweled hand and shook her head. “I know that. It’s just...very domestic. I’m glad to see this place clean and smelling of something other than that dog of yours.”
“Thanks.” He offered her a sandwich and she shook her head.
“I’m not here for lunch. I’m here to see if Laura wants to ride into town with me. I thought we’d check on her car and then we can go by and see her aunt Sally.”
Laura had stopped fixing her sandwich. Her hands stilled over the bread and she glanced his way, as if seeking his permission.
“I really need to finish up. I haven’t mopped the upstairs bathrooms.”
Jesse offered her a bottle of water. “Tomorrow. Eat and go with Gran. I promise she’s usually a very safe driver.”
Laura smiled up at him, a shy smile. “Thank you. And I trust her.”
He grinned at that. “Suit yourself. But trusting her driving, way overrated.”
She turned pink again. He looked away but caught his grandmother watching him, an all-too-knowing look in eyes that probably saw too much, even if she did say they weren’t as good as they used to be.
* * *
Ten minutes and just a few miles later, Laura had lost that trust in Myrna’s driving. A ride to town brought new fears and a renewed belief in the power of prayer.
“Relax. And try breathing. By the way, don’t wear yourself out cleaning Jesse’s house. I don’t think you’re over that virus.” Myrna slowed and pulled into the parking lot of the Lakeside Residential Care Facility. The building was one level, a long, low building with brick siding and multiple windows.
Laura smiled at Myrna.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen or talked to Aunt Sally.”
“Does that mean my driving has nothing to do with your pale face or the death grip on the door handle?”
Laura relaxed her grip and smiled. “Maybe a little.”
“It’s always been a problem for me. I get behind the wheel and something takes over.