“Hi, Mrs. Macmillan. It’s me. Amelia. From across the street.” I gestured over my shoulder and tried not to roll my eyes at myself. Smooth, Brown. Real smooth. “Do you have a moment to talk?”
Greta stepped onto the porch. “I assume you’re here to talk about my Facebook posts.”
“I’m—”
“And I assume you want to know why I’ve got the whole town turned against you.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s the whole t—”
“Well, Ms. Brown. I’ll be happy to explain why we’re so upset about you dating Jack Cooper. You rolled into Wildrose Landing with no job. No prospects. You didn’t even have the decency to rent an apartment. Your friend is letting you stay at Sugar Maple Hill, and I assume you haven’t paid a dime. You look like a hippie and spend all day, every day smiling like you’re high without doing anything to take responsibility for yourself.” Greta arched a scathing eyebrow and I recoiled in shock over how she saw me.
She thought I was a drugged-out hippie mooching off my friends?
“Evie said I—”
“Meanwhile, Jack Cooper has a nice house and a stable job. He’s a grieving widower, perfect for someone like you to swoop in and take advantage. I’m sure you think if you could just get your hooks in him, he’ll let you move in and you’ll be set. Marry the man, take care of his kids, and spend the rest of your life comfortable without having to lift a finger on your own. Well, Miss Brown, the Coopers are good people. They’ve been through a lot and I won’t stand by and watch him fall for your deception.”
While I wanted to interrupt Greta the way she insisted on interrupting me, I listened to her entire tirade without so much as a sigh. When she finished, I folded my arms across my chest and raised my brows. “I appreciate your concern for the family, but with all the respect in the world, you don’t know the first thing about me, Mrs. Macmillan. You have the story so very wrong.”
She lifted her chin and peered down her nose. “Do I?”
Something told me I’d never change her opinion, but I had to at least try and defend myself. “I am staying at Sugar Maple Hill for free, but not by choice. Evie insisted, even after I offered to pay her. Multiple times. No, I don’t have a job, but that’s because I don’t need one right now. I have plenty of money and I’m trying to start a business, not that I need to explain myself to you. As far as what’s going on between Jack and me, that’s really none of your concern, but it needs to be said that I love Jack Cooper and I adore his kids.”
I blinked, surprised by the admission.
I love Jack Cooper.
The words rolled around in my head and came back with the ring of truth. A smile bloomed, even as Greta scowled.
“I love Jack.”
The words felt like magic in my mouth.
“Well,” Greta huffed. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”
For all I knew she could have called me the Queen of England and proclaimed herself a unicorn. In a love-induced daze, I nodded sweetly, climbed into my car, and crossed the street to home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jack
“Oh, Jackie Boy!” Isaac Tarrington’s voice boomed through the office and I dropped my head to my desk.
“Why oh why can’t he make an appointment like a normal person?” I muttered, seconds before the man appeared in my doorway. I jerked upright and smiled. “Isaac! What a pleasant surprise!”
He gripped both edges of the door, his paunch straining against his shirt as he stood half in, half out of my office. “I was out with my girls when Gwen got a call from the landlord. We thought we’d stop in and share the happy news.”
Isaac and Gwen filtered into my office with a striking blonde. She wore a pantsuit and heels that highlighted a trim figure and a smile so serene she brought images of angels to mind. Isaac offered her the seat he usually claimed, then stood behind the two women, his hands resting on the backs of the chairs. “Jack. This is Lisa, our pride and joy.”
The blonde beauty nodded. “Hello.” Her voice was warm and mellow. It rasped in her throat in that way I’d always found so sexy.
I extended my hand over my desk. “I’ve heard so much about you, I’m glad to finally put a face to the name.”
Lisa’s warm fingers graced mine. “I could say the same thing. All Mom and Dad ever talk about is Jack Cooper this and Jack Cooper that. Throw in a little Mimi’s Boutique and now you’re up to date on every conversation we’ve had this year.”
I laughed as she gave her parents a playful look.
“Oh, come now.” Gwen fluffed the ends of her hair. “We’re not that bad.”
Lisa met my gaze. “Believe me. They’re that bad.”
“Can you blame us for pushing you toward the family business?” Gwen regarded her daughter coolly. “You, with all this potential and you’re throwing it away, earning a pittance running that community center in the city instead of taking over a lucrative and established store?”
“I wouldn’t call giving my time to people in need ‘throwing it away.’” Lisa smiled sweetly at her mom, then turned to me, her head cocked in question. “Would you?”
Isaac laughed and dropped a hand on her shoulder.
Lisa Tarrington was pretty. Funny. Strong enough to stand up to her parents without damaging the relationship. And willing to move out of an idyllic place like Wildrose to work with kids who didn’t share her good fortune of being born into money.
Old Jack would have taken one look at the woman and felt like an idiot for not giving in to her parents’ pressure sooner. This Jack? The one that knew the difference between vetiver and sage—by both scent and effect?
This Jack was looking forward to getting home and seeing Amelia.
The realization struck like a bolt of lightning.
Holy shit. This thing between us could work. Amelia might actually be the one…
Isaac cleared his throat. “On to our good news. Our landlord is willing to let us break our lease as long as there’s someone ready to take immediate occupancy. So if you want to talk to your girl about moving into the space, go for it.”
Gwen passed me a business card. “This has my cell on it. Have her text me if she has questions or call if she’s more comfortable that way. I’ll go over the specifics and cross my fingers she can afford to move in sooner rather than later.”
I accepted the card, my heart doing somersaults as I contemplated calling Amelia and telling her about the offer. She was going to be overjoyed and the thought of seeing her smiling face had me grinning like an idiot. It took all my willpower, but instead of calling her on the spot, I talked myself into taking everyone out to dinner. I’d tell her she was right to trust her spirit guides or whatever inspired her to move to Wildrose, then share the happy news. I followed the Tarringtons out to the exit, then paused in front of Tabitha’s desk, spinning the business card in my hand.
“There you go, looking completely perky again, even after a surprise meeting with the world’s loudest couple. Did you finally let them set you up with their daughter?”
“What?” I frowned. “No. Lisa seems great, but she’s not Amelia.” I tapped the business card on the edge of Tabitha’s desk. “They just gave me some news I can’t wait to share.”