Page 16 of Midnight Clear

Mick sighed and drank his coffee. “I never had much reason to cross paths with him once he was back. He spent most of his days at Duffey’s drinking and I spent most of my days here with the animals. I couldn’t even tell you how he got the money to spend on drinking.”

“I can tell you that,” Anne said hotly. “Maggie worked her tail off, especially after those girls came along.”

Hank winced and said, “Yeah, Sophie mentioned she used to clean house for you.”

“And she did an amazing job,” Anne said. “I paid her twice what anyone else would have charged and I told her to make sure she was putting some money away for the girls for a rainy day. If I’d told her to do it for herself she would’ve given every last penny to that wastrel, but she was a good mom and always wanted the best for her girls. I don’t think there was a person in this town who wasn’t secretly trying to help her survive. Mitch Jacobs was a wretched man, and driving off that mountain was probably the best thing that ever happened to Maggie.”

“Tell us how you really feel,” Hank said, smiling and taking his mother’s hand. “I’m glad Maggie had someone like you in her corner.”

Anne stopped and looked at him like she so often did, like she was seeing something deeper within him. She’d always been able to do that. A mother’s intuition maybe?

“You want to do the same for Sophie?” she asked. “You’ve had your eye on her a long time.”

He sighed, not even bothering to pretend that she hadn’t cut to the heart of the matter in seconds. “So much for my discretion,” he said, lips twitching.

“Oh, you were quiet about it,” she said. “But a mother tends to notice when someone catches her son’s eye. And she always caught yours. Not for long. Just a glance here and there. But it was enough to make me wonder.”

“She’s going to lose the bookstore,” he finally said. “She’s been putting Band-Aids on a crumbling dam and the city has recently tightened all the restrictions and codes. That building is a step away from being condemned.”

“You’re kidding,” his mother said. “I had no idea. It always looks so nice.”

“That would be the Band-Aids I was talking about,” Hank said. “Her wiring and plumbing are both out of code. She’d have to install an interior sprinkler system and a new HVAC system to comply with business regulations. It would cost her a fortune she doesn’t have. At least six figures. The bookstore is not in the busiest part of town. It does a good business, but it’s just enough for her to make payroll and business expenses, and still make a living herself. She’d do much better on the main strip.”

“I take it that’s where you come in?” Mick asked.

“I’m working on that,” Hank said. “I offered to buy the bookstore from her.”

“Oh, Lord,” Anne said, shaking her head. “That was dumb.”

His father chuckled and Hank’s eyes snapped up to his mother’s in confusion. “Why? I’m trying to help her. Iwantto help her.”

Anne shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. “It’s like you were raised by wolves instead of me.”

“I am so confused,” Hank said.

“It’s okay, son,” Mick said. “You’re still single. There’s a certain amount of leeway for your kind.”

“Is that coffee in your cups?” he asked, leaning over. “Maybe you’ve both been drinking.”

“Hank,” his mother said. “Sophie grew up with an alcoholic and violent father. Her mother had no choice but to work and take on the role of provider, so she was rarely there. Who do you think that left to run things? Who do you think took care of her sister, or did grocery shopping, or paid bills? She was a teenager who had to grow up much too quickly. That kind of fortitude and independence isn’t going to just go away because you came along and offered to save her bookstore.”

“No, I get that,” Hank said. “Mitch was abusive?”

“I know he was to Maggie,” Anne said. “I saw the bruises on her. I can’t tell you for sure about the girls, but my guess is that if Maggie wasn’t there then they’d be the most likely target.”

“She’s got a lot of hurt and pride inside her,” Hank said softly. “I could see that this morning when she was reading me the riot act. And again tonight when I had to force her into the truck when she was too sick to hardly stand up.”

“Do you care for Sophie?” his mother asked.

“I do,” he said. “It’s weird, isn’t it? We’ve been in the same town for a number of years, only saying a number of words to each other. But I’m drawn to her. I can’t explain it.”

“Darling, you don’t have to explain it,” Anne said, gripping his hand tighter. “And I understand you better than you think I do. What I will tell you is that Sophie needs to trust you. She’s never had to rely on anyone but herself. That makes her strong. And that’s an admirable trait. But it’s also going to make it hard for her to receive the love you have to give her.”

“I never said anything about love,” Hank said.

“You don’t have to,” Anne said. “You’re already halfway there. The other half will come when you go through the fire together. That’s where strength and real love is forged in a relationship. But where you’re at is a good place to start.”

“So you think she’s going to refuse my help?” he asked. “She maybe has another month tops before the city shuts her down. They want that land for themselves, and they’ll be able to take it once they condemn the property. It’s in a premium location. I’m in a position where I can pay cash for it now and do a direct buy with the owner.”

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