Page 20 of Homecoming

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Angela. I noticed you with your family when Frank got loose. Way to stand your ground!” She pumped a small, silver ringed fist in the air.

Angela laughed, shaking her head. “We weren’t sure what exactly to do, but since no one else was running…”

Pen dipped her chin. “You did exactly right. The spirits presented you with a challenge, and you passed.”

Angela blinked and lifted her brows a little, watching the woman scan her items and put them in a bag.

“Pen is part Cherokee,” Grace explained.

Pen waved a hand. “On my mother’s side. Is this all you need?”

Angela handed over the cash for the purchase. “Yes, ma’am. You know, my mother always said we had Cherokee in our lineage. Maybe I’ll research it one of these days.”

Pen smiled, her cheeks lifting and making laugh lines around her eyes. “If you need help, just let me know.” Then she wiggled her dark eyebrows and leaned across the counter. “If you are, don’t be surprised if you feel it up on that mountain. It’s special, and the land calls to her people.”

Angela cocked her head. “We just moved in, but I feel very at home up there.”

Pen nodded her head knowingly. “That may be all the confirmation you need.”

Hm. She took the bag Pen handed her and they left the store. Aiden and Fallon had moved forward a few feet, but she felt confident following Grace into the next store down. It was some kind of artistic shop.

“We have a lot of local artisans,” Grace said, her eyes shining, “and this is where they display their wares. It’s a hopping place usually, and the tourists love it.”

There were booths of knitted products and loom products. There were a couple of sections of wood items, both big and small. She found Jordyn a carved, soaring eagle, the wings tipped up on edge as it soared. They had a nesting pair on the mountain, Black had said, but she hadn’t seen either of them yet.

“This is a wonderful place,” she breathed.

Grace nodded. “We have a lot of local talent. They aren’t all full-time artists. The lady that carved that is an accountant.” She pointed across the aisle to a wall of hanging stained-glass pieces. “The man that made those also is a plumber.”

Angela knew she had to look surprised. “That’s so fascinating.”

She paused at a display of beadwork in vibrant colors. There were animals and shapes, and tiny little scenes, as well as beaded hatbands and keychains. “Oh, my gosh. Aren’t these beautiful?”

Grace grinned. “You like them?”

“I do,” Angela breathed. She ran a finger over the lines of a horse head. It was beaded in half a dozen shades of black and gray, and had a jewel for the eye. It was stunning, but she had nowhere to wear it. She’d never even ridden a horse before, but they always fascinated her. Firmly, she pulled her hand back from the temptation. They needed to move on. She couldn’t resist a final glance, though.

They came to a section in the back full of beautifully made wooden furniture.

“This looks like Fallon’s crib,” she breathed, running her hands over the smooth wood of the table.

Grace nodded as she ran a hand lovingly over a chest of drawers. “Because it’s made by the same man, my brother Baron. He owns a lumber yard on the south end of town. Wedon’t do a lot of commercial timbering anymore, but private owners still can.”

“How long ago was our mountain timbered?”

She’d seen the scars from the clear-cutting. One edge of their property had a very clear line where the foresters had stopped. The trees were a lot less developed, and there was a lot of detritus left behind.

“Oh,” Grace said, her eyes going distant as she thought. “It’s been at least ten years since the timbering stopped. Most of the town was employed by the timber companies, so it was a devastating loss to the economy.” She motioned to the furniture. “Baron is such a craftsman, but he doesn’t do a lot of woodworking anymore. He’s too busy trying to keep the furniture company running. And keep the workers employed. You guys coming in has been a big boost to the economy.”

“That’s good to know,” Angela told her. “I’m sure we’ll be ordering more as more cabins get built.”

Grace didn’t ask her any questions about how many more cabins they’d be supplying or any details about the Foxhole at all, really. The only thing she asked about was Black.

They were heading back to Aiden and Fallon when Grace rested a hand on Angela’s arm. She turned to look at the woman.

Grace stood, a hesitant expression on her face. “So, this may be wildly inappropriate, but is Black attached to anyone? I asked him earlier, and he said he wasn’t, but I just wanted to check.”

Angela smiled slightly. “As far as I know, he is not in any kind of relationship.”

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