Page 20 of Call it Fate

“I hope you slept well.”

He gave a half-hearted nod and turned his attention to piling food on his plate.

Okay, then.

I guessed we were back to being awkward. Slowly blowing out a frustrated sigh, I grabbed a fresh pot of coffee from the kitchen and refilled several mugs around the small dining area, appreciating the compliments of the brew and directing them to Brew’s Clues if they wanted to take some beans home with them. It was one of the many benefits of living in our small community. Yes, everyone might think everyone else’s personal business should be shared, but there was also a lot of support, and I loved sending my guests to the various other downtown shops.

I’d put off Zach’s table for the obvious reason of wanting to avoid more awkwardness, but no matter what, I was a hostess first, and that meant putting aside any of my personal feelings. I needn’t have worried. He was absorbed with texting on his phone while I poured his coffee.

I continued with my routine of making sure everyone was taken care of before turning my attention to the living room and pulling back the heavy, damask drapes and tying them back with fringed cords. The day had dawned bright and sunny, although the night air temperature still hovered just under freezing.

“There must be a good story behind Mayor Sterling,” a deep voice said close enough that I jumped.

I deliberately kept my back turned, not wanting him to see that his closeness still affected me. “It’s kind of funny,” I answered, straightening the pillows on the couch and moving to pluck a wilted flower from one of the vases. “My cousin Bristol was a bit of a troublemaker back when we were in high school. Richard Bowen was the principal there at the time. They butted heads frequently. She always said Sterling, who belonged to his mother, had more sense in his bird brain than Mr. Bowen. I don’t know how, but somehow she got Sterling’s name on the ballot.”

I turned to him and shrugged. “He won.”

He gawked at me. “How?”

“The citizens of Sterling Mill love animals. I reckon folks thought it was funny. Besides, his name fits. He was named because of the color of his wings, but it also seemed kind of symbolic. Obviously, we can’t have a bird for a mayor, but the town made him an honorary figurehead. Rich finally embraced it, which increased his popularity, but he made sure that no more animals could ever be on the ballot again.”

Zach closed his eyes and shook his head.

He dragged his hand through his hair, a movement that stretched his shirt across his wide shoulders.. “I’m sorry I was short with you earlier.” Bright green eyes focused on me, causing my feet to freeze and my heart to beat a little faster. “I was just checking on something back home.”

I wondered if it was a girlfriend but quickly worked to shut down that thought. “Did you enjoy Ruth’s last night?” That was a safe topic.

“Her pie was good. Not as good as I remember yours being.” He hesitated, then a line etched between his brows. “Your dream used to be running a restaurant. Why did you give it up, Emalee?”

“Responsibilities. I had a duty to come home and help out.” His eyebrow lifted in curiosity, but now wasn’t the time. “Not everyone’s dreams turn out the way they expect, or they change. I found a way to still do what I enjoy, and that’s more than what a lot of people can say.”

He continued to stare at me like he was trying to read my mind, as if he knew I was leaving something out. “We never got to have our conversation last night.”

“I know.”

“We still need to have it.”

“I know,” I repeated.

Before I could respond, I heard a door in the back hall slam and fast footsteps slapping closer and closer. Before I could call out to stop, Iain burst into the room.

“Mom! Guess what?”

I heard Zach’s quick intake of breath when he realized I was the “mom” that was being spoken to.

I moved to stand between the two of them. “Iain, what have I told you about bursting into rooms when we have guests?”

He peered around me at Zach. “Sorry, sir, but it was ‘portant.”

“That does sound important,” Zach answered. His voice sounded calm, but from the corner of my eye, I didn’t miss the tightening of his mouth or the narrowing of his eyes as they swept over Iain’s face. “What’s the big news you need to tell your…mom?” His voice sounded choked as he spoke the last word, never taking his gaze off Iain.

The smaller set of green eyes was wide with excitement as he refocused on me. “A pipe bursted at school, and there’s water everywhere, so it’s closed today. Isn’t that awesome?” He did a little happy dance, which normally would have made me laugh. Instead, I sensed bands of doom tighten around my chest as Zach stared hard at my son. I could almost hear the pieces snap together for him.

God help me, of all the times for the school to close. Any other time, I would look forward to having my little man around, but today was not one of them.

Iain pulled on my sleeve. “Can we go sleddin’? Please? You promised after school, but now there’s no school, so that counts, right?”

I didn’t dare look at the tense man behind Iain. I rubbed Iain’s hair; this time he let me. “We’ll see. For now, please find Grandma and ask her to take you home until I get there.”

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