Page 12 of A Whisper of Summer Magic

“Sarah’s still sorting,” Meghan said. “We’ve found paperwork in many places in the house.”

“So, you haven’t notified all the heirs?”

Meghan stared at him puzzled. She didn’t know Jackson well, but he didn’t seem the nosy, gossipy type.

“Let me get the soup.” He looked at his watch. “It’s not yet time for another.”

She frowned, feeling like he was dodging. But what? Her usual competitive, need-to-know nature rose up to push for why Jackson was acting a little nosy, but why? G. Millie was gone. Jackson was house-sitting for a year. He was here tonight, not a mystery for her to solve.

Jackson’s vibe was different when he returned with two bowls of delicious vegetable and barley soup.

“Who knew you’d be such a terrific cook?” She tried to break the new ice between them, although why—it wasn’t like she’d likely see much of him. And why had he been wandering around on the Cramer farmland anyway?

“I have an arsenal of basics,” he said around a mouthful of soup. “With my Grandma June working at Millie’s Diner for decades, she learned a lot of tips and often brought food home for all of us. I like to cook because I like to eat, and since we share cooking duties when we’re on shift at the fire station, I don’t want to starve or eat yuck.”

“Smart man,” Meghan said. “Jessica always loved to bake and cook. She was the one who followed after Grandma Millie in the kitchen.”

“And yet now she’s opening a nursery and creating a botanical garden.”

“Yeah,” Meghan said simply after batting away so many words that crowded into her head.

How had Jessica—the rule follower, the pleaser—found the pluck to quit her job and become an entrepreneur, but Meghan—always considered the more trailblazing Maye sister—felt daunted to make a life change?

Meghan had been feeling like she was on the wrong track even before she graduated law school and seized a job at the cut-throat law firm where she’d interned. But she’d battled her way toward the top of the ladder, ruthlessly letting friendships, romance, and hobbies fall away until last Christmas.

And that damn book.

Chloe had fallen in love. And Jessica within a couple of months had pulled a one-eighty.

Will I be next? Can I?

Maybe not a one-eighty. Ninety?

But her idea, which wasn’t even an idea, seemed stupider as she sat in Grandma Millie’s kitchen, injured before she’d even started.

“I’ll clean up.” Jackson rose.

“No, you cooked. I can…” She struggled to her feet, reaching for her crutches. He stilled her hand, and she tried not to notice how much larger his hands were compared to hers, and she was not some sprite of a woman like Chloe.

“Do you prefer to sleep down here, or shall I help you to your room?”

“Jackson, you’ve done enough. I can manage.”

“No doubt. But since your sisters aren’t here, and you didn’t want me to call your parents, and you haven’t contacted any friends to come stay with you, I’ll take one of the couches tonight. I just need to let Whiskey out to recon. She can stay with me. Is that okay? I can head home to pick up her bed.”

“She can stay. I can wrestle up an extra blanket.”

“Jessica wouldn’t mind?”

“She’d freak, but she’s not here, and I know Storm’s been trying to ease her into the idea of having a couple of dogs up on the property for safety, so having Whiskey stay is ah… doing all of us a favor.”

“Sure?”

She nodded. “End of discussion.”

“Copy that. I’ll clean up and leave you alone or we can watch a movie or stream a show. What are you into?”

She nearly said rom-coms just to get him to run home, finally, but facing the farmhouse alone and her grim thoughts held zero appeal.

---