Page 23 of Candy Cane Dreams
"Yes, it starts in just a couple of minutes, and we're going to be a little bit late."
"I'm sorry. I got here as soon as I could," Mrs. Abernathy said. "That porch is so wobbly that I was afraid to go down it, but I needed to get my umbrella, so it took me a little while to fish it off the porch."
"I'm sorry. If I were more handy, I would give you a hand fixing it, but construction is not really my thing."
"But you make the best candy canes in town," Mrs. Abernathy said with a wink.
"Well, thank you," Jack said, with an amused grin at Kate, who grinned back at him. His were the only candy canes in town, although there was something about his grin that maybe didn't quite reach his eyes.
"You also are a pretty good farmer, too, from what I hear," Mrs. Abernathy said.
"We never did get you out to the farm this summer. I've been too busy. But maybe next year."
"You should hire some help, so you have time to do what you love, as well as what you have to do."
Interesting. Mrs. Abernathy was almost insinuating that Jack had to do the candy cane shop, which Kate had surmised, but it almost seemed like farming was what he really was interested in.
Kate would like to have asked more, but she kept her mouth closed. It really wasn't any of her business, although she wanted to make it hers.
"Lilly was doing her chores in the back. I've already said goodbye to her and was just waiting for you to show up."
"All right. That sounds good."
"I shouldn't be late. I'm not sure what the meeting is about, but it shouldn't be regularly scheduled business, and I would expect it to be over rather quickly."
"All right. Take your time. Lilly and I are friends from way back, and we can occupy ourselves. Same rules?"
"Yes. Her homework is finished, and she's allowed a half an hour of TV. Only shows that are on the approved list, which is hanging on the refrigerator."
"All right. Although the last time we were here, Lilly and I got so engrossed in a book that we never did watch any TV."
"I like that. Thank you for going above and beyond," Jack said.
Kate had to admit she was impressed. A parent who actually put restrictions on their child? It was almost unheard of. So many kids were allowed to do whatever they wanted to. But he obviously put her homework first, made sure she had a limit on her electronics, and preferred books over everything. Plus, he had someone as wonderful as Mrs. Abernathy helping him.
It was too bad she couldn't help Mrs. Abernathy in return. It sounded like she could use it with her porch, but... she wasn't a handyman either.
Although she had met Richard Smoker, who had a place to rent but had just rented it out an hour or two before she showed up. He was a contractor and had mentioned that he donated a certain amount of hours of his time every year around the Christmas season to people who couldn't afford his services otherwise.
She made a mental note to talk to him as soon as she could. Maybe he could help Mrs. Abernathy out.
The idea pleased her, and she found herself smiling as Jack finished putting his coat on and then held the door open for her.
"Thank you," she murmured as she stepped out first.
"The meeting is at the church. I guess I should have said that in case you wanted to go by yourself," Jack said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and braced himself against the wind, similar to her position.
"Oh, I wouldn't have left without you, knowing that you were going in the same direction. Unless you didn't want to arrive with me?" She looked up at him. It hadn't occurred to her that there might be any problem with them walking together, but she didn't want to make assumptions that weren't accurate.
"No problem at all. I'm honored to be able to go with you. In fact, it's much nicer to go with someone than by myself."
"I don't know. Some people like to be alone."
"I spend enough time alone."
Jack didn't say anything more, but it reminded her that he had lost his wife, and he truly didn't have anyone to share his life with, other than Lilly, who was in school all day.
Chapter Ten
