Page 25 of One More Secret

Kellan grabs a nacho from the plate, cheese stringing between it and another chip. “How are you planning to flip a house, work on the cabins we need to build this spring,anddo your regular day job? From what I’ve heard, you’re booked solid for the next eight months.”

“That’s why I missed the early worm and the robin snatched it before I could.” I flash him a wry smile. “Thought I had time to buy the house so I could finish the cabins first. You know getting Wilderness Warriors up and running is one of my top priorities.” It’s been that way ever since Lucas revisited the idea for it last year.

“We do know that,” Lucas says. “But we also know life is short, and you need to get out there and live it instead of doing your job twenty-four seven.” He pulls Simone tighter to him and kisses her temple, to prove his point…and because he can’t keep his hands off his wife after what they went through last year.

“I happen to love my job. And those two projects are not my job. They just involve a skill set that I apply to my day job. Besides, I owe it to Colton to help out Olivia and Nova. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be here today.” He’d saved my life in college when we were in a car accident. That was when he realized he didn’t want to be an accountant like his old man was pushing for. He wanted to be a paramedic.

If he’d been an accountant, he might still be alive.

“So, this Jessica person. What’s she like?” Emily asks Zara.

“She seems nice. Troy brought her into the café yesterday afternoon when she cut her hand. I got to talk to her for a few minutes while he patched her up. She’s not very talkative.”

“How did she cut her hand?” Em’s gaze jumps between Zara and me.

I lift my shoulders in aWho-knows?shrug. “I think she might have PTSD. She was having some sort of episode outside the florist and sliced her hand on the corner of the displays.”

“You think everyone is struggling with PTSD.” Lucas points to the nachos. Simone leans over and grabs him one.

“You forget I’ve had firsthand experience with people in my life who’ve struggled with it.” I look pointedly at him since he was one of them. “And even if she doesn’t have it, she’s definitely dealing with something. The woman looked exhausted.”

“Can’t say I’m too surprised. She’s living in the haunted house.” Em fakes a dramatic shudder.

I chuckle. “The house isn’t haunted.”

She grins, head tilted to the side, her blond hair—lighter than Jessica’s—brushing her shoulders. “You don’t know that for sure.”

“Well, she won’t be bringing the ghost here for Game Night,” I say. “Don’t they usually stick with the house they’re haunting?”

Em laughs. “Smart-ass. But that’s a good thing, though—that ghosts can’t leave the house they’re haunting. Otherwise, we’d be back to the uneven-number issue again. Anyway, I vote you invite her to Game Night next Friday. If she’s new to town, she might not know anyone yet. And then we’ll finally have even numbers to play partner games. Unless you have someone else who you’d rather invite as your partner.”

“I’ll think about it.” It might not be a bad idea to invite Jessica. She’s new to town and would probably be open to making friends.

And if not, I could always ask Olivia or Lance if Em is that desperate for me to have a partner for Game Night. Usually, both have other plans for Friday night, but Lance has occasionally joined us. Olivia too, but she has to arrange a sitter for Nova first.

From her oversized purse, Emily removes the notepad she brings with her every Game Night. “Now that Jessica’s buying Iris’s house, what will you do about your plans for helping Olivia and Nova?”

“I’ll have to keep my eyes open for another house that comes on the market and fits my requirements.” But who knows how long that will take?

“I was thinking about your thoughts on organizing a fundraiser to help families who are impacted by PTSD.” Zara picks up her vodka cooler, keeping us in suspense. “What about some sort of daytime event, like a festival? It might have a bigger draw for the surrounding towns. And if it’s big enough, you might get media coverage, which can’t hurt with raising awareness of the event and the struggles families go through.”

“That’s not a bad idea. But I have no idea how to organize something like that.”

“I can ask Delores,” Simone says. “She used to do a lot of planning for big events. I bet she’d be happy to give you some pointers.”

Emily sits up straighter, like that kid in class who’s dying to answer the teacher’s question. “And I can help too.”

“I’ll take you up on that.” I run a successful construction business, but Em’s organizational skills put mine to shame.

Simone shifts on Lucas’s lap, almost bouncing, her face bright. “You’ll need a theme. Something that will draw in the crowds. Avery and I can help you with the branding and marketing side of things.”

“Would a musical act work?” I just pulled that suggestion out of my ass, but it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. If we get the right act.

“Sure, if you know any who are big enough to draw in the crowds. The county already has the Strawberry Festival, so you don’t want to try to replicate that. It needs to be something different. We can all brainstorm some ideas over the next few days and decide which are the most feasible. But I think we can all agree it needs to be family friendly. That will bring in more people. When are you looking at having it?”

“I don’t know. But the sooner the better.”

Too many families need the help.

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