Loving The Country Boy (Barrett's Mill Book 4) (11 page)

“Like what?”

“Farmers, carpenters, mechanics, stuff like that.”

His list got her wheels spinning, and an idea popped up that was so crazy, she was tempted to reject it immediately. But the longer she considered it, the more it seemed completely appropriate for this year’s Harvest Festival.

Up on a shelf, she noticed a box labeled “Will’s treasures” and pulled it down to see what was inside. Taking out a faded Atlanta Braves cap and a folded-up fishing rod, she showed them to Heath. “What do you think?”

“I’m not sure. What’re you getting at?”

“This is the family’s first Thanksgiving without Granddad. Do you think they’d like it if we did something to honor him?”

“You mean, dress up a scarecrow like Will?” When she nodded, Heath rewarded her with a bright grin. “They’d love it. He’d get a kick out of it, too.”

He said that with such conviction, she felt stupid for not following along. After pondering it for several seconds, she shook her head in frustration. “You’re not making any sense. He’s not here to see it, so how could he like it?”

“Folks pass on all the time.” Grabbing a bale of straw in each hand, he tossed them through the door and into the driveway as if they didn’t weigh a thing. “But if we keep their memory alive, they’re never really gone.”

“Sorry?”

“You can’t think it through, Tess.” He chided her like a parent correcting a child. “You have to feel it.”

A glimmer of understanding started deep inside her, growing brighter as she gradually caught on. “You mean, like how I feel closer to him when I’m at the mill? Or driving that old truck?”

“Exactly. Will loved those things, and there’s a big part of him left in them. The fact that you feel so attached to them is how you know you’re a Barrett.”

“I’ve always been a Barrett,” she protested, confused all over again.

Heath gave her a long look then slowly shook his head. “That’s been your name all this time, but you didn’t know much about your history. Now you do, and you recognize how special it is.
That’s
what makes you part of the family that founded this town.”

“And my dad isn’t,” she commented pensively. “He never wanted to be.”

“I’m not sure why, but yeah, that’s how I see it. Did you ever ask him why he left?”

She shook her head. “All he ever told us was he was from a backwater town in Virginia. He made it sound like a hole in the ground or something. Anyway, Jenna and I met when she was in California for an art show a couple years ago. If that hadn’t happened, I probably wouldn’t have gotten an invitation to their wedding.”

“Interesting.” A grin slowly worked its way across his rugged features, ending in a bright expression that warmed her down to her toes. “Makes you wonder if God had something in mind, doesn’t it?”

“For us, you mean?” Much as she’d disparaged her grandmother’s determined attempt at matchmaking, Tess’s poor opinion of it had gradually changed over the last couple of weeks. These days the notion of being linked with Heath wasn’t nearly as panic-inducing as it once was.

“Sure, why not?” Taking the folding knife from its sheath on his belt, he sliced through the twine holding the bales together. “You can never have too many friends, right?”

“Right,” she replied automatically as her foolish heart thudded into the gravel at her feet.

It figured, she moped silently while she helped him separate the bales into more manageable sections of straw. Just when she thought she might be ready to explore something more serious with someone, he wasn’t interested.

If that happy family of her dreams was ever going to be a reality, she really needed to work on her timing.

* * *

“What’d you do to this monster, anyway?” Heath grumbled while he and Scott were laboring to get the enormous dust vac in Scott’s woodworking shop functioning again.

“Nothing to warrant it blowing up on me like this,” he insisted in a wounded tone. “I clean it every other day so it doesn’t get clogged, and the filter’s still a mess.”

“It is forty years old. Might have something to do with it.”

“Well, I need you to do your thing ’cause I’m not gonna have money for a new one for a long time.”

Something in his voice got Heath’s attention, and he stared over at his childhood friend for a few seconds before it clicked. “Jenna’s pregnant, isn’t she?”

“What?” he choked, his eyes just about bugging out of his head. “Get a grip, man. We just got married.”

Despite the scolding, Heath sensed he was on the right track. “But you’re thinking about it?”

“She is. I’m still not sure, but it’s tough to keep saying no to her. We just want to save up as much money as we can so we’re ready for whatever happens.”

“In case she has the same problems Chelsea is.”

“Yeah,” Scott admitted on a heavy sigh. “I got no idea how Paul handles everything day in and day out. When stuff breaks, guys like you and me just fix it, y’know?”

“But you can’t do that with people. I get it.” His hand was covered in grime, but he knew Scott wouldn’t care, so they traded one of those solid handshakes guys used instead of words. That didn’t seem like enough this time, so Heath added, “You need anything, let me know.”

“Thanks.” The moment passed quickly, and his old buddy returned to the task at hand. “Right now I need you to fix this vac so I can finish sanding this cabinet and get it stained.”

He punctuated his comment with a swift kick to the metal housing, and Heath chuckled. “That doesn’t work any better now than when we were six.”

Delving deeper into the outdated mechanism, he located a cracked part that was dangling free rather than doing its job. Before removing it, he took his phone from his pocket and snapped photos from several different angles so he’d know how to replace it later on. Then he twisted it loose and put it on a nearby workbench.

He was hunting for more problems when Scott asked, “So, I heard you and Tess are working on the mill’s scarecrow together. How’s that going?”

“Fine,” he grunted as he stripped out a worn drive belt. “Why?”

“No reason. It’s just you both like being in charge, and I was wondering how you’re getting along.”

Angling his head, Heath gave him a long, suspicious look. “Why don’t you just spit out whatever you’re trying not to say?”

“Fine.” Glaring at him over the back of the hutch he was sanding, Scott was suddenly sober as a judge. “Have you got designs on my cousin?”

“’Course not. We’re friends is all.”

Folding his arms in his customary arguing stance, Scott barked out a laugh. “Don’t try that on me, Weatherby. I know just how friendly you can get.”

“Tess is different,” he blurted without thinking how those words would sound to someone else. It was the truth, though, and he tried to sort through his jumbled feelings about her so he could explain what he meant. “She’s got a great sense of humor, and she’s smart as a whip. Smarter than me, probably.”

“Definitely, but go on.”

“Anyway,” Heath continued in a deliberate tone, “I’ve been wanting to ask her out, but she’s used to expensive restaurants and fancy vacations. I’m more of a picnic-in-the-woods kinda guy.”

“This time of year, with the views you get out there, that’s a good choice.”

Heath eyed him warily. After all, this was his cousin they were discussing. While the Barrett boys didn’t have any sisters, Heath was confident if they had, those girls’ prospective boyfriends would have been forced to run a pretty intimidating gauntlet before a date.

“Are you actually being helpful for a change?” he asked.

“Aw, come on. Here I am trying to be nice, and you’re gonna give me a hard time?”

“I appreciate the effort,” Heath retorted in a tone drenched with sarcasm. “I know it’s a stretch for you.”

Scott heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Tell me about it. I think Jenna’s finally wearing me down.”

They traded a male look then broke up laughing. When they finally quieted down, Heath said, “Okay, so I’ve got your blessing on this, but Tess is another story. You have any ideas for me?”

“She thinks you’re some kind of hero for helping out at the mill, so you’ve already got points on the board. Then there’s the truck and the scarecrow.” He ticked them off on his fingers before going on. “For some strange reason, she likes you the way you are. My advice is just be yourself and hope for the best.”

“Great,” Heath mumbled, shaking his head. “Thanks a lot.”

“Hey, it worked for me.”

True enough, Heath acknowledged as he got back to work on the broken vacuum. Now that he thought about it, on paper none of the Barrett boys should be with the women they’d married. Somehow, they’d all connected with women generous and patient enough to love them despite their many obvious shortcomings.

If his friends could find a way to make that happen, maybe he could, too.

Chapter Nine

“H
ey there.” Paige stood and greeted Tess with a bright smile when she arrived at the town meeting on Thursday night. “When I mentioned this to you, I never thought you’d actually come.”

“You made it sound like so much fun, I couldn’t stay away.”

Her new friend moved down a spot then seemed to notice something over Tess’s shoulder and moved down one more. “Hey, Heath. You never come to these things. What’re you doing here?”

“Came to see what all the fuss is about,” he replied smoothly. Tess noticed the folder he was carrying and marveled at how cool he sounded despite the very important business he planned to bring up this evening.

“Really? I don’t remember you ever showing the slightest interest in what’s going on around here.”

“Well, I’m here tonight. What’s up with you these days, squirt?”

Paige groaned. “Please don’t call me that. I’m all grown up, and it’s bad enough to hear it from my brothers.”

These two were like a comedy team, and now that she had some experience with her mischievous cousins, Tess appreciated the good-natured teasing more than she’d have thought possible only a month ago. Laughing, she asked, “How many brothers do you have?”

“Four, all older. Imagine if you’d grown up here, with the Barrett boys hovering over your shoulder, scaring off every guy in town.” Paige heaved a melodramatic sigh. “It’s awful.”

“Did you ever think of moving away?” Tess asked as the three of them sat down.

“No,” Paige answered immediately. “Living in Barrett’s Mill might not be ideal for me, but it’s home.”

“Amen to that,” Heath agreed heartily, adding a fist bump for good measure.

Not for the first time, Tess wished she could feel that way about where she’d grown up. Unfortunately, she’d never felt completely at ease in the gated community with a pool in every yard and luxury cars in every garage. This town, with its historical vibe and firmly grounded residents, was proving to be much more her style.

“Nice outfit,” Heath said, as if he’d sensed her meandering thoughts. “Is it new?”

During their shopping trip, Paige had talked her into buying the faded jeans and girly flannel shirt, and her fashion adviser grinned triumphantly. “See? I told you. Where’s the jacket?”

“Hanging on a hook in the entryway. Why?”

“It’s even cuter with the jacket,” Paige replied, as if the answer should have been obvious.

When she turned away to talk with an elderly man seated behind them, Heath leaned in to murmur, “Y’know, she’s usually right about that kinda stuff. She picked out my tux for prom, and I looked fantastic.”

“Oh, you probably look good in anything.”

The compliment slipped out before she realized what she was saying, and she clamped her mouth shut to keep any more incriminating statements under wraps. Heath had been a good friend and champion for her since their odd encounter on her first morning at the mill. She didn’t want to risk losing that because a small—very small—part of her wondered how it would feel to take the ultimate leap into a relationship with him.

Thankfully, he didn’t say anything, just gave her an aw-shucks grin that made her want to smile back. “Thanks.”

“Like you’ve never heard that before.” With his muscular build and surfer-dude looks, the talented mechanic was by far the best-looking guy she’d ever met. When you added in his warm, friendly manner, the guy was one step short of irresistible. She really had to stop, she scolded herself. If she didn’t, she’d start saying these things out loud, and then where would she be?

He locked gazes with her, and the color of his eyes warmed to a deep cobalt. “Not from you.”

Dazed by his uncharacteristic intensity, Tess sat there with her mouth open, desperately hunting for a pithy comeback. Convinced he was ribbing her, she searched his expression for that humorous twinkle she often found there.

This time, though, he appeared to be totally serious. It struck her as odd coming from the guy who kept insisting they were just friends, and fortunately, the mayor saved her by calling the meeting to order.

After reading the minutes from their previous session, he moved on to current business, which centered around next week’s Harvest Festival. It seemed like everyone was involved in one way or another, and she had to admit they were much more organized than she’d anticipated.

Once they’d finished going over details for the festival, the mayor asked if anyone wanted to bring up any new business. Heath traded a hesitant look with her then raised his hand, waiting for a nod to continue.

Standing, he squared those broad shoulders of his and began. “I’ve got my eye on the Cape out on the edge of town that’s recently gone up for sale.”

Tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he appeared calm and under control. But because she was sitting next to him, Tess caught the slight curl of his fingers that betrayed the fact that under all that mellow, he was nervous. She knew what a significant step this new venture would be for him, and she listened carefully, willing him to make his case the way they’d discussed.

Glancing around the crowd, he went on. “For any of you who don’t know, I’ve been doing car restorations on the side for the last few months. Fred’s been nice enough to let me use his bay space when I need it.” He added a smile for his boss. “But I’d like to be able to work on things at home, too. So I’m asking for a zoning variance to allow that kind of business in the neighborhood. I’d be changing the property quite a bit, adding a parking lot and expanding the garage to accommodate three bays and a workshop.”

Hearing him outline his plans and answer questions from the group, Tess was impressed by his pragmatic approach and businesslike tone. While she knew firsthand what a talented mechanic he was, this was a side of him she’d never have imagined in a million years. Sure, she’d given him some advice on how to structure his pitch, but he was the one who had to convince the town to bend the rules for him. Sneaking a glance around the group, she noticed several nods in support of his proposal.

Apparently, there was a lot more to this easygoing country boy than met the eye, she thought with a little grin. Interesting.

Once Heath finished his presentation, the mayor asked, “Are there any more questions?” No one responded, and he gave Heath a thoughtful look. “Since it’s you, I’m inclined to rubber-stamp this, but we have to go through channels the same way we would for anyone else. Submit your building plans to the town council, and we’ll take a look at what you’ve got in mind. Fair enough?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Sending a look around the room, he grinned like a little boy who’d just discovered his dream puppy was on its way. “All of you.”

Everyone broke into applause, and he acknowledged it with a raised hand before sitting back down. Even though she knew people were watching, Tess reached over and squeezed his hand. “Nice job.”

“Thanks,” he breathed with understandable relief. “That was slightly terrifying.”

“You did great,” she assured him, nudging his shoulder with hers. “And if anyone gives you a hard time, you let me know. I’ll march down to that council meeting and set them straight.”

He met her offer with a chuckle. “I’ve got the Barrett bulldog on my side. Good to know.”

“The Barrett bulldog,” she echoed quietly. Only a few weeks ago, she’d have found the moniker insulting. But now that she understood where he was coming from, she took it for the compliment he meant it to be. “I like it.”

“I thought you might. Speaking of which, Bruce and Molly keep The Whistlestop open late on town meeting nights. Most folks head over there afterward, and I’d imagine Molly’s cooked up some things you’d like.”

Raising an eyebrow, Tess gave him a curious look. “Are you asking me out?”

“That depends,” he joked with another one of his playful grins. “What’s your answer?”

Was this his way of telling her she wasn’t the only one feeling more than camaraderie between them lately? She figured there was only one way to find out. “Sure, why not? When in Rome, right?”

“Right.”

Despite the fact that he’d agreed with her, the long look he gave her made her wonder if being so flip about his invitation had been a mistake. There was no fixing it now, so she shrugged it off and tuned back in to the meeting. Next on the agenda was the thorny problem of how to keep a local farmer’s wandering roosters out of his neighbor’s chicken coop. Apparently, the males were the wrong sort of chickens to be mixing with the hens, and it was becoming quite the problem. Before long, the discussion grew heated, and Tess found herself wishing she had some popcorn.

“Are these meetings always like this?” she whispered to Heath.

“I’m not here much, but from what I hear they all go this way. Bruce never lets things get outta hand, though, and everyone ends up at the diner for pie.”

What a great way to handle problems, she thought with a grin. If more folks could settle their disagreements over dessert, the world would be a happier place.

The wandering poultry issue was settled with a reasonable compromise for both farmers to install extra fences to keep the animals from causing any more trouble. While Bruce closed the meeting, Tess wasn’t sure why the farmers couldn’t have come to that conclusion on their own. She said as much while she and Heath filed out with the others, and he laughed.

“Mostly, folks want to have their time in the spotlight, I guess. If they get a ruling in their favor, it’s gravy.”

“So the people who bring up issues at these meetings don’t really care who’s right or wrong? That’s nuts.”

“That’s Barrett’s Mill,” he said with a grin. “Gotta love it.”

They crossed the street to where The Whistlestop was fully lit up and ready for business. People rapidly filled the booths and tables, and she heard snippets of conversation about tonight’s gathering, tomorrow’s forecast and whether or not Washington’s injured running back would be ready for Sunday’s football game.

Simple things, she mused while she sipped her water. Nothing earth-shattering, but they were woven into the fabric of existence here. Timeless and comforting, because from week to week and year to year, they didn’t change all that much. The world might be on a crazy spiral, but this Blue Ridge town stayed on its even keel by focusing on what mattered most: Family, friends and faith.

When you had those, she realized with stunning certainty, everything else in your life fell into its proper place. And when you were missing them, nothing ever felt quite right. So all these years that she’d been trying to find a way to be happy, she’d been looking in the wrong place.

True contentment came from inside a person. You could dress your life up in the most extravagant style you could afford, but it wouldn’t make a bit of difference if you didn’t have people to love, who loved you back. And without faith, no matter how hard you tried, none of what you wished for would ever come to be.

Stunned by her epiphany, she looked across the table at Heath, who was turned around in his seat, chatting with Fred Morgan about something too mechanical for her to follow. Had God brought her here? More than that, had He intended all along for her to end up in the one place where she’d find a man who could accept and appreciate her the way she was?

She couldn’t deny that Heath had patiently and often firmly encouraged her to accept the bad things in her past while looking toward the future. His own trials had given her an example to follow, and his upbeat approach to life made it easier for her to be hopeful about the changes she was making in her own.

When he turned back around, she gathered up her courage and said, “Heath?”

“Yeah?”

Those impossibly blue eyes focused on her with a warmth she could no longer deny. But this time instead of ignoring it, she let herself return the look. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done to help me since I got here. No one’s ever tried so hard with me, and I really appreciate it.”

“It wasn’t easy,” he acknowledged with a low chuckle, “but I figured you were worth it.”

“I can’t imagine why.”

“Not everything has an explanation, Tess. Sometimes we just have to believe.”

Reaching out, he covered one of her hands with his much larger one. She felt his strength pulsing just below the surface, and the sensation comforted her in a way she’d never experienced with anyone before. For someone who’d promised herself she’d find a way to be more independent, the thought of relying on this wonderful man was both tempting and terrifying.

Doing her best to remain composed in the middle of the restaurant, she said, “Someday that might actually make sense to me.”

“It will. I just hope I’m there to see it.”

Smiling, she angled her fingers to give his hand a little squeeze. “Me, too.”

Their waitress chose that precise moment to stop for their orders, and Tess fully expected Heath to pull back and retreat to his side of the table. He didn’t. Instead, he twined his fingers through hers in a blatant display of something more than friendship.

Disappointment dimmed the young woman’s eyes as she jotted down their dessert order. As she headed for the kitchen, she cast a wistful look back over her shoulder at Heath, and Tess murmured, “I think she has a crush on you.”

“Well, now, that’s a shame.” He gave her the grin that had charmed her the very first time they met. “’Cause I’ve got a crush on you.”

“You do not.”

“Yeah, I do.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not sure why, but I do.”

Hearing those words come out of his mouth made her heart do a little flip.

Tell him, Tess
, a little voice whispered in her head.
Tell him how you feel
.

The last time she did that, it ended in disaster. But this was now, and Heath was so unlike Avery, they might have been two entirely different species. So she swallowed her fear and took the biggest, bravest leap of her life. “Actually, I know what you mean, because I feel the same way about you.”

His eyes met hers in a hopeful look that confirmed she’d made the right decision. A delighted little boy’s grin worked its way across his face, and he said, “That’s good to know.”