“Steve said he was very good with a glue gun.” Her mother’s eyes twinkled. “An excellent quality in a man.”
Patience knew she didn’t need help falling for Justice. Just thinking about him was enough to get her heart beating faster. She’d started out determined to play it safe, which had gotten her exactly nowhere. Over time she’d learned that being around him made her feel safe, and at the same time she was stronger in his presence.
Felicia walked into the store. “What are you two doing here?” she asked. “The parade is about to start.”
“I was just leaving,” Patience said. “Lillie’s riding and I want to see it.”
Felicia looked at Ava. “She’s your granddaughter. You should go, too.”
“I’ll be there. We’re closing the store for the actual parade. Steve’s saving me a seat by the fire station.”
Felicia shook her head. She walked over to Patience and untied her apron.
“What are you doing?” Patience asked with a laugh.
“Taking over. Go, both of you. I’ll keep the store open until the parade, then close it.”
Patience was tempted. There weren’t any customers, and business would be light until the parade was over. “I don’t want to take advantage,” she began.
“I don’t mind, so you shouldn’t, either.”
Ava studied her. “Do you know how to work the equipment?”
Felicia smiled. “I think I can figure it out. I’m good with machines.”
“I heard the same about men’s shoulders,” Ava said, already slipping off her apron. “You don’t have to make your offer twice to me.” She grabbed Patience’s hand. “Come on. We both have handsome men waiting for us. We’d be fools to be late.”
Patience nodded at Felicia. “Thank you. I’ll be right out front and I’ll save you a spot.”
“I’ll be there.”
Patience and her mother went out onto the sidewalk in front of the store. The crowd was already three people thick in places. The area directly in front of Brew-haha had been roped off so Patience would be able to see Lillie as she went by.
“Did I tell you Lillie wouldn’t let me see her bike this morning?” Patience asked. “She wants it to be a surprise.”
“I’m sure Justice and Steve helped her do a lovely job.”
Patience saw the anticipation in her mother’s eyes as she searched the crowd.
“He said he’d be on the corner by the fire station,” Ava murmured. “Oh, there he is.”
Patience touched her arm. “Mom, I’m really happy for you.”
Ava turned back to her. “Thank you. I’m happy, too.”
“Steve’s a nice guy and you’ve waited a long time for one of those to show up.” She hesitated. “I’m glad you let him get to know you, and I’m glad he’s in Lillie’s life.”
“Thank you for saying that. Steve made a lot of mistakes. I’m not saying he didn’t, but he’s learned. I believe he wants to be different now.”
“He already is.”
They hugged, and then Ava excused herself. Isabel strolled up, a couple of cookies in her hand. She passed one over to Patience.
“Chocolate chip,” Isabel said, then took a bite.
Patience inhaled the sweet scent of chocolate and felt the warmth through the napkin. “Are these fresh out of the oven?”
Isabel nodded as she chewed. “Over there.” She pointed to the crowded park where dozens of vendors had set up booths. “It’s impossible to move by the booths, what with everyone buying food, but it’s worth it. This town.” She shook her head.
“What?” Patience asked.
“It’s horrible. It sucks you in with its niceness. All friendly and caring, like they want people to stay.”
Patience laughed. “You’d prefer a town that was hostile?”
“No, but I don’t want to like it here.”
“Because you don’t want to stay.”
“Right. But people are stopping in the bridal shop to say hi and make me feel welcome.”
“The bastards!”
Isabel laughed. “I get your point. I shouldn’t complain that I like where I’m living. But I want to be clear. I don’t care how good the cookies are—I’m not staying.”
“Which is too bad. I’d like having you stick around.”
Isabel sighed. “I’d like that part, too. It’s been fun to go to lunch and hang out. But I have a plan and it’s not going to happen here.”
Patience smiled. “Not even for Ford Hendrix?”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “He was so fifteen years ago. I’m completely over him.”
“You say that now, but you haven’t seen him. What if there’s chemistry?”
“There won’t be. Too much time has passed. We’re different people.”
Patience didn’t say anything, but she was less sure. She hadn’t seen Justice in fifteen years, and there had still been plenty of chemistry between them.
Noelle joined them, a large dish of ice cream in her hands. “I never thought I would say this out loud, but OMG! Have you tried the ice cream? It’s the most delicious thing ever.”
“No way,” Isabel said. “The cookies are spectacular.”
“As if.” Noelle held out a plastic spoon with some ice cream on it.
Isabel broke off a piece of cookie and handed it over. They each tasted the other’s offering, and then both moaned.
“That’s better,” Isabel said, pointing to the ice cream. “I didn’t think it was possible, but it is.”
“No, yours is better,” Noelle said.
They stared at each other for a second, then exchanged treats.
“So good,” Isabel said, scooping ice cream.
“You’re both weird,” Patience said. “And blonde. As a natural brunette, I’m offended by that.”
“She might be a natural blonde,” Isabel told her friend. “I pay to have my hair this color. I was thinking of going red, but then I saw Felicia and frankly she’s too beautiful. I don’t want to compete.”
Noelle smiled smugly. “I am a natural blonde. My mother and grandmother were, as well.”
“And you’re pretty,” Isabel said with a sigh. “Why do I like you?”
Patience laughed.
“Is Lillie in the parade?” Isabel asked.
“Yes, she has her bike all decorated. She’s riding with her friends. Apparently they’ve been working on a little routine together.”
Isabel finished her ice cream. “Kids were one of the perks of marriage I was really looking forward to.” She glanced at Noelle. “Did you know I’m recently divorced?”
“No. I’m sorry.”
“It happens. I wish I could say I hate him, but I don’t. We’re still friends. It’s all very civilized, which tells you how bad things had gotten.”“It’s better than the alternative,” Noelle said. “Breakups are never easy.”
The way she said it made Patience wonder about her friend’s past. Not that the middle of a parade route was the place to get into it.
“Ladies.”
She turned and saw Justice had joined them. He moved to her and put his arm around her.
“Hi,” he murmured.
The feel of his body against hers was warm and made her tingle all over. Just being around Justice brightened her day. She had it bad, she thought, accepting the inevitable. That she had totally and completely fallen for him. Foolish, perhaps, but it was done now.
“Hi, yourself.” She smiled at him, then turned to her friends. “Has everyone met Justice?” She glanced back at him. “You know Isabel and Noelle?”
“Sure. Are you enjoying the festival?” he asked.
“Every part of it,” Noelle told him.
“You remember that I’m meeting someone?” he asked.
“Yes,” Patience told him. “And it’s fine. Just make sure you see Lillie in the parade. Otherwise, she’ll be crushed.”
“She wouldn’t be the only one. Of course I want to see her.” He looked past her and then kissed the top of her head. “Angel’s here. I’ll see you later?”
She nodded as he stepped away. Justice was still staying at the house. He was well enough that they were running out of excuses, but she really didn’t want to let him go. Once everyone was asleep, he usually slipped into her room and they made love. Everything about being with him was perfect, she thought dreamily as he cut across the parade route to the other side of the street.
“He’s good,” Isabel said, watching him go. “The right combination of kick-ass and sweet.”
“I know,” Patience said with a sigh. “He’s dreamy.”
Her friends laughed.
“Who’s he meeting?” Noelle asked.
“I want to know, too,” Isabel said. “And is this Angel person a man or a woman?”
“A man. One of his business partners. Along with Ford.”
Isabel tossed her ice cream cup into the trash can by the entrance to Brew-haha. “Don’t start.”
“Who’s Ford?” Noelle asked. “I’m never going to be able to keep these names straight.”
“Ford used to live here. Isabel was insanely in love with him.”
“I was fourteen,” Isabel grumbled. “It was a crush. Get over it.”
“Tell her about the letters,” Patience teased.
“There are—” Noelle’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my.”
The other two turned and saw Justice standing next to a tall man with dark hair. The stranger shifted slightly so they could see his pale gray eyes and a jagged scar on his neck.
Isabel took a step back. “Is that for real? It looks like someone tried to slit his throat.” She shivered. “He’s scary.”
Patience had to agree. Somehow she’d imagined that Angel would look more, well, angelic.
“I agree,” Noelle said. “Way too dark-side for me.”
“He could be a kitten on the inside,” Isabel said, “but he looks like a crazed killer.”
“I take it neither of you wants to be set up with him?” Patience asked with a grin.
“Not brave enough by half,” Isabel admitted. “I wonder what kind of woman would be willing to take him on.”
“An interesting question,” Noelle said, licking chocolate off her finger. “Because you know all that intensity has to mean he’s great in bed.”
* * *
“WHAT THE hell is this?” Angel demanded even as he shook Justice’s hand. “All this town needs are the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz and some goddamn fairy in a bubble.”
“You don’t like Fool’s Gold?”
Angel gave his friend a slow smile. “I didn’t say that. I can do cheesy, same as you.”
“Then you’re going to like it here. How was your trip in?”
Angel stared at him. “You gonna ask me about the weather next?”
Justice chuckled. “Sorry. I’m getting used to being around regular people. You’re going to have to do the same.”
“I’ve always been able to blend in.” Angel surveyed the crowd. “What’s the parade?”
“Something about Mother’s Day. The Spring Festival, I think. Lillie is in it. She’s ten.”
Angel’s shrewd expression didn’t change. “Let me guess. Her mom is one of those three women across the street. The ones pretending they’re not watching us.”
“Yup.”
Angel turned to stare at the women. They immediately began talking intently to each other, as if they hadn’t noticed him at all.
“The brunette,” Angel said.
“How do you figure?”
“She’s looking at you, not at me. If I were a less cynical man, I would say she’s in love with you.” He raised his eyebrows. “How’d you let that happen?”
“I have no idea.”
Justice waited for the sense of being trapped. For the need to run. But it wasn’t there. He still didn’t know if he could be what Patience needed, but he was willing to admit that having her love him went a long way to healing any lingering wounds. Maybe it was wrong or selfish of him, but if Patience cared, he couldn’t be all bad.
Angel glanced around, then swore under his breath. “We have to stay for the parade, don’t we?”
“I helped Lillie decorate her bike.”
“You couldn’t have arranged the meeting for an hour from now?”
Justice slapped him on the back. “It’ll be good for you.”
Angel shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “Can we at least talk about business while we’re waiting?”
“Sure. What do you want to know?”
“Why you dragged me here when I had a good thing going where I was.”
Justice wasn’t put off by Angel’s attitude. “If you liked it so much, why did you agree?”
“Hell if I know.”
In the distance, they heard music.
“There’s a marching band?” Angel asked, his voice incredulous.
“Probably.”
Angel shook his head.
“I’ve found a property,” Justice told him. “A warehouse with plenty of grounds. We back up on a wooded area, which is ideal for an obstacle course. I’m also looking to lease us some acreage up in the mountains for any survival training we want to do.”