Some Bright Someday (Maple Valley #2) - Melissa Tagg Page 0,34
the corner. “Sorry, Paige. You shouldn’t have been stuck babysitting in the first place.”
Hopefully she wouldn’t need to bring all three kids to work many more days. She had a meeting with the junior high principal later today, which meant Colie’s school situation would be figured out soon. And she’d set up an appointment with the elementary school principal tomorrow.
As for Cade . . . well, she’d ponder that pickle later. Preferably when it wasn’t deadline day. When she didn’t have a cluster of townspeople gathered in the pressroom.
And when she wasn’t surrounded by a deadly stench. She pulled Cade from the port-a-crib and made quick work of the cleanup. Violet was still perfectly content watching her cartoon, and Colie had a book open.
“All right, buddy,” she said as she snapped Cade’s cute little corduroys. “Now when I shoo all those people out of the pressroom, hopefully no one will pass out from the smell.”
As if he understood her words, he gave her a grin and a giggle. Man, she was a sucker for those two tiny bottom teeth of his. And the way Violet was leaned over Jen’s desk, her chin propped in her fist—just adorable. And Colie with her book . . .
Jenessa’s first official day as the temporary guardian of the Hollis children might’ve gotten off to a hectic start. She might not have any idea what to expect for the rest of the week. When she was going to find time to shop for school supplies. What she’d fix for supper tonight.
But she knew—she knew—this was right.
“Why are you staring at me?” Colie’s sarcastic voice cut in.
Jenessa felt the width and warmth of her own smile. “Because you guys make me happy, Colie. That’s why.”
For once, the girl didn’t scowl. Rolled her eyes, yes, but the lack of glower felt like progress.
Jenessa propped Cade on her hip and prepared to face the mayor and his gathered crowd once more. But she stopped in her office door, catching sight of the framed photo atop a filing cabinet—Mom and Dad and herself. Taken almost twenty-five years ago, it showed Dad still hale and hearty and Mom wearing one of her glitzier dresses. Some campaign occasion, surely, back when Jenessa had still been allowed to attend.
Before she’d embarrassed Dad at his first event after Aunt Lauren’s disappearance. Broken down in front of his guests. Been whisked away by Mom and called a liability by Dad’s advisor.
They’d still been a happy family back then.
“Jen?” Mayor Milt stood in the pressroom doorway. “Are you coming back?”
She tightened her hold on Cade and nodded.
Lucas should’ve expected this. Two and a half hours—almost three—since he’d sent Noah to the hardware store for new chainsaw blades and he still hadn’t returned, leaving Lucas without his assistant and without his truck.
Nor had Noah picked up when Lucas called or deigned to respond to a text.
Maybe this was what Jen and the rest of his friends had felt like last Friday night when he’d failed to show up for that little engagement party. Taste of his own non-communicative medicine, as it were.
He tipped his sunglasses over his eyes as he strode down Main Avenue. He’d already been by Klassen’s Hardware, only to find out Noah had been in and out two hours ago.
Noah wanted to play hide and seek? Fine. He’d track the guy down easily enough. Because he knew something Noah didn’t—new faces stuck out in Maple Valley like sore thumbs. All he had to do was stop in at whichever local hub he pleased and someone was sure to have seen the guy.
When he spotted Sam’s squad car parked along the riverfront, it made his decision for him. Coffee Coffee, it is. Even if Sam hadn’t seen Noah, surely someone in the place had.
Bells jangled overhead as he entered the shop, crowded even this close to noon. It was an eclectic little place with black-and-white-checkered flooring and brightly colored leather furniture. He gave a nod toward the barista up front—owner, actually—with the jet-black hair. He liked Megan Hampton. She was probably the youngest business owner in town and she had a sarcastic sense of humor he could appreciate.
“Luke?”
Good, Sam was here. He turned at the sound of his friend’s voice, spotted him at a table in the corner with four other men, two he recognized and two he didn’t. He wound his way through a congested maze of customers. “Hey, man. Thought I saw your car.”