Healing Hearts (Hope River #3) - Margaret McHeyzer Page 0,3

fork up, and take the smallest of nibbles of the pasta. “It’s palatable, only just.”

“Leah,” Dad reprimands Mom. Mom rolls her eyes, picks her glass up and drinks the whole thing in one go. “I think it tastes fantastic. Maybe you can help Dorothy again, if you want.”

I don’t bother looking at Mom again. She’s such a sour person. She’s made it obvious, time and time again, that no matter what I do, she’ll never be happy with me.

“Thanks, Dad. I think I will. That is, if Dorothy will let me.”

“We pay her salary. She’ll do whatever we tell her to do,” Mom snaps.

I look down at my plate, and decide it’s best to remain seen but not heard. Maybe Mom will like me better if I just say nothing.

Hope River is one crazy-assed small town. Not only do we have a festival every six weeks that celebrate everything from candy, to flowers, to well, whatever. Everybody also knows everyone else’s business.

When my friend Hope was driving past and saw Old Roger’s house, she fell in love with it instantly. Hope, who also happens to be a house flipper, noticed Old Roger’s decrepit house had sat idle for many years, and she bought it. No one in Hope River wanted the damned house, but the moment Hope showed up to buy it, the entire town was talking and planning a boycott if she tore it down and built anything else on the land.

Thankfully, Hope restored the house, and created Hope River’s very first bed and breakfast. Which is where I work.

Right now, I’m in Elle’s restored café, cooking up chili in one pot, and pasta for mac and cheese in the other. “Hey, Pop Rock.” My back straightens, and my skin erupts in a fine sprinkle of goosebumps. I look over my shoulder to see Hope’s very sexy brother, Charlie, walk into the café kitchen. He turns to make sure we’re alone. “Whatcha doing?” he asks as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

“Getting ready for the festival. Elle should be here soon, and…” I shrug. “You know?” I try to keep it short when I talk to Charlie. I like Charlie. He’s great for a bit of fun, but I don’t want or need anything more from him than a casual on-call hook-up. We’re friends with benefits. That works for both of us.

He comes further into the kitchen, and leans against the counter watching me. He moves his head from side to side, searching for something. He picks up a piece of chopped carrot and tosses it into his mouth. “So,” he says. I turn to look at him, and he waggles his brows and smirks.

“No, not now. I’m busy.”

“Come on, Pop Rock, you’ve got a spare few minutes.”

I look out the window, and notice Elle standing out front with a blindfold. Hope is hopping around with her endless supply of energy, and Jake’s beside Elle with Aunt May on Elle’s other side. “They’re here now, which means you can’t be. Go.”

“Nope.” He shakes his head, and cheekily grins.

“Go!” I hiss at Charlie, hoping to get him out of the kitchen before Aunt May sees him here.

Walking backward, he says, “Meet me in the bathroom in fifteen minutes.” He gives his sexy, sinful smile and winks. Dirty bastard.

I look out the front of the café, panicking that Aunt May is going to see Charlie in here. She’ll ask me if anything is going on between Charlie and me, and since I won’t lie to Aunt May, I’ll be forced to tell her we’re both each other’s booty-call. I’m positive Aunt May doesn’t want to know that. “Fine. Just, go.”

I hear Charlie chuckling as he walks out and probably heads toward the bathroom, waiting for me so we can hook up. Normal stuff really.

Hope leads a blindfolded Elle into her café before lowering the cloth. Elle has the biggest grin on her face, and tears in her eyes. “How?” Elle says as she looks around her café in awe.

“We wanted you to have a fresh start here, Elle. Gran and I called a town meeting, and we all came together to create this. Everyone pitched in to help,” Hope replies.

Elle’s shaking her head as she walks around the café, touching every surface. “This is amazing! Thank you!” Her chin quivers as she struggles to hold in her tears.

I keep stirring the pots on the stove. “You have a full store room here.” I point to the store room. “The rest