very interesting, Mrs. Lennon. I had no idea so much was involved in running a flower shop. And yes, I think you’re right. I should send Terri some flowers of thanks. You choose and send me the bill.” He gave a smile at Kris and left them.
It took some work, but Nate managed to escape long enough to get to his car. He backed out around a dozen other vehicles and made his way to Terri’s house. As soon as he parked, he felt the first peace he’d experienced in what seemed to be a long time.
He practically threw open the door. “I’m—” He stopped himself from saying “I’m home.”
The house was empty. There was food on the kitchen counter and a note from Terri.
Everyone has been giving me things to eat—just before they tell me Dad screwed something up. Sorry, but I can’t be there for lunch. Too many wars going on to take time off. Tell Stacy hi from me. Maybe we can double-date some time. You love Widiwick yet? —Terri
Nate read the breezy little note a couple of times, smiling. There was a Post-it on the fridge. Sandwiches inside. She’d left him two big subs with some of Mr. Parnelli’s spicy beef. He took one and a beer and went outside to the chairs to sit and watch the chaos.
He sent a text to Hallie asking if he could spend a few days with her and Jamie. After today, he didn’t think Brody would want him back as a houseguest.
Only if you cook for us, she wrote back.
“At least someone wants me,” he said as he bit into his sandwich.
He was so relaxed that he was half-asleep when the door into the house was thrown open.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Frank Cannon yelled.
Nate turned in the chair and looked at the angry man. “Having lunch. Can I get you anything?”
“No. This is not your house and you have no right to treat it like it is.”
Nate got up, lunch things in hand and started back to the house, Frank close behind him.
“You know what Terri did this morning?” Frank asked.
Nate was throwing away his trash and straightening the kitchen he knew so well. He didn’t answer because it was a rhetorical question.
“She defended your ass, that’s what. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re all PO’d at you.”
“I noticed,” Nate said. Brody had walked past him three times with no greeting. Elaine had waved but it wasn’t friendly.
“Terri told us to stop it. She said we were angry at you for being an honorable man. She said we were hating you for what we liked about you.”
Nate paused, his hand on the counter. He could imagine Terri saying those things. She took friendship to its highest level. “Terri and I never did anything inappropriate.”
Frank looked like he might explode. “Inappropriate?” He said the word as though it were filthy. “You kids today make me sick. You think that if you say it in a PC way then it’s okay. Do you really think what you did to Terri was ‘appropriate’? Just because you didn’t pay her the courtesy of showing her the lust I saw on your face, you think it’s all right? You should have left when you saw that she liked you so much. You knew you were engaged! But your ego liked having a pretty girl look at you like she did. What I want to know is what you’re playing at.” He stared at Nate, waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know,” Nate said, and the honesty he felt came out in his words. “I’ll leave.”
“Yeah. I think you should. And stay away.”
“I have to help...” He motioned toward the lake.
“Of course you do. You worked hard to put yourself in the lives of the Rayburn family. You made them need you. But they were just something to entertain you, weren’t they? Something to occupy yourself while you waited for the mayor’s daughter to return.”
Nate could think of nothing to say. Turning, he left the house.
Chapter 12
It was Wednesday and Terri was ready for the whole festival to be over. It seemed to be worse this year. Four years ago they’d put a limit on the number of booths and that had caused a war. Brody had lost his temper after about three hours and said everyone could apply and he’d let them know who got in. The hint was that there would be a random draw. But he and Frank and three