the tree, which rustled as he climbed. A moment later, long after he’d disappeared into the tree’s crown of evergreen leaves, he called down to her.
“He’s not here, Ashley.”
“Oh my God. Where could he be?”
“Hang on, I’m coming down. We’ll find him.”
But she didn’t wait. “I’m going to run across the street to see if he’s with the Rev,” she shouted, then turned and fled through the garden to the side gate that opened on the street right across from the rectory.
She hurried to the minister’s door, trying to swallow back mounting panic as she pressed the bell. Jackie loved his baseball games. He wouldn’t miss one.
Micah came to the door dressed in his cleric’s garb. And it struck her the moment she set eyes on him that she hadn’t seen him since last Sunday at church. And before that it had been a week ago, when the professor had come to examine Jackie’s treasure.
Was he worried about what might happen when the town discovered that the Howlands and the St. Pierres were branches of the same family tree? Or was he worried that she might never let anyone discover that truth?
“What’s wrong?” he asked before she could even open her mouth.
“Is Jackie here?” she asked.
He shook his head, a look of deep concern coming over his face.
“Oh God.” She sagged against the doorframe. “I think I’ve lost him. And I think it’s because I refused to let him tell the truth. I haven’t seen him since breakfast, and I have no idea where he went. Oh, crap. I can’t lose him. He’s my everything.”
Micah stepped forward and wrapped her up in one of his big hugs. “You haven’t lost him. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll turn up.”
“Oh, Micah, I can’t lose him.” She pressed her head against his big chest as tears sprang to her eyes. “Maybe I should have believed him about the captain.”
“Hush,” the minister said, briefly cupping the back of her head. “Maybe you should have, but you aren’t going to lose him. You’re a good mother. Now, dry your eyes. We need to go look for him. And I promise you, we’ll find him safe and sound.”
* * *
Jessica pulled into the full parking lot at Grace Methodist Church on Saturday evening. Peggy Fiedler certainly had a large following of people ready to believe the worst about Topher.
A surge of annoyance flooded through her. How dare the woman? If she’d had an issue with Topher’s house, why not come directly to them and talk about it instead of stirring people up and holding a big, one-sided town meeting?
She took a big breath, her annoyance morphing into anger. That little burn in her gut was useful. She could draw on that flame and use it to stand up for Topher and his dream.
She found a parking space at the far end of the lot, got out of the VW, and scanned the cars, looking for Topher’s BMW. But it wasn’t there. She checked her watch: fifteen minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start. Was he going to abandon her?
They’d had several phone calls over the week as she’d put the finishing touches on the architectural plans needed for his building permit. He had tried to talk her out of coming here several times, but each time she’d insisted, he’d promised to come and stand with her against the crowd.
She pulled her cell phone from her purse and messaged him: Where are you?
She got no response, which didn’t surprise her. Facing down a crowd of people would be hard for him. She’d made it clear that she didn’t need him. She could do this on her own.
And it was something she needed to do. Not just to face Caleb Tate but to stand up for herself and her design. And to protect Topher if it came down to that.
Not just because he was her client.
He’d become much more than that. And he could become even more if she would allow it. But she refused to fall in love with him.
She picked up her portfolio, containing a couple of foam-core boards with the newly completed elevation drawings for his house. It was everything he’d talked about. A house up on stilts with four bedrooms, a wraparound porch, and a flat Carolina Coastal roofline that would make it look a lot like a keeper’s cottage. Sited next to the lighthouse, it would look as if it had been there for decades.