Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
I walked aimlessly down Fruit Street in the sunshine, past the art gallery and the Honeybridge Historical Society’s log cabin museum, and found myself climbing the three steps to the General Store before I’d consciously decided to go there.
The white clapboard building that housed the General Store was a large square with a wraparound porch. It looked nearly as old as the log cabin across the street, and probably was, which was why the store was a unique blend of a modern convenience store where local Honeybridgers came to buy bread and canned veggies and a touristy penny candy heaven. Flanking the three front steps were a pair of Rose of Sharon bushes that Pop Honeycutt tended like children.
I pushed open the front door, and the jangling of the bell transported me back to childhood. The air smelled like candy and Popsicles and the lavender sachets Willow Honeycutt made, and I felt myself calm immediately.
Pop was behind the long wooden counter, handing a messy-haired little boy some change and a wax paper bag. “You share nicely with your sister, Oak.”
The boy scowled. “No way. Lorna’s mean.”
Pop gave the boy a conspiratorial wink. “Remember, a mighty oak stands tall and shares its shade with everyone.”
The boy huffed. “I guess you’re right.” He snagged his bag off the counter and headed for the door. “Thanks, Pop.”
Pop laughed and shook his head fondly at the boy’s retreating form.
“Does it get old, teaching the kiddos how to get along?” I joked.
Pop looked up at me, and his smile widened, making the creases at his eyes deepen further. “I keep hoping one of you’ll actually listen. Until then, I keep trying.”
I laughed and walked closer, past the displays of souvenir candles and postcards and the low freezer of Popsicles, so I could lean my crossed arms against the counter.
Pop frowned. “You look tired, Frog. Up early fishing again?”
I smiled, thinking of the reason I hadn’t gotten more hours of sleep, and shook my head. “Nah. I wouldn’t go fishing without you. You’re my good-luck charm. Just… at loose ends, I guess. For a little while.”
“Hmm. Your mom doesn’t have anything she wants you to do to fill up your time?” Pop grinned like he knew better, and since he’d been greeting Honeybridgers in his store since the dawn of time, he probably did.
“Oh, plenty,” I confirmed wryly. “If I wanted to golf, or play tour guide for her guests, or lunch at the club… which I don’t.”
“Lots of other stuff you could do in Honeybridge that you’d like better.” He scratched his cheek with one blunt finger. “Lots of folks who’d love to see you, too. Your time’s what you make of it, whether you’re here in town or…” He waved a hand. “…wherever else you might go. But then, deciding what you really want to do is the tricky part, isn’t it?”
I blinked. “Are you… trying to give me some kind of life lesson here?” I demanded, amused. “Because I’m not little Oak. That stuff won’t work on me anymore.”
“Heck no. You’re grown and mature now. The way your mom talks, you’re about to be a vice president of your company.” He nodded toward a worn straw broom propped in the corner behind the counter. “But since you’re here and you’ve got nothing better to do, maybe you wouldn’t mind helping me out with a little sweeping.”
I raised one eyebrow, but his expression was all innocence. “Sweeping’s good for the soul, Frog.”
With a sigh, I went behind the counter and grabbed the broom.
“Heard you were here in town to acquire distribution rights to the Meadery.”
I glanced up from my work. “Flynn told you that?”
“He did.”
“Did he tell you he turned it down?”
Pop smiled gently. “Oh, yes. Very vocally. My ears are still ringing.”
I snorted and continued sweeping. “He barely listened to the proposal I gave him. I don’t even think he read the terms. He just… flat out decided he couldn’t do business with me because he didn’t trust me.”
“Is that what he said?”
I thought back. “I don’t remember exactly what he said.” I’d been a little distracted by my own reaction to the sight of him after so long. By how badly I’d wanted him. By how much I hated him being angry at me. “But the gist was pretty clear.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m going to fix it, though. Flynn’ll see that I’m not out to take anything from him, and I never have been. I’m gonna make it so this deal will give him everything he wants.”
“Will it, though?” He pointed to the area I’d just swept. “Think you missed something.”
I ran the broom over that area again and nodded. “Oh yeah. Flynn’ll have plenty of money and plenty of freedom. He can live his life exactly the way he wants, and he won’t be tied down by responsibility to his family or his business.” Thinking of what Hayden had said, I paused what I was doing to run my fingers over my watch strap, tracing the tattoo beneath, and remembered why I’d gotten the ink in the first place. “Anyone would want that, wouldn’t they?”