Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
T rust me. Melanie shook her head as she left the coffee shop in Mineral Lake the next day. The man was certifiable—no way could he fix her situation. He’d driven her home the previous night, and they’d each stayed lost in their own thoughts. The silence had been heavy with way too much thinking, but neither had broken it.
He had to be regretting attending her appointment and then kissing her. Of course, it was the emotion of the moment. No way did Colt want more from her than friendship.
But he sure hadn’t kissed her like a friend.
Loni Freeze stepped out of Millard’s Mercantile across the street and waved. “Hi, Melanie.” Hustling across the quiet road with several packages under her arms, the woman smiled. “What’s up?”
Melanie grabbed a package before it hit the slushy ground. “Nothing. Just wandering and thinking.”
Loni scrunched her nose. With her smooth skin and dark hair sprinkled with gray, she looked too young to have two grandchildren with another on the way. “About anything in particular?”
Melanie shrugged. “About everything.”
“Ah, I’ve been there. Sometimes you just have to relax and let your subconscious take over.” Loni eyed Paul’s Pizza Joint, which proudly took up several window fronts next to the mercantile. “Let’s grab pizza and figure this out before it starts snowing or raining or sleeting again.”
On cue, Melanie’s stomach rumbled. “Okay.” She followed Loni into the restaurant, and they agreed on a loaded veggie pizza.
Loni yanked out her phone and typed in letters. “Let me text Sophie to see if she wants me to bring her a pizza. The poor woman is going crazy on bed rest.”
Melanie smiled. “I’m sure. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her rest.” The blonde was a whirlwind.
“Yeah—she’s struggling, but that baby will be worth it. I have to say, being the grandmama is a lot easier than being the mom.” Loni took a sip of her iced tea. A glint of amusement lightened her dark eyes.
Melanie probably wouldn’t be either. She swallowed and tried to smile. “I bet.”
Loni’s eyes softened, and she reached out to pat Mel’s hand. “Everything will work out, sweetheart. I promise.”
Melanie flashed back to the third grade when Loni had stepped in. “Do you remember that teacher, Mrs. Simpson? My third grade math teacher?”
Loni sniffed. “I would hardly call that woman a teacher. She sure didn’t last long here.”
No, she hadn’t. Melanie had been staying with the Freezes while her grandfather went on a cattle run, and she’d brought home a math paper with pretty harsh grading and a request for Melanie’s guardian to visit the teacher.
Loni had dressed to kill in a business suit and accompanied a quaking Melanie to the school. Then she’d politely waited until Mrs. Simpson, a twice-divorced redhead who spent more time on the single male teacher-parent conferences than anyone else in the history of the school, finished complaining how Melanie couldn’t concentrate on numbers and just daydreamed. That maybe she should be put back to the remedial math program of the previous grade.
Melanie, dressed in her best Sunday-school dress, had hung her head, ashamed Mrs. Freeze would realize how dumb she was.
Then Mrs. Freeze had let loose.
Without raising her voice, without using swear words, Mrs. Freeze had calmly explained if there was a problem, it was with Mrs. Simpson’s lazy, irresponsible approach to teaching, which was more in line with speed dating. If Mrs. Simpson wanted to catch husband number three, trolling in the elementary school was the wrong tack.
It had taken Melanie several days to figure out what trolling meant.
Then Loni had expressed, in great detail, how intelligent and hardworking Melanie was, and that she would someday be highly successful. Loni had wound down by strongly encouraging Mrs. Simpson to try harder as a teacher.
There may have been a veiled threat or two in there, but Melanie didn’t read between the lines for several years.
They marched out of the school with their heads held high. In that moment, Melanie figured out two things: first, Colton had the best mom in the whole world. And second, she’d never be alone. She was safe.
Then they’d spent several afternoons after school learning multiplication in a way that involved horses, cookies, and hair barrettes. Melanie had gone on to excel in math and ultimately attended college math classes while in still high school.
Even years later, Loni was Melanie’s hero. Melanie smiled. “You took care of Mrs. Simpson, didn’t you?” The woman certainly had the clout to get a teacher removed.
Loni shrugged, her eyes sparkling. “Don’t know what you mean.”
“Thanks for standing up for me.”
“Your grandfather would’ve done the same thing if he’d been in town, although, I do have my own style.” Loni laughed. “Plus, you were a great kid, and that teacher was rotten.”
It was nice to have people in her corner. Melanie had missed the fun times at the Freeze house when she and Colton had gone their own ways as teenagers. Somewhat, anyway. Colton and Hawk had always been her backup, even when they’d all been dating other people. “Thanks.”
Loni leaned back as the waitress delivered their pizza. “No biggie. So, how are you holding up?”
“Good.” She realized it was true. Sharing her problems and bawling all over Colt had actually made her feel better. “I wish the whole town didn’t know, but…oh well.”
“Ah, sweetie. The town always knows.” Loni slid slices onto their plates. “It’s good that you and Colton are there for each other. I like that.”
Melanie took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. Warm, gooey cheese landed in her stomach, and she sighed in pleasure. “By the way, have you heard anything about a bet involving Colton and me?”
Loni coughed and quickly took a sip of iced tea. “Bet? What bet?” Her eyes opened wide.
“Oh, come on.” Melanie snorted. “You’re terrible at bluffing. Please tell me you haven’t actually bet.”
“Of course not.” Loni grinned. “I wouldn’t jinx things that way.”
Now that was just sweet. Loni had never hidden her affection for Melanie nor her wish that she and Colton would get together. She’d also never meddled or tried to push them together.
Melanie sighed. “How much is the pot?”
Loni leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I heard the kitty is at about five grand.”
Melanie gasped. “Are you joking?”
“Nope.”
“Who’s the bet taker?” Melanie asked.
Loni shrugged. “I’m sure I don’t know.”
Yeah, right. The town always knew.
Colton drove into town and slid into a slush covered parking slot before unfolding from the truck.
“Colton.” Mrs. Hudson emerged from the coffee shop, her gray wool coat swallowing her, and a bright pink knit scarf wrapped around her neck several times. “Do you have a minute?”
He hustled toward the elderly lady. “Yes, ma’am. What can I do for you?” Last night he’d already apologized for the mix-up with Melanie.
Mrs. Hudson slipped her bony arm through his. “We can chat while you escort me toward my car.” Her worn boots matched her scarf, and he made a mental note to make sure she got some new boots before next winter. Maybe he should find her some rain boots for the rest of spring. Yeah. Good idea.
“I’d love to escort you.” He angled his body to protect her better from the wind. The woman lived at the end of Main Street and had driven three blocks instead of walking. Rain or snow, the woman normally walked, probably so she didn’t miss anything on the way. “I noticed you drove instead of walked today. Are you feeling all right?”
“Yes, I felt like a drive today. Plus, it’s going to sleet, and I didn’t want to get caught.” She twittered and patted his arm. “You’re such a fine young man. My niece, Beatrix, is visiting at the end of the week, and I was hoping you’d take her out and show her the town.”
The woman had always been a matchmaker. He smiled. “That’s kind of you, and I appreciate your thinking of me, but I have plans.”
Mrs. Hudson slowed down. “Well, she’ll only be here two weeks, and I have to admit, she’s quite easy.”
He coughed out air and glanced down at tight, gray curls. “Excuse me?”
She looked up and squinted faded blue eyes. “Beatrix. She gets around, a lot.” Mrs. Hudson shrugged. “I thought you two might have some fun for a couple of weeks before she leaves. Just two weeks.”
Colton stopped. What in the world? Realization smacked him in the face stronger than the wild wind. “Mrs. Hudson. You wouldn’t have entered a bet regarding Melanie Jacoby and me, would you have?”
Mrs. Hudson brushed invisible lint off her coat. “Of course not.”
Colton bit back a laugh. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll go propose to Mel right now.”
Mrs. Hudson gasped, her head shooting up so she could meet his gaze. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would,” Colton said.
“Fine.” Mrs. Hudson sighed. “I have St. Paddy’s Day as my date, and I sure could use the money, Colton Freeze. If you’d just declare your love that day, I’d really appreciate it.”
He couldn’t believe she’d tried to bribe him with a slutty niece. Mrs. Hudson was a pimp. He laughed. “I will certainly keep your date in mind. Who’s taking the bets and keeping the money, anyway?”
“Can’t tell you,” she said sadly. “When you make the bet, you have to swear not to tell, or you forfeit your money.”
When he found the bet taker, he would kick some ass. “What happens if your chosen day passes?”
“You get to make a new bet.” She tugged him back into moving toward a blue compact with new tires. “Then you give more money and have to make the promise again.”
“Those are lovely tires, Mrs. Hudson.” Colton escorted her around to the driver’s side.
“Thank you. I won the raffle for new tires at the sheriff’s station,” she said proudly, opening the door and slipping inside the driver’s seat.
Quinn had made sure she won after having bought the tires for her in the first place. “You’re a lucky one,” Colton said.
She nodded. “Have a nice day, Colton, and remember who covered for you in the fifth grade when you picked flowers from Mrs. Leiton’s garden. She’s still wondering who took her prized tulips, and as you know, she has a terrible temper.” Shutting her door, Mrs. Hudson drove down the street at least ten miles under the speed limit.
Good lord. Mrs. Hudson was a blackmailing pimp.