Chapter 20
The couple standing outside Ben’s house looked excited, and Courtney, the only Realtor in town, looked absolutely predatory.
If the skin stretched across her bones and Botoxed to perfection could have contorted into an evil smile, Mylie was sure that’s
what she would have been doing.
“As you can see,” Courtney was saying, her arms outstretched and waving around the yard. “This property has been immaculately
kept.”
Mylie tried not to snort. She’d come home from work that morning to grab the lunch she’d left in the refrigerator. Normally,
she wouldn’t bother, but leftovers of Granny’s meatloaf made for a mean meatloaf sandwich. It was only 10:30 a.m., and Mylie
was starving.
Courtney threw a glance over at Mylie. The two had never been fans of each other. Mylie was certain that Courtney believed
the fact that she lived across the street devalued the property.
“Oh, look, honey!” the woman in the couple said, turning around. “The house across the street matches! How cute!”
Mylie waved and made to go inside but stopped short when she heard Courtney calling her name.
“Mylie! Mylie, honey!”
Mylie closed her eyes and tried not to think about the meatloaf sandwich.
“Hi!” Mylie said, plastering on a smile. It gave her some satisfaction to know Courtney couldn’t smile if her life depended on it. “How’s it going?”
Courtney tottered across the little road separating the houses, her heels digging into the gravel. “Have you seen Ben this
morning?”
“I haven’t,” Mylie said.
“I just tried calling him—I realized I don’t have a key for the basement in case the potential buyers want to see it.”
“I’ve been at work since seven thirty,” Mylie said. “I just ran home to grab my lunch.”
“I don’t know where he could be,” Courtney said, touching her tongue to the roof of her mouth.
“What time was the appointment?” Mylie asked.
“Eleven,” Courtney replied.
“Well, you are half an hour early,” Mylie said. “Did you knock?”
“Of course,” Courtney said. “Anyway, I just thought you might know.”
“I don’t,” Mylie replied. “I’m sorry.” She turned to walk inside the house when a new voice from behind stopped her.
“Hi!” the woman in the couple said, walking up to where Mylie and Courtney stood. “Are you the neighbor?”
“I am,” Mylie said. “I’m Mylie Mason.”
The man in the couple wrinkled his brows. “I feel like I’ve heard your name before.”
“Oh, surely you have,” Courtney cooed. The sound made Mylie want to claw at her ears. “Mylie owns Hook, Line, and Sinker.
You know, it’s that big building when you first come into town?”
“That’s right,” the man replied. “Sorry, we’re from out of state, so we don’t know much about Clay Creek.”
“But you have that adorable festival every year,” the woman cut in. “Of course, we won’t be moved here in time to go, surely, but it’s one of the reasons we love it here.”
Mylie wasn’t sure the bass tournament was adorable, but she didn’t say otherwise, especially not after Courtney gave her a
look that told her to keep her big, fat mouth shut.
“It was nice to meet you,” Mylie said to them, resisting the urge to flip Courtney the bird.
Courtney turned her back to her and continued espousing the perks of Clay Creek as Mylie hurried up the front steps and headed
inside.
“Jesus Christ on a cracker,” Mylie said once she’d shut the front door.
“Mylie?” Granny called from the kitchen. “Is that you?”
“It’s me,” Mylie said. “I forgot my lunch!”
“Come in and sit down!” Granny called.
“I can’t,” Mylie said. “I’ve got to get back to work. Hey, did you know Courtney is out there with a couple...” She trailed
off when she saw Ben sitting at the kitchen table with Granny.
He lifted a coffee cup up in greeting to her. “Hey, Mylie.”
Mylie narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you hiding from Courtney?”
“ Hiding is a strong word,” Ben replied.
“Well, she asked me if I’d seen you, and I’m going to look like a liar when you come out of my front door,” Mylie said.
“Technically, it’s my front door,” Granny said. “Besides, who cares what that woman thinks.”
“You should be nice to her,” Mylie replied, grinning. “Courtney is in charge of the liquor license for the fishing tournament,
and if you piss her off, she’ll hold it up just for spite.”
“She would do that, wouldn’t she?” Granny asked.
“When is this fishing tournament?” Ben asked.
“Three weeks,” Mylie replied. “We’ve got teams coming from all over the state to compete, and we always have a big celebration after the tournament ends. It’s kind of our kickoff to summer.”
“I don’t remember anything like that happening when I lived here,” Ben said.
“We started it the year after you left,” Mylie replied, lingering a little longer than she meant to on the word left .
“Oh.”
“You plan on being here that long?” Granny asked Ben.
“I’m here until the house sells,” Ben replied. “I gave up my apartment in Chicago, and I can’t sign a lease on a new place
on the coast until I sell.”
“Well, those two over there seem pretty interested in the house,” Mylie said, going over to the refrigerator to grab her sandwich.
She was trying not to sound irritated. It wasn’t that she wanted the house to sell and for Ben to move. That wasn’t it at
all. In fact, that was the opposite of what she wanted. But the whole thing felt like a waiting game. Nothing was set in stone,
and it was the waiting that she hated. How long did she have with Ben before he was gone again?
“Then they’ll wait,” Granny replied, giving Mylie a look that told her to snap out of it.
Ben was up and peering out the front window, absently stroking Stanley’s ear. “She’s opening the house up,” Ben said. “I guess
I should get over there.”
“Okay, bye,” Mylie said into the refrigerator.
Granny grabbed the Tupperware container with the meatloaf sandwich out of Mylie’s hands and handed it to Ben. “Take this for
lunch,” she said.
“Thanks, Granny,” Ben said.
“Hey!” Mylie said. “That’s mine!”
“Not anymore,” Granny said. “Bye, Ben! We’ll see you for bingo tonight at the VFW! Don’t forget. Six o’clock sharp!”
“Give that back!” Mylie demanded. “That’s the whole reason I came home.”
“Sorry,” Ben said, grinning at her. “See ya tonight!”
“Thanks, Granny,” Mylie said once Ben was out the door. “I’m starving.”
“Oh, you hush,” Granny replied. “Sit down, and I’ll make you something.”
“I need to get back to work,” Mylie continued, fully aware that she was being ridiculous.
“You’re the boss,” Granny said. “Now, why don’t you tell me why you were acting so strange to poor Ben? When I invited him
over for coffee this morning, he seemed excited about that dance.”
“I don’t even know why I asked him,” Mylie replied. “I feel stupid about it now. It feels like we’re falling right back into
step with how it was when we were teenagers.”
“Is that a bad thing?” Granny asked.
“I don’t know,” Mylie said honestly. “At least he agreed to go to the dance. That’s not something he ever did before.”
“Well, there you have it,” Granny said.
“Did you really invite him for bingo at the VFW tonight?” Mylie asked her.
“Sure did,” Granny replied. “I reckon that means you’ll be going as well?”
Mylie only shrugged.
Granny set a fresh sandwich in front of Mylie. “Listen,” she said, sitting down next to her. “I know it must be hard watching
Ben Lawrence come back after all these years. I know things between you didn’t... end well.”
“There was nothing to end,” Mylie replied. “He left. I stayed here. That’s all.”
“Nevertheless,” Granny continued. “I know it’s been hard. But I think it’s important for you to remember that Ben is your
friend. Don’t shut him out because of something that happened a decade ago. You’ll regret it if you do.”
“I know,” Mylie said. “I’m trying.”
“I know you are, sweetie,” Granny replied.
Mylie bit into the sandwich and tried not to look out the window, where she knew there was a house across the street with
strangers inside.