CHAPTER 12
C HAPTER 12
W ith the brighter flood lights installed, Marlow could see the surroundings of the cottage at night. The back flood lights had already illuminated the dock and quite a bit beyond. Now the front lights shone over her entire driveway, all the way up to the road. Could someone still lurk about? Sure. With the large trees and hills, there were enough shadows to hide in, but no one could get close to the house without being seen.
Cort had also set up cameras at the front and back of each house, with signs that stated the property was monitored. It seemed silly now because a week had gone by without incident. She truly believed Sandra was behind the snooping.
For now, Pixie’s secret was safe. However, the young mother was happy to have the added security. The incident had clearly left her shaken. Cort had even added a timer to the lights. When it got dark, they automatically came on. Pixie was content.
The only thing that bothered Marlow was that Cort wouldn’t let her repay him. Stubbornly, in that quiet way of his, he’d stated that the houses were still his and would remain so . . . even after she and Pixie had moved on.
“I’m not moving on,” she muttered to herself while refilling a tray with drink orders. She loved that he’d opened up to her, but now she dwelled on how badly she’d handled it.
She’d cried on him. Then yelled at him. And she’d even tried to manhandle him, not that a breathing boulder like Cort could be physically moved.
Privately, he’d explained that he’d like for both of them to stay, but it wasn’t up to him. The town had lived by the same set of rules for a long time.
“Stupid rules,” Marlow said to herself. She checked her order, then grabbed the appetizers that were now ready, along with two burgers. For a weeknight, the tavern was awfully busy. Fortunately, she got off in an hour.
Leaving the kitchen, Marlow got back to work. She delivered the ordered food, then darted between tables to refill drinks. She was still stewing on her campaign to remain in Bramble when Cort arrived. Usually he sought her out right away, but today he found a seat and pulled out his notebook and pencil. Hmm. Perhaps he had a new job request and he needed to jot his thoughts down while they were fresh in his mind.
For Marlow, it was impossible to concentrate with him nearby. He had a presence that dominated a room. There were other men his age in Bramble, but they weren’t Cort. They didn’t have his magnetism, his appeal. At least not to her.
June had come and gone, and the July weather boasted plenty of sunshine and humidity. Herman had air conditioning in the tavern, but with the door always opening and closing, the air felt warm. The back of her neck was damp, as well as the bridge of her nose. Leo, a regular at the place who owned an arcade in town, was talking to her, but then Leo was always talking. It became impossible to follow along, not that Leo minded. Even if he asked a question, he didn’t wait for an answer.
Marlow interrupted him to say, “Sorry, Leo. I need to refill my pitcher,” and she hurried away.
Joann, from the dairy bar, waved her over. Marlow could tell by the woman’s expression that she had gossip. Thankfully, it shouldn’t be about her. Sandra and Aston hadn’t returned, and everyone already knew about—and adored—Pixie.
After Pixie had come into the tavern one day, everyone now asked about her. Some visited her, others called her, and some offered help. People instinctively recognized Pixie’s shyness, and they admired her dedication to Andy. She was a very likable person in many ways.
Marlow greeted Joann with, “Did you need anything else? Dessert? A refill on your cola?”
Shaking her head, Joann said quietly, “They’re having a meeting about you.”
Taken aback, Marlow asked, “Who? About what?”
Rolling her eyes, Joann said again, “About you . You’ve been at Cort’s guesthouse so long now, no one believes it’s just a vacation. It was bound to happen.”
“What, exactly, was bound to happen?”
“Everyone thinks you’re trying to be permanent.”
Plunking the empty pitcher on the table and grabbing hold of the back of a chair, Marlow steadied herself. “When?” She drew a deep breath. “When is the meeting?”
“Wednesday night.”
“But I have to work Wednesday! I won’t be able to attend. I—”
“Shh. I shouldn’t be telling you this.” Joann gave a furtive look around. “The meetings are public, but they’re set up in private.”
Marlow’s gumption flooded back. “They’re hardly private if you know, and now I know, and all the eavesdroppers in here probably know, too.” When she glanced at different customers, they all pretended to be busy.
Except for Cort.
He didn’t shy away from her gaze. She doubted he shied away from anything. Things had changed between them. They were closer now. She felt it, but if she was forced to leave, what would happen?
Nothing, she assured herself. So she’d live in the next town over. So what?
So it wouldn’t be Bramble, and now that she’d dug in, she wanted to stay .
She’d still see Cort, she assured herself. All week long, he’d made it clear just how much he cared. It was there in his touch, in his every word, in the way he sometimes stared at her, as if trying to figure out a puzzle.
“What time is the meeting?” Marlow asked.
Shrugging, Joann said, “I honestly don’t know. It changes. The members figure out what works, and then they get together and make decisions.”
“That doesn’t seem fair!”
“Other people can weigh in— if they know about the meeting and attend.”
Someone cleared their throat, and when Marlow looked back, she saw grumpy Ben Crawford with an empty coffee cup lifted toward her. He had a few bites of pie left. She was on the clock, so she needed to get back to work.
“Thanks for letting me know, Joann.” And now that she knew, she’d figure out a way to attend that meeting. To fight for herself. To cement her citizenship in Bramble.
“I’m rooting for you,” Joann said.
“You are?”
“Pretty sure we all are. You’re one of us now.”
She heard murmured voices saying, “That’s right,” “One of us,” and “She’s not going anywhere.” Tension eased from her shoulders; affection lightened her worry. Turning to face her curious audience, she held up a fist, like a championship fighter, and got a few laughs with mingled applause and whistles.
She loved this town. She loved these people. Most of all, she loved Cort. With that much love going around, how could she lose?
* * *
Cort watched her work. For a moment there, Marlow had looked devastated, then defeated. For only a moment, though. He knew she’d heard about the upcoming meeting.
Did she think he wouldn’t fight for her?
Probably, because he hadn’t yet told her the truth: that he was in love with her. She’d almost told him, and if she had, he’d have declared himself on the spot. But she’d pulled back, and that made him think she wasn’t yet ready for such a big step.
Though her marriage had been rocky for years, it hadn’t officially ended that long ago. Conflicting feelings probably still plagued her. He believed she’d fallen out of love with her husband, if she’d ever truly loved him in the first place.
But divorce and death were two different things, both of them devastating to the emotions.
The last thing she needed was for him to try to tie her down with commitment.
He knew that, and he’d still unloaded his biggest issue on her. It shamed him. Not because he was human enough to care, but because of his priorities. When he had nightmares now, they weren’t about his abusive father or his mother passing away. He’d grown up with those realities. His dad had always been a mean bastard, and his mother had always suffered. Cort had despised his dad, loved his mom, but he’d lived with the reality that she could be gone at any time, because his father might go too far and kill her. When it came to his mother, what ate at him the most was that she’d finally found happiness, and then lost it to ill health.
If he could have saved her, he would have. He’d have done anything for her.
Yet those were all familiar feelings, ones he’d grown accustomed to and had learned to deal with.
Having twelve of his brothers die unexpectedly . . . that was the kind of shock that took out a guy’s knees. And Nathan . . . Cort closed his eyes.
Nathan had been the best of them. A comedian when you needed one, a listener when someone had to talk, quietly supportive no matter what. He’d had so much to live for.
“What are you working on?”
Cort opened his eyes to see Marlow at his table, a cautious smile on her face as she set a glass of water and a cup of coffee before him.
He turned over his notebook so she couldn’t read it. “Joann told you about the meeting.” A statement, not a question.
Tucking the tray under her arm and frowning at him, she said, “Apparently, everyone knows. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I’m handling it.” The look on her face almost made him laugh. She’d been all geared up to be mad, and he’d deflated her anger.
Suspicion brought her brows together. “You’re handling it how?”
Now there was the issue. If he told her, he could just imagine how she’d react. She wouldn’t like it—that much he knew for sure. Marlow was the type of person who wanted to handle things on her own. But if they were going to be a couple— and they were , as soon as she was ready—then she’d have to get used to his help.
Just as he’d have to get used to her crying every now and then. For him .
That still felt like a kick to the heart. Terrible and wonderful, both.
She’d gone through her own traumas dry-eyed and focused.
But for him, his strong, beautiful, take-on-the-world Marlow had broken down in tears. It humbled him as nothing else could.
“Cort,” she warned.
“You’ve inspired me,” he replied honestly, knowing it was true. From the day he’d met her, she’d been inspiring . . . well, everyone. Him most of all, though. “The way you got on with your life despite everything.” Things that would have emotionally crippled a person without her iron resolve. “You knew what you wanted, and you went after it full force.”
In a mere whisper, she asked, “What do you want?”
“Peace in my own life. Happiness.” Love . That meant having her—here, or anywhere else. “Instead of continuing to kick myself for not doing enough—”
“That’s not true,” she interjected desperately, quickly taking the seat next to him. “You did everything you could and—”
He touched a finger to her lips. When Marlow decided to defend someone, it took her a little while to wind down. “I think I’ve lost enough. I’m going to start celebrating the life I have and the people who matter to me.” You most of all .
Her dark gaze searched his. “Will you tell me what, and who, that is?”
Soon—when she couldn’t thwart his plans. “You have a customer waiting.”
Her frown returned. “I have another half hour to work. Will you still be here when I’m done?”
It was one of the few days when she was scheduled to get off at eight, instead of eleven. He planned to make the most of it. “Can I convince you to come to my house for a late dinner? I have steaks to grill.”
“I’m famished, so I’d love that.” She leveled a stern look at him. “And then we can discuss some things.”
He loved her stern, serious moods. Not in the least threatened, he gave her a crooked smile. “I’ll be waiting.”
Watching Marlow hustle off to work was a distinct pleasure. She moved with purpose and grace, accomplishing so much without looking rushed.
He’d just gotten back to his task when Herman plopped down in the seat across from him. “What’s the plan?”
Pretending confusion, Cort cocked one eyebrow. “Plan?” Of course he had one, and Herman would be part of it. Fortunately, he was already playing his role.
“Don’t give me that.” Not bothering to hide his irritation, Herman thumped a hand onto the table. “There’s no way you’ll let Marlow be run off.”
“She wouldn’t go far anyway,” Cort stated quietly. “She’s looking at property in Lankton.”
“Lankton!” An imminent implosion was evident in his gaze. “No! It’d be too far for her to drive here every day to work.”
“It wouldn’t be ideal, but knowing Marlow, she’d manage. The property is nice, though. I checked it out for her yesterday.” As if he didn’t have bigger things on his mind, Cort explained, “She wanted to know if it’d be possible to take out a few interior walls. Good news, it is. Pretty sure she’ll put in an offer.”
Red-faced, Herman muttered, “You live here. She works here.”
Glancing over, he saw Marlow laugh at something Leo said, then while the man was still gabbing away, she patted his back and moved on. “I didn’t make the rules.”
“What about Pixie?”
“Knowing Marlow, I assume she’d take Pixie with her.” She was like a mother hen, and Cort loved that about her, too.
Suddenly Herman loomed closer, so close that Cort felt his breath. “You’re bullshitting an old bullshitter. You’re in love with her.”
“Yeah, I am.”
Herman drew back. “You admit it?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you.” It was past time for him to own up to his feelings. “I probably should have said this sooner, but you’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father figure. Everything you did for my mother, and then for me.” Yeah, seeing the look on Herman’s face, he knew this talk was long past due. “I appreciate it, and I especially appreciate you. You’re the one I’ve always talked to when I needed to work something out.” Or when he’d just needed someone who cared.
Completely taken off guard, Herman flushed. “I . . .” He cleared his throat, twice, and his words emerged with reverent gravity. “I’m honored, especially since I’ve always thought of you as a son. I couldn’t be more proud of you if you were my own. You’re a good man, Cort, the best.”
That was almost identical to what Marlow had said. He certainly tried to be a good man, but the best? If he pleased Marlow, and Herman, too, that was good enough for him. “Thank you.”
“You have to fight for her, son. You know that, right?”
For one of the few times in his life, Cort knew he was a lucky man. Yes, he’d lost people who were vitally important to him. His mother, best friend, guys who were like brothers . . . as Marlow had pointed out, everyone had their share of difficulties, some more than others.
But he’d also had incredible blessings. His mother had loved him enough to sacrifice for him, and the people in this town had accepted him as one of their own. As a Marine, he’d learned the best life had to offer, and he’d met incredible men who’d shown him what his father hadn’t—the meaning of honor, loyalty, and bravery. How to be responsible, to work hard, to meet and exceed expectations.
Now he had Marlow, and she was a bigger gift than he’d ever dared hope for. She was the kind of sunshine that cut through a cloudy day, a grin when his thoughts turned dark, and a warm hug when he didn’t know he needed it. There was Pixie, and Andy. And a future to embrace.
“I plan to fight for her, but it’ll take more than me to cause change.” Cort watched him, waiting to see if he’d take the bait.
Herman didn’t hesitate. “It’s not just you. I’ll fight, too.”
“Marlow wouldn’t want strife,” he warned. “You know her well enough to understand that. Doesn’t mean we can’t sway the town with logic, right?”
Grinning, Herman tilted closer again. “What’s the plan?”
And just like that, everything fell into place.
* * *