“Okay, then. You get on back home and start your unloading. My evening workers arrive at six. I’ll be there after that.”
“Thank you, Uncle Sam.”
“Sam will do. The uncle makes me feel old.”
“You are old,” Mack said, shaking his head.
Mia bit down a laugh, and waved goodbye, heading back toward the door and out into the town square. Sam was gruff, but he was kind. She could tell that much from their encounter. She also had a feeling he wouldn’t put up with any messing around. Especially from teenagers who thought they knew better than everyone else.
She’d save that worry for another day. Because right now, the sun was shining, she and the boys had somewhere to live, and she was about to buy the biggest strawberry milkshake they had. With extra sprinkles.
If the last few months had taught her anything, it was to enjoy the small things. And that’s exactly what she intended to do.
Chapter Three
“I have an interview,” Mia called out, waving a white envelope at Michael and Josh who were sitting at the kitchen table, scooping cereal into their mouths. Sam wasn’t up yet. After a few days of living here, she still wasn’t sure if he always woke late, or if he was avoiding the morning craziness that her two boys brought with them.
“You do? Where?” Josh brightened up. “Is it in Kansas City?”
“No, dumbhead, it’s here.” Michael shook his head. “We’re not going back to our old house, remember?”
Mia shot Michael a look and he had the good grace to apologize. She knew he was anxious. Today was his first day at school. High school, to be more specific. And she knew there was only one thing worse than starting high school, and that was starting it late. When all the other students had already made friends and settled in.
“It’s at a whiskey distillery right out of town. There isn’t much information, but it’s a marketing job.” Social Media and Marketing, to be exact. “The interview’s on Friday.” It gave her a few days to get ready. She’d have to study the whiskey industry while the boys were at school. She placed the envelope on the mantelpiece over the old kitchen fireplace and checked her watch. “Right, we should go. You don’t want to be late for your first day.”
“Don’t we?” Michael asked.
“No, you don’t. And remember you have football tryouts later.”
“For the freshman team. I would have made junior varsity in Kansas City,” he grumbled.
“You might have. There was no guarantee. And not many freshmen make junior varsity,” Mia pointed out. Though she knew he probably would have. He was good. Had been since Niall first enrolled him in pee wee football. And she hated that this had been spoiled for him, too. “If you work hard, maybe they’ll move you up.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Michael picked up his bowl and walked over to the dishwasher, placing his dish inside. “I’ll see you later,” he said, kissing Mia on the cheek.
“Don’t you want a ride?” she asked him. “Your school’s close to Josh’s.”
“I’ll take the bus.” Michael shrugged. “I don’t want all the guys ogling you like they did when we enrolled. It’s embarrassing.”
“They didn’t ogle me,” Mia protested.
“Yeah, they did. One of them asked if you were our sister,” Josh said, grinning. “And one of the football players asked Michael for your number.”
Her face flushed. How embarrassing. She’d taken particular care to dress conservatively. Since Michael was born, she’d found it difficult for people to take her seriously as a young mom. She’d thought by now that would have gotten better.
But apparently not at Columbus High.
“Can you pick Josh up from after school club for me?” she asked him. “Sam’s asked me to work in the bar for him this afternoon.”
“Yeah, sure.” Michael grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”
“Good luck. Not that you’ll need it.” She gave him a wave as he walked through the front door.
“Thanks.” He swallowed and she saw that flash of vulnerability again. She knew he’d try to hide it at school, but it was there.
“Love you,” she told him, her heart full and aching.
“Love you, too.” And with that, he was gone.
Cam pulled his car up outside the house and stared at it through the windshield. It had to be the right one. It looked exactly like the listing Brian had sent him, telling him he’d rented it for the next two months.
Thank god for his assistant. It was a shame Brian wouldn’t be staying with him in Hartson’s Creek, but there really wasn’t much for him to do here. Instead, he’d be working on a few things for Cam at his house in Boston, and he’d also be helping one of Cam’s teammates, whose own assistant had broken their wrist.
Climbing out of the car, Cam was pleasantly surprised by the warmth in the air. It was harvest time in Hartson’s Creek. As a kid, he’d loved the way the smell of corn wafted through the air. Loved going back to school and the football season starting. He’d forgotten that feeling, having had lived in the city for so long. Things like crops and farms and high school seemed like another life.
His brother’s life.
“Hey, you made it.” The smiling face of Cam’s brother, Tanner appeared at the front door. He walked down the steps and gave Cam’s car an admiring glance. “Damn, this is a beauty. Was your drive okay?”
Cam blinked, because he hadn’t expected to see his younger brother here. But then realization passed over him. Tanner owned a lot of property in Hartson’s Creek – no doubt this house was one of his.
“Why didn’t Brian tell me this was your place?” Cam asked, more to himself than his brother.
“No idea.” Tanner shrugged. “Maybe he thought you’d try
