Say You’ll Stay by Susan Mallery

CHAPTER THREE

SHAYELOOKEDATthe directions Toby had given her. There was something odd about the street names. Half of them seemed to be trees while the other half were holiday-related. She was to take White Pine Street, cross West Mistletoe Way and turn on Jolly Drive.

“Crazy town,” she muttered as she got into her truck. But crazy in a nice way. Maybe quirky was a better word.

She pulled out of the parking lot and drove along White Pine. When she got to Jolly Drive, she saw a block of stunning Victorian houses. Some were massive, but a few were more normal-sized. The biggest one had a sign out in front. Wishing Tree Bed and Breakfast. Two doors down was the house she was looking for. She parked in front, then grabbed her handbag and started for the front door.

As she approached, she took in the wide front porch, complete with a couple of wicker chairs and a swing. The planter beds were overflowing with blooming flowers and were decorated with little ceramic forest creatures.

The house was three stories, with big windows and plenty of detail in the white shutters and trim. The deep blue paint color was only a few shades darker than the sky.

She knocked on the front door. It opened almost immediately.

“You must be Shaye,” the older woman said with a smile. “I’m Kathy. Come on in.”

Kathy was probably in her late sixties with shoulder-length brown hair and a lean build. She had on a three-quarter-sleeve T-shirt over crop pants and bright fuchsia sandals. Her toenails were painted the same color.

Shaye had a brief impression of a beautiful, formal living room and a dining room with a period-appropriate chandelier before she was led into a completely modern kitchen. Kathy motioned to the bar stools at the island.

“Toby said you’re looking for a room to rent,” she said as she pulled a pitcher of what looked like lemonade out of the refrigerator.

“I am.” Shaye explained about wanting to stay in town for Christmas in July, before heading to Seattle.

“It’s a fun time,” Kathy said, setting out two tall glasses, then pouring. “The real excitement is in the winter, of course, but we do a nice job in the summer months, and you don’t have to worry about snow.”

She sat down and smiled. “Now, let me tell you how I work things. I have a big house, and one of these days I’m going to sell it and move to the new retirement condos they’re building, but not just yet.”

She picked up her glass. “My Douglas and I lived here nearly forty years. We loved this house. It nearly broke us to buy it when it came up for sale, but we’d always wanted one of the Victorians. She was a poor, run-down girl when we got her, but as our finances improved, we did a little restoration, and this is what you see.”

“The house is beautiful,” Shaye said, thinking if she rented the room, she would get to live here. A far cry from her family’s small 1950s rambler back in Iowa.

“Thank you. I rent out a room from time to time, mostly to have someone else in the house.” Kathy’s smile returned. “I don’t expect you to keep me company other than to say hi if we pass in the hall. The room comes with a private bath and kitchen privileges.”

Shaye looked at the gleaming stainless steel appliances. “It’s an amazing kitchen. I’d be thrilled to use it.”

“I’m in here a lot myself, but there’s plenty of room for two. What else? Oh, you have a TV in your room, but you’re welcome to come downstairs and use the one in the family room. Guests are fine, but no parties. And overnight visits aren’t a problem.”

Shaye shook her head. “I don’t know anyone in town, so that won’t be happening.”

Technically she knew Lawson, but what were the odds they would run into each other again? Although he had told her where to find him, which was fun to think about, even if the thought of showing up at his place of work scared the crap out of her. She’d just never been that aggressive when it came to guys. Now if she had an excuse to go there... But she didn’t.

And even if she did manage to run into him, the odds of things ever progressing to overnight visits seemed improbable. She was only staying in town for the month. Given her sad and humiliating romantic past, avoiding getting involved was really the smart decision.

Kathy named a very reasonable price for the room, then asked, “Would you like to see it?”

“I would. Thank you.”

“I have to warn you, it’s on the third floor. You have the whole area to yourself, but it’s a bit of a climb.”

They went upstairs. Shaye admired the hand-carved railing and the wainscoting at the landing.

“This is me,” Kathy said, when they reached the second floor. “The master and two more bedrooms.”

The third floor opened onto a pretty sitting area with a small sofa and a desk. Kathy pointed to one of the drawers.

“The password for the Wi-Fi is in there. I have one of those booster thingies so the signal is strong up here.”

The west side of the third floor was storage. They turned the other way and entered a very large bedroom.

The room was bright, with windows on two walls. Nightstands flanked the queen-size bed. The walls were white, and the bedding was done in various shades of blue. There was a big dresser, with a TV sitting on top, and what looked like the original hardwood floors. Fluffy rugs were scattered about, but what really caught her attention was the small fireplace on the east wall. It was white marble with beautiful carving. Two plush chairs sat in front, each with an ottoman.

“It’s beautiful,” Shaye breathed, liking everything about the space, especially the welcoming feel.

“The bathroom is through there.” Kathy grinned. “There’s something I think you’re going to like.”

Shaye went through the open door and came to a stop in the glorious bathroom. The vanity counter was the same marble as the fireplace. There were two sinks, plenty of storage and a nice walk-in shower. And an incredible, huge, covetable claw-foot tub that sat in front of a stunning stained glass window.

“There’s one just like it in the master,” Kathy said, following her into the room. “It’s heaven.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Shaye admitted, overwhelmed by the beauty of her surroundings. “I’ve never stayed anywhere this nice. I don’t think you’re charging enough for the room.”

Kathy laughed. “I’m glad you think that. So are you interested?”

“Yes. I love it.”

Everything about the house was perfect, she thought. She could see herself here. Honestly, she had no idea why this was happening to her, but she was grateful.

“Then, let’s go downstairs and take care of some paperwork.”

It only took a few minutes to read over Kathy’s rental agreement. Shaye signed the short-term lease and wrote a check for the payment, then took a house key in return.

“You’re welcome to park in the driveway, next to my car,” Kathy told her. “There’s plenty of room.” She paused. “Oh, wait. You said you were moving to Seattle, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, your truck is probably filled with all your belongings. Would you like to store them in the garage until you’re ready to move on?”

“That would be very nice. Thank you.”

“I’ll open it right now so you can sort what you want to take upstairs and what you want to keep in the garage.” She led the way outside and unlocked the side door. “Please excuse the mess.”

Shaye followed her inside the detached garage. When Kathy turned on the light, Shaye prepared herself for the usual garage clutter—boxes, lawn supplies, maybe some old furniture. What she wasn’t expecting was to find a car—or at least all the pieces of a car—scattered around.

From what she could tell, the bodywork was finished, and the seats were covered in plastic and up against the back wall. The engine was strewn about in a few hundred pieces, and based on the condition, it hadn’t been touched. But the rest of the vehicle was nearly finished.

She took in the lines, the shape of the back end and then spotted the familiar logo.

“It’s a Mustang convertible,” she said, pressing a hand to her chest. “A sixty-nine. No, a sixty-eight. She’s going to be a beauty.”

Kathy stared at her in surprise. “You know cars.”

“I used to work on them with my dad.” She circled around the chassis, thinking how much her father would have loved to work on this car. “Nothing this nice.” She smiled. “They can be a little pricey for a hobby. But my dad always talked about how we’d fix one up someday. Are you doing the restoration?”

“Goodness, no. This was Douglas’s project.” Her expression turned wistful. “He was going to have it done in time for the classic car show a couple of years ago. There’s a parade, and she was going to be one of the stars. But then he passed away, and here she sits. I should go talk to someone about fixing her up and selling her.”

“Not before you get to ride in the parade,” Shaye told her. “You have to do that.” She looked at the pieces. “I think the bodywork is all done. The upholstery is finished.” She continued to walk around the car. “Look, the dash is ready. From what I can tell, the engine needs to be rebuilt, and then the whole thing gets put back together and painted. It’s not a lot of work.”

She drew in a breath. “I could do it.” She paused. “I know I could handle the engine. I’ve rebuilt them before. It’s just a matter of cleaning it up and replacing a few parts, then putting it all back together. I might need some help with the assembly, but I’m sure I could ask around and find someone if I get into trouble.”

Lawson came immediately to mind, but she ignored that. “My job with Judy’s Hand Pies is only four hours a day. I’ll have plenty of time.”

Kathy smiled at her. “You don’t have to convince me, Shaye. I’m more concerned I would be taking advantage of you. I’d want you to let me pay you.”

“No, but you can pay for the parts, and the paint is going to be pricey. I’d really like to do this.” She shrugged. “I lost my dad a while back. I’d like to do this for him. I think that would make him happy. I promise, if I get in over my head, I’ll ask for help.”

“All right. You do what you can. I have an account at a local auto-repair shop. Buy what you need, and have them charge it to me. If you change your mind about the rebuild and don’t want to finish, it’s perfectly fine. At this point, anything would help.”

“Thank you.”

Shaye looked at the car and felt a flicker of anticipation. She knew it was silly, but she couldn’t escape the sense that if she got things right with the car, somehow she would get things right with herself. Once that was done, she would be free to start over and find a new life in Seattle.

SHAYETOLDHERSELFthere was no reason to be nervous. The fact that her landlord happened to have an account at Wishing Tree Auto Repair made sense, and the fact that Shaye needed to go there for parts was just a coincidence. She was a customer, nothing more. She was going to rebuild the Mustang’s carburetor, and for that she needed a rebuild kit.

She’d spent a couple of hours the previous afternoon figuring out what was done on the car and what wasn’t. Her initial assessment had turned out to be correct. The two big projects were going to be building the engine, followed by putting the car back together. The hard work had already been completed.

So at eight thirty in the morning, she found herself parking in front of the auto-parts store, trying not to hyperventilate. Anticipation and butterflies danced together in her stomach. She felt queasy and excited and worried all at the same time. Ridiculous emotions, considering she barely knew the guy, and so what if she was going to see him again? It wasn’t as if she was stalking him. Besides, he’d said something about the auto repair side of things. She probably wasn’t going to see him at all. She would go inside, buy what she needed and be gone before he ever knew she was there.

Only she didn’t want to not see him. She’d liked him and had enjoyed his company. Last night, after getting herself settled in her beautiful room, she’d sat in front of the pretty fireplace and had replayed their time together. Hanging out with him again would be nice.

She got out of her truck and started for the store. She wasn’t going to think about Lawson, she told herself. If she saw him, great. If she didn’t, no big deal. She was in town for nearly a month, she reminded herself as she walked into the store. If she was still thinking about him in a couple of days, she would come back and ask if he was—

“Shaye?”

She came to a stop halfway down the aisle. Lawson stood not six feet away, looking really, really good. He had on jeans and work boots, along with a short-sleeved shirt with the company logo on the pocket. His dark eyes were wide with surprise and pleasure. The kind of pleasure that filled her with a happy little glow.

“What are you doing here?”

“I, uh...”

She really hadn’t thought she would see him, so she hadn’t planned what to say.

“I decided not to leave,” she admitted, thinking the truth was always easier. “I was halfway to my truck when I realized there was nothing waiting for me in Seattle, and spending a few weeks here sounded like fun. I have a part-time job at Judy’s Hand Pies. I’ll be manning the food cart at lunchtime, and I’ve rented a room from a nice lady who lives in a beautiful Victorian house.”

“Kathy Vieira,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers. “She’s good people. I’m glad you stayed. I wish you’d called me.”

She grinned. “How would I have done that?”

“You’re right. We didn’t exchange numbers.” He moved closer and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Let’s take care of that right now.” He started typing. “Shaye...”

“Harper.” She gave him her number, and he immediately texted back his contact info.

He tucked his phone away. “You’re really here. I’m glad.”

“It’s just for the month.”

“That’s a whole lot longer than I had yesterday. I’m happy you came to see me.”

She laughed. “Don’t take this wrong, but I’m actually here to buy a kit to rebuild a carburetor. You’re just the gift with purchase.”

He grinned. “I can live with that. Are you having trouble with your car?”

“No. My little pickup is doing fine. Kathy has a car in her garage. I might get in over my head, but I offered to rebuild the engine and put it all back together.”

His expression changed to that of a six-year-old boy on Christmas morning. “No way. She still has the Mustang? I would have thought she would have sold it after Douglas died.”

“It’s in her garage. The bodywork’s all done, and you should see the amazing job someone did on the upholstery. All that’s left is rebuilding the engine and putting her back together.”

“Can I help? Putting her back together would be a dream.”

“That would be great,” Shaye told him. “I’m comfortable with the engine, but the assembly seems a little daunting.”

They agreed they would be in touch to figure out when he would drop by to see how she was doing, then he helped her with the carburetor kit. All the while they talked, Shaye told herself she had to be careful. Liking Lawson was one thing, but being an idiot for a guy was another. She was only in town a few weeks. She could hang out with him, get to know him, but then she would be moving on. Expecting more than something casual would be foolish, and she’d sworn she was never going to be a fool for a guy ever again.