Town Square, The (21 page)

“We’re going to make something together, Harriet. Not just the paper. But a family. One where we all support each other no matter what.”

Hers hadn’t been like that, and she was determined not to make the same mistakes as her parents. She linked their hands. “I like the sound of that.”

“Emmits said to try and imagine how I’d feel about you in fifty years, and I have to say that right now, fifty years doesn’t seem like near enough time.”

Tears spurted into her eyes. “Oh, Arthur, that’s the sweetest thing you could ever say. I hadn’t thought of us all old and gray.”

“And you a grandma. I bet you’ll be good at it.”

Resting her head on his chest, she eyed her ring. “Well, I know one thing. I want to give our oldest grandchild my wedding ring when it’s her time.”

He caressed her back. “Oh? I rather like that idea.”

“But I still say you should have gone with sapphires for your eyes.”

“My love, all you ever need to do is look into my eyes. Now what else do you want for our family?”

She thought about it for a moment. “Well, women are becoming more independent. By the time we have grandchildren, they might even own their own businesses. I want to set aside some money for them, so that they have a nest egg to do something bold once they graduate from college.”

“Oh, I love that idea. Empire builders in the making.”

Stroking his chest, she said, “Yes, like their grandpa.”

He laughed. “I’ll probably be curmudgeonly when I’m old. I have no patience for anything slow.”

“I can’t wait to see you like that. In the meantime, how about let’s concentrate on being young and newly married?”

He looked down into her face, a slow smile spreading. “How would you like to start our first morning together?”

Her brow rose. “Oh, I think you know.”

His grin was a mile wide. “I knew rubies would be just the thing for my passionate wife.”

“Wait. That reminds me. I have something for you.”

She’d seen the red hots in the Five–and–Dime, and they’d reminded her of rubies. With their ongoing joke about him selecting rubies instead of sapphires, she’d thought it would be a fun way to tease him. Grabbing a throw, she wrapped herself in it and ducked over to her suitcase, a little embarrassed at her nakedness. After locating her gift, she snuck it behind her back and walked toward the bed.

“Since you bought me rubies, I wanted to give you these to chew on.”

“Okay,”
he said, taking the metal tin wrapped in a red ribbon. He opened it and laughed.

“I couldn’t find any blue ones, but I rather liked the idea of a candy that looked like rubies to remind you of me when we’re apart.”

He popped one in his mouth and rolled it around. “Like I could forget about you. Mmm, I like these. Spicy.”

She eased onto the bed. “Plus I thought cinnamon kisses would be…”

Yanking her forward, he settled his mouth onto hers, proving his mouth was even more tantalizing with the candy.

“What do you think?” he asked when he drew away.

“I think I’m going to like this. I’ll make sure you’re well stocked in red hots from now on.”

His eyes twinkled. “Now are you glad I didn’t buy the sapphires?”

Would he always want the last word? Well, he wasn’t going to get it. “Yes, but I still contend that sapphires—”

As he took her mouth with his cinnamon–coated one, and they welcomed their first morning together as husband and wife, she realized the ring didn’t matter.

What mattered was their love, and they had that in abundance.

Chapter 22

S
o that’s how your grandma and I met,” Arthur finished, focusing once again on baby Violet in his arms. He almost chuckled at all of the parts he’d left out, the saucy bits between him and Harriet that were stored in his memory, reserved only for himself.

Meredith and Jill were wiping tears away, and Peggy’s mouth seemed frozen in a permanent O.

“No wonder you said you understood tough women,” Peggy said.

“Oh, Harriet softened up,” he murmured, remembering. “Just like you have with Mac.”

Violet stretched then, her little arms punching out of her swaddle, and he smiled. He’d been telling the story for over an hour, so she was probably about ready to wake up and eat. Thank heavens Meredith had gone downstairs to gather some snacks, or he’d have to start worrying about his infernal blood sugar.

“You know,” he continued. “She gave you girls that money just like she said she would the night we were married. She wrote it down in her wish book, a journal she kept that tallied all of the things she wanted to do in her life.”

“And I have her ring,” Meredith said, lifting her hand, the rubies and single diamond shining as brightly now as they had when he first put it on Harriet’s finger in the town square.

It was good to see it there, and it always made Arthur smile. Meredith and Tanner had a love like he and Harriet had shared. She’d be proud that their ring had gone to such good use.

“And I used the money she gave me to start Don’t Soy with Me,” Jill said.

“She’d love your coffee shop, Jill. I know she’s smiling down from heaven at you two. I just know it,” he repeated, coughing a little, feeling a bit misty eyed.

My God, how he missed his sweetheart.

“And I might as well tell you that she had something in mind for her great grandchildren too,” he told them.

“What is it?” Jill asked, tucking Mia close when she gave a cry.

“She was worried about the pace the forest was being cut away, so we bought some land up in Meadowlark Canyon in the 80s. She wanted to turn it into a preserve, but that’s for the great–great grandkids to do if they so choose. For now, the Hales own it. And I’ll put all of the kids you girls have on the deed when it’s time.”

Jill sniffed. “Oh, Grandpa.”

“That’s the loveliest present ever,” Meredith said, tearing up. She stood, eyes shining. “This moment is so perfect… I know Tanner won’t mind if I share our news. We’re having a baby.”

Giving a cheer, Jill ran over, Mia giving another cry to protest the sudden movement. “You are? Oh, Mere, I’m so happy for you! Did you hear that Mia and Violet? You’re going to have a cousin soon.”

They hugged awkwardly with the baby between them, and then Meredith walked over to him and knelt by his rocking chair.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, “you make this old man so happy. Your grandmother would be too, if she were still with us.”

A tear slipped down her cheek. “I love you, Grandpa.”

“I love you too, little miss,” he said, irritated at the wetness in his eyes.

His granddaughters were making him cry like a girl. He looked over at Peggy. “What about you? Are you pregnant yet?”

Her mouth dropped. “Ah, no. But it’s under discussion.”

No surprise there. Peggy was a great mother. Keith had wanted a sibling for years, and Mac would be a wonderful father. “You’ll get there.”

“Congrats, Mere,” Peggy said with a big smile. “I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Hey,” Jill called. “What about my kids?”

“They can’t call me that yet. They can barely open their eyes and look around.”

“Haha,” Jill replied. “So tell me more about this land for the next generation, Grandpa. My mind is already churning out ideas.”

He gave them more details, bouncing Violet gently in his arms. When he finished, he said, “Who knows what will happen down the road? It will be nice to know the Hales are preserving the beauty around Dare Valley as the town continues to grow.”

“And it
is
growing,” Jill commented. “It’s becoming the place to be.”

“Emmits had a big part in that. He’d be mighty proud of how everything has turned out.”

Dare Valley had changed so much in his life, but some things had remained the same: family, community. The important stuff.

“My time is coming to a close,” he continued. “Now it’s time for you two to write in your own Wish Book about what you want for your lives and your families. You may have taken new names, but you’ll always be Hales. What do you want for your children and grandchildren?”

Meredith gave a slow smile. “We’re just getting used to the news. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Good coffee,” Jill replied, making them all laugh. “I would just hate to think the planet might become so overcrowded down the road that we can’t even grow any coffee.”

“Always my practical one.” Arthur turned to Peggy. “What about you, my dear?”

“Well, even though I know I’ll sound like a softy, I’m just going to come out and say it. World peace. I don’t want my kids or grandkids—wow, there’s a mind twister—to have to worry about crime and violence.”

“An admirable wish, especially for someone in law enforcement, Peggy,” he said rising from the chair, still cuddling Violet close. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to stretch these old bones.”

Meredith took the baby from him, her eyes shining, and he grabbed his cane and walked to the door, a bit stiff, but feeling that glow in his chest that always came in warm moments like this one.

“Regardless of what you choose, girls, choose well. Your grandchildren might be sitting in a room like this someday, talking about you.”

He walked down the hall to the far window. Pushed back the curtain until he could see the endless sky and the sea of stars.

They all looked like a bunch of diamonds to him, and he knew Harriet was up there somewhere.

“Did you hear that, Harriet? Our Meredith’s giving us another grand baby. But you probably already knew, didn’t you?”

He sighed deeply, missing her so very much.

“I’ll see you soon, my love,” he whispered.

And as he said it, a reddish star winked in the darkness and then disappeared. He smiled slowly.

So, she’d found a way to be a ruby, after all, even up in heaven.

Well, she always had been a determined woman.

Dear Reader,

THE TOWN SQUARE holds a special place in my heart because I love Grandpa Hale from The Dare Valley series. I modeled him after my own great–great grandfather, our own journalistic legend, and it’s been wonderful to visit the 1960s and see what Arthur and Dare Valley were like then. And of course to meet the tough and lovely, Harriet, who captures his heart.

Your opinion really matters to me, so I would love for you to post a review and let me know what you think of THE TOWN SQUARE. Additionally, your review helps other readers find my books. If you’re willing, you can write one here.

After this book, I’m taking everyone on a ride into the South with my
Nashville
–inspired series called Dare River. You’ve met bad–boy country singer, Rye Crenshaw, in THE GRAND OPENING and THE HOLIDAY SERENADE, and he just insisted on having his own story. He certainly finds his match in the sassy cook he hires for his concert tour. Remember how much Rye loves food? Well, this novel is chock–full of Tory Simmons’ recipes. Oh, and Rye’s country songs for all you music lovers like me. Rhett Butler Blaylock makes a few appearances, of course, since he and Rye are best friends. I just can’t wait for you to read it. COUNTRY HEAVEN will be released February 11, 2014.

But what about Dare Valley? Oh, don’t worry, we’ll be heading back there in Spring 2014 in THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS. Rhett’s former poker babe and now dog walker, Jane Wilcox, falls for Grandpa Hale’s great–great nephew, lawyer Matthew Hale.

In case you missed the other books in The Dare Valley Series, keep reading. I included brief snippets of them all. If you want to keep up with all of my exciting news and enter my fun giveaways, please sign up for my
newsletter
and connect with me on
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where we have a ball. Happy Reading!

Lots of blessings,

Ava

Coming Soon

The Dare River Series begins…
Book 1: COUNTRY HEAVEN
Country singer Rye Crenshaw and Tory Simmons’ story
A down–on–her luck cook uses food’s magical properties to tame a beastly country singer after he hires her under false pretenses to restore his flagging image.
Available February 11, 2014

Also Coming Soon
The Dare Valley Series continues…
Book 6: THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS
Jane Wilcox and Matthew Hale’s story
Available Spring 2014

NORA ROBERTS LAND

Journalist Meredith Hale's ex–husband claimed her Nora Roberts addiction gave her unrealistic expectations about marriage, and she believed him. All dreams of happily ever after—or Nora Roberts Land as her mother calls it— went up in smoke. But when her family asks her to temporarily help their Dare Valley, Colorado newspaper, she decides it’s time to change her life and prove her ex wrong. She's determined to find her own small–town Nora Roberts hero, prove that true love exists, and publish a story about her quest.

War correspondent Tanner McBride has just returned stateside to work for a major newspaper, and the last thing he expects is blackmail. Yet, before he can even unpack, he’s headed to Colorado. His assignment? Make his boss’s ex–wife fall for him and then break her heart. Her article about discovering love à la Nora might air dirty laundry about her marriage to the media mogul, threatening his senate run. The mogul wants Meredith stopped, and he makes sure Tanner has no choice in the matter.

When the two meet, the sparks between them are undeniable. Meredith, who vowed never to date another journalist, begins to succumb. Could Tanner be her Nora Roberts hero? As they work together to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death, the depth of their feelings unfolds and both realize they've kept their secrets for far too long. But before the truth can be revealed, their investigation takes a deadly turn, one that might make Meredith's personal Nora Roberts Land go up in flames.

Buy It Now

FRENCH ROAST

Small–town biz wiz Jill Hale has been in love with her childhood best friend Brian McConnell for as long as she can remember. A falling out led to years of estrangement, but when Brian returns to Dare Valley after trying to make it big as a chef in New York City, Jill’s determined to make amends. She’s convinced that starting a restaurant together will be the perfect win–win situation, allowing her and Brian to work together
and
play together.