Wildflowers from Winter (39 page)

Robin ignored the look, heat rising in her cheeks. She pulled up her sleeve and checked her watch. The big hand crept past eight and they hadn’t accomplished any of the things they normally covered during their meetings. “We really need to discuss Mr. Johnson before I go.”

Bernie fixed her steel-gray eyes on Robin. “What about him?”

“I visited him yesterday and he’s not doing well. He looked terribly thin. I thought it would be good if we arranged some more meals for him this month. And if somebody could go check on him today, that would be great.” More clanking sounded from the kitchen, followed by a round of Caleb’s giggles. “I would, but I promised I’d help set up for my brother-in-law’s birthday, and Caleb can’t wait to get out to the farm.”

“Jed Johnson’s wife passed away four months ago,” Bernie said.

“Yes, I know.”

“If you ask me, he’s playing this out to get free meals.”

Robin stared incredulously at the old woman. “Playing it out? Bernie, there’s no time line on grief. If anyone should understand that, it should be us.” Four months after Micah died, Robin was a complete wreck. If she hadn’t had Bethany urging her to eat, who knows what would have happened? Especially to Caleb, who had been growing in her womb and depended on her for nourishment.

Linda patted Robin’s hand. “I’d be happy to visit him today.”

The kitchen door swung open, and Lenny came out with Caleb, now carrying his toy hammer. “The oven’s fixed.”

Gratitude swelled inside Robin. For Lenny and for Linda. “You are a lifesaver.”

“Now before you go getting too happy on me …”

“What?”

“The prognosis isn’t good. You need a new oven. Either that or updated electrical. Heck, maybe you ought to get both. Because those two together keep short-circuiting, and if you don’t do something about it soon, I swear this place is going to catch fire.”

She added the items to her accumulating mental to-do list. “Just as long as it doesn’t catch fire tomorrow.”

She had volunteered to host a meet-and-greet for Grace Assembly’s new pastor. She never opened her café on Sunday, but this might get people back inside her doors, remind them what they loved about Willow Tree Café when it first opened almost four years ago.

The front door chimed. Amanda breezed inside, her hair swept up in its usual perky ponytail. Robin stood, met her sister-in-law halfway, and wrapped her in a hug. “You’re a Lenny. Or a Linda. Either one works.”

“What?”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“And you’re lucky that I love you so much.”

“I know. I’m so sorry to ask you to do this. It’s just that Joe called in sick this morning, and you know Caleb will have my head if I stay and work.” She looked over at her son, who was talking with great animation to a very attentive Lenny. “Molly should be here by noon to take over. I really need to get to the farmhouse and make sure Bethany isn’t burning anything down with her cake baking.”

“Yes, please hurry.”

Robin grabbed the empty plates from the table. “I’m sorry I have to cut this short today, ladies. Bernie, I’ll go put those cinnamon rolls in right now. Make sure you take two before you leave. And don’t forget about the meet-and-greet tomorrow for our new pastor.”

“Rumor has it, he’s single.” Cecile winked at Robin.

Good. Maybe she could set him up with Bernie. Biting back the sarcastic remark, Robin made her way toward the kitchen. She stopped twice. Once to straighten the crooked canvas—a picture Micah took outside Café de Petit eleven years ago. Again to remove the newspaper she had laid out on Mayor Ford’s table.

She dusted her hands and pushed through the door into her kitchen. If he really was meeting with some bigwig business guy to build condominiums in Peaks, she hoped the meeting wouldn’t get far. Peaks didn’t need fancy condominiums. Her town was perfect just the way it was.