Connecting (Lily Dale #3)(32)

She describes it in as much detail as she can. When she mentions the big square turret and octagonal stained-glass window, it’s as if a lightbulb has suddenly gone on in Owen Henry’s brain.

“Well, how do you like that,” he says, and reaches into the pocket of his suit.

He pulls out a ten-dollar bill and hurriedly tosses it on the table in front of Calla. “There . . . that’s for my coffee, the rest is for you. Thanks. You really helped me.”

“But . . . I mean, is that all?” she asks, watching him shove his arms into the sleeves of his damp overcoat and plunk his hat back on his head. “You don’t want to ask Betty anything else? Tell her anything else?”

Maybe, one more time, that you love her?

“No, that’s it. Thanks again,” he says, and is gone.

Watching him scurry out into the rain, Calla has a sinking feeling.

She should have listened to Odelia.

Getting involved with this man wasn’t the right thing to do. Not at all.

Out the window, Owen Henry jumps into the shiny SUV and starts the engine with a roar. The tires screech a little as he pulls out onto the highway, heading north, toward Fredonia.

It isn’t until Calla stands up that her gaze falls on Owen’s cane, propped where he left it against the side of the booth.

Her heart seems to stop short in her chest as she remembers how he left the diner just now.

He was striding, without the slightest sign of a limp.

Dear God, Calla.What did you just do?




“You’re just in time!” Odelia calls from the living room when Calla arrives home.

“For what?” Calla hangs her backpack on the newel post and pokes her head in to see her grandmother sitting in her favorite chair, knitting in front of the television, with Gert at her feet.

“There’s a great movie starting on Lifetime. Want to watch? Loni Anderson is in it.”

“Who?”

Odelia sighs. “Sometimes, my dear, I forget just how young you are. Sit down and watch anyway. I could use some company.”

Right now, she just isn’t in the mood to be around anyone, not even Gammy.

“I have a ton of homework. Sorry.”

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do,” Odelia says as Calla bends to give her a peck on the cheek.

She’s halfway up the stairs when her grandmother calls after her, “Oh, Calla? I forgot! You have mail!”

“I do? Where?”

“Somewhere. Maybe in the kitchen. Check the counter,” Odelia advises with typical scatterbrained vagueness.

With a silent sigh, Calla heads to the kitchen. The counters and table seem to hold everything but the mail.

“I can’t find it, Gammy,” she calls.

“Did you look in the fridge?”

“The fridge?”

“I brought it in when I was putting away the milk and eggs. It might be in there.”

“Of course it might,” Calla mutters, shaking her head.

And of course it is, a card-sized envelope, addressed to her, lying on the shelf next to the Tupperware filled with leftover snickernoodles no one is ever going to eat.

Recognizing the handwriting, Calla gasps.

Kevin.

Why is he sending her mail?

“Did you find it?” her grandmother calls.

“Mmm-hmm.” She’s already tearing into the envelope and pulling out a card.

On the front is a photo of a herd of sheep. One is wearing a clownish red bow tie, and the caption reads, “Adding to my misery, no one here thinks I’m funny.”

Smiling to herself, Calla opens the card and reads Kevin’s handwritten note:

Hey, Calla—Saw this and thought of you. I really miss your laugh. And a lot of other things. I e-mailed you a while back to tell you I’ve got the car here in Ithaca now and maybe I’ll take a ride to Lily Dale to visit you some weekend. I never heard back from you. My sister said you can’t check your e-mail very often from there so I figured you probably didn’t get it. Bet you didn’t know I knew how to use the regular mail. Gasp! I even had a stamp. Call my cell (same number) if you want me to come see you or if you need anything.

xoxo, Kevin

She did get that e-mail he sent—and chose not to reply after Lisa told her that Kevin is thinking of bringing his new girlfriend, Annie, home to Tampa for Thanksgiving.

If he’s so crazy about her, why does he keep writing and wanting to visit me?

In all fairness, she supposes Kevin might just want to stay in touch for old times’ sake . . . as friends. After all, they’ve known each other most of their lives. She was Lisa’s best friend before she was Kevin’s girlfriend and spent almost as much time in the Wilsons’ house as she did in her own.

That’s why it was so strange, after the breakup, to have him more or less erased from her life. She didn’t just miss him as a boyfriend. She missed him as her closest confidante.

Calla glares at the sheep in the red bow tie.

So where were you when I needed you most?

Yes, he was at her mother’s funeral, and he even tried to talk to her afterward.

But he didn’t tell her he still loved her, and he didn’t ask her to be his girlfriend again. Most likely, he just felt sorry for her.

He probably still does.