The Best of Us (Sullivan's Crossing #4)(26)

She parked beside the store and went up the porch steps. “Hi,” she said. “I’m looking for Sully.”

“You got lucky, then. He’s on his lunch break.”

“Oh, good,” she said. “Where can I find him?”

“You’re lookin’ at him. How can I help?”

She laughed and put out her hand. “Helen Culver, so happy to meet you. I’m Leigh Culver’s aunt and she’s talked about you a lot.”

He perked right up and half rose out of his chair. At the same time his yellow Lab stood up to look her over and wag his tail. “I’ll be damned, so the aunt is real. I half thought she’d made you up! Sit down. Let me get you a drink or something. You hungry?”

“Starving,” she said. “Leigh said I could buy a sandwich here.”

“Aw, bull. You’re my guest. Wanna look over the lot of ’em and pick out what you like? It’s not real exciting but it works if you’re hungry.”

“Sure, thanks. That’s very nice of you.”

“Because no matter what you’ve heard, I’m very nice. Right this way.” He had a merry smile and his eyes twinkled playfully. He led her into the store. He told his dog to stay and the dog stayed on the porch. He went straight to the cooler but she was stunned by the sheer amount of goods packed in there and was looking around in fascination.

“Do you have everything here?” she asked.

“If you’re a camper or hiker, prolly,” he said. “People always forget something and this is a popular stop-off for long-distance hikers and they plan it that way. They pick up mail, recharge their phones, stock up on supplies, leave off stuff they can’t use, and it’s always something the next guy needs—one man’s trash, you know. They write in the store diary, post pictures, leave notes for their friends out on the trail or maybe wait here for someone to catch up. I got washers and dryers in the shower house but most the time serious hikers need something new. They usually mail themselves stuff or have someone mail them replacements. Now and then I end up with a few packages that are never picked up and I wonder about those people.”

“What do you do with them?”

“Send ’em back to the return address—if there is one.”

“And when you say long-distance hikers...?”

“Hundreds of miles,” he said. “The Continental Divide Trail is 3,200 miles from Mexico to Canada. People hike the whole thing, can you believe that?”

“Whew,” she said, reaching in the cooler for a sandwich. “Thank God I feel no pressure to do that.”

“Tell me about it,” he said. “Something to drink? Chips? Cookies?”

“Since you’re buying, all of the above,” she said, grinning at him.

“I like your style,” he said.

She gathered everything up and headed back to the porch while Sully fixed himself a cup of coffee. She chose the same table he’d been seated at before. “I hope you have time for more of a break.”

“Girl, sometimes I’m on break all day,” he said, then he laughed at himself.

“This is quite the place you have here, Sully,” she said.

“It brings fun and happiness to a lot of families, I’m proud to say.”

“How long have you been doing this?” she asked.

“I didn’t have much choice, when you get down to it. I was born to it. My grandfather built the store, my father built the house. It’s a small house but bigger than the one my father grew up in. I came back from Vietnam and my father needed me here to help, so I came. I always thought I’d do something a lot more important than this and now I find it’s the only skill I have. Plus, I like it.”

“It’s very peaceful,” she said.

“In daytime, it is. It’s still quiet, but come Memorial Day weekend, it’ll be full all summer. Campers are out playing in the woods or on the lake till dinnertime, then the place is teeming with kids, dogs, grills fired up, lots of action.”

“They play in the woods?” she asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“There’s a lot to do around here besides hiking,” he said. “They rock climb, ride their all-terrain vehicles all over the countryside, water-ski in summer, snow-ski in winter—mostly cross-country around here. They fish some, though the best fishing is in the rivers. Sometimes they just sit around and relax, happy to have the sound of the city far away. See that hammock down by the lake? It stays full. I should prolly get another one.”

“It must keep you busy twenty-four hours a day!”

“I’ve had help since I had a heart attack a couple of years ago,” he said.

“You had a heart attack?” she replied, shock in her voice.

“Relax, it was just my first one,” he said. “I had bypass surgery and I eat nothing but grass. My daughter lives nearby and she’s a doctor. There’s a curse—having a kid who’s a doctor. They make it a mission to keep you going long enough to get senile.”

Helen laughed. “I have Leigh. She hasn’t shown that side yet, but I see the potential for that.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how’d it happen you raised your niece?”

“I don’t mind,” she said, then relayed the circumstances. After filling him in, she said, “My sister was young and foolish. I was ten years older when Leigh was born and I was an established teacher. My sister died before she had a chance to grow up. I’m so grateful for Leigh. I doubt I’d have had children otherwise...”