The Best of Us (Sullivan's Crossing #4)(51)

Helen and Sully had dinner alone both nights. Leigh was keeping the later clinic hours the first night, and the night before Helen was to leave Leigh was at Rob’s house for a small graduation celebration while his in-laws were in town. It included Sid and Dakota and a couple of Finn’s friends. Leigh had offered to ask Rob if Helen could come along but Helen declined. “I’m afraid my calendar is full. I’m going to pack during the afternoon and I offered to make Sully dinner in the evening, but I won’t be out late. I have an early start.”

While Helen put the finishing touches on her packing she also made a casserole dish of stuffed cabbage leaves from a heart-healthy recipe she found online. She grabbed an avocado and a bag of mixed greens for a salad; she couldn’t wait until the garden would provide some other vegetables to add to it. It would be her first time raiding the garden. It was almost June and things were coming in nicely, promising a nice crop. Another two months and she could get the entire salad from Sully’s garden.

“I’m impressed,” Sully said. “Who knew I’d like stuffed cabbage?”

“I don’t have that many recipes that are dependable,” she said. “I was always too busy to putter in the kitchen, but I was capable of throwing together a meal. It’s been a real treat having you on the grill. I had one in Chicago but it was rarely used.”

“And my stove was rarely used,” he said with a laugh.

“What will you do while I’m away?”

“I’ll be kept busy getting ready for Memorial Day weekend. Some people will take a few extra days off with their three-day weekend, make a vacation of it. Campers will start arriving this weekend. There will be a good supply, but then starting a week from now, it will be mostly full for the rest of the summer.”

“Tell me the truth, Sully. Will I be a little in the way?”

“God, no!” he said. “I have a couple of the Canaday kids helping out. I’m going to let them work the longer summer hours at the store. People are always welcome to the store porch and its electricity. They’re welcome to the showers and laundry facilities, and the ice machine is on the back porch. But I’m not going to increase my hours. Besides, the second best part of my day is looking over to the porch to see you writing.”

“Second?” she said. “And what’s the best part?”

He reached for her hand. “This,” he said. “I hope I’m so busy getting ready for the season to start that the week goes by fast.”

She hesitated, then decided on honesty. “Me, too. But, Sully, you know I’m only here for the summer...”

“Should be a good summer, then.”

She drank the last of her wine. “I’d better get going while I still have a little energy. I want to check my list and make sure I have everything.”

“If you were staying over, you could have another glass of wine,” he said. “Or that fancy stuff in the bottle that looks like a monk.”

“I suppose you’d let me use your guest room?”

“I’d let you, sure. That’s Maggie’s old room. But it really ain’t necessary to mess up two sets of sheets...”

“Why, Sully,” she said, laughing in spite of herself. “You surprise me.”

“Prolly not as much as I surprise me.”

“I’m going to get going before you tempt me.”

“Or you could stay and see if I have any temptation left in me,” he said.

“I’d like to think about that for a while,” she said.

“Okay, then, but I thought you were more daring than me. And I’m a willing man even though I’d prolly have to sleep with one eye open. I’ll walk you to your car.”

“It’s about ten steps away.”

“Then I’ll take the ten steps,” he said. He grasped her gently on the arm, escort fashion, and guided her down the steps. When they got to her car, he hugged her. “Please be careful, Helen. I think New York City is a dangerous place.”

“Only on TV,” she said. “I know my way around a big city. And I’ll be with people constantly.”

“I’m going to give you a kiss goodbye,” he said. Then he leaned toward her and gave her a peck on the lips.

She was shocked. Beyond surprised. She knew he was fond of her, of course. But she thought they would just be good friends. She stood motionless, trying to absorb the meaning of that kiss. Then she put her hands on his cheeks—his smooth cheeks because he always stayed clean-shaven if she was around—and planted a giant kiss on him. She put some genuine feeling into it. When she released his lips, he stared at her in wonder.

“Holy Jesus, if I don’t just feel eighteen,” he said.

“I’ll miss you, Sully. I’ll call you when I can.”

“Okay,” he said.

“And you be careful, too,” she said.

Maggie and Cal didn’t get back from Denver until Saturday. Sully dropped by their house on Saturday afternoon. “And how’s that little girl doing?” Sully asked.

“Well, she’s not a whole week post-op so she has her struggles but I’d say it looks positive. It’s a challenging road when you’ve had your head cracked,” Maggie said. “My partner has stepped in and will look after her while I’m here. I expect him to discharge her in a day or two.”