One Look: A grumpy, single dad small town romance(38)

“He dropped back but saw an opening—pew!” Dad clapped his hands and made a whistle with his mouth. “Straight up the middle for thirty-seven yards. No one was even close to touching him.”

Dad smiled at me, pride evident on his weathered face. Times like that, it seemed like he was back, untouched by the disease robbing him of his memory.

He slapped a hand on my knee. “Hell of a game last week, Son.”

Aaaand there it was.

I stayed silent. I knew it didn’t do any good correcting the timelines in his fractured memory.

“How exciting!” Lark skated over the lapse in his memory. “You must be very proud.”

“Damn right.” Dad smiled at me again. “Now where’s that cute girl of yours?”

Funny.

He seemed to always remember Penny was my daughter, but it never occurred to him that the overlap of her and his mind perpetually believing I was still in college didn’t quite add up.

“She’s out back, Dad. Probably finding some trouble.”

“That’s good. That’s good. A little dirt’s good for kids.”





Dinner had been exactly like I’d remembered it as a kid. Tootie loved to feed people, and it wasn’t uncommon to have a table full of friends and family. It also helped that she was an excellent cook. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and vegetables straight from her garden. It was hearty and so much better than anything I could whip up.

I was full and satisfied, and as the conversation flowed, I had been able to sneak a few glances at Lark without worry someone would notice. I patted my stomach. “Aunt Tootie, you outdid yourself. Dinner was amazing.”

“Yeah, thanks, Ms. Tootie. The chicken was delicious.” Joey smiled at her, and I was proud that my team was made up of decent, respectful kids. The boys plopped themselves onto the couch and started flipping through channels, while my brothers and I began clearing the table.

Tootie beamed with pride as we all stood to clear our plates. “Just you wait for dessert. I made my specialty—blueberry pie.”

I turned to Duke, who was responsible for the family farm. “Good season?”

He nodded and flipped a rogue piece of chicken to the shaggy dog at his feet. “Getting there. Could use a rain or two.”

Duke was never a man of many words, and if I was considered grumpy, he could be downright unpleasant. Not that I didn’t understand. When Dad had gotten sick, he’d shouldered much of the burden, taking over operations at the blueberry farm as well as making sure Dad was taken care of.

Duke turned to Tootie. “I saw tire tracks on the west field. Were you out there?”

Tootie frowned. “Wasn’t me.”

Duke’s jaw clenched and Lee jumped in. “Kings?”

“Could be. I got wind they’re scoping out the Tillerman farm, and it butts up to one of our fields.”

Lee’s typically happy demeanor soured. “You know they also bought out Reed Jennings and his fishing charter. And Tootie let it slip that they made another lowball offer on the Highfield House.”

“I see the littlest one sometimes,” Dad offered from his spot on a recliner. The woman he referred to was a nurse at Haven Pines and often took care of Dad, despite the fact he was a Sullivan.

“MJ,” Lee offered with a shrug.

“They’re all scoundrels, the lot of them.” Tootie grabbed a stack of plates from Lee. She called back over her shoulder as he walked away. “But MJ is a good egg.”

“What’s the end game?” Lee asked. “Buying up all the property in Remington County. Expansion probably, but why the boats? Doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s never enough for those greedy motherfuckers.” Duke’s voice carried a hard edge, but I agreed with him. The Sullivans were hard workers and had fought for everything we got—all the way back to my great-grandfather, who’d started the farm.

A low simmer of anger bubbled in my chest. “It’s not enough they stole Great-Granddad’s patent, but they have to go run roughshod over all of Outtatowner now?” Being away for so long meant I’d missed all this. Things were changing, and not all those changes were good.

Lark looked awkwardly between my brothers and me, her eyes wide as we lamented the Kings. Tootie threw her hands in the air and blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m so tired of you boys and your grudges. Lark, come help me in the kitchen, dear?”

She looped her arm into Lark’s and guided her away from the dining room. We all stood around, frowning and thinking about the Kings. I couldn’t believe how much had changed in the years I’d been away. It seemed the Kings had been busy scouting local businesses in trouble and paying low dollar to bail the owners out.

Just didn’t sit right with me.

I looked around Tootie’s house. The paint in the dining room was faded, and the floorboards squeaked under my foot. The place was literally crumbling around her, and it would be only a matter of time before the Kings got wind of it and stole her house from under her.

“Anyone talked to Katie lately?” I looked at my brothers, who avoided my eyes and shook their heads.

I lowered my voice. “You know Tootie doesn’t listen to anyone but her.” I stretched my arms wide. “Look at this place. It’s too big. She can’t keep it up. Maybe it’s time we call Katie and see if she can talk some sense into her.”