Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(52)

Kate took a sip of the tea and winced when it scalded her tongue. “Can you imagine me in Boston? As a prominent business owner, I’m sure Drake goes to all kinds of social events. I’ve only been to my high school prom. We’re hardly on the same social level.”

Claire set her tea on the table. “You could hold your own with anyone. Your mother’s attitude toward you scarred you. Get it out of your head. You don’t have to earn love from people, Kate. You try too hard to make people like you. It’s as if you think they will only like you if you’re perfect. If you say the right thing and act the right way. That’s just not true.”

“I’m afraid,” Kate whispered. “He could really hurt me, Claire.”

“He could. But I’d go after him and make him pay big-time. I’d stalk him at his big society events and he’d be sorry.” She held Kate’s gaze. “But if you don’t risk pain, you’ll never find true happiness. Remember that line in The Princess Bride? ‘Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.’ ”

Kate grinned. “We watched that together last week.”

“I know. That’s when I knew he was right for you.” She sat back and picked up her mug. “Risk it, Kate. Roll the dice. What if God brought Drake here? I mean, look at the sequence of events. He rented your house, he gave you a cushy job, and now he’s asking you out. He’s a good Christian man. Give him a chance.”

Could Claire be right? Kate would love to believe it. And she was also right about Kate’s scars. Was she going to sit back and let her mother’s treatment ruin her future as well as her past?

She took another sip of tea. “I’ll say yes. But pray for me, Claire. I’m scared.”

“I always pray for you. I think God brought Drake in answer to my prayers in the first place. And if I’m right, you have to cook me your Cajun fettuccine. Gluten free, of course.”

“It’s a deal.” Kate reached over and squeezed her sister’s fingers. “I love you, Claire.” Thank the good Lord he’d brought her sister back into her life.

*

Drake put the Land Rover into Park and glanced across the seat at Kate. “I hope these questions don’t upset her.”

The blue tank Kate wore enhanced the blue of her eyes, and he somehow managed to keep from gawking at her legs, impossibly long and tanned in those white shorts. He liked being around her way too much.

She opened her door, then grabbed the back door handle to open it for the girls. “I don’t see why they would upset her.”

“There were no prints on the watch and nothing to tie it to your uncle. I have to wonder if kids put it in the pouch.”

He couldn’t explain his reluctance to talk to Dixie about the watch. There was so much about his aunt that he didn’t know, and he didn’t want any old memories disrupting her mood.

Kate shut the door behind the girls, who ran toward the house calling for their aunt. Jackson ran at their heels. “They sure love her.”

“Everyone does.” He went to the back and grabbed the bags of take-out Mexican he’d stopped to get on the way. At least Dixie wouldn’t have to cook lunch for them.

Dixie stood on the porch with the screen door held wide. She was dressed in her overalls, and her smile looked as unflappable as ever. “Took you long enough. I’m starving.” She sniffed the air as he approached. “Did you get fish tacos like I told you?”

“Of course. When have I ever disobeyed you?” He brushed a kiss across her powdered cheek. She reeked of her favorite Tabu cologne.

She stepped aside to let them enter. “Lemonade and coffee are on the table in the kitchen along with plates.”

“Sure thing.” He went through to the kitchen, and the rest of the group followed.

The girls chattered to Dixie while they ate, then she gave them chocolate chip cookies and milk to take out to the deck along with bread to feed the ducks. Jackson went with them.

She settled her round glasses more firmly on her nose. “So, you said there was something you needed to talk to me about. Did you find out more about Heath’s death?”

“No, it’s not about Heath and Melissa. You heard Paul Mason had escaped from prison?”

“Oh my, yes. Everyone is on pins and needles about it. I haven’t seen him though, and town gossip says he was reported up near Canada. Claire and Luke went home, so I’d guess that bit of news is accurate.”

Kate pulled the pouch from her purse and placed it on the table. “I found this in the blueberries near my house. Have you ever seen it?”

Dixie shook her head. “I’m not sure why you would think of me. It’s a little fancy for what little jewelry I have.”

Kate opened it and dumped the items out on the scuffed wooden table. “This watch has the name Dixie engraved on the back.”

“Oh my.” Dixie reached for the watch and ran her fingers over the engraving. “This belonged to the grandmother I was named after. I thought I’d lost it. It was in the pouch?”

It had to have been stolen then. By Paul? Drake pushed the other items apart with his fingers. “Do you recognize anything else here?”

A frown settled between Dixie’s hazel eyes. She picked up a ring. It was a gold high school class ring with the initials AN on it. “This is Amelia Nicholson’s ring. She stayed with me about three months ago after a tiff with her parents. She was here a couple of weeks, and the ring came up missing. She couldn’t figure out what had happened to it.”