Her Unexpected Hero--A Clean Romance Read online

  Winter and Leanne were chuckling when they returned to the large storage room.

  “Your mom is a character, too. I should have guessed every single Kingfisher had talent,” Leanne said with a shake of her head as she waved a hand at the stack of her father’s baskets. Had it grown since the last time Winter was in here? Her mother had claimed they multiplied when no one was watching. “Artists, inventors... Dinnertime around your table must be epic.” Leanne turned away before Winter could figure out what she meant. Epic good or epic bad?

  “You might not know this with one look, but Donna Kingfisher has high expectations of all Kingfishers. Nothing we do is epic. It’s expected.” That’s what made struggling to figure out her next step so frustrating. Now that she was employed and preparing to run Whit’s campaign again, she could face her mother.

  And do it without coming across as a brat.

  “Guess she’s as careful to encourage you when you need it, then.” Leanne paused. “Being a mother is hard, no matter how good you are at it.”

  Since she and her mother had always been the ones to argue loud and long, Winter knew every one of her mother’s failings.

  Just like her mother could list her own.

  “She ran away from home before her last semester of college, escaped New England for a summer spent at the reserve waiting tables in the campground diner. She and my father met and got married at Yanu Falls. Kingfishers have been here for generations, but my mother is the one who taught us to work for what we loved.” She owed her a lot.

  “And you’re a lot alike. Riley and I can argue for ten minutes before realizing we actually agree.” Leanne tangled her fingers in front of her and nodded her head knowingly until Winter took the hint. “That’s how family goes, or so I’ve been told. Kingfishers wouldn’t be immune.”

  “We work for what we love, and fight when we have to, don’t we, Winter?” Her mother was standing in the doorway. “Do you need help loading the paintings?”

  “I don’t have a delivery address.” Feeble. Weak. So weak. Every woman in the room was speaking volumes without saying a word. “But I could.”

  “I was going to tell you where he lived, offer to do the dumb drive-by that Christina and I used to do in high school. Every cute boy with a bad attitude was on our Friday-night tour.” Her teasing grin faded. “But you’re past that.”

  Janet tapped her chin. “It’s a delivery. There’s no conflict in giving you the address to the house he offered to purchase at a nice price. Full price.” Her smile was smug. “Why did I wait so long to try this real-estate thing? I’m a natural.” She scribbled the address on a piece of paper. “You and your mama load up. Me and Leanne are going to go choose our next batch of paintings.” She wrapped her arm around Leanne’s shoulder, but paused. “Winter, you are coming in next week, aren’t you? Or is Knoxville calling? Big-time politics gonna fit in small-town Sweetwater?”

  Leanne met her mother’s stare. “Sweetwater’s home. I’m not sure I’m ready to buy yet, but if you have other places in mind, make a list.”

  Janet pursed her lips. “Hmm, rentals are hard to come by.” She raised an eyebrow. “Regina and I’ll put our heads together.”

  “Rent shouldn’t be an issue. I have my fingers crossed for a solid commission check.” She blinked innocently at Janet. “I have one coming, right?”

  Janet nodded. “You are gonna be one happy salesperson, my girl.” Then she turned to Leanne. “Think Christina would be interested in renting her cabin? I mean, it’s down the hill from the ranger station, but it’s real close to Caleb’s new house. The one he’s buying here, in Sweetwater, instead of renting. It’s almost like the kid is content here and planning to make this home. I did not see that one coming.” She winked at Winter over her shoulder before she and Leanne disappeared into the storage room. Their giggles drifted out on the air.

  Winter and her mother exchanged a glance. “I’ll grab the big one, you get the other one and the door.” Her mother marched across the room and handed Winter the beautiful rabbit painting. “That Leanne has real talent.”

  Winter agreed as she pushed on the door. “I wanted to buy this one.”

  “Maybe it’s a gift. For you. Caleb had to stare at every painting to decide whether this was the rabbit he wanted.” Her mother shrugged as she waited for Winter to open the back of the station wagon. “Doesn’t seem like his style.” She motioned with her chin at the large painting of mist. “This one is more like it, that view of the valley.”

  Winter considered that as they carefully arranged the paintings. Her mother was right, but how did she know that? She hadn’t seen his face while they’d gazed out at Buckeye Cove.

  Her mother stared down the quiet street. “You know, most everyone forgets that I didn’t grow up here, surrounded by Otter Lake and all this.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I found it, too. Sort of like Caleb has. Like Whit should have if he could have gotten his act together.” Her disapproval was easy to hear.

  “How did you find it?” Winter asked. East Tennessee seemed a strange place to take a summer vacation as a college student. Beaches. Those were the places to go.

  “Had a boyfriend. He wanted to hike and fish and camp.” She covered her heart with both hands. “And I was in love.” She batted her eyelashes. “Or I thought I was.”

  Since she’d met Winter’s father here that summer, things had changed. And quickly.

  They’d changed so much that after graduation, Donna Kingfisher had come back to Tennessee and gotten married at the top of Yanu Falls.

  “Twists and turns, Winter. Life is all about them. When you settle in, it’s an adventure instead of a detour.” She patted Winter’s shoulder. “And it can take you some exciting places.”

  Since her mother had been Whit Callaway’s number one critic, Winter had been afraid to ask her opinion of taking the job.

  “Whit’s a man you vote for and trust that you won’t regret it. That, I’m sure of.” Winter would guarantee it.

  Her mother nodded. “I guess I see that. Now that you aren’t engaged, I like him better. When he showed up at the house, I didn’t even want to yell at him to get off my lawn. It was always you that I was worried about, not the job. I didn’t want you to give up the best for...Whit.” She smiled. “Working for him? Much easier.”

  “No skeeves, then?” Winter asked.

  “Nope.” Her mother held her arms out at her sides. “Skeeve-free and happy.”

  “Even if another Callaway shows up at the dinner table unexpected.”

  “As long as he eats like my boy Caleb, I’m in.” Her mother frowned. “That’s who we’re talking about, right? There’s not another brother hidden away somewhere.”

  Winter laughed. “Not that I know of.”

  “Wouldn’t put it past them, although Senior Callaway is a man in love. I like that.” Her mother pointed at the driver’s side. “You gonna keep stalling until it’s full dark? We should get moving.” The door creaked as she pulled it open. “Set him straight, then get on with life. That’s the only way to do this, Winter. Men? Even the best ones need help sometimes. They will talk themselves out of every good thing if you let them go too long. When your father gets like that, I hit him with a kiss. Works like magic. Key to happy marriages, I’m certain.”

  Winter was grinning as she started the station wagon. “All right. Tell him how this is going to work out and if he starts losing his way, hit him with a kiss. Good advice, Mom.”

  She sniffed. “Your grandmother passed it along to me and I’ve never regretted following it.” She leaned in and wrapped her arm around Winter’s neck. “I’m proud of you, baby. You made it through something hard and you’re better for it. You deserve the best. It’s for you to say if that’s Caleb Callaway or not, but he’s got something.”

  Winter hugged her mother and nodded. Her mom was right.

/>   Her mother stepped back. “And from now on, you’re going to listen to your mother.” She was waving slowly as Winter pulled out of the parking spot. The older she got, the smarter her mother was. How did that happen?

  Winter tightened her grip on the steering wheel. The sun had disappeared behind the ridge of mountains, so there was no doubt where Caleb would be. Construction would be done for the day. She was about to make her case on Caleb’s home turf, the place he was actually buying and planning to call home.

  That seemed right. She was ready.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  WORKING CONSTRUCTION SITES was a challenge that Caleb would never get tired of. At the end of his second full day back in Sweetwater, he was pleased with the lodge’s progress. Carlos was smart and constantly thinking of ways to improve the process. When the lodge was finished, he’d be ready to take on something bigger. The other Callaway Construction projects were waiting. Soon, Caleb would have to travel to check on each of the seven largest projects to evaluate their progress.

  Senior had meant what he’d said. By the end of next week, Senior and Caleb’s mother would be in New Orleans, eating beignets and not worrying about the lodge or the campaign or the business.

  Or at least they’d be giving it their best effort.

  Caleb had carefully plotted a trip that would take him away for a full week.

  Seven days away from this spot that had filled him with such peace.

  The work was exciting. Spending so much time away from here was less so.

  The house Janet Abernathy had talked him into was going to be his base. The peace had settled into his bones. Leaving would be tough, but knowing he’d found his place in the world was satisfying. It was also going to be the blueprint for his business going forward. Tennessee’s history and materials and future, that was going to be Callaway Construction, whether it was a house or a high rise they built.

  Falling in love with a place had been a shock.

  Realizing that he couldn’t leave this town and get on with the business without clearing the air with Winter Kingfisher was, too. Nothing made sense without her somewhere in the picture.

  But the way to fix his immense failure escaped him. Words were all he had and they were not enough. So he returned to his thinking spot.

  This cozy corner, next to the warmed rocks and protected by the second floor’s balcony, was the perfect hideaway. When summer arrived, he might never go inside.

  Until he’d plopped himself down there the first night, Caleb had been certain living in Sweetwater for any amount of time would make him miserable. The urge to go and see and do and not be alone with his thoughts had been strong. That had been the story of his life—living fast to ignore that weird feeling he was missing something. What could that be? He had money, a job he loved and was a regular in enough Nashville hot spots that he never had to be alone.

  But in Sweetwater? Alone. Plenty of time to worry about his mother, the jobs he was missing, what he should be doing and whether he’d ever fit in with the Callaway family.

  When his phone rang, Caleb snatched it off the cushion, hoping somehow Winter needed him for something. That was the opening he was waiting for. Instead, the display showed his brother’s name.

  “What’s going on, little brother?”

  “Need some advice, but I wasn’t sure you’d answer.” Whit cleared his throat.

  Since his little brother was addressing his earlier, unspoken attitude, hitting the nail on his uncooperative head, Caleb said, “New policy. When you call, I’ll answer, Whit. I promise.”

  “Fair enough, Cal. Me, too.” Whit’s tone was serious.

  “What’s the question? I live to advise.” Caleb stretched out his legs. Was he about to ask about policy or even what to do to help their mother? Caleb knew almost nothing about the first one, but he’d considered asking Whit his opinion on the second. He’d almost decided to step back and give his parents some time together. A vacation could work miracles.

  Or so he’d heard.

  “Winter is determined to make Sweetwater home, even though Knoxville is much easier for us to work from. Got any ideas on how to convince her otherwise?” Whit asked. The silence on the call seemed expectant, like Whit was messing with his mind.

  “Nope. I’ll be moving Callaway Construction headquarters to Sweetwater as soon as I can find the space. She’s on the right track.” Caleb left it there, even though he was certain he knew what Whit wanted. Junior was poking at Caleb’s wound, trying to make him do something about Winter. He would. As soon as he found a solution he liked.

  “Have you talked to her? Planted the idea in her head that we all need to be near Sweetwater for some reason?” Did Whit know that some kind of sly tone had crept into his voice? He was a good politician, but the little brother would never outsmart the older brother. “What about staff, Cal? How will we find enough people willing to work all the way out there?”

  “They can live in Knoxville. So can you. The commute’s easy.” Caleb pressed his head back. “But I’m going to live here.”

  Whit’s disgruntled sigh was loud and clear. “Fine. You won’t play along. Why haven’t you made up with Winter yet?”

  “It’s only been a day. And how do you know I haven’t?” Caleb asked. Did the guy have cameras up or something?

  “It’s been almost a week since everything blew up. You’d sound much happier if you had resolved things.”

  His brother was right. That was annoying.

  “It’s on the agenda for tomorrow. I needed to plan.” A few more hours... Was that enough time?

  “Good.”

  “Was that the reason you called? To prod me into connecting with Winter?” Caleb shook his head. How did he feel about that, his little brother checking up on him? It was a brand-new experience and it would take some time and effort to adjust.

  “That and I was hoping you might have an idea about a rental property. For me. If this is where the home base is, I need my own place. You don’t want me crashing with you.”

  His brother was correct about that, too. They’d end up squabbling with each other in minutes.

  “Janet Abernathy. Sweetwater Souvenir. I don’t know if she has other properties for sale or rent, but if there’s a place for you around here, she’ll find it for you. You’ll be proud of it, too.” Caleb tried to imagine what a meeting between Janet and Whit might be like.

  “I’ve met her. When I went to talk to Winter about the job.” Whit cleared his throat. “She’s kind of scary.”

  Caleb frowned as he considered that. “If you’re Winter’s friend instead of her enemy, you’ll be all right. I wasn’t either, was more in the middle, but Janet helped me. She will help you make the best of whatever you want in Sweetwater.”

  “It’s too bad there’s no new construction there. Something out of town where you can have bigger lots. I could see some demand for that, since, as you mentioned, Knoxville is an easy drive.” Whit paused. “If only there was a construction company with a connection in the area that could put up some upscale homes. Best of the best. That could turn a profit.”

  While Caleb was still formulating his answer to that idea, which was good—almost as good as setting up a consignment agreement with Leanne Hendrix for artwork to fill the lodge—his brother said, “Good luck with Winter.” And hung up before Caleb could answer.

  “Little punk.” Caleb would have asked for advice. He honestly needed direction.

  He pulled his coat tightly against his chest and closed his eyes. He was so comfortable. He could rest here on the porch for a minute.

  Before the cold got him, Caleb realized he wasn’t alone. When it was harder to open his eyes than he expected, he wondered if he’d actually fallen asleep.

  Maybe the cold was freezing his eyelids.

  He should get up.

  Then he saw
Winter Kingfisher sitting on the lounger opposite him, her legs pulled to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. She was watching him, the corners of her mouth curled as if a smile lurked below the surface.

  “When did you get here?” he asked, his voice was unexpectedly gravel-like, which was another clue that he might have had an unscheduled nap.

  “Interesting way to start the conversation.” Winter shook her head. “I guess I expected some surprise. I also expected you to be inside with the heat. I got here about four grumbly snuffles ago, when I decided to investigate the light after my knock went unanswered. I left the two paintings you bought at the gallery next to your front door. Snoring is cute, but sleeping outside? That’s weird.”

  She had a point. “Cute, huh?” She was cute, bundled up against the cold in a thermal fleece and heavy jacket he remembered and a fuzzy knit hat with bear ears that he didn’t. Caleb blinked slowly. “Sleeping inside lacks creative flair, even if it is smarter or safer. Obviously, you give me more credit than you should. Want some coffee?” He did.

  “And then nothing else to say? I sneak up on a sleeping man, but his calm reaction is to invite me inside for a cup of coffee.” Winter raised both eyebrows. “I don’t know if Sweetwater has any criminal activity, but there are bears. What if one mistook you for a tasty snack? How is it you were sleeping out here, anyway?”

  Good question. “Early mornings catch up with me before I know it. I’ll be glad when summer gets here. I love this spot at the end of the day, so I stay right here as long as I can. I missed it while I was in Knoxville, so I’m glad to be home. Dozing off is new.” Caleb scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I’ve always worked hard, but this project and then stepping up to lead Callaway Construction...” He shook his head. “I’ve been burning the candle at both ends all week. Hasn’t left me time for what I really wanted to do.” Caleb reached over to take her hand, her fingers chilled against his.

  “I’d find it hard to give up, too.” She stared over her shoulder. “I’m guessing that’s a tiny view of Otter Lake. These trees. The size of the lot is right. Janet has a good eye. I didn’t know it existed.” Winter shivered. “I thought I knew everything about the reserve and these mountains. In the summer, these two chairs could be the nicest spot in the whole area.”