Page 32 of Sweet Summertide (Christmas Cove #4)

“Rinaldi was there,” Holly said and knew that her friend would put two and two together.

“No! Your mother invited him,” Millie said.

Holly squeezed out another load of water and started back inside at the display case.

“Yep. And he thought he could convince me to go off and be the it, power couple and rule the horse world together. You know that’s not what I want, even if I didn’t hate him with a passion, I wouldn’t give up all this.

” She motioned her arms in a wide circle.

Laughing, because the tears had long run out.

“How could your mother do that to you? I don’t care how much she wants you to be just like her, she would never have given up her dreams for a man. It just worked out that the man she loved, your dad, supported her ambitions.”

“It helped that he was already rich,” Holly said. “They never had to want for anything. I know they love each other, that’s not the issue. I just wish they both loved me for me.”

“Your dad does.”

“Yeah, but I know he’s tired of playing defense on my behalf. And I have one more favor I need to call in.”

“You can save your favor for another occasion. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of calling a contractor friend of mine, he’s also an engineer, which I figured you would need.” Millie said. “He said he was on his way now.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Holly hugged her friend. Millie was always putting good out into the world, and Holly intended to learn from her example. “You’re such a good friend. I don’t know how I got on for so long without you.”

“There is something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

“Lay it on me. It’s not like this day can get much worse,” Holly said and rang out the mop in the street.

“You remember the day you and Teddy got arrested?”

“What did you do?” Holly said knowing the tone of Millie’s voice meant she was feeling guilty about something.

“I was the one who tipped off the cops. I called a friend who works on the force. The arrest was just an effort to get the two of you to figure things out. Please don’t hate me.”

Holly was too preoccupied with the issue wetting her toes to be mad. The truth was, being arrested seemed like so long ago. “I don’t. But how did the charges get dropped? Was that your friend’s doing too?”

“Teddy cut a deal,” Millie said and propped the broom against the counter. “That’s what Alfonso told me anyway.”

“Of course he would have done something like that. No wonder the officer called him Saint Theo. I wonder how he did it.”

Millie shrugged. “So, you’re not mad at me?”

“You were just trying to help me get out of my own way, and I love you for that.” Holly hugged her sweaty, burned arms around her friend as sunlight glinted off a windshield in the road. “Is that your guy?” she asked and pointed at a man getting out of a black F-150 parked outside.

Millie’s contractor removed his sunglasses as he came through the front door. He extended his hand. “You must be Holly.”

She shook his hand and explained the situation and what she needed him to look at. He got right to work inspecting the structure and fire damage. Luckily, there was plenty of other work for Holly to get done while she waited for his report.

“He’s really good. I used him when I worked on America and Leo’s place. Whatever you need, he’ll help you out.”

“Let’s just hope it’s not so much that it’ll delay my opening.”

Millie took a trashcan out to the sidewalk and handed a pair of rubber gloves to Holly.

The sun was hot, not like the day before at the farm, but she wished she had taken Teddy’s shirt after all instead of working in a sundress.

Together, they picked up the shattered glass panes.

No matter what the contractor said, she knew they would need to board these windows up for the night until new glass could be installed.

“Your sunburn looks terrible. You never connected the dots for me.” Millie said, and Holly knew she wouldn’t let it go.

“After what my mother and Rinaldi did, I left. I ended up putting my car into a ditch and decided to walk back to town. I thought it was way closer than it was.”

“I’m so sorry. And you just happened to wear yesterday’s dress today?” Millie teased.

“You noticed?”

“You always wear yellow to the farm. Though I don’t think you do it intentionally. And I know you wore strapless just to irritate your mother. As for the burn, I’m guessing there’s more to tell.”

Holly tossed a pie-sized piece of glass into the can.

“I was supposed to go out with Teddy last night, so I just walked all the way to his cabin. I didn’t want to go anywhere else.

And I didn’t want him to think I stood him up.

It was way late as it was. But when I got to his place, he took care of me and we … ”

“Blake Hollis, what did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Is nothing the reason he isn’t here with you right now?”

“No.” Holly swallowed her disgrace. “He’s not here right now because I accused him of arson this morning.”

“You didn’t!” Millie gasped.

All Holly could do was nod.

“You were right, this day can’t really get much worse for you. What are you going to do about it?” Millie stood as she put all the pieces together. “Oh my god. You love him, don’t you.”

Holly shrugged and looked across the street, hoping to glimpse his smile or ridiculous man-bun. “It doesn’t matter now. I doubt he’ll ever forgive me.”

Millie snapped her fingers in front of Holly’s blank stare. “Earth to Holly. He loves you too. It makes what you did hurt more. All you have to do is apologize. And mean it.”

“I have so much to do,” Holly said as the contractor approached them out front. His eyes were like slits from his fake smile pushing his cheeks up. “That bad?”

“You want the good news first? It looks like the structure is intact. Some shoring up on the site where the fire started wouldn’t be a bad idea but it’s sound. Some masonry work and new electrical upstairs should take care of that.”

“And the bad?” Holly braced herself on Millie’s arm.

“You’ve got asbestos tiles on the second floor. It’s a big job.”

“Can I just leave it for now? So long as we don’t disturb them?” She put her had together at her chest like she was praying to the reno-gods.

“I’m afraid the fire and water constitute a disturbance. You’ll need to get it taken care of before anyone can occupy this space.”

“I understand.” She removed her yellow rubber glove and shook his hand. “Can we get started now?”

He nodded and pulled out his phone. “I’ll line up my guys right now,” he said and took his phone from his shirt pocket.

“I don’t have much money,” Holly dug in her pocket for the wad of cash her dad had slipped to her in the clubhouse. She counted out the Benjamins.

Millie snatched the bills. “Where did you get all this cash, Holly?”

“My dad, and it’s all I have left. Will it be enough?”

Millie smiled. “I think it’s plenty.”

“Don’t worry about the details,” the man said. “We’ll get this place straightened out in no time.” He took the money from Millie and walked to his truck.

“I need new glass too!” Holly yelled as though he had missed the giant gaping holes in the front of her store. She turned to Millie and with sheer willpower sucked her tears back into her head. “Let’s hope he can get this work done like yesterday.”

Millie wrapped her arms around Holly. “We need a drink. Come on, let’s take a break.”

Holly was in no mood to put up a fight, and the two women walked down the road to the restaurant at the end of the street with one goal in mind—drowning Holly’s terrible day in a giant margarita.