shoes, I’d sel every damn last rock and grain of sand out of
it that I could.” Her eyes narrowed. “You know, the people
who are complaining the loudest don’t seem to have a
problem buying your gravel to repair the roads to their
summer camps. They want to own their little piece of
heaven, but they don’t want to share it with anyone.”
Peg took a deep breath to help throw back her
shoulders, and shot Thelma a smile. “Yeah, wel , they can
just live with the potholes from now on. Even if I wasn’t in the
gravel business, I’d stil be on the front line to get this resort
built. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s done and great for
the economy for our children and grandchildren. That
earthquake put Spel bound Fal s on the worldwide map,
and as far as I’m concerned it was the best thing to happen
to this town. And another thing,” Peg growled, trying but
failing to tamp down her anger. “Mac already bought up
most of the land around the lake precisely to keep the
wilderness wild. Olivia told me they’re planning to cater to
every walk of life; that if someone wants five-star
accommodations they can stay at the resort on top of the
mountain, but if they want back-country hiking there’s going
to be a trail system with rustic campsites, and everything in
between.”
“I know,” Thelma said, her features relaxing into a smile.
“Olivia was in here just yesterday and mentioned some of
what they’re planning. The Grange women are already
raising funds to redo the town park, and if they raise
enough they want to include a trail up to the top of the fal s
and a viewing platform.”
“Wonderful,” Peg growled. “It sure beats raising money
for their widow’s fund.”
Thelma’s face reddened. “They came in about a month
ago wanting to put a col ection jar here at the post office,
and they told me it was going to have a picture of your
children on it.” She snorted. “I told them that one, it was
il egal to solicit in a federal building, and two, I hoped you
sued them if they did that to you and your kids.”
“Thank you for that,” Peg said. “I swear I was tempted
to brain Janice and Christine with the loaf of bread I was
holding when they cornered me in the Trading Post. You
know, Thelma, maybe we should form our own pro-resort
committee, if for no other reason than to show our support
to Olivia and Mac.” She shook her head. “It would crush
Olivia to be accused of ruining the wilderness.” Peg gave
Thelma as bright as smile as she could muster, considering
she was stil angry as hel . “She and Mac are taking the
kids on a cross-country trip for two months, and we could
be ful y organized by the time they get back. Heck, we
might even have the anti-resort group on the run by then, if
we get enough people together to outshout the extremists.”
“Mom!” Jacob cal ed, frantical y waving her over. “We just
seen Mr. Alec and the other man go into the Moose. Can
we go have our cheese sandwich with them?”
Peg’s anger turned to horror in half a heartbeat. The last
person she wanted to run into today was Mr. Kiss-stealing
MacKeage. “Was Duncan with them?” she asked, rushing
to the window to look out.
“Nope,” Peter said around what was left of his lol ipop.
“Just Mr. Robbie and Mr. Alec. Can we hurry, Mom?”
Peg leaned forward to look up and down the road, trying
to spot Duncan’s truck, sighing in relief when al she saw
was Robbie MacBain’s pickup parked in the church
dooryard. “We stil have to go see Ezra first,” she said,
straightening away. “And if the men look like they’re talking
business, we can’t bother them, okay? We’l just say hi and
sit on the stools at the counter.”
“Gosh-dang it, Mom,” Peter muttered, making Peg rear
back with a gasp. “I don’t see why we can’t talk business
with them.”
“Peter Thompson!” she snapped over Thelma’s laughter
as the postmistress slipped through the door leading out
back. Peg gave him a nudge. “You do not say that word.
Ever. You hear me?”
Peter gave Peg his worried yet defiant look. “Mr. Evan
says it al the time, so what’s wrong with gosh-dang?” he
asked, using the word again just to push her buttons.
She nudged him again, a little less gently this time.
“Because it’s one step away from cussing, is why. And
people wil put up with cussing from adults, but not from il -
mannered children. It makes you appear uncivilized.”
“I told Mr. Duncan he’s gotta remember to take his worry
stone outta his pocket to rub it,” Jacob chimed in, smiling
smugly, “so people won’t think he’s unsevralized by playing
pocket pool.”
Peg clutched her chest on a gasp. “You told Duncan
that? You actual y said pocket pool?”
Jacob nodded. “And he promised he wouldn’t forget to
take it out to rub it.”
Oh God, the man must stil be laughing. Peg stuffed her
mail in her purse and headed for the door. “We’re back to
being glue,” she growled, leading them outside.
Chapter Eleven
Not wanting Peter and Jacob to think they could just walk
out into traffic, it took Peg two ful minutes to find an
opening to cross the road, and they were just reaching
Ezra’s store when Alec and Robbie came out of the
Drunken Moose carrying boxes. They spotted her and the
boys and headed over.
“Hel o, Thompson tribe,” Alec said. “Pete, Jacob,” he
added with a slight bow, addressing each boy correctly.
“What are you gentlemen up to today?”
“We was gonna have cheese sandwiches at the Moose,”
Peter informed him, “and eat with you if you weren’t talking
business, ’cause we seen you go inside when we was at
the post office.”
“It’s standing room only in there, so we decided to eat on
the tailgate of my truck,” Robbie said. “And we’d be
delighted if you would join us.”
“But we gotta go see how much money to give Mr. Ezra
this month.”
“Or, your mom could go talk with Mr. Ezra while you boys
sit with us,” Robbie said. He held out his box. “I bought a bit
more than I can eat, so we could share.”
Peg pul ed in a breath and held it, uncertain what to do,
especial y when she saw both boys’ eyes light with
excitement as they looked up at her.
“Can we, Mom?” Peter asked. “We promise we’l stick to
them like glue.”
“We’l take good care of them, Peg,” Robbie said, his
warm gray eyes obviously reading her concern. “We’re in
no rush, as we’re waiting on a special delivery,” he added,
that warmth turning amused—although she had no idea
why.
“You’re getting a special delivery, too?” Peter cried. He
stuck out his tongue. “See, ows wus gwape.”
Peg gave him a nudge. “Don’t talk with your tongue out,”
she said with a laugh. She looked from Robbie to Alec,
then down at her boys. Oh God, she’d never left them with
virtual strangers before. “Um, do you want to go sit on the
tailgate of the pickup with the men?”
Both boys vigorously nodded, and Peg didn’t know if she
was excited that Jacob wasn’t even hesitating or worried
that she was hesitating instead.
“And just as soon as you’re done with your business,”
Robbie continued to her, “you could also join us while we
wait for our delivery.”
Jacob tugged on Robbie’s pant leg. “The fairies don’t
deliver in the daylight,” he said with great authority, adding
a nod for effect. “’Cause you’re not supposed to see her, or