would follow Willa and Burk around, asking to look in Willa’s purse or wanting to try on Willa’s headband. Willa had always indulged her, sometimes even bringing her lip gloss or a downy stuffed animal she no longer wanted. Now Willa wondered if that little girl had grown up to despise the way she’d broken Burk’s heart all those years ago. Not that Willa could blame her.
“I bet it was a surprise being around Burk again,” Stephanie Munson said, not unkindly.
“Burk’s a good contractor,” Willa said, trying to shift the conversation. “The house needs a lot of work.”
“Well, you can come on down to Knots and Bolts if you need to get away from the construction,” Audrey said. “We have our recipe exchange every Thursday afternoon, of course, but the place is open during normal business hours. And sometimes during not-normal business hours. If there’s an emergency.”
Willa fidgeted with her coffee cup. Did this mean they were going let her stay in their group?
“Betty keeps the key in the geranium pot if you ever need to get in and we’re not around,” Stephanie said. Betty shot her a searing glare from across the table.
“Except I’m almost always here,” Betty said pointedly. “It being my store and all.”
“That’s such good news,” Willa said, surprised at how much she meant it. Maybe this was all going to be easier than she’d anticipated. She faced Betty, remembering her unfinished errand from earlier, and how she’d fled before Betty could see her. Willa’s regret was still there, a hot flame inside her chest, but she couldn’t help wondering if there was a chance the past would get swept to the side. They’d all see how hard she was trying, and everyone would simply forgive her and move on.
“It’s great to have an excuse to be at Knots and Bolts,” Willa told her, pushing past her mortification, “especially because I’m going to need some upholstery and curtains for the B and B. I was hoping I could enlist your services.”
Betty narrowed her eyes. “Probably not.”
“Excuse me?”
“I could sell you some fabric, but I’m busy with a different business on the side. With blood. And skeletons. And death .”
Willa shifted, suddenly nervous.
“Oh, stop,” Audrey interjected. “It’s not that macabre. It’s Halloween items. Betty sells them year round—online.”
Willa let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“Helps me stay busy in between customers at the shop,” Betty said. “I’ve thought about doing it full-time. Knots and Bolts does pretty well, and I don’t really want to close up, but I like the idea of being able to do my work anywhere. The freedom of not having a storefront.”
“Don’t you dare close,” Stephanie said. “My four-year-old twins are no joke. I love them, but this place is a haven for me. I need it to be open.”
“No kidding,” Audrey said. “Especially when Betty stocks the good stuff.”
She reached into a nearby cabinet and grabbed a bottle of Irish cream liqueur, pouring some into her coffee. Everyone passed the bottle and partook, including Willa, who added an extra splash to calm her nerves.
“Well, I just come to show off,” Anna said, striding toward the kitchenette. “You guys know my brownies are the best in town.”
Willa could hear her pulling a pan out of the oven, and the heady smell of baking chocolate wafted into the room.
“So what about it, Willa?” Betty asked as Anna set a plate of warm brownies onto the table. “You plan on contributing to this recipe exchange, or just showing up to get served?”
It was a direct barb, but Willa couldn’t argue. She knew she was pretty much useless in a recipe exchange. She couldn’t do jack in the kitchen, but that didn’t mean she was going to give up on being part of this group. If they were cracking the door to her, she’d push it open and make sure she got all the way through.
“I am really good with a corkscrew,” Willa
“I bet it was a surprise being around Burk again,” Stephanie Munson said, not unkindly.
“Burk’s a good contractor,” Willa said, trying to shift the conversation. “The house needs a lot of work.”
“Well, you can come on down to Knots and Bolts if you need to get away from the construction,” Audrey said. “We have our recipe exchange every Thursday afternoon, of course, but the place is open during normal business hours. And sometimes during not-normal business hours. If there’s an emergency.”
Willa fidgeted with her coffee cup. Did this mean they were going let her stay in their group?
“Betty keeps the key in the geranium pot if you ever need to get in and we’re not around,” Stephanie said. Betty shot her a searing glare from across the table.
“Except I’m almost always here,” Betty said pointedly. “It being my store and all.”
“That’s such good news,” Willa said, surprised at how much she meant it. Maybe this was all going to be easier than she’d anticipated. She faced Betty, remembering her unfinished errand from earlier, and how she’d fled before Betty could see her. Willa’s regret was still there, a hot flame inside her chest, but she couldn’t help wondering if there was a chance the past would get swept to the side. They’d all see how hard she was trying, and everyone would simply forgive her and move on.
“It’s great to have an excuse to be at Knots and Bolts,” Willa told her, pushing past her mortification, “especially because I’m going to need some upholstery and curtains for the B and B. I was hoping I could enlist your services.”
Betty narrowed her eyes. “Probably not.”
“Excuse me?”
“I could sell you some fabric, but I’m busy with a different business on the side. With blood. And skeletons. And death .”
Willa shifted, suddenly nervous.
“Oh, stop,” Audrey interjected. “It’s not that macabre. It’s Halloween items. Betty sells them year round—online.”
Willa let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“Helps me stay busy in between customers at the shop,” Betty said. “I’ve thought about doing it full-time. Knots and Bolts does pretty well, and I don’t really want to close up, but I like the idea of being able to do my work anywhere. The freedom of not having a storefront.”
“Don’t you dare close,” Stephanie said. “My four-year-old twins are no joke. I love them, but this place is a haven for me. I need it to be open.”
“No kidding,” Audrey said. “Especially when Betty stocks the good stuff.”
She reached into a nearby cabinet and grabbed a bottle of Irish cream liqueur, pouring some into her coffee. Everyone passed the bottle and partook, including Willa, who added an extra splash to calm her nerves.
“Well, I just come to show off,” Anna said, striding toward the kitchenette. “You guys know my brownies are the best in town.”
Willa could hear her pulling a pan out of the oven, and the heady smell of baking chocolate wafted into the room.
“So what about it, Willa?” Betty asked as Anna set a plate of warm brownies onto the table. “You plan on contributing to this recipe exchange, or just showing up to get served?”
It was a direct barb, but Willa couldn’t argue. She knew she was pretty much useless in a recipe exchange. She couldn’t do jack in the kitchen, but that didn’t mean she was going to give up on being part of this group. If they were cracking the door to her, she’d push it open and make sure she got all the way through.
“I am really good with a corkscrew,” Willa
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