Chapter Sixteen

“Elise! Come quickly!”

Elise jumped out of her chair, where she had been completely lost in a book, and sprinted towards the sound of Rose’s voice, suddenly afraid that something anew had happened to her or Betsy.

Instead, she found Rose in an agitated state in the kitchen, Jed standing by her side, looking amused. “What? What is it?” Elise asked hastily.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to alarm you, love, but we have a crisis,” Rose said. “Tell her.”

“I just got a call from Mr. Hale,” Jed said, sounding much more at ease than Rose. “He’s planning to be home tomorrow.”

“Well, that’s great, but I don’t… that’s a crisis? Do we need to clean? Prepare a certain meal?” Elise’s mind was already spinning, trying to figure out what meal she could conjure from the deep freeze and pantry.

“There’s more,” Jed said. “He’s coming home, and he’s planning to have a huge barbecue – a weekend house party, if you will. With it being the Fourth of July and all, he thought he’d invite all his friends and neighbors to stay for the whole weekend, throw the house open.”

“His mum used to do that every year, but after she died…” Rose trailed off. “I’m ever so pleased he’s doing it again. It was always such a wonderful weekend. So much fun and food and frivolity, and fireworks. I do love a good firework, I do.”

“Well, that sounds great… but, the crisis is…?” Elise trailed off, prompting them.

“They’re all going to be arriving tomorrow. He expects about twenty people to be put up, fed, and entertained. We have our work cut out for us, my darlin’,” Rose insisted. “Cleaning, making beds, cooking, oh god, we better make us a list…”

#

The phone rang as Elise was wrestling sheets onto the umpteenth bed, suddenly less grateful and a lot more resentful that Timberline had so many bedrooms. “Hale residence,” she answered hastily.

“Are you mad?”

She smiled at Tucker’s velvety deep voice on the phone, despite her frustration with hospital corners.

“Furious.”

“I should have warned you. Is Rose in a total state of meltdown?”

“She’d had about six high speed come-aparts, but she’s pulling it together,” Elise said, making him laugh. “You could have warned us. I have to go buy, like, the entire contents of Pat’s Foods to feed this army you’ve invited.”

“Nonsense,” Tucker said calmly. “Lots of stuff for the grill – and the guys will do that cooking so you won’t have to. Lots of cold sides, lots of beer and soft drinks. Done. Buy it all – don’t make anything.”

“I can’t serve your guests a hot dog and a Coke and grocery story potato salad,” Elise argued. “Our standards are high here, or have you forgotten?”

Tucker laughed. “Fine, fine, but I did warn you…” He paused, listening to her grunt. “What on earth are you doing?”

“Do you have any idea how many damn beds this house has?” Elise demanded. “And do you have any idea how many sheets I’ve put on said beds today? And this bottom sheet… will… not…fit!”

Tucker laughed. “Next time, I’ll have everyone sleep outside.”

“That I would be fine with. And they can bring their own beer and food. We’ll supply bathroom facilities and towels, that’s it. I’m putting my foot down.”

“Fine, next year,” Tucker grinned. “Seriously, do you need anything?”

“When are you coming home?” Elise asked, and then blanched. “I mean, not that I need you… or that I call this home – your home – my home, I just meant…”

Tucker smiled softly at her embarrassment, glad for the insight into her emotions. “I should be home later this afternoon. I’ll even help with the sheets.”

“You better,” Elise said. “When is this thundering herd arriving?”

“Tomorrow, but not until the afternoon,” Tucker replied.

“Do I have time to put in my resignation?”

“Denied.”

Elise grinned at his automatic answer. “Fine. Then I’ll see you later today. Sir.”

“Imp.”

Elise kicked the bed in frustration as she hung up the phone, even as she was smiling at the memory of Tucker’s voice.

#

“Hi.”

Elise whirled around in the kitchen, a stirring spoon still in her hand, at the sound of Tucker’s voice.

“Hi yourself,” she said lightly, even as her cheeks flushed crimson.

It was one thing to flirt with her boss on the phone and joke around, but now, suddenly, with him standing in front of her…

And now, right next to her. “Smells good,” he said, sniffing her bowl of homemade potato salad. “Worth coming home for.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” she said softly. “How are you? How’s Roger?”

Tucker’s face darkened slightly. “He’s stable, but they’re moving him to Ann Arbor to run tests and possibly to operate. It’s still touch and go.”

Elise touched his arm sympathetically, and without a word, he turned and pulled her into his arms, squeezing her against him. Without thought, she wrapped her arms around him, returning his hug. She could feel him relax against her, as though he’d been holding himself tight as a drum since he’d left for Munising.

It was over in moments, but Elise could feel the reverberation of his body against hers, and fought back the urge to throw herself back against him, to comfort him – to just hold him.

“So, what can I do to help?”

“Make sure everything is ready outside,” Elise replied, all business to cover her embarrassment. “Rose is fussing that there aren’t enough deck chairs, and Jed is worried about firewood, and Betsy is beside herself that everyone isn’t here yet. Will there be kids her age, by the way?”

Tucker nodded. “A few – including Wendy with the nosy father. Mostly it’s neighbors we’ve known for years, a few friends from school, business contacts from Dad, family friends… most people will be around my age or so, with a few kids and a few older folks thrown in. If I’m honestly, I’m kind of looking forward to it.”

From the happy look on his face, Elise guessed he was more than looking forward to it.

“Sounds great,” Elise said. “I’ve got food under control – go, do your thing. Don’t freak out Rose.”

“Consider it done,” Tucker said, swiping a finger into the bowl of salad and popping a cube of potato in his mouth. Elise swatted at his hand playfully, and they both shared a wide smile. “Tasty.”

“Cheater. That’s for the guests, not tardy lords of the manor.”

Elise turned back to what she was doing, and Tucker watched her for a long moment, then turned towards the front porch, a spring in his step. He wondered if he happiness was at the crowd coming – or his eagerness to introduce Elise to his friends, his history, his world.

It had to mean something that he was so eager for her to know so much about him, didn’t it?

And why couldn’t he shake the feeling that this party was a lot more significant than he was giving it credit for?

Why else did he want Elise to fit in so badly, and for her to share the weekend – with him?

Muddled by the thought, he instead focused on finding Jed and getting going on some firewood chopping.

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