Brick hung up his office phone and spoke into the empty room. “This I gotta see.”
His friend and one of Eternity Springs’ leading citizens, Celeste Blessing, had just requested a campsite for this evening. Never mind that she owned half the property in the county, including Angel’s Rest Healing Center and Spa, a resort that included a handful of RV campsites of its own. Luckily, one of the Alleycats due to arrive today was running a day behind, so he had a spot for Celeste.
Apparently, she was joining the Tornado Alleycats for their book club discussion. Brick murmured, “They must have been lying about the title they’re discussing.”
Though he could be wrong. Probably was. Just because he couldn’t picture Celeste reading mommy porn didn’t mean it wasn’t something she enjoyed. And who was he to judge, anyway? He wasn’t an unenlightened, old-fashioned Neanderthal of a man who wanted his lady’s biscuits in the oven and her buns in bed.
Well, most of the time, anyway.
Wonder what sort of books Liliana reads?
Don’t go there, Callahan.
Maybe he’d find out if he made his evening inspection a little earlier than usual. He could stroll over to the activity center around seven o’clock. Just to check on things, of course. Do his job. And, see what sort of trailer Celeste was pulling, while he was at it.
He’d met a lot of interesting people in his life—especially since the day his dad walked into his world—and Celeste had a secure spot near the top of the list. The Carolina native still had a bit of mint julep in her voice, and she could put a person firmly in his place with a “Bless your heart” and a smile. She displayed a joie de vivre that was both contagious and inspiring. How many times had he heard one of his female friends in town say they wanted to be Celeste when they grew up?
In some ways, she reminded him of his grandfather. The word “character” described them both. Independent. Intelligent. Fierce in defense of those they loved. Branch would kill for his family. Celeste had created a family here in Eternity Springs—shoot, he figured she counted most of the town as family—and Brick knew she’d go to the wall for any one of them if necessary.
In temperament, they were polar opposites. Branch Callahan was a mean old cuss. Celeste Blessing, a kind and gentle angel.
Who may or may not read mommy porn.
And who’d given Brick a ready-made excuse to show up at tonight’s book club meeting.
You don’t need an excuse. They invited you, Camp Director Dreamboat.
Brick grimaced and groaned aloud. He shouldn’t go anywhere near that building. He’d been thinking about Liliana Howe all day long, and not in any way he should be thinking about a best friend’s little sister.
But in Brick’s defense, growing up had treated Liliana damned fine. He was a guy, after all. Of course he’d notice. How could he help but notice? The image of the naked woman with the water of Hummingbird Lake sluicing off her creamy skin in the moonlight would be burned into his brain until the day he died.
Which would arrive sooner than anticipated if he ever acted on the fantasies that had drifted through his mind today. Derek Howe had always been fiercely protective of his little sister. He’d whip Brick’s ass just for thinking what he’d been thinking.
Wonder what she’d done to bring down the wrath of Ward and June upon her lovely shoulders?
That flash of vulnerability he’d seen travel across her face this morning had struck him hard. He’d always been a sucker for damsels in distress.
Need to be real careful here, boyo. Hadn’t that been one of the reasons why Tiffany had kept her claws buried in him much longer than she should have?
The ringing of his business line interrupted his musings. He checked the caller ID, halfway expecting it to be a number he recognized. If Celeste was coming to camp, he wouldn’t be surprised if one or more of her “besties” decided to join her. He picked up the phone. “Stardance Ranch, can I help you?”
“Hey, bro. How they hanging?”
It took a beat or two to place the voice. “Courtney?”
“None other.”
Well, holy crap. Brick propped a hip on his desktop and shook his head in wonder. Two blasts from the past in the same week?
“It’s nice to hear from you, Court.” He meant it, too. He hadn’t talked to Courtney Gibson in five or six years. A grade behind him in school, she had lived with the Christopher family on and off during their elementary and middle school years. His parents would have adopted her, too, had her drug-addicted mother ever given up her parental rights. Instead, Courtney had bounced in and out of the household while her mom bounced in and out of jail. It was a story that happened all too often. “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing all right. I’m living in Denver these days.”
“Oh yeah? I’m in Colorado, too. But I guess you know that since you called me.”
“I talked to Cindy last week. She told me you had settled in a little town up in the mountains. A real out-of-the-way place.”
“Eternity Springs.”
“Yeah. That’s it.” Courtney paused almost imperceptibly before adding in a studiously casual tone, “I was thinking I might stop by for a visit next weekend if you’re going to be around.”
Brick’s antennae went up. “What’s wrong, Court?”
“Nothing. Really. Nothing.”
Understanding the power of silence, Brick simply waited.
“Okay. Maybe I’m feeling a little low. I’ve been with a guy for a year now and we broke up recently. It’s … hard.”
Brick gave a sympathetic nod. “I get that. I’d love for you to visit, Courtney. Did Mom mention that Josh Tarkington is working with me up here?”
Since Josh, too, had bounced back and forth between his legal guardian and his foster home, Brick didn’t instantly recall how often Joshua’s and Courtney’s paths had crossed, but he knew they’d spent some overlapping time at the Christopher home and that Courtney had known him.
“She did. She said he needed time away from storm country for a while.”
“Yeah. He’s feeling snakebit where tornadoes are concerned.”
“I imagine so. Cindy told me that he’s lost his home more than once. How many times has he been hit?”
“Four hits in three storms. He lost both his home and business in the last tornado, his car in one before that. The worst was the first storm, though. His house took a direct hit from an F4. He was inside with his girlfriend and her kid. They both died.”
“That’s terrible. I’d have moved away after that,” Courtney observed. “What sort of work does he do for you?”
“A little of everything, but he mostly works in the office. He’s taken the paperwork off my hands, for which I’m grateful. And of course, he fixes everything that breaks.”
“He always liked to tinker with engines. I remember him being a detail person. Unlike you.”
“Hate details. I’m definitely a big-picture guy.”
“It’ll be nice to see you both.”
“Do you already have a place to stay? If not, you’re welcome to a bed in the bunkhouse where some of my seasonal help stay. I’ll warn you up front, it’s nothing fancy. My fancy accommodations I reserve for paying customers.”
“Cindy said you run a campground for high rollers, that you get a stupid amount of money for renting out tree houses and tents that have bathrooms.”
“Stardance River Camp is a separate facility, but yeah, it’s stupid expensive. But at the RV campground we have a section for tent camping, too. My guests can visit on the cheap or in total luxury. Now, let me tell you how to get here.”
Brick gave his foster sister directions, and they spoke for a few more minutes before ending the call. He walked out of his office just in time to witness Celeste’s arrival.
He laughed out loud.
* * *
“Oh, glory be, look at that,” Patsy said. “I’m in love. Just head over heels in love. I need one of those!”
Lili looked up from the butterfly she was coloring in the adult coloring book Patsy had given to her in time to see a vintage Shasta trailer enter the campground. Though the vintage trailers were well represented among the Alleycats and other camping clubs, this was the first time she’d seen one being pulled by a vintage car—a fire-engine-red land yacht of an automobile. The wings of the car’s taillights matched the Shasta’s trademark wings. “What is that?”
Reverently, Patsy said, “A Caddie. A Coupe de Ville. Early sixties, if I don’t miss my guess.”
“Is this one of our girls arriving?” Lili asked, using the term Patsy used for all of her club members.
“No, that’s Celeste.”
“Ah.” Lili set down her colored pencil. “Which explains the custom paint job on the Shasta. I’ve seen stripes and polka dots before, but this is the first trailer decorated in angel wings.”
Celeste Blessing was the guest author for tonight’s book club meeting. She’d published a gift book titled Guidelines for Aspiring Angels that was filled with inspirational sayings, examples, and advice. Lili had been captivated by the content in the small book. The illustrations made it a work of art. “You said the illustrator is coming tonight, too?”
“Yes. She’ll be here later. When Celeste called me earlier to ask about overnighting with the club, she told me that Sage Rafferty would join us but couldn’t stay overnight. She has young children.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting them both.”
Lili would never consider herself an aspiring angel, but she’d found Celeste’s commonsense advice to be both a comfort and an inspiration. Sayings like “Angels let slights roll off their feathers” and “Don’t be afraid to test your wings” seemed to have been written just for her.
Celeste pulled her trailer into the slot next to Lili, and by the time she’d killed the engine and opened the driver’s door an admiring crowd of Alleycats had gathered around.
“What a fabulous rig you have!”
“What year is she? The trailer. Well, actually, the trailer and the car.”
“What’s her name?”
“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done inside. You will give us a tour, won’t you?”
“Girls! Girls!” Patsy exclaimed. “For heaven’s sake. Give our special guest some breathing room. My friends, this is Celeste Blessing. Celeste, meet the Tornado Alleycats.”
The attractive woman perhaps a little older than Patsy smiled brilliantly as she exited her car. Laugh lines framed twinkling sky-blue eyes. Gold earrings shaped like angel wings dangled from her ears and peeked from beneath a stylish silver bob. She wore a bright red cotton blouse with wings embroidered on the pocket, jeans, and red canvas sneakers. She glowed, and just looking at her brought an answering smile to Lili’s face.
Celeste waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry. Y’all aren’t crowding me one little bit. Of course I’ll be happy to show off Angelique once I’m all set up. That’s part of the fun of owning vintage, isn’t it?”
“Most definitely,” replied Sharon, who owned a 1965 Spartan.
Celeste continued, “I’m so excited to join you all tonight. This is my first official book signing ever!”
“We’re thrilled to have you,” Pasty replied. “Do you need any help setting up?”
“That would be so kind. I learned long ago not to turn down help when it comes to an extra pair of hands.”
“I volunteer!” Lili said, waving hers. She stepped forward and extended her hand. “I’m Liliana Howe, Ms. Blessing.”
“Oh, call me Celeste, dear.” They shook hands, and then Celeste added to the group, “I mean all of you, too.”
Patsy stepped up then and shooed the group away, reminding them not to forget to bring their books to the meeting in order to get them signed. “And of course, remember to bring your cash or credit cards. Celeste’s book will make a fabulous gift.”
As the crowd dispersed, Celeste turned to Lili. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Liliana. Don’t you have the loveliest eyes? They remind me of the color seafoam on a 1961 Shasta trailer. I had such trouble choosing between that color and this lovely red for my Angelique. Both were just so beautiful. But the red matched my car and a girl does like to coordinate, doesn’t she?”
“That she does,” Lili replied, grinning. “What can I do to help?”
“Let’s wrestle the outdoor rug out of Angelique first and then we can tackle the canopy.”
“Absolutely not!” sounded a deep, familiar voice from behind Lili. “I’m not letting you set up, Celeste.”
Appalled, Lili whirled on Mark Callahan, her hands fisted on her hips. “And why not? She’s an invited guest and we have room for her.”
“Pax, Lili-fair. I’m not letting her do it because I’m doing it for her.”
“Now, Brick,” Celeste protested. “I’m perfectly capable—”
“I know you are, but both my moms would whip my butt and take away my gentleman card if they got wind that I let you set up on your own.”
“You have a gentleman card?” Lili couldn’t help but ask.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice, Freckle-Sticks?”
“Oh my.” Celeste turned an appalled expression toward Mark. “I know you have the Callahan fondness for assigning nicknames to people, but honestly, Brick. Did I seriously hear you say that? What in heaven’s name are you thinking?”
He didn’t look the least bit ashamed. “I called her that before I became a Callahan.”
Celeste offered Lili a sympathetic smile, then arched a brow at Mark. “So you’ve been a fool for some time.”
Lili snorted a laugh and Celeste winked at her. “You’ve known our Brick for quite a while, then?”
“I was in elementary school. He and my brother were friends.”
“Her brother helped me build my first tree house and she had a crush on me.”
“I did not!”
“Derek said you did.”
“Oh, he was such a liar,” she lied. Lili decided a change of subject was in order. “Don’t you have a rug to haul?”
Celeste laughed and opened the door to the trailer she’d named Angelique. Soon they had all the comforts of home set out—and then some. Obviously, Celeste knew how to go camping with the girls.
Her color palette was red and white with complimentary gold accents. Her outdoor rug was a red-and-white checkerboard inside a band of gold, and ribbons printed with angel wings trimmed the edges of her tent canopy. She parked a red bicycle beside her door, hung window baskets with live red geraniums, and set out vintage red suitcases decorated with beads and Scrabble squares that read: “When you are lost, listen to your inner angel and she will help you find the right road.”
When setup was finished, Celeste offered Lili and Brick a cold drink. When she stepped inside of Angelique, Brick turned to Lili and said, “She’s wrong, you know.”
“Celeste?”
“Yes.”
“About what? I can’t picture her being wrong about much of anything.”
“Your eyes. They are lovely. Seafoam works as the color, but not the comparison to a trailer. That’s just wrong.”
Lili went still. Did Mark Christopher just compliment her eyes? First a hand kiss and now an eye compliment? Was this bizarro world or what?
Fumbling for a response, she gestured toward Celeste’s campsite. “Trailers can be cute.”
“Your eyes aren’t cute. They’re beautiful, Liliana. Alluring. You have a siren’s alluring seafoam eyes, the kind that can lure a man to death. Just like a mermaid. You have mermaid eyes. Mermaid … attributes.”
Oh holy Moses.
“It’s not difficult at all for me to think that last night … this morning … I spied a mermaid who’d just found her legs.” He flashed a wicked grin and added, “You were certainly dressed for the part.”
Lili felt her cheeks flush. She opened her mouth to speak but could find no words. Before she could conjure a response, Celeste exited her trailer carrying a tray containing three cups of iced lemonade. In keeping with her theme, she served the drinks in red Solo cups.
Mark thanked Celeste for his drink and said something about needing to fill up the soft drink machine. Then with a, “See you later,” he strode blithely away—as if he hadn’t just turned her world upside down.
When Lili finally dragged her gaze away from him, she saw that Patsy had joined Celeste. The two women watched Lili with knowing looks in their eyes.
“He is quite the doll, isn’t he?” Celeste asked.
Patsy nodded enthusiastically. “We’ve dubbed him Camp Director Dreamboat. So give us the dish about Brick, Celeste.”
“Why don’t we sit down?” She gestured toward the folding table and chairs Brick had set up before departing. “Patsy, may I offer you a cup of lemonade? Fresh squeezed.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.” When Celeste returned a few moments later with another red plastic cup, Patsy asked, “So, tell us, Celeste, is he seeing anyone?”
“Other than the redhead we caught him kissing in the bakery this morning?” Lili wanted to bite her tongue the minute she heard the bitter note in her voice.
“Hmm…” Celeste pursed her lips. “I don’t know who that might have been.”
Patsy said, “I think her name was Claire. She runs the Christmas store.”
Celeste waved her hand, her expression brightening. “Oh, I know what that was about. Claire and Jax announced today that she’s having a baby. She and Brick are good friends. I expect it was a congratulatory kiss.”
“On the mouth?” Lili asked, unwilling to quite give it up.
“Yes, well, it’s his way. The men in his family are quite friendly.” Lili managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes as Celeste continued. “Brick dates often. He is very popular with the single ladies in the area.”
Patsy sounded a little disappointed when she observed, “So he’s a player. A heartbreaker.”
Some things never change.
Celeste shook her head. “No. Not at all. From everything I’ve observed, Brick is quite careful in that respect. Word around town is that he never dates the same woman more than three times. If anything, he’s everybody’s friend.”
“Ah … he’s the heartbreak-ee,” Patsy said.
Celeste pursed her lips and nodded. “I sense that the walls around his heart are tall and thick. He’s won’t admit to it, but I’m certain he’s had a broken heart of his own in the past.”
Lili could no longer remain silent. “He dated a girl through high school and college. I don’t know what caused their breakup, but she married someone else.”
“The Homecoming Queen.”
“You know about Tiffany?”
“I didn’t know her name, but I know there was a longtime girlfriend his family didn’t care for.”
“Oh, really?” Lili perked up at that. She had never met anyone who didn’t think Tiffany was just sweet as pink cotton candy.
“Brick’s stepmother, Annabelle, has nothing nice to say about her.” Celeste sipped her lemonade. “Have you met the Callahans, Lili?”
“No. I think my brother has met his father, but I never did. I do know the Christophers. Paul and Cindy are very nice people.”
“Yes, they are. They’ve been guests at Angel’s Rest a number of times, although now when they visit Brick they stay at Mark and Annabelle’s house at the North Forty. The two families have become great friends. I’m sure they’ll be up for our Fourth of July extravaganza.”
“That’s nice for everyone,” Patsy observed. “Blended families of any type can be a challenge. For adoptive parents and a birth family to get along … Brick is lucky.”
“In many ways, he is,” Celeste observed. “He has a lot of love in his life, but not that piece that makes a person’s life complete. He needs that.”
“Isn’t that handy.” Patsy clapped her hands. “So does Lili.”
“Stop.” Lili tried to ignore how her heart went thud-a-thump at the thought. “Just stop right there, Patsy.”
“Did he lie when he said you had a crush on him?”
“I was in middle school!”
“Young love,” Celeste observed, her blue eyes twinkling over the top of her cup. “It’s something to be celebrated.”
“Arrgh! I had crushes on the Backstreet Boys and Orlando Bloom, too!”
“Legolas was a favorite of mine.” Patsy said.
“I’m more an Aragorn girl,” Celeste replied. “Vigo Mortensen. Yummy.”
Patsy patted her hand over her heart. “Oh my, yes. When you first see him in the tavern in Lord of the Rings … I swear I got goose bumps. Legolas is pretty—and the way he used that bow was sexy as sin—but Aragorn is so manly.”
Celeste folded her arms and thumped her index finger against her lips. “Our Brick is a nice combination of Legolas pretty and Aragorn manly, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps.” Patsy pursed her lips and considered. “I haven’t seen him without his shirt, yet, so…”
“Enough!” Lili closed her eyes. “You ladies sound like teenagers.”
“And I hope that never changes,” Celeste observed.
“Amen, sister.”
The two women clicked Solo cups, shared a smile, and caused Lili to laugh out loud. “All right, then. Something came up last night, and I’m compelled to ask. Have either of you ladies read Fifty Shades of Grey?”