Chapter 6
“So. Holly Grace, huh?”Ian said.
Gage ignored him, not yet ready to discuss anything to do with the lovely lady. He hadn’t yet digested his own reactions and feelings.
“For heaven’s sake, Ian. Leave him alone.” Piper Elliott said, swatting her husband on the arm. “Can’t you see he doesn’t want to talk about her?”
While grateful for Piper’s defense, Gage wondered if she saw him too clearly for his own comfort.
“What’s on the agenda today?” He asked. “Are you two going to give me the fifty-cent tour of your hometown?”
“The Christmas Committee could probably use some help getting the tree ready for lighting and the train depot ready for the party.” Ian’s mother said from her place at the kitchen table where she was finishing off the breakfast Gage had brought from the Grits and Gravy café.
Ian turned to look at her. “That’s tonight?”
His mother nodded.
He turned to Gage with a huge grin on his face. “Man, you are in for a treat if you really want to get an up-close look at small town life.”
“Is Miss Edna still running the show?” Piper asked her mother-in-law who nodded.
She gave Gage a delighted look. “Miss Edna is a not to be missed phenomena in the town of Mercy.”
“Why do I feel like I’m being set up?” Gage asked all three of them.
“No set up.” Ian commented. “Just some real small-town celebrations.”
“You kids go on to the town square and help out.” Ian’s mother pushed them all toward the door, grabbing coats as she went.
“Why don’t you come with us, Mama? They may want you to help, too.”
Missy Elliott smiled. “No, I won’t come with y’all. I want the three of you to have a good time together. Lily Gayle Lambert is coming by to pick me up later.”
Ian and Piper snickered as the went out to Ian’s truck.
“What’s so funny?” Gage asked, opening the passenger door the truck and motioning Piper ahead of him.
“Lily Gayle Lambert is another one of our town phenoms.” Piper told him as she slid to the into the passenger seat.
He waited until he’d buckled himself into the back seat before asking. “Is this town full of unusual people?”
Ian backed the truck out onto the road and headed toward town. “I guess all small towns have their share of eccentrics, but we feel we have the most original. Miss Edna must be in her eighties by now and she’s the stereotypical town busybody. She has a home on the square. One of those old Victorian monstrosities. She sits on the porch regularly with her bird watching binoculars.”
“Let me guess.” Gage said. “She’s watching people instead of birds.”
“Got it in one.” Piper replied. “And Lily Gayle Lambert is younger than Miss Edna. She’s Ian’s mom’s age, but she’s a busy body in her own way. She butt’s into Sheriff Carter’s cases all the time. It drives him nuts.”
“Why doesn’t he just make her butt out?” Gage asked, wondering how all these women got away with this stuff. Not that he had anything against independent thinking and acting women. But if he had two that were borderline breaking the law, he believed he’s put the brakes to those activities.
“She’s the sheriff’s first cousin. And they’re the only ones left from their family.” Ian said. “So, I guess poor Ben Carter just puts up with her. Besides, no one has ever been able to tell Miss Lily Gayle what to do a day in her life, and it’s probably too late to start now.”
“You have to give her credit though. She did solve the wolfman murder. And the murder during the sleep study up at the Midnight Dragonfly.” Piper added, turning to shoot a wicked grin at Gage.
“Now you’re pulling my leg.” Gage said. “There’s no such thing as a wolfman.”
“There sure is. And it was the talk of the county, and for miles around when it happened.” Piper insisted.
Ian eased the big truck into a parking space on the town square and the three of them exited. Half the town must be milling around helping with lights on the huge tree on the lawn of the courthouse. Decorations already covered the tree from top to bottom, so Gage hoped that the lights had already been put on it. Otherwise it would be an incredibly difficult job to get them arranged around all those ornaments.
“Look!” Piper pointed off to their left. “That’s the old train depot where we have our annual town Christmas party. Be careful on the punch though. Miss Edna’s secret ingredient is moonshine.”
Before he could inquire further about the source of the moonshine for the punch, Piper waved vigorously at someone.
“Hey, Holly Grace!” Piper called.
Gage was careful to keep a neutral expression on his face, but there was nothing he could do about his heart racing unexpectedly in his chest. If someone had bet him he’d fall for a girl the day after nearly running her down on a country road, he’d have told them they were out of their mind.
His racing heart told him it was a bet he’d have lost.
