Colie was slouched in her seat in the minivan now, her arms crossed. Jenessa couldn’t just leave her here. Or could she? If she took Violet and Cade over to the petting zoo, the van would still be within her eyesight. Maybe she just needed to give the girl a few minutes alone.
“All right. We’ll go see the goats. If you want to join us, we’ll be right over there.” Colie didn’t look to see where she pointed. For the love, the girl could be exasperating.
And yet, Jenessa didn’t doubt for a moment Colie’s stubborn, hard shell was just that—a shell covering a tender hurt she likely didn’t know what to do with. For what had to be the hundredth time today, her heart ached for these children and longed to do something more than give them a bed to sleep in again tonight.
But what? I’m at a loss here, God.
The thought was part prayer, part complaint. It’d been a long time since she’d felt any sort of divine direction in her life. Her own fault, probably. But she just got tired sometimes—of trying to say and do all the right things. Why was it her faith at times felt more like a performance than something real?
“Jessa!” Violet’s voice had gone from impatient to downright vexation.
Jenessa shook off her thoughts and couldn’t help a laugh, even as she gave Colie one more assessing glance. Ten minutes and then she’d come back to check on her.
But they only made it halfway to the petting zoo when a voice calling her name slowed her steps. Mayor Milt?
“Ms. Belville, the very woman I need to speak with.” Maple Valley’s longtime town leader shuffled toward her from the direction of the old barn Lucas’s sister had turned into a community center. “A moment, if you please.”
Cade was growing heavy and poor Violet wasn’t going to last much longer if she didn’t get to see her goats soon. “It’s nice to see you, Mayor, but as you can see, I’ve kind of got my hands full and—”
“It’s about the house, Ms. Belville. About Belville Park.” His snow-white mustache twitched with each word, his usual sweater vest a fitting pattern of fall colors today.
“You’ve known me my whole life. I think you can call me Jen.” She smiled despite Violet’s fingernails scraping her palm as she attempted to pull Jenessa toward the goats. “Could we walk while we talk?”
She had a strong feeling she knew what was coming. In a town like Maple Valley, personal business tended to be everyone’s business. But now wasn’t the time for discussing whatever gossip might be flying about her plans to sell the house.
Mayor Milt fell in step beside her. “No, I think I’ll keep calling you Ms. Belville because I’m not talking to you as a friend or even the mayor right now. I’m talking to you as a concerned citizen and president of the local historical society. Belville Park is a historic landmark in Maple Valley. Your ancestors founded this town. How can you even consider selling it?”
“I’m not considering selling it. I am selling it. It’s too much house for one person and—”
Violet’s squeal cut her off as a goat came trotting over the grass, heading straight for the little girl. Why wasn’t this one behind a fence with the others? Had it escaped?
“Ms. Belville—”
“This really isn’t the best time.” Violet’s grin took over her whole face as she petted the friendly goat, Cade’s giggles joining in as the goat nipped at his feet. “I guess one of the little critters got free.”
“Flynnie’s not part of the petting zoo.” A new voice swept in.
“Lucas, I was hoping you’d be here.” She angled to see him nearing, his jeans faded at the knees and his plaid shirt untucked. He certainly appeared to fit in better at the orchard than she did—her bright yellow, knee-length cardigan, striped shirt, and black leggings not exactly farm wear. But she’d needed just one thing to feel normal today. “Who’s Flynnie?”
He reached her side, giving the mayor a nod of greeting. “Kit’s pet. A gift from Beckett.”
Violet had moved to the nearby fence, her hand outstretched through the wood planks that penned off the other goats—the ones who weren’t pets and therefore not as privileged as Flynnie, who apparently enjoyed free rein of the orchard grounds.
“Mr. Danby, good afternoon—well, almost evening.” If Mayor Milt was annoyed at being interrupted, he didn’t show it as he returned his attention to Jenessa. “Perhaps we can continue this discussion another time, Ms. Belville? It’s not only the house we need to talk about. Surely you remember that Founder’s Day is on the horizon.”
Founder’s Day? But why would he want to talk . . . oh. Good grief, he didn’t have some notion of resurrecting the old Founder’s Day Gala Mom used to throw, did he? Mom had spent months planning those things.
“Mayor Milt, I hope you’re not thinking—”
He gave her a jolly shake of his head. “Another time.”
She’d argue but knew Mayor Milt well enough to know he’d track her down regardless. She glanced at Lucas as the mayor strolled away, moving a squirming Cade to her other hip. “You should really have a white horse when you do stuff like that.”
“I wasn’t riding to your rescue, Ms. Belville.” He copied the mayor’s address, only the faintest circles under his eyes giving away what must’ve been an incredibly short night of sleep last night. “Just providing a timely interruption.”
Violet was back to petting Flynnie. “So this is a pet? Interesting. Most guys opt for flowers or chocolate.” She bent to let Cade get a closer look at the animal.
“Beckett’s not most guys. Where’s the oldest girl?”
“Colie Hollis is not exactly my greatest fan.” She let out a long, dramatic sigh. “Refused to budge from the car.”
“So I guess you never got ahold of DHS?”
She nodded. “Sam’s not happy. But I don’t know what else he wants me to do at this point. Other than take care of them until I can call the office number on Monday. And maybe give them some fun weekend memories in the meantime. What’s so wrong with that?” She straightened, lifting Cade with her.
“Not a thing.”
There was something reassuring about Lucas’s presence. Always had been. Did he realize that? “That’s why I borrowed a minivan and brought them here. Well and because, I know I said thank you in a text, but—”
He held up one hand. “Jen, you don’t have to.”
“You fixed the window. You killed the bat. You carried a thousand boxes to the attic and the garage and wherever else they all ended up.”
“There’s a few in the basement.” He seemed almost embarrassed as he rubbed his chin and looked away. “All I did was clear out some space. And I was just doing what anyone would—”
“No, not anyone would do it, and you need to stop interrupting me. Just stand there and let me thank you and take it like a man.”
He laughed. “Fine, then. You’re welcome. Again.”
Violet’s squeal cut in. “He nicked me. He nicked me.”
Jenessa jostled Cade. “Do you think she means nipped or licked?”
“Maybe both. Hey, want to feed the goats, Violet?”