“Going to get married? Hitched? Live together?” There I went again, blurting stuff out.
Maybe there was something to this middle-aged woman thing that went along with saying whatever I felt like.
I gulped.
“I’m so sorry. I am losing my mind.” I shook my head. “I’m happy for you and Lucy. I don’t know what this is for me, but you’ll be the first to know.” I didn’t wait around for him to have a comeback before I hightailed it out of there.
Lucky for me, after I’d delivered the mail to the General Store, Lucy was on the radio, so I was able to slip into the station lobby without her seeing me. Then I went across the street where I delivered the mail to the courthouse, fire and sheriff’s departments, as well as the library and funeral home.
What made my second loop so easy to do was the perfect timing. It was right when things were just getting going for the day, making all the shop owners and various employees too busy to gab and slow me down.
And today they all seemed busy, which put me ahead of schedule. So I could take a little longer walk to the gas station to deliver Simon’s certified letter to him before I went back to Little Creek Road, where I was sure Millie Barnes was waiting for me to deliver the to-go box from the Wallflower Mom had sent with me.
Even with the food deep in my mail carrier bag, my stomach growled as the smell of freshly homemade food wafted out and up to my nose.
“Resist the urge,” I told myself and continued to walk a little faster when I noticed the old Phillips 66 gas sign in front of me.
The old gas station was the first one that was ever put in Sugar Creek Gap. Now there were many more throughout the town, but this one in particular was like you were stepping back in time.
They had two pumps, one on each side of the other, a small office with a few vending machines, a restroom around the side, and a large glass garage door. Nick Kirby and Simon Little rented the garage from the owners to do all their mechanic work.
Not only did I love how Colvin Batty had rented the extra space to Nick and Simon, since he was too old to do any work, but it was a nice way to keep the gas station open for business. So many businesses had closed after all the big retail stores and fancy gas stations were built on the outskirts of the city limits.
Still, Nick and Simon not only benefited, but so did Colvin. He was a resident of the Sugar Creek Gap Nursing Home, assisted living care, and the seven-thousand-a-month price tag to live there wasn’t cheap.
I particularly loved the fact the gas attendant, a young high school boy, pumped your gas and washed your windshield just like they did when I was a kid. It was good ole Southern hospitality.
“Hey, Bernie.” Nick pushed himself out from underneath the hood of a car. He took the rag dangling off the car he was working on and wiped the grease from his hands. The radio blurred music from WSCG. “Is Gerome alright?” He reached over to the old transistor and turned the volume knob down.
“Aww, he’s fine. He’ll probably be by shortly, but I noticed there’s a certified letter that must’ve been accidentally put in my bag by mistake.” I took my bag off my shoulder and reached into the front pocket where I’d put the letter so I didn’t have to dig through the rest of the mail. “Is Simon here?”
Nick eyeballed the envelope.
“No, he went to see Tim Crouse about a part we’ve been trying to get manufactured for motorcycles.” He reached out for the envelope. “I’ll sign.”
“I’m sorry. Only he can sign for it, but it is from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.” I held the front of the letter out. “Maybe it’s about your part. That’s exciting.”
His eyes zeroed in on the letter, and confusion settled in them.
“Nah. It must be something else because he said he filed the paperwork online under both of our names.” He crossed his arms and appeared to be considering the situation.
“If I hustle back, I just might be able to catch him at the courthouse.” I’d already been there to deliver the mail to those offices before I walked here, and I did have to pass it on my way back so I could get the mail to Little Creek Road delivered before the Front Porch Ladies had a hissy fit. “I better be on my way. It was good to see you, and good luck on your patent. You two are going to be famous!”
Chapter 4
There was no luck when I made it back to the courthouse and up the stairs to Tim Crouse’s office.
“I can give it to him.” Tim Crouse reached for it when I showed it to him. “I’ll be meeting with him again tomorrow to finalize some paperwork for it.”
“I appreciate it, but even though you’re his lawyer, I’m not able to leave it with you, by law.” I shrugged and stuck it back in the front of the mailbag. “But let him know that I’ll take it back to the post office tomorrow morning and have Gerome bring it to the gas station tomorrow.”
“I’ll do that,” Tim agreed. “Say, I hated to hear about you and Mac.”
“Yeah. You know, it was a bit uncomfortable with him being Richard’s best friend, and honestly, I’m not really looking for a commitment.” I slapped my flapping lips together when I realized what I’d said.
“You okay? You look a little shocked.” Tim smiled and eased back onto the secretary’s desk, who wasn’t in the reception area, thank goodness.
“I guess I have no idea why I would even tell you that. I’m so sorry.” I blinked my eyes, trying to blink some sense back into me.
“I guess being your lawyer, maybe you trust me with some deep dark secrets,” he teased, though he was right.
Tim was someone I did trust. He’d really helped me out with all my legal dealings and the mess Richard had created with his other life. But that was in the past, and those were feelings I’d already decided to bury and not bring up anymore.
“I guess.” I offered a reassuring smile, knowing he’d keep what I said between us. “Strange. Anyways, he and Lucy look very happy.” That entire sentence was like I’d just swallowed a bitter pill, almost making me gag.
But like the true Southern lady I was, at least when I had on the mail carrier uniform, I was trying to stay positive and happy.
“You know I’m always here if you need an ear.” Tim pushed off the desk and looked over my shoulder. His secretary had come in and handed him some papers.
“Hey, Bernie.” Deborah pushed her glasses up her nose. “Did you forget to drop off a piece of mail?”
“Nope. Just trying to catch Simon Little.”
“It was good to see you twice in a day.” She smiled and walked behind her desk to answer the phone. “Line one.” She looked at Tim.
“I’ll talk to you later, Bernie.”
“See ya, Tim.” I waved bye to him and Deborah.
Of course, Tim had to mention Mac, but I had to mention Lucy. I knew she and Tim had gone on a few dates, which made me wonder if he needed to talk about Mac and Lucy more than me. There were plenty of times I’d see Tim around town and wonder how he was doing with it, though I didn’t recall he and Lucy being what I’d consider officially a couple.
Quack, quack.
My duck friend who lived in the Little Creek was waiting for me at the small walking bridge over the creek on Short Street. It was a daily ritual. She’d wait for me near the bridge, and I’d throw her some duck pellet food I’d gotten from Veterinarian Olson. It was a nice place to stop and rest for a few minutes before I finished the second loop of deliveries.