Hometown Holiday Reunion. Mia Ross

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       Chapter One

      Just what he needed this morning.

      Cam Stewart stood in the middle of the bustling kitchen at the Oaks Café, glowering at the commercial fridge that was making an ominous thunking noise. It had started last week, just after Christmas, as more of a loud hum punctuated by a bang every now and then. Now it was clanking with a fairly constant rhythm, and even though he wasn’t an expert on large appliances, as a construction foreman he’d been around enough faltering equipment to recognize a death knell when he heard one.

      Glancing over at the dishwasher who’d come running to get him, Cam shrugged. “That’s how you know it’s Monday, right?”

      Until that moment, Kyle had looked terrified, as if he feared that his job was in danger because he’d been the one to deliver bad news. The poor kid’s tight expression loosened up, and he nodded. “I guess so.”

      In all honesty, Cam wasn’t surprised by this latest in a seemingly endless parade of troubles. When he’d returned to Oaks Crossing in the fall to help out with the family business, he’d found the books and the property in a shambles, on the brink of failing altogether. His plans for sticking around for just a few weeks to rehab the building for sale had gone on an indefinite hold. No matter how good the shell looked, no one in their right mind would buy a restaurant that was on the verge of bankruptcy.

      Putting that gloomy thought out of his mind, he focused on what he could control. “All right, Kyle, let’s shut down this beast before something completely lets go in there. I’ll call over to the appliance repair shop and see if they can send someone out today. For now, let’s shift everything into the fridge over in the snack bar.” A scary thought occurred to him, and he said, “Please tell me the walk-in freezer is still working.”

      “Last time I checked it was okay.”

      The hedging answer made Cam laugh, mostly because as much as he wanted to throw a fit, that wouldn’t get any of their equipment fixed. That, and he was just too tired from a long string of sixteen-hour days to summon the energy. “Let’s hope it stays that way. Grab one of the busboys to give you a hand.”

      “You got it, boss.”

      Clearly relieved that someone had arrived with a plan to save the day, Kyle hurried out front to find another set of hands that weren’t already occupied clearing breakfast dishes from the tables. Cam was thumbing through the contact list on his phone when it started ringing in his hand. After checking the caller ID, he answered the call. “Hey, Nat. How’s my favorite little sister?”

      “Busy as a one-armed paper hanger. You?”

      It had been one of their late grandfather’s trademark sayings, and hearing it from her made Cam smile. “Same. I thought Realtors kept their own hours. What’s got you up at the crack of dawn?”

      “I’ve got a hot lead for the building next to the café.”

      Her tone alerted him that there was more to the story, and he got a firm grip on his temper before saying, “I hear a but in there.”

      “They’d like to rent it for a few months to make sure it’s going to work for them.”

      Which meant he’d be stuck in his backwater hometown, playing nice with a tenant he didn’t want in an attempt to keep them happy—and on the hook to purchase it. In the end they might not even buy the building, and he’d be right back where he started. “Not a chance.”

      “I knew you’d say that, but listen to me. Even though Kentucky winters are nothing compared to what you get up in Minnesota, this is a horrible time of year to sell property. After the holidays, no one wants to even think about laying out money like that. When spring arrives in a few months things might get better—but with the economy around here the way it is, you never know.”

      “You mean I might have to wait until spring to get rid of it?” Cam felt a frustrated growl threatening in the back of his throat, and he swallowed to keep it in check. “I have a life to get back to in Minneapolis, y’know. My boss has been real understanding, but once building season starts, he’ll have to hire a new foreman to run the crew.”

      “That’s why I called. At least with a tenant, you’d have some money coming in. Right now, you’re stuck paying utilities and taxes on that place, with no income to offset the expense.”

      Despite the fact that she was telling him something he definitely didn’t want to hear, Cam couldn’t help feeling proud of his younger sister. He’d contributed a fair chunk of her college fund himself, and it was gratifying to see firsthand that she was making the most of her education. With a solid career, a doting husband and an adorable baby named Sophie, Natalie had what everyone wanted.

      Sounded like a dream life for anyone. Except for Cam, of course.

      His ill-fated marriage had been more than enough to sour him on the conventional lifestyle so many of his friends had fallen into. No attachments, no regrets, he’d vowed, even before the ink on his divorce papers had dried. The closer someone got, the easier it was for them to destroy you. Since he wasn’t a masochist, he wasn’t keen on going through that ever again.

      The past was done and gone, so he brushed it aside and got back to the problem at hand. He hated the idea of being a landlord, but considering the fact that there currently weren’t any other options visible on the horizon, he didn’t seem to have a choice. “I guess I should at least meet your clients. When are they coming?”

      “I said you’d meet them there in five minutes.”

      “Thanks for the heads-up, sis.”

      “I know you. If I’d given you more time, you’d have come up with a hundred reasons not to go,” she shot back in a businesslike tone that made him grind his teeth. “This way, it’ll be over soon and you can get on with your day.”

      It wasn’t her fault that his week had started out so badly, Cam reminded himself. So, in the interests of family harmony, he swallowed his frustration and tried to sound appropriately grateful. “You’ve got a point there. Thanks for the lead.”

      “Anytime. When you’re finished, give me a call to let me know how it went.”

      “Will do.”

      Hanging up, Cam checked in the kitchen and was pleased to find that nothing else had gone wrong. His call to the appliance repair shop was picked up by voice mail, so he left a message. Stopping in the cramped office to get a set of keys, he had the nagging feeling that he’d soon be hunting around for a decent used cooler. There was no way he could afford a new one.

      The misty late-December air was cool, but nothing like he’d gotten used to during his ten years up north. On mornings like this, he really missed being part of a crew СКАЧАТЬ