Treasure on Lilac Lane (Jewell Cove 2)

Indeed. Work was there if someone was inclined to actually look for it. Which hadn’t seemed much of a priority for Rick. At least not until this past summer. He’d been far too busy running up a tab at The Rusty Fern.

“I’m sure there is,” she said, her voice tight. “If he can stay sober long enough, that is.”

“Always nice to see you, Jessica,” Rick replied. His tone said otherwise.

She looked at Tom. “Mind if I pick your brain for a second? I’m waiting for my order and I wanted to ask you about some shelving.”

She watched as Tom looked at Rick, who picked up his napkin and unrolled it, revealing his cutlery. She watched as he placed it on the table precisely using his prosthetic. She swallowed. She knew she should cut Rick some slack. So why wasn’t she able to? Why did she always feel so angry when he was around?

“Don’t mind me,” Rick said. “Pick his brain all you want.”

She pulled out a spare chair and focused on her cousin. “I was thinking of adding some wall shelves to the workroom. Do you think you’d have time for that, and can you give me an estimate?”

“You’re running out of space already?”

She smiled. “Business is good. And rather than stack things on the floor, having it on shelves makes it easier to find and access. Plus I can organize it so that everything for certain classes is in one spot. I probably should have had you do it from the start, but the store shelving was more important.”

“You need it right away? I’m tied up for the next few weeks, and then it’s our honeymoon…”

“Do you think you could do it before Thanksgiving? With all the Christmas materials arriving, I can really use the extra space.”

“That should be doable.” Tom nodded. “I’ll come over and measure and stuff first, and when I get a free day or two, I’ll bring one of the guys and we’ll do it up right.”

She smiled. Tom always came through. Despite tension between the two sides of the family over the last few years, he’d been on her side through it all. Tom had stepped in and built her display counters and shelves, added on a back deck and pergola. He’d believed in her, and she wouldn’t forget that.

“You know, Jess,” Tom mused. “Maybe Rick could put in your shelves. Jack’s not going to have much more work for you, is he, buddy?”

Rick looked startled at the suggestion and Jess’s stomach clenched. She could kill Tom for putting them both on the spot like that. What was she supposed to say?

She looked over at Rick. Tom had helped him get the job with Jack Skillin, too. She felt a little guilty that she didn’t have the faith in Rick that Tom seemed to have.

“He hasn’t given me a pink slip yet,” Rick stated, avoiding her eyes. “Besides, I appreciated the reference before but I don’t need a pity job. Thanks anyway.”

“It wouldn’t be like that. You’d be helping me out,” Tom insisted. “My schedule’s pretty tight.”

Rick met Tom’s gaze. “Sure. That’s it exactly.” He reached for his water. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Jess let out a slow breath. Rick didn’t want to work at her place, either.

“But you’re going to need…”

“How are you making out, Rick?” She interrupted Tom’s persistent voice and softened her own, removing the little bit of condemnation that usually found its way there. He had just lost his mother, after all. And he’d refused the job. Maybe she should give him a break.

He looked up. “Fine. Right as rain.”

Tom butted in. “We were at his mom’s place, taking out boxes.”

Her heart did a strange beat. “Oh. That must

be a hard job. Sorry.” She met Rick’s gaze, surprised to see pain and defiance in the brown depths. “Is anyone helping you go through it? That’s not something you should have to do alone.” Indeed, now that the shelving issue was off the table, she was feeling quite generous. She could probably spare an hour to help. She owed it to Roberta if nothing else.

He was surprised at her offer, she could tell, but he dropped his gaze to his hands. “No, thanks. It’s something I have to do myself. But thanks for asking.”

Tom jumped in again. “He’s got clothes for Goodwill in his truck.”

Jess frowned. It was good that Rick was donating to charity, but it was so soon. Too soon? Plus there was a problem. The clothing bank drop-off was only open two days a week. She knew because she volunteered there one Saturday a month. And today was not one of those days.

“You know the drop-off’s closed today, right?”