Page 27 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“Right, well, I’ll work things out and see how that goes,” Leah said, feeling the comfort of support wrap around her again. It wasn’t easy to accept, but for Hudson’s sake, she knew she needed to at least try. “But right now I want a length of curtain for Hudson’s bedroom window, the old ones are moldy. Anything,” she added quickly at the thought of Zoe finding something she couldn’t afford. “I can sew them. I have Mom’s old machine somewhere.”
Not that she knew how to use it, but it couldn’t be too hard… right?
“That has to be an antique, surely?” Birdie asked.
“It still works.”
Zoe reached under the counter and came up with a package wrapped in brown paper.
“This was an order that was cancelled. It was paid for, so if it’s the right size, you can have it. Myrtle Hemp got it for her grandson but then changed her mind and went for rocket ships. Woman’s got more money than sense. All you need to do is hang them.”
“I’ll pay,” Leah said stiffly.
“For the love of God, Leah. Did you not just hear what Zoe said?” She could hear the exasperation in Birdie’s voice. “It’s been paid for.”
“What will you do with it if I don’t take it?” Leah asked, knowing she sounded suspicious.
Pride had once been all Leah had, and she’d always held on tight to it.
“Put it in that remnants bin by the door,” Zoe said.
She studied the youngest Duke who stood behind the counter and was staring right back at her. Leah knew all kinds of signals were being fired between Birdie and Sawyer behind her.
“Maybe look at it first?” A large male hand reached over her to take the package. “Honestly, I’m probably most qualified to say yay or nay on Hudson’s behalf.”
He tore it open and pulled out the curtains, which were deep blue, and they had Lego bricks all over them.
“Brody would have loved this as a six-year-old. He was into Lego and building shit constantly back then.”
Hudson loved Lego. Leah had picked him up some in a yard sale, and he spent hours building stuff.
“He would love this, but I want to pay.”
“No,” Zoe said, folding her arms. “And run a brush through your hair now and then, for pity’s sake. The old Leah would never have left the house with this in it.” Zoe tugged something from Leah’s curls and held it up for her to look at. It was a leaf.
“Excuse me if I don’t have time to work on my appearance before leaving the house,” Leah snapped.
“I feel like a wrung-out dishcloth most mornings too,” Birdie added, always the peacemaker.
“A really cute one,” Sawyer added.
“You’re so whipped,” Zoe said.
“Right, and you’re not,” he countered.
“Do you have the sizes for Hudson’s windows?” Zoe asked.
She thought about just leaving then but instead sighed, and found the sizes she’d put in her phone earlier, because Zoe was exactly like Leah used to be—forthright. If she felt something needed to be said, she said it.
The curtains were measured and might be a little big, but that was okay as far as she was concerned. Leah left the shop ten minutes later with what she needed and the instructions to hang them. Plus, a pillow in the shape of a rocket that had a small split in the seam that Zoe said she couldn’t sell. Protesting had been hopeless, no matter how loud.
Leah stowed the items in the back seat of her car and then got in the driver’s seat. After starting it, she did a U-turn and headed for Ryder’s cafe. She would get her nephew a treat for when he got home from school.
So much had changed in her little town since she left. There was the chocolate shop that Ryder’s partner, Libby, owned. His cafe was another change. When she’d left, it had been Limpets Bakery, a place you only went to if you wanted to get stomach cramps because the food was so bad.
After parking, she headed inside, still deep in thought about what she’d discussed in Zoe’s shop. Could she make a go of a growing business? Could she lease out the outbuildings or get paid for grazing her pasture? Any money would help, and she didn’t mind hard work to ensure that.
“Hey, Leah,” a voice called.
