Heartbreaker

Nick was wondering when he was going to get a chance to dance with Laurant. He sure as certain wasn’t going to get in line. Being a fiance had a couple of perks, didn’t it? Even if he was all pretend.

Christopher seemed to read his mind. "Why don’t you go get Laurant. The food’s going to disappear fast."

"Good idea," Nick said.

He shouldered his way through the crowd, tapped donut boy on the shoulder, and pulled Laurant into his arms. "I’m cutting in, kid."

Laurant softened the teenager’s disappointment. Leaning to the side, she asked him to save her a dance later, after di

"You’re only encouraging him," Nick told her.

"He’s a sweet boy," she said.

He didn’t want to talk about the kid. He pulled her closer and continued to dance.

"Look like you love me, honey," he instructed.

She laughed. "I do love you, sweetheart."

"I like that thing you’re wearing."

"That thing is called a dress. A sundress to be exact, and thank you. I’m glad you like it."

"Tell me something. If all the men in this town are afraid of you, how come they’re lining up to dance with you?"

"I don’t know" she said. "maybe because they know no. They don’t ask me to go out on dates though. I think Tommy might be right. I might scare them."

"That’s good," he said with smug satisfaction.

"Why?" she asked.

He didn’t answer her question. "Let’s eat," he said.

"Viola and Bessie Jean are waving at us. I think they want us to sit with them."

"Son of a bitch," Nick hissed.

His reaction startled her. "I thought you liked them."

"Not them," he answered impatiently. "I just spotted Lo

"Do I get to say I told you so?" she asked. She found Lo

Nick was searching the crowd for the sheriff. "I don’t see dear old dad," he said.

"Oh, I doubt he’s here. He wouldn’t answer your phone calls all day, and the jail was locked up when we stopped by. I think he’s hiding from you, Mr. FBI Agent," she said.

Nick shook his head. "I’m going to have to do something about him."

"You’ll have to find him first."

"I’m not talking about the sheriff," he replied. "I’m going to have to do something about Lo

"What can you do?"

Nick draped his arm around Laurant’s shoulders and headed for the buffet that was set up behind the bandstand.

"Noah."

"Noah’s what you’re going to do?"

"Uh-huh."

He gri

"Go make Lo

"Okay," he agreed, but as he turned to the tables, he saw Tommy heading for Lo

"Shouldn’t you go help my brother?" she asked, the worry there in her tone of voice.

"He can handle himself."

Lo

Lo

Laurant let out a sigh of relief. As Tommy and Noah headed back to the grill, several men stopped them to shake their hands. One enthusiastic man pounded them on their shoulders.

"Now can we eat?" Nick grabbed two plates, handed one to her,

After they had filled their plates with salads and chips at the buffet table, they joined the Vandermans. The sisters were sitting with the three men who were temporarily living in the house across the street. Bessie Jean scooted closer to Viola so Laurant and Nick could sit on the bench with them.

Viola made the introductions, adding information she’d gleaned from the weary-looking workmen. Two of the men, Mark Hanover and Willie Lakeman, owned farms in northern Iowa and were supplementing their incomes with carpenter jobs. Justin Brady had just purchased his uncle’s land in Nebraska and was diligently trying to pay off the mortgage as soon as possible by picking up extra work. All three men were in their early thirties and all three were wearing wedding rings. The calluses on their hands proved they were hard workers, and the empty cups lined up in front of them proved they were also hard drinkers. Nick leaned his elbows on the table and listened to the three men describing the work at the abbey, all the while sizing them up.

Mark downed a sixteen-ounce plastic cup of beer in two long gulps. Nick understood why the man was drinking so much when Bessie Jean asked him if he had any children.

Mark lowered his gaze to his cup in his hands. "My wife died last year. We didn’t have any kids. We were waiting until we got some of our bills paid off."

Viola reached across the table and patted Mark’s hand. "We’re all terribly sorry about your loss, but you’ve got to get on with your life and try to look to the future. I’m sure your wife would have wanted you to."

"I know, ma’am," he replied. "With the drought, we all have to pick up work whenever we can. I’ve got my parents to look after, and Willie and Justin have families depending on them too."

Willie pulled out his wallet to show off his family, a redheaded wife and three carrot-topped little girls. Justin wasn’t going to be outdone. He carefully removed the photo of his wife and handed it to Bessie lean.

"Her name’s Kathy," he said, pride radiating in his voice. "She’s due to have our first baby August first or thereabouts."

"Are you expecting a boy or a girl?" Laurant asked.

Justin smiled. "Kathy and I decided we didn’t want to know. "We want to be surprised." Glancing over his shoulder at the bandstand he said, "Kathy loves to dance. I sure wish she could be here."

"We’re all putting in fourteen-hour days," Mark said.

"It’s good money, so none of us mind," Justin interjected.

"Justin, we haven’t properly thanked you for helping us with our garden," Viola said. "As busy as you are, you made time to lend us a hand. I believe I’ll bake you a nice chocolate cake. It’s my specialty."

"That’s very kind of you, ma’am, but we’re putting in long hours at the abbey, and I won’t be getting home until after dark. I sure do love chocolate cake though."

Viola beamed. "Well then, I’m baking you one. I’ll just leave it on your doorstep or put it in your kitchen."

Mark started talking about all the work they still had to get done before the a

"Hey, I’m doing my part," Justin said. "The fumes from the varnish collect in that loft and make me light-headed. That’s why I take more breaks than you guys."