Practice Makes Perfect (When in Rome, #2)(28)

A few more blocks and I’m at my destination: Mabel’s Inn.

It’s a gorgeous old Victorian house with a white picket fence around the small lawn. It has the look of a home that was built before the town, and has been a second home to me since childhood. Every Sunday after church, my grandma Silvie would bring us all over here to Mabel’s for lunch. Mabel didn’t go to church, so she was able to spend the whole morning cooking up a huge feast—and I remember thinking how incredibly rebellious she was. Not going to church?! Gasp! I asked her about it once and she just told me, “If I wanted to see a bunch of people wearing fancy clothes and acting fake, I’d go to a steeplechase.” That was that, and I call dibs on being Mabel when I grow up.

The irony is that while Mabel won’t set foot in church, she plays poker with the church ladies at Hank’s Bar every Monday. Unfortunately, she won’t leave here for that event until eight o’clock, so I have to sneak by her.

Instead of following the sidewalk, I hop the side picket fence and plaster my back to the side of the house like Will instructed. No sooner than I’m in place does the front door of the inn open. And then I hear Will’s voice.

“It’s over here, Mabel! Follow me,” he says loudly.

“Well, shit, son. No need to yell. My hearing aids are already turned all the way up,” says Mabel in her scratchy sweet voice that always makes me smile.

“Sorry about that.”

“Apology accepted. Now show me this worrisome piece of siding.”

“Yeah, it’s just over here—” Will’s voice cuts off as he rounds the side of the house where I’m standing.

In unrelated news, I’m not so great at reading maps.

Our gazes meet and Will’s eyes go wide. I frantically start waving him away, and he whirls on his heels just before Mabel turns the corner. “Whoops! Wrong side. Totally forgot it’s…on the other side.” Their shadows are projecting onto the grass, and I see Will place his hands on Mabel’s shoulders and guide her the opposite way.

She whistles lightly. “Now, William. At least take me to dinner first.”

The only person in town who is a bigger flirt than Will is Mabel.

“Believe me, Mabel, if I thought I had a chance…” Will says, making Mabel chuckle and me roll my eyes. Their voices grow more distant, and when I believe the coast is clear, I peek my head around the corner.

Nope.

Not clear.

Of course Noah is walking up the front sidewalk of the inn, holding a pie box. “Mabel? You here?” he hollers.

“Yep! Right here,” she says, coming around to the front of the house and leaving Will on the side.

“Brought your pie.”

“Oh good, just set it on the porch, and come look. William was showing me a bad piece of siding on the house.”

“Really? Didn’t you just have the siding replaced last month?”

Mabel lowers her voice. “Lord, yes. But between me and you, I think the boy is lonely. Inventing excuses to spend time with me and all that. Better come humor him with me.”

“What’s going on?” And that would be the voice of Emily as she walks up to the inn, coming to join the circus. What the Frankenstein are my siblings all doing around town this late? Don’t they have lives?!

“Will is showing us a bad piece of siding on the inn,” says Noah.

Emily scoffs. “No way. I thought Mabel just had it all replaced last month. And Darell is the one who did it. He never does a bad job.”

Looks like I should have brought a tent, at this rate. Sweat is gathering on my neck. My shorts are sticking to my legs. Just how I wanted to show up for this night with Will—as swamp woman.

“Mabel thinks Will is just lonely and is trying to get attention.”

Emily laughs. “I highly doubt that. From what Amelia has said, he has lots of female company whenever he wants it.”

Her statement makes my skin itch uncomfortably.

“What’s going on over here?” Oh geez. Do we really need to throw Harriet into this mix? “Is this another impromptu town meeting without me?” She still hasn’t forgiven Mabel after the last one.

“Does this look like a town meeting, Harriet? Do you ever use your brain?” asks Mabel ruthlessly.

“At least I have one to use! And if it’s not a meeting—why are y’all standing around here?”

“William is going to show me a piece of bad siding.”

“Didn’t you just have the siding replaced last month?”

“Yes,” everyone says in unison, including me under my breath.

Finally, I hear Will’s voice. “Mabel, are you—oh, people. Look at that.” I smile to myself, imagining the look of annoyance on his face. I would bet my entire life savings that he rakes his butterfly hand through his hair.

“Yes, William, the gang’s all here. Now, show us this rotten siding.”

“Good. Right. Glad we all get to see it.” He pauses and clears his throat. “Follow me, everyone.”

I wait three breaths, peek around the corner again, and then hightail it up to room number four. Will’s room.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


Annie





The moment I’m finally inside Will’s room, panic sets in.