Take a Walk With Me Read online

  “Thank you, Mrs. Robbins,” Mr. Bryant chuckled. “I see you’ve met my grandson Jesse already.”

  “Jesse Bryant,” the grandson added.

  “Yes, we did,” Dottie confirmed, nodding to the handsome woodchopper. Looking to Cozy, she said, “And this is my granddaughter Cozy. It’s Cosette, actually…but she prefers Cozy.”

  Mr. Bryant offered his hand to Cozy, and she accepted it. “It’s nice to meet you, Cozy,” he said.

  “You too,” she said, smiling.

  Mr. Bryant looked from Dottie to Cozy and back. “And what brings you ladies out tonight?”

  “We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood,” Dottie answered. “I baked some banana bread earlier, and we thought you might enjoy a little something yummy.”

  Dottie nudged Cozy with her elbow.

  “Oh!” Cozy exclaimed, having completely forgotten that she was the one holding the two small loaves of bread. “Here you go,” she said, offering the loaves to Mr. Bryant.

  “I’ll take them,” Jesse said.

  Cozy was mortified when she felt her hands trembling as she handed the bread loaves to Mr. Bryant’s grandson. She hated the fact that good-looking men made her jittery, but for some reason they did. Furthermore, Jesse Bryant was extraordinarily good-looking—almost sinfully so. She watched as he placed the loaves on top of a small bookcase situated nearby.

  “Well, come on in and sit a spell, ladies,” Mr. Bryant said, motioning toward the comfortable room nearby. “You can’t come bearing gifts and not sit down for a minute.”

  “Well, we really should be getting back to—” Cozy began, wanting only to escape.

  “We’d love to visit!” Dottie interrupted, however. “If it wouldn’t be an imposition, that is.”

  “Of course not,” Mr. Bryant assured her.

  Cozy watched Mr. Bryant stride into the room—watched her grandma follow. She paused, still uncertain that they should indeed linger, but when Jesse Bryant gestured that she should precede him, she nodded and stepped in.

  “Have a seat,” Mr. Bryant said, pointing to a sofa near the fire as he sat down in a worn lounge chair opposite them. Jesse Bryant simply sat down on the floor, leaned back on one elbow, and stretched his long legs out over the carpet.

  “Jesse helped me get the fireplace and chimney all cleaned up today,” Mr. Bryant said. “We chopped some wood and got some leaves raked.”

  “It sounds like you’re settling right in,” Dottie chirped.

  “Yep. Nice and cozy,” Mr. Bryant agreed.

  Cozy smiled, for she had not missed the twinkle in Mr. Bryant’s eyes that was mirroring the one in her grandma’s. She hadn’t seen such pink color in her grandma’s cheeks for years either. Mr. Bryant and her grandma were definitely attracted to one another, and it made Cozy’s heart swell with delight.

  Mr. Bryant’s house smelled like cedar and furniture polish. Cozy’s smile broadened as she thought of how entirely masculine the atmosphere was. Her grandma was right—it was a very tidy home.

  Rather inadvertently, she glanced to Jesse Bryant. Her heart fluttered a little as she noticed the knowing grin lingering on his handsome face as he too seemed to be aware of the invisible sparks flying back and forth between their grandparents. He appeared to be as amused and pleased as Cozy felt, and she was glad. Though it was somewhat difficult to imagine her grandma harboring a crush on someone, it would be a wonderful thing for her.

  Cozy began to imagine all kinds of scenarios then—such as the possibility of her grandma and Mr. Bryant truly falling in love. He seemed to be a very nice man. He was well-mannered and polite—and handsome. Still, Cozy knew she shouldn’t hope for too much. Chances were slim that they would be so perfectly matched as to find instant joy with one another. Yet, at the same time, she thought that perhaps a little nurturing of the idea on her part couldn’t hurt too much.

  “Do you live nearby, Jesse?” Cozy heard her grandma inquire.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jesse answered. “Not too far away…about four miles.”

  “Oh, that’s so good,” Dottie said. Returning her attention to Mr. Bryant, she said, “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have family close.”

  “Me neither,” Mr. Bryant said. He looked to his grandson and smiled. “Jesse’s a good man. I appreciate him more than he knows.”

  Jesse nodded, implying that he appreciated his grandfather just as much.

  “So you live nearby too, Cozy?” Mr. Bryant asked.

  “I live up on the west side,” Cozy answered. She was beginning to relax a little. “But it’s not too far.”

  “I like it up there too. But I can tell I’m gonna love it down here by the river,” Mr. Bryant sighed. “I don’t know why I waited so long to move.”

  “Oh, it’s just wonderful down here! I’ve lived in this area…oh, almost fifty years. I could never leave,” Dottie said.

  “Well, I certainly hope not,” Mr. Bryant said, winking at Dottie. “After all, good neighbors are hard to come by these days.”

  “Yes, they are,” Dottie giggled.

  Instinctively, Cozy looked to Jesse. He was looking at her, the same knowing grin on his face. His eyebrows arched slightly as if to say, Are you seeing what I’m seeing? and Cozy smiled, offering a slight nod of assurance.

  “I’m assuming you’re retired, Mrs. Robbins,” Mr. Bryant said.

  “Dottie…please call me Dottie,” Dottie said.

  Mr. Bryant smiled, nodded, and said, “I’m assuming you’re retired, Dottie.”

  “Yes and no,” Dottie answered. “I was fortunate enough to be a wife and mother…and now a grandmother. So my children are grown, yes. But my grandchildren…well, that’s still a job.”

  Mr. Bryant chuckled. “Yes, it is. Indeed it is.” He looked to Cozy then, and she fancied his eyes bathed her in the sensation that he could look right through a person. “And how about you, Cozy? What do you do?”

  Cozy shrugged. “Well, right now I still have two semesters of college before I’ll have my degree. So I work at the Morning Star Café on the west side.”

  “Waitress?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s a rough job.”

  “Sometimes. But the tips are pretty good there,” Cozy explained.

  “And she’s an artisan!” Dottie added, smiling proudly.

  “Really?” Mr. Bryant asked, his smile broadening.

  “No…not really,” Cozy said as she felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She playfully glared at her grandmother.

  “Yes, you are, sweet pea!” Dottie corrected. Looking to Mr. Bryant, she said, “Cozy makes Christmas tree ornaments. They’re quite the trendy little novelty.” Frowning with curiosity, she looked to Cozy once more and asked, “How many orders did you end up filling this year?”

  “Seven hundred,” Cozy answered. Looking to Mr. Bryant, however, she shook her head and said, “It’s really nothing to speak of.”

  “Sure it is!” Dottie argued enthusiastically. She looked back to Mr. Bryant, saying, “She’s paid for four semesters of college tuition with her little walnut ornaments.”

  “Really?” Jesse Bryant asked. He wore an expression of being impressed.

  “W-well, yes…but it’s really nothing,” Cozy stammered.

  “It doesn’t sound like nothing,” Mr. Bryant chuckled.

  “I keep telling her she should be proud of what she’s done with them,” Dottie said. “But for some reason, she likes to keep it a secret most of the time.”

  “Well, now I’m curious,” Mr. Bryant said.

  “Me too,” Jesse agreed.

  “Do you have any with you?” Mr. Bryant asked.

  “Um…no. I don’t really carry them around,” Cozy answered. She could feel her face turning redder and redder. She couldn’t believe her grandmother had brought up the subject of her ornaments.

  “Well, I’d like to see one next time you’re over at your grandmother’s,” Mr. Bryant said.

 
“Really?” Cozy asked. “But…they’re kind of a girl thing. The only men I sell to are usually buying them for the wives and girlfriends and stuff.”

  “Men like Christmas too,” Mr. Bryant teased with a wink. “In fact, Jesse here does my Christmas lights every year. He’s an electrician, you know, and a master at lighting a house up for the holidays. My place won the neighborhood lighting award for four years running.”

  “Wow, really?” Cozy asked, smiling at Jesse.

  “Yep,” he confirmed with a nod.

  “Oh, I haven’t had lights up for years,” Dottie wistfully sighed. “Not since my husband died.”

  “Well, we can’t have that, Dottie,” Mr. Bryant said. “I’m sure Jesse here would be willing to put up a few lights for you too. Wouldn’t you, Jesse?”

  “Of course,” Jesse agreed.

  “Oh, no! I couldn’t ask you do to that,” Dottie argued.

  “You didn’t ask me,” Jesse said. “I volunteered. I’ll be over here half a day doing Grandpa’s…so I can toss a few strings up for you too, if you like.”

  “Really? That would be so wonderful!” Dottie exclaimed.

  “Grandma…you can’t ask him to—” Cozy began.

  “Oh, let him do it,” Mr. Bryant said. “He doesn’t have anything better to do that day, right, Jesse?”

  “Right,” Jesse confirmed.

  “Well, I’m sure that’s not true, Mr. Bryant…but—” Dottie began.

  “Buck,” Mr. Bryant interrupted.

  Cozy stifled a giggle as she saw her grandma blush with delight. “Buck. I’m sure he’s got plenty of other things needing his time and attention.”

  “Nope. He’ll do your lights. He’d love to,” Buck assured her.

  “Well, then I’d love to have him do it!” Dottie chirped.

  Cozy smiled as she looked to Jesse to see him shrug broad shoulders. He winked at her, and she understood he was as amused as she was at the way their grandparents had assigned his time and labor with very little input from him.

  “I guess we should be going,” Dottie said then. “We don’t want to overstay our welcome.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that would be possible,” Buck flirted, winking at Dottie.

  Cozy giggled when her grandma blushed again.

  “You’re very kind, Buck. But I promised Cozy some peace and quiet tonight before she goes home…so we better get back.”

  Cozy stood as her grandmother did. She was impressed when both men politely rose to their feet as well.

  “Let me get the door for you,” Jesse said, striding toward the entryway.

  “Come over any time the thought strikes you, Dottie,” Buck said, offering Dottie his hand.

  Dottie blushed again as she took his hand and said, “Thank you.”

  “You too, Cozy,” Buck said, nodding to Cozy.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Robbins,” Jesse said as Dottie started out the door.

  “Oh now, you call me Dottie,” she said, playfully patting the younger man on one broad shoulder.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jesse chuckled. He turned to Cozy then, smiled a smile of pure masculine allure, and said, “Nice to meet you too.”

  “Have a good evening,” Cozy managed to answer as she followed her grandmother over the threshold.

  “Good night, ladies,” Buck called after them.

  “Thank you. You too,” Dottie called over her shoulder as she and Cozy turned left on the sidewalk.

  “Cozy,” Dottie began as Cozy took her arm as they walked.

  “Yes?” Cozy asked. She seemed to know what was coming next, and a giggle tickled her throat.

  “I think I’m in love!” Dottie sighed. “I have butterflies in my stomach. Real butterflies! I haven’t had butterflies in years and years.”

  Cozy laughed. “He’s quite dashing, Grandma. And I think he likes you too.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  Cozy nodded. “Yes. It’s obvious.”

  Dottie smiled, glanced to Cozy a minute with an expression of suspicion, and asked, “And what do you think of that grandson of his? Quite the dreamboat, isn’t he.”

  “Quite the dreamboat,” Cozy agreed. Still, she wanted to change the subject. She knew exactly what her grandma was thinking and knew she couldn’t allow her to keep thinking it. Her grandmother was thinking Mr. Bryant’s handsome grandson would be the perfect match for Cozy. She always thought any good-looking twenty-something would be the perfect match for her, and Cozy didn’t want her getting her hopes up again. “Is everyone coming for Thanksgiving this year, Grandma?” she asked in an effort to divert the course of their conversation.

  “Not quite everyone,” Dottie answered, having taken the bait. “I haven’t heard from your Aunt Carol as to whether they’ll be able to make it.”

  “Well, I’m excited either way,” Cozy said. “I swear…why is it people only make pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas? I’m salivating just thinking about it.”

  “Me too,” Dottie said. “Me too.”

  Dottie glanced to Cozy as they entered the house together. She knew exactly what Cozy was doing—avoiding conversation about Buck Bryant’s handsome grandson, that’s what. But Dottie Robbins was not one to be so easily dissuaded. She liked the look of that young man—liked the character he showed by being so loyal and helpful to his grandfather. It was high time Cozy had some excitement and romance. She spent far too much time agonizing over money and school. She needed a handsome boyfriend to level everything out for her—to give some balance to her life. With any luck, Dottie figured she might be able to put Jesse Bryant in Cozy’s way enough to have her stumble right into some. He didn’t look married—wore no wedding ring. Dottie had been sure to notice. Furthermore, it seemed he had extra time on his hands. If he had time to put up Christmas lights on not only his grandfather’s house but Dottie’s as well, then the young man needed something in his life too.

  “Let’s have us a couple of slices of banana bread, shall we?” Dottie asked, closing the front door behind her and Cozy.

  “Definitely!” Cozy exclaimed.

  “All right then. You slice a few pieces for us, and I’ll light some of the new votives on the mantel. Oh! And flip on the stereo too, Cozy. Something soothing, okay?”

  “Okay, Grandma,” Cozy agreed.

  Dottie sighed as she went to the small table in the dimly lit family room at the front of the house and retrieved a box of matches from the drawer in it. Yep, Cozy needed some romance—and Dottie decided then and there that maybe Jesse Bryant would be just the right man to fit the bill. After all, he didn’t look like a psychopathic killer or some hit man for the mob.

  “So I’m thinking you like that little lady,” Jesse suggested as his grandfather watched through a slit in the curtains of the entryway as the lady next door and her granddaughter walk up the sidewalk.

  “You’re thinking right, boy,” Buck chuckled.

  “Well, we better see if her banana bread is any good then,” Jesse said, picking up one of the small loaves of bread he’d placed on the bookcase in the entryway. Removing the plastic wrap, he simply tore the loaf of sweet bread in half, handing one half to his grandfather.

  Buck bit into the bread and smiled. “Yep. She bakes a mean banana bread,” he mumbled.

  Jesse laughed as he took a bite. He felt his own eyebrows arch in approval.

  “I guess the jury’s in then, Grandpa,” he said.

  “I think so,” Buck chuckled.

  Jesse couldn’t keep from smiling. The light in his grandfather’s eyes was brighter than he’d seen it in years. Maybe this Dottie Robbins would keep it there. He’d been worried about having talked his grandfather into selling the old house and moving down to the valley. He knew it wasn’t always a good thing for older people to relocate. Still, Jesse had hoped the change would help pull his grandpa out of the sadness he’d dipped into over and over again since his grandmother had passed away.
It looked to be helping too, though Jesse wondered for a moment whether it was really the move that had caused the change in Buck or the presence of the sassy little neighbor lady.

  “She’s got a pretty granddaughter too,” Jesse offered. “And you’ve always wanted a granddaughter to fuss over.”

  “I have, haven’t I?” Buck chuckled.

  Jesse nodded. “Yes, you have.” He was hopeful in his grandfather’s good mood. He’d definitely take an extra day off work to put up Dottie Robbins’s Christmas lights—especially if it meant his grandpa could be over visiting with her while he did it.

  Suddenly, he frowned a moment. “Grandpa…did she say her granddaughter paid for college making walnut ornaments?”

  “I think she did say walnuts,” Buck confirmed.

  “Must be some fancy walnuts,” Jesse mumbled, taking another bite of banana nut bread. He smiled as he chewed, wondering if the walnuts in the banana bread had any relationship to the ones the girl had used to pay for college.

  Chapter Three

  “Yep. Rosemary and I raised the boy from a pup,” Buck said as he sat at Dottie’s kitchen table enjoying a mug of mulled cider. “Our oldest boy, Jerry, and his wife, Jesse’s parents, were killed in a car accident when Jesse was fifteen. His brothers were much older than Jesse—already in college, all three of them. Me and Rosemary were named as guardians in the will.” Buck paused. He smiled, but Dottie knew his heart was aching for his lost wife and son. She thought of her own beloved Marvin. She still missed him.

  “But if you ask me, Jesse’s turned out better than any of his brothers,” Buck sighed. He shook his head. “Those other three…let you me tell you, they need to work on straightening out their priorities a bit. All they want is money, money, and more stuff. But Jesse…he’s different. Believe me, he’s ambitious enough. He’s got a very successful electrical business of his own. Still, he values people more than money. I like to think he got that from me…but I know its Rosemary’s influence on him.”

  The tale of Buck’s oldest son—of Jesse’s father and mother—it was heartbreaking. Still, Dottie knew a person didn’t live as long as she and Buck had without knowing loss and pain. She had her own, after all. In that moment, however, she was certainly thankful she’d never had to endure losing a child.