Lib Novel Page 57
If he had to go to the big box store up on Route One, it would take a lot longer, and the employees would know less than Jared did.
He switched the phone to the car speaker and tried his cousin Aidan.
Aidan was living in the city these days with his little boy, doing high-end custom carpentry in the kitchens and libraries of his wealthy clientele. But he had grown up in Trinity Falls and learned his trade here, so Jared figured he’d know plenty about cheap wooden fencing.
“Jared,” Aidan said, picking up on the first ring. “What’s up?”
“I need to know what supplies to buy to put a gate into a six-foot pine shadow-box fence,” Jared told him.
“Wow, Merry Christmas to you too,” Aidan chuckled.
“Sorry, man,” Jared said. “I normally wouldn’t call you like this, and I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s really important.”
“I think I need to know what the stakes are that have you desperate for this information on Christmas-Eve-Eve,” Aidan teased. “What’s this for?”
“Would you believe me if I told you it’s for true love?” Jared asked.
There was a slight pause.
“You know what?” Aidan said seriously. “I just might. Listen, I’m a little tied up or I’d come take care of it myself. But I can text you a list of everything you’ll need. Is Michael still open?”
“He’s not picking up, but I’m heading there now,” Jared told him. “If he’s closed, I’ll hit the big box on Route One.”
“Sure,” Aidan said. “I guess it’s worth it for true love. See you on Christmas? And your lucky lady too?”
“I really hope so,” Jared said, feeling a little bubble of optimism lift in his chest.
“Drive safe, man,” Aidan said.
An hour later, Jared was driving back toward the countryside, with everything he needed from Michael’s hardware store in the back of his truck.
Michael had sighed when Jared came sprinting in at the last minute before closing, but he had brushed his hands off on his overalls and helped him make his purchases. And he even smiled when Jared slid a few bills into the jar on the counter collecting for Michael’s pet charity, St. Jude’s, on the way out.
Now Jared just had to get to Cora’s place and hope the tools he’d thrown into the back of the truck, along with the extra fence panel and paper bags of fence hardware would be all he needed to get the job done.
Jared had never been a patient man, and just the idea of waiting until New Year’s to talk with Cora and find out if she was going to let him make things right was almost enough drive him out of his mind.
He wasn’t sure she meant it literally when she said that he had to put the gate in before she would talk with him, but he was determined to do everything exactly the way she had said it, so he could show her that he was listening. If that meant putting in this gate today, then he was going to do that.
Pulling up out front of Cora’s place, he was greeted with the sight of the Christmas tree glow from the front window. He longed to run up the porch steps and into the house to see what Sylvester was up to and help with dinner.
But he had work to do right now.
As he carried everything over to the fence, he tried hard not to look in the direction of the house. By now, Sylvester would have heard the truck. Jared didn’t want to get either of them in trouble by waving or smiling at him when Cora wanted space and to talk.
It was getting cold, and the sun would be going down soon, but he’d brought a battery powered light, so at least he’d be able to see.
He rubbed his hands together to warm them, and got to work.
It was just before dusk when his work was complete. Thanks to the tips from Aidan and Michael, he’d been able to put the gate in by himself in just a few hours.
He opened and closed it a few times, hoping that Cora would appreciate that he’d installed the hardware up high on the fence, so it would be harder for Sylvester to open on his own, if he ever got any big ideas.
The sound of light footsteps behind him had Jared’s heart beating a little faster as he got ready to show Cora his work.
But when he turned, it wasn’t Cora standing there.
“Hi, Jared,” Sylvester piped up excitedly, his eyes sparkling. “Can I see the fishing hole?”