Treasure on Lilac Lane: A Jewell Cove Novel Read Online Free PDF

she could tell, but he dropped his gaze to his hands. “No, thanks. It’s something I have to do myself. But thanks for asking.”
    Tom jumped in again. “He’s got clothes for Goodwill in his truck.”
    Jess frowned. It was good that Rick was donating to charity, but it was so soon. Too soon? Plus there was a problem. The clothing bank drop-off was only open two days a week. She knew because she volunteered there one Saturday a month. And today was not one of those days.
    “You know the drop-off’s closed today, right?”
    Rick’s scowl deepened, creating a wrinkle between his eyebrows. “It is? Damn. I guess I’ll have to unload them again. I don’t want to leave them uncovered in the truck overnight.”
    She imagined how taxing it must have been, lugging boxes with only one good hand. Now he’d have to take them out and put them back again …
    “Jess?” The waitress interrupted. “Your sandwich is up.” She held out a Styrofoam takeout container. “And yours will be here soon, boys,” she said to Tom and Rick.
    Jess took the box. “Thanks, Elaine.” She looked over at Rick. “You know, there’s a women’s shelter that could probably use your things. I could give them a call, and you could drop them off this afternoon.”
    “I think my mom would like that.”
    She felt her heart turn over. No matter Rick’s mistakes, he’d just lost his mom, a woman he’d clearly loved. “Roberta was always helping out with our charity efforts,” Jess said softly. “I think she’d like that, too, Rick. Do you want me to call them?”
    “That’d be nice of you, Jess.”
    He met her gaze. Her stomach did a little flip-flop. No matter the changes in their lives, Rick was still the dark-haired rascal who’d kissed her on the beach in the moonlight …
    She pushed the memory aside. “I’ll arrange it. Do you have a cell? I can call you with the details.”
    Details, heck. She knew exactly what to do and where to go. Because for a few days many years ago she’d slept at the shelter, eaten there, been frightened there. She’d been a quiet supporter of the organization ever since.
    He wrote the number on his napkin and slid it over just as Elaine returned with two plates of crab cakes.
    “I should get back to the store. I had to close while I grabbed lunch.” Jess stood and grinned down at the pair of them, knowing they were dying to cut into the cakes. “Now my chicken salad isn’t looking so tasty.” She put a hand on Tom’s shoulder. “Thanks, Tom. And Rick, I’ll call you in a bit.”
    “Thanks, Jess.”
    She took her boxed sandwich and made her way to the door, her heart clubbing a strange beat. That exchange had been almost civil. Certainly without the biting rancor that generally characterized their conversations.
    Outside the fall air was crisp and golden and she took a deep inhale, returning to her senses. Rick was the guy who’d come to the Memorial Day picnic at her sister Sarah’s with a flask tucked in his pocket, who’d gotten Josh drunk at his welcome home party, and who’d been kicked out of the pub more times than she could count for having one too many. She’d heard he’d gotten three sheets to the wind the night his mom had gone into palliative care, though at least he’d been sober for the funeral.
    She wasn’t stupid. Some people could handle their liquor. She wasn’t opposed to a few glasses of wine with the girls now and again, or a cold beer on a hot summer’s day. But some people couldn’t. And she wasn’t dumb enough to put herself in the middle of that sort of situation again. Not when it had cost her so much.
    She hurried back to the shop and ate her sandwich while searching for her phone book, then took a moment to make the call. Two minutes later she took out the napkin with Rick’s number on it and dialed.
    “Hello?”
    The sound of the café filtered through the phone. “It’s Jess. You’re still at lunch?”
    “Just finishing up.”
    “I’ve got