Honey I'm Home: Three Creeks, Montana, #3

By Merri Maywether

Winner winner chicken dinner, and that's how the love story of Sarah and Gavin begins.

 

Sarah needs money to buy out her brother's half of the house. He's moved on, but she likes the comfort of living where she was raised. Sarah has been working extra shifts at Keane's pub, and at the rate she is working, she'd easily have the money and full ownership of the house in six months.

 

Within a day, her life falls apart. Her brother wants to sell the house, and she finds out that her boyfriend is spending his free time with another woman. Could it get any worse? Sarah finds out when she buys a lottery ticket–and wins.

 

In this sweet romance, unlikely friendships are formed, and hearts are tested. Some will learn too late to hold onto those you love. If Sarah doesn't pay attention, she might be one of them

• Language: English
• Publisher: Merri Maywether
• Release date: Mar 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386311270

Merri Maywether

Twenty years ago, Merri Maywether went on a date with a very sweet man from Montana. Three weeks later they were engaged and they have lived happily ever after. This is Merri taking over the biography section...When I write my romance novels, the characters are the people that I see on a day to day basis. Up here in what I like to call the far, far north, people work hard, live fiercely, and love knowing that they have a community of people behind them. We support each other through the hardships and celebrate the victories. The best part...similar to the characters in my stories, at the end of a long day or a rough week we have stories to share for the years to come.

Book preview

SMALL TOWN STORIES

Finding Love After Friendship

Second Chance Romance

Homecoming Romance

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Sarah and Gavin’s story starts on the next page.

1

ZUCCHINI CHIPS

Sarah Thompson smiled as she set the glass of iced tea in front of the most eligible bachelor in Three Creeks, Montana. Gavin's amber eyes were glued to the menu in front of him. Every time he came in, she wanted to mess with his well-groomed brown hair. He was so serious. She guessed that was one of the drawbacks of being a lawyer. Sarah often thought he needed someone to help him lighten up.

He didn’t need to read the menu, but Gavin perused the offerings from Keane’s pub every time he sat down to lunch, which was every day for the past five years. His visits may have gone back further. That was when Sarah started as a server there.

Thank you, Sarah. I’ll have the barbecue burger with a salad on the side.

Sarah didn’t need to write the order because she figured out his system two years ago. Tomorrow he’d order the California burger, and the next day he’d ask for the chili burger.

For now, her station was slow. Other than Bernard, the affable older man who sat at her tables as frequently as Gavin, she had no other customers to help. So, she set her notepad in the chest pocket of her denim shirt and took a seat in the chair across from Gavin. How’s life treating you?

He set his elbow on the back of the chair. It would be better if you left that boyfriend of yours. His grin added a hint of playfulness to his voice.

I second that! Bernard Jenson raised his finger in the air. I know an older gentleman who could use a pretty lady friend. The eighty-year-old man made it a habit to flirt with Sarah. Every time she rebuffed him, his blue eyes would sparkle, and he’d wag his finger at her and say, I’ll get you to give in one day.

The bell to the door jingled, and a woman Sarah would best describe as a human Barbie doll walked in. Like the doll, she had long blond hair styled in barrel curls. The buttons on her pink chambray shirt struggled to contain the woman’s virtues. Despite her pink stiletto shoes, she glided across the pub toward Sarah. She bypassed the wooden podium with the plaque that read, Please wait to be seated, and stood in the space between the hostess stand and the serving area. Who would I talk to about ordering takeout?

Sarah was the exact opposite of the woman. She had brown hair that landed on the bottom of her shoulder blades, brown eyes, and she had no problem with the top buttons of her shirt. It was like life handed out beauty in large doses to some women and sprinkled the leftovers to the people in the back of the line. Sarah swallowed her jealousy and pulled out her notepad to take Barbie’s order. I can help you.

The woman’s eyes flickered at something she saw at the door. Can I use the powder room first?

Sarah pointed to the restroom in the corner of the restaurant with her notepad. It's over there.

The woman turned her gaze toward the wooden door that gleamed from a recent polishing and nodded. Thank you.

Sarah held up the menu she had taken from Gavin moments prior and set it on the edge of the hostess stand. You can look at this when you're ready. The woman glided to the restroom. Sarah shrugged and headed to the server’s station to enter Gavin’s order. She noticed that Gavin and Bernard had their attention directed toward the ladies’ room door. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, Men.

Just then, the front door opened, and a ray of light broke into the room. Sarah turned to discern the newest arrival. She recognized who it was before the man stepped away from the light. Her boyfriend Ryan stopped by for a visit. He was the opposite of Gavin. He had unkempt blond hair and light blue eyes. She took one look at the tool belt wrapped around his waist and the scuffs of dirt on his knees and sighed. His work ethic impressed her as much as his recent episode of distance disappointed her. Thanks to a project, her conversations with Ryan had been reduced to the occasional pop-in during his lunch break and good night call before going to sleep. But tonight was going to be different. He promised to grill her a steak and cuddle on the couch to watch whatever movie she wanted.

His eyes scanned the room and stopped on Sarah. When their eyes connected, Sarah waved him over to where she was standing. Because they were in public, she held back against the inclination to kiss him on the cheek. Instead, she rubbed his arm. What did I do to get lucky enough to see you today?

He gave her a curt nod. I stopped by to tell you tonight’s a no-go.

Ryan canceled their plans so much lately it was more of a usual. Sarah tried not to let it get to her. When the power shut down, he was the first person the company called to go out and fix the problem. In anticipation of winter storms, the electric company replaced older poles and conductors. Ryan promised that overtime in the summer would ease the complaints in the winter.

If you want, I can bring something to you for dinner.

The human Barbie came out of the bathroom and stood by the entrance to the restaurant. Sarah picked up her notepad and motioned to meet her.

Tracy, the other server, tilted her head toward Barbie and held up her pad to show Sarah that she’d take the order. Ryan crossed his arms in front of him and kept his focus on Sarah. She found his body language odd. One minute, he was trying to leave, and the next, he was acting like he had something important to say to her. His brows wrinkled, and he said, Don’t bother. The company is having sandwiches delivered.

From over his shoulder, Sarah watched Gavin and Bernard gawk at Barbie. She also noticed that Ryan had seen her but didn’t give her the time of day. That was the difference between a man in a committed relationship and a playboy. Order’s up. The cook’s announcement redirected Sarah’s attention.

I guess we’ll talk later. Sarah sighed and turned to pick up Gavin’s order. She used a hot pad to pick up the plate and twirled to deliver the burger to Gavin.

Her eyes scanned the room to find Ryan. He was nowhere to be found. A pang of disappointment struck her with the realization that Ryan had left without saying goodbye. She shook away the feeling in her gut that said something was off and shifted into server mode.

I’ll be right back with your ketchup. She pointed at Bernard, Do you want a refill on your coffee?

Bernard replied, Did Romeo cancel your plans tonight?

Why would I tell you? Sarah took the ketchup off a nearby table and set it in front of Gavin.

So I could keep you company. Bernard winked.

I bet you could, Sarah laughed at the old man’s persistence.

Gavin chuckled. You can always join us at the town hall. We’re meeting to discuss the zucchini festival.

Shh, Sarah hissed, Don’t say that word too loud. Keane is bent on winning the fried zucchini contest this year. She looked around to make sure nobody was listening. He’s been testing his recipes on the staff. We’re stuffed to the gills.

Jason, Keane’s son, rushed out of the kitchen. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, and his foot caught on the edge of a chair. He tripped, recovered from the fall, and hurried toward the restroom. On his way there, he said, It’s your turn, Sarah.

Tracy scrubbed an invisible stain on a clean table. Sylvie, the newest server on the staff, bent down to pick up something. She remained perched behind a chair and held her finger to her lip to tell the people who gave her curious glances to be quiet. Keane, the owner of the pub, came out of the kitchen with a small plate that held three breaded circles. He wore an apron with the phrase Montana’s best chef embroidered on the front. His dark brown eyes homed in on Sarah. She inhaled a deep breath. Duty calls.

Tracy and Sylvie exhaled sighs of relief.

Sarah crossed the pub and accepted the fork of food Keane offered her. The fried zucchini had a crisp texture from the first bite until she swallowed. A hint of warmth mixed in with herbs she couldn’t identify lingered on her tongue long after she swallowed the food. She grinned her appreciation. This is the best so far.

You’re not just playing with me? Keane’s eyes widened.

No, that recipe is a keeper.

Keane bit his bottom lip and threw out a little fist pump. I can’t wait to tell Jason.

Jason peeked out from the partition that separated the bathroom doors from the general area. When he saw his father was still in the dining area, he ducked behind the wall. The image of the entire staff of Keane’s pub hiding from a zealous zucchini cook tickled Sarah. This was her life. Sure, she had her issues. Everyone did.

Thankfully, life cushioned her problems with a great group of friends that were so close they were almost like family. Keane spun around to return to the kitchen. The half door swung and slowed to a rest. Jason tapped Sarah on the shoulder. I owe you one.

I think eating zucchini every day this week is worth ten I owe yous, Sarah joked.

Jason replied by placing his fingers in his ears and humming before disappearing into the kitchen. As she lifted the water jug to refill people’s water, she thought, I wouldn’t do a thing to change my life.

2

NEED BRACES

Sarah’s cell phone rang and brought her to the present. She was in her car on the way home. The car’s radio system picked up the call. You got a moment? It was her brother Billy. The heaviness in his voice said he hadn’t called for a chat.

What’s up, big brother?

I’m sorry to put this on you, but something came up. Both girls need braces.

Ouch. Sarah did the mental math. That had to cost four to seven thousand dollars. Billy’s teenage daughters Kenzie and Jade were at the age where things were about to get expensive. First came braces. The next thing they knew, Billy would be car shopping for his daughters. Sarah’s stomach lurched just thinking about the costs. She took a deep breath. I have that much saved.

I appreciate the offer, but that’s just a band-aid to our situation.

Sarah leaned back and pushed against the headrest. Billy started the inevitable conversation she tried to avoid. They both had equal shares in their mother’s house. If they sold the house, he’d have the money to pay for his kid’s braces and be able to take care of things around his house. While she didn’t like his proposed solution to his cash flow problem, she understood how he reached it.

Billy moved to Helena to work as a project manager for a construction firm. Sarah, like her mother, preferred the quaint town of Three Creeks, Montana. She got by as a server at the pub. It didn’t pay as much as her brother’s job. However, being a part of a community that cared about her mattered more to Sarah.

She drove by Gavin’s house. When she saw the two-story house with a deck wrapped around the second level, Sarah thought it was a shame he lived there alone. If she had a home that beautiful, she’d have people over for dinner every chance she got. Gavin came out the front door and waved at her as she drove by. Sarah waved back and continued the drive to her smaller house at the end of the block.

Can I haggle you down on the price? Sarah asked. She was only ten thousand dollars short of being able to pay her brother for his half of the house.

You’re saying you have close to a hundred thousand dollars cash?

She did. When their mother died, Sarah squirreled away the money. She knew it was only a matter of time before her brother would want to sell the house so he could collect half the equity. So, she picked up shifts at Keane’s pub and worked as many events as possible. Each table was one tip closer to owning the house where she was raised.

When she was alive, their mother said, Don’t reveal your hand until it is time to count the crib. Their mother would haggle a twenty-five cent yard sale paperback book down to a dime. I’m saying if I had a little more time, I could come up with enough money to buy out your half of the house.

Sarah Jane, you’re killing me.

Sarah chuckled at the pet name. It was her in-trouble name. As a child, it scared Sarah. Her brother picked up the habit after their mother passed and added warmth to it. Or, we sell the house you live in so you have the money to buy a nicer car and have a sizeable down payment on a newer house.

But it wouldn’t be our house, she half whined, half argued. Sarah pulled her car into the driveway. I want you to have a place to take your children. You can say this is the corner where I had to sit when I was in trouble, and this is the window I jumped out of when I tried to sneak out.

Why don’t you ask your boyfriend to help you?

Something more than braces was behind her brother’s request. Ryan and I aren’t like that, she answered. He has his life where he hunts and fishes and does things men do, and I have mine where I do my things.

The house is big enough for the two of you.

It was, and she had suggested combining homes to Ryan. Every time she presented the topic, Ryan’s list of reasons explaining why it wouldn’t work grew longer. He had odd hours. She was neater than him, and his messy habits bothered her.

Sarah replied with the most recent addition to the list, We’re not that kind of couple.

After four years, they were more like best friends than boyfriend and girlfriend. Part of her suspected they would head their separate ways soon. Ryan was more of a brother than a boyfriend. He watched out for her well-being. Sometimes it felt like he did it more out of obligation than wanting to spend time with Sarah. She hoped things would change when he finished his project at work. She stepped out of the car, set her phone to speakerphone mode, and tucked the phone into her bra strap, making it easier to talk and get things done.

"The numbskull you’re dating doesn't know how good he