The Old Fashioned Way (A Homespun Romance) Read online

  This morning she had been sure Daniel Hawthorn would produce a solution to Gran's problems. Far from pulling the rabbit she wanted out of his hat, the man had unsettled her, revived memories of a marriage that hadn't worked. Made her feel stupid.

  Abby reached for another chocolate as her mind went back to the seminar. Daniel Hawthorn's first words had been, "If your business is in trouble refer to the list in my handout."

  She tried to recall the list.

  Self-confidence was the first trait on it. Abby's had shriveled in the course of her marriage, and she had no idea what to do about it. Maybe she should have asked the so-positive Mr. Daniel Hawthorn if he gave seminars on self-confidence as well.

  Motivation was next. She had plenty of that. The Busy Bee had to stay open, no matter what it took. It wasn't only a retail enterprise. It was a life support system for people in Gran's age group who gathered there to talk and network.

  Decisiveness had been the third word on the list. Abby ran a hand through her hair. Her decision-making abilities were on par with her self-confidence. Non-existent. Rod had contradicted everything she had said or done till it had become easier to simply leave the decisions to him.

  Trying to focus on what came next, Abby drew a blank. Oddly enough all she remembered the way Daniel Hawthorn's suit had matched his dark brown hair more clearly than she remembered anything else he'd said. His expression had conveyed sympathy. She must have imagined the concern in his eyes. The caring. Big successful business sharks didn't care about floundering guppies.

  Abby reached for another chocolate.

  There was a time when he'd thought success and public approval added up to happiness. Lately, Daniel hadn't been so sure. At thirty four, it was time to stop and discover the reason behind his discontent before it was too late.

  Daniel sat in front of the store, staring at the sign above it. The Busy Bee. It was a strange name for a store. It had taken a while to find. The signs beside the road, advertising the craft store, hadn't been very big. A sweeping glance showed that except for his car, the parking lot was empty. Abby Silver's problems were genuine.

  Had he had bitten off more than he could chew?

  "You can always turn around and leave Hawthorn. You're on vacation, remember?"

  Today, his first free Saturday in ages, he had wrestled with his decision to stop at Carbon Canyon. As he'd packed his things this morning, he'd realized whichever way he looked at it he knew he had to make this stop. It was the only way he'd be able to enjoy the rest of his vacation.

  He had left L.A. at three. It was almost five now. Daniel looked at the painted sign in front of the store. The Busy Bee stayed open till six on Saturdays and Sundays.

  Daniel noticed the huge stuffed giraffe staring at him. He wasn't positive he could name all the other items in the window. Some pieces looked like lace, others had flowers and scenes on them. So, this was the kind of merchandise a craft store carried. How large could the market for this kind of stuff be?

  Behind the store, a little to the right, was set another larger building, with a well tended front lawn. Abby Silver's house?

  Turning, he looked at the German Shepherd in the seat beside him. Patting the dog's head he said, "I won't be long, Princess. Stay."

  The cool evening breeze ensured Princess would be comfortable with the window down. Stopping at a rest area two miles back to give her a drink of water and let her stretch her legs had been a good idea.

  As soon as he found Abby Silver he would ask her if he could let Princess out. On the end of a long leash the dog would be quite happy under the enormous tree in the yard. Making a quick assessment of the situation and giving his recommendations shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.

  Abby smiled at Mrs. Jacobs as she handed her a bag. "I'm sure your daughter's going to love the lace tablecloth."

  The woman nodded, "All Clara's got in her house is an old plastic cover. She's always loved nice things. Losing the baby was very hard on her. I wanted something really pretty to cheer her up. You're sure you don't mind my paying for this with the eggs, Abby? I'll bring in a fresh dozen twice a week."

  Abby looked at the careworn face, the anxiety in the faded blue eyes. Gran had started the barter system for people like Mrs. Jacobs.

  "We don’t mind," she said gently. "Don't worry about it."

  As Mrs. Jacobs left, Abby glanced at her list of things to do. She had to put some more stuffed toys out. Picking up the box that held them, Abby looked around for the best spot to display them.

  From the community room, to the right of the shop, came the background murmur of voices. She could picture the scene in there. Gran with her sewing circle in one corner. Hamish's wood whittling group busy in another. Mrs. Patel, by the window, bent over her sewing machine, her glasses perched on the edge of her nose. There were others too, people who came by bus, to work as a group on their hobbies or attend the classes or simply to talk.

  Carbon Canyon Vista was a very popular retirement community. Opening The Busy Bee, had been Gran's way of forming a vital network for people her age. A network that was in danger of extinction now. Abby's eyes dimmed. Mr. Hawkins the manager of the bank had been most apologetic over the telephone this morning, but he could no longer extend them time or credit.

  The store had been opened in the hope they would be able to pay their bills with the income. The last few months there hadn’t been any and now Gran’s savings were almost gone.

  Of the four weeks they had left to come up with some cash, three days had already dripped away like water from a leaking faucet.

  The sound of a car pulling up in front of the store, brought Abby's head around. She hoped it was another customer.

  Daniel ducked his head as he pushed the swing door open. It reminded him of the ones he'd seen in western movies. When the hero went through them, trouble always followed.

  "What are you doing here?"

  The breathless voice was familiar. He turned his head and saw her behind the cash register.

  "Hi!"

  He liked the jewel brightness of the green dress Abby Silver wore. Though the loose shape hid her body completely, its color suited her to perfection.

  "I was just...er..passing by...and thought..er...I'd stop by and take a look at your store." What on earth was wrong with him? He never stammered.

  "Why?" Abby's heart had jumped into her throat at the sound of his voice. There was no real reason for him to be here. No real reason for the fact her voice was so shaky.

  "I thought I might be able to give you a few constructive suggestions, if I saw the store... maybe took a quick look at the accounts."

  Stunned, Abby kept quiet. She had never imagined this in her wildest dreams. Daniel Hawthorn, business genie, was actually here, in The Busy Bee.

  There had to be fairy godmothers after all.

  It was the shock, Abby told herself, that had her body reacting exactly the way it had on Friday. Her mouth was dry, her heart pounded, and her skin tingled. She barely registered what Daniel Hawthorn said.

  "Ms. Silver?"

  Abby shook her head to clear it. The action didn't help. "Yes?"

  "Would you like to show me around?"

  One of his opening remarks at the seminar had been, "Business and emotion never mix. The latter bogs down the former."

  Determined to prove she could be as businesslike as anybody else, Abby nodded.

  "Yes, of course."

  He had never been in a craft store before. The Busy Bee had none of the musty-antique-store atmosphere he'd imagined. The handmade items were displayed with classic, eye-catching elegance. Most of the merchandise was like the stuff in the window. There was a small section devoted to craft supplies, another area to the most beautiful hand carved animal figures he had ever seen.

  "Are these made here?" Daniel couldn't resist reaching out to touch a wooden doe.

  "Yes." He heard the pride in her voice clearly. "A few craftspeople bring things in to sell us, but most
of the items we stock are made on the premises."

  He made no other comments as they walked through the store. Gradually Abby's nerves settled enough for her senses to come into play. The citrusy smell of lime coming from Daniel Hawthorn was very pleasant. He wore a sky blue tee shirt and fawn slacks. His tousled hair made her wonder if he had been driving with the window down.

  This version of the man disturbed her more than the one she had seen on Friday. Then, his suave sophisticated look had reminded her of Rod. She had felt her defense mechanism crush the spurt of attraction she felt for him. Now he seemed warm, approachable, homey. She had no defense mechanism against that.

  "Ms. Silver?"

  She looked at the door of the community room with a start. When had she stopped talking?

  She pushed the door open. "Through here is the community room where most of the things are made."

  As they walked in, Daniel looked around the enormous room in disbelief. It was a beehive of activity. The next instant, another fact registered. With the exception of Abby and himself none of the people in the room were under sixty.

  A woman came towards them briskly and Abby said, "Gran, this is Mr. Hawthorn, a business consultant in Los Angeles. Mr. Hawthorn, this is my grandmother, Sarah Trenton, one of the other owners of The Busy Bee."

  One of the other owners? How many partners were there in all? He'd been under the impression he would be dealing with Abby Silver.

  Daniel shook hands with Sarah Trenton, heard her say, "Welcome to The Busy Bee, Mr. Hawthorn."

  Diminutive, white hair in a bun, green eyes smiling a welcome. There was nothing about Sarah Trenton to remind him of his own grandmother, but she did. Daniel stiffened. The uneasiness he'd always experienced around his grandparents, surfaced.

  "Are you visiting relatives in Carbon Canyon?" he heard Sarah Trenton ask.

  "Just driving through," Daniel said firmly. "I'm on vacation."

  What was the matter with Abby Silver now? She had her I-know-you-won't-be-able-to-help-us-look in place.

  Daniel tried to squash the guilt he felt.

  "Where are you going to spend your vacation?" Obviously Sarah Trenton didn't feel her questions were out of line.

  "Yosemite." That had come to him at the spur of the moment.

  Sarah Trenton frowned. "Surely you don't plan on getting there tonight? It's going to be dark in a couple of hours and those mountain roads are treacherous, with the fog. Why don't you have dinner and spend the night with us? It will be no bother at all for a friend of Abby's."

  Beside him, Daniel heard a sharp gasp of surprise. Before he could turn down Sarah's invitation, he heard Abby Silver say, "Mr. Hawthorn has a very busy schedule. He can't stay." The words were followed by a light touch on his arm. "Let me show you out."

  Daniel stared at her. Her eyes held a warning he couldn't understand. I want you to leave. Now.

  He didn't want to stay, but neither did he want someone else making the decision for him. Irritation crackled through him as he nodded to Sarah Trenton and hurried after her granddaughter.

  CHAPTER TWO

  "Wait, just a minute."

  The hand he placed on her shoulder when they were back in the shop, stopped Abby Silver. She spun around to face him, her color bright.

  "Why are you rushing me out of here as if the place is on fire?"

  "Because I saw the way you looked when I told you Gran was a partner in the store."

  "And what way was that?" Did Abby Silver think she could read his mind?

  "Horrified."

  She could read his mind. Horrified described exactly how he felt. Dealing with someone like Abby was different from dealing with her grandmother. He knew that from experience.

  "I thought you owned the shop."

  Abby held the door open. "I own a quarter of it."

  "I still don't understand why you're rushing me out like this."

  She looked at him and then away, but not quickly enough. Daniel saw the anger in her eyes.

  "For someone to help The Busy Bee they have to understand and accept Gran and our friends. You said at your seminar that business and emotion are like oil and water. Here at The Busy Bee, they're not. Take away emotion and there would be no need to keep the store open."

  She had touched a nerve, hinting he was a stranger to emotion.

  "And you think I won't understand that?" Daniel asked.

  Her eyes looked at him from head to toe, "Absolutely not."

  "Why?"

  "Your talk that day. You never mentioned the human factor in relationship to business."

  Daniel stared at her. He hadn't considered the human factor before. For success one had to separate the two.

  After a moment she said slowly. "You're a big successful businessman, Mr. Hawthorn. We're not in your league. Our small store isn't run on any hard and fast rules laid down by a man who has no idea how we operate. At The Busy Bee we make our own rules as we go along bending them to meet the needs of our customers, who in a community as small as this happen to be our friends and neighbors. We couldn’t take a clinical approach with them any more than we could follow your textbook guidelines for success. It would only upset you to have anything to do with us."

  Except for pushing him out, she was doing her best to get him to leave.

  "You think I'm beyond understanding someone like your grandmother?"

  Abby Silver took for granted what he had just begun to suspect. That he was out of touch with the complexity of human relationships. What she didn't know was he intended to do something about it.

  "I think you've reached a stage in your life where you don't have time to care about people. Not people like us anyway. What's a small store in Carbon Canyon going to do for your image? You're better off helping a firm that will bring you publicity, increase sales of your books, get you more requests to speak."

  Daniel hadn't been so smash-something angry in a while. That she had drawn such a perfect picture of him didn't help. He turned on his heel and headed back to the community room.

  "Where are you going?"

  Daniel ignored Abby's cry.

  Adrenalin coursed through Abby as she watched Daniel Hawthorn disappear. What was it about the man that made her forget everything and say what was on her mind?

  She couldn't go after him and make a scene in the community room. One look at her, and Gran and some of the others would know how upset she was. Whatever Daniel Hawthorn had to say to them would have to be said on his own. Mixed with the flicker of apprehension was a tremor of inexplicable excitement. She'd better get back to work. Abby went back to arranging the soft toys she'd taken out of the box.

  Everyone looked up as he pushed open the door of the community room. For a moment Daniel wanted to turn and run. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. He was no good with people in this age group. If communication became a problem, that would impede progress.

  As silence spread across the room, Daniel looked at Sarah Trenton and said, "I'd like to take you up on that invitation to stay for dinner."

  He decided to wait till after dinner to offer to look at the books. Maybe food would change Abby Silver's disposition.

  Sarah looked at him intently and then said, "We'll eat in half an hour. Why don't you let Abby show you around till then?"

  Daniel looked behind him, but she wasn't there.

  "I wonder where Abby is," he heard Sarah Trenton say.

  "I'll find her," Daniel turned away quickly.

  Don't bite off more than you can chew, Hawthorn. You need time for yourself, remember?

  That he did. But Daniel knew he couldn't concentrate on himself till he took care of this matter.

  "You're a good dog aren't you?"

  Daniel had never heard Abby Silver use that tone of voice before. Gentle, soft, tender. She stood by the door of the store, her gaze on the sole occupant of his car.

  Stepping to her side at the edge of the verandah he said, "That's Danube Princess. Would you like to
meet her?"

  Abby hadn't gotten over her surprise at seeing the dog. "I didn't think you'd have a dog."

  "You mean I'm not the dog type?" he asked dryly.

  That was exactly what she had thought. People kept dogs for companionship. To dispel loneliness. Daniel Hawthorn looked as if he never needed anything or anybody. Embarrassment had bright color flooding Abby's face.

  As Daniel stepped forward, the German Shepherd stood up on the car seat and gave a whimper of delight. There was no doubt about the affection the dog had for its owner.

  "Good girl," Daniel said patting the dog. "Good girl."

  The warmth in his voice was real. Abby frowned. He seemed so different from the successful businessman she had seen the first day. Which was the real Daniel Hawthorn?

  "Come and meet her."

  "Princess," Daniel commanded, as Abby reached his side. "Shake hands with Abby." Looking at Abby he said, "Put your hand out, please."

  The dog put a paw into Abby's outstretched palm and Daniel's hands covered both theirs. "Good girl, Princess. Remember, Abby's my friend."

  Abby felt her face burn. Daniel's touch was warm, but impersonal. There was no reason for her heart to tick like a time bomb.

  "She knows you now, but don't risk trying to approach her when I'm not around."

  If Daniel Hawthorn looked at her he would see how flustered she was. Abby bent her head. Her gaze fastened on his hands, narrowing at the sight of the scars there. Surgery scars.

  As if he'd realized she was staring at them, Daniel Hawthorn let her hand go, stood up, and slipped both his hands into the pockets of his pants.

  To Daniel's surprise, Abby brought her hand up and let Princess sniff it, before beginning to tickle her neck. "You're a sweetheart, aren't you?"

  Princess sat with her eyes half closed, her tongue hanging out. It was her happy look.

  Daniel stared at the picture. Princess never let anyone fondle her, not even Ed, the assistant he'd had for the last three years.

  "She likes you."

  Abby's face was hidden behind the curtain of hair. "Maybe it’s because she can smell my dog on me."