Excerpt of Leave Yesterday Behind by Lauren Linwood

Gretchen collapsed on a nearby lawn chair. “You are not kidding me. I could use a cold one.”

Callie had worried about standing around feeling useless. Now she had a job. “I’ll get you something. I’ll get everyone something. Be right back.”

She hurried into the kitchen, pleased that she’d made small talk and actually enjoyed it. She spied a pitcher of iced tea sitting on the counter, but she knew most people would want something a little stronger. As she opened the refrigerator, she heard the kitchen door open behind her. Thinking it was Pam, she said, “Go back and poll the guys if they want beer or wine. I know what you’ll want.”

“That so?”

She popped her head up and found Nick standing there. “I . . . thought you were Pam.”

“Pam sent me in to help. She didn’t think you should have to make so many trips. Don’t worry. I know where everything is.”

“I’m fine. You can go.”

He stayed.

She pulled out several beers and a bottle of white wine and set them on the counter.

“I had you pegged as a white wine kinda gal,” he said.

She stiffened. “For your information, I don’t drink wine. I don’t drink. Period. My daddy did enough drinking for the entire family, and he turned mean when he did it. Mama and I got slapped around enough times because of it. I supposed I’d be prone to it, so I’ve never touched a drop.”

She slammed the refrigerator for emphasis and crossed her arms protectively in front of her.

Now why did she go blurt all that out?

She rarely mentioned her father to anyone, much less the abuse she and her mother endured. She kept opening up to this man at the oddest moments. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why.

Nick’s brow creased. If Callie didn’t know better, she might have thought it was in anger.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

She almost aimed another retort, but she recognized true sympathy on his features. Her heart did a back flip that would have made an Olympic gymnast proud.

“I’m not,” she continued, her voice calming. “When he died, Mom and I came to Noble Oaks. I never felt as safe as I did that first night. I got more than enough to eat, and I was always starving back then. Aunt C herself scrubbed me from head to toe that night, and she read me a story from a fairy tale book. I fell asleep lying in a big bed with clean sheets and frilly curtains hanging around the windows. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

“Noble Oaks has that effect on people.” He acted as if he wanted to share a confidence, but he turned away and opened a cabinet instead. He took out several koozies and slipped the canned beers into them.

“What would you like to drink?” she asked, her anger evaporating.

“Tea would be great.” He swallowed and said hesitantly, “I had a little drinking problem myself at one point. Drugs, too. My mom marched herself into her big league son’s life and straightened me out but good.” He smiled. “I don’t even like to take aspirin nowadays.”

He gathered the beers up in his arms and took them outside. Callie watched out the window as he distributed them to Gretchen, Eric, and Tom. She poured a glass of wine for Pam and two tall glasses of iced tea for herself and Nick as she reflected at his surprising candor.

As she reached the door, Nick came back. “Thanks.” He took the glass from her and gulped a big swig. He turned and headed over to the grill, and he and Eric good- naturedly started teasing about who was the best grill master.

Callie took Pam her wine and then went and sat on a picnic bench.

There was a lot more to Nick La Chappelle than she’d first thought.