Rather than yell back, or get red in the face, Mitch folded his hands against his stomach and smiled. “I like you, Cal.”

“What?” What in the world was Bryony’s brother talking about? Whether or not he liked Cal had nothing to do with supporting the young people of Fieldstone. Mitch Green must be insane.

“I like you, and I’m going to let you in on a big secret.”

Cal waited, his temper cooling as he seriously wondered if Mitch was losing his mind.

“In the past month, I have learned something about myself. You’re right. I don’t understand how people work. How they think, how they feel, who they really are. And pretending I do understand them exhausts me.”

For the first time since meeting him, Cal wanted to listen to the man. He sat in the chair opposite the desk and waited.

“That is why”—Mitch lowered his feet to the floor and leaned forward in his chair—“I am tendering my resignation tonight, effective the end of the school year. And you know who I’m recommending to fill my spot?”

“Who?”

Finger pointed, Mitch announced the candidate. “You.”

Cal cocked his head to the side. “Me?” Rarely would he have been able to label his reaction as flummoxed. This was one of those times.

“You’re qualified and know people, Cal. That’s what this job demands. Are you up to it?”

As much as he tried to maintain composure, Cal could not keep the corners of his mouth from turning upward. “I’m flattered.”

“Think about it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to turn them around about the work study program, hang on to art and music, weave in that reading thing you were talking about.”

“Is that a dare?” Cal asked.

“It’s whatever it will take to push you to say yes.”

“I’ll think about it.” Cal stood, realizing he would think about it, which might be dangerous. He walked to the door and pushed it open.

“And Cal?” Mitch said.

Cal turned to face him again.

“I gave Bryony a hard time for going out with you because, well, I had a hard time seeing her go out with anybody. I watched our father mistreat her practically every day of her young life, and I am ashamed to admit that I was a silent witness. As an adult, I have tried to protect her like I should have protected her back then, when we were young.”

Cal took a step back in to the room and started to say, “That’s actually quite insight—” but Mitch cut him off.

“Let me finish, Cal. I have recently discovered that not only can my sister care for herself better than I can, but I now see that she deserves someone like you. Treat her right.”

Cal deliberated. Should he tell Mitch his sister had shut down any possibility of a future together? Should he stay and offer Mitch perspective on why that might be? Because he might be wrong, but Cal was fairly certain the guy who had just admitted he knew jack about how to treat people, the same one who had silently witnessed his father mistreat his sister, that guy had probably also played a more direct role in his sister being too frightened to take a chance on love. He’d seen how Mitch addressed bullying, how he disciplined students. He terrified them.

Nah. He wouldn’t say any of that. Nothing to gain by going there.

He left the office, closed the door behind him, and made a fresh decision. He would not think about Mitch’s offer. As planned from the beginning, Cal would leave Fieldstone at the end of school year.

Why wait until tonight to call Rachel back? He pulled out his phone to send a text. Having her visit would be a good thing. Mitch recommending Cal as the next principal was a great ego boost, but he would be moving back to Cleveland at the end of the school year. Rachel would tie him to the place he belonged.

Besides, he reasoned as he hit the icon to send the text, having Rachel visit would also help him properly bury his feelings for Mitch’s sister because Bryony had been very clear.

She only wanted friendship, and he didn’t think he could live with that if he had to continue to run into her on a regular basis.

BRYONY’S DEVASTATING MISTAKE

Bryony drove to work on Monday, reliving the Henderson party for the umpteenth time. On the plus side, Charity and she had spent a long time sitting at the kitchen table chatting about a host of topics, and Chuck had a smile on his face every time she looked at him. Also, Lillian and Rick were there. And everybody raved about her pies.

The plus side was no match, however, for the devastating impact of seeing Cal with a date, a nurse he had met in Cleveland. Her name was Rachel. She seemed to be a good fit for him. Warm and friendly, athletic-looking, she might have been a stand in for Meghan Markle.

During the party, Lillian pulled Bryony to the side to apologize profusely for pushing her to date him. I’m so sorry, honey. I won’t stick my nose into your love life ever again. I promise.

Unable to speak the truth, Bryony said, My heart is not broken. What was that thing Cal found unforgivable, lying by omission? Guilty. She had omitted everything she truly felt and thought when she rejected him. She had been lying to him and to herself since. No point in changing that now. He’d moved on.

After parking in her usual spot, she headed for the door of BeanHereNow. Lillian had decorated the front of the shop with deep green garland, red bulbs, faux snow on the windows, and a huge wreath on the front door, which was unlocked.

The lights were on inside the shop, but when Bryony entered and called out, “Hello,” nobody answered. She took a breath to still her thoughts. Lillian had talked about letting Todd close by himself. Had she entrusted Bryony’s charge with the ultimate responsibility, and had he utterly failed?

Yesterday morning a shipment of specialty cups and thermos mugs sat in the corner waiting to be unpacked. Now all four boxes were gone, but they weren’t on display in the customer area. She made a quick check of the stockroom and office. No boxes, also no Todd, or Lillian.

Panicked, Bryony checked the hiding place for the cash box. Lillian insisted on keeping several hundred dollars on hand, in case they ever ran out of change. The small green lock box was gone.

Bryony went into Lillian’s office, which was also unlocked, and dropped into the desk chair. She had shown the location of the cash to Todd last week.

There were only two explanations for the missing money and merchandise.

Either Todd had left the door unlocked and someone robbed them, or Todd stole those items from the shop. The second explanation made the most sense. Who else would think to look for the lock box behind the paper products on top of the supply shelves?

Profound disappointment flooded her heart and mind. She had not only come to rely on Todd as a co-worker, she liked him.

The front door opened. She had left it unlocked when she arrived. Now what?

Bryony peaked out of the office to see Todd locking the front door from the inside. She set her posture, moved forward while readying herself for one of the toughest conversations of her life, and planted her feet behind the counter.

He turned and smiled. “Hey, Bryony. You should keep this locked when you’re alone in here. No telling who might come in.

Walking toward her with a little swagger in his step, he wore his skinny black jeans, leather jacket, and boots. Bryony maintained eye contact, her lips pressed together.

By the time he reached the counter, his smile had faded. He stopped a few feet away from her and arched one eyebrow. “What’s up?”

She could smell his soap, something herbal and so clean it heightened her sense of betrayal. How could he? She had been congratulating herself, at least in part, for his transformation. Maybe he would have been better off without it, without her, without responsibility. Turned out he couldn’t handle it, any of it.

Todd reached out and put his hand on her arm. “You look terrible. What happened? Did something happen to Lillian?”

Bryony moved away from him. “Did you close up last night?”

He drew his hand back and clasped it with his other hand. “Yeah, why?”