Hometown Star Read Free

shrugged.
    “You’ve met before?” Cade asked. “Wait, Star’s the one who cleaned you up, isn’t she?”
    Finn’s eyes widened.
    “I warned you to stay away from Patsy’s place,” Cade said, the words stern.
    Finn’s lower lip stuck out, wobbled.
    Star had heard enough. She’d been on the receiving end of Cade’s temper too many times to count. She stepped between Cade and Finn. “He’s a little boy. He got hurt. I helped him. End of story. There’s no need to get angry.”
    “He shouldn’t have been there,” Cade said. “It’s dangerous. The place is a decayed wasteland.”
    They were nose to nose. Star could smell him, pine and sweat, and fresh air. Testosterone to the max. Unnerved, she stepped back.
    Instantly, Cade’s face softened and he swore under his breath. “The phone’s over there.” He pointed to a table pushed up against the wall, then turned to Finn. “I’ll talk to you later.”
    Finn scampered away out the front door.
    Star marched over to the phone. Cade hadn’t changed at all. He’d used intimidation on his son, the same kind of intimidation he’d used on her when she’d been a kid. Nothing made her angrier than a bully.
    Star removed a paper from her pocket and punched in the number for the power company. She was listening to the automated menu when Ron O’Brien joined Cade. She heard Cade explain to his younger brother that she had no power. After that she lost track of their conversation as she had one of her own with the power company. When she ended her call, both brothers were gone and she was alone.
    Star knew she should make her escape, but she couldn’t resist looking around the foyer. As a young girl, raised in low–rent apartments and Patsy’s double–wide mobile home, she’d always dreamed of living in a real house.
    To Star’s surprise, the O’Brien place looked the same and still smelled of freshly baked bread. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of Patsy’s homemade cinnamon rolls. She’d loved to watch Patsy bake the rolls for the B & B guests. Patsy always brought the leftover rolls home for Star and her sisters. Star had savored each bite of those cinnamon rolls, making them last as long as she possibly could. Homemade treats weren’t found in the White household. Her mother’s culinary skills stopped at Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
    She’d always been fascinated with the O’Brien house, especially the architecture. The big Victorian had all the charm of its time period: the wrap around porch, the gabled roof, the well–crafted built–ins, and from what she could see so far, the O’Briens hadn’t done much updating. Star suppressed a grin. Maybe she’d offer her services. This was just the kind of house her boss loved to feature on Update This!
    She glanced down at the mahogany floor, imagining how the wood would look refinished. The area rug was new, and she suspected they went through at least one rug a year here. No carpet could survive the winter snow and spring mud for more than one season.
    A pretty young woman came down the hall toward her, wiping her hands on her apron, the apron covering a very large, pregnant belly.
    “Hello,” she said, smiling. “Can I help you?”
    “I was using the phone,” Star said. “Cade let me in. I’m Star White from next door.”
    “Star White?” The woman’s mouth turned up into a wide smile. “I’m Trudy.” She extended her hand and Star took it. “Do you remember me?”
    “Trudy Ramsey, right?” Star asked. Trudy had been a couple of years younger than Star, but she remembered the pretty brunette with the Snow White complexion. She’d always been welcoming when Star’s family had returned to Seward.
    “It’s Trudy O’Brien now.” She looked lovingly at Ron, who’d followed her into the foyer. “I married this handsome guy. Ron, do you remember Starlene White?”
    “Hey, Star,” Ron said, extending his hand. “Good to see you, although it’s not a surprise. I figured you might