He grumbled and now she did laugh.

“That couch is uncomfortable.”

“Sucks to be you.”

They walked to the end of town and turned to make their way back to the Gardner home.

“I really am sorry,” he whispered. His eyes never left the road in front of them.

“I know you are.”

Chapter Fifteen

Founder’s Day was serious freaking business in Hilton. Families staked their claim on Main Street a couple of hours before the parade with chairs that spilled out onto the road. Watching the town set up for a parade wasn’t so much the shock as the amount of people who started to pile in.

Karen leaned over to where Janice was setting up chairs in the space in front of the hardware store. “Where are they all coming from?”

Janice glanced up into the crowd. “Twenty miles in all directions. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone from Hilton staying home today, unless they’re sick.”

Karen felt more than one set of eyes on her. A common occurrence whenever Michael was around. Only here the kind people of Hilton tried to hide their curiosity.

Rena waved while pushing a stroller carrying Susie, while Joe had Eli on his shoulders to see above the crowd. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, honey.”

Rena and Joe both said hello to Karen as they tucked the stroller between the folding chairs. Rena and Joe both took turns offering hugs in greeting.

“Where’s Zach and Tracey?” Janice asked her daughter.

Karen glanced down the street, trying not to pay too close attention to the mention of Zach.

“Not sure where Zach is, but don’t expect Tracey.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“You didn’t hear?” Rena asked in a way that attracted Karen’s attention.

“Hear what?”

“They broke up.”

Janice’s shoulders slumped with the news and Karen felt three shades of awful for feeling a lift in her chest. Not that she had any reason to be happy for Zach’s breakup…

Oh, who was she kidding?

Tracey wasn’t right for him.

Like I know the woman enough to make that judgment.

You’re awful, Karen. Awful!

She knew, on some level, that she was part of the reason for the split. Zach didn’t seem like the kind of guy to lead one woman on while being attracted to another.

What must he think of her? The fact that she could even be drawn into someone else’s orbit while being married must make her look horrific.

“Karen? Karen?”

She shook the fog and questions from her head and realized Rena was talking to her.

“Yeah?”

“I asked why you’re not on the float with Mike?”

She lifted both hands in acute denial. “Not my gig. Hannah and Judy were more than happy to jump on board.”

“It’s better down here anyway. I think I’ve marched in this thing at least a half a dozen times,” Rena said.

Janice sat in the chair closest to her granddaughter and corrected Rena. “You marched for six years in a row with the Girl Scouts, then again with the high school marching band, and at least two more times with either Zach or Mike.”

“Is there anyone in this town who hasn’t marched or rode?”

“Nope. Even Sawyer has driven the route a time or two, and I was the den mom for Rena’s troop for a couple of years and had to ride with them.”

Who knew participating in a parade would be a family affair?

“There you are.” Joe’s voice had Karen swinging around to see who he greeted.

Zach offered her a warm smile and shook Joe’s hand. “Didn’t think I’d miss it, did you?”

Joe rolled his eyes.

Zach hugged his sister, leaned down, and kissed his mother’s cheek. When he turned to Karen and said hello, she stepped into what might look like an impersonal hug, but it felt like so much more. His arms were strong, the pine scent of his skin would linger if he could hold her for just a moment longer, but he pulled away nearly as quickly as he entered her arms. Though a soft squeeze of her arm let her know that he wanted more.

“Where’s Dad?”

“He’ll be along,” Janice said. Then she lowered her voice. “I’m sorry to hear about Tracey.”

Zach drew in a breath and looked directly at Karen. “Stuff happens.”

Janice continued. “I thought you two were…”

“We weren’t.” Zach blinked his gaze away.

Karen twisted in the opposite direction and waved at Petra, who watched them from the other side of the street.

“Are you all packed for the cabin?” Joe asked.

“If that’s your way of asking if the liquid is ready for the red cups, then yes.”

“Hey, I’m asking about the bikes. But good thinking.”

They settled into the chairs and talked about the trip to the cabin while the parade route began to clear.

Children lined up with bags in eager anticipation of the candy that would be tossed to them from those in the parade.

There was a PA system set up along the parade route, which crackled out patriotic music. “Do you guys do this all over again on the Fourth of July?” Karen asked.

“We sure do. Any reason to party.” Rena laughed at the insaneness of it. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know. It’s wholesome and not completely commercial.” There were a few vendors running around selling Founder’s Day merchandise, but most of the vendors were charity organizations raising money to support themselves.

The PA squeaked and the music abruptly turned off.

A rough voice called into the crowd. “We’re about to begin, can everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.”

Flags flew everywhere, and soon the formalities were out of the way and the trucks pulling flatbed trailers started the slow pace down the two miles of Main Street.

Rena tugged Susie from the stroller right as Sawyer emerged from the crowd and took the seat next to Janice. Karen sat at the end of their group and Zach took the seat next to her.

Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.

But damn he was gorgeous to look at. He always had just a hint of stubble on his face, which gave him an edge of uncertainty. It said, I know it’s sexy and wouldn’t you love it if I roughed up your skin with mine?

Zach shifted his eyes to hers and she quickly looked away.

Don’t stare, Karen!

A line of tractors made its way through first. One was as tall as most of the buildings along Main Street, while the others ranged from a glorified riding lawn mower to the standard issue seen on most farms.