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Say Yes: in Tucumcari (A Valentine Matchmaker novella Book 6)

By Gail Gaymer Martin

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Say Yes In Tucumcari
By Gail Gaymer Martin

Chapter 1

Shelly Dawson eyed the large box sitting in the corner of her bedroom as her thoughts bounced from “should I or shouldn’t I?” before she gave up. With vacation time arriving, part of her wanted to stay home and enjoy her freedom, especially with the offer of a promotion. Assistant manager had been her dream. Nonetheless, stomping into her mind came her natural instinct to do a favor for her friend Dayna and surprise her by bringing her last carton of left-behinds to Tucumcari, New Mexico.
The Tucumcari situation had been a surprise. She’d urged Dayna to go there and visit her estranged sister and heal the wound. When Dayna did, her dandelion life blossomed into orchids. Now she was left with a box of her friends belongings and no best friend.
On one hand, she would love seeing Dayna. They’d been friends who’d stuck by each other through every storm—failed dates, blind dates and sometimes no dates at all. They’d both decided to forget romance, but no matter how loudly she said it, her heart often skipped at the thought of having someone special in her life—a man and not just Dayna who’d been her Bestie as the teenagers seemed to say.
Dayna had been lured to Tucumcari by someone’s grandmother rather than her sister, Sky, and she’d feared that Dayna’s meeting with her sister wouldn’t be a positive one. She eyed her cell phone a moment, and rather than pick it up to call, she backed away. The possibility of visiting Tucumcari still needed more thought.
But as she headed back into the kitchen for her third cup of coffee, she faltered and stopped. Why not do something different for her vacation? Sitting at home relaxing would wear out in two days and then what? Boredom. That was the answer. She poured her coffee and slipped behind her laptop. She took a sip of Dark Magic blend, opened her browser, and typed in Tucumcari. A view of a flat topped mountain shown on the screen and she studied the history of the city and clicked on other photos of an old train depot, a structure that looked like a terra cotta tank with the huge Route 66 sign on the top.
Photographs of murals mesmerized her. Dayna had said they were painted on numerous buildings and she’d had fun seeing many of them and learning about the people depicted in the mural, many real people from the town.
Thinking of Dayna’s enthusiasm for the town, her pulse picked up speed, and the more she looked at the Internet photos, her decision grew clear. She would call Dayna, and if Dayna sounded excited and sincere, she would go to Tucumcari.
She scooted back the chair and stared at her cell phone. Her chest tightened imaging the car trip to New Mexico from California. Years had passed since she’d taken a trip that long on her own. What would happen if...? She closed her eyes and recalled the flat top mountain. God willing, nothing problematic would happen on the trip.
The phone rang four times, and before the “leave a voice mail” message, she pulled the phone from her ear. But her friend’s voice seeped into the air and she drew it back. “Dayna, this is Shelly.”
“Shelly, oh my word. I was thinking of you this morning. I’m so glad you called.”
Her chest warmed hearing Dayna’s enthusiasm. “What were you thinking? How relieved you are to be away from—”
“Stop, silly. You know what I was thinking. That I miss you, and wish you’d been able to come for Sky’s wedding. It was small but really nice, and so much has happened here. I’d love you to meet everyone and see this really special town. It’s like stepping back in time.”
Stepping back in time. She grinned as the image ballooned in her head of carriages pulled by horses and dirt roads. “In what way?”
Dayna chuckled. “Like the days before Highway I-40. Back in the time when Route 66 was the main road across the country. Probably the 30s and 40s until the U.S. Highway system took over.”
Shelly’s heart lightened. “No horse-drawn carriages then.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you, but no. But then I have a solution. Why don’t you come here and see for yourself.”
The invitation caused her pulse skip. “Funny, that’s why I’m calling. I have a vacation coming up and I have your box of things here, and if you’re not coming back to Apple Valley—”
“No plans for that, Shel. Not the way things are going here. And who knows, maybe you’ll love it so much you’ll want to stay here too.”
Never. Her promotion flooded her mind, but she bit her tongue. Telling her in person would be more fun. “Don’t count on that, but I did think about bringing your stuff and—”
“Just name the day. I can’t wait to see you, and I know Mamie will be able to put you up here. She has another room, and she’s such a nice lady. You’ll love her.”
She let Dayna’s words wash over her before she could respond. “Let me see what I can work out, and I’ll get back to you. How’s that?”
“Just don’t over think it, Shel. I know you. You’ll talk yourself out of it, and I’ll be so disappointed. Please come. I really miss you. You’ll always be my best friend.”
Her heart in her throat, she promised she’d call back soon and disconnected. When she clicked off, a stream of air rushed from her lungs. She’d made a promise and now what?
♥
Michael Elliot heard the phone click. “Hi Grandma.”
“My word. Michael. Is it really you?”
“It is. How’s life in Tucumcari? Are you doing okay?”
“Better than okay, but we missed you. I’d hoped you could make Dougie’s wedding. You’ll love Sky. She’s such a great woman. What happened?”
Michael covered his mouth to keep his chuckle quiet. Dougie. How many times had he cringed when he feared a Mikey coming on. “I wanted to be there, Grams, but my schedule wouldn’t let me so that’s why I thought I could make the trip now if—”
“Now? That would be wonderful. Mike, Doug and Sky would love to see you, I know, and I don’t have to tell you how I feel. I really miss you and wish you lived closer.”
He hated to tell her about the recent job offer that would take him even further west. “You’ve been blessed that Doug is close, Grams. But I would love to come. Do you have room? I know you have Sky’s sister there now.”
“And I think her friend is coming from Apple Valley for a while, but yes, I still have the front bedroom that Sky had before she and Doug married. I’ll get it ready for you.”
“Grams, don’t fuss. I can get a motel or maybe stay with Doug… Well, maybe not. With a new wife, I doubt if having his brother plow into their home would be—”
“Mikey, I’m sure he’d be happy to have you, but I have plenty of room and would love you to stay here. You’d have some built in company too.”
A shiver zipped up his back. Not only a Mikey, but he sensed Grams matchmaking whim slipping into place. “What if I get a motel and that will be—”
“That would be a crime. I’m your grandmother, Mike. I’d love you to stay here so I can enjoy your company.”
“Grams, I love seeing you, too, but I’m not interested in being entertained by your house guest or two. I’m making life changes right now and it’s not a time to get involved with—”
“What in the world made you think that? I’m not trying to fix you up with anyone. Dayna is already dating one of Doug’s doctor friends and it’s starting to look pretty serious.”
“Good.” A deep breath filled his lungs. He nodded, hoping she meant what she said, and Grams usually did—except when she had an ulterior motive—but he would see for himself. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow so you can probably expect me the next day. I’ll give you a call if I’m delayed.”
“You’re welcome whenever you arrive. I can’t wait, Mikey, and when I tell Doug and Sky you’re coming, they’ll be—”
“Don’t tell Doug, Grams. I’d like to surprise him.” Reality struck him when it came to his Grandmother. “Okay?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Her disappointment dragged to his ear. “I’d like it that way, Grams.”
“I can keep a secret. But hurry so I don’t slip and say something accidently. You know my old mind.”
So much for the surprise. “Love you, Grams, and see you soon.”
As he stared into space, the past five years toppled through his head. Five years was a long time to be away from Tucumcari. He’d missed seeing his grandmother whom he’d always loved, and he’d actually missed seeing his younger brother too.
Doug was so different from him that they hadn’t been close as kids. While he loved reading books, delving into history and visiting places like Washington DC, Doug’s focus clung to sports and roughing it. Camping meant more to him than going to DC, New York City or any metropolitan area. He’d never been able to wrap his mind around Doug’s disinterest in U.S. history. While he’d gotten an A in school, Doug only passed history because his parents had insisted he help Doug with his homework.
But then Doug had a knack for science. He must have since he’d become a medical doctor so he wasn’t incapable. He had brains, but their brains were set on different subjects and different orbits. Doctoring left him cold. Blood wasn’t his friend.
Opposite in so many ways, they were still brothers. Same parents. Same upbringing. But trying to image Doug married seemed impossible. Yet once he met Sky and had the image of the two living together as man and wife, the idea would settle in.
He’d thought he would marry first. He’d pictured Doug as a single man, mountain climbing in his spare time or doing something else rugged and dangerous while he went to work and came home to his wife and children. So much for imagining the future.
He grinned at the image he had of his brother, knowing that in a couple of days, he would see Doug and Grams, and then reality would set in.
After talking with Grams, he leaned back as numerous thoughts reeled through his mind. Not only would his visit be a surprise to Doug—that’s if Grams could keep his visit quiet—but he had a bigger surprise to tell Grams if he found the courage. He’d kept his life private for so long, but now telling her had begun to niggle his conscience. Grams loved family, and although she might live for many years, he wanted to see her face when he confessed the mess he’d made but a mess that he wouldn’t undo for anything.
♥
Shelly slipped out the clothing shop’s backdoor and headed down the street to the nearest café where she could pick up a sandwich. She’d missed lunch time by two hours, and her stomach growled louder than the MGM lion before a film in movie theaters. Glad no one heard it, she opened the door, and as she moved forward, she realized another hand held the door open as she passed through.
When she turned around, her chest tightened eyeing the Bradley Copper-Chris Pine look-a-like from the shop next door. “Thanks.”
“Was that your stomach?”
She flinched as heat crept up her neck. “Guilty as charged.”
He chuckled. “I’m starving too.” He motioned to the empty space beside her. “Where’s your dark haired friend?”
“You mean Dayna. She’s visiting her sister in Tucumcari and—”
“When will she be back. I’ve been keeping an eye out for her.”
She’d already known he had eyes on Dayna, but her mind continued to cling to an image of a guy like him despite the lack of reality. “I’m not sure. She may stay there.”
His smiled faded. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Sorry, no. I’m taking a box of her belongings to her in a couple of days. She loves it there, and she’s…” Her jaw tightened as she realized she had no business telling him about a possible romance and with a doctor no less. Dayna and a doctor? Hard to believe, but she’d heard he was a friend of Sky’s husband. “She’s pretty set on staying for a while.”
“When you see her, tell her I asked about her.”
“Sure...” She didn’t even know his name. “Nice to see you again.”
He only nodded and slipped past her to a table for two that was empty. If he’d been polite, ne could have asked her to join him.
She settled at a nearby table but avoided looking his way. She’d spent a hunk of her life single, so why start dreaming now of her life changing that radically? Nothing like that ever happened to her. She eyed the menu and ordered a Rueben minus the sauerkraut. Maybe that was called a Rueben-less. She grinned at the silly thought.
A shadow slipped to the table, and she glanced up to see a woman she knew from the bakery across the street. She motioned to the empty chair. “Care to sit, Ali?”
“I think I will.” She pulled it out and settled across from her. “So I heard the scuttlebutt.”
“About Dayna, you mean.”
“No, about you.”
“Me?” Her brow furrowed against her wishes. “What did I do?”
“You were offered a big promotion, I understand. Assistant Manager.”
Her pulse skipped amazed at how news she’d just learned three days ago spread like spilled syrup sticking to everything along the way. “How did you hear that?”
Ali’s eyes widened. “Mae from the shop next to the bakery. She’d heard it from a woman who heard it from her neighbor who knows the manager of your store.”
“I wonder who doesn’t know?” She managed to grin, but it irked her that somehow everything filtered through a quagmire of gossip until it returned to the person who experienced the event. “Yes, I was sort of offered the job. I’ve thought about it for a couple of years, and it seemed something I would enjoy, but it means more work and less leisure time.” In her case, leisure time meant little, but she left her decision hanging since she loved seeing the curiosity build on Ali’s face. In a moment though, her expression faltered.
“And someone else told me that your coworker, Dayna hasn’t come back from visiting her sister. What’s that all about?”
“Nothing, really.” She decided to nip the gossip at its tip. “She attended her sister’s wedding and stayed on a while. That’s all.”
“No honeymoon?”
A blast of frustration drained from her lungs. “I have no idea. Her husband is a physician and they have strange hours. Perhaps they decided to wait on a honeymoon. Who knows?”
The woman’s face sucked in as if she’d eaten raw rhubarb. No information meant the end of the gossip. Proud she ended it, she smiled. “I might ask when I’m in Tucumcari.”
“You’re going to Tucumcari. Really?” Her eyes brightened as her sunken expression puffed to curiosity. “That’s interesting. Why?”
“Why what?”
Ali opened her mouth to continue, but stopped.
The waitress set Shelly’s order in front of her, and she turned her attention to the sandwich. With a full mouth, she assumed Ali would not quiz her. The disappointment on her face was so evident that Shelly couldn’t stop her grin.
In the silence, she realized that small towns must be even worse than a place the size of Apple Valley. What kind of gossip marched through the small town of Tucumcari? Maybe she’d learn when she got there, but it made no difference. Her visit was a couple of weeks and nothing could happen that would arouse anyone’s interest. That was her life.

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