Read Online If You Only Knew (Harper Falls Book 3) by Mary J. Williams - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary J. Williams
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Grocery stores, dry goods,
restaurants. These were places that served all, not just those with overstuffed
bank accounts.
Many of those original mansions were gone. The Depression
had weeded out at least half. Others had moved away, some died with no direct
heirs. The luxurious houses on the north side still existed. Now, what they
lacked in number, they made up for in size. Per capita, Harper Falls could
boast more than its share of multi-millionaires.
Harper Academy, exclusive and pricey, gave their children an
excellent education. They supported the local merchants, allowing for highly
diverse cross-section choices when it came to your dining and buying pleasure.
If you couldn’t find what you were looking for in Harper
Falls, just wait. New stores went up all the time.
Tyler wasn’t in the mood to enjoy what her hometown had to
offer. A restless night with a trip down memory lane meant she had crawled out
of bed unrested and needing caffeine — lots of it. Rummaging through her
cupboards, she was horrified when her search for the high-octane stuff proved
fruitless. Her brain was a foggy mess. If she was going to get anything done,
it needed to be razor sharp.
After piling her hair into a messy bun, she grabbed her keys
and jumped into her car. She never ran out of coffee; it was her life’s blood.
She certainly wasn’t going to settle for the decaf stuff Dani always tried to
push on her.
She drove into the heart of town past the spot where her
sculpture would be permanently on display. Usually, she thought about that. In
less than two months, her creation would be there for the whole town to see.
This morning it didn’t register. Coffee and sleep. She needed them both. The
sleep would have to wait.
For a split second, Tyler considered stopping by to see her
mother. Anita Jones always had fresh coffee ready. There was a time when few
people visited the Jones home. It was too volatile, unpredictable. In the six
years since her husband’s death, Anita had come out of her shell. Neighbors
dropped by, women from the various clubs she had joined were always around.
Though she would never be a world-beater, she now had a circle of close friends
who valued her opinions and company.
The problem was that no matter how much progress her mother
had made, she still allowed her sons to take advantage whenever they needed
money or a place to stay. Tyler knew at the moment, M.J. and Kyle needed both.
Anita would never turn them away. If she didn’t give them money, they stole it
from her purse. Tyler visited her mother often but only when she knew her
brothers were far away.
Pulling to a stop in front of Toro, the newest coffee
shop in town, Tyler grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She waved when
she saw a familiar face but kept her head down, her eyes focused. No time for
small talk until she had something hot, strong, and black.
The smell of coffee and cinnamon filled her nose, making
Tyler want to float across the room like a cartoon character. Nothing like the
smell of fresh roasted beans and ooey-gooey pastry.
Toro followed a long tradition in Harper Falls of
naming businesses clever, sometimes nonsensical names. No one knew where it
started or why it had caught on. Residents liked to see what name each new
entrepreneur would come up with. With few exceptions, they tried not to
disappoint. This was one of Tyler’s personal favorites.
The story went that the owner struggled mightily to find
something that wasn’t too cutesy. Hot Stuff ? No. A Hill of Beans ?
Hardly. Toro had been his contribution to the community. Distinctive, a
little obscure. It was a conversation starter. Even if the coffee and pastries
hadn’t been top notch, which they were, wanting to hear the story behind the
name would have brought people in.
Toro , bull. Bullfight. What do they call out during
those fights? Olé. What do people drink? Café au lait. Hence, Toro .
Okay, maybe it
restaurants. These were places that served all, not just those with overstuffed
bank accounts.
Many of those original mansions were gone. The Depression
had weeded out at least half. Others had moved away, some died with no direct
heirs. The luxurious houses on the north side still existed. Now, what they
lacked in number, they made up for in size. Per capita, Harper Falls could
boast more than its share of multi-millionaires.
Harper Academy, exclusive and pricey, gave their children an
excellent education. They supported the local merchants, allowing for highly
diverse cross-section choices when it came to your dining and buying pleasure.
If you couldn’t find what you were looking for in Harper
Falls, just wait. New stores went up all the time.
Tyler wasn’t in the mood to enjoy what her hometown had to
offer. A restless night with a trip down memory lane meant she had crawled out
of bed unrested and needing caffeine — lots of it. Rummaging through her
cupboards, she was horrified when her search for the high-octane stuff proved
fruitless. Her brain was a foggy mess. If she was going to get anything done,
it needed to be razor sharp.
After piling her hair into a messy bun, she grabbed her keys
and jumped into her car. She never ran out of coffee; it was her life’s blood.
She certainly wasn’t going to settle for the decaf stuff Dani always tried to
push on her.
She drove into the heart of town past the spot where her
sculpture would be permanently on display. Usually, she thought about that. In
less than two months, her creation would be there for the whole town to see.
This morning it didn’t register. Coffee and sleep. She needed them both. The
sleep would have to wait.
For a split second, Tyler considered stopping by to see her
mother. Anita Jones always had fresh coffee ready. There was a time when few
people visited the Jones home. It was too volatile, unpredictable. In the six
years since her husband’s death, Anita had come out of her shell. Neighbors
dropped by, women from the various clubs she had joined were always around.
Though she would never be a world-beater, she now had a circle of close friends
who valued her opinions and company.
The problem was that no matter how much progress her mother
had made, she still allowed her sons to take advantage whenever they needed
money or a place to stay. Tyler knew at the moment, M.J. and Kyle needed both.
Anita would never turn them away. If she didn’t give them money, they stole it
from her purse. Tyler visited her mother often but only when she knew her
brothers were far away.
Pulling to a stop in front of Toro, the newest coffee
shop in town, Tyler grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She waved when
she saw a familiar face but kept her head down, her eyes focused. No time for
small talk until she had something hot, strong, and black.
The smell of coffee and cinnamon filled her nose, making
Tyler want to float across the room like a cartoon character. Nothing like the
smell of fresh roasted beans and ooey-gooey pastry.
Toro followed a long tradition in Harper Falls of
naming businesses clever, sometimes nonsensical names. No one knew where it
started or why it had caught on. Residents liked to see what name each new
entrepreneur would come up with. With few exceptions, they tried not to
disappoint. This was one of Tyler’s personal favorites.
The story went that the owner struggled mightily to find
something that wasn’t too cutesy. Hot Stuff ? No. A Hill of Beans ?
Hardly. Toro had been his contribution to the community. Distinctive, a
little obscure. It was a conversation starter. Even if the coffee and pastries
hadn’t been top notch, which they were, wanting to hear the story behind the
name would have brought people in.
Toro , bull. Bullfight. What do they call out during
those fights? Olé. What do people drink? Café au lait. Hence, Toro .
Okay, maybe it
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