Dan hesitated before deciding that it really didn't matter if Meg's dad knew about the damned card. At least he hadn't been shocked about pawning it. "1952."

Joe's look intensified. "Holy shit. Don't tell me it was Mickey Mantle's!"

Dan's shoulders slumped. "Yeah. Long story. Family and a couple of exes involved-ends badly."

The older man regarded him for a moment, glanced over his shoulder at the house, and then asked, "You coming?"

Dan grinned, glad that he'd dodged that particular bullet. "Yeah!"

Their mutual love for classic and antique cars led them to the barn first; they had plenty of time to check out the F1 later-if he didn't wear out his welcome or forget and slip up and talk about things best left unsaid. His gut told him he'd better get to his new home before it got dark, but he was car crazy and had two stellar Fords to check out, inside and out, first. Whatever problems waited for him would still be there when he arrived later.

Two hours later, he followed Joe back inside to find the kitchen empty and their coffee ice cold.

"Do you want me to brew a fresh pot?" Joe offered.

Dan hesitated; he'd love to spend more time talking cars, but knew he had to check things out and make sure he had everything he needed for the first day of his new job at Apple Grove High. "I'd like to take a rain check on the coffee. Thanks, Joe."

"Come on back and talk cars anytime, Dan."

They shook hands on it.

"Thanks, Joe."

"No problem. Will we see you tomorrow at church?"

Dan paused in the doorway. "I hadn't really thought about it. I haven't even begun to unpack."

"Service is at ten o'clock. Reverend Smith was the minister you met at the Parrish's farm. He welcomes all newcomers."

"I'll think about it."

"Your aunt has her special spot in the front pew opposite the pulpit."

Dan knew then he'd better go. "All right then. See you in the morning." He paused on the threshold. "Would you please say good-bye to Meg for me?"

"Will do."

Instead of pausing for one last look at the gorgeous pickup in the driveway, he turned and looked up at the farmhouse to see which window had a light on. Second story, third window from the front. He caught himself staring and forced his thoughts back to square one and the plan he'd already begun outlining in his mind: get to know Meg better before he gave in to the overwhelming need to talk her into bed. Even though he would have liked a little more time to plan his strategy, tomorrow at church would be the perfect place to start.

Chapter 2.

Dan followed his aunt's directions, turning left at the end of Main Street and onto Apple Grove Road to pick her up. The sign outside made him smile. Trudi's Garden Center was painted in bright purple on a soft yellow sign.

Dan chuckled. "A true attention-getter."

The building was low and long and not particularly attractive; his aunt was big on functional. There were double doors that looked like they could be left open to invite customers inside the building during warm weather.

He pulled around the back of the building and was surprised to see a vine-covered Victorian-style home and his aunt waiting by the foot of the steps to the front porch. He got out and opened the door for her.

She smiled as she patted his cheek and slid onto the passenger's seat. "It's such a treat to have family to go to church with this morning."

"I, uh... haven't been in awhile," he admitted. He lost one chunk of faith after his ex flushed her engagement ring and another one when he found out she'd been having a fling with his exbest friend.

As they drove, she caught him up on the former coach's recovery. Dan was glad Coach Creed was on the mend. Dan would make sure he did everything in his power to do right by the coach's former team, now Dan's team.

"It's just up ahead," his aunt told him. "Across the railroad tracks on the right."

He pulled up in front of the white clapboard church with a bold sign declaring it to be the Apple Grove United Methodist Church.

He helped his aunt out of the car and into the church, where heads turned as they walked arm in arm to the front row.

Reverend Smith walked up the aisle a few minutes later and stood in front of the congregation with his arms raised, greeting his flock. When he asked if anyone was visiting or new to the congregation, his gaze settled on Dan, and the reverend motioned for Dan to stand and tell everyone his name.

Dan hesitated, but his aunt was waiting expectantly, so he stood up and smiled. "Hi, I'm Dan Eagan. I'm the new phys ed teacher at the high school. I'm taking over for Coach Creed, who I hear is on the road to recovery, thank goodness for that."

Reverend Smith's amen was echoed by the entire church.

When the service was over, Aunt Trudi leaned toward him and said, "I'm serving during coffee hour. I hope you don't mind staying."

He had hoped to have a minute to speak to Meg after church, not get roped into staying for the entire coffee hour, but he wasn't going to put a damper on things for his aunt. She'd gone to so much trouble helping him find and land the job in Apple Grove. He owed her a great deal and would make sure he did all he could for her, even if he had to stick around and make small talk when he could be unpacking the rest of his boxes.

Drawing in a deep breath, he followed Aunt Trudi down the aisle and into the wide room at the back of the church. There were two long folding tables, one set up with the coffee urn, milk, sugar, and mugs, and the other with sweets: donuts, coffee cake, and, his favorite, a sugar-glazed pecan ring. Everything appeared to be homemade-too bad; he really loved Entenmann's cakes. He hoped they carried his favorite brand in Apple Grove.

"Come on over here and help pass out the coffee, Daniel."

Thus summoned, he made his way to the coffee urn and started passing out the mugs his aunt filled with fresh, hot, fragrant coffee. Dan recognized a few faces from the wedding.

"Hi, Bob." He passed a steaming mug to Bob Stuart. "What time is the race on today?"

Bob grinned. "It's an early one, since it's on the East Coast. Things are heating up with the chase in full gear."

Dan agreed. "I can't believe there are only a handful of races left."

"Sounds like you're a fan."

"I used to watch the race with my dad, but now it'll have to wait until I go back home for a visit during the school break in the spring."

"You're welcome to come on over and watch the race with me anytime."

"Thanks, Bob. I didn't get much unpacking done yesterday, so I'm going to have to get it all done today. How about a rain check?"

"No problem."

"Dan Eagan," Mrs. Parrish smiled warmly.

It was easy to return her warm smile as he handed her a cup of coffee. "How are you today?"

"Missing our Edie," Mr. Parrish said as Dan handed him the cup his aunt just poured.

"You have your children with you for so many years," Mrs. Parrish said. "Sometimes they drive you crazy and you can't wait for them to grow up and move out-and then they do!"

Dan's mom had said something along those lines when he'd told them of his plans to move to Ohio. Even though he'd moved out of his family home a few years back, this was much farther away. "My mom was sorry to see me move out here but understood that it was important to me to make the leap."

"Parents will do just about anything for their kids," Joe Mulcahy said, walking over with Mrs. Murphy close to his side.

"Good morning, Joe, Mrs. Murphy."

The widow smiled. "Please, call me Mary."

He handed her a mug. "Mary. Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Mary Murphy looked up at Joe and smiled, a soft sweet smile that had Dan suspecting they were a couple, even though no one seemed to refer to them as such. "It surely is. How was your first night in your new home?"

"I still need to unpack, but I really love the house. There's just something about it... it's hard to describe... it's like it has a character all its own."

"I believe that houses absorb the personalities of those who have lived in it. The older the house, the more interesting it is."

Dan looked at his aunt and nodded. "That's it exactly, Aunt Trudi."

She smiled and poured another cup. "Well, hello, Megan dear."

"Hi, Miss Trudi."

Megan was every bit as entrancing as she'd been the day before. Her auburn hair was loose today and fell in a silky curtain past her shoulders.

"Hi, Dan." Meg's smile lit her face. She scrunched her nose so that he had no choice but to notice her freckles.

He cleared his throat and returned the greeting. "How are you today?"

"I'm great. The sun is shining, the wind is soft, and there's a hint of fall in the air." Their fingers brushed and the zing of electricity had his gaze locking on hers. He knew she'd felt the sparking sensation too.

She licked her lips, stared at his mouth, and said, "Thanks, Dan."

Meg's skin tingled from the tips of her fingers to the soles of her feet and all because of that brief brush of skin to skin. Her stomach had an odd fluttering and she felt light-headed. Who knew that his hands would cause her body to go haywire?

"Did you sleep well?" Now why did she ask him something like that?

His gorgeous gray eyes focused on hers. "Not really-strange house and so quiet."

She wondered if he realized that he was staring at her mouth. Storm-gray eyes filled with emotions she recognized because they were sprinting through her own system-interest, desire, and need.

"Give it a couple of days and you'll feel right at home."

It was hard not to be captivated by the cleft in his chin and the strong line of his jaw, but she focused on his face and not his mouth, his smile and not his lips. It wasn't easy. She finally asked as casually as she could, "What are you going to be doing the rest of today?"

He handed out one of the last few mugs of coffee and brushed his hands on the thighs of his jeans.

"I was hoping he'd be staying for lunch after church," Aunt Trudi said.

"Oh, well I..." Dan looked down at his aunt and then back at Meg, and Meg could see the wheels turning inside his head and knew he'd be accepting his aunt's invitation, no matter what else he had planned today.

"That would be great. Let me help clean up and I'll drive you home."

A warmth spread from the vicinity of Meg's heart all the way down to her toes. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around town, Dan."

"Meg, wait-"

She felt the heat from Dan's hand as it enveloped hers. Staring down, she noticed his was twice the size of hers and shades darker, as if he spent a lot of time outside. Because of the way she made her living, working for her family's handyman company, hands were important. Her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all had wide-palmed, long-fingered hands that could finesse just about everything.

"Can I see you later tonight?"

Her throat went dry and her tongue got stuck to the roof of her mouth. Finally, she summoned up enough spit to loosen her tongue. "I'm not sure-"

Peggy McCormack chose that moment to join their conversation. "Hey, Meg, are you still coming to take a look at the backup stove at the diner?"

"Yeah," Katie said, coming to stand beside her sister. "We're worried that we won't be able to handle all of the baking for the diner without it."

Dan released her hand, and she sighed and looked at the McCormacks. "Sorry, I had forgotten, but I won't let you down. I'll be there and see what we can do to keep you running at full speed. Aside from Sunday afternoons, Monday's your busiest day."

"You're the best, Meg!" Peggy said.

Meg wished she didn't feel so guilty about wanting to forego the repair and head on over to Dan's house to distract him with another heart-pumping lip-lock... maybe a make-out session. Jeez, now she was thinking like a hormonal teenager.

Dan put his hands in his front pockets and the regret in his gaze was echoed in hers. "Well, maybe I'll catch up to you tomorrow."

"Sounds great, Dan." Meg looked from one sister to the other. "See you."

"Are you coming, Daniel?"

He grinned down at Meg and called out, "Right behind you, Aunt Trudi."

Monday morning at half past seven, Meg and her sisters were already at the shop. When the phone rang, Meg glanced at the clock, put it on speaker, and answered it. "Mulcahy's Funeral Home, you plug 'em, we plant 'em." Meg smiled, held the phone away from her ear, and waited for the fireworks.

"Megan Maureen Mulcahy!" her father shouted into the phone. "I told you no shenanigans when answering the telephone! Besides," he grumbled, not quite as loudly, "it's bad for business."

She smiled at her sisters, who were both trying not to laugh-their dad would hear them and reprimand them for acting like hooligans. With the press of a button, she turned the speaker off so she didn't get her sisters in trouble. She looked from one to the other and felt a burst of familial pride fill her.