The Centennial Courtship (The Centennial Series Book 1)

By Dan Leicht

Abigail Bloom's life is thrown into a sweeping romance when a new deputy rolls into the small town of Brooks Landing, but when her ex-husband enters back into her life, she's unsure if she can hold onto her new chance at true love. A break-in in the small town causes Abigail's ex to suspect the new deputy - Can she trust her new love interest or is he using her as an alibi?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dan Leicht
• Release date: Oct 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005099169

Dan Leicht

Dan Leicht is a contemporary romance author living in Rochester, NY with his fiancée Barbara and their cat Charlie. He has a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing from The College at Brockport.

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The Centennial Courtship

The Centennial Series Book 1

By Dan Leicht

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, or events, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Daniel Leicht

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, excepting brief quotes in reviews.

To the extent that the images or image on the cover of this book depicts a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models and not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

Cover design by methodmike

For Barbara

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1

Welcome to Brooks Landing: July 6th, 2018

Chapter 2

The Last Pint: July 6th, 2018 (Continued)

Chapter 3

Wake-Up Call: July 7th, 2018

Chapter 4

Old Friends: July 7th, 2018 (Continued)

Chapter 5

Confession: July 8th, 2018

Chapter 6

Memories: July 8th, 2018 (Continued)

Chapter 7

New Home: July 9th, 2018

Chapter 8

Strike Two: July 10th, 2018

Chapter 9

Small Gesture: July 11th, 2018

Chapter 10

New Beginnings: July 12th, 2018

Chapter 11

Black Cherry: July 13th, 2018

Chapter 12

No Words: July 14th, 2018

Chapter 13

A Warm Blanket: July 15th, 2018

Chapter 14

Roommates: July 16th, 2018

Chapter 15

Sleepless: July 17th, 2018

Chapter 16

Reignited: July 18th, 2018

Chapter 17

Instant Coffee: July 19th, 2018

Chapter 18

In All Fifty States: July 20th, 2018

Chapter 19

Farewell: July 21st, 2018

Chapter 20

Moving Day (Again): July 22nd, 2018

Chapter 21

Coffee Break: July 23rd, 2018

Chapter 22

Tip Jar: July 24th, 2018

Chapter 23

Neighborhood Watch: July 25th, 2018

Chapter 24

Silence: July 26th, 2018

Chapter 25

Small Town Heroes: July 27th, 2018

Chapter 26

The Centennial: July 28th, 2018

Chapter 1

Welcome to Brooks Landing: July 6th, 2018

Abigail Bloom, or ‘Abby’ as she was known about town, stood behind the counter of her family’s business, Walcott Hardware on Friday evening. She tended to the register as she finished her work, counting the day’s earnings in the till. She was a petite young woman with hazel eyes and brown hair that touched her shoulders. She rolled the sleeves up on her light blue flannel and tucked her jeans into tan boots. A pair of polarized sunglasses nestled on her hairline as a reminder there was still time to enjoy the day when she clocked out.

When Abigail finished counting, she closed the till and walked to her office. Her father’s hardware store had managed to turn a profit for the first time in months. She grabbed her purse, that hung over the back of the same chair her father used to sit in and removed a container of lip balm.

Abigail’s ear perked up when she heard the bell above the entrance door. She left her purse on the desk in her office and walked back towards the register, still applying the peppermint flavored balm to her lips.

This place sure looks different, said a familiar voice. It was Mike, one of the local handymen who worked for Red Wrench Renovations.

Hey, Mike, said Abigail. She placed the balm into the small pocket of her jeans. I haven’t seen you here in a while. I hope you’ve been well.

Hey there, Abby. I sure have. He removed his cap, revealing his thinning sandy-blond hair, and wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. I figured it was about time I restock some of my supplies. I’m sorry to hear about your father. He was a great man. Your loss is felt all around town. Abigail noticed his eyes grow wide as he looked around. You’ve done a great job keeping up the place. You still over at the library part-time?

Wish I could, but my place is here, she replied, stepping out from behind the counter. I took over the reins of this place full-time when my father passed. She reached her hand out to shake Mike’s. I’ve been here full-time for the past six months. My mother insists she can help whenever I need, but she has her bad hip. She doesn’t seem too keen on the idea of retirement either. She’s a couple years shy of sixty, but don’t tell her I told you that. She cracked a smile. She’s put in her fair share of work at this place over the years and on paper she’s the owner, but when it comes to putting the hours in, I’d rather it be me than her. It’s the thought that counts anyway, right? She means well and it’s nice to know the extra help is there if I need it.

Is your brother Peter working here too? It’s the family business after all.

My little brother didn’t take to this place like I did when we were kids. He’s still over at the diner. He’s happy cooking there and I don’t expect him to come here to collect a paycheck any time soon.

"I know your old man would be proud of you for taking over. He was just as passionate about this place as his father before him. It’s always reassuring when I drive by and see the Walcott name on the sign out front. Your grandfather opened this place up in what, the ‘50s?

In 1946, said Abigail. She leaned up against the counter to get comfortable. After all the hard work he put into this place, along with my father, I’m not about to let the family business fade away. She knocked on the wooden counter with her knuckles. Still as sturdy as the day it opened. My father taught be all the ins and outs of this place when I was still a kid running through the aisles. Look at me now, twenty-six and running the place. She grinned. My grandfather was still a teenager when he bought this property and started this business from the ground up. Can you believe that? She looked around and admired the walls of the place she worked every day.

It’s been a staple of this town for two generations, said Mike, happy to see it carrying over into a third. I remember my dad bringing me here when I was a kid. You had better believe I was no ordinary kid either; this place was like a candy store to me. You’ll always have my business. She watched as Mike’s gaze shifted from the shelves to her. What’s going on back there? He pointed to the room behind the counter and off to the side. Last I remember there was a door there that was always closed. I used to think that’s where your old man hid all the good stuff.

Trust me, he made sure all the good stuff was on the shelves, said Abigail. I turned that into a break room. My father always intended for me to use it as an office, but I was never here long enough to need it. Besides, I think it works better as a place for Nathan and Sara to rest when they need to. Some regulars will take a respite back there occasionally too. Especially since we keep the air conditioner running and it’s been such a hot summer so far this year.

Mike took a few steps towards the break room and Abigail waved him in before leading the way.

We put two vending machines in here, she said. One for drinks and the other for snacks. The snack machine holds twenty different types of chips, ten different candy bars, and five assorted flavors of gum. Eh, sorry. I don’t mean to rattle off the details, but I spent so much time trying to pick the right one that I feel I should brag a bit.

Abigail watched as Mike walked over and surveyed the choices. See anything you like?

I could go for a candy bar, he replied. He fished around in his pocket, presumably for some change. His hand reemerged with a few coins in his palm. He put the coins one by one into the machine. Is that the same coffee your father drank? Mike crouched to get his candy bar and then walked over to the counter and picked up the bag of espresso beans. My dad used to have a cup every now and again with your father. I remember thinking it tasted gross when I was a kid, but now, it’s tough to start my day without a cup. Do you mind if I have some?

Unfortunately, the coffee isn’t for patrons. With The Full Mug right down the street I urge anyone who comes in hankering for a cup to head that way.

That’s fair. Nice to have businesses looking out for each other in a small town.

I should head over to The Full Mug myself, but my place is here. It wouldn’t be fair to Sara and Nathan either. They work hard and shouldn’t have to spend their money on coffee during the workday. Besides, my father always said the coffee was better if you ground the beans yourself, but I wonder if he was just pinching pennies. She smiled as she reminisced. He certainly saved money wherever he could. It’s coming up on seventy-two years this place opened if you can believe it. I’ve got the Breakfast Blend there too, which is my personal favorite, although I rarely get to have a cup with Sara and Nathan drinking it all the time. She sighed. Better they have the energy I suppose with all the running around they do here.

Nathan is still here? Nathan Brooks? I remember when he first started. That kid must be what, he rolled his eyes up at the ceiling and counted on his fingers, Twenty-one by now?

That’s right, she replied. He started here when he was sixteen. It’s nice knowing a descendant of the town’s founder Reginald Brooks is working here. It makes the place feel like an important piece of the town’s history.

As well it should, said Mike. Do the two of them get along?

They’re a great team. Sara is eighteen, so not far off from how old Nathan was when he started. She was finishing up at Brooks Landing high school when I interviewed her. I hired her after only a few questions. Maybe it was her bubbly personality, or maybe I just like having someone as tall as me walking around. Five foot two doesn’t exactly reach the top shelves, she grinned, luckily; we’ve got Nathan here for that. He claims to be five foot eleven, but I wouldn’t doubt him if he said he was over six feet tall.

He’s taller than me, that’s for sure. Mike inspected the packaging of his treat, as if looking for the perfect spot to tear it open.

He’s also a great go-to for so many things. My father taught him well. I like to think I’m doing a great job at training Sara too. She hasn’t been here for long. Only about two months now. Together they keep the floors swept, the shelves tidy, and the stockroom organized. Sara will head off to college in the fall, but I certainly feel grateful having her here for the summer. Maybe she’ll even come work here when she’s home for the holidays.

Won’t be long until those two are dating, he tore the top of the packaging on his candy bar, if they’re not already.

I haven’t seen any signs of that yet. She watched as Mike peeled the wrapper off his treat and took his first bite. Worth the dollar fifty?

He nodded.

Best not to talk with your mouth full now, she said, followed by a smirk.

Good advice, he said.

Abigail raised an eyebrow when she spotted his chocolate covered teeth.

Just hearing about those two reminds me of you and Colin. You were quite the pair. His face grew red as if he realized he’d spoken the words aloud and not to himself. I didn’t mean to bring that up. It’s none of my business.

No worries. There’s no animosity between Colin and I. Now, let’s get out of here so you can start picking out some new supplies. There’s a buy-one-get-one deal on hammers today. I accidently ordered twice the stock and I honestly don’t have the space for them all.

I’ll take you up on that, replied Mike. This candy bar hits the spot too. I also appreciate you showing me around.

Glad to see an old friend, she turned to him and winked, and make a few sales.

*****

Colin Bloom was co-owner of the local coffeehouse The Full Mug. The coffeehouse had been one of the first jobs he’d worked when arriving in town, and when the original owner retired it seemed like a perfect fit to take over the business with his friend, John Huxby. At twenty-eight years old, Colin was in a similar position to Abigail in terms of having the reigns to a business at such a young age. He had never worked at the hardware store alongside her, but had given some thought into offering his assistance when her father passed away. He shied away from the idea thinking Abigail wouldn’t want to see him every day. It’d been six months since she took over, and a year since their divorce.

He was impressed with how quickly Abigail stepped into the role of manager and was pleased whenever someone came into the coffeehouse saying she had kicked them out for trying to have a cup of coffee in the breakroom. Colin felt there was a loyalty to the surrounding businesses in Brooks Landing that you didn’t see in big cities.

The Full Mug was one of the few places in Brooks Landing with a town map on the wall. Colin also kept a few maps folded up on a shelf near the entrance for the occasional travelers who passed through town and wanted to look around. The small town in Vermont had a population of 1,500 people and was sixty-eight square miles, with a lot of the space outside of the shops in the center of town dedicated to farming and orchards.

The Full Mug was a couple minutes’ walk down the street from Walcott Hardware, with a hairdresser, clothing store, and grocery store in between. Two miles from The Full Mug was the town’s only bar, The Last Pint, and a mile from that on Ridgemont Street, the town’s police station, library, diner, and town hall, all of which weren’t far from the town park. The fire station was on the opposite side of town from the police station, assuring that Brooks Landing was book-ended by emergency services. Colin wasn’t sure but speculated the placement of the fire station was chosen since it was closer to the farming land, and would be needed if a fire ever broke out that would threaten the crops the town, and surrounding towns, relied on. Across the street were a handful of odds and ends stores, along with a Christmas store that spread the spirit of the season all year round.

Even with being so close to Abigail during the workday, a simple walk down the street would get him a face-to-face conversation, Colin hadn’t spoken to her much, outside of polite greetings when passing by, since their divorce. They’d both agreed to make the process as smooth as possible. They’d gotten married young, but after four years it was clear to both of them it wasn’t going to work out.

Divorce was a rare occurrence in Brooks Landing, and with the town being so small, it didn’t take long for people to find out, but both were certain they’d be able to someday find love again. Abigail kept their house on Chestnut Street, a ranch which was a brisk ten-minute walk to the hardware store on Main Street, and only two houses down from her mother’s, while Colin moved into a townhouse on the edge of town.

His landlord lived on the other side of the house and never gave him any problems, although he wondered what would happen if one week, he couldn’t pay the rent. With the coffeehouse doing so well the thought didn’t cross his mind often. His landlord however was also owner of the town’s diner, and Abigail’s brother Peter, who worked there as a cook, had reminded him time and again that dollar signs practically took the place of pupils in Gabe’s, the landlord’s, eyes.

Colin would often wake up an hour before having to leave for work, giving him time to shower and make a decent sized breakfast for himself in the morning, while still arriving before John. The drive to work was a peaceful one, regardless of his not so peaceful sounding truck, which had rings of rust around each of the wheelhouses, and a muffler that’d given up working long ago. The tailgate wouldn’t latch properly either, but the bungee-cords he’d strapped on the year after buying it were still holding strong.

Colin hadn’t grown up in Brooks Landing like most everyone else in town, but he had arrived at a young age. He met Abigail when he was twenty-three-years-old, and at the time had told her he was just passing through. He was finished with college, a bachelor’s in business he’d received at a state college in Ohio, and was traveling around the country before finally settling down and figuring out what he wanted out of life.

Brooks Landing was somewhere around the twentieth stop on his trip. He’d rented a room at the bed and breakfast in town, which asked for forty dollars a night. The owners of the B&B, the Carver’s, were an elderly couple who ran the business out of the upstairs rooms, vacated by their children as they grew older and moved out. There were four rooms in all, their house was one of the biggest in town, and the business seemed more like a hobby and a means to have company than anything else.

They had plenty of room to keep people out of the cold during the autumn and winter months as well. There was a living room with four couches, and a fireplace that crackled through the night. After running out of money from staying at the B&B so long, he got a job at the coffeehouse and decided to stay so he could spend more time with Abigail. A year after