Twelve

Addy couldn’t believe Nick showed up in the city. He hated the city. In the years she’d known him, she couldn’t think of a single time he’d driven outside of River Run unless he’d been forced to get something for the farm. He’d probably willingly gone on a field trip to a city of some kind when he was in school, but did that really count? Since he was five years older than her, Addy wasn’t even sure that he’d done that.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Nick insisted they visit some shops to give him some ideas for his living room. The whole idea made her nervous. It brought back the memory of her painting his wall and switching around his furniture and him getting so upset with her.

“So what color would be good to paint the walls?” Nick’s question brought her mind back to the present.

“Probably a neutral color.” She pointed to a shop just a block ahead of them. “We’ll look at different wall options in there.”

Addy had to lengthen her stride again to keep up with Nick. Sneaking a peek at him, she had to bite her bottom lip as she took in the dark waves peeking out beneath his worn cap. He wore a plain green T-shirt and well-worn Wrangler jeans. She held back a giggle as she thought of him being completely out of his element.

She believed he was sorry about the bet, and she thought he did care about her. But she couldn’t help but acknowledge the difference in their actions. At the fairgrounds she had wrapped her arms around him, kissed him soundly on the lips, and admitted she loved him. He had barged in on her lunch with Trevor, practically forced her to redecorate his house, but hadn’t mentioned anything about loving her.

Her heart stung at the truth of it. God, help me not to think of that right now. She swallowed back the emotion that threatened to make a visible display. I need to talk with You about it later.

She cleared her throat and reached for the door of one of her favorite paint and wall-covering stores. Every color and texture imaginable assaulted her senses, and she basked in the beauty of them all. She couldn’t help but believe heaven captured every color in complete beauty. All she had to do was take a walk on her daddy’s farm, and she knew it would be true.

“Wow.” Nick sounded surprised when he stepped in behind her. “I didn’t know there were so many colors.”

Addy smiled up at him. “This is my favorite shop.” She led him to a wall of neutral colors. “Your living room is a wonderful size, but the ceilings are a bit low, and you have a lot of furniture that’s really in too good of shape to get rid of unless you’re planning to donate it to someone.”

Nick scratched his jaw, seeming to contemplate her words. He snapped his fingers. “You know what, Mom was telling me the other day about a family two counties over who lost a lot of their stuff in a fire. I think they were needing some furniture. Let me call Mom real quick.”

Addy picked out a few colors while Nick talked to his mom on the phone. If he ended up buying new furniture, they’d really need to look at paint samples after he made the purchase.

He clicked his phone shut. “They’ve been given a lot of things they need, but they do still need a couch.”

“Okay.” Addy placed the samples back in their places. “Well, let’s go look at furniture first. You’ll want to have that before we decide on paint.”

“I want to keep my couch.”

Addy frowned. “Oh—okay. I thought you meant—”

Nick grinned. “You can still help me pick something out for them, but I like my furniture. It’s just the right mixture of soft and firm when I want to sprawl out and watch a University of Kentucky Wildcats game or take an afternoon nap.”

Addy punched him in the arm and grinned. “You knew I thought you were going to give away your furniture.”

He laughed as he feigned being hurt from her punch. “I know. But I do want to see if we can find a couch for them.”

She clicked her tongue as she pulled the paint samples off the tray on the wall again. “I’ll need to take these to your house to be sure we pick the right color, but I’m leaning toward this one.”

She held out a swatch of a light taupe color that held just the slightest hint of green. With his dark brown leather recliner and brown-and-taupe-colored couch and love seat, she felt sure that a deep green accent color would go nicely in his farmhouse. “What do you think?”

Nick nodded as he picked a bright purple sample from the wall. “I figured you’d like this one.”

Addy laughed as she took it from his hand and put it back in its place. “Raspberry is my favorite color, but I think that’s a bit much.”

She picked up the color she adored, a deep cream color with just a slight lavender hue, so slight she would have to use purple accents on the walls or floral arrangements for the color to even be detected. “This is my favorite.”

Nick pretended to inspect it. “I guess it’s pretty.”

“It’s definitely pretty.” She took the sample and put it back in the tray. She scooped up the ones she wanted to place against his wall and slipped them into her purse. “Let’s go look for some furniture. I’ll need to go pick up my stuff at Val’s apartment then stop by your house to get some ideas before I can head home.”

“Sounds good.” He scratched his jaw. “I suppose that means we’ll be getting back around five.”

“I can drive myself, Nick.”

“You don’t have a car.”

Addy opened her mouth to disagree when she remembered she’d been so upset at the fairgrounds that she’d ridden back with Val. She clamped it shut and scrunched her nose. “You’re right.”

He put his arm around her shoulder. “I’ll get you home.”

❧

Nick dug his hand down in his front jeans pocket and touched the color sample he’d picked up at the shop. A terrific idea formed in his head when he and Addy walked into that shop. It would take a lot of work to get the cabin fixed up right, but Addy was worth it. He’d built it to be his own special hideaway, but as soon as he earned Addy’s trust again, it would be transformed into their special hideaway.

He’d have to get some help from his buddies. Drew knew quite a bit about electrical wiring, and Mike had put a septic system in for the house he was building on his folks’ land. He’d be able to order the parts he needed through Wyatt without anyone else knowing about it. In a month’s time or less, he’d have the place fixed up for her.

He pulled into the parking lot for Val’s apartment. He shut off the engine and opened the door.

Addy put her hand on his arm. “You don’t have to go with me. I only have a bag.” She opened the truck door and hopped out. “I’ll be right back.”

Nick watched as Addy scaled the steps leading to the apartment. So this is where Addy’s lived the last few years. A smile formed on his lips as she made her way up the stairs. It was a nice enough place, but it didn’t suit his Addy. She had an eye for fashion and design, but she was a country girl at heart. If he had his way, she’d truly be his country girl before too long.

He pulled the sample out of his pocket and looked at the color. He’d drive back up tomorrow morning after he took care of a few chores and pick up the paint. The lady who worked there could help him pick out a few things to put around the cabin. He’d want to get a nicer bed.

His cheeks warmed as another idea came to his mind. It was the perfect place for them to spend their wedding night. Addy might want to travel somewhere different for their actual honeymoon, and even though he didn’t like to go far from home, he’d be willing to do it for her. But the cabin would be the perfect place for their wedding night. It was the place he realized he was falling in love with her—even if he hadn’t put exact words to what he was feeling at the time.

Addy opened the door to the apartment and headed down the steps. Nick slipped the sample back into his pocket. He could hardly wait to get home and call the guys. He knew they would help him. They’d probably hit him up to fish in his pond a few mornings a week as well.

She opened the door and stepped into the truck. He grinned at her. “Ya ready?”

“Yeah.”

She smiled at him, but Nick knew the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was still hurt by the way he’d treated her. He couldn’t blame her. He’d have to prove how he felt about her. For now, he’d just be content knowing he would see her while she fixed up his house. He’d try to make it take as long as he could so he could show her how he felt.

She could paint his walls pink and hang flamingos from the ceiling for all he cared. After pulling onto the interstate, he sneaked a quick peek at her. Her gaze was fixed out the windshield.

He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say. With the city quickly fading behind him and a lot of land in front of him, Nick sighed a breath of relief. “Whew. It sure is good to see a little bit of country.”

He rolled down his window and sucked in a long breath. “Smells a lot better, too.”

Addy giggled. “I was definitely surprised when you showed up at the deli.”

“Well, you wouldn’t answer my calls.”

She turned and flicked the bill of his cap with her fingertips. “I’m talking about seeing you, you big overgrown country boy, in the city. You were like a fish out of water.”

Nick’s heart warmed at the endearing tone in her voice. He tapped the top of the steering wheel. “I suppose I don’t exactly fit in the city. Makes me feel like I’m suffocating.”

Addy’s tone became somber. “It’s so funny you’d use those words. Just today, at my interview, I thought the same thing. Like I was suffocating.”

He tapped her hand, fighting the urge to wrap his hand around hers. “That’s because you don’t belong there any more than I do.”

Addy looked out the passenger window. “You’re exactly right. I just wish I knew what God wants for me. I’m twenty-three, living with my parents, and only doing odd jobs.” She twisted the strap of her purse between her fingers. “But I trust God. He knows what He’s doing with me.”

Nick bit his tongue. Every bone in his body wanted to scream that he knew what he wanted her to be doing. He wanted her to be marrying him, living on his farm, and designing houses or whatever she so chose from River Run. But he didn’t say anything. Not yet.

She had to trust him again. He wanted her to look at him with that slight glint of adoration she’d shown up until she heard about the bet. He didn’t want her to idolize him or fawn over him, but he needed her to respect him—to look at him like he was the only man for her. He didn’t realize how much he needed that until he saw the hurt in her eyes when he’d let her down.

Lord, I’m sorry it took me acting like a fool to see what You wanted for my life. Help me show her how valuable and precious she is.