Never be afraid to apologize. It takes great courage to admit you’re wrong, and you will only be stronger for it.
PEARL CHAMBERS, The Gentlewoman’s Guide to Love and Courtship
You look lovely, dear.” Rose bustled into the sun-room where Heather sat on the flowered sofa with her hands folded in her lap. “That bright blue suits you.”
“Thank you.” Heather had taken special care with her appearance today, and the short, form-fitting dress was new. Charlie wore new jeans and a blue T-shirt. She’d washed up his sneakers too. He leaned against her shyly.
The soft tans and comfortable furniture in the bright space should have put Heather at ease, but she wished she’d never agreed to come for dinner. It was going to be so awkward since Paul had kissed her yesterday. Her fingers stole to her lips. She’d remember that kiss the rest of her life.
Rose set a silver tea tray on the table, then lifted the pot to pour the tea into the delicate blue-and-white cups. “Paul will be here shortly. He’s out looking at houses to buy. I’ve told him he can live here as long as he likes, but he’s a grown man and finds it off-putting to be living with his great-aunt, I think.”
Something inside Heather clenched. “He’s buying a house?” Somehow she hadn’t really believed he would stay here for good.
Rose nodded. “He seems to be done with city life and wants to settle down here in Smitten. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Paul puts on a front that fools most, but not his old auntie. He asked my David to tag along and give him an unbiased opinion.”
Heather smiled. Rose and her long-lost love were the cutest newlyweds she had ever seen.
“A front?” she said. Maybe this was her chance to learn a bit more about Paul.
Rose handed her a delicate teacup. “He’s always felt his mother’s abandonment. He and his sisters were yanked around from town to town until he was eight. She was an alcoholic, you know. Married five times. I think that’s why Paul has always been a little skittish of relationships. I knew God would help him settle eventually, though. It’s time.” She bent down and smiled at Charlie. “I brought you some cocoa, honey. And cookies.”
After a moment Charlie took the mug she offered, then scooted back against his mother.
Heather stirred sugar into her tea. “I never knew that. I just thought his mom died, and you ended up raising the kids.”
Rose crossed her legs, amazingly shapely for a woman her age. “That would have been traumatic enough, but those poor children didn’t have any stability from the time they were born. I tried to heal the wounds, but some things take God’s hand alone.”
The front door slammed, and Paul’s voice called, “Aunt Rose?”
“In here, honey. Our guests have arrived.”
His footsteps came across the wood floors. He looked impossibly handsome and carefree when he stepped into the sun-room. His jeans hugged his hips, and Heather liked the red shirt he wore. His gaze darted to her and lingered on her face before sweeping down to take in the rest of her.
“Hi, Heather.” His smile broadened. “I like your dress.”
She resisted the impulse to tug at the hem. “Thanks. Did you find a house?”
He shook his head. “Neither house was what I was looking for.”
“I can keep an eye out. I’m a house junkie. I like to drive around town looking at what’s for sale. What do you want?”
He snagged a cookie, then dropped onto the sofa beside her. “I want at least four bedrooms. Something with character too. I’d really like a fixer, something I can design like I want it. And an attic. Have to have a walk-up attic like here. I used to love going through the boxes up there.”
Heather laughed. “I’ve never been in that kind of attic. Only ones with a pulldown ladder into a space above the garage.”
“I’ll have to show you the attic after dinner.”
Rose shook her head. “You’ll do no such thing. She’ll get dust all over her pretty dress.” She stood. “I’d better check on dinner.”
Heather sprang to her feet too, glad to get away from the enticing heat emanating from Paul. “What can I do to help?”
Rose waved her hand. “Nothing, child. It’s all in the oven. I just need to take a peek and see if it’s ready. It’s probably got another few minutes, but you never can tell with my oven. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
“I could set the table.”
“Charlie will help me.” Rose took the little boy’s hand. “Chat with my nephew while I show Charlie my special silver.”
Heather sank back onto the sofa. She wasn’t sure what to say. The kiss loomed between them.
He took a cookie from the tray. “Did you tell Molly there was nothing in the mine?”
“I did. She took it well. I don’t think she really expected us to find anything. But it would have been nice.”
“I’m sorry. I know you want to help her.”
She peeked up at his sincere face. “Thanks.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Send business her way when you can. The construction will be done soon, and we have to help her build her reputation.”
A frown settled on his brow. “Does she know anything about the expeditions she’ll be taking guests on?”
Heather waved vaguely. “She doesn’t need to. An employee does all that.”
“That’s quite a bit different from the hands-on work she’ll need to be doing. I hope she’s ready for this.”
She sipped her tea. “I don’t think she has a choice.”
He put his palms on his knees. His fingers were long and ended in clean oval fingernails. A sensitive man’s hand, but she’d never seen a sensitive side. Just like yesterday, he’d taken advantage of a simple kiss of gratitude and turned it into something else.
You wanted it.
She pushed away the voice. Whether she’d welcomed it or not didn’t change the way he’d moved in.
“Look, Heather, I know you’re a little miffed I kissed you, but doggone it, don’t shut me out. I’m not the philanderer you think I am. I’m beginning to care about you, and I’d like to explore where we might go from here. Don’t close the door to a chance of happiness because of something that happened four years ago.”
His aunt had said he’d changed. Was it possible? She wetted her lips. “What does it mean when you say you care about me?”
He reached over and took her hand, then turned it over and rubbed his thumb against her palm. “I was a jerk that night, Heather. You want to know the truth? I was afraid.”
She dared to look up and capture his gaze. It was open, vulnerable. “Afraid?”
“You were different. I thought if I let you get too close, I’d never leave Smitten. I thought real life was out there somewhere, but I was wrong. I want to start over and do this right. I’m not asking for a commitment from you, but can we go out? Maybe see what happens?”
His deep, persuasive voice washed over her. What could be the harm? She could lower her guard just a little. Not all the way, but low enough to peek into his soul and see if he was the man she thought he could be.
“All right,” she said. “We can go for ice cream after dinner.”
“Ice cream?”
“I have to see if you choose the right flavor. I could never spend time with anyone who ate only vanilla. If we could take a convertible, it would be a perfect ending.”
His smile broadened. “I think I’ll make you wait to find out.”
The beautiful April day lifted Paul’s spirits until he got out of the car and saw what awaited him at the organic farm. Flies buzzed around the large brown mound in the middle of the field.
He saw Heather standing at the edge of the field and hurried to join her. He waved his hand in front of his face. “Phew, that stinks.”
“But it will grow healthy plants.” Heather inhaled deeply. “Nothing like the smell of manure.”
“You are one crazy woman.” He dropped his arm over her shoulders. “Can we go for more ice cream after we get this done? I promise not to order razzmatazz again. I’ll go for something tamer like butter pecan. Or Rocky Road. Am I getting warm?”
“I think they’d run us out when they took one whiff.” A dimple flashed in her right cheek.
Whoa, he hadn’t seen that very often. Maybe he was making headway. Last night had been a blast as he’d sat with Heather and Charlie, licking their cones and talking about everything from politics to their faith. He’d been right. Heather was one in a million. He found himself fascinated by her mind, her moods, and the way she cared about other people.
She picked up a pitchfork. “We’d better get this done.”
“We’re doing it ourselves? I thought I’d hire some help.”
She poked a finger in his side. “Pansy.”
“Masochist.” When she smiled and turned toward the manure pile, he took her by the wrist and pulled her close. “I think I need fortification for the task ahead. A lot of fortification. Let me smell your perfume first.”
She stopped, and a blush touched her cheeks. “I doubt you can smell it. The, um, fertilizer is too strong.”
“Oh, I’d know your scent anywhere.” He touched her cheek, then tangled his fingers in her long blond hair. “I’ve been wanting to do that forever.”
She stilled as if she was afraid to move. He wound her hair around his hand. “Your hair is so silky, and it smells like flowers.”
He bent down and brushed his lips across hers. Her lashes fluttered down, and she leaned in. Her encouragement was all he needed to snake his other arm around her waist and deepen the kiss. She kissed him back, and he was smiling when their lips finally parted.
“I think you’re starting to like me,” he whispered.
Her blue eyes darkened. “You think?”
He nodded but didn’t release her. “Most definitely. And I’m crazy about you, Heather. You can trust me. We’ll move slow, but trust me. I’m not going anywhere.”
She pulled away. “If you say so.” She was still smiling when she moved toward the manure pile. “This isn’t going to get done by itself.”
“It’s going to take us hours,” he groaned. Sighing, he picked up a pitchfork. When was the last time he’d done something like this? Like, never?
She turned back to face him with an impish grin. “You just said you were crazy about me, and now you’re objecting to spending hours with me?”
“Well, when you put it like that . . . though I can think of a lot more fun things to do together than shovel manure. But for my girl, I can do anything.”
She froze, and her eyes widened. She wetted her lips, then looked down.
Paul stepped to her side. “Yeah, I’m staking my claim. Any objections?”
She peeked up at him, then shook her head. “Don’t hurt me, Paul. I can’t bear it. Not again.”
He tipped her chin and stared into her face. “I swear I won’t hurt you, Heather. Let me prove myself to you. And Charlie too.”
“I-I’ll try.”
There was still doubt in her expression and soft voice. What was it going to take before she realized he was sincere?
Everyone had left the bookstore except for Lia, Molly, Abby, and Heather—and Tess, who had stepped into her office for a few minutes. They were still talking about The Light Between Oceans.
Heather threw away the last of the paper cups. “I hated that ending. He could have gotten her convicted, then gotten custody.”
Abby shook her head so hard her brown hair whipped around her face. “It’s the way it had to end. It was real. I would have hated it if it weren’t real.”
Heather glanced at Molly. “Did you read it, Moll?”
Molly’s brown eyes were still haunted, but she managed a smile. “I skimmed it. Does that count?”
Heather tossed the paper plates in the trash. “Normally I would say no, but we’ll give you a pass this week.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m so bummed about the mine. I really hoped we’d find that treasure.”
“I haven’t given up yet,” Abby said. “I want to look through the book and see if there’s something you missed. Can I have it for a bit, Heather?”
“Have at it. I’ll drop it by.”
Lia grabbed her spring coat, a bright green with a big flower on the lapel. “I saw you at the ice-cream shop with Paul. You looked very cozy.”
“We have spent some time together. Charlie loves him.”
“And what do you think?” Molly asked.
“I like him too. There’s something different about him. He’s more thoughtful. Quieter too.”
Abby smiled and pulled on her coat, a dull brown that did nothing for her complexion. “Well, I think it’s wonderful. You deserve a really great guy, Heather. I hope you’ll both be very happy.”
“They’re not getting married,” Lia said. “I mean, he hasn’t proposed or anything, right?”
Heather’s smile was beginning to feel strained. “No, of course not.”
“You girls are making her uncomfortable,” Molly said. “It’s much too early to talk about marriage.”
“Much,” Heather agreed. She slipped her arms into her coat and held open the door. “Let’s get out of here before Tess comes out to see what we’re doing here so late.”
The wind ruffled her hair as she stepped onto the sidewalk. A red convertible was stopped at the stop sign, and her smile brightened when she realized Paul was driving it. She started to call to him, then saw the woman in the passenger seat.
Isabelle Morgan. The beautiful blonde turned heads wherever she went. Her perfect features were turned toward Paul in an attentive smile. Before the car left the corner, she leaned over and brushed a kiss across Paul’s cheek.
Heather whirled and dashed back inside. Her heart was nearly pounding out of her chest, and she felt faint. Stupid, stupid. What had she expected? That the toad out there had really become a prince? Paul hadn’t changed. Not one bit. Her eyes burned, and she swallowed hard.
Her friends followed her back inside. Lia touched her hand. “Heather, what’s wrong?”
She clutched her shaking hands together. “Didn’t you see? That convertible out there. Paul was driving. Isabelle Morgan was with him, and she kissed him.”
Molly put a hand on Heather’s arm. “It might be nothing. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“I’m not jumping to conclusions. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Abby nodded. “I saw it too. I’m sorry, Heather. I know that had to hurt.”
“She kissed him, though. He didn’t kiss her,” Molly pointed out.
“What is he doing with her in the first place? He’s never even told me he has a convertible, and I told him the other day I’d love to have one. It would have been the perfect opportunity to tell me about his and offer to take me for a ride.”
Molly nodded slowly. “I guess you’re right. Are you okay?”
“I let my guard down. I’m so stupid!” Heather wanted to slap herself. Hard. She wasn’t going to cry over him. Not again.
“What are you going to do?” Lia asked.
“I’m going to let him figure out his own stupid farm. I’m not going to work with him anymore. I can’t stand it.”
Molly put her hand on Heather’s shoulder. “I know you, Heather. You won’t be happy abandoning the project until it’s finished. This is close to your heart. Talk to him about it. Ask for an explanation.”
She shook her head. “I never want to talk to him again. It hurts too much.”
“It’s not like you to run away from a problem,” Abby said. “I might, but you wouldn’t.”
The vision of Paul with Isabelle had imprinted itself on her eyelids. It was going to haunt her for a long time. “Maybe I can talk about it later. I can’t do it tonight.”
Maybe never.