Chapter Seven

“I’m looking forward to meeting your friend Laura.” Brother Henry shook David’s hand as he exited the church Sunday morning. “Zeb told me about her moving here and working at the bookstore.” He gave David a friendly smile. “That’s a good thing you’re doing for that young lady, giving her a place to work and helping her out when she’s on her own and expecting.”

“I did what any friend would do,” David said.

Brother Henry nodded. “A true friend would,” he agreed. “Daniel and Mandy mentioned they invited her to church this morning. Maybe she’ll come worship with us eventually. We’d love to have her.”

“I invited her, as well,” David said. “And I’m praying she’ll come, too.”

“That’s good. That’s what works,” Brother Henry answered, then turned to shake the next person’s hand.

David started down the church steps with Laura on his mind. They’d had such an amazing weekend, selling all of the Boxcar Children books Friday night and filling each of her sign-up sheets with kids for the book club. Thanks to Laura, the bookstore would have a record number of children in every week, and hopefully their parents would shop for books while the kids participated in the book club. His business could sure use the shot in the arm, but David wondered if it was enough.

As if he knew where David’s thoughts had headed, Milton Stott waited for his client at the bottom of the steps.

“Morning, David,” Milton said. “Nice service, wasn’t it?”

“It was. Brother Henry always does a great job.” David started toward his car and hoped that Milton wouldn’t bring up business, but the accountant joined in to walk with him across the parking lot.

“David, I wanted to ask you about something I heard,” he said.

Checking to make sure no one was close enough to overhear their conversation, David leaned against his car and braced for Milton’s question. “Okay.”

“My daughter mentioned meeting a new girl in town. Said she’s expecting twins, that’s she a nice lady and that she’s working for you at the bookstore.”

“She is a nice lady, a friend of mine from college, and she is expecting twins,” David said. “I’d hoped to bring her to church with me this morning—maybe she’ll come next week.” David knew none of those things were what the accountant wanted to hear about, but he thought maybe it’d let him see that David didn’t want to talk about her employment status.

Milton didn’t seem to care.

“And she works for you at the bookstore?” Milton asked.

David should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. “She does,” he said, “and she’s already brought in several new customers. We’ve started a book club for kids that has maxed out, and it hasn’t even officially started yet. And we’re expecting a large turnout for Destiny Lee’s first book signing next Saturday.” David attempted to control his tone so that it didn’t sound like he was tossing out a sales pitch for his new employee, even if that was, for the most part, exactly what he was doing.

Milton smiled and nodded at Bo and Maura Taylor as they walked by, and David, thankful his accountant waited for them to pass before continuing this conversation, did the same. As soon as the couple got in the car next to David’s and left, Milton forged ahead.

“David,” he said, frowning, “I’m glad that you’re making some headway in the business, and I think it’s admirable that you’re willing to try to help that girl out, especially given the state of your financials. But even with those sales, I just don’t see how you’re going to get out of the red.”

“We haven’t even seen how many sales I can generate with the book signing. And the craft extravaganza is this week. That will also boost my numbers.” David was grasping at straws, and the look on Milton’s face said he knew it.

“Your grandmother left you two things—that bookstore and her farmhouse. The bookstore isn’t making it, and every time you borrow more money against your line of credit to try to save it, you’re risking losing the farmhouse, too.”

When David got the line of credit and used the farmhouse as collateral, it hadn’t seemed like that big of a risk. But, as Milton had pointed out, he’d been borrowing against it nearly every month in an effort to save the bookstore. Now he owed nearly as much as the place was worth, and he wasn’t even living there.

“I think you need to consider two options, son. And I’m not trying to worry you. I’m just trying to save you from losing both. You need to either decide that you can make the bookstore work—somehow—and sell the farmhouse. Or you need to let the bookstore go, cut your losses and keep your grandmother’s home.”

“I plan to live in that house one day when I have a family,” David said.

Milton grunted. “I suspected that. Well, then, I’ve got to tell you, I’d recommend putting the bookstore on the market. Residential real estate isn’t selling all that great now, but commercial property on the square is always a sure thing.”

David’s heart felt heavy in his chest. “She thought I could make the store work. I can’t let her down.” And he didn’t want to let Laura down, either.

“Personally, I think it would’ve let her down more if she’d have thought you’d lose the bookstore and the house.” Milton sighed, obviously realizing David wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. “Just promise me you’ll think about what I’ve said. It’s my job to watch out for your business, and I am trying.”

“I know, and I appreciate that,” David said. “And I promise to think about it.” He’d have no trouble keeping that promise. The fear of losing the store, and now the house, hovered in his thoughts nonstop.

“All right, then. Let me know if you need to talk.”

Once Milton had left, David unlocked his door and started to get in but stopped when someone called his name.

Chad Martin had his window rolled down as he pulled up in his old BMW. “Hey, we’re all heading to Stockville to try out that new Country Junction buffet. You wanna come?”

Chad’s wife, Jessica, waved from the passenger seat. Their son, Nathan, sat in the backseat beside his little sister, Lainey. He also rolled his window down and told David, “I’ve already read up to chapter six in The Boxcar Children. I’ll be done before our club meets.”

Chad grinned. “Nathan’s pretty excited about being in a club.”

Jessica leaned toward her husband so that she could see David clearly and added, “We figure if he’s going to join a club, a book club is a good way to go.”

“Yeah, it is,” David said. “So who all is going to the buffet?”

“Us, Troy and Destiny, Matt, Hannah and Autumn, Mitch and his girls, Daniel, Mandy, Kaden and Mia.”

“We invited the Cutters, but Eden had already fixed lunch for all of them to eat together at her farm,” Jessica said. “We’re going on to the restaurant to get the table. Matt needed to run by his office on the way, and Daniel and Mandy are going by her gallery to see if the lady renting from them wants to come. Mandy said she’s a friend of yours from college?”

David was thrilled they remembered Laura, and he prayed she’d come. “Yes, she is.”

“So, you coming?” Chad asked.

A moment ago he was debating it, but now, the decision was easy. “Sure.”

* * *

Laura still felt odd waking on a Sunday morning and not going to church. True, she’d stopped halfway through her years at UT, but she’d never gotten over that automatic impulse to get dressed, drive to the nearest church building and worship. When she first stopped, it was because none of her friends attended any service on campus and most of them—including Laura—stayed up too late on Saturday night to even consider waking up early for a church service Sunday morning.

But since she graduated, she’d thought more about church again, thought more about faith again. And nowadays, she didn’t attend for totally different reasons than those in college. Now she didn’t go because of guilt. She’d left God behind and ended up single and pregnant. Not only that, but she also wasn’t certain parents would want her attending a worship service with their kids. What kind of example was she for teens? Then again, they might want to use her as an example of what not to do.

She’d eaten a bagel for breakfast, but it was nearly noon, and her stomach said the babies were hungry. She started down the stairs to the kitchen to fix a PB&J...or two...and had just peeked in the refrigerator when the back door flew open and Kaden entered.

“What ya doing? You didn’t eat yet, did you? Mom said we wanted to catch you before you ate lunch, but you didn’t answer your phone, so I ran in!”

“I think my phone is still by my bed upstairs,” she said. “Why did you want to catch me before I ate?”

“’Cause everybody is going to the new place to eat in Stockville, and Dad and Mom wanted you to come, too. You are going to come, aren’t you? ’Cause I’m hungry and we need to go.”

Mandy entered the kitchen and rubbed a hand over Kaden’s sandy curls. “We’d really like for you to join us,” she said. “It’s just a small group from church, but I’d like for you to meet them.”

Laura noticed Mandy’s sweaterdress, scarf and boots. Kaden wore a dark green polo shirt and khakis. She glanced down at her Titans T-shirt and maternity pajama pants. “I’m not exactly dressed for it. Maybe I’ll go next time.”

Mandy ran her hand down to Kaden’s neck and tenderly turned him toward the door. “Kaden, go on and tell your daddy that we’ll be out in a minute. We need to give Laura a second to change.”

“But—” Laura began.

Neither listened.

“Okay!” Kaden ran to the door, leaped from the top stair to the pavement and then continued to their minivan shouting to his father that Laura was coming.

Mandy crossed the room, took Laura’s hand from the refrigerator handle and then eased the door shut. “I want you to go. You’ve been either working at the bookstore or cooped up in here all week. You need to get out, and I want you to meet our friends.”

“Your church friends,” Laura said.

“Same difference.”

“I don’t belong with a church group now. It doesn’t feel right for me to go. After I have the babies, I plan to start back. I want them to grow up knowing God, but now...”

“Now is the perfect time for you to start back.”

“I’ve made so many mistakes. Mistakes that are—” she glanced at her growing stomach “—rather obvious.” Then she thought about how that sounded and said, “I don’t mean that my babies are a mistake. I’m excited about having them and hopeful that I’ll do a good job as a new mom.”

“I believe you will,” Mandy interjected.

“But,” Laura continued, “I’m afraid people will look at me and feel like I shouldn’t be in church.”

“Maybe you don’t feel like you should be, but I think people will surprise you. Come eat lunch with us today,” Mandy said. “You need to meet some of the folks that you think won’t want you in church. Then tell me what you think. And besides, I have something to talk to you about over lunch. Another book club idea for the bookstore.”

“Couldn’t we talk about it here?” Laura asked.

“Nope. Now get dressed, please. I’m hungry.” Mandy smiled and pointed to the stairs. “Go on.”

“Are you always this bossy?”

“That’s a question for my husband,” she answered with a laugh.

Laura went to her room and changed into one of the new outfits her mother had brought. The mocha color-block dress had zigzagging diagonal stripes of chocolate and red accenting the skirt and flowed beautifully to Laura’s ankles. She added the red jewelry her mother had bought to match the dress and chocolate flats. After running a brush through her hair and putting on a little mascara and lip gloss, she grabbed her purse and phone.

Before leaving, she took a final glance in the mirror. She still wasn’t used to the new shape of her body, but even so, she did think pregnancy agreed with her. Her cheeks were rosy without blush, and her hair was healthier, too, probably due to the prenatal vitamins. Wearing the maternity clothes was also fun, especially when she had so many to choose from, thanks to her mom. She thought of her mom and sure hoped her dad would be able to help Laura figure out what was wrong. Laura looked forward to his visit after Thanksgiving.

She ran her hand along the fabric covering her stomach and smiled when one of the girls kicked toward her palm. “Don’t worry. I’m feeding you soon.” Then she left to join her friends in the van.

Mia was in her car seat in the middle section, a pacifier in her mouth. Kaden sat buckled in the very back.

“Wow, you look really pretty!” he said as Laura climbed in.

“That’s my boy,” Daniel said from the driver’s seat. “Already knows how to compliment the ladies.”

Mandy laughed, and Laura grinned. “Well, thank you, Kaden. You just made my day.”

“Cool!”

“You do look very nice,” Mandy agreed, “and we’re glad you decided to come.”

“Me, too,” Laura admitted. It did feel good to get out with friends, and she found herself looking forward to meeting the others at the restaurant. She’d met quite a few of Claremont’s residents over the past week and with each person she met, she grew a little fonder of her new town. It seemed the perfect place to raise her girls.

Her phone buzzed in her purse and she withdrew it to see she’d missed three messages. The first two were from Mandy.

She smiled at Mandy’s persistence and then noticed that the third message was from David. She opened it.

Laura hadn’t known that David was part of the group going to lunch. She fiddled with the red beads on her necklace and wondered if, like Kaden, David might think she looked pretty, too.

During the twenty-minute drive to Stockville, Kaden told her all about everything he already liked about The Boxcar Children and how he had read more than any of the other kids in his class, but that he wouldn’t tell what happened before they got to it. And while she listened to Kaden, she entertained Mia.

The baby withdrew her pacifier, tiny lips smacking with the action, tossed it in Laura’s lap and giggled.

“Binky,” she said, reaching for it.

Laura handed it back, and Mia proceeded to toss it again, her blue eyes glittering with mischief.

After the third toss, Laura realized the game wasn’t ending, and she didn’t care. To hear that baby belly laugh warmed her heart.

“She’s got your number,” Mandy said, looking around her seat to see her little princess. “Don’t you.” She squeezed Mia’s knee, and the baby laughed even harder.

By the time they got to Stockville, Laura had retrieved Mia’s binky at least a couple dozen times. Her own babies were restless in her tummy, and Laura wondered what it’d be like to hear her little girls laugh the way Mia laughed now. She couldn’t wait.

She walked behind Daniel and Mandy as they entered the restaurant. Daniel carried Mia and snagged a high chair as he headed toward a long table with several people already seated. “We brought Miss Laura!” Kaden announced.

Everyone said hello, and Mandy performed a quick introduction. “Laura, this is Mitch Gillespie and his daughters, Dee and Emmie.” Mitch had reddish hair and a nice smile, reminding Laura of Prince Harry. Dee and Emmie both had strawberry curls, with Dee looking to be around two or three and Emmie about the same age as Mia.

“Nice to meet you,” she said.

Mitch unwrapped a pack of crackers for Emmie and placed a few on her high-chair tray. “You, too,” he said.

Daniel put Mia in a high chair next to Emmie’s, and the two immediately started chattering and eating the crackers.

“And this is Dr. Matt Graham. You already met his wife, Hannah, and daughter, Autumn,” Mandy said. “Then there’s Troy and Destiny Lee. Destiny is our new local author and will be doing the book signing at A Likely Story next Saturday.”

“Nice to meet you,” Laura said, and then turned to the only person Mandy hadn’t yet introduced.

“And of course you know David,” Mandy said, grinning. “So, who wants to head to the buffet?”

Everyone answered in agreement and started toward the long tables of food in the center of the restaurant. Everyone, that is, except for the man wearing a black cashmere sweater over a pale blue polo shirt and black dress pants. The guy whose cologne again teased her senses because he stood so near. Her friend. Her employer. And right now, the guy making her heart beat so hard it was probably deafening her children.

Laura did not want to have a relationship again. Not yet. So why did every ounce of her being act like she wanted one now? Right here. Right now. She licked her lips and wondered what to say and whether he was thinking anything at all like what she was thinking.

He moved even closer, brought his mouth near her left ear and said, “You look amazing.” His warm breath against her neck sent a patch of goose bumps down her arm, and she was thankful that the new dress had long sleeves.

“Thanks.”

“I’m glad you came,” he said.

She smiled. “Me, too.”

“Y’all coming, or not?” Kaden called from the line by the food.

“We’re coming.” David waved a hand in front of her. “Ladies first.”

Her stomach growled loudly, and she laughed. “And it’s a good thing, because these ladies are hungry.”

Laura filled her plate with roast beef, black-eyed peas, turnip greens and cornbread. David went for the meat loaf, potatoes, sweet peas and a roll.

Returning to the table, Daniel offered grace and they began eating, the kids chattering noisily and the adults talking about the delicious food, which Hannah described as “good ol’ family-reunion-style cooking.” Laura had never had enough family to have a family reunion, but she imagined if she did, it would be something like this. Everyone eating and laughing and chatting. They treated Laura as if she belonged here, with all of them, regardless of the fact that they’d all attended church this morning and she’d stayed home. Not once did anyone ask anything about the father of her children or why she was on her own. In fact, the only questions they asked were ones that would allow them to get to know her better...and even help her out.

“So, if you’re going to keep working after the babies are born, have you found a place for them to stay?” Jessica asked between bites of chicken and dumplings. “Because I work at the Claremont day care, and I have to say, we have an amazing nursery program.”

“You’d say all of your programs are amazing, wouldn’t you?” her husband asked.

She took another bite, grinned. “It’s the truth.”

“She’s right, the day care is top-notch,” Hannah said. “I decided to stay home with Autumn, but if I did send my kids anywhere, that’s where they’d go.”

“I haven’t decided what I’m doing yet,” Laura said honestly. She had planned to look and see what was available, but since she’d only been in Claremont for a week, she hadn’t had a chance. “I hope to spend a few weeks with them before I have to take them anywhere.” She hadn’t asked David about that, and she also wasn’t sure how she’d stay with her girls if she wasn’t working.

Suddenly her meal didn’t look as appealing, and her stomach churned for another reason. What if she couldn’t afford to spend a little time with the girls before going back to work? And how hard would it be to leave them if they were merely weeks old? Then another worry—how would she afford to pay for day care?

The majority of the table moved ahead with conversation, but David, sitting in the next chair, leaned toward Laura. “I don’t have a problem with you bringing them to the bookstore. We’ll work it out.”

And just like that, her worries eased up a little. She still knew that she’d need to find something for the girls eventually, but if he’d let her start out bringing them with her to the bookstore, that would help. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry,” he said.

She couldn’t make that promise, because even now, she continued to think of her concerns, but she smiled, nodded and began to eat again.

“I wanted to talk to both of you about a book club for women that I’d like y’all to start at the bookstore. I think it’d be very popular, and I know it’d be beneficial to all of us,” Mandy said. “Daniel has recommended the women at church spending more time together away from the regular church services, and I agree that it’s a great idea. I was thinking about a book club that focused on women of the Bible, specifically the women in the lineage of Christ.”

“Oh, I’ve seen those books, the series, I mean. Is that what you’re talking about?” Destiny asked. “It starts with Tamar, then Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary, right?”

Mandy nodded. “That’s the one. David, it’s called The Lineage of Grace. Could you order those for us? And Laura, do you think you could kind of lead us in the book club? I think there are study questions we could use, but I’ll admit that I’ve never been in a book club before.”

“I can order the books tomorrow,” David said.

“And I’d be happy to help lead it,” Laura said, excited that they were starting yet another book club to help David’s store. “When were y’all thinking you’d want to meet?”

“Maybe Tuesday evenings?” Mandy said. “How about seven-thirty, so we’d have time to get the kids fed and done with homework and all. Would that work?”

“That’s after the bookstore closes, but I think after hours for the adult book clubs would be better anyway. Less interruptions. It sounds great.” Laura’s appetite had completely returned now, and she turned her attention back to the delicious roast and gravy. She also found herself easily chatting with the others at the table and could tell that no one seemed to think any less of her or judge her or...anything. In fact, she realized that the “church friends” weren’t so bad.

Maybe, with David’s encouragement and with the friendships that she’d begun to develop with those seated at this table, she might actually find her way back to church again, too.