Geneva plopped into her recliner the second she walked through the door. The comfortable leather settled around her like a worn pair of jeans.
And the memory of what happened earlier hit her full force.
Rainn kissed me.
I could take that over chocolate any day of the week.
She moved the bar to lift the footrest, and leaned back into the chair, stretching to ease aching leg muscles.
“Is that you, Sis?” Lanae called from the back bedroom.
“Yes, dear. I’m back.”
“Praise the Lord. I love you, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I love you, too, unless I can get you something?”
“Just a new liver. Night.”
Her wittiness evoked a laugh. Geneva was so thankful that the hep C hadn’t controlled Lanae’s mind as well as her body.
Oh, Lord, bind the weakness and strengthen her through sleep.
Between Moselle leaving home after high school and the opening of Frivolities, Geneva felt as though she drifted through life without a purpose. Oh, she had kept busy serving at church, and quilting for missions. But she’d sunk her time and energy into nothing concrete until starting her business with Lanae.
Unbidden, Geneva’s thoughts returned to Rainn.
If she were to get involved with Rainn...Don’t even go there! What in the world am I thinking? He’s too young. And I have a business to run. Her thoughts should be on Frivolities.
Involvement with Rainn meant Mia, even if for a little while. Geneva supposed it impossible for a child with special needs to fit into a place like Frivolities.
Lanae appeared at the door. “I can’t sleep with you so restless out here. Wanna talk?”
“I’m obsessing,” Geneva admitted. “Come on and sit with me, if you want.”
“No good obsessing about the future. Or what we cannot change,” Lanae smoothed a cover over her legs. “God knows what’s ahead. Look at the way He’s carried me through the days of my life, with the illness and the Interferon treatments.”
“You’re right, Sis.” Geneva couldn’t imagine giving herself shots and being as sick as she had seen Lanae. “He’ll continue to do so. I’m just trying to figure out if Rainn is part of God’s plan for me. It feels odd to be romanced after so many years of living without a man.”
“Rainn is romancing you?”
“I think so. He kissed me.” Her senses trembled at the memory. “I’m wondering if I’d have time to spend with Rainn, with Frivolities and all. And that would mean more time with Mia.”
“I’m wondering if you’re taking it for granted that something serious has happened to Rainn’s sister. But let’s back up. What’s wrong with a kiss?”
Geneva’s breath caught. Bret again. That old bitterness hit out of the blue.
“Absolutely nothing. But I remember marriage to Bret. He failed in the area of romance. He never made me feel cherished or beautiful or needed as his helpmeet. He only saw me as someone to clean and cook for him.”
“I was blessed. Keith didn’t see me that way.”
“Bret viewed me more as a servant, as though I were created to meet all his needs.” And my needs hadn’t mattered.
“I’ll bet that’s why you got involved in church activities. If you thought serving was all you were good for.”
“I knew better, of course.” Geneva slammed the footrest back into the recliner. “Enough already. I’m obsessing again.”
She refused to give future consideration to her past life with Bret. Not any more this night. “It does no good to go back there. I need to stick to my guns and live in the here and now.”
“You know my motto since my treatment began, to live like I was dying. I love that song made popular by one of Moselle’s favorite country singers.”
Could Geneva do that with Rainn? Live as though time was running out? Let the town see her spending time with a younger man?
She shuddered at the idea of running into Kate Rawlins. The town gossip would have a field day with that one. She would consider it her prime mission to spread the “cougar” rumor to kingdom come. Now, just whom was she kidding? It would be one dinner date. Would they do more than have a dinner together so he could show his appreciation?
“He asked me out on a date.”
“You go, girl. When are you going?”
Geneva stood and headed for her room, Lanae close behind. “I haven’t really agreed to go. For now, bed is calling and I’ll face that decision tomorrow.”
****
It was still dark the next morning when Geneva heard Lanae shuffle into the kitchen for her meds. Sleep had been restless throughout the night, Geneva’s body tense after the long road trip. She woke as she had fallen asleep, with her mind swirling around the idea that such a fine, young man as Rainn Harris could be interested enough to kiss her.
She sobered immediately. Her eyes popped open. What if Mia blurted out the kiss when she met Moselle? Geneva could hear her, as clear as the wind chimes outside her window: “Uncle Rainn kissed Geneva Elaine Carson when they tucked me in.” What would Moselle think about her mother kissing Eric’s friend? What would Eric think?
That news would have the whole of Today’s Café in downtown Platteville buzzing with shock.
A short time later, Geneva unlocked the storeroom door off the alley, and the ambiance of Frivolities welcomed her. She dropped her bag and purse onto the thick, wood counter to reset the alarm that Eric insisted they have installed.
When Moselle returned to Platteville from Kansas City, she had used this storage area for her work space. Now the work space appeared bare without glue gun, beads, jewelry, broken pottery pieces and all the unique gizmos Moselle used for her art.
Eric’s idea for Moselle to live in the loft above the shop was a smart one. While working on the renovation, their love blossomed anew, and now they were about to get married.
Geneva shot the space one more look. What to do first?
Moselle skipped down the stairs from her loft. “Hey, Mom, I’m anxious to hear all about your trip and how it all went with Mia.”
“No problems. Once you get used to her, she is a darling child. Reminds me of you.”
“I was a problem?” Moselle’s comical expression turned into exaggerated innocence.
“Of course not. Mia’s not a problem, either. You’re both specially designed just the way God wants you to be.”
Speaking of designs, Geneva surveyed the room. A stack of shadow boxes rested on the edge of the rough counter, waiting to morph into Frivolities Memory Boxes. She couldn’t be more proud of Moselle for coming up with the idea. A creation that reflected the three of them, Moselle began with quilted scrap pieces or designed blocks Geneva had sewn, worked in glued-on embellishments, using whatever beads or doodads, to coin Rainn’s term, which caught her fancy. She topped off the box with Lanae’s crocheted rosettes or embroidery.
I can’t believe how I’ve dilly-dallied. The coffee should have been started a half hour ago. Geneva stuffed her purse in the office desk drawer and scurried to her pride and joy. Smoothing a hand over the shiny chrome of the espresso machine, Geneva began the coffee-making process that initiated her daily business routine.
As though the aroma had drawn him, Rainn’s perpetual slight smile greeted Geneva from the other side of the window glass.
“Oh my.” The sight of him kicked Geneva’s heart up a beat. Her hand trembled at her side, causing the silver charms on her bracelet to shake. No doubt about it, I’m in trouble here.
Geneva stood rooted in place, and wondered if she’d make any sense when she opened her mouth.
The door opened.
“Hi. You must be Mia. I’m Moselle.”
Mia focused on Geneva’s face, but answered Moselle. “I am Mia Grace Harris. Moselle is Geneva Elaine Carson’s daughter.”
Rainn stepped through and thumped the bell on the door as it closed behind him.
“Do it again, please, Uncle Rainn.”
“Look at Moselle’s eyes, and I will.”
Mia scooted a glance toward Moselle, but hugged Geneva’s legs.
“Your coffee smells great, as always,” Rainn said, zeroing in on Geneva as he jangled the bell again for Mia’s benefit.
Geneva felt as though he had jangled her bell.
Can he see my pulse thumping at the base of my throat?
“I dropped your travel bag at the house. Lanae said she’s not sure she’ll make it in. Since Mia’s been up for what seems like hours, I thought I’d bring her down to introduce her to the place.”
“And for your complimentary cup as well,” Geneva teased, nodding toward her coffeemaker.
His thick, silverish hair looked a little long, as though it had grown overnight. Geneva found herself short of breath again, and wanted to know the texture of his hair, to smooth her fingers through the strands.
A clattering and rattling along with a high moan pulled her attention from him.
“I only wanted to keep her from stumbling,” Moselle raised her voice above Mia’s high-pitched keening.
Mia’s right hand was caught in a decorative wire rack in the shape of a pig that Geneva had filled with rolled-up checkered placemats. Farm-themed kitchen items flew everywhere around Mia.
“Rainn, I just touched her arm.” Alarm sounded in Moselle’s voice.
Geneva crouched down to look Mia in the eye. “Sweetheart, you’ve done nothing wrong. And nothing here will hurt you. There’s just too much stuff for you to have much room to move.”
Mia looked at Geneva and tried to rub both arms against her sides, but the right one remained entangled in the rack.
No more wire rack contraptions, no matter how clever, Geneva decided.
Another complication flashed through Geneva’s thoughts. Involvement with Rainn, and Mia, meant she’d have to child-proof Frivolities.
“Moselle, you didn’t do anything wrong. I wondered if the place would overwhelm her,” Rainn said.
Geneva shot him a smile of gratitude as she and Moselle worked at untangling Mia.
“Probably best if we use the alley door from now on.” Rainn tipped his head in the direction behind the show room.
They got things put back in place, but Geneva’s heart thumped and her ears rang with the echoes of Mia’s distress.
“What is your favorite color?” Geneva asked.
“Mia’s favorite color is purple.” She rubbed her sides, and her fingers twitched.
“That’s great! Mine, too. Find the pretty purple colors in my skirt, grab hold, and follow me.”
Once Geneva felt Mia grasp the fabric, she led the parade and took them to the service area in the center of the shop, pausing at the end stool before going behind the counter.
“Mia, you can sit on this tall chair while I get you something special. But I can’t move until you let go of my skirt, all right?”
Rainn and Geneva exchanged that familiar look that said “whew,” and she served him steaming black coffee. After filling Mia’s glass with frothy milk, Geneva plunked a maraschino cherry on top.
From where he leaned on the end of the counter, Rainn reached for Geneva’s hand. He kept an eye on Mia, grazed his fingers from Geneva’s wrist to her elbow, just light enough to raise the hairs.
While his touch brushed over her skin, she sensed him waiting for her to look at him. When she did, he winked a promise of some kind before releasing his hold on her to grasp the mug.
Shaken, Geneva tried to act natural.
“Mia is finished. Thank you for the cherry and the funny milk, Geneva.”
“You’re very welcome, Mia. Did you know you have a milk mustache?”
Mia swiped her arm across her face with serious intent.
“And Uncle Rainn thanks you for the coffee, Geneva.” His voice thrilled her.
She wet the tip of her finger and crooked it in the air, giving him an imaginary checkmark for referring to himself in the third person. “You’re welcome, Rainn.”
Fumbling as she picked up the glass and oversized mug, she couldn’t meet his gaze for fear hers would reveal too much. She needed him to leave so she could concentrate on work.
“Mia, would you like to come with me and see some things in our store?” Moselle invited.
Geneva had been so wrapped up in Rainn that she forgot Moselle. What would Moselle make of Rainn’s freshness with her mother?
“What a good idea,” Rainn agreed. And turned to Mia. “Sweetheart, you can go with Moselle. Remember, she is Geneva’s daughter so she is our friend.”
The next thing Geneva knew, Moselle was leading Mia up the stairs to the loft, quietly explaining where they were going.
“Why does Moselle live in a store?” Mia asked.
Geneva didn’t hear the answer because Rainn had moved into her personal space.
“Alone at last,” he said low, with a mocking expression.
Every nerve ending felt jittery and quivery. Geneva tried to step back, but there wasn’t enough room with both of them behind the counter.
She raised her hands. Awareness buzzed through her.
Then she touched him.
Too warm, too solid, too male beneath her fingertips.
“Your scent stays with me after we part.” His voice was low and husky and traveled through Geneva in a rush. “The memory of you lingers.”
All sensible thinking left her in a whoosh.
“Looks like we have a babysitter for Mia.” His brows touched the shank of hair that dangled. “Dinner tonight?”
Geneva made the mistake of meeting his hungry gaze. And she was lost. In all of her fifty years, no man had made her feel this way.
Bret was safe.
Rainn is dangerous.
He stood in all his masculinity, heavy-lidded gaze locked with hers, and she wondered what he saw. His gaze searched her face as though willing her to reveal all her secrets.
She gulped, mesmerized. “Sure. Dinner. Tonight.”
He kissed her nose, then swung out from behind the counter at the same time the bell announced a customer.
“Yoo-hoo, Geneva, you back there?” Kate Rawlins. If there was ever gossip about town, Kate sniffed it out.
Geneva peeked at her from behind the espresso maker, curious to see how Rainn would greet the town’s loose-tongued busybody.
“Well, a person doesn’t see many men come here to shop. How are you, Rainn? And when can I meet this niece I’ve heard about?” Kate’s tone grated.
Geneva stiffened her spine. The last thing she’d want is the autistic child to become a source of town gossip.
“Morning, Kate,” Geneva offered.
“Ms. Rawlins.” Rainn nodded to the stairs. “Mia is upst—guess not, there she is now.”
Moselle and Mia wore identical pink hearts on their cheeks when they appeared on the bottom step. Mia balanced a picture frame in the palm of her hand.
“Look, Uncle Rainn. Moselle Carson made this for me. She glued special purple stuff all over the front.”
“I see. Thank you, Moselle. Mia, it’s time for me to get to work on a window for the church. This is Ms. Rawlins. Please say goodbye to all the ladies.”
Mia stared, as though glued to the picture frame. “Bye,” she whispered.
“Hold on tight,” Rainn said. His gentle voice soothed Geneva as well as Mia.
“I’ll pick you up and carry you so we don’t bump into anything on our way out.” He wrapped Mia’s arms around his neck so she could hold the frame. Geneva wondered if a sharp corner dug into Rainn’s skin.
He pointed to a garden pinwheel ornament. “Now, would you look at that, Mia? You lost the butterfly for your hair.”
Geneva snuffed a laugh and took her first deep breath in what seemed like an hour. “Kate, is there anything in particular I can get for you?”
“Not a thing. You know I don’t go for any of this stuff you sell except those quilts you seem too busy to make anymore. Just wanted to see that child.” She turned on her heel with what sounded like, “Humph!” and took her leave.
Geneva refused to let Kate’s negative attitude erase her joy over the visit from Rainn. And Mia.
Before Geneva could make her own escape to check on the accounting numbers from the day before, Moselle turned to her with a face-splitting smile and extra flash in her eyes. “So, Mom, what was that all about?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. You’ve never shown so much interest in a little girl.”
“I’m not talking about Mia, and you know it.” She was no doubt pleased with her astuteness. “The way Rainn was looking at you, I thought you needed a private moment.”
“Oh, posh.”
“I’m serious. I think he’s interested in you. Man to woman. Romantically.”
“Moselle, get real. I’m old. He’s young.”
“Meee thinkie you protest way toooo much.”
Geneva pretended interest in the sunflower garland above her head. “Maybe.”
She looked around before meeting Moselle’s gaze again. “Yeah. I think he wants to get something going.”
Geneva could easily picture herself as an old woman. But in her imagination, Rainn remained ever young. She mentally ran down the list again: the whole older-woman/younger-man scenario; the possibility of Lindsay being permanently out of the picture; the age thing yet again; and Mia hanging around in Frivolities.
Then, the most sobering thought of all: when Rainn was finished with the windows for the church, he’d move on to the next project. He wasn’t in town for the duration.
She absolutely could not risk getting emotionally attached to this man and his beautiful niece.
“Earth to Mom.” Moselle waved a hand in front of Geneva’s face. “Go for it. If Rainn wants to romance you, let him. I agree with Aunt Lanae. It’s time you lived a little.”
“Would you listen to yourself? I don’t have time for a man in my life. I have responsibilities. I—”
“You need a life of your own. I’ll be married soon. Aunt Lanae won’t be sick forever. Frivolities will be in the black, good and strong, once the Christmas rush is over. Look how well we’ve done this summer. With kids back in school, the moms will be shopping more.”
“Oh, my.”
“What’s wrong with women shopping while their kids are in school?”
“Not a thing. But that reminds me, what’s Rainn going to do about Mia and school?”
“There you go. You’re thinking about him and Mia.” Moselle walked her fingers along a lime green hippopotamus holding an array of wooden kitchen utensils. “Has he asked you out?”
“For dinner.” Geneva grabbed for the nonexistent collar that choked her. “Tonight.”
Moselle beamed.
Geneva giggled. “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”
“Like I said, go for it, Mom.”
“Well, think you can stay with Mia?”
“No problem. Eric and I can get to know her. Tell Rainn to please bring her here, up the back entrance since she seems to like the loft. She’ll probably get a kick out of the outside stairs.”
What have I done?
“I’ll see if that’s a problem. She needs structure, so I’m sure Rainn will want to set a bedtime for her.”
“If that’s the case, we’ll go to Rainn’s house.”
Geneva glanced at the clock. “We need to talk business. If Lanae is unable to keep up with baking her cheesecakes and other goodies, did you find someone in town to fill in, or will we need to order from Lincoln?”
“I did find someone. I also left messages on the desk regarding everything that I did while you were gone. All the monetary transactions are in the computer as usual.”
“Thanks for covering for me. I guess I’ll go check out those notes.”
At the desk, Geneva found everything in order. She flipped to her daily scripture calendar for the message of the day. One of her favorites, Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.’”
Well, Lord, if Your plan is for me to spend time with Rainn, then I’m all for it. But if it’s not Your plan, I sure hope it doesn’t turn out to be a calamity.
Would her heart, her life, ever be the same?