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Blake had stopped by Blossoms by Akers, a local flower shop, and picked up a pretty bouquet of flowers. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right.
He knocked on Riley’s door and waited.
She opened the door with a smile that grew even brighter when she saw the flowers. “Ooh. That pretty wrapper tells me where those came from. Blossoms by Akers is my favorite. They’re beautiful.”
Blake handed them to her. “So are you.”
She blushed.
He loved watching her blush. When she got flustered or when someone gave her a compliment, her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink. He’d noticed it the day they met and had thought it was adorable. “It’s the truth.”
“Thank you.” She led him inside. “Let me put these in some water and then I’ll be ready to go.”
He held out a smaller package, wrapped in white tissue paper.
“What’s this?”
Blake grinned. “This is for the other lady of the house.”
Riley unwrapped the tissue paper. “A toy for Cocoa!” She smiled. “You’re good.” She called Cocoa into the room.
The big dog ambled into the kitchen.
“Look what Blake brought you,” Riley said, holding the stuffed toy in front of Cocoa’s face.
Cocoa took the toy in her mouth and it squeaked. Her brown eyes widened with delight, and she squeaked it a few more times.
“She loves it.” Riley beamed. “Thank you.”
While Riley got Cocoa and her new toy settled and then put the flowers in a vase, Blake glanced around the room. There was a sunroom off the kitchen that looked out into the fenced in backyard. An easel was set up in the corner of the room. “Are you about to start on a painting?”
Riley put the vase full of flowers on the kitchen table and joined him in the sunroom. “Yes. I have five orders so far and several emails I need to respond to from people who have questions about size and shipping.” She smiled. “Thanks for the idea. You helped give my business the boost it needed. So the credit to my success may go to you.”
Blake laughed. “I don’t want the credit. You’re immensely talented. I’m sure at some point you would’ve come to the decision on your own.”
She shook her head. “Not without your encouragement.”
“I’m glad I was able to help.” He held out his hand. “Ready?”
She hesitated for a moment, then put her hand in his. “Yes.”
They walked hand-in-hand to his truck. He squeezed her hand. “I’m glad we’re doing this.” He opened the passenger door for her and waited until she climbed inside.
“Me, too.” Riley smoothed her dress.
He’d been unsure where he should take her, since they’d already been to a few restaurants in town, but when he’d asked, she’d assured him any place would be fine. “I have a surprise.”
“Flowers and a toy for Cocoa weren’t enough?” she asked.
Blake grinned. “Nope.” He turned onto the main road and they passed several restaurants. “I hope it’s okay, but I decided to cook dinner for you instead of going out.”
“It’s more than okay.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were in the kitchen at his grandfather’s house. “Lemonade?” he asked.
She nodded. “Please.”
He poured a glass and brought it to the counter. “Have a seat.”
Riley sat down on a bar stool and watched him work.
“Is salmon okay?” he asked.
“Sounds great.”
Blake began to prepare the food, wondering if he should admit to her that this was the one and only “fancy” meal he knew how to make. Most of his other dishes involved burgers and the grill. “We can eat outside on the deck. It’s my favorite space here.”
“That’s the one thing my place is lacking,” she said. “I have a very small patio in the back, but there’s barely room for one chair and a couple of plants. Most of my backyard area is taken up by dog runs and kennels.”
“You are welcome to come use my deck any time.” He grinned and popped the salmon in the oven. The green beans were already cooking on the stove top, and he’d picked up a fresh loaf of bread from A Slice of Heaven earlier in the day. “We have about ten minutes before it’s ready. Shall I escort you to your table?”
She giggled. “Yes, please.” She took the hand he offered and he led her out back.
Blake pointed to the pond. “That’s where my grandpa taught me to fish.”
“I’ll bet you were a cute little boy.”
He ducked his head. “Well I don’t want to brag or anything.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t much of a fisherman though. Back then I didn’t quite have the attention span required.”
“And then you left Arcadia Valley?”
He’d already filled her in on some of his childhood. “Yes. My parents split up and I went with my mom. From that point forward we mostly drifted.”
“Did you ever think about coming back to live with your dad?”
He shook his head. “Not really. Mom was sort of needy. Even when I was really young, I always felt like I needed to stay with her in case she needed me.”
“But in doing that you ended up sacrificing much of your childhood.”
“Zach was a few years younger. Mom wasn’t the greatest caretaker. There was no way I could just leave them.” He searched her face to see if he could figure out what she thought of him.
“I’m sorry you dealt with all of that. Even though I had my own issues to deal with, at least I found a stable family life early on.”
Ever since she’d told him some of her history, he’d been even more intrigued by her. Her inner strength was impressive. “You were definitely blessed to find a family who loves you—and who you love.”
A shadow crossed her face.
“Is something wrong?”
“Someone from my birth family has reached out to me. It’s the second time it’s happened. The first time was right after I turned eighteen. At that point, I opted not to meet them.”
“And this time?”
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot.” She smoothed her hair. “Part of me wants nothing to do with anyone connected to my biological family. There’s nothing I need from them. But another part of me is curious. Supposedly this is someone who didn’t know about me until after I’d already been adopted. But why not come forward back then?” She shrugged. “So now I have to make this decision and I feel like either way I go, I’m disappointing someone.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “I already know you well enough to know that you’re probably considering everyone’s feelings—your parents, your sisters, your biological family member. But maybe you need to consider how you feel. This one time, maybe you can be a little selfish.”
She flashed him a smile. “You sound like Brooke.”
The faint sound of the kitchen timer filled the air. “I’ll be right back,” he said. “And dinner will be served.”
**
Riley watched him go. Her comfort level with Blake surprised her. She’d always found it easier to keep people—especially guys—at an arm’s length. But Blake seemed to understand her in a way no one ever had. She liked feeling as if she could talk to him about anything.
Journey stepped out onto the deck and settled at Riley’s feet. “Hey, girl.”
The dog rested her head on Riley’s foot.
“I see you found company while I was inside,” Blake said as he stepped onto the deck, a plate in hand. He placed it in front of Riley.
“Pretty sure this is my happy place,” she said.
“I’m glad.” Blake went back inside to get his own plate. “Mind if I pray?” he asked once he was seated across from her.
“Please.”
He said a quick prayer for the food and for their budding relationship, surprising her yet again. He had an honesty about him that was refreshing.
“So back to your dilemma,” Blake said. “What’s the main thing holding you back from meeting with them?”
She thought for a moment. “I guess that it won’t change anything. I mean, I remember my parents for the most part. I don’t need someone to tell me about them. And I don’t need a family because I have one. It just seems pointless because it won’t make a difference. It won’t change the past, it won’t erase the issues my parents had, and it won’t give me some kind of love that I’m missing out on—because I have a great family already.”
“Maybe you have to look at it in a different way. Maybe it’s not so much about what it can do for you, but what it might mean for them.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re an amazing woman. Anyone would be lucky to have you as part of their family. You might not need them, because you already have a family. But maybe they need you.” He shrugged. “Just something to consider.”
She hadn’t looked at it that way. “Thanks for the perspective. I’ll keep that in mind.”
He grinned. “Glad to be of service.”
She took a sip of lemonade. “This food is delicious, by the way.”
“Will you judge me if I confess that it’s just about the only dish I cook besides grilled burgers?”
“Not at all.” She tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in olive oil. “But I do have a question.”
“Shoot.”
“Why are you still single? And let me first say that I loathe that question. But in your case, I’m truly curious.”
Blake put his fork down and regarded her seriously. “I don’t mind the question. I think it boils down to a couple of things. First of all, I never looked to settle down. I’ve already told you that I didn’t live the most stable life for the past few years. But I also just never met the right person.”
She nodded. “So no serious relationships? You never came close to settling down?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I had a steady girlfriend in high school. But since then, nothing serious.”
Riley had to admit, it made her feel better to hear. She’d just assumed that he had tons of experience and she was the odd one out. “Me, neither. I dated a guy in college, but I always knew he wasn’t really the one for me. Since we broke up our senior year, I’ve been more focused on my business than my social life.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” He grinned. “And I can’t say that I’m sad to hear that you’ve not made time for a relationship. Until now, I hope.”
She returned his smile. “Definitely.” It scared her, sure. But Blake had proven himself to be trustworthy and kind. She’d always heard people talk about how things sometimes just fell into place, and that was exactly how she felt when she was with Blake. Even though she’d been hesitant at first because she worried he might not be her type, she was proud of herself for putting her fear aside and letting her heart lead for once.
She was a prisoner to fear no longer. And it felt great.
**
Monday morning, Riley met Brooke and Kate at the farmers market.
“Thanks for doing this you guys. The one drawback of having a summer wedding is that it’s right in the middle of peak season for the market.” After Kate’s dad died, she’d stepped in as the market manager and had lots of plans for future expansion. She’d really embraced her role, and only something as important as her wedding and honeymoon could keep her from her duties.
“Oh, it’s no problem,” said Brooke. “You know we’ll do all we can to help.”
Kate beamed. “You guys are the best.”
“Olivia would’ve come with us, but she says since she’ll already be gone back to New York, she would be of no use to you today. She’s hanging out with Grandma instead. Pretty sure she’s pumping Grandma’s brain for recipe ideas for her next cookbook.” Brooke smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her navy t-shirt.
Kate laughed. “Well I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of the next cookbook, that’s for sure. She told me she’s planning to visit every booth at the market this weekend.”
“I’m pretty sure the next cookbook is going to have some kind of farm fresh theme,” Brooke said.
“Maybe she’ll come sign copies at the market when it releases. People would love it,” mused Kate. “I’ll have to remember to try and talk her into it when it releases.”
“Should we be worried about her appearing on a dating show?” asked Riley. Ever since Olivia had mentioned it, she’d wondered if Mom and Dad knew—and if not, she wondered if she should tell them.
Brooke sighed. “Maybe she’ll change her mind.”
Riley snorted. “Doubtful. That show gets crazy high ratings. If she gets the chance to do it, she’ll jump on it.”
“Maybe you guys are overreacting though.” Kate unlocked her office door and led them inside.
Riley sank into one of the plush chairs. “She could embarrass the whole family on national TV.”
“Or she could be a good example of how a Christian behaves,” Kate said. “Maybe that show needs someone like her. You never know.”
“I’m praying for the best outcome,” Brooke said. “And I know she’s planning to tell Mom and Dad before she goes back to New York. So that at least makes me feel better about it.”
Riley was relieved to hear the news. “I’ll bet Dad will hit the roof.” She grinned. “But Olivia has a way of getting them to see things her way, so it will probably all be worked out before her flight back.”
Kate nodded. “Yep.” She opened a three-ring binder. “Okay, down to business. This notebook is divided into sections of everything you might possibly need to know. I have all the vendors’ contracts here in case a question ever pops up.” She flipped to a new tab. “This section has the schedule for the non-profit booth. There is a name and contact number for each one. I always call on the Monday before they are scheduled to be at the market just to make sure they know what to expect and see if they have any questions.”
“It sounds like you have it all covered.” Riley reached out and took the binder from the desk. “We’ve got this. Don’t worry.”
“That’s right.” Brooke nodded. “Your only thought for the next two weeks should be your new husband and enjoying your honeymoon.” Kate was taking off from work the week leading up to the wedding and she and Drew were going on a honeymoon cruise the week after.
The wistful tone in Brooke’s voice hurt Riley’s heart. There had been a time when it had been Brooke who was head-over-heels in love. Watching Brooke deal with the illness and eventual death of her husband, Ed, had been heartbreaking. It had been nearly two years and Brooke was doing well, but Riley still worried. She’d mentioned to Kate more than once over the past months that one of the things on her prayer list was that Brooke would find love again. She had yet to mention that prayer to her sister though. “Any last-minute wedding jitters we need to know about?”
Kate grinned. “Nope. I’m mostly just excited. Maybe a teensy bit nervous, but that’s about the wedding, not the marriage. I keep thinking of things that can go wrong, but then I realize that at the end of the day I’ll be married to my best friend. So now I’m just telling myself that the cake can collapse or I can get a stain on my dress or it can pour down rain—and it won’t matter because when it’s all said and done, I’ll still be Mrs. Drew Harrison.”
“Very good philosophy,” Riley said. “Can you believe the big day is almost here?”
“No, but I can’t wait.”
Riley glanced around the office. “Have I mentioned to you that the office looks great since Drew renovated it? I love that you kept some of your Dad’s stuff.”
“Thanks.” Kate pointed to the rustic sign above the window that overlooked the market. “That’s still my favorite. My grandpa painted it on leftover wood from his barn.”
“Know your farmer, know your food.” Riley smiled. “Now where have I heard that before?”
Kate laughed. She’d had new Arcadia Valley Farmers Market posters printed up that matched the new website. She’d chosen her grandpa’s sign as the source of the market’s tagline. “It’s gone over pretty well with people. I think the idea of knowing where their food comes from is really important to a lot of people. Myself included.” She gestured to the pale-yellow walls. “And I’m glad you like the space. Drew did a great job of keeping some of dad’s style, but still letting me add some of my own personality.”
“Speaking of Drew, I hear that it’s working out well for Blake to work for him.”
“Oh, yeah. Drew thinks he’s a good guy.” Kate laughed. “I believe his words were something like ‘he’s a solid worker’ which is high praise. It means he doesn’t goof off or try and cut corners.”
Riley smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt the telltale blush creep upward.
“Is there something I should know about?” asked Brooke.
Kate stayed silent, but she shot a smile at Riley.
“Kind of.”
“Spill,” Brooke said.
Riley took a deep breath. “We kind of reached a turning point I guess.” She filled her sister in on the time she and Blake had spent together working on the therapy program, then on his late-night visit.
“It’s good that he trusted you enough to come to you with his sick dog. It sounds like he’s as attached to Journey as you are to your pets.”
Riley nodded. “Yeah, he sees animals as part of the family.”
“There’s more to the story though,” Kate prompted. “You may as well tell her now because you know it will come out eventually.”
Riley blushed again. “There’s actually more to the story than you know, too.”
“Ooh. Do tell.” Kate grinned.
She glanced at Brooke. “He kissed me the night Journey was sick.”
Brooke widened her eyes but didn’t say anything.
“And we’ve gone out since then. He cooked dinner for me last night. It was a lot of fun.” She sighed. “I really like him.”
Kate clapped her hands. “I’m so excited about this.”
“Just be careful,” Brooke said. When Kate and Riley both stared at her she smiled. “I can’t help it. I’ll always be your big sister. I’m thrilled for you, but I also want you to take things slowly.”
Riley held up her hands. “Totally planning to. Don’t worry.” She secretly liked that Brooke always worried, though. It was one of the constants of her life. “We’ve already built a pretty good friendship while we’ve worked on the dog therapy program. And you know me. I’m proceeding with caution for sure.”
Brooke nodded. “I know.” She reached over and patted Riley’s arm. “And I really am happy for you.”
“He hasn’t had a serious relationship since high school. So he’ll be taking things slowly, too.” Riley said.
“Are you keeping your distance from him” asked Brooke. “Or actually letting him get to know the real you?”
Riley smiled. “I’m letting my guard down. It’s getting easier. We’ve had a lot of very honest conversations and I’ve learned that my habit of judging people before I really get to know them is not a great quality. I wanted to write him off because he had kind of a rocky past and because he wasn’t perfect on paper. But I’ve realized that there’s more to people than what’s visible. Blake fully admits that he hasn’t always made the best decisions, but that doesn’t mean he’s a terrible person. We’ve all made mistakes. It’s what we do with the lessons those mistakes teach us that matters.”
“I’m so proud of you,” said Brooke. “And I’ll be praying that your happiness continues.”