Chapter Four

Inhaling the strong, delicious scent of the coffee he just purchased, Justin sat down on a bench on the corner of Main and some other side street and watched the cars go by. Traffic was light. Most of the downtown shops had not yet opened, and he figured, by this time, most people were already at work or, like him, had dropped off their kids at school.

His coffee rested in one hand as he draped his arms on the back of the bench. The cool morning air ruffled his hair and helped calm his nerves after what was quickly becoming a typical hellish morning with Marley. That morning’s argument centered around black lipstick and the ever-present phone glued to her hand. He hated the tension between them, but at least when she was yelling at him, she was not silent with her eyes focused on the screen.

He shoved down the niggling feeling that he was in over his head and reminded himself, again, that it would take time. The doubt inside him rose enough to whisper that it had been months since Marley came to him. How much more time would they need? It was a slight thought, but enough to make his stomach clinch and allow the fear of failing to wash over him. This was not a court case he could appeal after a loss. This was a life, his sister’s life, and failure was not an option.

The sound of bells tinkling a few doors down distracted him from his dark thoughts. He turned toward the sound to see that a door had been propped open. Taking that as an invitation, he rose and took one last drink of coffee before depositing the cup in the trash and making his way toward the shop.

As he entered, soft music reached his ears only a moment before he registered familiar, woodsy smells with a touch of something softer mixed in, floral, he supposed. It was comforting and interesting at the same time, as was the eclectic mix of art and pottery pieces he saw as he looked around. This, he figured, was far more authentic than what he saw just a few doors down in the windows of the large General Store. This shop did not cater to the bargain hunters, but to those with a genuine desire to experience the beauty of the area, either in creating or taking the artwork home to enjoy.

The work surrounding him would not spend years in a junk drawer or on a dusty shelf. It would be valued. He smiled slightly in appreciation, and when he looked up to see a pair of green eyes focused on him, that appreciation switched from something artistic to something completely male.

The petite woman made her way around the counter, and his appreciation grew as the dark chocolate-colored waves draping over her shoulders bounced with each step. Those waves did not come from an expensive blow-out but were wild and natural. Then she smiled. The attraction was unexpected, but as a distraction from the dark thoughts of just a few minutes earlier, it would do nicely.

“Good morning. Can I help you with anything?”

The lack of smoothness that had made him such a terrible litigator surfaced, and in spite of his desire to say something witty and brilliant to the beautiful woman in front of him, he merely muttered a bland, “No, thanks, I’m just looking.”

“Okay, well, if you need anything, I’ll just be over there.”

Justin nodded and cursed himself as she walked away. He wasn’t a shy fifteen-year-old, and though he was hardly a Casanova, he had enough experience to know how to talk to a pretty girl. He shook off his disappointment and walked over to a display of beaded jewelry. What was he doing thinking about women anyway? He couldn’t even handle the pint-sized version he was living with. That didn’t stop him from looking back a time or two at the beautiful woman behind the counter or make his heart beat slower when he caught another glimpse of her warm, green eyes, but he eventually forced his attention to the display in front of him.

Thoughts of Marley took over as he traced a bracelet with his finger. Maybe a gift would help ease the tension. He’d seen her wear jewelry, and Ann had picked out a bead-making kit for him to give Marley one year for Christmas. Like every other decision that should be small concerning his sister, buying a simple beaded bracelet suddenly became far too complicated. He looked back to the shop girl, and though he would rather not give her more room to affect him the way she did, he asked her for help.

She smiled again and walked over in a completely normal, non-seductive way, and still, his throat went dry.

“I’d like to get something for my sister, but I’m not sure of her tastes. Do you know if twelve-year-old girls wear things like this?”

She looked at him appraisingly. “You have a twelve-year-old sister? That’s quite an age difference.”

“You mean I don’t look eighteen? I’m not sure how to take that.”

She smiled as her cheeks turned a slight pink, and seeing that small bit of embarrassment helped ease his own.

“Well, considering many eighteen-year-old boys would not take such care in choosing a gift for a little sister nor show such good taste in doing so, you should take it as a compliment.”

He smiled broadly, enjoying the sound of her voice and her light teasing. “Okay, you saved the sale.”

“Whew. We’re coming off the slow season, and I could use the money.”

“Is this your shop?”

“No, it’s my great aunt’s. She had an appointment this morning, and I’m filling in. Those are my pieces, though.”

He looked down at the jewelry display. “You made these?”

“I did, along with some of the pottery you see over there and the note cards and magnets by the register are print versions of my paintings.”

Justin was impressed, and not just by her compact curves and enticing smile. Her eyes were soft and warm, and she had an obvious talent for creating beauty from something as simple as clay. “You’re rather versatile. And quite talented from what I can see. Are these hand painted? It must take forever.”

“It is time consuming, but the beads are larger when I paint them. I shrink them as part of the process.”

“What is the significance of the design here?” Something told him she did not paint randomly, and he noticed earlier that most of the pieces had different designs.

She leaned in slightly, and he could smell the scent of her shampoo as she pointed to the bracelet in his hand. He swallowed and attempted to focus on what she was saying rather than how delicious she smelled or his desire to see if those waves felt as silky as they looked.

“The four beads on this one represent each season. You see the mountains here starting to green up in the spring.”

“Green up?”

“Yes, that’s what we locals say. We even have a Greening up the Mountains Festival. Spring comes to the valley first and then makes its way up the mountains. We watch as the green travels upwards, hence ‘greening up.’”

“Ah. And the rest?”

“In summer, the rhododendrons bloom, making the hiking trails hard to resist. Fall, as you will soon see, is vibrant when the trees turn. People drive in from all over to see the changing colors. And in winter, after all the leaves have fallen and the Christmas displays have been put away, you can see houses dotting the mountains, reminding us that we have neighbors, though they and their houses are not always remembered during the rest of the year.”

Her words charmed him, and her obvious passion for the area calmed his doubts. There was much to look forward to, and he and Marley would thrive here. Something in this woman’s eyes told him so.

“Have you always lived here?”

“Pretty much. I went to art school in Georgia and worked at some museums and galleries on the coast for a while, but otherwise, this has always been my home.”

He studied her for a moment and then realized he was completely captivated by this woman, and he didn’t ever know her name. He put out his hand, and thankfully, she accepted the invitation.

“I’m Justin. I just moved here, and hearing you speak about the town makes me truly glad I did.”

“I’m Tara. You’ll have to tell my stepfather, the mayor, that. Perhaps he’ll put me on the payroll.”

“He could do worse things, I’m sure. Will you tell me more?”

She raised her eyebrows in question and then glanced down at their still-joined hands. He reluctantly let go of her hand. Still holding the bracelet, he gestured toward the register. “Tell me about the scenes you paint.”

She nodded and walked to the display of notecards, picking up a stack tied with ribbon. She gently loosened the tie and spread each design on the counter. The cards were representations of watercolors and were as detailed and lovely as her jewelry. He wasn’t surprised. Artists often put pieces of themselves in their work, and she was the loveliest thing he had encountered in a long time.

“Again, we have scenes of each season, from here in town and the surrounding areas. This is the train depot in Bryson City decorated for Christmas. This is our own courthouse with lighted trees on the lawn. This is the river in summer and more of the rhododendrons. Here is our downtown during the Greening Up Festival and one of my favorite views from childhood as the flowers are beginning to bloom. And fall is shown in two different views that I am fortunate enough to see from my own deck. One as the leaves are starting to turn and one where they have fallen enough that you can see downtown.”

“Fortunate indeed. I’m getting the impression that fall is your favorite season.”

“It beasts out Christmas only slightly.”

“I look forward to seeing it in its glory. I’ll take the bracelet and two packs of notecards. I have an aunt who still likes to send handwritten notes.”

“No one writes letters anymore. It’s nice to know these will see actual words written on them.”

He watched as she rang up the sale and then carefully wrapped his items, thoughtfully placing the bracelet in a nice gift bag. He wanted to ask her to dinner and nearly blurted out the words before he remembered that there was no one to watch his sister, and he was not comfortable leaving her alone. Still, in spite of the very big reason he should not be getting involved with anyone, he did not want his time with her to be merely cursory. The passion she showed for the things she loved was addictive.

“I planned to spend the morning touring my new town. Will you get a lunch break?”

She hesitated for a moment and then folded her hands on the counter. Her response suddenly became the most important thing in the world.

“I don’t know when my aunt will be back. I was planning on ordering in for lunch, but I wouldn’t be opposed to having company.”

He smiled in relief. “What’s your favorite downtown restaurant?”

“Proud Larry’s. Everything on the menu is good.”

“Then I’ll pick up lunch and see you around noon?”

She nodded and smiled softly. He reached out once again, taking her small hand in his. “It was lovely meeting you, Tara. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Enjoy your tour, Justin. Be warned, though, that you will fall in love quickly.”

He smiled and walked from the shop, fearing her words were indeed true.