Orchard Hill: Volume One

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Orchard Hill

Volume One

by

Kara Lynn Russell

TITLE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author ’ s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business esta b lishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Orchard Hill Volume One

COPYRIGHT © 2009 by Kara Lynn Russell

Saving Gracie: An Orchard Hill Romance

COPYRIGHT © 2007 by Kara Lynn Russell

Entertaining Angel: An Orchard Hill Romance

COPYRIGHT © 2008 by Kara Lynn Russell

Considering Lily: An Orchard Hill Romance

COPYRIGHT © 2008 by Kara Lynn Russell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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Contact Information:

titleadmin@whiterosepublishing.com

Cover Art by Nicola Martinez

White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, LLC

www.whiterosepublishing.com

PO Box 1738 *Aztec, NM * 87410

Publishing History

First White Rose Edition, 2009

Print ISBN 1-60154-564-9

Published in the United States of America

Saving

Gracie

Prologue: The Matchmaker Match

One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “ My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? ”

—Ruth 3:1 NIV

Pansy Parker lingered in her office at the Orchard Hill Community Church on Wednesday afternoon. Pastor Isaac had already left for the day. She was finished with all her work, but still she puttered about, straightening papers that didn’t need straightening, untangling paper clips, and checking the plants she knew full-well she’d watered yesterday. When she’d just about run out of reasons to stay, the person she’d been waiting for breezed in.

Pansy smiled sweetly. “Why hello, Misty, dear. You’re running a little late today.”

The woman in question turned from the bank of cubbies that stored “mail” for all those who held leadership positions in the church. Misty was the choir director. “Oh, not really, Pansy, dear, but you’re here late. I thought by now you’d be home with your feet up.”

The two women eyed each other, sizing each other up. Pansy noted that Misty was wearing her silver-and-blonde hair loose—hair that was too long for a woman in her fifties, especially if that woman owned and ran a health food store that featured a large produce section and bins of bulk food. She wondered if Misty wore a hair net when she worked. Probably not.

She patted her own hair, cut, curled and tinted with a light blue rinse. Pansy considered Misty to be positively scruffy. Look at her in that long, flowing skirt, with bare legs underneath, no doubt. Pansy would never wear a skirt without hose and low-healed pumps. “So, Misty, what have you been up to lately?”

“Oh, not much Pansy. How about yourself?”

“Me? Oh nothing much. But I did hear that Mary Gruenwald started dating Peter Hanstad lately.”

Misty narrowed her eyes. “Oh, really.”

“Yes. I’d heard you thought Peter would be a good match for Heather Barnes. I’m sorry that didn’t work out.”

“I wonder why?” Sarcasm dripped from Misty’s voice.

Pansy smiled. “I’m sure I don’t know. But I think Mary and Peter make a lovely couple. I have a good feeling about this relationship.”

Misty looked around, as if to check for anyone who could be listening. Then she shut the office door and walked back to Pansy.

“All right, let’s cut the saccharine. You and I both know that I’ve been trying to set up Heather and Peter.”

Pansy feigned innocence. “Have you?”

“And you set him up with Mary first.”

Pansy lowered her eyes and said with false modesty, “I may have had something to do with that. I’ve been known to make a few matches in my day.”

“Yes, you’re quite good.”

Pansy preened until Misty followed up with, “Almost as good as me.”

“You?” gasped Pansy. “You’re a rank amateur. I’ve got years of experience on you.”

“Well, you’ve got years on me, I’ll give you that.”

Now that was hitting below the belt. Pansy responded with an equally nasty jab. “A woman who’s never had a husband doesn’t qualify as a true matchmaker.”

“Why not? Because I’m not stupid enough to settle for the first guy who asks me. I’m holding out for the real thing—true love.”

Pansy snorted. “I don’t believe in that whole destiny rigmarole. You find a good man and you make the best of things. That’s the way it works.”

“So your husband was no more to you than a ‘good man.’”

Stepping back, Pansy put a hand to her throat. “How can you say such a thing about my sainted Frank? He was the best, the best, of men.”

Misty smirked. “I think you just proved my point.”

“Fine.” Pansy’s eyes snapped with anger. This meeting wasn’t going as she’d planned. “But I found him. You’re still looking for your prince charming.”

“They don’t just fall out of the sky, you know,” protested Misty. “If they did, surely you’d have found another one in the last fifteen years or so.”

“If there was one to be found in Orchard Hill, I’d have found him,” Pansy declared. “I’ve made more matches than any matchmaker in the history of Orchard Hill.”

“That’s a little difficult to prove, isn’t it?” Misty pointed out. “No one keeps records of that sort of thing, do they?”

“Well, I could beat you at matchmaking any day of the week.” Pansy was not normally a woman who boasted, but Misty just pushed her over the edge, and making matches was her only true talent. She wasn’t about to be one-upped by a tofu eating pseudo-hippy like Misty Green.

Misty was silent for a moment. She put a hand to her chin as if contemplating something. “How about we put that to a test?” she finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“One year, starting at New Year’s. We’ll keep track of our matches all year long and the one that has the most at the year’s end, wins.”

“Wins? What does she win?”

Misty shrugged. “The knowledge that she’s the best, and the other one knows it.”

It was good enough for Pansy. “But betting…I don’t know if Pastor Isaac would approve.”

“It’s up to you. It doesn’t bother me. I know I’d win anyway.”

“Now just a minute. You can’t say that if we don’t have the contest.”

“You just said we couldn’t have the contest.”

“I said no such thing. The pastor doesn’t have to know everything.”

Misty smiled.

Pansy thought it was a very catty expression.

“Then you accept the challenge.”

Pansy liked the word ‘challenge’ a whole lot more than ‘bet.’ “Yes,” she replied. “I do.”

Just then, there was a knock on the office door. One of the choir members poked his head in. “We’re waiting for you to start, Misty. Will you be much longer?”

“No, I’m coming right now.” Before the blonde went out the door she looked over her shoulder at Pansy and winked. “New Year’s,” she said and closed the door behind her.

The nerve of that woman! Pansy fumed as she gathered her things to go home. She’d show that Misty Green. Before the next year was over, Pastor Isaac would be up to his eyebrows in wedding preparations.

She’d see to that.

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Chapter One

A friend loves at all times…

—Poverbs17:17 NIV

Riley O’Neil wondered how he got himself into these things. His plans for the day had not included sitting with Grace…who was crying…in the ladies room…at church.

He sighed with frustration and glanced around, noting the flower-covered wall paper, the ruffled, lacy curtains and the bowl of potpourri on the sink. He could feel the testosterone draining from his body with each passing minute.

He put a comforting arm around his friend. “Come on Gracie. You have to stop now. You’ll make yourself sick.” Everyone else called her Grace, but she was always Gracie to him.

As a boy, Riley remembered being curious about what the ladies room looked like. This was definitely one secret he wished hadn’t been revealed to him. His grandmother used this room!

No, Riley did not want to be here. He would very much like to be with his best friend Steve, so he could punch him in the nose. But Steve was on a plane going to Hawaii with Tami, who had betrayed Gracie and stolen her fiancé.

Steve—Riley’s so-called friend—had called him on his cell phone even as the guests were filing into the church. “Sorry, Riley. I just can’t go through with it. Cold feet I guess. Grace is going to be mad, so I’m using the honeymoon tickets and going to Hawaii until this blows over.”

He felt his jaw drop. “You’re doing what?”

“I can’t help it. I just can’t go through with it.”

“What about Gracie?” Riley had shouted. Then, taking note of his surroundings, he lowered his voice. “How can you do this to her?”

“I know, I know. But in the long run this will be better.”

Riley could hear someone talking to Steve in the background. “Who’s that? Is someone with you?”

“Well, there are two tickets, you know.”

Riley was sure he heard a woman’s voice.

“What?” said Steve. “Oh yeah, tell Grace that Tami won’t be in to work on Monday…and for a couple of weeks after that.”

Tami was a waitress at The Grace Place, the coffee shop Grace owned.

“Come on Steve, the plane is boarding,” Riley heard Tami call with a giggle.

“Take care of Grace for me, Riley. I’ll see you when we…I mean when I…get back.” He’d hung up before Riley could say another word and suddenly he was the one stuck with the task of ruining his other best friend’s special day—her wedding day.

Grace had looked forward to this day for years—since she and Steve had become high school sweethearts, really. The day she had spent months planning. She and her mother had even made all the table favors themselves. They were little bundles of candy, wrapped in red netting and tied with gold ribbon and sprigs of fake holly. Grace had said they were perfect for a December wedding. He remembered how she and her mom had cut out all those squares of netting, how they’d taken the time to curl all the ribbons.

Wait a minute. What was he doing, obsessing over table favors when he was supposed to be comforting Gracie. How could he do that? At that moment, no amount of faith or Christian principle could prevent Riley from loathing Steve with all his heart. This was not how he had expected to fill his role as best man.

“Riley,” said Grace when her sobs subsided. “You’re the best friend ever. Thank you for sitting with me.”

Like he had a choice? He was the only one she’d let in the room.

“You’re welcome.” Even though Grace’s face was red with crying, she still looked beautiful to Riley. With her dark gold hair, creamy skin and warm brown eyes his Gracie had true beauty, inside and out. What man in his right mind would give her up? And for what? A little fun in the sun with a woman who changed boyfriends like she changed her shoes? And that woman had a different pair of shoes for every day of the week. “I’d give you a hug, but I’m afraid I’d ruin your dress, Gracie.”

She gave him a wobbly smile. “It doesn’t matter anymore if the dress gets ruined. Give me a hug.”

So he gave her a hug as they’d shared so many times over the years, and then she started to cry again. Riley pulled another tissue out of the box and handed it to her. As long as he lived, he’d never forget the look on her face when he’d told her. It hurt him more than the time he’d fallen out of the maple tree in her yard and broken his arm.

“I hope that plane crashes,” he declared vehemently.

“Oh, Riley, that’s awful,” said Grace. “Think of all the innocent people.”

“Okay, how’s this. I hope Steve gets a third-degree sunburn in Hawaii.” He thought a moment, then added with a wicked smile, “While sunbathing nude if possible.”

He succeeded in making Grace laugh, if just for a moment. Her face quickly crumpled again. “I just don’t understand how I missed it. He was dating Tami all this time behind my back. I feel so stupid.”

“Gracie, he’s the one who messed up. You have nothing to feel bad about.” There was no way he was going to let her take the blame for this fiasco.

“Oh no? What about all those wedding gifts I’ll have to return? What about all the gossip that will be buzzing by tomorrow? I’ll be facing all that while he’s frolicking on the beach with Tami.”

“I wouldn’t worry about the wedding gifts. I think most people just took them along when they left the church.”

“Well, that’s one thing I won’t have to take care of anyway.” Grace sighed. “Do you think everyone is gone yet?”

“I’ll go check.” Riley quickly grabbed at the chance to escape from the ladies room.

Grace’s mother and her friend Lily were waiting in the hallway. “How is she?” asked her mom.

“She’s holding up, Mrs. Randall. She doesn’t want to come out until everyone is gone.”

“I wish she’d let us help,” said Lily, still wearing her festive red bridesmaid dress.

“Surely a girl would want her mother at a time like this.” Mrs. Randall gave him a pleading look.

“No,” said Riley firmly. “I’m sorry ladies, but I have my orders.”

Grace’s mom sighed. “All right. Tell her to call if she needs anything.”

“Men are pigs,” growled Lily. She glanced at Riley. “Present company excepted of course.”

“Don’t worry. Even I’m inclined to agree with you at the moment.” Lily had carried a chip on her shoulder since her messy divorce, so he didn’t take her attitude personally.

Grace’s mother sighed. “I suppose I’d better go make sure Ed has taken his blood pressure pill. Something tells me it would be a bad day to forget. Take good care of my Grace, Riley.” She patted his cheek and headed for the door, ready to go search out her husband. Lily followed.

“I will,” Riley assured them, holding the door as they exited. When they’d gone, he continued through the building, checked the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. They were both empty. Everyone must be gone. He turned to go back to Grace.

Riley decided to grab a fresh box of tissues first. The supply closet was in the church office. Luckily the door was unlocked.

Pansy Parker, all dressed up for the wedding that wasn’t happening, sat behind her desk. She smiled warmly at him as came in. “How’s Grace doing?

“She’s going to be fine. She’d just rather not talk to anyone now.”

Pansy nodded. “I understand. Poor Grace. She’s so sweet. She doesn’t deserve this heartache.”

Riley inched his way toward the supply closet, hoping to get the tissues and get out quickly. “You can say that again.”

“Of course, she sort of brought this on herself.”

He stopped. “What do you mean?”

“Grace was the only one in town that would give Tami a job after she broke up Edie and Mel’s marriage. Remember she was Mel’s assistant before she worked for Grace.”

“I remember.”

“And the girl Grace hired before that, remember how she stole money from the till and just took off?” Pansy sighed. “Poor Grace. She’s too kind for her own good. Someone really needs to watch out for that girl.”

Riley had always thought Steve did a poor job of watching out for Grace. Now he wouldn’t be there for her at all. He pushed away the notion. She still had her family. Not that they were doing the greatest job either. They hadn’t been able to save Grace from being left at the altar.

“What was it you came in here for?”

Riley dragged his mind back to the situation at hand. “Tissues. I wanted a new box of tissues for Grace.”

Pansy shook her head as she crossed to the supply closet. “That poor girl, crying her eyes out over some worthless man. It’s too bad she didn’t choose more wisely.”

Why had Grace chosen Steve? They’d been dating on and off for years, breaking up one week and back together the next. If their dating life was that unstable, how had she ever thought they could keep a marriage going?

“You’d better get back to her now, Riley.” She held out the box of tissues for him.

“Huh? Oh yeah. See you later.” He grabbed the tissues and turned to go. As he was leaving he noticed the peculiar smile Pansy gave him, but he didn’t have time to consider what that was about.

****

Grace told herself for what seemed like the hundredth time that she wasn’t going to cry anymore. She was angry at herself for making such a spectacle. She preferred to be behind the scenes, not in the spotlight. Today, though, she had actually wanted to be the star of the show—but because she was getting married, not because she’d been left at the altar. Getting married and eventually starting a family meant more to her than anything—even her business.

Her mind went back to earlier in the day. Riley had knocked on the door of the dressing room. When Lily had affirmed that they were all dressed he came in. The first thing he did was to send everyone else out of the room. Then he came over to her and took her hands.

“We need to talk.”

“About what, Riley? For the last time, you can’t come to Hawaii with us.” She felt her smile begin to evaporate when Riley didn’t react to her joke. The look in his eyes set her heart pounding. Something was very, very wrong.

“Gracie, he’s not coming.”

“Who’s not coming?”

Riley seemed to be having a hard time getting the words out. “Steve just called me. He isn’t coming.”

“Is he sick?”

Riley released her hands and walked a few steps away. She couldn’t see his face anymore and that frightened her. “He called from the airport. He’s…he’s decided he doesn’t want to get married.”

It took a few moments for his words to sink in. “I’ll just use the other ticket and go after him. He doesn’t mean this.”

Riley turned back to her, but didn’t say anything. She could tell by the look on his face that there was more. She waited.

“The other ticket is being used.”

“Used? By who?” By his expression she knew he was about to hurt her again, and he was dreading it. “Just tell me, Riley. Get it over with.”

“Tami is with him.” His words fell like stones, pounding into her heart.

“Oh. I see.” Her brain wanted to reject his words, but Riley would never lie to her. She could see how hard it was just for him to tell her about Steve’s defection. “Riley, I just need a moment alone.”

When he left, Grace began to think about all the people waiting for her in the church. How could she face them? They were all family and friends and seeing the pity in their faces was more than she could bear. Grace took the coward’s way out. She locked herself in the bathroom. No amount of reasoning, pleading or threats could make her come out. Finally, she had agreed to let Riley in.

And now, an hour or so later, she was still sitting here, trying to make herself stop crying. “God,” she prayed, “why did you make hearts so fragile? You must have known that we would break them.”

****

Riley hurried along the hall and back into the ladies room. He had the new box of tissues tucked under his arm. Stopping to talk to Mrs. Parker had delayed him, and he was impatient to see if Grace was all right. He didn’t stop to knock, but walked right in. “Gracie, I think you can come out now. It’s looking pretty bare in—” He stopped in his tracks. Grace had taken off her wedding dress and was wearing only her slip—which actually covered quite a lot, but just the idea—Riley gulped. “I guess I’ll wait for you outside.” He backed out as fast as he could and slammed the door behind him.

“How’s Grace?” Riley almost jumped through the roof at the sound of his brother Ian’s voice coming from behind him.

“What are you still doing here?” Riley was almost shouting.

“Well, I wasn’t lurking around the ladies’ room at least.” Ian smirked, and then his eyes changed from teasing to serious. “But really, I wanted to make sure you didn’t need any help with Grace.”

“No, I don’t need any help with Gracie. She’s going to be fine.” Then, to get back at him for the comment about lurking, Riley added, “And Lily has already left the building, so there’s no reason for you to stay behind, either.”

“Lily? What does she have to do with anything?” Ian tried to act nonchalant, but a tell-tale redness crept up on his neck. Ian and Riley looked a lot alike. Both had red hair, green eyes and a tendency to blush when embarrassed or trying to lie.

“Nothing.” Any other time, Riley would have played this to the hilt, but now all he wanted to do was get rid of Ian. “Gracie won’t come out until everyone is gone, so…”

“All right, all right,” Ian conceded. “I’m going. But Riley—”

“I know, I know. I’ll call if Gracie needs anything.”

Once Ian ambled off, Riley took a deep breath. And thought about Gracie.

“Okay, Riley,” he told himself, “get a grip. You’ve seen her wear less at the beach.”

“Of course,” a little voice—a traitorous little voice—deep inside him whispered, “she wasn’t available then.”

Steve and Gracie and Riley had been friends since grade school. Steve and Gracie had been dating on and off since high school. Gracie had always been strictly off limits. Even in those periods when she and Steve weren’t dating, Riley had never asked her out because he would have felt as if he were betraying Steve.

But now…

No, no, no. She’d just been left at the altar and totally humiliated by her fiancé. How could he even be thinking about this now? It would take time before Gracie was ready to start a new relationship.

“Okay, I’m ready now,” said Grace, coming out of the ladies room, dressed in jeans and an old shirt, carrying her dress bag over her arm. “Sorry about that. I thought I’d have plenty of time to change before you came back.”

Riley could feel the heat creeping up his cheeks and knew his face was turning as red as his hair. “No big deal,” he said, hoping he sounded unaffected. Inside his head, that little voice had become a loud voice, and it was screaming, “Big deal! Very big deal!”

“Do you want to change before we go?”

“Sure,” said Riley. “I’ll make it quick.” He ducked into the men’s room, glad to be back on familiar ground. No flowers, no ruffles and definitely no potpourri.

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Chapter Two

The town of Orchard Hill was actually a valley. The name came from the apple orchard at the top of the hill overlooking the town. No one complained about the inaccuracy. It was a nice name for a town.

On Monday morning Riley drove to work. He thought he could drive the route blindfolded if he had to. He’d spent almost every day of his adult life at O’Neil’s Handy Hardware and many of his childhood days, too, “helping” his dad. He turned onto Blossom Street and drove by the old fashioned town square with a park, police station, library and community building. Next came the downtown shops—Apple Blossom Realty, the Green Scene Natural Food Store, Gilding by Lily Beauty Shop, The Grace Place and finally his family’s store. He pulled around and parked in the back.

Before opening the store, he walked over, as usual, to The Grace Place. Riley knew that making coffee at home and putting it in his travel mug would have been a lot cheaper than buying it here every day. But he enjoyed stopping and seeing Grace each morning before walking back down the street to O’Neil’s Handy Hardware and opening up.

Today, he wouldn’t see Grace though. She was on vacation. Certainly not the one she’d planned, but he supposed she’d need some time off to recover from the emotional devastation of the weekend. Maybe he’d call her later and see how she was doing.

“Hi Jeff,” he called to the real estate agent from across the street. He was new in town, but already Riley liked him. Jeff was leaving the coffee shop as Riley was going in. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad. How are things with you?”

“I’m here, aren’t I? That’s about the best I can expect for a Monday.”

Jeff laughed as he slipped out the door with his to-go cup.

The Grace Place not only had excellent coffee, they also sold tea, smoothies and soft drinks. In the morning there were donuts and pastries and in the afternoon they served soups and sandwiches. To one side of the shop there was an area displaying cards and ‘gifts,’ which he thought of as useless junk, but his mother and sisters loved it, so Riley supposed Grace knew what she was doing.

He was taking out his wallet and not looking as he walked up to the counter. The sound of her voice surprised him.

“Hi, Riley. The usual?”

He snapped his head around. “Gracie? What are you doing here?”

She grinned at him. “It’s my place. It says so on the door.”

“You’re supposed to be on vacation.”

Her smile faded. “Yeah, funny thing, that didn’t quite work out.”

“I know that, but you should still take the time off.”

“I would,” she said flatly. “But I happen to be short one waitress.”

Ouch. He hadn’t thought of that.

She leaned over the counter. “Tell you what, your coffee’s on the house today. Do you have time to talk to me for a minute?”

He really didn’t. There were things he needed to do before the store opened. And he could see Iris Covey sitting in her car by the curb. Riley knew she was waiting for him to open so she could buy her bulk birdseed and take it out to the nursing home, where she filled the feeders for the residents every week.

“I can talk for a minute,” he conceded.

She flashed him another brilliant smile as she filled his travel mug. “Thanks.”

“What do you need?”

Her smile faded again. “I need to know what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

Grace looked out the window, avoiding his eyes. “What happened between Steve and me? Where did it go wrong? Did you know he was dating Tami?”

“I knew he was acting strange for the last couple of weeks or so, but I thought it was just pre-wedding jitters.”

“Has he ever done this before?”

Riley didn’t want to answer that one. “Rehashing ancient history won’t help any.”

“C’mon Riley. I need to know.”

By the look in her eyes he knew she was serious. She’d never let it drop until he told her. “Okay, Gracie. Since you insist, yes, I do know of one other time. But that was a long time ago, when you were away at college and you guys were fighting.”

“Is that the time when he showed up at my dorm in the middle of the night with flowers and a black eye?”

“Ye…I mean how would I know?”

“Did you give him that black eye?”

Riley hunched his shoulders and stared into his coffee.

“You can tell me. It was a long time ago, right?”

“All right, yes, I gave him the black eye, the money for the flowers and a ride to your campus.”

Grace reached out and pushed his hair out of his eyes. “You always look out for me, Riley. You’re like a big brother.”

That was the last thing he wanted to hear. He snapped the cover onto the travel mug. “I’ve got to go Grace. And you should go home and take some time off.”

“Sorry, I can’t do that. Remember, I need a waitress. I’m going to put an ad in the paper today. I should be able to start interviewing by the end of the week, I hope.”

He remembered the last two waitresses that Grace had hired. One stole her money and the other stole her fiancé. “I’ll find you a waitress before tomorrow,” he blurted. Why did he say that? How was he going to do that?

“How are you going to do that?” demanded Grace.

“See you tomorrow,” was all he said as he headed for the door.

****

Grace watched Riley walk out, wondering what he was so upset about. She didn’t see Lily until she was at the counter.

She smiled that little half smile that Grace knew so well. “I know you probably don’t want me to ask, but are you okay?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Grace replied, glad to see her friend, even if it meant bringing up Saturday’s disaster. “If I keep busy I don’t have to think about it too much.”

“I know what you mean. Starting my own business was great therapy after the divorce.” Lily was the owner of Gilding by Lily. She reached across the counter and squeezed Grace’s hand. “In a way you were lucky, honey. You found out before you were married to him. It could have been worse. Take it from me; we’re better off without men.”

Grace managed a small smile in return. “Not that you’re bitter or anything.” She wished her friend could move beyond her own disaster. She’d never liked Lily’s husband and wasn’t surprised when the marriage didn’t work.

She laughed, but to Grace it sounded hollow. “No, not me. Now how about some coffee?” She gave her order and Grace made it up in a to-go carton. She slipped a pastry into a bag and handed it to Lily.

“What’s this?”

“Thanks for caring. I should have given one to Riley, too, but he left so quickly.”

“If only they all would,” quipped Lily. Then she made a face. “Okay, I know that one was bad, even for me. Have a good day, Grace. Call me if you need anything.”

****

Riley was a firm believer in the value of nepotism, so it was fortunate for him that he had a large extended family. He spent the better part of the morning reviewing the family roster when he should have been restocking shelves, paying bills, filing invoices or any of a number of other things that always needed doing at the store.

Finally, he thought he had the perfect candidate for waitress at Gracie’s shop. He called his cousin Judy and asked about her daughter Vanessa.

“Is this about the Sunday School Christmas program?” Judy immediately asked when she heard his voice on the phone. “Because if it is, I’ve done my share. I’ve sewn enough costumes from old curtains to clothe an army.”

“I’m not involved in the program this year,” he assured her. “I’m calling about Vanessa. Is she still looking for a job?”

“I think looking is too strong a word. It implies some action on her part.”

Riley chuckled. Vanessa had quit college a few months ago and had come home to drive her mother insane with her lack of interest in doing anything with her life. “She’s just going through a rough patch, Judy. She’ll come out all right.”

“I hope you’re right.” Judy sighed. “National Honor Society, head of the debate team, captain of the math team, and then what? College drop out. Never have kids, Riley. They just break your heart.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So, you said something about a job. Do you want Vanessa to work at the store?”

“No, actually a friend has an opening at her shop.” Riley explained about Gracie needing a waitress.

“She’ll take it. What time should she be there? She doesn’t usually get up before the crack of noon these days.”

“Actually, she’d have to be at Gracie’s by six tomorrow morning. Do you think she can handle that?”

“I’ll make sure she’s there and ready to work if I have to give her coffee intravenously,” Judy promised.

“Um, okay then,” said Riley, trying not to form a picture of that in his head. “Thanks Judy. I’ll meet her at Grace’s to introduce her.”

“Thank you, Riley”

****

On Tuesday at 5:55 a.m. Riley parked his car at the store and walked down the street to Grace’s. Judy was parked in front of the coffee shop, a sullen Vanessa sitting next to her in the passenger seat. When Riley approached she got out and Judy drove away with a wave, grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa, however, was not smiling. She slouched over to him, arms crossed, lip stuck out.

“Hi Van,” said Riley.

“Hi Ry,’ she answered sarcastically.

He ignored the attitude. “Thanks for helping out. My friend, Grace, is really in a spot.”

“I know. Her fiancé dumped her for her waitress.”

Riley hoped Vanessa would be tactful enough not to bring that up in front of Gracie. “Anyway, thanks for stepping in and helping out. It means a lot to me.”

Vanessa dropped her arms and straightened up a bit. “Sure, Riley. It’s no problem.”

Grace came to turn the sign on the window to open. She smiled and opened the door when she saw them.

Riley returned the smile as he steered Vanessa through the door in front of him. “This is my cousin Judy’s daughter, Vanessa. She’s here to take over for Tami.”

Gracie’s eyes widened. “Wow, Riley. I didn’t think you could do it.”

He feigned sadness, laying a hand over his heart. “I’m hurt, Gracie. I can’t believe you doubted me.”

“Well, Riley, it looks like you lived up to your reputation.”

“What reputation?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“People say you’re the Fix It Man.”

Vanessa started to laugh, but Riley stopped her with one well-practiced look, a look that stopped his many younger siblings and cousins in their tracks and made them reconsider what they were about to do.

“You’re kidding. People don’t really say that.”

“I think it has to do with you being in the hardware business, Riley,” Vanessa assured him.

“Oh. That must be it.”

Grace didn’t say anything, but she knew it had more to do with Riley’s willingness to lend a hand when someone was in trouble. She turned to Vanessa. “Why don’t you head into the kitchen? There’s a doorway to one side that leads to the back hallway. You’ll find a place to put your coat and some aprons hanging on a peg. Put one on and we’ll get you started.”

“Sure.” Vanessa sauntered away.

Grace turned back to Riley. She was truly grateful to him. He’d saved her a lot of work by finding a new waitress for her. She didn’t for a moment question whether his choice would be appropriate. “Thank you, Riley. Coffee’s on the house for a week.”

“That’s great, but really I just wanted you to have some time off.”

“Well, maybe I’ll be able to do that soon.” Why did he have to keep bringing this up? Grace moved away and began wiping the spotless counter.

“What do you mean, ‘soon’?”

“I can’t just take off and abandon Vanessa. She needs to be trained.”

Riley frowned. “Can’t one of the other waitresses do that?”

Irritation sparked within her. What was up with him lately? “I like to train my employees myself. Why are you so anxious to get rid of me anyway?”

“You had an emotional blow, Gracie. You should take some time to recover.”

“I’d rather work. I don’t want to sit around and dwell on my failures.” Why couldn’t he understand?

Riley took a deep breath. “Gracie, this wasn’t your failure. It was all Steve.”

“What if it wasn’t?” Tears sprung to her eyes. “It’s not as easy as that. What did I lack, that he had to look elsewhere? What did Tami give him that I didn’t?”

“I’d tell you but I’m too much of a gentleman.”

“Oh, Riley!”

“Really, Gracie, I’m worried about you. I’m afraid you’ll overdo it.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself, and I can take care of my business.”

He didn’t say anything else but the look on his face told her he didn’t believe her.

Grace went behind the counter and filled a to-go cup for him with the French Vanilla coffee she knew he liked but would never ask for because he thought it made him look too sissy or something. Then she snapped a lid on it and handed it to him.

“I have work to do, and so do you. Go to work.” With that, Grace went into the kitchen and didn’t look back at him. She heard the door close and knew he had gone.

TITLE

Chapter Three

Riley backed off for a couple of days. Then he stopped by Gracie’s house on his way home from work on Thursday. Thursday was her day off.

Gracie had inherited her home, like the shop, from her grandmother. It was an old-fashioned house with white clapboard siding and red shutters. He went around to the back door, as friends and relatives usually did. If someone rings the front door bell in Orchard Hill you can pretty much guarantee they’re selling something.

Riley knocked, and then stuck his head in the door. “Gracie?” he called.

A wonderful aroma of cinnamon and ginger wafted past him. “Come in,” she called. Riley stepped in. She was transferring a batch of cookies from the cookie sheet to wire cooling racks. She’d put a headband on to keep her shoulder-length hair out of her face, and she wore an old Orchard Hill High School t-shirt. The smudge of flour on one cheek was the perfect accessory, Riley thought.

“Hi. What brings you by?”

He shrugged. “Nothing. I was just wondering how Vanessa is working out.”

“She’s doing great. We had a long talk yesterday after her shift. Do you know why she came home?” asked Grace.

“No. She wouldn’t even tell Judy what happened.”

She paused in her task to look up at him. “You have to keep this just between you and me, Riley.”

“Okay.” Riley picked a cookie up from the rack and started to munch on it.

“Well, she had a huge crush on one of her professors, poor girl.” Grace went back to transferring cookies to the wire racks. “When he started to show her a little extra attention, she was sure it meant something. Well, it did, but not what she thought it meant.”

“What are you saying?”

“He told her that…um…that she had to be his girlfriend if she wanted to pass his class.”

“What!” He choked on the cookie and began to cough. Grace filled a glass with water and handed it to him.

“Don’t worry. I told her that she doesn’t have to put up with that kind of behavior to get a degree. Vanessa said she was going to talk to her mother and they’re going to see about getting her back into school next semester.”

Riley’s brain tried to go off in several different directions at once. He slammed the glass onto the counter. “Why didn’t she tell anyone in the first place? Who is this guy? What exactly did he try on Vanessa? When did you have time to find all this out? And what are you going to do for a waitress when Vanessa leaves?”

Grace looked stunned by his volley of questions. “Riley, don’t worry. Vanessa and her parents are handling things.”

He took a deep breath and counted to ten. “Okay. Judy and Ken know what they’re doing, I guess. But what about you, Gracie?”

“Why are you acting this way? There is nothing the matter with me.”

“You and Steve were together for years. And now he’s deserted you. You must be hurting. Why can’t you just cut yourself some slack and take some time off to heal?”

Grace pulled out another cookie sheet and began dropping scoopfuls of dough onto it. “Maybe I’m not as hurt as you think. Maybe…Maybe I was more shocked and embarrassed than hurt. Maybe now what I’m feeling is…relief.”

Riley shook his head. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What did you say?”

She put down the scoop and wiped her hands on her apron. “I said I’m relieved I didn’t marry Steve.”

He walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. He leaned his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. “Say that again, please.”

“I know Steve is your best friend and all, but lately I’ve been feeling that we weren’t cut out for each other.”

Riley’s world shifted as he absorbed this new information. “Then why were you marrying him?”

“I guess…I guess I felt like I was obligated.”

Silence fell like a heavy curtain.

“Gracie, what am I going to do with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you would have given up your whole life for a man you didn’t think was right for you? You have a problem, lady.”

“Oh, I do?” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “And what might that problem be?”

“You are too nice. You let everyone walk all over you.”

She gasped. “I do not.”

“Oh, really. Why are you baking cookies?”

“What?”

“Just answer the question,” he demanded.

“They’re for the Sunday School program. One of the other volunteers got sick, so I offered to make them. Is there something wrong with helping out?”

“No. Unless you’re so busy helping other people, you never help yourself.”

“I don’t need any help,” she yelled at him.

“That’s what you think,” he yelled back. He pushed back the chair and stood. He stomped to the door and opened it. Just before he left, he turned back and growled, “And for your information, Steve isn’t my best friend. You are.” He slammed the door behind him.

Later that night, Riley called Grace. “I’m sorry I yelled at you,” he said as soon as she picked up the phone.

“You should be,” she said tartly, but he knew he was about to be forgiven. If he weren’t, she would have hung up already.

“Let me make it up to you.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I’ll take you out to supper tomorrow night.”

Silence, and then she finally said, “All right.”

He hadn’t known he was tense, until he relaxed. “Thank you. Where would you like to go?”

They planned the details, and he promised to pick her up at seven the next evening.

****

On Friday during her lunch break, Grace took the cookies she had baked to the church. Pansy Parker was in the office, as usual. Grace had to pass by the office to take the cookies down to the kitchen, so naturally Pansy stopped her to talk.

“Grace, dear, how are you doing?”

She shifted the boxes of cookies to one arm. “I’m fine, Pansy. How are you?”

“Oh, I can’t complain.”

“Considering what a busy time of year this is at church, that’s pretty good.”

“Yes, Advent is busy. But Holy Week is worse. Have you heard from Steve?”

Grace stiffened. “No, and to be honest I really don’t want to.”

“I don’t blame you, dear. A woman needs a man she can count on. Like one of the O’Neil boys.”

“What about them?”

“That Ian and Riley are so dependable. Of course you and Riley have been friends for years.”

“I’m closer to Riley than Ian, but I’m friends with both of them.”

“Riley was certainly worried about you on Saturday. That boy must care an awful lot about you.”

“We’ve been friends since kindergarten.” Grace shifted the boxes of cookies again. They were getting heavy. “I really need to drop these off, Pansy.”

“It’s such a shame Riley hasn’t found a nice girl to settle down with, yet. Maybe you should fix him up with one of your friends.”

Grace lowered her eyes, deliberately hiding her expression from Pansy. “Yes, well I don’t really have time to start a dating service. I’ve got all I can handle with my shop.”

“Of course, dear. You’d better take those cookies to the kitchen. They must be getting heavy.”

Grace gladly made her escape. Pansy’s suggestion that she fix up Riley with one of her friends had surprised her. But what shocked her more was the surge of anger that had shot through her. She didn’t like the idea of Riley with one of her friends.

Why should she feel this way? It wasn’t as if Riley had never had a girlfriend before. In the past, she and Steve had often doubled with Riley and whoever he was seeing at the time.

But she didn’t have Steve any more. And so she needed Riley more than ever. Was she so selfish that she would resent any chance Riley might have at finding love just to keep him at her side?

As she went into the church kitchen Grace reflected that maybe Riley was right; maybe the cancelled wedding had disturbed her more than she cared to admit.

****

At seven that night, Riley knocked on Grace’s back door.

“Come in,” she called from somewhere inside. “I’m almost ready.”

He slipped into the kitchen. The smells of the day before had evaporated but the room was still warm and welcoming.

She came into the room, putting on her earrings. “I’m running a little late.”

“That’s okay. We have plenty of time.” He was unhappy with the way he and Gracie had been arguing lately and was determined to make this a peaceful night.

“Mrs. Morris came in just before my shift ended. She wanted to tell me all about her cat’s kidney problems, so I didn’t get home on time.”

“Why didn’t you just tell her that you needed to go?”

“That would have been unkind, Riley. She’s so lonely.”

“Right.” Riley could have said more, but keeping his goal for the evening in mind, he let it drop.

As Grace gathered her coat and purse, he told her, “I called Judy today. She was really thankful that Vanessa finally talked to her about what was wrong.”

“That’s good. I’m glad I could help.” She slipped into her coat and was ready to go out into the winter weather.

Riley drove them to a small supper club just out of town. It was decorated with a rustic style. The lighting was dim and candles glowed on all the green linen covered tables. They were seated, browsed the menus, and ordered.

“How’s business at the hardware store?” Grace asked.

He shrugged. “Not bad. We’re selling a lot of snow shovels and Christmas tree lights.”

“That’s good.”

They floundered around, seeking subjects for small talk. It wasn’t like them. Riley had never had a problem talking to Grace before.

Their meals came and that was a slight reprieve. But by the time they were almost finished, Riley was getting frustrated. He was pretty sure Grace must be feeling the same. They couldn’t go on like this. He put down his fork and reached for her hand. Grace looked up from where she was pushing her food around on the plate.

“Were you serious about being relieved that you hadn’t married Steve?”

She drew her hand away. “Riley, can’t we just leave it alone?”

He looked down at the table. “No, Gracie. I’ve been trying, but I can’t stop thinking about it. It makes me crazy.”

“I wish I’d never told you.”

“Why didn’t you tell Steve how you were feeling?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to hurt him.”

“You see, Gracie, that’s why I worry about you. You’re too kindhearted. It’s going to get you in trouble someday.”

“Riley, I’ve always been the way I am. It never bothered you before.”

“Before, you had Steve to look out for you.”

“So what? Now that Steve’s out of the picture, I’m your responsibility? Don’t worry about me, Riley. I don’t need you to watch over me.”

He’d always watched over her. Only she probably didn’t know it because in the past, he’d paid attention to what she needed, and then pushed Steve to give it to her.

They finished eating in silence, and she went to the ladies room to freshen up while he paid the bill.

“I didn’t intend for us to argue again tonight, Gracie. I’m sorry,” Riley told her, taking one more shot at salvaging the evening while they were on the way home.

“I’m sorry, too. I don’t know why you don’t trust me to take care of myself. I’m starting to feel a little insulted. I’m not an idiot, you know.”

“I never said you were.” She was taking this all wrong.

“No. You just implied it.”

“Grace, I think you are a wonderful person. You’re generous and caring. But it’s so easy for people to take advantage of someone with your sweet nature.”

“What am I supposed to do? Hire you to oversee my life? Get your approval on every decision I make? Don’t you have enough to worry about with your own family?”

Since his father’s death, Riley had become the unofficial head of the family. Ian was the oldest, but somehow Riley was the one the family came to when they needed help, whether it was a shoulder to cry on or a loan to tide them over.

When he pulled up in front of her house, she barely waited for him to stop before she jumped out. She slammed the car door without saying good-bye and stormed up the walk to her house.

Riley parked the car and came after her. She looked surprised when he walked in the door just behind her.

“Forget it. The evening’s ruined, Riley. Go home.”

“I don’t want it to end like this. I have to tell you something.” His eyes pleaded with her.

Grace crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. What do you want to tell me?”

“Don’t be like this Gracie.”

“What am I supposed to be like? I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Riley.”

He gave up. Words were only making things worse. He’d just have to show her.

He grasped her arms and pulled her to him. He could feel her surprise as he lowered his mouth to hers, but she didn’t push him away, so he pulled her closer, into the circle of his arms. If he had known this would feel so right, he would have given Steve a run for his money years ago. He tightened his arms around her and kept kissing her until he had to come up for air.

She stared at him with wide, shocked eyes and lifted her hand to her mouth. “That’s what’s gotten into me, Gracie. I wish you had told me a long time ago that you had doubts about you and Steve.”

Then he turned and left.

TITLE

Chapter Four

Grace went to work on Saturday, but she was so distracted and clumsy that she’d probably have been more help if she’d stayed home. Her whole brain was still in shock. Riley O’Neil had kissed her. And it wasn’t an ordinary kiss—it was a passionate, full throttle ‘I definitely want to be more than friends’ type of kiss. It scared her to death.

On Sunday, the worship service was led by the Sunday School, which presented their version of the Nativity. Normally Grace thoroughly enjoyed watching the children and seeing their own discovery of the wonder of Jesus’ birth. But today her attention kept drifting to the man sitting ahead of her and across the aisle: Riley O’Neil.

She had never thought of Riley as more than her best friend. They had gone to elementary school and high school together. They’d started college together, but Riley left before long because of his father’s death. He said it didn’t matter because he would have taken over the family business eventually anyway, but Grace knew he missed the chance he would have had for a few years of freedom.

Some people wondered why it was Riley who took over and not Ian. Even now, when Ian had moved back to Orchard Hill, the family still looked to Riley instead of to Ian, the eldest and technically, in Orchard Hill minds, the head of the family. Most Orchard Hill residents just didn’t understand.

But Grace did. She knew, even though he tried to hide it, Riley was much more sensitive than Ian would ever be. He picked up on things like emotions and body language. It was hard to avoid telling him what was wrong because he always noticed when something was bothering you, no matter how hard you tried to hide it.

Ian was a good guy, but he was analytical and logical where Riley was observant and intuitive. Riley was the kind of person you could tell things to.

And even though she knew all these things about Riley that no on else knew, she had never once realized—not even suspected—that he had feelings for her other than friendship.

Dating Riley. It was an idea that was both inviting and terrifying at the same time. She already loved Riley as a friend. But if dating didn’t work out, she’d lose his friendship, wouldn’t she? Now that she’d lost Steve, who had also been very much her friend, Grace didn’t think she could spare Riley.

After the Christmas program, refreshments were served in the gathering space. She smiled and made small talk with her friends and neighbors. She complimented Joy Harper on the Christmas program. Joy, the church organist, always worked with the Sunday School children on the music for the program. Then, she asked Jeff Bradley how he liked living in Orchard Hill

All the while, she had a strange feeling that someone was watching her. Glancing around, Grace noticed that Pansy Parker and Misty Green were together in a corner, looking at her and whispering to one another. That was odd. Usually that pair didn’t get along at all. And why would they be looking at her? Did she spill punch on her dress?

Grace dismissed it and sought out her friend Lily. “How’s business?” she asked as a conversation starter.

“It’s busy,” Lily replied. “Everyone wants their hair to look good in the family photos at Christmas.”

“That’s coming up fast,” said Grace. “What are you doing over the holidays?”

“I guess I’m going to my aunt’s in Milwaukee. My mom will be there. What are you doing?”

Before Grace could answer, Pansy popped up in front of her, dragging Riley by the arm. “Grace, there you are,” she said with a hint of false sweetness. “We were just looking for you.”

Grace tried not to notice that Riley looked ready to gnaw his arm off to get away. “What do you need, Pansy?”

“Well, I was talking to Irene Nelson yesterday, and she was telling me that they need more people to decorate for the New Year’s Eve Dance at the community center. So I was thinking about it, and I realized you and Riley would be the perfect team.”

“What makes you think we’d do such a good job?”

Pansy hesitated, as if thinking, then said, “Well, Grace, you’re so creative. You always do the nicest displays for your shop. I’m sure you’d be good at it.”

“What about Riley? Where does he come in?”

“He can bring the ladder,” said Pansy hastily. “So how about it? Can I tell Irene you’ll do it?”

Riley shrugged. “Okay. I’m in.”

Grace hesitated, not sure she wanted to do a project with Riley right now. But brain freeze had set in, and she couldn’t seem to think of even a flimsy excuse. Finally, she answered, “I think I’ll have time.”

“Great. I’ll call Irene, and she can call you two with the details.” Pansy turned to Lily and began to steer her toward the refreshment table. “Have you tried the mint fudge? It’s a new recipe I found.”

Grace and Riley were left staring at each other. Riley looked away first, dropping his gaze to his shoes. “So, are you avoiding me now?”

“No,” said Grace with a twinge of guilt for lying in the church building. They both knew that normally Riley would have been the first person she sought out to talk to.

“Well, I guess I should be going. I’ve had all the cookies and punch I can hold.”

“Riley.”

He stopped and turned back to her..

She put a hand on his arm. “I’m afraid. I don’t think I’m ready for things to change between us.”

“That’s too bad then, because they already have.”

When he shrugged off her hand and walked away, Grace felt abandoned. This wasn’t fair. She’d already lost Steve. Did she have to give up Riley, too?

****

Riley didn’t come into The Grace Place all week. Grace pretended she didn’t care because she had so much work to do getting ready for the annual Christmas party. On Saturday night, she was serving hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. They’d been baking cookies all week. Several local church groups were going to perform, and the evening would end with a sing-along.

“I’m so excited,” Vanessa told Grace as she lugged a heavy pan of dishes back to the kitchen after the morning rush. “I wonder if Riley will come. It sounds like something he’d like.” Vanessa was particularly looking forward to it, because she had never been to one of Grace’s parties before.

“Maybe,” Grace replied.

“I haven’t seen him in here lately, come to think of it.”

Grace cringed. She hoped no one else had noticed.

“I thought he came in every day.”

“He’s probably busy with Christmas stuff, too.”

“Yeah, probably.” Vanessa disappeared into the kitchen, and Grace gave a sigh of relief.

Her relief was short lived. She looked up just in time to see Steve enter the shop. Her breath caught in her throat. Were they back already? She’d been so wrapped up in her problems with Riley, she had actually forgotten about Steve.

“Hi Grace,” he said, advancing to where she stood behind the counter and smiling shyly at her.

She stood there like a deer caught in someone’s headlights and let him come right up to her. “Hi Steve.” She managed to force the greeting out.

“Look, I’m sorry about the wedding. I just couldn’t go through with it.”

As shock subsided, her anger woke. “Isn’t this conversation a little personal to be having in public?”

He smiled a little more. “Well, I figured here you wouldn’t start throwing things at me.”

“I’m not the sort of person who does that, Steve.” She may have been glad they didn’t get married, but she was still angry about how he’d run out on her and betrayed her, the coward.

“Anyway, I’m sorry. Is there anything you need me to do? Do I owe your dad anything for lost deposits or whatever?”

****

Riley thought that maybe he’d given Grace enough space. Maybe it was time to try talking to her again. So, on his break he walked down to The Grace Place. The sun was shining, making snow glisten everywhere. He could feel Christmas spirit in the air. It was going to be a good day.

He heard his name and turned. Jeff was jogging across the street toward him. “Hey, Riley, how about a cup of coffee? I’ll buy.”

“I’m in a generous mood today. I’ll let you buy.” Riley laughed at his own joke.

They walked into Grace’s. Riley saw Steve immediately, saw that he was smiling at Gracie, turning on the charm. It was easy to read the hurt and anger on her face. She looked alone and vulnerable. Something inside Riley let go…

And the next thing he knew, Jeff was pulling him off Steve, who was lying on the ground with blood streaming from his nose.

TITLE

Chapter Five

Eventually, when he had cooled down, Riley found himself at the door of Steve’s apartment. He knocked and his friend opened the door.

“Did you come to finish the job?”

Riley looked at Steve’s swollen, bruised face. “No, I came to apologize.”

Steve sighed and stepped back. “Come in then.”

He stood inside the door, feeling awkward. “I didn’t like how you treated Gracie. It was wrong and you really hurt her. But I shouldn’t have hit you. I’m sorry.”

“Forget it. I deserved it.” Steve led the way to the beat up couch where he and Riley had watched countless football and basketball games. He flopped down. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You were thinking you didn’t want to marry Gracie.” Riley flopped down next to him. He couldn’t quite eliminate the harshness from his voice.

“It’s no use, you know. I love Grace. She’s always good to me, and we enjoy each other’s company. What was missing?”

“You’re asking me? Do I look like Dr. Phil or something?”

They sat in silence for awhile. Steve fiddled with the clicker but he didn’t turn the TV on. “I guess maybe Grace was like a security blanket. With her around, I never had to worry about being alone. But maybe it’s better to risk being alone than to settle for something that wasn’t meant to be.”

“Wow, Steve. That almost sounded wise.” Sarcasm edged Riley’s voice, but he couldn’t help it. He had no success in trying to keep his emotions in check today.

Steve didn’t take offense. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. Tami took off on me after the second day.”

“That surprised you, did it?”

He laughed. “Not at all. Man, did I screw things up or what, Riley? Do you think Grace will ever forgive me?”

“Do you mean will she take you back?” Riley lifted himself on one elbow and turned toward him.

“No,” Steve shook his head. “I know better now. We aren’t meant to be together. But do you think we’ll ever be friends again?”

“Maybe. Gracie is pretty soft when it comes to you, you know.” He flopped back down into the lumpy cushions.

****

It was half past seven and The Grace Place Christmas party was in full swing. On one side of the shop, Vanessa and one of the other waitresses were in charge of keeping guests supplied with hot chocolate and Christmas punch. Grace circulated through the crowd carrying a tray piled high with Christmas cookies. A trio of teenagers had the stage, singing “updated” versions of traditional carols.

Grace tried unsuccessfully to stop herself from watching the door. Obviously Riley wasn’t coming.

And that was a good thing she told herself, as she stopped, smiled and offered cookies to a table full of people. She didn’t want him here. His behavior toward Steve had been inexcusable. Of course, Steve’s behavior toward her had been pretty rotten, too.

Grace ducked into the kitchen to refill her tray. She remembered Riley saying that he’d given Steve a black eye the one time he knew Steve had cheated on her. Had he been protecting her all these years? What else didn’t she know?

Her chest tightened, and her stomach lurched, as she thought that she may have been dating the wrong friend all these years. That couldn’t be. She couldn’t have made a mistake that big.

Could she?

All she wanted to do was go home to bed and curl up into a ball of misery. Instead, Grace finished refilling her tray, forced a smile and headed back into the party.

With surprise, she saw that Pansy Parker and Misty Green were sitting together. Usually, these two managed nothing between them warmer than stiff politeness.

She stopped at their table to offer them cookies. “Are you ladies enjoying yourselves?”

“Yes Grace,” answered Misty. “Your Christmas parties are always wonderful. I wish I could convince you to serve more healthful refreshments, though. I have a wonderful recipe for cookies that have no sugar and no flour.”

Grace tactfully ignored Misty’s suggestion. “I’ll get you a cup of herbal tea. Would you like a cookie Pansy?”

“Yes, please. I don’t much care for these young fellows with the guitars and drums. I think it’s shameful what they did to ‘O Come all Ye Faithful.’ When is our choir going on?”

“We can’t go on until Joy gets here,” Misty said, looking at her watch. “We need our accompanist. I wonder what’s keeping her?”

Pansy smiled sweetly. “I’m sure she’ll be along any minute.”

“And where’s Riley? I can’t believe he’d miss your party, Grace.”

Grace ducked that question, too. “I’ll be right back with your tea Misty.”

Back to the kitchen. Grace made Misty’s tea and checked on their punch supply, added a few more cookies to her tray and walked back out just in time to see Riley come in—with Joy Harper.

Grace froze. Had Riley moved on? It was less than two weeks since he’d kissed her. Had he given up on her already?

She forced herself to move, tea in one hand, cookie tray in the other. Unfortunately Riley and Joy were heading that way, too. They all arrived at Pansy and Misty’s table together.

“There you are, Joy,” cried Misty. “I thought you were a no-show.”

“I’m sorry,” said Joy, wringing her hands. “I was at the church all afternoon going through music. When I came out my car battery was dead.”

“Really,” said Misty, glancing at Pansy. “Let me guess. You left your lights on.”

“Yes, but the funny thing is, I don’t remember turning them on. Pansy suggested I call Riley. He was nice enough to come over and give my car a jump.”

For some reason Grace couldn’t fathom, Misty gave Pansy a nasty look. “Well, aren’t you helpful Pansy.”

Pansy returned Misty’s look with one that said ‘butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth.’ “I do my best.”

“Here’s your tea,” interrupted Grace, tired of waiting for an opening in the conversation. She set the steaming mug in front of Misty. “Would you like a cookie or some hot chocolate, Joy?”

Her question came out sounding unnaturally harsh and timid Joy shrank from the tone. “No, no. I’m fine.”

Grace choked down her ire. She didn’t mean to intimidate Joy. None of this was her fault. She said in a gentler tone. “I insist. Please take a cookie. Vanessa will bring you some hot chocolate.”

Joy sat down and accepted the cookie. “Thank you, Grace.”

Riley had started to reach for a cookie, but Grace moved on before he could take one.

“Excuse me,” she heard him say behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him cut across the room.

He blocked her path. “Hey Grace, how about a cookie for me?”

“Sure, why not? In fact, take them all.” She thrust the tray at him—hard—and felt a small ripple of satisfaction when the hard metal hit his stomach, making him grunt. He grabbed the tray to keep it from dropping as she whirled around and retreated to the kitchen once again.

She had started to cry and felt completely foolish. “I just need a few minutes to pull myself together.”

But she didn’t get them. Riley barged into the kitchen. Grace quickly turned her back to him so he wouldn’t see her tears. “Employees only, Riley. Get out.”

“Are you going to be mad at me forever?”

“Maybe. Don’t you think you should go back to your date?” The tears were falling faster. If only she weren’t so confused.

“Date? I don’t have a…Do you mean Joy? Gracie, you heard her. I jump-started her car for her.”

“You didn’t have to follow her here.”

“I wanted to make sure she didn’t have any more trouble.”

“Oh, now noble of you, Mr. Fix-It. Now if you don’t mind…”

“Why are you being so unreasonable? Come on Gracie. Turn around and let’s talk this out.”

“No. I have nothing to say to you.”

“Why do you care if I have a date anyway? I thought you weren’t interested, especially since you’re still mad at me over punching Steve.”

“You shouldn’t have done that. It was wrong.”

“What about what Steve did to you?”

“I know, but….Riley just go. Please go now.” If he didn’t leave now, the sobs that she was holding back would break loose.

“Fine Gracie, if that’s the way you want it.”

She didn’t move until she was sure he’d gone. Then she went straight to the employees’ bathroom and locked herself in so she could wash away all signs of her tears.

There was a knock at the door and Vanessa called out, “Grace, we need you. Everyone wants you to read the Christmas story before the next group goes on.”

“I’ll be right there,” she answered.

When Grace appeared on stage a few minutes later, Riley was nowhere to be seen. Pansy and Misty were still sitting together. Misty was smiling like a cat in cream while Pansy was definitely the sour puss.

Grace forced all the turmoil from her mind as she opened her Bible and began to read from the gospel of Luke.

****

On Christmas Eve, Riley couldn’t stand it anymore. He couldn’t enjoy the holiday with things unresolved between him and Gracie. He stopped at her house before church, knowing she’d be home. The Randall family always celebrated after the service.

He went to the front door and rang the bell. He wasn’t sure if he qualified as a back door friend anymore. She opened the door and stared at him. Riley thought she was gorgeous in her burgundy velvet Christmas dress with her hair pulled back, a few wisps framing her face.

He swallowed. “Hi Gracie. Merry Christmas.”

“Hi Riley.” She didn’t invite him in.

“Gracie, the other night at the party I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about what happened at the shop. I was wrong to hit Steve. I’ve apologized to him, and he accepted.”

“I know.” He couldn’t read her expression, and the tone of her voice gave nothing away.

“Heard it through the grapevine?”

She nodded.

It seemed she was unmoved toward him. He sighed and stepped back. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know I’m sorry. I said it so…good night, I guess.”

He turned and started to walk down the path to his car.

“Wait.”

Riley stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.

“Do you…Do you want to go to church together?”

“I’d love to,” he said. Relief swept through him. He was back in her good graces.

It was the best Christmas Eve service he could ever remember. Grace let him hold her hand the whole time. Afterward, he took her home and walked her to the back door.

“I’d invite you in but I’ve got to go over to my folks’ house now,” she explained.

“I know. Your family has always celebrated that way.” Feeling bold, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek in passing.

Her eyes widened. “Thank you for taking me to church.”

“Thank you for forgiving me.”

She dropped her gaze and said, very softly, “Riley, I missed you.”

His heart soared with hope. He stepped closer to her in the doorway. “Gracie, can I kiss you good night?”

“I don’t know. If this doesn’t work out…”

“What does your heart tell you?”

He reached out and cupped her face in his hand. She leaned into his touch and caressed his hand with a breathy sigh. “My heart tells me it doesn’t want to get broken again.”

“Can you guarantee that it won’t get broken again if I don’t kiss you good night?”

“I don’t know.” She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears, anguish filling her voice. “Why did you have to start this? If we date and it doesn’t work out, I’ll lose my best friend.”

“What if it does work out?” He knew he was pushing her, but somehow, after suppressing his feelings for her all these years, he could no longer keep them under lock and key. They had escaped and refused to be caged again.

“I’m sorry, Riley. I can’t do this.” Slowly she moved back into the house and shut the door. He stood on her doorstep, the warmth from her face still making his palm tingle. It took a feat of will to move away from the door and back to his car.

Riley cursed himself for being a fool. It was too soon after Steve’s betrayal. Of course she wasn’t ready.

****

Grace had forgotten her promise to help decorate for the New Year’s Eve dance until Irene Nelson called her. Inwardly she groaned, but somehow she managed to be polite to the woman as she wrote down the day and time.

She was feeling bad enough when she hung up the phone and turned back to her shop, but what she saw next caused her spirits to plummet down to the soles of her sneakers.

Steve was there. She and Steve had pretty much resolved things between them, but it would be a long time before she could really consider him a friend again. Although, that wasn’t the problem now. Steve wasn’t alone.

Vanessa was making two lattes—one for Steve and one for Janice Delong, a clerk at the local grocery store. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this wasn’t a chance encounter. They both had a goofy, infatuated look on their faces. Grace decided it would be a good time to disappear into the kitchen and see how today’s soup was going.

It wasn’t fair that he got to be the first to start a new relationship. Not after the very public humiliation she had endured. It wasn’t that she was jealous. It was just awkward, and this was just going to whip up the gossip about the two of them all over again. Would everyone think she was pining over Steve? Grace buried her head in her hands. She wished the floor would open her up and swallow her.

Of course, Steve didn’t have to be the only one dating again. Riley was ready and waiting for her to take the next step, but when it came to him, she felt like she was standing on the edge of a ledge looking over a very steep drop.

Her friendship with him was a treasure. No other friendship she had even came close. Lily was her best girlfriend. They’d met in college and been roommates, and Grace was glad Lily had moved to Orchard Hill to start her life over. Renewing their relationship had been a joy.

But Riley was something else again. Riley had been around for all the important moments of her life. And he’d been around for all the little everyday moments, too. She could trust him with all her secrets, all her fears and all her dreams.

But could she trust him with her heart?

Grace grabbed a tray full of clean mugs and took them up front. There he was, walking through the door, as if her thoughts had conjured him. She watched as Riley noticed Steve and Janice. Then he looked back at her. After a second, he approached Vanessa and placed his order. Grace put the mugs away. Riley’s gaze met hers again.

Vanessa brought him his coffee. He paid for it and left. It was the first time since she’d known him that Riley hadn’t tried to come to her rescue. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

TITLE

Chapter Six

The next day, Pansy Parker walked into The Grace Place. She ordered a cup of coffee—black. “And don’t put any of that flavored stuff in,” she ordered. “Coffee should taste like coffee, in my opinion.”

Grace held back a smile at Pansy’s attitude and turned to get the coffee. When she handed it to her, the older lady said, “Can you spare a moment to talk, Grace?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

“I can’t talk to you here. Come and sit down.”

Grace shrugged at Vanessa and followed Pansy to a table.

“It’s about your friend Lily,” said Pansy after she’d settled herself. “I’m worried about her.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“She never gets out. How will she ever become part of our community if she doesn’t make any effort to get to know people?

“I would like to see Lily get out more, but it’s up to her.”

“Nonsense. What are friends for if not to give you a push when you need it?”

Grace sighed. “What do you suggest I do?”

“Get her to go with you to the New Year’s Eve dance. Let her start off the new year by turning over a new leaf.”

Grace considered this while Pansy sipped her “coffee flavored” coffee. “That’s not a bad idea, but how do I get her to go?”

Pansy glared at her over the rim of her mug. “Do I have to think of everything?”

“Well, it was your idea.”

“Fine. Try this. Tell Lily that you want to get back out there after the disaster with Steve, and if she’s really your friend she’ll go with you.

“Why Pansy,” exclaimed Grace “I never knew you were this devious.”

The older woman drew herself up, bristling with affront. “I am not devious. I’m helpful. This is for her own good.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not devious.”

“Are you going to do this or not?”

Under the harsh gaze of Pansy Parker, Grace couldn’t stop herself from saying yes. After she agreed, Pansy allowed Grace to go back behind the counter. Pansy finished her coffee and left.

Grace was not looking forward to convincing Lily to go to the dance. Maybe Riley was right, and she did let people take advantage of her. That thought didn’t make her feel any better.

****

“Grace, I’m not going and that’s final,” exclaimed Lily. She and Lily were sharing lunch in a corner booth at The Grace Place.

Convincing Lily was as hard as she thought it would be. “But I’m on the decorating committee, and I don’t want to go alone. Please come with me, Lily.”

“I told you, dances aren’t my thing.”

“That’s not true. We used to go to them all the time in college.”

“That was a long time ago, Grace. I’m different now.”

“I liked the old Lily. I’d really appreciate it if you came.”

It took another fifteen minutes and the promise of a shopping trip for Grace to convince Lily, but in the end Grace won. Lily would be going to the dance. If only Grace actually wanted to go.

“When can we go shopping?”

Grace tried to stir up some enthusiasm. “Meet me here after you close your shop.”

****

Shopping with Lily did turn out to be fun. They both found great outfits and shoes to match at after Christmas sale prices. “It’s must be our lucky day,” she declared when Grace found her shoes at 40% off.

Lily had chosen a dark green wraparound dress that looked good with her darker features. Grace found a royal blue dress in a soft, clinging material that accentuated her figure.

“So who are you dressing up for?” asked Lily later when they stopped for supper in the food court.

“What do you mean?” asked Grace. She spied an empty table and led the way to it.

“We are going to a dance. I assume you were planning on dancing with someone. Anyone in particular or were you just going to check out the whole herd?”

“Um, no one in particular.” Grace and Lily sat down.

“You’re brave, Grace,” said Lily as she poured dressing on her salad. “I wouldn’t want to go to the dance without a date, knowing that your ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend are going to be there.”

The chicken sandwich Grace had ordered suddenly lost its appeal. “What? Steve and Janice are going to the dance? I never thought of that.” How stupid can I be? Everyone was going to be there. What else is there to do in Orchard Hill on New Year’s Eve?

“Do you want to change your mind? We can stay home and watch movies instead,” Lily offered.

Grimly, Grace shook her head. “I already have an outfit. I might as well go.”

****

The next evening, the decorating committee, including Riley and Grace, was supposed to meet to decorate the great room in the community building for the dance. She held firmly to the hope that things between the two of them could get back to normal.

The problem was, now that he’d started this, she couldn’t help wondering. Wondering what it would be like to have Riley for a boyfriend, to have him hold her hand and sit next to her in church every Sunday. To do all the things they normally did together, but not like they normally did them. To kiss her like he had the other night. That kiss was so thoroughly imprinted on her memory that she didn’t think she’d ever forget a second of it.

So of course she couldn’t feel comfortable around Riley, even though he didn’t say a word about the subject when he showed up—with his ladder—to help decorate for the dance. He acted like he always had toward her, but she was going crazy wondering.

“God,” she prayed, “I’m so confused. Help me know what to do.”

Everyone paired off to hang streamers. Grace and Riley got partnered with each other. That was no surprise, since everyone knew what good friends they were—or had been, Grace thought sadly.

They worked together efficiently and with a minimum of conversation, although all around them there was joking and laughter. It took only a couple of hours for the committee to hang streamers and balloons and add a few other touches. Then they set up chairs and few tables around the perimeter of the room.

“I think that’s it.” Grace gathered up the tape and their other supplies. “Want to grab a bite to eat?” she asked Riley.

He looked at her strangely for a moment and then answered. “No. I think I’ll just heat something up at home.”

Disappointment made Grace’s heart heavy but, she smiled. “That’s fine. Maybe I’ll do that, too.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll take my ladder and go then.”

He took the ladder out to his truck, and then came back in to walk Grace to her car.

Shrugging into her coat, she told him, “You don’t have to do this, Riley. Orchard Hill isn’t exactly a high crime area.”

He shrugged. “I know. But it makes me feel better.”

“Ha! You complain about me being too kind. You’re just as bad.”

He blushed. “Yeah, but it’s different with me.”

“Why is that?”

“It just is.”

Grace smirked. She had him, and he knew it. But they were at her car, and there was no time left to gloat. “Will I see you at the dance tomorrow?”

“I don’t know, Grace. Probably not.”

She frowned. “Please, Riley.”

He stuck his hands in the pockets of his coat and looked away. “I can’t.”

“Why not? Are you busy?”

“No. I just can’t…I can’t be with you anymore. You know how I feel about you and…”

She wished she could see his face. “And what?”

He drew in a big breath. “And it hurts to know you don’t feel the same.”

“So we’re not friends any more?” Tears welled up in her eyes.

He opened her car door for her. “I don’t know, Grace. I don’t know what we are.”

She slid behind the wheel of her car. Riley shut the door and walked away. It was the first time in years that he’d called her Grace instead of Gracie.

If she had to lose Riley, was this way better? Would it hurt more if she were his girlfriend and he broke up with her? It didn’t matter how your heart got broken, you still had to pick up the pieces, thought Grace.

Maybe it was time to take a chance? But then again, maybe she’d already missed the opportunity. Grace wiped the tears from her eyes and turned the key in the ignition. Forget supper. She was stopping at the store for a carton of ice cream.

TITLE

Chapter Seven

Riley had no intention of going to that dance. He held firmly to his resolve until, on New Year’s Eve day, Pansy came into O’Neill’s Handy Hardware.

“Good morning Mrs. Parker,” said Riley as she came up to the checkout. He never could bring himself to call her Pansy.

She presented him with three nails. “I’ve been planning to hang some pictures.”

“That’s nice. Is there anything else you need today?”

“No. I suppose you’re very happy for your friend Steve.”

“Why? What happened?” Riley put the nails into a small paper bag.

“He’s going out with Janice from the grocery store.”

“Oh, that. I knew about that. That will be seventeen cents.”

Pansy took out a coin purse. “I suppose you know they’re going to the New Year’s Eve dance together. Janice is very excited. Spent fifteen minutes telling me about her dress when I stopped to get milk. She doesn’t seem to realize that some people have things to do other than gossip.”

Riley arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Of course I feel bad for Grace. It will be hard for her to watch them. At least she’ll have friends there. I’m sure you’ll keep her company.”

“No, I’m not going.” Riley carefully kept his voice neutral.

Pansy’s eyes widened in shock. “But you’re on the decorating committee. You have to go.”

Riley handed her the bag. “No, I don’t. That’s seventeen cents, Mrs. Parker.”

She handed him the coins. “But what about Grace?”

“Grace will be fine.” Hopefully. But she didn’t want his help even if she wasn’t, he thought miserably.

“I suppose you would know. I just hope you’re right. It was bad enough when Steve ducked out on their wedding. Now he’s going to parade his new girlfriend in front of the whole town while Grace watches—all alone. Oh well. You have a good New Year’s, Riley.” With that Pansy ambled back out of the store.

At home, later that evening, Riley paced. The dance would be starting soon. He repeated to himself over and over that he didn’t care. He wasn’t going. He told her he wasn’t going.

But then, he thought of Gracie, alone at the dance, watching Steve and his new girlfriend while everyone whispered about it behind her back. He let out a very bad word, one that Grandma O’Neil would have set him in the corner for saying. Then he went to his closet to see if he had a clean dress shirt.

An hour later, Riley found a parking space a couple of blocks away from the Community Building. The dance seemed to be in full swing already.

Next to him in the passenger seat, Ian scowled. “I don’t know why I have to go to this thing.”

“I don’t want to go by myself,” Riley explained with a hint of impatience. They’d already been through this about forty times.

“Why do you want to go at all? Last week you told me you weren’t.”

“Yeah, well I changed my mind. Let’s go, or do I have to arm wrestle you again?” Worry about Gracie made him want to hurry. Why did Ian have to pick tonight to be difficult?

“It’s so nice to know we can decide things in a grown up fashion,” grumbled Ian.

“You’re just mad because you lost.” Riley got out of the car.

“I should have chosen rock, paper, scissors.” Ian opened his door. “Let’s get this over with.”

“It’s just a dance, Ian. It’s not like I’m asking you to give me a kidney.”

“That might be less painful,” he mumbled. Riley shook his head in disgust and dragged Ian with him toward the door.

Inside, people packed the community building. The room they were using was actually a gym. It was used for elementary basketball tournaments and recreation department classes, but tonight it was a dance floor, transformed by some blue and white streamers, a few balloons and low lighting. Riley scanned the crowd for Grace.

Ian, the taller of the pair, could look over all the heads in the crowd. He spotted her first. “Over there,” he said, motioning to some chairs along the wall. Lily and Grace were sitting together and attempting to talk over the loud music.

Riley led as he and Ian pushed their way through the crowd. They were forced to stop several times to exchange greetings with people they knew. Fortunately the music prevented them from starting any long conversations.

When Grace saw Riley, her face lit up. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

He slumped down in the seat next to her and mumbled, “changed my mind.”

“Hi, Ian. Good to see you, too,” added Grace as Riley’s brother took the seat next to Lily.

Lily stiffened a bit, but politely said hello to Ian.

The song that was playing finished and there were a few moments of blessed quiet that allowed them to talk.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” said Lily to Ian. “This doesn’t seem like your kind of thing.”

“I’m surprised to be here,” answered Ian, scowling at his brother. “Riley made me come.”

“You can’t spend all you time with your patients,” Riley shot back. He wasn’t sorry he made Ian go. The man never did anything but work.

“Well, as long as you’re here, do you want to dance?” asked Lily, shocking Riley. The man-hater was asking his brother to dance?

Ian’s surprise must have shown on his face because Lily laughed and said, “Yes, I know that’s strange coming from me. I still think all you men are pigs, but I don’t want to just sit here all night.”

“As a vet, I happen to know several pigs that are very nice. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Lily laughed again. “It wasn’t meant as one, but if you’ll relieve me of my wallflower status, I won’t shatter your illusion.”

Ian answered with mock seriousness. “That’s all I ask.” He led Lily out onto the dance floor.

Riley stared after the pair. Had they been flirting? He didn’t think serious Ian knew how to flirt. And Lily responded to him. She’d even laughed, which made her face light up. Riley thought she should try it more often. The whole thing was beyond strange but he forgot about them as he saw Steve lead Janice out on the dance floor.

He shot a worried glance at Grace. “Do you want to dance?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Why not?”

Together they walked out onto the dance floor.

Grace was silent as they danced. Riley assumed it was because she was moping over Steve and Janice. He wracked his brains for something to say, something clever to distract her or something wise to comfort her, or just anything to end the silence, but it was Grace who spoke first.

“Why did you change your mind about coming?”

“No reason.”

“Was it because of Steve?”

She knew him too well. “I didn’t want you to be alone, watching him dance with Janice.”

“Did you think no one else would ask me to dance? Am I that pathetic?”

“No, no,” Riley sighed. “It’s just that…I thought you might need a friend.”

“I have a friend. Lily came with me.”

“Yes, but…”

“Thank you for coming, but I’m okay with Steve and Janice.”

Riley felt like banging his head against the wall. He’d made a fool of himself again. “Well, if you’re okay about this, I guess I can go home.”

Grace moved closer to him. “Don’t.”

Riley’s breath stuck in his throat as she snuggled up against his chest. He wanted to tighten his arms around her, but he was afraid of misreading her again. “Why shouldn’t I?”

“Can we go somewhere and talk?”

“I guess. I think the coat room might be the only place available, though.”

“That’s all right with me.”

Riley stepped off the dance floor and threaded his way through the crowd, forging a trail for Grace. The coat room was only slightly quieter than the great room, so Riley and Grace grabbed their coats and went out for a walk.

“It’s a shame to hide that dress under a winter coat,” he told her.

“I’m glad you like it. It’s new.”

Outside, the air was crisp and cool, a refreshing change after the stuffy heat of the crowded hall. Bright stars sprinkled the sky, and a few flakes of snow were drifting down.

They walked into the quiet park and sat on a bench near the band shelter. “What do you want to talk about, Gracie?”

She didn’t answer right away, but gazed up at the night sky.

Riley fidgeted with impatience. Every second he spent with her was torture. Was she going to tell him to leave her alone? Inside she said she had Lily for a friend. Did that mean she didn’t want his friendship anymore?

“Grace, say something.”

“I’m sorry, Riley.” Her eyes fell from the heavens to stare at the pavement. “It’s hard for me to say.”

Riley’s stomach knotted. It would be hard for tender-hearted Grace to tell him to get lost. “I think I know what you want to say.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about me Gracie. I’m done making a fool of myself over you. I won’t bother you anymore.” He got up. “I’ll find Ian and tell him we can go home. He’ll be delighted.”

Riley quickly walked away before she could say anything. He was almost to the end of the park when he heard Grace running to catch up with him. He turned just in time to see her slip on a patch of ice and fall.

“Gracie! Are you all right?” Riley was in such a hurry to reach her that he was careless and slipped on the ice himself, slamming onto the pavement beside her.

He groaned. “So much for being done making a fool of myself.”

She lay on her side, with her face away from him. “Gracie, say something.” He took her shoulders and gently lifted her up.

As his arms went around her, Grace reached up and captured his face between her hands. She was looking at him intently, and he was struck by how lovely she was in the moonlight with snowflakes in her eyelashes.

“What is it? Are you hurt?”

A tear slid down her cheek, washing away the snowflake that had sparkled there. “Riley, I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“For not trusting you. I was afraid that if our relationship changed I would lose your friendship. After tonight I know that could never happen. You’re always there for me, no matter what.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Maybe this will help. Do you still want to kiss me?”

His eyes widened in surprise. That was the dumbest question he’d ever heard. But he didn’t tell Grace that. He just lowered his head and brushed his lips softly across hers. It was Grace who held on and deepened the kiss.

It took a long time for the cold from the ground to overtake the warm feeling that was growing inside him. When the chill became too much for them to ignore, Riley got up and helped Grace to her feet, tucking her under his arm.

“Come on, let’s go in. I don’t want us to start out the New Year with pneumonia.”

All the stars in the sky, combined, were not as bright as Grace’s eyes. “I just want to start out the New Year with you, Riley.”

They returned to the dance to find Ian and Lily still together. Janice and Steve seemed to be having a heated discussion in a corner. That was the last moment Grace and Riley noticed their surroundings. For the rest of the night they had eyes only for each other.

When midnight came, and the church bell began to toll, there was no question of who Riley was going to kiss. It would be Gracie. It would always be Gracie.

“Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?” asked Grace, distracting him momentarily.

“Only one. To show you how much I love you,” he answered as their lips met again.

“That’s a good resolution. I hope you keep it.”

“Don’t worry, Gracie. This is one resolution I know I can keep all year long—and even after that.”

“You know I love you too, Riley.”

He smiled at her. “I kind of figured that.”

The cheers and blasts of noisemakers died away and the music began again. Riley pulled Gracie out onto the dance floor again, where he could hold her close and dream of the future.

TITLE

Epilogue: Pansy Parker

Pansy noticed with satisfaction that Riley and Grace were holding hands in church on the Sunday after New Year’s. Afterwards, at the coffee hour, they were still holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Not one week into the new year, and she could already claim her first match. Beat that Misty Green!

Speaking of which, where was she? Pansy looked around until she spotted the tall blonde. Misty was looking at Riley and Grace as well. She must know Pansy had been successful. The older woman sashayed over to Misty. In reality, she’d never actually sashayed in her life, but she felt like she was doing it now. “Well, what do you think?” She couldn’t quite keep the boastful note out of her voice.

“You can’t count this,” Misty answered. “The contest was supposed to start in the new year. You were engineering this before that.”

“Oh, does that mean you haven’t started yet?” Pansy tried to look innocent, but her acting skills really weren’t up to par today. She felt proud enough to bust her buttons, as the saying went.

Misty’s mouth thinned into a hard line. “No. I was playing by the rules.” Before Pansy could protest, she added, “But I’ll give you this one. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, really? I think at the end of the year, you’ll find this one won’t even matter because I’ll be so far ahead of you.”

“You think so.” Misty glared back at Pansy and the animosity between them became almost palpable. Then the ladies recalled where they were and sheathed their claws.

“Excuse me, Pansy,” said Misty sweetly. “I have to talk to Pastor Isaac about the music for next week. I think he wanted the choir to do something special.”

“I’m sure whatever you pick will be lovely,” answered Pansy.”

“Thank you. Happy New Year.”

Pansy displayed a placid smile.

“Happy New Year to you, Misty.”

One thing was certain: It would be an interesting year.

Entertaining Angel

TITLE

Prologue: Misty

“Hey Misty, how’s business?”

Misty Green looked up from her computer, where she was debating over how much bean curd to order, as the postal carrier came into her store. “Just fine, Fred. Anything good for me today?”

“Just the usual.” He walked up to the counter and set down a stack of envelopes.

“It’s a cold day. Can I get you a cup of herbal tea?”

“No, I just had a cup of coffee at Grace’s. I think it’s a good thing she didn’t marry Steve. She and Riley seem perfect for each other. I wonder how long it will be before we hear an announcement from them?”

Misty’s smile froze on her face. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know.”

“Well, I’ve got to keep moving. Thanks for the offer of the tea, though.”

“You’re welcome, Fred. Anytime.”

Once the postal carrier left, Misty allowed her smile to disintegrate into a scowl. Her rival in matchmaking, Pansy Parker, had recently claimed the first match of the year, Grace Randall and Riley O’Neil. Now, Misty found herself O-and-one in the contest she and Pansy were having to see who could make the most matches in a year.

Well, what kind of challenge was that, anyway. Grace and Riley had been friends since kindergarten. Anyone could see they were perfect for each other. Once her fiancé, Steve, was out of the picture, the two were bound to get together.

Now, Misty was the type of person who enjoyed a challenge. And that was just what she had in mind when she invited her cousin’s daughter, Angel, to visit. Once Misty had found out that Angel’s brother, Tony, had been the college roommate of Jeff, the new real estate agent in town, Misty had started thinking. And what she had come up with, was that Angel and Jeff would be perfect together.

“Let’s see if you can top that, Mrs. Pansy Parker,” mumbled Misty to herself as she sorted the mail that Fred had handed her.

There was a letter from her father. He had moved to Florida years ago after he’d retired from his teaching job. Misty looked forward to his long letters.

She opened it and began to read. By the time she reached the end of the letter, her scowl had returned. “He’s coming for a visit. Why now?” She re-read part of the letter, and noted with relief that he wouldn’t be here until next month. That would give her plenty of time to wrap things up with Angel and Jeff.

Although Misty truly loved and admired her father, she preferred a long distance relationship with him. She was sure he’d frown on her hobby of making matches and try to discourage it. He had a tendency to meddle in her life, and if it was one thing she hated, it was a person who interfered in other people’s lives.

Misty shrugged. Her father never stayed long. She’d have plenty of time to visit with him and still beat the pants off Pansy Parker at matchmaking.

TITLE

Chapter One

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

—Hebrews 13:2 NIV

“Please Jeff, I’m begging you.”

Jeff Bradley swiveled in his office chair so he could gaze out of his window at Blossom Street. Across the street, Riley O’Neil was going into The Grace Place where Grace Randall was waiting for him with a steamy mug of coffee and an equally steamy kiss. Jeff sighed and turned away from the window.

“Jeff, are you there?”

“Yeah, Tony, I hear you. Why exactly does your twenty-two year old sister need a baby sitter?”

“Angel is… Well, she’s a bit inexperienced in the ways of the world. You know my Dad died when I was a kid, and my mom got sick when Angel was still in high school. Instead of going on to college like we did, she stayed home and took care of my mom until she died.”

“I see,” said Jeff, mostly to assure Tony he was still listening. Which he was, sort of.

“So Angel’s life has been a little…sheltered. She’s awfully naïve for a woman of her age. And now that Mom’s passed away, she has this idea about starting her own business. Dad’s cousin, Misty, convinced her that there was a market for her stuff in Orchard Hill.”

“If she’s visiting Misty, can’t Misty keep an eye on her?”

“Misty has to work.”

“And I don’t?” Jeff drummed his fingers on his desk impatiently.

“You’re a real estate agent. Your hours are…flexible.”

Jeff snorted in answer to that. “Listen, Tony, I don’t have time to entertain your sister right now.”

“You wouldn’t have to entertain her. In fact, remembering how you were with the girls in college, don’t ‘entertain’ her—please. Just…just check in on her, and make sure she’s okay.”

“I would, but I’m so busy right now—”

“All right, I know I’m asking a lot,” Tony pleaded. “But frankly, I’ve always thought Misty was a little flakey. I’d feel much better if I knew you were keeping an eye on my little sister.”

Jeff did not want to deal with this right now. His plate was too full as it was, with starting his own real estate office. He needed to work hard to establish himself, and all the while his very successful parents were looking over his shoulder. But Tony was a good friend, and Jeff didn’t want to let him down.

“Fine. I’ll check up on Angie for you while she’s here.”

“Angel. Her name is Angel.”

“Right. Angel.”

“Thanks, Jeff. You’re the best.”

Jeff relaxed. This wasn’t going to be so bad.

“Let me give you her flight number, so you can pick her up at the airport.”

Jeff stifled a groan. He should have known he wasn’t going to get off that easy.

****

Angel Marcel stepped from the plane into the Green Bay airport. Her stomach was still feeling a little queasy, but she attributed that more to nerves than to motion sickness.

At the ripe old age of twenty-two, she was finally out on her own. Angel hoisted the strap of her portfolio to her shoulder and followed the sign to the baggage carousel.

As she approached it, she noticed a man standing nearby. It was hard not to notice him. He was on the short side, but that was no disadvantage to a pipsqueak like her. Beneath his well cut suit, he seemed fit and muscular. Add in the slightly shaggy light brown hair and the stormy grey eyes and—well, you had quite a package.

Angel sighed. That didn’t concern her. This was a business trip. She found a spot at the end of the carousel and planted herself. She’d get her luggage and then rent a car to drive out to Misty’s place in Orchard Hill. She focused her eyes on the door her luggage would come through, determined not to give one more glance to Mr. Stormy Eyes.

Pointedly not looking his way, she focused on the carousel, and pulled off her bag.

“You must be Angel. I’m here to meet you.”

The smooth baritone voice so close to her ear surprised her. Caught off guard, she swung around a bit too quickly and caught the man she’d been admiring squarely in the gut with her suitcase.

He grunted and then doubled over. Angel dropped the bag at her side, mortified at her clumsiness. “I’m so sorry. You startled me. Are you all right?”

He straightened and nodded. After a second he said, “Just knocked the wind out of me.”

“Do you want to sit down?”

The man shook his head. “No. I’m fine. Are you Angel Marcel?”

“Why?”

“Your brother, Tony, asked me to meet you. I’m Jeff Bradley.”

“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say, so she just stood there blinking like an owl. She couldn’t believe Tony would do this to her.

“So are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Angel Marcel.”

“Oh. Yes, that’s me, but I’m fine. I don’t need a ride. I have everything under control. Thank you anyway.” She turned, planning to make a smooth exit to cover her embarrassment, but Angel had forgotten that she’d dropped her suitcase and promptly tripped over it.

The handsome stranger—Jeff Bradley—caught her arm and saved her from taking an ungraceful dive all the way to the floor.

“I see you have everything under control,” he said, his tone filled with impatience and sarcasm, “but since I’m already here why don’t you just ride back with me?”

“I am perfectly capable of getting myself to Orchard Grove,” she insisted.

“Um, that’s Orchard Hill.”

Angel smacked her head. “Of course. I knew that. I’m just flustered right now. I didn’t expect to be met and…and… .”

Jeff picked up her suitcase. “Look, I’m here. I’m driving back to Orchard Hill anyway. It would be a waste for you to rent a car.”

Angel felt her face heat and knew she probably resembled a tomato. “How do I know my brother even sent you?”

“Do you want to call and talk to him?” He held up a cell phone.

Did she ever want to talk to him. But she couldn’t say what she wanted to say in front of an audience. “No thank you. I’ll ride with you.” This sounded too much like Tony for her to doubt it.

But it was humiliating, absolutely humiliating, that her brother had called someone to watch over her. She was an adult for heaven’s sake. It said so on her driver’s license.

****

Jeff examined his passenger out of the corner of his eye. What word had she used? Flustered? He was feeling a little flustered himself. He knew Tony’s sister was an adult, but from the way Tony had talked about her, somehow Jeff had been expecting a kid. This diminutive beauty with feminine curves everywhere and riotous red curls was clearly all grown up. He had a feeling she might need a bodyguard more than a babysitter once Orchard Hill’s single men got a look at her. Maybe Tony was right to be worried.

“So you’re staying with Misty Green?” Even small talk was better than the silence they’d had so far.

“Do you live far from her?”

“No, I live right in town. I have a real estate agency on the same street as her health food store.”

“Oh, good. You can drop me off there. I have an appointment this afternoon with someone named Grace Randall. Misty said it was close by.”

“Grace? She owns the coffee shop across from my office. Are you selling coffee?”

Angel gave a short laugh. “Hardly. I’m an artist. I’ve developed my own line of greeting cards and stationary.”

“Oh right. Grace does have a gift section to her place. She has knick knacks and stuff there.” Jeff dismissed that as “girl stuff” for which he had no need. “So how long will you be in town?”

“I think for about a week, but it depends on how things go. Don’t worry, you won’t be called into service again. I’m sure you have more important things to do than to chauffeur me around.”

Jeff shrugged. “I don’t mind.” Now why had he said that? He certainly did mind.

Another uncomfortable silence settled over the car. He searched for something neutral to say, something that would keep them in safe territory, but she spoke first.

“How do you know my brother?”

He relaxed. This had to be a safe topic. “We went to college together in Madison. We roomed on the same floor in one of the dorms our freshman year. Later we got an apartment together with a few of the guys.”

Recognition dawned on her face. “Oh, you’re one of the Fantastic Five.”

“What?”

She blushed. “That’s what my mom and I used to call Tony and his roommates. He brought home a lot of stories about you guys. Are you the one who, to quote my brother, ‘snores like a freight train?’”

Jeff frowned. “No, that was Cameron.”

“Surely you weren’t the slob, the one who wouldn’t do his laundry until he absolutely had to.”

“Definitely not. That was Dirty Larry.”

“I didn’t think that was you, since you look so nice. Oh. I didn’t mean... .”

She was blushing again. Jeff loved women who blushed. They were so much fun to tease. He flashed her a smile. “That’s okay.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not the computer geek.”

“No, that was Garth.”

“That means you must be…” She stopped abruptly.

“What? What label did I get?”

“Oh, never mind. It doesn’t matter.” Obviously, she didn’t want to tell him.

“You can’t leave me hanging like this.”

“Is it much farther to Orchard Valley?”

“Orchard Hill.” He took his foot off the accelerator. “And it could take all day to get there if you continue to withhold information.”

Her hands flew to her mouth. “You wouldn’t.”

The car slowed to a crawl. “I would. What did Tony say about me?”

“I don’t remember.” By now her face was as brilliantly red as her hair. But he could see she hid a smile behind her hands.

“Maybe I don’t remember the way to Orchardville.”

“Orchard Hill.”

“Come on, out with it.”

She said something in a voice so small he couldn’t hear it. He leaned over. “What was that?”

“Chick magnet,” she repeated louder. “Tony said that you were a real ladies’ man.”

Jeff laughed as he sped up to their former pace. “He should talk. He dated a different girl almost every week back then.”

“You should see him now.” Angel rolled her eyes. “He’s engaged. She’s a very nice girl, but he practically fawns on her. It’s disgusting.”

“I don’t believe that. He didn’t say anything about it to me. I hope he invites me to the wedding. I’ve got to see this ‘fawning’ behavior.”

“I’m sure he’ll invite you. What about you? Have you settled down with anyone yet?”

“Yes, but not with a woman. I’m married to my work right now. However, the right girl could convince me to stray.” Jeff winked at her just to see her blush again.

Then he realized what he was doing. He was flirting—with his friend’s little sister. The sister Tony had specifically told him was naïve and inexperienced. He had no business trying to make her blush—no matter how cute she looked.

“Um. Just kidding there. I didn’t mean to… .”

Now he had embarrassed her for real. She stared at her hands, clenched in her lap. “It’s okay. I knew you were joking.”

That uncomfortable silence fell again like a heavy velvet curtain, but Jeff made no further attempts to lift it. A drive in uncomfortable silence was way better than having to explain certain things to Angel’s brother.

TITLE

Chapter Two

Angel was drowsing by the time they reached the outskirts of Orchard Hill, so she was completely unprepared when Jeff slammed on the brakes.

Her body pitched forward and, in spite of her secured seatbelt, she smacked the side of her head on the dashboard as the car abruptly stopped.

She felt Jeff’s hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

Angel gingerly felt her head where she’d hit it. She winced. “What happened?”

“There was a dog in the road—”

“A dog!” No longer concerned about her own injury, Angel jumped out of the car, with Jeff right behind her. At the front of the car, she knelt by a small, brown dog, who whined and looked up at her with chocolate brown eyes.

“Be careful. It might bite if it’s frightened,” warned Jeff.

Slowly Angel extended her hand, and the dog licked it. “Where can we take her?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s hurt. Look, she’s bleeding. We have to take her to a vet.”

Angel saw him look at the muddy, bloody dog and then at his spotless new sports car.

“Jeff, she could die!”

“I know, I know.” He took off his winter coat and then his suit jacket.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to wrap her up in my jacket.”

“So she doesn’t get your upholstery dirty?”

“No,” snapped Jeff. “In case she goes into shock.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Angel took the jacket from him and wrapped up the dog. The dog yelped when Angel first touched her, but then relaxed.

Jeff opened the passenger side door and Angel slid in, cradling the dog. Instead of shutting the door, he asked, “Are you all right?” He cupped her chin and looked closer at her temple. “You’ve got quite a goose egg. Maybe we should go to the emergency room.”

Angel pulled away from him. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he backed up and closed the door. Then he came around the car and slid behind the wheel. “We’ll take the dog to Ian’s clinic. It’s just on the other side of town.”

“Is that far?”

“Don’t worry. This is a small town.”

Jeff was right. They arrived at the clinic in under ten minutes. He opened doors for Angel as she carried in the dog.

The receptionist took one look at them and yelled, “Ian.”

A tall man with thick, auburn hair and glasses answered the call. “What’s up?”

“Looks like someone hit a dog.”

Ian hurried into the waiting room. “Jeff? Is this your dog?”

“No, I don’t know who it belongs to.”

“It’s not yours?” Ian asked Angel as he took the dog from her gently.

“No, she’s with me. This is Angel Marcel. Her brother is a friend of mine.”

Ian acknowledged the introduction with a nod as he took the dog back to his examination room.

“Well, let’s go,” said Jeff. “She’s in good hands now.”

He started to move toward the door, but Angel wasn’t following. “Don’t you want to wait and see how the dog is?” She couldn’t believe he could walk away and leave the injured animal without a second thought. How could Tony be friends with such an insensitive jerk?

“We can leave Misty’s number with the receptionist. Ian will call you.”

Angel silently acknowledged that that would be the sensible thing to do, but she thought about the dog’s sad pain-filled eyes, and she just couldn’t leave.

“You go ahead. I’ll wait. Misty can pick me up later.”

“What about your appointment with Grace?”

She had completely forgotten about that. “I’ll call her on my cell and reschedule.”

Jeff shook his head at her. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“I would wait with you, but I’ve got appointments this afternoon.”

All right, maybe he wasn’t an insensitive jerk. He was just being a responsible businessman, she supposed.

“That’s all right. I’ll be fine.” She sat down on one of the plastic chairs and smiled brightly.

“I’ll drop your stuff off at Misty’s.”

“Great. Thank you so much for picking me up. Tell Misty I’ll call her when I’m done here.”

“Yeah, okay.” Jeff rubbed the back of his neck and eyed her speculatively.

Angel could tell he was feeling guilty about leaving her, and she didn’t need to feel like anyone’s burden. She would feel guilty if he stayed. She could tell he didn’t really want to. If he stayed, it would be because he’d promised to baby sit Tony’s dim-witted little sister. “I don’t want you to be late for your appointments.”

He sighed. “Right. I’ll see you around.”

“Okay.” She watched the door to the clinic close behind him then slumped in relief.

So much for Jeff Bradley. She pulled out her cell phone. She had a few choice words for her dear, sweet, meddling, overprotective brother.

But first she had to call and reschedule her appointment at The Grace Place.

****

Jeff spent the next couple of hours showing houses to a young couple whose growing family had them seeking a larger home. Usually he loved the challenge of trying to fit the right house to the right family, but today he was preoccupied.

And he didn’t want to be. There was no reason he should have stayed. She may be irresponsible enough to miss her business appointments but he wasn’t. He was determined to make his business a success.

Still, when he had finished with the couple, he found his thoughts turning to Angel.

At the airport, he’d been expecting someone who looked like Tony in a dress. Had he been wrong! Then she’d tripped over her suitcase and got—what was it she said—flustered. It was a good look for her, Jeff decided, the color filling her cheeks and those big hazel eyes looking up at him…

Those big hazel eyes that filled with tears over a stupid dog. Maybe he’d better make sure she was all right. After all, he had promised Tony. And she had hit her head. Maybe he should have insisted on taking her to the emergency room. What if she had a concussion?

Jeff called Misty. “Is Angel there? I wanted to make sure she got to your place okay.”

“No, honey. She hasn’t called yet. She must still be at the clinic.” Misty seemed awfully cheerful—overly cheerful—and Jeff felt the odd sense that he’d been left out of the loop on something.

He shook it off. “Oh. Okay. I’ll try again later.” He hung up the phone and walked over to Grace’s for some coffee.

Grace was behind the counter when he got there. She was talking to Lily from the beauty shop down the street.

“…and she hit a dog on her way into town. She called me from Ian’s to say she wanted to wait to see how it went.”

“Poor girl,” murmured Lily. “That’s a rotten introduction to Orchard Hill. Now she’s spending the afternoon sitting in Ian’s clinic. That can’t be much fun.”

“Oh, hi, Jeff,” said Grace as he approached. “What can I get for you today? Your usual?”

Grimly Jeff shook his head. “Two coffees to go. And can you fill a baggie with some ice for me?”

****

Angel leaned back and closed her eyes. Over the last few years, she had come to hate doctors’ offices. Waiting rooms were all the same: uncomfortable chairs, bad music and outdated magazines. It didn’t seem to make any difference whether the doctor treated humans or animals. She wished she’d thought to get her sketch pad from the car before Jeff had gone.

But, her head was pounding from the bump on the dashboard, anyway, so drawing probably wouldn’t have been the best idea. Still, she would have loved to try to capture the expression of the little boy who’d so proudly brought in his new puppy for a check up. The puppy was his birthday present, he had told her.

Now, the office was deserted. It must be getting near closing time.

She heard the door open and shut, and her eyes fluttered open. Jeff stood in front of her with two steaming containers of delicious smelling coffee. She sat up—a bit too fast—and winced at the pain that shot through her skull.

He sat next to her and handed her a cup of coffee.

“What are you doing here?”

“I called Misty, and she said you were still down here.”

Angel felt a flare of annoyance, but the aroma of the coffee tickled her tired nose, and she let go of her irritation in favor of sipping the reviving hot drink.

“You didn’t have to check up on me. But thanks for the coffee.”

“Wait. I have something else.” He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a baggie filled with crushed ice.

If the coffee was nice, the ice was wonderful. She pressed the welcome coldness gently to her head.

“It’s probably too late to keep it from bruising, but it should still make you feel better.”

She peered up at him, suspicious. “My brother didn’t call you, did he?”

“No. I told you, I called Misty to see if you’d gotten home all right. She said you were still here.”

“It’s nice of you to check on me, but I’m fine, really.”

“What’s happening with the dog?”

“She doesn’t seem to be hurt too badly. She needed a few stitches but other than that, Ian is just holding her a little while for observation. Then I can take her home.”

Jeff’s jaw dropped. “Take her home? She isn’t your dog.”

“But if I don’t take her, they’ll send her to the shelter.”

“That’s what the shelter is for.”

“Jeff, if no one claims her, she’ll be put to sleep.”

“She must belong to someone,” he protested.

“I’ve given Ian my cell phone number. He can contact me if they find the owner.”

Jeff could see it was useless to argue with her. “How much longer?” he asked, sure that he couldn’t leave her here again without feeling the weight of guilt.

“Not too much longer. I think they’re about to close up for the night.”

He sighed and attempted to find a comfortable position in the unyielding plastic chair.

“You don’t have to stay.” Angel gave him a little smile. “I’m very good at these waiting room vigils. Don’t worry about me.”

Jeff remembered that Tony said she had nursed her mother through several years of illness before her death. He supposed she was experienced at this sort of thing. That only made him more determined to stay.

“Really, I don’t want to be a bother.”

She was a bother. She’d been a bother from the moment he’d laid eyes on her, but somehow he couldn’t just abandon her, even if it was in a place he knew to be perfectly safe.

“It’s no bother.”

“Well, that’s funny because you sure seem bothered.” She sounded thoroughly irritated now. “I don’t want to be seen as an obligation, and I don’t need a baby sitter. I’m an adult; I can take care of myself.”

“Fine. You can take care of yourself. I’m still staying.”

She glared at him with blazing hazel eyes, and he glared right back until the door to the examining room opened and Ian came out with the dog in his arms.

“Here she is. Oh, hi, Jeff.”

“Hi. How’s the patient?”

“She seems to be fine. Just keep an eye on her for the next day or so. The stitches will have to come out in about two weeks.”

“I’m not sure I’ll be in town that long,” Angel told him.

“A veterinarian in your home town can remove them.”

While Ian gave her instructions, Jeff cleaned up the remains of their coffee and the ice.

Ian handed Angel the dog. “Are you sure you want to keep her? They have room for her at the shelter.”

“I’m sure,” she said firmly. “You can call me if you find the owner. Otherwise, I’m keeping her.”

“Send me the bill,” Jeff said.

Angel’s head whipped around. “You don’t have to—”

“I hit the dog. It’s my responsibility.”

She looked as though she wanted to protest, but Ian broke in. “That’s fine. I’m going to close up now. I had my assistant write up those instructions for you. My home phone number is included. Call me if you need anything.”

She gave him a radiant smile. “Thank you for everything Dr…”

He smiled back at her. “Just call me Ian. Everyone else does.”

“Yes, Ian. Thank you.”

For some reason, Jeff didn’t much like all this smiling business. “Let’s go, Angel. I’ll give you a ride home.”

She hesitated and Jeff swore if she turned him down he’d pick her up and carry her and that mutt out of here. Fortunately she relented. “I guess there’s no reason to make Misty come all the way out here for me.”

“No, there isn’t. Thanks again, Ian. Bye.”

He settled her and the dog in the passenger’s seat and then took several deep breaths as he walked around to the driver’s side. He hoped Angel Marcel wouldn’t be in town much longer because if she was, he’d go crazy. He hadn’t wanted to be in charge of her welfare, but he’d promised Tony and now here he was practically begging her to let him give her a ride. How had this happened?

Once they had pulled onto the road, Jeff turned to her and asked, “Why do you make it so difficult to help you?”

“Why do you think I need help?” she shot back. “Because Tony called you and told you that his feeble-minded sister was on the loose and needed a keeper. And you’re a nice and honorable kind of guy so you end up feeling responsible for me.”

“You’d rather be with a guy that isn’t nice or honorable?”

“No, I’m saying that it’s insulting to be treated like a total idiot all the time. To be foisted on people as a burden rather than introduced as a potential friend.”

She turned away then, but Jeff saw a tear slip down her cheek first.

“I know that Tony has a point when he says I’ve been isolated from the world because of taking care of Mom, but I deserve the same chance to be independent as any eighteen year old—even if I’m twenty-two.”

Jeff was silent for a minute thinking about what she’d said. “You’re right,” he finally admitted. “I won’t be your keeper any more. But I’d like to be your friend.”

Her face lit up when he said that. “Thank you, Jeff. I accept.”

She’d gone from anger to hurt to happiness in less than three minutes; she was one woman who was hard to keep up with.

But something made him want to try.

TITLE

Chapter Three

Jeff pulled up in front of Misty’s house. As he opened the car door for Angel, Misty came out onto the porch. “You’re here at last. How nice of Jeff to come and rescue you.”

“Rescue me,” Angel said as she climbed the steps to the porch. “I’d hardly call it that.”

“Well, at least he rescued me from having to make the trip out to Ian’s to pick you up.”

“It was no problem, Misty,” Jeff assured her. Finally, a little appreciation.

“It was a big help to me. You have to at least come in and have a cup of tea with us.”

Would this torture never end? First he had to wait for Ian to release that scruffy mutt, and now he had to sit and have tea with the ladies. This was definitely going above and beyond the call of duty. He was going to have a talk with Tony about exactly what “checking up” on his little sister entailed.

“I should be going. I still have some paperwork waiting for me.”

Suddenly Misty lunged toward Angel, taking her face in her hands. “What happened, honey. You’ve got a huge bruise on your temple.”

“It’s nothing, Misty. I bumped my head on the dashboard when Jeff stopped so suddenly.”

“It looks ghastly. Do you think you should see a doctor?”

“No, I bruise easily. I’m sure it looks much worse than it is.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” Misty was looking at him, Jeff realized. Was she hoping he would insist on taking Angel to the emergency room?

“Where should I put the dog?” asked Angel, and Misty’s attention switched to the canine burden.

“I’m so sorry, Angel. It’s just that I was startled by that bruise. Bring her into the kitchen. Are you sure you shouldn’t be checked for a concussion?”

“No, Misty, I’m fine. If I had a concussion I would have shown symptoms by now.”

Jeff followed in the wake of the two women. He wanted to leave, but it seemed rude. Plus, what if, by chance, Misty was right and Angel really was hurt?

Misty had fixed up a cardboard box for the dog. She must have brought it home from her store, because it said “eggplant” on the side. She’d lined the box with old towels. Angel gently laid the dog inside.

“She’s a real cutie. What are you going to name her?” Misty asked.

“I don’t know,” Angel replied. “Any ideas?”

“Hmmm.” Misty cocked her head and studied the little brown dog. “She is as sweet as can be. How about Cherub?”

“Cherub?” Jeff echoed in disbelief.

“Cherub is a perfect name for an Angel’s companion,” Misty explained.

“Yes, it is kind of cute,” said Angel. “Cherub it is.”

Jeff studied the dog. “Doesn’t look much like a celestial being to me,” he mumbled under his breath.

“You two hang up your coats, and I’ll put the kettle on for tea.” Misty motioned them back toward the front door where there was a closet.

They found hangers in the overstuffed closet and put their coats on them. Jeff studied Angel from the corner of his eye. She looked okay, if you looked at her from the side that didn’t have the bruise.

She must have noticed what he was doing, because she said, “I’m all right, Jeff. It’s the curse of having fair skin: bruise easily, blush easily, burn like a lobster in the sun. Tomorrow I won’t pull my hair back, and no one will know it’s there.”

Well, maybe she was right, then. He already knew how easy—and rewarding—it was to make her blush.

“Have a seat on the couch. I’ll be there with the tea in a minute,” Misty called from the kitchen.

The couch was draped with sections of the newspaper and health magazines. Jeff and Angel looked around for someplace to put them, but every available surface seemed to be occupied by houseplants and stacks of books. So they piled everything up, and put it on the floor. Then they sat and stared at each other for a minute.

Angel pulled her feet up underneath her. “So how long have you lived in Orchard Hill?”

“Almost a year now.”

“What made you choose this town to start your business?”

“It’s a relatively prosperous area, and I liked the small town atmosphere. My parents are into some really big real estate ventures in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago. They buy and sell commercial properties and things like that. I worked for them for a little while after I graduated from college, but I decided I wanted to try making it on my own. I like the idea of dealing with private homes and helping each family find just the right one.”

“Were your parents disappointed when you left them?”

“A little I think, but they understood. When they were young they started their business from the ground up. I think they can relate to the need to do the same thing. They’re…expecting big things from me.”

“Do you see them much?”

“Most of the time they’re pretty busy in Milwaukee, but they have a vacation cottage in Door County. That’s not too far away, so I usually see them when they’re there.”

“Door County—that’s a wonderful place to have a cottage.” Misty came in carrying a tray with three steaming cups. She cleared a space on the coffee table with one hand and set the tray down.

“I’ve never heard of Door County,” Angel admitted as she accepted a mug of tea from Misty.

“It’s the ‘thumb’ of Wisconsin,” said Jeff, using his hand as a simplified map to show her. “Green Bay is on one side and Lake Michigan is on the other.”

Misty handed Jeff his tea and sat down in an easy chair next to the couch. “It would be nice if you had time to see it for yourself while you’re here, Angel.” She looked at him pointedly, but Jeff was at a loss to know what Misty wanted.

“It’s a business trip. I doubt I’ll have time,” said Angel. She turned to Jeff. “Do your parents stay there often?”

“Yes, in fact they’re hosting a Valentine’s Day party there.” Jeff took a sip of his tea and almost choked. It tasted like…old socks or something.

“Jeff,” exclaimed Misty. “That’s perfect. Angel can be your date for the dinner. That will give her a chance to see Door County. You could even make a day of it.”

Angel’s eyes widened. Either she was shocked by Misty’s suggestion or the taste of the tea had gotten to her, too. “Misty, I can’t believe you’d suggest such a thing. I’m sure Jeff can find his own date.”

“But you’re his friend’s sister. I’m sure Jeff would love to…” She trailed off and looked at Jeff expectantly.

He shifted uncomfortably. “I would, but…”

“But what?”

“I already have a date.”

Misty’s eyebrows rose. “You do? Who?”

Angel wished she could slide under the couch and disappear. First Tony had insisted on treating her like a baby, now Misty was blatantly asking Jeff to go out with her. How much embarrassment could she take in one day?

“I’ve started dating Susan Schmidt lately.”

“Susan, the real estate agent. I suppose you have lots in common,” said Misty stiffly. It was pretty obvious she was unhappy about this.

Jeff looked like he wasn’t happy with the turn of conversation, either. “Well, she is very successful at work. But she has many other good…um…qualities.”

“Really?” asked Misty with obviously feigned innocence. “Tell me what you see in her, Jeff.”

“Um…She’s very efficient, very organized. She dresses nicely, always impresses her clients.”

This was painful. She had to rescue him. “Misty, is there any more tea? Mine is getting cold.”

She jumped up. “Yes, of course. I’ll get you some. Would you like some more, too, Jeff?”

“No,” Jeff said quickly. “I’m fine.”

After Misty had left the room, Angel turned to him. “I apologize, Jeff. I don’t know what Misty is thinking.”

“That’s all right. If I didn’t already have a date…”

The last thing she needed was to be someone’s pity date—out of a feeling of obligation to her brother. If he were to ask her on a date for real, that might be another story. No sense in thinking about that. He had a girlfriend. “I doubt I’d have time to go anyway. This is a business trip. Besides, I seriously doubt I’ll still be here then. Valentine’s Day is a ways away.”

“Yes. Yes it is.” He stared down into his mug and looked miserable.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you made your escape while Misty’s in the kitchen,” she told him softly.

He brightened. “Really? Not that I want to go, but I have a lot of paperwork to do yet.”

“I understand,” she said. And she did. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to get away from both the distasteful tea and the distasteful conversation. She just hoped he wasn’t anxious to get away from her as well.

Jeff put his mug down on the coffee table, using a magazine in place of a coaster. Angel went to the closet and pulled out his coat. Maybe she could end the evening on a lighter note. “Just remember, I’m going to have to drink another mug of that nasty stuff. I’ve bought your freedom at the cost of my taste buds,” she whispered.

She was pleased when he laughed. “I definitely owe you,” he said. “Take care, Angel.” He slipped out into the night.

Misty came back into the living room with a fresh mug of tea just in time to see the door close behind him. “Why did Jeff leave?” she asked. “We were having such a nice chat.”

Yeah, it was so nice, he was ready to gnaw his leg off to get free, Angel thought. Out loud, she said, “He had work to do, yet. I took up a lot of his time today.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mind,” said Misty. “Oh, well. Sit down and let’s finish our tea and our chat.”

“Actually,” hedged Angel, “I need to get some food and stuff for Cherub. Could I borrow your car?”

Misty told her it was a forty minute drive to the nearest farm supply store and farther to a pet shop, so she settled for what she could buy at the grocery store. It turned out there was a pretty decent pet section there. She bought food, a collar, a leash, some toys and a little red sweater. Not because it was cute, of course, but because she thought it might help keep Cherub’s stitches dry when she was outside.

Then on impulse, Angel steered her cart into the baking aisle. She bought ingredients for her favorite muffin recipe. She’d have to smuggle the white flour and refined sugar into Misty’s house, but it would be worth it.

****

At home, Jeff heated up a frozen dinner in the microwave and turned on his laptop. While he waited for the meal to cook and the laptop to boot, he mentally reviewed his day with Angel. He couldn’t believe Misty had tried to rope him into a date with her. Did she actually think Angel needed her help finding companionship? Not likely, he thought.

She wasn’t his type, of course. He was better off with someone more focused, less impulsive. Someone like Susan.

But it was Angel’s face and not Susan’s that kept popping into his mind and caused him to have to redo a whole contract. No doubt about it, that girl was trouble. The sooner she left town, the better.

****

The next morning Angel got up early and made two batches of muffins—one with the wholesome ingredients that would meet Misty’s high standards, and one she was sure Jeff would prefer. Cherub got up to eat the food Angel put out for her, submitted to having the sweater put on her—which looked adorable, but that was beside the point—and then went back to her box and watched while Angel baked.

Cherub turned out to be a great listener and Angel was doubly glad she’d kept the dog instead of letting her go to the shelter.

Leaving the muffins to cool, Angel showered and gathered up her portfolio.

When she came back downstairs to the kitchen Misty was having a muffin and a cup of tea. “Good morning,” Angel said.

“Good morning. I let Cherub out into the back yard.”

“Thanks. Can she stay there while I’m gone or should I bring her inside?

Misty shrugged. “The yard is fenced in and she can go into the garage if it snows or if she gets cold. She should be fine.”

“What if her stitches get wet?”

“Trust me; everything is frozen out there, not wet.”

“Thanks for letting me keep her here, Misty.”

“Oh, I love animals. It’s no problem. And while we’re saying thanks, thanks for the muffins.”

“I’m glad you like them.” Angel put some of the muffins in a bag.

“Who are those for?” asked Misty.

“I thought I’d take some to Jeff as a thank you.”

The older woman raised her eyebrows. “He’s so good-looking. I’d sure be happy to find him waiting for me at the airport.”

“Yes, well, he only did it because Tony asked him to.”

“He didn’t have to go back to the clinic yesterday and pick you up.”

“True. That’s why I’m taking him the muffins as a thank-you.”

Misty winked at her. “Whatever you say.”

Angel said good-bye to her cousin before the woman could make any more innuendos. She walked the few blocks to the downtown carrying her portfolio with examples of her work, and a brown paper bag with muffins.

She stopped at Jeff’s office first. It was early, but he was there. No big surprise. She’d pegged him as someone determined to succeed already. Well, that was something they had in common.

“Good morning,” she called out as she came into his office. There was no one in the front room, but Jeff poked his head out of another door—presumably one that led to his office.

“Good morning,” he returned. “How’s the dog?”

“She’s doing fine.”

“Is she leaving the stitches alone?”

“Well, so far so good. But I didn’t come just to give you a doggie update.” Angel held up her paper bag. “I made muffins for you, to thank you for all your help yesterday.”

He accepted the bag from her and opened it. “These smell great. You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I wanted to let you know I appreciated everything you did, especially offering to be my friend.”

Jeff pulled out a muffin and put it on his desk. “Care to join me?”

“I already had one. I know they don’t seem like much, but remember that I had to smuggle in the ingredients Misty wouldn’t approve of.”

“There are no nuts in these are there?”

“No.”

“Good, because I’m allergic to nuts.” He peeled the paper lining off one and took a bite. “These are good.”

“You don’t count peanut butter as a nut do you?”

Jeff froze in the middle of taking a second bite. He spit it out, into the muffin paper. “Actually, yes.”

“Oh dear.”

“Angel, do you know how to get to the hospital in Orchard Hill?”

****

So, Angel missed her second appointment at The Grace Place while sitting with Jeff in the emergency room. He had a serious nut allergy, the kind that required epinephrine to counteract.

She felt like an idiot, and as she drove Jeff home in his car she apologized for hundredth time.

“I asked you if there were nuts in them,” he rasped.

“Peanuts aren’t really nuts. They’re legumes,” Angel pointed out.

“Yes, but lots of people with nut allergies are also allergic to peanuts.”

“I didn’t know that,” she wailed. “I feel terrible. I’ll stay with you today in case you need anything.”

“No. I’m just going to rest for a couple of hours and go back into work. I don’t need you to stay.”

“Now who’s making it difficult to help them?”

“Look, Angel, I just don’t think I’d be able to rest with you there.”

“Just try me. I’m a good nurse.”

He didn’t need to be reminded how much practice she’d had at that. “I’m not an invalid.”

“Of course not. Is this where I turn?” Angel frowned, trying to remember the directions he’d given her.

“No. The next block up.”

“Wait a minute. I know this neighborhood. Do you live near Misty?”

“No. I gave you directions to Misty’s house. I’m going to drop you off and drive myself home.”

“But Jeff…”

“No buts. I’m fine. Thank you for taking me to the emergency room. Thank you for waiting for me.”

Angel pulled up in front of Misty’s house. “But now get out?”

“Don’t feel bad. Your intentions were good.”

He got out of the car and came around to the driver’s side. Opening the door he said, “Come on, Angel.”

She thought about arguing with him, but just slid out. “You’ll call me if you need anything?”

“Yes. You’ll be the first one I call.”

She could tell he was lying, but she dug a business card out of her purse, anyway. “This has my cell phone number.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled as he stuck the card into his pocket. “Bye, Angel.”

He drove away and left her standing on the sidewalk. Only then did she realize she didn’t have a key to Misty’s house. With a sigh, Angel went to check on Cherub, who was settled happily on an old rug in the garage, and then for the second time, started the walk to the downtown.

As she walked, she remembered she’d left her portfolio in Jeff’s office. Now, she’d have to stop there before going to Misty’s store.

What else could go wrong?

TITLE

Chapter Four

Jeff returned to work after lunch. He still felt a bit groggy, but he didn’t want to miss a whole day. If he hadn’t been so busy since he’d opened his office, he would have remembered to bring his second allergy kit to work. Instead, he’d left it sitting on his hall table where he walked right past it every morning on his way out. Now, he’d paid for it with a trip to the emergency room. But that didn’t mean he could afford to take a whole day off of work.

He walked into the real estate office and his jaw dropped open. Angel was sitting behind the receptionist’s desk, talking on the phone and writing a message on a pink “while you were out” slip. She scribbled in the caller’s message, thanked them and hung up.

“You’re back. How are you feeling?”

“Shocked. What are you doing here?”

“After you dropped me off, I realized that I didn’t have a house key. Then I remembered I left my portfolio in here. So I walked downtown to get both things. When I stopped in here, the phone was ringing. I didn’t want you to miss an important call so I answered. And well, I guess I just stayed after that.” She handed him a stack of messages. “This is a busy place. Where’s your regular receptionist?”

He accepted the messages. “I don’t have one.”

“Then why do you have a receptionist’s desk here?”

“I figured I’d hire one once I got established. Angel, you didn’t have to—”

“Mrs. Stevens called. I changed your appointment with her to tomorrow. Then, while I was thinking about it, I called the other people on your schedule for today and moved their appointments, too. You can take the whole day off.”

“You did what!”

“And your mother called. She’s really nice.”

“You talked to my mother?”

“Yes, she wants you to call her back. It’s all in there with the rest of your messages.”

“It is.”

Angel beamed up at him, and suddenly he didn’t have the heart to tell her how unwanted her interference had been. He wasn’t up to the argument or to his own reaction when he hurt her. “Thanks,” he said with as little sarcasm as humanly possible.

She bounced up from the desk and grabbed the big, flat leather bag she called her portfolio. “It was the least I could do after almost killing you. Don’t worry about the rescheduled appointments. Everyone was very understanding when I told them about your morning.”

She told everyone! Jeff couldn’t believe it. How unprofessional could you get!

“Okay, well it looks like I have a few calls to return here, so…”

“You are going to go home, aren’t you?”

“Of course.” Right after I finish the day, he added silently.

Angel put on her coat and mittens. “I think I’ll go next door and grab a cup of coffee before I walk to Misty’s. Maybe Grace can look at my things now.”

He shouldn’t feel guilty that she’d missed her second appointment because she’d taken him to the hospital, but he did. Why hadn’t he remembered to bring his kit with the epinephrine pen in it? “Okay, well, good luck.”

She smiled up at him. “I was glad I could help.”

She really thought she’d been helpful. Darn it, he couldn’t bear to burst her bubble. “Yeah, thanks a lot.” That sounded fairly convincing, didn’t it?

“Okay, then. I’ll see you around, Jeff.”

“Right.” Finally she was gone. He picked up the stack of messages. They were all pretty routine, except the one from his mom. What did she want?”

He went into his office and sat at his desk. Briefly, Jeff considered putting off calling his mother, but then decided it would be better to call her right away and get it over with. If Angel told her about the allergy incident, she’d be worried.

With a sigh, he reached for the phone and dialed his mother’s cell.

****

Angel entered The Grace Place and took in the small round tables and booths. The windows were covered with heart clings, and vases of red flowers graced the tables. Valentine’s Day was coming. She moved toward the alcove that held Grace’s small stock of gifts. Many of the plaques on the wall had Christian sentiments. There were no cards, but Angel could see how things could be moved to include a small rack, and she thought her designs would fit in well with what Grace already had.

With a sigh, Angel picked up a small stuffed bear holding a heart. More Valentine’s Day stuff. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a date for Valentine’s Day and she certainly wouldn’t have one this year.

“Can I help you?”

Angel turned to the smiling blonde who had spoken. “I’m looking for Grace.”

“Well, you just found her. What can I do for you?”

Holding out her hand, Angel introduced herself and explained what had happened this morning. “I’m so sorry about missing our appointments. I was wondering if you’d be willing to give me one more chance.”

“Since it was a medical emergency both times, I can certainly forgive you. Is Jeff all right?”

Angel frowned and looked out the window at his shop. “He’s back at work.”

Grace shook her head. “Men.” The emphasis she put into that one syllable conveyed a whole paragraph of meaning.

“What about men?” They were interrupted by a member of that species—a young red-haired man with a smile as brilliant as Grace’s. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. Obviously Grace didn’t have to worry about a date for Valentine’s Day.

“Riley, I’d like you to meet Angel Marcell. She’s Misty’s cousin. Ian met her the other day when she and Jeff brought in that dog.”

He nodded. “You’re the one. Ian told me about that.”

“Ian is Riley’s brother,” Grace explained.

Angel shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Riley returned the sentiment and then excused himself, saying he needed to get back to work. He wandered up to the counter to order some coffee.

“Why don’t we get some coffee, too. Then we’ll sit down and look at your portfolio,” suggested Grace.

By the time Angel headed home that afternoon, she was feeling pretty happy with herself. Grace had been enthusiastic about her designs. She’d ordered a number of greeting cards and some prints for her shop. It was a good first step.

However, Grace had been disappointed that she didn’t have any Valentine’s Day cards. It was too late to create some now, but she vowed to have some for next year.

Things hadn’t gone quite as well with Jeff. She could tell he hadn’t been happy to find her in his office, changing his appointments, but she still felt it was the right thing to do. He’d looked awful and she just knew he would pull the tough guy routine and insist on going back to work. And she was responsible for his condition. Oh well, it had been a short friendship after all.

The wind had picked up and the temperature had dropped, making Angel snuggle deeper into the hood of her coat. She was looking forward to getting back to Misty’s and relaxing with Cherub at her feet and a hot mug of tea in her hand. She checked her pocket one more time to make sure she still had Misty’s key. Great. Nothing could go wrong now.

****

The gate to the yard was open, flapping in the wind. Angel called Cherub, but the animal hadn’t been her dog long enough to learn her name. Angel called several more times, but it was no use. No little brown dog ran to greet her. No dog in the garage or in the shrubs. No dog at all.

With a sigh, Angel went into the house. She put her portfolio away and changed into jeans and a sweater, left Misty a note, bundled up again and went in search of her dog. The pale winter light was already starting to fade from the sky. She had to find Cherub.

****

Jeff actually quit work early that day. He did feel pretty wiped, and he was supposed to take Susan out tonight. Angel had done a good job of taking messages and switching appointments for him, noting the changes on his desk calendar. Maybe he should think about hiring a receptionist soon.

He picked up Susan at five thirty on the dot. Susan liked to go out early. She was a morning person, like him, so it didn’t bother him.

“Hi Jeff,” she said when she let him into her house. “I heard you had some bad luck today.”

“A little. Nothing to worry about.”

“Who’s the new girl at your place? I didn’t know you’d hired someone.”

“I haven’t.” Jeff explained the whole humiliating episode to her as briefly as possible.

“Oh, too funny, dear,” she laughed. “That’s what you get for being so nice.”

“Tony is a good friend. He’s done lots of favors for me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What does this sister look like? Is she pretty?”

Susan had many good qualities, Jeff told himself. Unfortunately, the one glaring fault she did have was jealousy. Perhaps it was because of her fiercely competitive nature.

“How she looks has nothing to do with it.”

“If she needs a keeper she must be either gorgeous or completely incompetent.”

“She’s nice. Just sort of—”

Susan snorted. “Lethal?”

Jeff decided he’d had enough of this subject. “Forget it. Let’s go or we’ll be late for our reservation.”

“Certainly, Jeff, dear. I had a busy day, so I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t have time to change.”

“You look great.” Susan always looked great in her tailored suits and heels. She would have worn the same type of thing even if she had changed. Did she even own a pair of jeans, Jeff wondered.

Now where did that come from? Wasn’t Susan exactly what he’d been looking for? Jeff told himself he was just feeling tired. He’d make it an early night. Susan would understand. She was probably planning on working tomorrow anyway.

On the way to the restaurant, Jeff noted that the weather was getting nasty. The wind showed no sign of dying down and it had started to snow. He noticed a figure crossing the street as his car approached a stop sign. He hoped he or she didn’t have far to walk on a night like tonight. The person already looked miserable, hunched over against the wind, arms wrapped around herself. If he didn’t know any better he’d say it looked like…

“Angel,” he called out, pushing the button to lower the window. “Angel, is that you?”

She turned.

It was Angel all right.

He slowed the car to a stop. “What are you doing out in this weather?”

Her teeth were chattering so hard he wasn’t sure she would be able to answer. “Ch-Ch-Cherub’s missing. The gate was open when I got home and sh-she was gone.”

Jeff put the car in park. “How long have you been out here?”

She shrugged. “What time is it?”

Scowling, he told her, “Get in. I’ll take you home.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t go back until I find Cherub.”

He glared at her. “Get in this car now. If you die of pneumonia it won’t help that dog. She’ll be headed for the shelter for sure.”

Susan leaned over. “What are you doing, Jeff?” she asked impatiently. “We’ll miss our reservation.”

“You’re on a date? Oh, Jeff, go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

“We have time to take you home before we miss our reservation.”

Angel shook her head and backed away. “No, I don’t want to…”

“Be a bother? I’ll be more bothered if I spend the evening worrying about you getting frostbite.”

“Who is this person?” asked Susan. Then realization hit her. “This is your friend’s little sister. In trouble again already?”

Distracted, Jeff turned to his date. “Yes, this is Angel, my friend Tony’s sister.”

She rolled her eyes. “She said she didn’t want a ride.”

“Susan, let me handle this.”

“Fine. Then we’ll lose our reservation.”

“We have plenty of time to make that reservation. Stop worrying.”

He turned back to tell Angel to get into the car, but she was gone. He scanned the sidewalk for her and found her halfway up the block.

“Look, she’s gone now. Let’s go.”

Jeff ignored Susan, popped open the driver’s door, and ran after Angel. He grabbed her arm just before she reached the next corner.

“Angel, this is stupid. I’m taking you home, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

“No, just go on your date. I can get home by myself.”

“I’m not going to argue with you anymore. Are you coming with me or do I have to pick you up and carry you?”

“Carry me? Don’t be ridi…”

Jeff scooped her up. She was such a tiny thing she was light, even in a heavy winter coat and boots. He could feel how cold she was through his own coat and gloves. He tightened his arms around her, and not entirely to avoid dropping her as she struggled to make him put her down. He carried her back to the car and dumped her in the back seat.

Her cheeks were pale, and her lips had a blue tinge, but her eyes were all fire. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“Neither can I,” said Susan, her voice as cold as the wind outside. “Jeff, I want to go home.”

“It will just take us a minute to drop Angel off. We’ll make it to the restaurant in plenty of time.”

“No, no. You need to take care of your little friend.” Susan smiled, but to Jeff it looked more like she was baring her teeth. “We’ll go out another time when you’re not so busy.”

The look in her eye told Jeff it was no time to argue.

He turned around and drove the short distance to her house. She slammed the car door and hurried up her front walk without saying good bye. He knew he should be disappointed, but he wasn’t. He wasn’t up to one of Susan’s jealous snits tonight. Right now, he was more concerned about getting Angel home. She didn’t move, so he left her in the back seat until they pulled up in front of Misty’s.

The house was dark. “Where’s Misty?” he asked.

“She has choir practice at the church tonight.”

“Oh, so you are talking to me.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You are completely illogical.”

Angel stuck her tongue out at him.

Jeff frowned at her. He didn’t want to leave her alone in the empty house. If she decided to go out looking for that stupid mutt, there’d be no one there to talk her out of it. He shut off the car engine.

“What are you doing? I didn’t invite you in.”

“No, I invited myself. Come on.”

He got out and opened her door. She sat with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at him.

“Are you going to make me carry you again?”

That got her moving Jeff noted, surprised at his disappointment. She scrambled across the seat and out of the opposite door. With her head held high she walked to the front door. But when she tried to unlock it, her hands were still stiff and shaking from the cold, and she couldn’t get the key into the lock.

Jeff snatched the key away from her and turned it in the lock. Then, he stepped back and indicated that she should go in first.

****

Angel was completely miserable. Her dog was still lost, she was frozen solid and Jeff had had to rescue her again. She’d almost killed him this morning, and as an encore she’d ruined his date and made his girlfriend mad at him. Now, she just wanted him to go home so she could fall apart and cry in peace.

“Thank you for bringing me home. I’m all right now. You can go.”

Instead he took off his coat and helped her take off her mittens. Then, he unzipped her coat.

“I’m not four years old,” she snapped. “I can do this myself.”

“A four year old would have enough sense to come in when she got cold,” he replied. “Let me see your hands.”

Angel hid them behind her back. “Why?”

“I want to check you for frostbite.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Angel, I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re all right.”

“Fine.” She held out her hands and stood still as he examined them. Then he lifted her hair and checked her ears. Tingles flew down her spine when he touched one. His hand lingered for a moment by her temple, the one she’d bruised yesterday. Her heart began to thud in her chest. If she reacted to his touch like this when she was frozen solid, what would happen when full feeling returned to her body?

“Take off your shoes and socks,” he ordered.

Angel rolled her eyes, but sat on the chair in the tiny entryway and started to take off her boots. He kneeled down and helped pull them off. She stifled a slightly hysterical giggle as she thought of Cinderella.

He examined her feet and, when he was finished, declared her to be all right.

“Now will you go?”

“This is the thanks I get for rescuing you? Why did you have to go chasing after that dog?”

Angel couldn’t hold back any more. She burst into tears.

Jeff looked shocked. “Hey, now. Don’t cry, Angel.”

“I can’t help it. I seem to have developed a habit of ruining your life. You should stay away from me. Far, far away.”

Instead, he wrapped her in his arms, picked her up, and carried her into the living room where he placed her gently on the couch. This was entirely different from when he’d carried her to the car. Not only were all those layers of clothes between them missing, the heat from his body made her long to press her frozen self to him and soak up his warmth. But he stepped away, pulled an afghan from the back of a chair and wrapped her in it.

By that time, she had managed to get herself under control. She grabbed a tissue from the box on the end table and wiped her eyes.

“Do you want something hot to drink? I can make tea.”

“I don’t want you to do anything else for me.” He’d probably be appalled if he knew what his touch was already doing for her.

“Friends help each other out. That’s what they do,” he admonished her gently.

“I don’t seem to be very good at helping you.”

He sat down beside her on the couch. “Actually, you were very helpful today. You did a good job at moving those appointments around. And the messages you took were clear and concise.”

“You didn’t seem very happy with me this afternoon.”

“No,” he admitted, “I wasn’t. But once I’d had a chance to look things over, I realized you did a good job. And even though I could have made it through those appointments, I was glad to have a quiet afternoon.”

“Really?” She searched his face, trying to see if he were telling the truth.

“Yes, really.” He reached out and touched her cheek, pushing back a strand of hair that had fallen there. She shivered, but this time it wasn’t from the cold.

“What about your date?”

“What date?” He leaned in closer, until his lips were only a breath away from hers. Her stomach somersaulted; he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and then…

Arf. She heard a little bark and scratching at the door.

Jumping up, she nearly knocked Jeff over. “Cherub!” She ran in her bare feet to the kitchen door. She flung open the door and held out her arms to the little dog who rushed in, tail wagging.

“Where have you been?” Angel ran her hands over the happily squirming dog, making sure her stitches were still in tact. She was covered in dirt and snow, but the sweater had kept her dry underneath.

Jeff came in behind her. “Well, if the dog is back, and you’re all right, I guess I’ll go home.” His voice sounded strange. Was there a note of disappointment in it?

Angel stood up and turned to him. “You don’t have to.” What was she saying? A minute ago, she was trying to push him out the door. But then, he’d almost kissed her. Had she imagined that? Did she want to find out?

“No, I’m still a little tired from this morning. I think I’ll just go home.”

“Oh Jeff, I didn’t think…”

He held up a hand. “I’m all right, Angel. Just a little tired.”

She walked him to the front door and tried to hug him but he stepped back from her. Angel realized she was covered with dirt and slush from the dog. “Sorry.”

“I’ll take a rain check on that hug,” he said. “Save it for me.”

“All right. Good night.”

He turned around. “On second thought, I could use that hug now.”

“I’ll get you all dirty.”

“It’s okay. I wash.” He enveloped Angel in a hug that warmed her more than any tea he could have made. She hugged him back as hard as she could. When he stepped back his shirt was smeared with dirt, but he had a smile on his face. “Thanks, Angel. I needed that. It’s been a long day.”

“And not a very good one, thanks to me.”

“Enough of that.” He lifted her chin until she looked him in the eye. “It’s not like you did it on purpose. I want you to stop beating yourself up about it.”

His eyes were mesmerizing. She should move away, break the contact, but she couldn’t. “All right,” she agreed, not even sure what he’d said.

“Good girl. ‘Night, Angel.”

Good girl? Good grief. Was he going to pat her on the head, too? Maybe she had imagined the almost-kiss. “Good night.”

Angel watched through the window until he got in his car and drove away. Then, she turned back to Cherub. “I guess it’s just you and me, sweetie.” She went in search of some old towels to clean up the dog and the floor before Misty got home.

TITLE

Chapter Five

Jeff drove home in a roundabout way, trying to untangle his scattered thoughts. He should he be glad the dog stopped him from kissing Angel. Darn that dog! Jeff’s life had been nothing but trouble since it showed up. Or was it since Angel showed up?

It was just as well he hadn’t kissed her. What would Tony say if he knew Jeff had almost kissed his little sister? He looked down at his dirty shirt and smiled in spite of himself. He hadn’t kissed her, but he hadn’t been able to pass up the chance to hold her, if only for a minute.

The image of Angel at his mother’s dinner party came to mind. Maybe he could take her instead of Susan. After all, Susan was already mad at him. He groaned. Angel was sweet, impulsive and as naïve as Tony had said. Some of the women his mother was supposedly friends with would eat her alive. No, he’d better call Susan and patch things up. Angel was entirely wrong for him. Susan was a perfect match. Organized, efficient, ambitious.

He paused, thinking that was a pretty unromantic inventory of a girlfriend. Then, he shrugged. Romance wasn’t everything. By all accounts it didn’t last long after you got married. Better to pick someone you could get along with when there was no romance involved.

He couldn’t help but think of his parents who were still affectionate after almost three decades of marriage. When he was younger he had prayed that God would send him someone he could care so deeply about. It hadn’t happened, and so he figured that it probably never would. Very few people found that kind of love.

He pulled his car into his garage and switched off the engine. Yes, he’d definitely call Susan tomorrow and make up. He’d remind her of the invitation to his parents’ party. That should appease her. And he’d forget all about Angel…and how she’d felt in his arms…and how she looked when he’d almost kissed her. No, he wasn’t going to think about Angel anymore at all.

****

Over the next few days Angel visited several more businesses in the area, gained a few new customers and worked like mad on her Valentine’s Day cards. She hardly thought about Jeff at all. Really.

She was thinking an awful lot about Valentine’s Day, however. Nothing she tried seemed to work. Why was this so hard? Angel was sick to death of hearts and cupids by Sunday. She was glad to take time off to go to church with Misty.

The Orchard Hill Community Church had a beautiful facility. The sanctuary was the oldest part of the structure, filled with well-maintained woodwork and windows that let in plenty of sunshine. There was only one stained glass window at the back. It depicted Jesus praying and it’s simplicity along with the rich colors used made it stunning.

She had a moment of homesickness for her own church back in Minneapolis. She belonged to a small, traditional congregation in one of the suburbs. Her church family and her faith were what had kept her going in the long bleak years of her mother’s illness. She would never regret putting her own life on hold to take care of her.

At first it had been hard, but after chemotherapy appointments, when her mother was too sick and weak to sit up for long, Angel offered to read her daily scripture and devotions to her. Then she’d joined her mother in praying. At first she’d felt bored by it all, but as the days grew darker and hope for her mother dimmed, Angel found comfort in the words of scripture and the prayers they offered up together. When she’d finally laid her mother to rest, it was with the firm belief that she was in a better place.

After the service, Misty took Angel around and introduced her to a lot of people. One of them was church secretary Pansy Parker.

Pansy acknowledged the introduction politely. “I had heard your cousin’s daughter was coming to visit. It’s nice to meet you…what did you say your name was?”

“Angel. It’s nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Parker.”

“Please dear, call me Pansy.”

“Oh look,” interrupted Misty. “Isn’t that Jeff trying to get your attention over there. You’d better go talk to him.”

Misty shoved Angel in that direction. She went reluctantly, knowing he wasn’t really trying to signal her. Misty must just have wanted time alone to talk to her friend. She didn’t think she should talk to Jeff, but she didn’t know anyone else here so she kept walking toward him. She was only a few feet away when someone stopped her.

“Hi, Angel. How’s that little dog doing?” It was Ian, the veterinarian.

Angel smiled in relief. “She’s doing great. Has anyone tried to claim her yet?”

“No. I doubt if anyone will. I’m sure she’s yours if you want her.”

Off to the side of Ian, Angel saw Jeff’s head turn, and their eyes met briefly.

Jeff paused in his conversation with Joseph Velasquez when he saw Ian talking with Angel and felt a rumble of something like jealousy in his gut. He drew his attention back to Joseph, who was asking him about finding a bigger house. It didn’t matter to him who talked to Angel. He didn’t really want to talk business in church, but since Joseph had brought it up…

The sound of Ian’s deep laugh distracted Jeff and pulled his attention back to the pair. Looking past Joseph, Jeff watched Angel smiling up at Ian. He towered over her diminutive frame. He said something that made her laugh, and her face lit up. Jeff thought she really did look like an angel, although he’d never seen one depicted with wild red curls. Suddenly he wanted to be the one who made her laugh like that.

He couldn’t concentrate on Joseph and his housing needs any more. Jeff finished the conversation, gave the man his card, then walked to where Ian and Angel stood, noting with sudden, inexplicable anger, that Ian had his hand on her shoulder.

“Hi, Angel. Ian, I think Riley is looking for you.” The lie slipped out so easily that it shocked him.

Ian looked around for his brother. “Is he? I don’t see him.”

“He must have gone back into the sanctuary.”

“How could he miss Ian?” asked Angel. “He’s a head above everyone else in the room.”

Jeff shrugged and Ian went off in search of Riley. When he was gone, Jeff turned to her and practically growled, “What was going on with you two?”

Angel blinked in surprise. “We were talking.”

“About what?”

“About Cherub running away, and then he was telling me a story about…hey, I don’t have to tell you this. You’re starting to sound like my brother.”

“Yes, your brother. What would Tony think about you flirting with some guy you hardly know.”

“Flirting? I don’t think…”

“I’m just watching out for you. Not all guys are as nice as you think.”

“Are you suggesting that Ian isn’t trustworthy?”

“Well, no.” Even in his present state of mind Jeff knew that trying to cast Ian as a villain was ludicrous. “It’s just that…”

“I thought you didn’t want to be my keeper anymore.”

“That was when I didn’t think you needed one.”

Her lip trembled, and her beautiful eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you’re acting this way.”

“Angel, don’t do that. I’m sorry.”

“What are you doing to make this poor girl cry?” Pansy had somehow sneaked up on them.

“I’m…I’m all right, Mrs. Parker.” Angel brushed the tears from her eyes. “Jeff didn’t do anything.”

“You just come with me, dear, and he won’t bother you any more. And call me Pansy, please.”

Jeff watched Pansy lead Angel across the room to where Misty stood. The woman didn’t look any happier than he did. Was she angry that he’d upset Angel? Funny, but her glare settled on Pansy, not him.

Angel looked back at him once, her expression so distressed that he could have kicked himself. What had come over him? All he knew was, he didn’t want Ian or anyone else getting that close to her. Of course, it was because he’d promised Tony he’d watch out for her, and he was keeping his promise. That was all.

Riley approached Jeff. “I heard Ian is looking for me. Have you seen him?”

Jeff sighed, utterly disgusted with the mess he’d made of things. “I think he’s in the sanctuary.”

****

Jeff didn’t see Angel for the next few days. He was starting to wonder if she’d gone back home, when he saw her through the window of The Grace Place one morning. She was sitting alone at a table with a sketch pad and a mug of coffee. Her head was bent over the paper, and she was intent on her drawing. He stood and watched her for a moment, and she never noticed him.

He crossed the street to his office, avoiding The Grace Place. He didn’t need to buy coffee there everyday. He had a coffee maker in his office…somewhere.

Not that he was avoiding Angel. It was just that she had a knack for complicating his life. Susan was finally speaking to him again. He needed to steer clear of anyone who would put his name back on her black list.

Of course, she had been delighted with the invitation to his folks’ dinner party. That invitation alone might grant him forgiveness for many sins.

And as he crossed the street and got to his office, he had a feeling he was going to need that kind of grace, because on his doorstep sat a little brown mutt with trouble written all over her face.

He bent down and scratched Cherub’s ear. “What are you doing here?” The dog leaned into Jeff’s hand. “I should just pretend I didn’t see you,” he told the dog. “You are bound to get me into trouble again.”

“Jeff, darling, who are you talking to?”

And here came trouble. Jeff straightened and faced Susan who was briskly striding up to him.

“Hi Susan.”

“Did you get a dog?”

“Not exactly.”

“Is it a stray?”

“No, I know who she belongs to.”

Susan looked at him strangely, but he didn’t elaborate.

After a moment, she said, “Anyway, I stopped by to tell you that I just got the contract to sell that brick colonial on Maple. Do you know which one I mean?”

Jeff tilted his head back and thought for a moment. “Yes, I know which one you mean.”

“I have the fact sheet here.” Susan dug in her tote. “I thought it might be a good prospect for the Hamilton family. It seems like you’ve shown them twenty houses.”

“Yes, they are a bit particular. Maybe this will be just what they’re looking for.” He took the paper she offered him. “Thank you, Susan.”

“You’re welcome. I’m really looking forward to meeting your parents Saturday night.”

“That’s great.”

“How about we make a full day of it? The Annual Orchard Hill Art and Crafts Show is being held at the community building. Let’s spend the afternoon there and then go on to your parents’ house.”

Art show. How boring could you get? “I don’t know,” he hedged. “I’ve got a lot of paperwork to catch up on.”

“I find it’s a good place to meet potential clients,” Susan told him. “So make sure you bring business cards.”

Now that sounded like Susan, ever anxious to advance her career. His parents were going to love her.

Cherub was obviously getting tired of not being the center of attention. She scratched at Jeff’s pants leg as if to say “Hey, I’m still here.”

“Ugh. That mutt’s still here,” said Susan, her lip curling in distaste.

Cherub turned and looked up at Susan with sad brown eyes, tail wagging.

“That creature needs a bath.”

This was obviously not the reaction Cherub wanted, so she jumped up and put her paws on Susan’s leg.

Susan jerked away. “Yuck. It’s gotten me all dirty. I’ll have to go home and change.”

Jeff could barely see the mark on her designer slacks where Cherub had jumped up against her. For a sensible person, sometimes Susan could be such a drama queen. “Come on, Susan, I don’t think it’s that bad. Come into the office, and we can sponge off the dirt.”

“No, no. Jeff you said you knew who this dog belonged to. Why don’t you do something about it?”

“Um, it’s my dog.”

He whirled around to find Angel standing there, sketchpad under her arm.

“Oh, Jeff, it’s your little friend again,” drawled Susan. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping her out of trouble.”

“I’m sorry,” Angel apologized. “She must have slipped out of the house with me.”

“You’ll have to be more careful in the future, dear. Do you know how much it will cost to have this suit dry cleaned?”

“No, but I can pay for it,” answered Angel grimly.

“Susan, don’t you think you’re overreacting?” asked Jeff.

She turned on him. “Why are you defending her?”

“I’m not defending her. I’m just saying it isn’t that bad.”

Angel took a business card from her purse and handed it to Susan. “You can send the bill here,” she said.

“Angel, you don’t have to—”

She shot him a look. “Just let it go, Jeff.”

Angel patted her leg and moved away, Cherub following her at once.

That left him alone with Susan. Who was boiling mad at him…because of Angel…again.

Time to remind her of that invitation.

TITLE

Chapter Six

It cost Jeff a mochaccino—whatever that was—at Grace’s and the promise that he’d pick up Susan for the art show on Saturday morning. Now he had to spend the whole day there instead of just the afternoon. Once she finally left for her own office, he sat down at his desk and called Angel.

“Why did you do that?” he blurted as soon as she picked up the phone.

“Well hello to you too, Jeff.”

“Yeah, yeah. Why did you offer to pay for Susan’s dry cleaning? She was way out of line.”

“I was doing you a favor, Jeff. I was trying to keep you in the lady’s good graces.”

“Well, stop it. I don’t need your help.”

“You never listen to me when I tell you I don’t need any help.”

“That’s different.”

“Oh really? How?”

“It just is.”

“Fine. If you have nothing else to yell at me about, I have work to do.”

“So do I.”

“Good-bye then.”

Jeff winced as the phone slammed in his ear. He let out a sigh and set the phone back in its cradle.

Why had he done that? Why had he yelled at Angel? She was just trying to be nice. It was Susan who had acted inappropriately.

But he couldn’t yell at Susan. Or could he? Right now he had a hard time remembering why he wanted to be with her. Could gaining his parents’ approval really be that important?

He wondered if he should call Angel back and apologize.

No, he decided. Let her think he was a jerk. It was safer that way.

****

Angel impatiently brushed the tears from her eyes. She refused to cry over Jeff. No matter what she did, he ended up angry with her. She was glad she’d be leaving in a few days, even though, aside from Jeff, this had been a good trip. She’d gained several new customers and found Cherub.

Angel smiled down at the dog curled up by her feet. She knew Jeff couldn’t understand why she’d been so insistent on keeping the dog, but it made perfect sense. She was alone. Cherub was alone. They needed each other.

And she didn’t need Jeff.

Angel turned back to the painting she was working on, trying to make herself forget about him. She was painting a view of the town as seen from the hilltop orchard it was named after, and hoped to have it ready in time for the art show. She knew it would be a push, but Misty had convinced her the art show was too good an opportunity to miss. According to Misty, gallery owners from the Green Bay area sometimes attended.

Angel hadn’t really thought about marketing her art through galleries, but Misty had been so enthusiastic, and Angel figured she had nothing to lose by trying.

The doorbell rang. Angel peeked out the window and saw Jeff standing there, hands in his pocket, head bent. He was the picture of the repentant sinner. And a handsome one at that. She looked down at herself. She was standing there in bare feet and wearing an old shirt of Tony’s over her clothes. She’d piled her hair on top of her head and stuck a pencil through it to hold it. Worse, she was sure she had paint on her nose. With a sigh, she opened the door.

Jeff gaped at her. It must be worse than she thought. “Yes?” she said as coldly and as regally as she could manage.

“Can I come in?”

Angel backed up just enough to let him inside the door. This was a mistake, as they stood practically pressed together in Misty’s little entry way. Would it be worse to let him into the house or to be contained with him this way?

Tough call.

Angel stayed where she was.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for yelling at you this morning. I know you were only trying to help.”

“Forget about it. No permanent damage done.” Maybe he’d leave now.

“Is Misty home? She can’t have choir practice again.”

“Nope. Worship committee meeting tonight.”

“Hmm. She’s not a very good hostess, is she?”

“This is a business trip, not a social visit.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I know Susan can be a bit overbearing sometimes, but…”

“But what? You love her anyway?”

“Hey, I never said I loved her.”

“Then why are you with her?” Once she said it, Angel realized how horribly nosy that sounded. “Never mind.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s just that…Well, it’s my parents.”

Angel was confused. “What do your parents have to do with it?”

“They’ve been very successful in real estate. I have to be successful, too, or I’ll let them down.”

“Okay, but how does Susan fit in?”

“Susan is successful. I guess, I think my parents will like her. If I’m with someone that’s successful—”

“They’ll think you are, too. But aren’t you?”

“Not yet. It takes time to build a business.”

“Don’t you think your parents know that?”

“Yes, but… .”

Understanding dawned on Angel. “But you’re an overachiever. I bet you got straight A’s in school.”

He shrugged.

“You did,” cried Angel, delighted with her new discovery about him. “You were captain of something. Soccer team?”

“I lettered in track,” he admitted.

“So you being with Susan makes sense. You have a lot in common.”

“I guess so,” said Jeff.

He didn’t look very happy about it, and he was staring at her again.

Angel touched her face self-consciously. She did have paint on her nose, didn’t she? “What are you looking at?”

“I don’t know. You just look so—”

“So what? Messy? These are my work clothes. I don’t paint in heels and a skirt, you know. I suppose you’ve never seen Susan looking like this.”

He smiled. “Definitely not.”

“So why don’t you go and bother her.”

“Because I like your ‘work’ look.” Then he leaned down and kissed her, a gentle and brief brush of his lips against hers.

Stunned, Angel stood there blinking. She was sure she looked like an owl caught in a flashlight beam. “What?”

“You look adorable.”

He pulled her to him. Her eyes drifted shut as he lowered his lips to hers again.

She’d been kissed before, but never like this. Admittedly, taking care of an ailing parent limited your social life, so she hadn’t been kissed very often. Still she doubted many men could kiss like Jeff. Angel relaxed and leaned into him, thoroughly enjoying the feel of his lips on hers, of being wrapped in his strong arms. So when he ended the kiss and stepped away from her, she almost fell, right at his feet.

“Sorry,” Jeff mumbled. “That was out of line. I didn’t want you to leave thinking I was a jerk, but I guess maybe I am. I’m sorry.” He turned and was gone.

Angel stood in the doorway long after he’d gotten in his car and pulled away from the curb. Now what was she supposed to make of that? How could he kiss her like that, and then apologize and leave? She slammed the door shut. Her life had been a lot simpler before Jeff Bradley came into it.

****

Jeff spent the rest of the week working overtime. He told himself it was because he’d gotten behind a bit lately, but really it was because he was avoiding Susan. And he wanted to avoid thinking about Angel. He was half successful. He managed not to see Susan, but there seemed to be no way he could stop thinking about Angel.

It wasn’t just that she was cute. He admired her spirit. It must have taken a lot for a teenage girl to give up her own life to take care of her mother, and then to go on after her mother died. She’d had a rough time of it, but she was energetic and optimistic.

And if that wasn’t enough, she was a good and compassionate person. She rescued a stray dog. She offered to pay for dry cleaning to spare him from Susan’s anger.

But yet, he couldn’t imagine himself being with Angel long term. He couldn’t see his focused, organized life mixing with her carefree, haphazard style. He planned every detail of his life. She took on the responsibility of an injured pet on impulse. It was impossible. It was good that she was leaving.

By Saturday, Jeff figured that Angel had already returned to the Twin Cities. He wondered what she’d tell Tony about him. But it didn’t matter. He was getting back to his normal life, which included picking up Susan for this stupid art show.

TITLE

Chapter Seven

Misty helped Angel load the last of her paintings into the car.

“Angel, I can’t believe how beautiful these are. You really worked hard this week.”

“Thanks. I’m glad you talked me into staying for the art show—and that Tony was able to ship some of my stock to me.”

“You’re sure to be a hit. I’ll stop in at the show later. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much to visit with you, but I’m glad you came.”

“Me, too, Misty. I appreciate you letting me stay here, and letting me keep Cherub as well.”

“Oh, that dog is the cutest thing. Maybe I should adopt a dog from the shelter.”

“Good idea. I’ve got to get going.”

“You can’t go without breakfast,” Misty insisted.

Angel hesitated. One thing she wouldn’t miss about staying with Misty was the food. She liked to eat healthy, but Misty was a bit of a fanatic. Angel wasn’t sure she’d ever get the taste of wheat grass out of her mouth. “I don’t know.”

“I know,” said Misty. “I’ll make you a tofu smoothie. You can take it with you.”

Angel smiled weakly. “Thanks.” Maybe she could ditch it and pick up something at The Grace Place.

By the time Misty made the smoothie, and Angel exchanged it for a coffee and roll at Grace’s, she was running behind. She got to the community building just in time to set up her booth before the doors opened.

The table across from her was selling hand made chocolate roses for Valentine’s Day. She’d forgotten about Valentine’s Day when she started her work marathon to get ready for the show. But it didn’t matter since she had no one to celebrate it with.

She sighed and pulled her attention away from the booth just in time to see Jeff walk in with Susan. She let out another sigh. Talk about timing. That kiss had been spectacular, but he’d explained why he was with Susan. The kiss had meant nothing; Angel wasn’t what someone like Jeff was looking for in a girlfriend.

So why did he have to be so nice? And why did he have to kiss her like that?

Angel drained her cardboard cup of coffee and decided to go in search of a garbage can. Maybe they’d pass by her booth without seeing her. Just to be safe, she decided to stop by the rest room, too. She asked the lady selling the chocolate roses to keep an eye on her booth and walked away.

When she came out, Angel didn’t see them. Maybe they’d gone into another room. Booths filled every room in the community building. But as she approached her own booth, Angel almost groaned aloud. They were standing at her table, examining her paintings.

Susan was leaning over the one she’d done of the town. She looked excited. Jeff was hanging back a bit, looking bored.

Well, she could hardly run back and hide in the bathroom, so she stepped behind her table and said, “Hi.”

Jeff looked surprised to see her. Then alarmed. Was he worried she’d tell Susan about the kiss they’d shared? No way. It had been way too special to share with anyone, especially Susan.

Susan looked up from the painting, leveled narrowed eyes at Angel, and then stepped away from the table. “Let’s move on, Jeff,” she said. “I don’t want to waste my time on the amateur stuff.”

Amateur stuff! Now that stung. Angel wished she had a sharp comeback for that one, but she didn’t.

Jeff’s face reddened. He said softly, “Susan, there’s no need to be insulting.”

“I’m not insulting anyone. I’m just stating my opinion on these paintings.”

Before Jeff could reply, a trio of older ladies stopped at Angel’s booth. “This is the artist I was telling you about,” said one. “She’s very good, isn’t she?”

“Thank you. Is there any one in particular you’re interested in?” Angel asked.

“No. But I’d like to commission you to do a painting of my home.”

Susan gasped. The lady seemed to notice her for the first time. “Oh, Susan,” she said. “Are you enjoying the art show?”

“Yes, Mrs. Radtke.”

“Have you met my latest discovery? This young lady will go far, I think.”

“Thank you,” said Angel again.

One of Mrs. Radtke’s companions said, “If Mae says you’ll go far, then you will. She has a good eye for these things. She’s been on the arts committee in this town for—”

“For too long to keep track,” interrupted Mrs. Radtke. “May I have your business card, so I can contact you about this commission?”

“Certainly.” Angel handed her a card. “My name is Angel Marcel.”

“Thank you. I’m Mae Radtke. I’ll be in touch.”

The two ladies who had spoken moved on, but the third stayed behind for a moment, walking by the line of pictures Angel had displayed against the wall behind her booth. She handed a business card to Angel. “I own a gallery in Green Bay. Call me,” she said simply before moving on.

Jeff came forward and offered Angel his hand. “Congratulations, Angel. You’re a hit.”

Misty showed up at that very moment. “I heard, Angel. Oh, I’m so excited.”

“Jeff,” barked Susan. “I want to see some of the exhibits in the next room. Let’s not stand around here all day.”

“I’ll be with you in a minute,” Jeff responded.

“Not in a minute. Now.”

Angel had about all she was going to take from this woman today. “He said in a minute. He’s your date, not your dog. He doesn’t come to heel.”

“Oh really. How would you know? Your dog isn’t exactly well trained.”

“Maybe, but she’s got better manners than you.” Angel’s blood was really boiling now.

“Jeff, are you going to let her insult me like that?”

“You started it,” Misty shot back. “Jeff, don’t let her talk to Angel like that.”

Jeff held up his hands. “Ladies, I think you all need to calm down. There’s no reason for—”

“So you’re taking her side?” demanded Susan.

“I’m not taking sides.”

“But if he was, he wouldn’t take yours,” added Misty.

“Misty, please be quiet,” Angel begged.

“Why don’t you ever stand up for me against her?” Susan was trying to keep her voice low, but a shrillness crept into it.

“Susan, you did start this.”

“What are you saying, Jeff Bradley?”

“He’s saying you were rude and you’d better mind your manners,” Misty said.

If looks could kill, Angel thought Jeff would be a pile of steaming rubble right now. Susan had a lethal glare.

“If this is the way you feel, Jeff, maybe you’d rather spend the day with her.”

TITLE

Chapter Eight

All three women were staring at him. Jeff knew he could still save this situation. He could play his trump card: the night’s dinner invitation. Susan was chomping at the bit to rub elbows with people like his parents—people who would be valuable connections for her. But suddenly he realized that this had nothing to do with love and everything to do with business networking. If Susan met someone more eligible than he was, she wouldn’t hesitate to dump him. He took a deep breath.

“Maybe I would.”

Susan stepped back as if reeling from the shock. Angel looked stunned, too.

“If that’s the way you feel, Jeff, then I’ll just be going.”

“That’s the way he feels Susan,” said Misty.

She nodded to him, glared at Angel and Misty and then turned and stalked away.

Jeff looked at Angel.

She was staring at him with wide eyes. “What just happened?”

“I think I should be going,” Misty said. “Lots to see today.”

Misty’s voice seemed to hold a triumphant tone, and Jeff thought he saw her wink at him as she walked away, but he must have been mistaken. Why would she do that?

Before he could say anything, a man approached Angel about buying one of her paintings. He seemed unaware of the scene that had just unfolded, and Angel handled the transaction with creditable professionalism. Jeff was probably the only one who noticed her hands shaking as she wrote up the sales receipt.

Once her customer had walked away Jeff said, “Hey, I’m a free man.”

Angel arched an eyebrow at him. “And what do you intend to do with that freedom?”

He didn’t know how to answer that. Looking for a distraction, he studied the booth she had set up. There were a couple of larger paintings, including the local landscape, set up on easels. The table was covered with prints of her work and some of her greeting cards.

“You’re really good at this painting thing, aren’t you?”

“I hope so. Otherwise I won’t be able to feed myself for very long.”

It was time for him to turn around and go home, Jeff figured. He had gotten out of the art show thing and out of his relationship with Susan. He had nothing else to do today except…

Except attend his parents’ dinner party. Which he now had no date for. Should he call his mom and let her know? If he did, she’d have a blind date lined up for him when he arrived. Should he not call and just show up alone? He’d ruin his mother’s seating arrangement and be in big trouble. Would playing sick be a possibility?

“What’s wrong, Jeff?”

Angel was looking at him with those warm hazel eyes. She looked concerned and maybe a bit nervous. A streak of recklessness broke through his usual discipline. For once he would do what he wanted. Not what he thought he should do.

“Angel, would you go somewhere with me tonight?”

“What? Where?”

They were interrupted again. This time by a group of young women who pawed through every single one of Angel’s cards. They each bought several.

Angel was smiling as she collected their money and handed out change.

“Angel,” he repeated when they were alone again, “will you go somewhere with me tonight?”

“Um, sure, I guess so. Where are we going?”

“My parents are having a dinner party.”

Her gaze changed from hesitant to understanding. “You were supposed to take Susan. You need a date.”

“Well, not exactly. I could go by myself.”

“But that would be awkward. I guess if I hadn’t started a fight with Susan, you wouldn’t have a problem, so sure, I’ll fill in.”

He felt irritated that she would assume she was just a substitute. Then again, who was it who had made it so clear Susan was what he was looking for in a girlfriend, and Angel wasn’t? “When are you finished here?”

“They told me I should be done by four.”

“I’ll be back to pick you up.”

“Don’t bother. I have Misty’s car.”

“All right. I’ll pick you up at Misty’s at five. Dinner’s sort of formal so wear something nice.”

****

Angel sold out her entire stock and had collected requests for cards and prints from a couple of other stores. A few people had talked to her about commissioning some paintings.

Rushing home after the art show—and after doing a little shopping of her own—Angel explained her plans to Misty, took a quick shower, dressed and put up her hair.

She was just pushing the last hair pin in place when the doorbell rang. While she was putting on her lipstick, Angel heard her cousin walk to the door and open it. She heard Misty’s high voice greeting Jeff and his much lower one replying in kind and Cherub’s excited bark. She took one last look in the mirror, hoping she looked all right and wouldn’t embarrass Jeff. She had fallen back on the little black dress, or in this case, a black silk tank and a long skirt with a modest slit up the side. At the art fair she’d bought an embroidered silk shawl that she’d wrapped around the waist of the skirt, transforming it from plain to elegant. The shawl was a turquoise color, and fortunately Angel had brought with her some silver and turquoise jewelry that matched perfectly.

She descended the stairs while Jeff waited at the bottom, just as she’d seen in so many movies, and when she saw the gratified look in his eye, she almost felt like a movie star.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Jeff, looking marvelous in a well cut suit and tie, took her hand and said “You look beautiful.”

Misty was grinning from ear to ear and slightly bounced where she stood. If she hadn’t been holding a squirming Cherub, Angel was sure she’d have gleefully clapped her hands.

“You both look wonderful,” said Misty.

He smiled at her and Angel felt her breath catch. “Angel looks beautiful,” he repeated. “I’m nothing special.”

She noticed his hair had lost its shaggy look. He must have gotten it cut this afternoon. She sort of missed his longer hair. He looked very GQ, but less accessible. It was just another reminder that she was the substitute date, not the real thing.

“Nothing special,” Misty echoed. “I don’t think Angel would agree with that.”

Angel forced a smile. “No, you look very handsome tonight.” Better than anyone I’ve ever dated, she added to herself. But then again, she wasn’t really dating Jeff.

“Thank you. We’d better get going though. It’s a bit of a drive from here.”

“Let me get my coat.” Angel paused to kiss Cherub’s fuzzy head, and then went to the closet.

She put on her everyday winter coat. It didn’t look so great over her outfit, but it was all she had. Wisconsin weather didn’t allow for fashion to overcome practicality, and she hadn’t thought she’d need her dressier winter coat.

As they walked to Jeff’s car Misty called after them, “Have a Happy Valentine’s Day, you two.”

Angel felt like her smile would crack. How could you have a happy Valentine’s Day when you were the substitute date, and not the real thing? But she decided that she owed Jeff. She’d be the best fake date she could. She’d talk and laugh and try to appear as a wildly successful artist. Oh, dear. Would Jeff’s parents think painting was a real job? It was too late to worry about that now.

On the way to the party Angel told him about her day and the commissions she’d been offered.

“So you’ll really be staying a while longer?” he asked.

“It looks like it. Sorry; you won’t get rid of me anytime soon.”

That made him happy, Jeff realized. He was actually happy that Angel was staying. Should he be worried about this? He didn’t know, but right now, for tonight, he just wanted to relax and have fun.

Angel filled the drive time with talk about her work. He didn’t mind. He wasn’t exactly paying close attention to what she was saying, but he liked the sound of her voice and how she was so excited after what had turned out to be a big day for her career-wise.

As he drove, he spent the time comparing her and Susan. When he’d first met Susan, he had admired her take-charge attitude and her focus on advancing her career. However, there was such a thing as being too aggressive and too focused. When you cared more about work than about people, Jeff realized, you’d crossed that line. Susan was definitely more concerned about her career than anything or anyone else.

Angel, on the other hand, had a heart that was open and willing to care—about stray dogs, meddling brothers and even workaholic, overachieving real estate agents. Since he’d met her, his vision of how his life should be was changing.

With all this to think about the drive went quickly for Jeff and soon they were turning onto the road where his parents had their cottage. It was near the town of Bailey’s Harbor, on what was called “the quiet side” of Door County. There was less commercialism here, and the tourists were usually of the more upscale type. Most of the guests must have arrived before them, because the driveway was filled with cars and they had to park on the road and walk to the cottage.

Angel stumbled on the slippery surface and he put his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. Just to keep her from slipping again and not because she felt so good snuggled up next to him, of course.

His mom was waiting at the door for them. “Jeff, so good to see you.” She kissed his cheek. “And this must be Susan.”

Jeff draped an arm around his mother’s shoulders. “Actually no. There was a change of plans. This is my friend, Angel Marcel. Her brother Tony and I lived together in college, remember?”

Jeff’s mom looked surprised, but recovered quickly. She held out a hand to Angel. “Yes, I remember. So nice to meet you, Angel. Didn’t I talk to you on the phone the other day?”

“Yes, that was me.”

Jeff added, “This is my mom, Patty Bradley.”

Angel shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too. This must be a wonderful place to live.”

“Yes, we like it a lot. We don’t get up here as often as we’d like to, though. Oh, here come the Johnsons. Jeff, go introduce Angel to your father.”

“Sure Mom.”

Jeff ushered Angel through the foyer and into a spacious living room with windows that looked out over the lake. He spotted his dad in a huddle with several friends, talking and laughing. When he saw Jeff walk in, he excused himself and made his way across the room to them.

“You made it. It’s been too long since you came to visit.”

“You know what it’s like, starting a new business.”

“Unfortunately, I do know. Who’s your lovely guest?” asked his father.

Jeff watched for the pink tinge to creep into Angel’s cheeks. He’d never met anyone who blushed as easily as she did or who looked as cute when she did.

“This is Angel Marcel. She’s Tony’s little sister. You remember Tony.”

“Yes, one of your roommates in college. Glad you could come, Angel.”

“Angel, this is my father, Bruce Bradley.”

“Do you live in Orchard Hill?” asked Jeff’s father.

“No, actually, I’ve just been visiting a relative. I’m from Minnesota,” Angel told him.

“Oh, so you won’t be around for too long. That’s too bad.”

“Actually, Dad,” Jeff broke in, “Angel’s an artist. Today she put up a booth at the Orchard Hill Annual Arts and Crafts Show and got a few commissions. So she’ll be around for a while after all.”

“That’s good news. What medium do you work in?”

“I usually prefer watercolors.”

“She did a great view of the town from on top of the hill,” added Jeff.

“Really. You do landscapes? I’d love to see your work sometime.”

The caterer announced that supper was ready then, so the guests started to assemble in the dining room that was adjacent to the living room. The same large windows and spectacular view decorated the room.

Supper was delicious, as Jeff expected it would be. His mother excelled at planning these sorts of things. Red roses and candles graced the table in honor of Valentine’s day. Jeff smiled at Angel who was seated across from him. She looked beautiful, and, much to his surprise and relief, he was sure his parents liked her.

Angel smiled at Jeff across the table. He looked so confident—she wasn’t so sure of herself. She had figured Jeff’s parents would be up-scale folks, but she hadn’t expected everything to be quite so posh. And apparently, this was just a vacation home for the Bradley’s. She felt out of her element.

Jeff was too handsome in his dark suit. He was smiling and being nice to her, but she wondered if he regretted bringing her.

She managed not to spill anything, mainly because nerves kept her from eating much. The food was delicious, but it didn’t mix with the butterflies in her stomach.

Dessert was a dark, rich chocolate cake with raspberry filling. Each piece had a red heart glazed on it. It reminded Angel that it was Valentine’s Day. What a day for Jeff to break up with his girlfriend. She wished she’d just ignored Susan today. This was all her fault.

After supper, Patty offered her guests a tour of their “little cottage.” She led them over their home, which was beautifully and tastefully decorated. The large windows with their stunning views were the only artwork the house really needed, Angel thought. There were two offices, a “media” room, family room, and large kitchen besides four guest bedrooms that each had their own bathroom. The master suite had a sitting room, two walk-in closets, and a large bath with a Jacuzzi as well as a spacious bedroom. The whole house reeked of luxury and elegance. Not a place for a ‘starving artist,’ the daughter of working class parents.

Seeing all this, Angel had a greater measure of respect for Jeff. He could have easily joined his parents in business and been immediately well-off, she suspected. But instead he’d decided to make a fresh start and build his own business from the ground up. Pretty impressive. No wonder he’d wanted Susan by his side. She would be able to help him build his business and would fit perfectly into this world.

As the evening went on, Angel felt more and more out of place. Jeff seemed to be having a great time, though. She was glad about that. At least she hadn’t totally ruined his evening. She was pretty sure Susan would make up with him. Then he’d be back on the path he wanted.

And she would finish her paintings and get out of Orchard Hill as quickly as possible. No, scratch that. She’d get snapshots, and paint from home. This trip had been a mistake. It had gained clients for her business, but it had cost her heart. She had fallen in love with Jeff Bradley, but she’d never fit into his world.

Finally, the evening was over. She thanked the Bradleys for their hospitality. They’d been very kind to her, in spite of the fact she was not the right type of girl for their son. Jeff said good-bye to them, and his mother handed him a container of leftovers. “Thanks Mom,” he said and kissed her cheek.

They began the walk back to the car. “You were quiet tonight,” Jeff remarked, taking her hand. “Did you have a good time?”

Angel forced a smile to her lips. “Yes. Your parents are great. It’s just been a long day.”

In the car, Angel pretended to fall asleep so she wouldn’t have to talk, but the next thing she knew, someone was lifting her and she felt the bite of the night air on her cheeks. “What’s happening?” she mumbled drowsily, realizing that she had really gone to sleep.

“Shh,” whispered Jeff, his lips against her ear. “You fell asleep. I’ll carry you in.”

She knew she should protest. It seemed like he was always carrying her around like a sack of potatoes. But she really was sleepy, and talking took too much effort.

Jeff put her down on the front steps. Angel shook her head to clear away the last mists of sleep and began to search for Misty’s key in her purse. She opened the door and they stepped into the entry way.

“I can carry you up to your room if you like.”

Angel laughed. “Don’t you dare. I’m awake now.”

“In that case, how about a goodnight kiss?”

She would have said no, she told herself, but he didn’t give her time to answer before he took her in his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was warm and sweet and tasted of chocolate. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he whispered and then kissed her again. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. All things considered, it was a happier Valentine’s Day than she’d expected.

TITLE

Chapter Nine

Angel didn’t sleep. She was still staring at the ceiling when the sun came up. Jeff had kissed her again. What was he thinking? Did he really like her? She knew how she felt about him. She loved him, but she didn’t fit with him; she couldn’t help him accomplish his dreams, and since love wasn’t selfish, she had to go. But she was thankful she’d had the chance to know him, to love him.

Angel woke Misty and asked for a ride to the airport. Then she showered and packed her bags.

****

After church, Jeff approached Misty while she was talking with Pansy Parker.

“Where’s Angel?” he asked after greeting the ladies. “She wasn’t too tired to make it to church this morning, was she?”

“No, Jeff. I’m sorry, but she left this morning.”

“Left? Where did she go?”

Misty took his hand as if she were trying gently to break bad news to him.

“She went back home to Minneapolis. What happened last night? Did you two have an argument?”

Jeff was stunned. “No, everything was perfect.”

“Oh, well maybe she was just anxious to get back to work,” Misty suggested.

“But she had people to see here about commissions. Is she coming back?”

“Yes, I suppose she’ll have to eventually. She left Cherub with me until she could make arrangements to get her. She couldn’t take her on the plane, you know.”

“I can’t believe she left that dog behind.”

“She didn’t want to, but they absolutely refused to take her on that flight. We didn’t have the right sort of carrier.”

Pansy Parker piped in, “Don’t worry, Jeff. I know a nice girl I could fix you up with if you want.”

Misty dropped his hand and glared at Pansy. “He doesn’t need to be ‘fixed up’ as you call it.”

“Well, it sounds like the bird has flown the coop, Misty. What is he supposed to do now?”

Both women turned to look at him. “Well, what are you going to do now?” Misty asked.

Jeff excused himself to go find some coffee. But instead of stopping at the refreshments table, he went straight on out of the door.

He didn’t know what to think. He tried to call Angel’s cell phone, but there was no answer. He left a voice mail. A few hours later he left another one.

He didn’t hear anything from her for a week. A week in which he couldn’t seem to get anything done. He had thought things were just beginning between them. Why had she chosen to leave—and without saying goodbye?

He saw Susan several times that week. It was obvious she wanted to make up with him, but he didn’t plan to do that. Dating Susan had been a mistake he didn’t intend to make twice, Angel or no Angel.

On the next Monday, he was half-heartedly shuffling through some paperwork when the phone rang. It was Tony. “What did you do to my sister?”

“What do you mean?” asked Jeff. “What did she say?”

“She says you were a perfect gentleman.”

“Don’t you believe her?”

“No. She says her trip was successful, but she’s been moping around and spends all her time designing sappy Valentine’s Day cards since she came back. I know you Jeff. I know you, but I thought I could trust you.”

“You can trust me,” Jeff shot back. “Why don’t you ask her what she did to me?” Then he hung up and left the office. He heard the phone ringing as he slammed the door behind him. He walked across the street to The Grace Place for some coffee and a break. Half an hour later, when he went back to his office, he felt calmer. Not better, but calmer.

Cherub was sitting on his doorstep, wearing that silly sweater Angel bought her. Her sad eyes looked up at him, and she whimpered a bit when she saw him. “She left you, too, didn’t she,” said Jeff, stooping to pat her head. Cherub briefly wagged her tail.

“Come on, girl.” Jeff scooped up the little dog. “I’ll take you home.” He froze as an idea hit him. “Yes. I will take you home.”

****

Angel spread out her paints and got ready to work. Another lonely night spent at home. Of course, this was how she’d been spending her nights for years, but now somehow it bothered her. With a sigh she reached for a tube of paint. The doorbell rang.

She looked down at herself in her painting clothes. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail and a pencil was stuck through it. She shrugged and went to answer the door.

“Who is it?” she called, and was answered with a shrill bark. Was that…? It couldn’t be. Angel threw open the door and saw Cherub. And Jeff. She froze.

Cherub was dancing around her, jumping up and wagging her tail. Angel stooped down to pick her up. She focused all her attention on the dog. “Hey sweetie, I missed you. Yes, I did.”

The dog wiggled out of her arms and went to sniff everything in the living room, and she was left alone to face Jeff.

“Um. Thanks for bringing her. You didn’t have to do that.” She clenched the door knob in her hand and focused all of her attention on it.

“She missed you. Don’t you feel bad for abandoning her?”

“I didn’t abandon her. I was going to come back for her.”

“What about me? You abandoned me.”

“No I didn’t.”

“You left without telling me.”

“Um, I…”

“You wouldn’t answer my calls.”

“I…I didn’t think we had anything to say.”

Jeff took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “Why, Angel?”

Under his gaze, something inside her cracked. Tears came to her eyes. “It was the best thing I could think of to do.”

“If you didn’t want to see me again, all you had to do was say so.”

Angel shook her head, pulling away from his touch. “I did want to see you again.”

“Then why leave? You had work lined up. There was no reason for you to go.”

She shook her head again and walked away. He came in and closed the door behind him. “At least tell me why. Then I’ll go.”

She tried to think up a noble lie, but the shock of his arrival had chased away all rational thought. “I was wrong for you.”

“What? What is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh Jeff, look at me,” she pointed to herself in her paint splattered clothes and bare feet. “Would I ever fit into your parents’ world? No. But Susan would. I was wrong to come between you. You should be furious at me.”

“I am furious with you,” he shouted, “but not because of Susan. Breaking up with her was the second best thing I ever did.”

Angel yelled back. “I’ve done nothing but screw up your life since you met me. Why would you even follow me here?”

“Because getting together with you was the best thing I’ve ever done. Can’t you tell I love you Angel?”

She wrinkled her brow. “What did you say?”

“I love you Angel.”

She burst into tears.

“That’s not quite the reaction I was going for.” He put his arms around her and held her tight.

She was crying too hard to answer.

“Angel, stop. I’ll go away if that’s what you want.”

She shook her head and took a couple of deep breaths. “I love you, too.”

He wiped away the tears from her eyes. “Then why are you putting us through this?”

“I wanted to do the right thing. I thought Susan was the better match for you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Angel shook her head.

Jeff took a deep breath of his own. “Angel, do you really love me?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Then do me a favor. The next time you think you know what’s right for me, let’s talk it over before you do something like this.”

“The next time? Does that mean you’re still talking to me?”

“No. I’m done talking to you for now.”

“Oh.”

“Now I’m ready to move on to kissing you.”

“Oh.”

That was the last thing said for a few minutes. Eventually, Cherub started to whine.

Angel raised her head. “I think she wants to go out.”

Jeff slid out of Angel’s embrace. “I’ll take her. I think I could do with a bit of cooling off myself.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No, how about you?”

“No. I’ll start making something while you take Cherub out.”

“I have a better idea. You clean up and get changed and I’ll take you out to eat.”

“That sounds great.”

“In fact,” said Jeff, “why don’t you call Tony to see if he can join us? I’d like to meet his fiancée.”

“Even better.”

“Ask him if I can stay at his place tonight.”

“Just tonight?” Angel tried to keep the disappointment from her voice. “Does that mean you’re going back tomorrow? That’s so soon.”

He dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. “Yes, I’m going back and so are you. You have clients to see, remember?”

She smiled. “I guess I do.”

“And we’re invited to my parents’ house for dinner on Saturday, just the four of us this time.”

“They really want me to come back?” She couldn’t believe they would want her rather than someone of Susan’s type.

“Yes. I showed them some of your greeting cards and they want you to do a painting of their house.”

“I didn’t give you any of my cards.”

“I bought Grace’s entire supply.”

“Are you sure they aren’t just being nice?”

“You really are talented, Angel. You shouldn’t have to ask that.”

“I may have to stay for a while, then,” she conceded.

“I think you will. In fact, I think you should see if your brother would like to buy this house. A married couple needs their own place.”

“Where will I live then?” Her head was spinning with all these new ideas he kept throwing at her.

He shrugged. “You could get an apartment in Orchard Hill. You can paint. You can get a part time job for a while, until your painting takes off.”

“Since you seem to have all this worked out, just where will I get a job?”

“Well,” said Jeff, innocently, “I have been thinking of getting a receptionist and since you already know your way around my office…”

Angel took a deep breath and searched his eyes. “This is moving so fast. Are you sure about this Jeff?”

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I’m a decisive kind of person, Angel. Once I know what I want, I go after it.”

Warmth rushed into her face.

He sighed. “And I am definitely going after you.”

Cherub barked at the door.

“All right,” Jeff said. “Let’s get this show on the road. You have your duties, I have mine. I’ll walk the dog.”

“I’ll change and call Tony.”

“Meet you back here in ten minutes.”

Angel smiled. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

He returned her smile with a wicked one of his own and kissed her once more. “I know you will.”

He took Cherub’s leash from his pocket, snapped it on to her collar and led her outside. Angel shut the door behind him, a big smile on her face.

And a lightness in her heart that was all joy.

TITLE

Epilogue: Pansy

Pansy Parker frowned as she saw Jeff and Angel walk into the sanctuary together for Sunday service. She’d been sure when Angel left that Misty’s match between Angel and Jeff would fail. But Jeff had gone after her and brought her back. She had to admit—to herself, at least—that the two made a nice couple. Perhaps Misty hadn’t done too badly on that one.

“Oh, well,” Pansy consoled herself. “It will take more than one match to win this contest.” And she was already working on her next pair. It was past time for Lily Robinson to get over her ex-husband and find someone new. Poor Ian had been pining for her since she moved to Orchard Hill. He wasn’t making any progress with Lily so Pansy supposed she’d have to help him out a little.

By the time the service was over, she had a plan worked out. It was simple and it would work. If Ian O’Neil knew what she had in mind, he’d be down on his knees thanking her. She smiled smugly to herself all the way home.

She couldn’t pull into her garage because a truck was parked in her driveway. It looked like her son’s truck, but she wasn’t expecting him. He lived in Detroit and that was too far to drive for a surprise visit.

Irritated, Pansy parked on the street and walked into her house. She could hear the television blaring the moment she stepped through the kitchen door. But she had to pick her way around two baskets of dirty laundry, a couple of suitcases and several boxes before she could get to the living room to see who was watching television.

It was her son. “Perry Parker,” she exclaimed in exasperation. “What is all this stuff and what are you doing here?”

Perry, a middle-aged guy who had less hair and more stomach than he had ten years ago, was lounging on the sofa, but sat up when he heard his mother’s voice.

“Hi, Ma. Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“Of course I’m happy to see you,” she said, with a clearly unhappy expression on her face. “But where is Jean, how come you didn’t you call first, and why aren’t you using a coaster?”

Perry frowned and grabbed one of the crocheted coasters from an end table and quickly placed his soda on it. Then he stood. “I’m sorry, Ma. I meant to have everything squared away before you came home, but I got caught up in the basketball game on TV.”

“What is all this stuff and why is it in my house?”

“Um…It’s my stuff, Ma. Jean’s divorced me. So I thought I’d come home and stay with you for a while.”

Pansy’s knees went weak, and she sank down into a chair. She looked around her orderly house, everything precisely in its place. Then she looked at the trail of Perry’s belongings spread from here to the door. She looked at Perry, hair uncombed, shirt tails hanging out and pizza stains on his jeans. Lord help her; her baby had come home!

Considering Lily

Prologue: Pansy

Pansy Parker surveyed the disaster area that was her kitchen. When she’d left this morning, it had been pristine. She’d washed the cup, spoon and cereal bowl she’d used, and then put them away before leaving for work. While she was gone, it seemed there had been a tornado in her kitchen.

The sink was filled with dishes. The counter had crumbs scattered across it, and the refrigerator was decorated with greasy smudges.

“He’s one person,” she muttered as she grabbed a dish cloth and began wiping the counters. “How much mess can one person make in just a few hours.”

“Hi Mom,” Perry said, striding into the kitchen. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll clean it up later. I made a cake for after supper tonight.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Pansy said, trying to dredge up appreciation. What were the two of them going to do with a whole cake! Especially one that was made with the whole wheat unbleached flour that Perry had brought home from the grocery store yesterday.

He had the classified section of the newspaper in his hand. No doubt the rest of the paper was scattered across her sofa. “Any luck in finding a job today?”

Perry sighed. “No. But, I thought maybe I’d take out my own ad. See if anyone needs a handyman. It doesn’t seem like there are any construction companies hiring now.”

Great. He’d never earn enough money as a handyman to get his own place. “I suppose you have to start somewhere, dear.”

“It’s a long way from being a construction site foreman, but I guess I can’t afford to be choosy.”

“Perry, dear, I don’t know why you quit your job in the first place.”

“I needed a fresh start, Ma. I just had to put everything behind me.”

“Lots of people get divorces, and they don’t quit their jobs and move in with their mothers.”

“I don’t have to stay here if you don’t want me. I have a little money saved up. It could see me through until I get on my feet. I could be out by the end of the week. Just say the word,” Perry said, and the worst part was, she knew he meant it. He was a good boy, after all.

Pansy forced a smile on her face. “Of course I want you here. I just feel bad for all that you lost.”

Perry rubbed his forehead. “It was my own fault. I quit paying attention to Jean a long time ago. If I hadn’t, none of this would have happened.”

“Do you miss her?” As annoying as living with Perry was, she did love him.

“That’s sort of the worst part,” he admitted. “I don’t miss her. It just tells me how far apart we drifted before she found her new ‘Mr. Right.’ If I ever get married again, I’ll do things differently.”

“Get married again? Do you think you will?”

Perry laughed. “I’m fifty-three years old; I have more forehead than hair and no place to call my own. I don’t think it’s going to happen, Ma.”

An idea sparked in Pansy’s head. “You never know, dear,” she said. She’d find a match for Perry and count it toward the challenge. But who to match him up with? She’d have to think about it. She’d find someone by the time she finished with her current project—Lily Robinson and Ian O’Neil.

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Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter One

Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

—Luke 12:27

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…

—Ecclesiastes 3: 1 & 4

She was dancing. A soft, slow song was playing and someone’s arms were around her. Lily looked up and saw his face. It was Ian O’Neil. She knew it would be. The dream was always the same—she and Ian dancing together at the New Year’s Eve dance.

That part had actually happened. Lily had avoided things like dances and parties since she’d moved to Orchard Hill, but she’d gone to the New Year’s Eve dance for Grace, her best friend. Grace had been jilted by her fiancé not a month before. Lily thought going out would be good for her.

At the dance, Grace had ended up with longtime friend Riley O’Neil and Lily, not wanting to intrude, had asked Riley’s brother Ian to dance. A dance was nothing, she figured. She could handle it.

Wrong, wrong, wrong! From the moment Ian had pulled her close, he made her feel special—cherished. That was why she had to avoid him now. Because those were the kind of feelings that led to dependence on someone, and Lily had learned it was better to only depend on yourself.

She’d succeeded fairly well in avoiding Ian in real life but not in her dreams. In her dreams, they danced every night. His arms held her tight, and she rested her cheek against his broad chest where she could feel the steady beat of his heart. Then the music would fade away, but Ian would still hold her to him. She’d look up, and his green eyes would gaze back at her through his gold-rimmed glasses. He’d lower his head and her eyes would drift shut waiting for his kiss…

And that’s where the dream ended every time.

The stupid dream had kept Lily tossing and turning all night. When she finally drifted off, Lily slept so soundly she didn’t hear the alarm. She came awake some time later, noting the beams of light shining through her curtains. She rolled over to check her clock: 8:30! Lily threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. She was going to be late for church.

After a quick shower, she dressed and dried her hair. Even though she ran a beauty salon, and knew how to do all sorts of complicated hair styles, Lily was glad she kept her own dark hair in a simple layered cut. It was easy to deal with on mornings like this. She grabbed a granola bar and was out the door of her small apartment which sat over her shop, Gilding by Lily. It was small but at least it was included in the rent she paid for the shop. She had to watch her pennies.

The Orchard Hill Community Church was only a few blocks from her shop. Lily walked there as quickly as she could in heels and a straight skirt. She hurried into the narthex, grabbed a bulletin and slipped into the sanctuary. The congregation was already singing the opening hymn. No time to look for Grace. Luckily there was an empty spot near the back.

As she slid into the pew, Lily noticed with annoyance that she was sitting directly behind Ian O’Neil. Just great.

The hymn ended, and Pastor Isaac began to speak. Lily forced her mind away from Ian and onto the service. Her willpower was successful; she managed to forget about the man in front of her by concentrating on the words and music of worship, until…

It was time for the passing of the peace. Everyone rose and exchanged handshakes or hugs with those around them. Lily shook the hand of the person to the right, and then turned to greet the people behind her. When she turned toward the front again, there was Ian holding out his hand to her.

Lily felt her smile freeze upon her face. She couldn’t let him see how she felt about him. She steeled herself for the warmth of his touch when his much larger hand enveloped hers.

“Peace be with you,” said Ian solemnly.

“God’s peace,” Lily mumbled back. There. That wasn’t so bad. She could handle Dr. Ian O’Neil. With a jolt, Lily realized that everyone was sitting down, and she was still standing there holding Ian’s hand.

She snatched her hand from his grasp and sat down quickly, glad she wasn’t prone to blushing. If she were, she’d be beet red right now. As Ian also turned to sit, she noticed a small smile of satisfaction on his lips. It took all her self control to keep from kicking him under the pew.

At the close of worship, Pastor Isaac reminded everyone of the coffee hour to be held in the fellowship hall, and then he said, “I’ve been told that Riley O’Neil and Grace Randall have an announcement to make.”

Lily watched as Grace and Riley stood up, holding hands. Riley cleared his throat. “Grace and I would like to announce…”

“That we’re getting married,” finished Grace. Riley held up her left hand so everyone could see the sparkling ring she was now wearing. Applause broke out, and those nearest the happy couple offered hugs and hands to shake. Then the organist began to play the postlude hymn and people started gathering their things and filing out of the sanctuary.

Lily sat there, stunned. She had no idea things were that serious between Riley and Grace. They’d been dating a little less than two months.

“Did you know about this?”

Looking up, she saw Ian standing there, towering over her.

“I had no idea.” Lily grabbed her purse and stood. “I guess I’d better go congratulate them.”

“Good idea. I’ll go with you.”

She stifled a groan, but didn’t protest, not even when he took her arm to help steer her through the throng. In the fellowship hall, there was already a crowd of well-wishers surrounding Grace and Riley. Lily and Ian hung back until most of them had moved away. Then, Lily approached first, holding out her arms to hug her friend.

“I can’t believe this,” she told Grace as they embraced. “You’ve been dating such a short time.”

“Yes, but we’ve known each other all our lives,” Grace explained. “So it didn’t take us long to make up our minds, I guess.”

“Once I got her to consider me at all,” added Riley, hinting at Grace’s initial reluctance to date him for fear of ruining their friendship.

“Congratulations,” said Ian, offering his hand to his brother. “I think you guys are perfect for each other.”

Then, he turned to Grace and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “If I have to have another sister, I’m glad it’s you.”

“Thank you Ian. It won’t be so bad having you for a brother.”

Reluctantly, Lily turned to Riley while Grace and Ian exchanged their good wishes. “Congratulations, Riley.”

“Thank you, Lily,” he answered. “And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Grace.”

She forced a smile. “I know you will.”

“But you’re not happy about this.”

How could he tell? “I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

“Hey, you two,” Grace broke in. “Come to brunch with us. We want to talk to you.”

****

The Apple-a-Day Café was a homey place in the downtown, busy now with the after-church crowd. The walls were painted green and hung with apple plaques, apple clocks, and pictures of apple trees or bowls of apples. The tables had red checked table cloths and the salt and pepper shakers were shaped like apples, with the salt being a red apple and the pepper a green one.

Ian cast a sideways glance at Lily who was sitting next to him. She seemed tense and ill at ease. He wondered what the problem was, but knew he wouldn’t ask. She was touchier than a nervous cat and just as likely to lash out.

Small talk prevailed until the waitress, a teenager with the mandatory green and white checked apron, came to take their order. When the waitress swished away a silence descended over the table.

Riley and Grace were holding hands on the opposite side of the table, and Ian wished he could take Lily’s hand like that. Most likely she’d smack him if he tried. He was annoyed with himself because he couldn’t get this crush on her out of his system.

“We want to get married this summer. In August, maybe,” Grace announced, bringing Ian’s attention back to the matter at hand.

“Why the rush?” asked Lily. “Won’t it be hard to arrange everything that fast?”

“I don’t think so,” Grace replied. “We want a simple wedding, and that doesn’t take so much planning. The church is free on several weekends over the summer, and we can have the reception in my parents’ back yard if the weather is nice.”

Lily arched an eyebrow. “And if it isn’t?”

Riley waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll deal with it. Hey, maybe we could have it at The Grace Place.”

“It might be big enough,” Grace considered. “It depends on how many of your relatives from out of town decide to come, Riley.”

“Wherever you have it, I’m sure it will be great,” Ian assured them, hoping to cut off any tendency Grace might have to go on and on about dresses, flowers and the like.

“We also won’t have a hard time coordinating the schedules of the wedding party,” Riley said.

“Oh, why is that?” asked Lily.

“Because we’re only going to have a maid of honor and a best man. No other couples,” he finished.

“That simplifies things,” Ian said absently, his attention already wandering to the ads on the placemats. Should he put one in for his veterinary clinic the next time the printer called?

Grace took up the thread of conversation. “And we want you two to be them—our maid of honor and best man.”

Ian’s attention snapped back. “Me, Riley? Your best man?” While Ian didn’t have much use in general for all the fuss associated with weddings, he was touched that his brother was asking him. As Grace had already pointed out, they had no shortage of relatives.

“Yes, you. Will you do it?”

“Of course I will. Wait a minute. What exactly does a best man do?”

Riley grinned. “Plan the bachelor party.”

Lily rolled her eyes, and Grace elbowed him in the side.

“That’s only one of the best man’s duties,” she reminded her fiancé tartly.

“I bet that will be his favorite, though,” Riley teased.

“No, it won’t,” Lily broke in. “Ian hates crowds and loud noise. Be prepared for a small, quiet party if he’s planning it.”

Everyone stared at Lily. “How do you know that?” asked Grace.

“I pretty much figured that out at the New Year’s Dance.”

Ian didn’t say anything, but secretly he was pleased. Lily had been paying attention. He thought she might like him if she let herself.

“You never answered me, Lily.” Grace reached across the table and covered Lily’s hand with her own. “Will you be my maid of honor?”

“You know I will.”

It suddenly occurred to Ian that if he and Lily had to stand up together at his brother’s wedding, they may have to spend some time together. This best man thing was starting to sound good, in spite of the bachelor party. Maybe Lily would finally let her guard down and he could get to know her.

On the other hand, it could mean a whole lot of awkward silences.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Two

“I’m so glad you could fit me in on short notice,” said Pansy Parker as Lily lead her to her stylists’ chair. “Betty, my usual stylist, has the flu today, and I do hate to miss an appointment. Appearance is important, and I do represent the church in my job, you know.”

“It was no problem, Mrs. Parker,” Lily assured her. It was a relief actually. Mondays were usually a little slow, and that had left Lily with far too much time to think about Riley and Grace—and especially about Ian.

“Isn’t it wonderful about Grace and Riley,” Pansy exclaimed. Lily nearly groaned out loud. “I wasn’t expecting them to make an announcement so soon.”

“You don’t think it’s too soon, do you?” Lily began to comb through Pansy’s hair, which she’d already washed and was about to set in curlers.

“Not at all,” Pansy said, obviously delighted in the situation. “They’ve been friends forever. I’m only surprised that it took them so long to figure out that they were perfect for each other.”

“Well, there was Steve, you know,” answered Lily, referring to Grace’s former fiancé.

Pansy sniffed. “It definitely took her too long to figure out he wasn’t the one.”

“When your boyfriend skips town and takes another woman on your honeymoon, it’s pretty obvious he’s not the one.”

“Definitely.”

Lily opened a drawer filled with curlers. She selected one and began to roll Pansy’s hair.

“And what about you, dear?” she asked. “How long have you been with us here in Orchard Hill?”

“A little over two years.” Two years, three months and five days of freedom from her ex-husband, but who was counting?

“You must be settled in pretty well by now.”

Pinning another curl in place, Lily answered, “I think so. I like it here a lot.”

“Yes, but living all alone, don’t you get lonely?

What was Pansy getting at? “No, not really. You live alone, don’t you?”

“My…my son Perry is living with me now.” The cheer in Pansy’s voice suddenly sounded a little forced.

“That’s nice. Do you enjoy having him home?”

“Yes. Of course.” She answered with a complete lack of enthusiasm. “But enough about me. What about you, Lily? Don’t you wish you had someone to come home to at night?”

“No. I’m happy by myself.” Surely the woman wasn’t suggesting…

Pansy sighed. “That’s too bad. I thought you might be interested in adopting a pet.”

Relief seeped through Lily. So that’s what this was about.

“The animal shelter is organizing a spring adoption fair.”

“That’s nice.” She was almost done rolling up Pansy’s hair. “All pets deserve a good home.”

“I just knew you’d feel that way,” Pansy gushed. “I told Mary you would.”

“Mary? Who’s Mary?”

“Mary Kingsley. She’s the volunteer coordinator at the shelter. Such a lovely woman.”

Forty-five minutes later, Pansy’s hair was its usual cotton candy perfection, and Lily was a member of the planning committee for the adoption fair. How did that happen? In the end, Lily just decided to be glad that Pansy wasn’t one of her regular customers.

****

Riley and Ian played basketball in a community league on Tuesday nights. Afterwards they usually shared a pizza before going home. Tonight was the first time in a while that it had been just the two of them at the pizza place.

“Where’s Grace?” asked Ian. “She hasn’t missed a game since you two started dating.”

His brother grimaced. “She’s at her mom’s place. Wedding plans.”

“Aha,” he laughed. “It’s begun.”

Riley slouched down in the booth. “Geez, who knew there was so much to do for a simple wedding? I suggested pot luck for the reception yesterday, and Grace just about bit my head off.”

“See what you got yourself into?”

“It will be worth it,” Riley assured Ian. “to have Grace as my wife.”

Ian’s amusement faded, and he was hard-pressed not to notice a prickle of jealousy. Would he ever find someone he could feel that way about? Lily’s face flitted through his mind, but he mentally squelched that idea as he picked up the menu. “The usual?” he asked.

“Sure, why not?”

The conversation turned to a rehash of that night’s game, and then to sports in general. They didn’t talk about anything more personal until they were on their last slices of pizza.

“You know,” said Riley around a mouthful of pizza, “this wedding stuff may help you get to know Lily better.”

Ian shrugged. “So?”

“So, you like her.”

He thought about denying it, but figured it was a waste of time. “She doesn’t seem to like me.”

“Lily is kind of against the male species in general, in case you haven’t noticed.” Riley’s half smile softened his criticism. “She doesn’t dislike you more than anyone else as far as I can tell.”

“Thanks. That’s encouraging.” Ian pushed away his plate. “I’m stuffed.”

“Me too,” Riley admitted, leaving his last slice half eaten.

“I should get home.”

“Wait.” Riley fidgeted with the grated cheese shaker. “Grace wanted me to tell you something.”

Ian settled back in his chair and waited.

“She says don’t give up on Lily. Grace thinks you guys would make a great couple.”

“What Grace thinks doesn’t matter.” Ian shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the conversation and impatient to get going. “If Lily isn’t interested, I’m not going to pine away. It’s no big deal.”

“Lily’s the first woman you’ve been interested in since you moved back home.”

“Yeah, well I’ve been a little busy setting up my practice.”

“I know, but now that you’re established…”

“Riley,” Ian cut in, “I can manage my own social life.”

“Right,” grumbled his brother. “Because there’s so little to manage.”

****

The committee heading up the organization of the Orchard Hill Pet Adoption Fair met in one of the rooms in the community building the next week. In spite of the fact that they’d just turned their calendars to March, the weather was bitterly cold and by the time she’d walked the few blocks from her shop to the building, Lily was frozen solid.

She came into the room hesitantly and took a seat in the middle of one of the tables, set up in a U shape. She didn’t see anyone she knew, so she began to read over the handout in front of her.

Someone slid into the chair next to her, and Lily was glad it was someone she recognized.

The petite redhead held out a hand. “You’re Lily, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she said shaking the offered hand. “And you’re Angel, right? I’ve heard you do some fabulous paintings.”

Angel blushed. “Thank you. I do my best.”

The artist had only recently moved to Orchard Hill. Lily had seen her at church a few times with her cousin Misty Green and lately with Jeff Bradley, the real estate agent whose office was near her shop on Blossom Street. “So how did you get roped into serving on this committee?”

“I adopted a stray when I first came here. It’s a long story, I’ll tell you another time. But Cherub, my dog, had to have some stitches removed and when I took her in, Ian told me about the adoption fair and I decided to volunteer.”

“That was nice of you.”

Angel shrugged. “It’s a good cause, and I thought it would be a good way to get to know people.”

“That’s true,” Lily agreed. When she’d moved here she’d made no attempt to get to know people outside of her work. She’d been filled with a fierce drive to show that she could make it on her own, to prove to herself that she could be independent.

Most of the committee had gathered, and the room was now filled with the noise of chatter and paper shuffling. Mary Kingsley, the chair of the committee, banged her gavel and called for order. Silence came by degrees, and just as everyone had settled in, the door opened one more time.

Lily looked up to see Dr. Ian O’Neil himself walking in. She turned her attention back to the papers in front of her and pretended not to see him, but it didn’t do any good. Angel waved him over and he slid into the empty seat next to her. He was two seats away from her, but Lily thought it was still too close. Fortunately, there was only time for a nod of acknowledgement before Mary began the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was for everyone to get an overview of the project. First, Mary asked them all to introduce themselves. After giving their name and occupation, each was supposed to share a favorite pet-related memory.

Lily racked her brain for a memory. The truth was, she’d never had a pet. Her father had been terribly allergic to animal dander. Too soon it was her turn.

“My name is Lily Robinson,” she began. “I own ‘Gilding by Lily,’ the salon on Blossom Street. I…I’ve never had a pet of my own, but when I was ten our neighbors’ cat had kittens. When they were old enough to be running around a little she invited me to come and see them. It was summer, and the kittens had a box on the sun porch of the house. There were five of them—three tiger-striped and two orange balls of fluff. They were all over the place, running, pouncing and wrestling. My neighbor caught one of them and let me hold it. It… it was very nice,” she finished lamely. Not much of a memory, but it was all she had.

Angel was next, and Lily was glad when Angel jumped in and started her own introduction right away. Almost everyone’s attention moved from Lily, but she caught Ian looking at her. She lowered her gaze to the table. He probably thought someone who’d never had a pet was strange.

It was a good thing she didn’t care what he thought.

She focused on Angel and the story she was telling about how she got her dog, Cherub. Then, it was Ian’s turn. Lily guessed she was about to hear a dog story, or possibly a horse story. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

Ian cleared his throat and spoke out in his soft baritone voice. “I’m Ian O’Neil, and I work at the Orchard Hill Animal Hospital. When I was a kid, I wanted a dog more than anything. But we had a big family, and it seemed we were constantly on the run between piano lessons, sports practice, play rehearsals and just about anything else a kid could get involved in. So, my parents thought we wouldn’t be a good family for a dog. Still I had high hopes of getting a puppy for my twelfth birthday.

“When the day arrived, I was wildly excited. I kept listening for a puppy bark. I knew it had to be hidden in the house somewhere. When my mom handed me a wrapped box with air holes, I thought this would be it. I ripped the paper off and opened the lid.”

He paused and grinned at everyone. “It was a guinea pig. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted a dog, and I got a ridiculous ball of hair instead. I tried not to show it, but I was disappointed. Then, after I had the guinea pig for a while, I started to appreciate him. He couldn’t do tricks or run along with me while I rode my bike. But Stanley—that was his name—was an excellent listener. I told that poor creature every secret, every problem, every embarrassing moment I’d ever had. Plus, I found out that when they’re tame enough, guinea pigs are great cuddlers. Not that I cared about that when I was twelve.”

A ripple of laughter went around the room. Then the next person began their introduction, but Lily didn’t hear it. She was captivated by the idea of a twelve-year-old Ian and his guinea pig. Before she knew it, the introductions were finished and Mary was directing their attention to the handout.

Lily learned about the purpose of the adoption fair, which was not just to find the shelter animals good homes, but also to educate people about the responsibilities of owning and properly caring for a pet. They finished up by discussing what needed to be done to get ready for the fair, and the particulars of the next meeting.

As soon as Mary banged her gavel to close the meeting, a wave of chatter erupted. Lily quietly gathered her things and pulled on her coat.

“Bye, Ian, Lily,” said Angel. “I have to go. Jeff’s working late, and if I don’t make him go home, he’ll be at the office all night.”

“Are you walking?” Lily asked. “I’ll walk with you.”

Angel wrapped a colorful scarf around her neck. “All right.”

“I have a better idea,” said Ian. “I’ll give you both a ride. It’s freezing out there.”

“It’s only a few blocks,” Lily protested as she pulled on her mittens. “Your car won’t even be warm by the time we get there.”

“Still, with this weather, I’d rather ride than walk,” Angel chimed in.

Lily gave in, and the three of them went out to Ian’s car. Angel scooted into the back seat so Lily was forced to sit next to Ian. She noticed with satisfaction that the seats were as hard as concrete from the cold. Riding would not be any warmer than walking.

Apple Blossom Realty was their first stop. There was a light shining and Jeff’s profile could be seen through the window. Lily felt a twinge of jealousy as Angel slipped inside. Lily had no one waiting at home for her.

But that was the way she wanted it, she reminded herself. No one waiting for her, but no one to accuse her of being unfaithful when she went out by herself, no one to belittle her intelligence or magnify every mistake she made. It was better this way.

“So, you’ve never had a pet?”

Lost in her thoughts, Lily had almost forgotten about Ian. “No. I suppose you think that’s terrible.” She wanted to cringe at the sharp tone she heard in her voice, but she also didn’t want to start any cozy conversations with Ian.

“No. Not everyone should have a pet.”

“Are you saying I couldn’t take care of a pet?”

“No, that’s not what I said at all.” Ian pulled up in front of the shop. “Why are you determined to take everything the wrong way?”

Lily was filled with embarrassment. Suddenly she didn’t want to be known for her sharp tongue. “I…I’m sorry. Maybe I’m just afflicted with chronic crabbiness.”

Ian laughed as he turned off the car. “Maybe there’s a cure?”

“If you find it, let me know. Why did you turn the car off?”

“I was going to walk you to your door.”

“Why? You didn’t do that for Angel?”

“I knew Jeff was waiting for her. You’re going into an empty apartment.”

“Oh, please, this is Orchard Hill. I hardly think I’ll walk in on a burglar or something.” Irritation laced her voice.

“You never know. My mother would never forgive me if I didn’t walk you to your door.” Ian got out of the car.

Lily followed suit. “And just how would your mother know?”

“You never know.” He grinned at her. “This is, as you pointed out, Orchard Hill. Gossip spreads like wildfire in a small town.”

“Then I think it would cause more gossip for you to come up to my apartment.” Ha. Let him get around that one.

“Not if I don’t stay long.”

She gave up. It was cold and she wanted to be inside. “All right. Come on.”

She had to stifle a giggle when he answered with, “Thanks for the gracious invitation.”

She let him in by the side door and up the stairs to her apartment. The phone was ringing. She tried to hurry but as soon as she unlocked the door they heard the answering machine pick up. Lily took two steps into her apartment and heard her ex-husband’s voice.

“It figures you aren’t home. I suppose you’re out with some new boyfriend. There’s always someone with you, isn’t there. Well, you’d better call me back when you get home, and I mean it.”

The voice went on, and she stopped in horror, knowing that Ian was hearing every word of his venomous tirade. She wanted to stop the machine but was afraid if she cut it off, Ted would know she was home and call back.

Finally he ran out of horrible things to say and hung up. Lily wrapped her arms around herself, embarrassed, mortified beyond measure. Would Ian believe the horrible things Ted accused her of? Without turning around, she said, “Thank you for walking me up, Ian. I’ll see you at church.”

She waited to hear the door closing. Instead, she felt his hand on her shoulder. “What was that all about?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Was that your ex-husband?”

She nodded. Tears were welling up, choking her. She couldn’t speak.

“Does he call you often?”

She didn’t answer, hoping he’d go away. But instead, he shut he door and moved in front of her. He didn’t ask any more questions, just drew her into a hug. A hug that seduced her with its offer of comfort and support. She wanted to hide in the circle of his arms.

Instead, she said, “Don’t Ian. Don’t be nice to me.” She tried to push him away, but he tightened his arms around her, and she felt herself give in, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Ian held her and stroked her hair. He murmured soothing words to her, and it was more than she could take. The sobs she’d been holding in escaped.

Suddenly the phone began to ring again, shattering the stillness. Lily lifted her head and stared at it. It had to be Ted.

Before she could stop him, Ian picked up the phone. “Hello.”

There was a pause, and then she could hear Ted’s voice through the phone. “Who is this?”

“Who is this?” Ian countered.

“I want to talk to Lily. Get her on the phone.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Who are you? Her boyfriend?”

“I’m a friend.”

Lily tried to wrestle the phone away. Ian wouldn’t let go. She could hear Ted’s voice, hear how angry he was. “Well, listen, friend, I need to talk to Lily.”

“Lily can’t come to the phone now. Can I take a message?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you a message.” She cringed at the language Ted used.

“That’s not a message I can repeat. If you want to talk to Lily, I suggest you learn a few manners. Until then, she doesn’t want to hear from you.” He hung up.

“Ian, how could you do that?” Lily cried. “He’ll be so angry now. There’ll be no reasoning with him.”

“Do you think he’ll call back?

“Yes!”

“Do you want me to take you to Grace’s house. I’m sure you can stay there for the night.”

“But what do I do tomorrow? Or the next day?” Lily ran her hands through her hair in frustration. Already the anxiety of dealing with Ted had her stomach tightening in knots. “I know you were trying to help, but you’ve just made everything worse.”

“He shouldn’t get away with talking to you like that,” he insisted.

Lily laughed, a harsh sound. “He doesn’t know any other way to communicate.”

“Is that why you left him?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. I left him because of the other women he was seeing.”

“You shouldn’t have to talk to him. Why is he calling you anyway?”

“I inherited a little money from an uncle. He thinks he deserves half even though it happened after the divorce.” Shut up Lily, shut up. You don’t have to tell him these things.

“You aren’t going to give him anything, are you?”

“All right, that’s enough. This is my problem and I’m the one who has to handle it.”

“So you’re telling me to go home?”

“Yes.”

His jaw was set in a stubborn line, and he didn’t move. What should she do? She had to get him out of here.

The phone started to ring again. Lily lunged for it, grabbing it before Ian could move.

“Go, Ian. I mean it,” she said in her sternest voice. “I don’t need your help.” He looked so worried that she relented a bit. “Please, Ian.” The phone rang again, vibrating in her hand.

“Is that what you really want?”

“It’s what I really want.”

He left, closing the door behind himself. She listened for his feet on the stairs to make sure he was actually leaving. When she heard the downstairs door close, she answered the phone.

“Well, it’s about time. Who was that jerk?”

Lily took a deep breath and prepared herself for battle.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Three

Outside, Ian stood by his car, not sure what to do. He’d been shocked by the phone call, the nasty things that man had said about Lily, the crude language…Everything in him was screaming that it was wrong to leave her. But she’d kicked him out. What could he do?

He slid into the car where he could at least escape the wind. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Grace’s number. No answer. Then he remembered that Riley said she was at her mother’s a lot lately. Ian didn’t have that number so he called Riley.

“Hey, Ian, what’s up?”

“Nothing good I’m afraid.” He explained the problem as briefly as possible. He tried not to give too many details, knowing it would embarrass Lily. “Can you have Grace call her and see if she needs anything?”

“Yeah, I’ll call her right away. Are you sure Lily’s all right?”

“I’m positive she’s not, but she won’t let me help her.” Ian was not the type of person to sit by when a situation called for action. The frustration of doing nothing had him on edge.

“Well, she does have a point,” Riley said. “Unless you’re signing on to be there for her 24/7, she has to learn to handle her ex by herself.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear,” growled Ian as he hung up.

****

Reluctantly, Ian went home to his ranch-style house on a few acres outside of town. He’d done the best he could do under the circumstances, he told himself, but he didn’t feel any better.

Before he went inside, he walked to the back of the house and let George out of his kennel. At the animal shelter, George had been a tiny scared puppy. Now he was a huge, hairy, drooling monster. But Ian had worked with him diligently, and he was at least a well-mannered, huge, hairy, drooling monster.

Thrilled to have Ian home, George romped around, wagging his tail excitedly. Dog and master went inside. Ian fed George and put a frozen pizza in the oven for himself. While it baked, he went down the hall to the house’s second bedroom. The moment he opened the door there was a chorus of high pitched squeals. Ian smiled, and his mood lifted to see his three guinea pigs excitedly popcorning when they saw him. He gave Clover, Alfalfa and Petunia each some fresh hay and water.

George, who was not allowed in the “pig pen,” whined softly outside. Ian went from cage to cage, talking to and stroking each guinea pig. When the timer on the oven buzzed, he finished up and returned to the kitchen, securely closing the door behind him, to George’s disappointment.

While he ate and channel surfed, Ian wondered if he should call Lily. She was probably still mad at him, maybe even more so if she’d discovered he’d called Riley. But he wanted to know she was all right. How bad was this ex-husband and where did he live anyway? Close enough to come over and cause trouble if he was mad enough? For Lily’s sake, he hoped not.

Before Ian gave in to his urge to call, the phone rang. It was Riley.

“I thought you’d want an update,” his brother told him. “I called Grace at her mother’s and told her about Lily. She went over to her apartment right away. Ted, Lily’s ex was calling about every five minutes, and Grace finally convinced Lily to go home with her.”

Ian felt relieved. “She’s all right then.”

“Well, pretty much. I guess she’s really angry at you.”

“I know. She didn’t like that I talked to him.”

“That’s an understatement. She said it was your fault he went all crazy with the phone calls. I guess he doesn’t like the idea that she might have a boyfriend.”

“I was trying to help.”

“I know, Ian. I’m just telling you, you might want to tread softly around Lily for a while.”

He let out a sigh of frustration. “That’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Riley chuckled. “Don’t give up. Grace thinks Lily is secretly touched by your gesture.”

“This sounds like a conversation we might have had in junior high,” Ian responded dryly.

“Think of her like one of those strays you’re always helping with at the shelter. She’s been hurt, and she’s afraid to trust. How would you help an animal like that?”

“I can hardly treat Lily like a lame schnauzer.”

“No, but the concept is the same. How do you learn to trust again?”

“Hmmm. You may have something there, Riley.”

****

The next morning, Lily opened her shop on time, in spite of being sleep deprived, in spite of the fact that she didn’t have an appointment scheduled for a couple of hours. She was angry with both Ted and Ian. True, Ted was acting like a jerk, but Ian had just added fuel to the fire. Still, as she’d finally drifted off, sometime around 3 a.m., she remembered how Ian had held her while she’d cried.

It was a gesture of comfort; a hug like Grace would give her. Friends had been in short supply in Lily’s life for a long time, by her own choice. And male friends had been scarcer for an even longer time. Ian had held her and comforted her and hadn’t asked for anything in return, not even a kiss. Lily didn’t know what to make of it. How could she be angry with him and touched by his actions at the same time?

As Lily was setting up her work station, the bell on the door jingled. Angel Marcel walked in. “Good morning, Lily,” she called.

“Hi Angel,” she answered, with a smile she realized was sincere. “What can I do for you?”

“This may seem like an odd question…” she paused, wringing her hands.

“What is it?”

“I hope you aren’t offended but…”

Truly puzzled now, Lily urged her to finish.

“Do you ever take dogs as clients?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know who else to ask.” Angel’s words rushed out now. “Cherub got away from me last night. Actually, she’s quite the escape artist. Usually she comes back home pretty quickly, but last night she must have found something to roll in, and now she…well, she stinks to high heaven. I usually take her to work with me, but Jeff won’t let her in the office, and I can’t say that I blame him, but she’s not used to being home by herself all day…”

“Angel, breathe,” commanded Lily, steering her to a chair. “Where is Cherub now?”

“I tied her leash to the bike rack outside. But I can’t leave her there for long, because she’ll slip out of her collar if she gets bored.”

“Maybe you should have named her Houdini.”

With a wail, Angel hid her head in her hands. “What am I going to do?”

Lily was hard pressed to hold back a laugh. “Well, I can’t do anything for her in here. Bring her around the back, to the laundry room. Maybe we can bathe her in the sink there.”

An hour later, Lily and Angel were both soaked, and Cherub still smelled awful. “I’m sorry, Angel. I don’t know what else to do.”

“It’s okay, Lily. I really appreciate that you tried. Cherub will just have to stay home today, I guess. I’ll have to change before I go in to work anyway.”

“I thought you were an artist? What do you do at the real estate office?”

“I work part time for Jeff as a receptionist. It’s just until I get myself established in the art world,” she added hurriedly.

“So you’re dating the boss?” Lily asked with a teasing smile.

Angel blushed. “I know how it looks, but Jeff is a complete gentleman.”

“I know. I was just kidding.”

“Anyway, I should get going. Jeff will need me at my desk”

“I really wish I could have helped you.”

Suddenly, Angel reached over and gave Lily a tremendous hug. “You did help. Thank you Lily.”

Tears came to her eyes, and she was even sorrier she hadn’t been able to solve Cherub’s problem. An idea came to her. She didn’t want to do it, but then again, she didn’t want to completely let Angel down.

“Let’s not give up yet. I have one more idea.”

“Something different? What?”

Lily took a deep breath. “Let’s call Ian.”

****

Ian was just finishing up with Mrs. Vernon’s cat’s yearly check up. The cat was fourteen years old and as ornery as…as Mrs. Vernon herself. He was seeing the pair out when his receptionist told him he had a phone call. Nursing a scratched hand, he went into his office and grabbed the phone. “Dr. O’Neil.”

“Ian, I need your help.”

This was the last person Ian expected to be on the phone, asking for his help. Immediately, his mind filled with dire imaginings. “Lily? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Cherub.”

“What?”

“Angel’s dog, Cherub. She rolled in something really smelly. We’ve washed her three times, and she still smells.”

“That’s it?” Relief washed over him.

“Yes, that’s it. Do you know what to do?”

“I have some dog shampoo that should take care of it. There’s a lull in the office now. I’ll bring it over.”

“Thank you, Ian.”

He was at Lily’s shop within ten minutes. He couldn’t help laughing at the two wet, disheveled women or at Cherub’s long-suffering look.

“What’s so funny?” demanded Lily.

He schooled his expression into one of polite concern. “Nothing. Here’s the shampoo.”

“Thank you so much,” Angel said. “I was starting to think I’d be living with this smell for good.”

The bell on Lily’s front door jingled. “I need to see who that is,” she said.

Jeff Bradley was standing there, looking mighty annoyed. “Have you seen my receptionist?” he asked.

“Yes, we’ve been giving Cherub a bath. Multiple baths actually.”

“Does she smell any better.”

“Not yet. Angel and I didn’t have any luck, so we called Ian O’Neil. He brought over some special dog shampoo. Come on, they’re in the back.”

Angel and Ian had already started the fourth bath. Angel smiled over her shoulder at Jeff. “We’re almost finished,” she told him.

“That’s good. I was wondering if you were coming to work at all this morning. The phone’s been ringing off the hook.”

“I’m sorry, but I had to do something about Cherub.”

With his hands on his hips, Jeff stared at the little dog. “You are more trouble than you’re worth sometimes, you know that.”

Cherub gazed up at him with big, sorrowful eyes. Jeff relented and smiled at her. “It’s a good thing I like you,” he said, causing her to wag her tail and spray Ian and Angel with water.

Lily grabbed a stack of clean towels. She gave one to Ian and one to Angel and wrapped Cherub in a third. “I hate to desert you,” she told them, “but I have a perm scheduled in ten minutes, and I think I’d better change.”

“And I’d better get back to work,” Ian added.

Angel took Cherub from Lily. “Thank you again for your help. I owe you one, and you too, Ian.”

“No problem,” Ian assured her and Lily echoed his sentiments. They left Jeff and Angel in the laundry room. Lily walked Ian out. He paused at the door.

“Lily, I know you’re mad at me for last night. I’m sorry if I made things worse with your ex.”

She shrugged. “I can handle it. Never mind. I know you meant to help.”

“I do want to help. Please call me if you need me. I’ll do better next time…if there is a next time.”

Unfortunately she was sure there would be. What should she say? If she refused his offer of help, he wouldn’t leave her alone. But if she accepted, he might think she was a helpless female in need of rescuing. “Um…Thanks. That’s a great offer.”

He studied her face. Did he notice that she’d complimented his offer, but not accepted it?

“Well, I have an appointment in,” Lily checked her watch, “five minutes, now.”

“I’ll let you go then,” said Ian.

She watched him for a moment, ignoring her need to hurry. Ian O’Neil was definitely different from most men she had known. She had a momentary wish to know what made him tick. Then she remembered she had to hurry, and she turned away.

****

On Sunday, Lily went to church as usual. She sat in her usual pew, surrounded by the usual people in her church family. But it turned out to be a most unusual Sunday. When Pastor Isaac stepped into the pulpit for his sermon, Lily looked up expectantly, waiting for the message. She was totally unprepared for the point to hit her like an arrow to the heart.

Pastor Isaac began with talking about spring. They were in Lent, traditionally a time for reflection and repentance. It was, Pastor Isaac said, “a time when the earth is as barren as our hearts. But just as spring comes to the earth, making all things new, so God brings new life to us.

“The bible states in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.’ It may have been your time to weep, to mourn. But surely as those times come, the time to laugh and dance will come again, just as spring follows winter.”

That was how Lily felt—as if her own heart was as barren and lifeless as a winter field. She felt deeply ashamed of her mistake in marriage, and she had consciously distanced herself from her friends and family so that the consequences of her mistake wouldn’t spill over onto them.

Grace had been the exception simply because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’d resisted all Lily’s attempts to put up a wall between them. When Lily found Ted in their bed with one of his college students, she’d called Grace. And Grace had come, no questions asked. Grace had helped Lily rebuild her life.

But now, maybe it was time to open her heart a little farther. She’d enjoyed Angel’s company, and Jeff seemed like a nice guy. Riley seemed ready to be friends with his fiancée’s best friend, too. Was it time to take a chance? Lily had to admit, she was tired of being alone. Grace, as wonderful a friend as she was, had less time for her now that she and Riley were a couple. But instead of feeling jealous, maybe Lily needed to broaden her own circle of friends—beyond one anyway.

Then Lily thought of her former husband. He’d been the sweetest, most attentive man in the world while they were dating. His darker side hadn’t come out until later. How could she know whom to trust? The thought of being hurt so badly again filled her heart with fear.

Would there come a time when the pain of being alone outweighed the fear of being deceived and betrayed? Would her soul bloom like a garden again or was it destined to be a desert waste forever?

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Four

The night for the second meeting of the adoption fair committee came around. Lily was nervous as she drove out to the Orchard Hill Animal Shelter. She’d been thinking a lot about Pastor Isaac’s sermon, and she hoped she could find the courage to reach out. Surely, Angel would be a good choice for a friend. Her judgment couldn’t be so far off as to mistake her sweet, open nature as untrue.

But Angel wasn’t at that meeting. When they gathered, Mary took roll call and announced that Angel wasn’t attending because she had an important meeting with a client. Everyone else was present.

“Usually no one wants to miss this meeting, when we get to meet all the pets.”

Ian was behind her, suddenly whispering in her ear. Lily hadn’t been aware of him, and her heart beat faster as his breath tickled her ear. Surprise, she told herself. He surprised me.

Mary had a few more announcements to make, but Lily didn’t hear them because Ian pulled her aside.

“Lily, I’ve been thinking about your situation.”

She stiffened. “My situation?”

“Yes. You live alone and have an angry ex-husband. What if he decides to come here to confront you?”

The thought made her shiver, but she refused to show that it bothered her. She wasn’t a damsel in distress that Ian had to save. “He’s never been physically violent, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Why strain yourself when words can wound as well as fists and don’t leave marks besides.

“I’m glad to hear that, but he’s still a little hard to handle, isn’t he?’

Lily didn’t answer. There was no sense in denying it, and Ian didn’t need her to confirm it after last week’s episode.

“Plus there are the usual safety concerns for a woman living alone.”

“Oh please, this is Orchard Hill, not downtown Chicago.”

“That doesn’t mean you should ignore simple safety precautions.”

“Okay, Ian, enough beating around the bush. Just what is it you want me to do? Install a security system?”

He looked surprised. “A security system? I wanted you to adopt a dog.”

A dog. For protection. But a dog could also be a friend, one that wouldn’t hide its true nature behind a charming façade. Maybe Ian had something.

The group was starting to move from the lobby of the shelter into the area where the animals resided. “I’ll think about it,” Lily said as she moved to follow.

With the idea of adopting a pet in her mind, Lily paid close attention to the animals as they toured the facility. First they went by the “cat” rooms. There was a gentlemen’s room, a ladies’ room and a room for neutered and spayed cats. Large windows allowed people to observe the cats as they played, ate and slept. Several cages with kittens in them lined the hallway. They were all adorable.

Next they visited the laundry room. Of course it had a washer, dryer, sink and table for folding. There were shelves that held stacks of clean towels. On one side there were cages that held guinea pigs, hamsters and other small pets. A pair of brightly colored parakeets made Lily smile with their antics. She paused at the larger cages that held rabbits, and thought of the upcoming holiday.

“There will be a lot more of those about a month after Easter,” their guide commented, “when the thrill of an impulsively bought pet wears off.”

“Why are we holding the adoption fair then?” wondered Lily.

“It gives us a chance to educate prospective adopters before they make up their minds,” the guide replied.

From the laundry room they entered a long hall filled with cages that opened out into separate kennels. Lily spent a lot of time meeting each dog. A number of committee members seemed inclined to linger here so it wasn’t a problem. The dogs and puppies were all so cute. With her living situation, she figured she should consider one of the smaller dogs.

“Do you see any dogs you like?” asked Ian.

She smiled. “All of them.”

He pointed out a few that he thought would be good matches for her, but Lily couldn’t decide on one.

“That’s okay,” Ian told her. “You should think about this first anyway. As we’ve been saying all along, adopting a pet shouldn’t be a snap decision.”

The tour was over, and they headed back along the hall by the cat rooms. An older lady in a gray smock was giving food and fresh water to the cats, and as she came out of the room with the spayed and neutered cats, one of them slipped through the door with her.

“Oh no,” she fussed. “There she goes again. That is the fastest, sneakiest cat I’ve ever known.”

The cat started to run, then slid to a stop on the linoleum when she was confronted with a hallway full of strangers. Laying back her ears, she hissed, and then turned and ran the other way. But a couple of volunteers, coming from the laundry room with stacks of folded towels blocked her way.

The cat tried to stop, lost her footing, turned in mid-slide and ran back straight toward the gawking committee members. The ones in front made grabs for her, but the cat weaved through their legs and the people collided with one another. Lily stood motionless, not sure what to do. Perhaps that was why the cat chose to come to her. The beast leaped from the floor to her shoulder, and Lily reflexively put her arms around her.

“Don’t move,” Ian instructed her. “She’s frightened, and she may scratch or bite if you startle her. Everyone else, take a couple of slow steps back.” As they did, Ian grabbed a towel from one of the volunteers. Slowly he approached the cat. Her ears were still laid back, and her tail lashed about violently.

Talking in a low, soothing voice, Ian approached cautiously. The cat remained tense and wary in her arms. With a quick, sure movement Ian wrapped the cat in the towel and pulled her away from Lily. The cat’s claws snagged in her sweater, leaving a small tear by the shoulder. Ian handed the cat to a waiting volunteer. Once she was safely returned the group gave a smattering of spontaneous applause. Ian, not one to claim the spotlight, waved their compliments away, saying, “All in a day’s work.”

The committee members moved on to the meeting room, but Ian lingered to talk to Lily, who stood as if stuck to the floor, eyes still wide with shock.

“I’m sorry about your sweater. I’ll pay for it.”

Lily shook her head, bringing herself to the present moment. “The cat ripped the sweater, not you. Don’t worry about it.” She walked up to the window that looked into the cat room and found the would-be runaway. “What do you think happened to her?”

One of the volunteers that was still on the scene answered. “She was brought in as a stray, so we can’t really say what her life was like before. From her behavior we suspect she was abused at one time.”

“That’s terrible.”

The volunteer nodded. “Yes, it is, but we see it all too often.”

Suddenly Lily was truly glad she was on the planning committee for the adoption fair. If she could help prevent a pet from being mistreated, it was worth any amount of work they threw at her. “Come on Ian,” she called over her shoulder as she started down the hall. “They’ll start the meeting without us.”

****

Ian’s phone rang early the next morning. He slid the coffee carafe back into the coffee maker and grabbed the phone.

“Ian, this is Lily.”

“What’s up?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said last night, about adopting a pet.”

“Yeah? What did you decide?”

“I’m going to do it.”

She sounded happy. An improvement already.

“Great. Do you know which dog you want or are you going back to take another look?”

A pause. “Um…I don’t think I’m going to get a dog.”

“Then what?”

“The…the cat that got out while we were there.”

It was Ian’s turn to pause. “A cat won’t be much protection.”

“Maybe not, but…but I really liked that cat…and who else will adopt her? I talked to Sadie, the lady who accidentally let her out. She says the cat is afraid of people. Will they euthanize her if she isn’t adopted?”

“Probably not. The Orchard Hill Animal Shelter is aiming to be a no kill shelter. But they haven’t got the resources to keep animals indefinitely so occasionally they will have an unadoptable animal put down.”

“That’s terrible.”

“It would only happen as a last resort.”

“I can’t risk that. I want to adopt the cat.”

Ian sighed. He could tell her mind was already made up. “Okay. I’ll go with you after work today, and we’ll look at the cat again.”

“You mean it? You’ll come with me?”

“Sure. What time are you done today?”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I can do it myself.” This sounded more like the Lily he knew.

“I know you can, but I thought you might like to have a friend with you. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Lily said nothing for a long time, and then spoke. “I guess that would be all right.”

They set up a time to meet at the shelter, and then said goodbye. Ian dialed Riley’s number and cancelled their plans for eating take out and shooting baskets.

“I hardly see Grace anymore now that she’s busy with all this wedding stuff and now you’re bailing on me, too,” Riley complained.

Ian laughed at the pitiful tone in his brother’s voice. “You could come with us.”

“And be a third wheel. Forget it.”

“This is hardly a date.”

“Maybe not now,” Riley replied, “but you never know how it will turn out.”

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Five

“You’d like to see that cat?” asked Sadie, the same volunteer they’d talked to the night of the meeting.

“Yes, please,” said Lily.

She looked to Ian, and when he nodded, Sadie shrugged and led them back to the cat room. Lily’s cat was hiding in one of the cubby holes of a large cat tree. Lily would have picked her up, but Ian stopped her. “If you startle her, she might bite or scratch.”

He stepped forward and began talking softly to the cat, then after a moment he placed his hand on the edge of the cubby where she could see it. Eventually Ian was able to lift the cat from her hiding place.

“Does she have a name?” asked Lily as he handed the clearly unhappy animal to her. He checked her collar.

“It says her name is Maria.”

“As in ‘how do you solve a problem like?’”

“One can only assume.”

Maria was a brown tabby with a white bib and socks. She never relaxed in Lily’s arms but remained rigid until Lily reluctantly put her down. The instant her feet hit the floor, Maria raced for the safety of another cubby.

“Well, now that you and Maria have officially met, what do you think?” asked Ian.

“I want to adopt her.”

“Lily, this will be your first pet, and she won’t be an easy one.”

“I don’t care. I want to adopt her.”

Ian took one look at the stubborn set of her face and decided there was no use arguing. “Let’s get started on the paper work.”

The shelter was careful about who they allowed to adopt their animals. Lily would have to wait until they’d checked her references before she could take Maria home.

“That’s all right,” Ian assured her as they walked out into the parking lot. “It will give you time to buy all the things Maria will need.”

“What do I need to buy?”

“Dishes, a litter box, food and litter, a brush.”

“Stop, Ian. Let me write this down.”

“Why don’t we just go get it all now? I’ll go with you.”

“You must think I’m hopeless.”

He laughed. “If I thought that Lily, I wouldn’t have suggested you adopt a pet in the first place. But I’ll make you a list if you’d rather get everything yourself.”

Lily dropped her gaze and twisted her gloves in her hands. “I…I’d like it if you came with me. If you don’t mind. If you’re not busy.”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I was busy. Why don’t we drop your car off at the salon, and I’ll drive.” He saw the hesitation in her eyes when she looked up, and so he quickly added, “or you can drive if you’d like.”

“It’s okay. You can drive.”

Once they had dropped off Lily’s car, it was a forty minute drive to the nearest farm supply store—it would have been farther to an actual pet store. Choosing Maria’s things was fun, because Lily was excited about it. Ian realized that he’d never seen her so animated before. He’d thought she was pretty before, her Asian features making her seem exotic among the Scandinavian and German descended people of Orchard Hill, but the glow in her eyes made her beautiful, more alive. Now he had an idea of what Grace meant when she’d tried to explain to him what Lily was like before her marriage.

As good as it was to see Lily happy and excited, it brought home to him just how much she’d lost.

Once they’d paid for everything and loaded it into his SUV, Ian suggested they stop for something to eat.

“Only if you let me pay,” Lily insisted. “You’ve helped me so much, I have to repay you somehow.”

“You don’t have to pay me back. That’s what friends do for each other,” Ian protested.

“Do you mean that?”

“What?”

“That you’re my friend?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m not the easiest person to get along with,” Lily admitted.

“You aren’t that bad.”

“Yes, I am. And I know it because…because I try to be unpleasant.”

“What?”

Lily wouldn’t look at him. “I haven’t let anyone be my friend in a long time. I’ve especially gotten into the habit of being rude to men.”

“Because of Ted?”

“Yes, but probably not why you think. He used to constantly accuse me of having affairs. I thought if I stayed away from men entirely he would stop, but he didn’t.”

“Didn’t you tell me he was having affairs?”

“Yes, I suppose he was projecting his own behavior onto me.” Suddenly she groaned and turned away. “I can’t believe I just told you all this—in the middle of the parking lot no less.”

Ian reached out and took her hand, turning her back around to him. “Why did you decide to tell me this?”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Because no matter how rude I am to you, you’re still nice to me. I…I thought maybe you deserved an explanation.”

“Does this mean you want to be friends?”

“I don’t know if I can yet…but I want to try.”

Ian’s heart filled with admiration for her courage. He recognized that this was a big step for her. A million questions flooded his mind but he didn’t voice them. It would be a mistake to push her.

“I’m glad you told me, Lily. It would mean a lot to me to have your friendship.”

She looked so uncomfortable with the personal nature the conversation had developed, that he took pity on her and changed the subject, asking where she wanted to eat.

Shortly after they had arrived at the restaurant, Lily excused herself to the ladies’ room. Glad to see that it was empty, she slumped against the sink and took a deep breath. Her heart was racing like a rabbit’s. Why had she told him those things? She’d never told Grace about Ted’s obsessive accusations of her infidelity. Why would she just blurt it out to, of all people, Ian O’Neil?

But she meant it when she said she wanted to be his friend. She’d told him, so where did they go from here?

When Lily returned to the table, he asked her a question about Maria. She began to relax as the conversation drifted back to a more normal level of intimacy.

After supper, he drove her home and helped her carry Maria’s new possessions upstairs.

“This cat is well on her way to being spoiled.”

“I only bought what you told me…And maybe a few extras.

Ian snorted. “A few? I have nieces and nephews with fewer toys than this cat.”

They set the packages on the couch, and Lily began to rummage through them. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Not by much.” Ian dropped onto the couch next to the packages.

“Come on now, you’re the one who picked out the electronic mouse.”

“But those are fun. Cats love those.”

The shrill ring of the phone broke into their lighthearted banter.

They both froze, and Lily’s muscles knotted. She glanced at Ian and walked over to the phone as it rang again.

“Hello.”

Tension drained from Lily’s body like water flowing down a pipe when she heard Grace’s voice.

“No, Riley wasn’t mistaken. I am adopting a pet—a cat.”

“You should have called me. I would have gone with you to the shelter,” Grace said.

“That’s all right. Ian went with me.”

“You and Ian?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Um…nothing. Do you need help picking out all that new pet stuff?”

“Ian and I did that, too.”

“Really? You two spent the whole evening together?”

“Yes.” Lily was starting to become annoyed with the incredulity in Grace’s voice. She wasn’t so unlikable that it was unbelievable that a guy would want to spend a few hours with her.

“When did he leave.”

“He hasn’t.”

“But it’s so late. When are you going to eat supper? No, don’t tell me. You already ate—with Ian.”

“Is there anything wrong with that?”

Lily thought she heard a quickly-stifled giggle on the other end of the line.

“No Lily,” said Grace. “I’m glad you and Ian are getting along. It will make everything much easier.”

“What do you mean?”

“The wedding. You and Ian will be spending a bit of time together for that.”

Of course the wedding. That subject was never far from Grace’s mind these days.

“Right. I have to go, Grace.”

“Of course. I don’t want to keep you from your guest.”

Lily said good-bye and hung up the phone. “That was Grace.”

He looked as relieved as she felt. “It’s getting late for a week night. I should probably get going.”

He was right, but Lily felt a little disappointment that the evening was over.

“Call me when you get word that the adoption’s been approved. I’ll help you get Maria settled.”

“Thank you, Ian. I appreciate all your help.”

“Don’t worry. Your buying dinner tonight more than covered it.”

“No, really. I took up your whole evening.”

“I offered. It’s what friends do.”

His mention of their blossoming relationship buoyed her spirits. At the door, Ian leaned over and gave her a quick one-armed hug, and her spirits rose even more. “Remember, call me when you hear about the adoption.”

After he left, Lily stood at the door, lost in thought. How long had it been since she’d received such a casual gesture of caring from anyone other than Grace? She’d shut out her friends because she was ashamed of her failed marriage. She shut out her family because she knew her own pain would cause them pain. She hadn’t reached out for any new friends because she was afraid to be hurt again.

A knot formed in her chest, and her throat tightened with tears. She didn’t even try to stop them. Lily sat on the couch and cried until her lap was full of tissues, and her eyes ached. But it felt as if a weight had been lifted from her. Perhaps the ice around her heart was breaking up and spring was finally coming. Lily offered up a prayer of thanks and then, leaving all of Maria’s packages right where they were, she went to bed and slept like a baby.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Six

As good as Lily felt that night, by the morning she was appalled that she had opened up so to Ian. What did he think of her? He’d probably only said he wanted to be her friend because he felt sorry for her. Lily was tempted to pull the covers up over her head and stay in bed.

The ringing of the phone drew her out, however. When she heard Ted’s voice on the other end, Lily’s chest tightened with dread. “You’re up early? What do you want?” She tried to keep her voice calm and neutral.

“What do you think I want? The same thing I’ve been calling you about for weeks.”

Lily shuddered. She was tired of this argument. She wished she could change her phone number to an unlisted one, but if her number was unlisted, how could her customers call for appointments?

“I don’t have any money for you.”

“Listen, you owe me.”

“I received that inheritance from my uncle after the divorce settlement. It wasn’t that much anyway. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”

“Wasn’t that much? Why should I believe you?”

“I’ve always been truthful to you. Can’t you just drop this, please?”

When he broke out into profanity Lily hung up. She let the phone ring while she took a shower.

It was still ringing when she came out. Anger rising in her, she caught up the phone and pushed the talk button.

“Why are you still calling me? I’m not going to change my mind.”

“Change your mind? About what.”

Lily smacked a hand to her forehead. She’d foolishly assumed it was Ted. “Nothing. Sorry, Ian. I thought you were someone else.”

There was no mistaking the intensity in Ian’s voice as he replied. “Has he been calling you again?”

“Um…” Lily didn’t know how to answer that. She didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want Ian getting upset about Ted again. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

There was an uncomfortable silence so she added, “What did you want?”

“I talked to Sadie at the shelter this morning. She mentioned that you’ve been approved to adopt Maria. They should be calling you sometime today.”

“Really? That’s great.”

“When do you want to pick her up?”

Lily hesitated, her embarrassment about what she’d revealed returning. “I’m not sure.”

“When you decide, let me know okay?”

“You don’t have to come with me. I can pick her up myself.”

“Is that what you want, Lily?”

No, that wasn’t what she wanted. Before she could reveal any more secrets of her dark past, habit kicked in and saved her. “I think I can handle this without a big strong man. I’m not helpless, you know,” she snapped, resorting to her man-hater persona.

Ian was silent. Lily squeezed her eyes shut and waited. Maybe he would hang up on her. Maybe she should just hang up on him.

Finally, he said, “Okay, Lily. I can see you’re back to your old self, but at least this time I know why you’re being so defensive. I get the message. You need a little space. Call me if you change your mind. I’ll be here.” There was a click, and she knew he’d hung up.

She stood there frozen, still clutching the phone. He understood her. Part of her was frightened that he could see through her now. Would he use it against her somehow?

Another part of her was touched at his sensitivity. “I’ll be here,” he’d told her, and she almost believed it. The part of her that had opened up to him desperately wanted to believe it. But she realized that every part of her was going to be late opening her shop if she stood around holding the phone all day.

****

Ian put down the phone with a huff of frustration. He thought he’d really made progress with Lily last night. It looked like it was going to be one step forward and two steps back in this relationship.

So why was he putting himself through this? It’s not as if he didn’t already have plenty of friends, and there were certainly other women he could date.

But none of them were Lily. He admired her for her resiliency and her courage. He never wanted to see the day when the fight went out of her.

And then there was the New Year’s Eve Dance. That night he’d discovered that there was definite chemistry between them. What he wouldn’t give for another slow dance with her. But at this rate, they’d be eighty years old before she could admit that they were friends, never mind anything more. Maybe they could sit in adjoining rockers and hold hands at the nursing home.

George began to whine, and his tail thumped against the floor. “I know, I know,” muttered Ian, scratching behind the dog’s ear. “It’s time to go out. And time for me to go to work.”

****

By eight o’clock that evening Lily had had it. She’d done everything she could think of, and Maria still wouldn’t come out from under the bed. She’d offered food and treats, talked until she was hoarse and tempted the cat with toys, but nothing worked. Maria was entrenched under her bed.

Feeling foolish and desperate, Lily called Ian’s cell phone. “Hello,” she said hesitantly when he picked up.

“Lily? Is everything all right?”

Now that she’d called him, she didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make her look like an idiot. “I picked up Maria this afternoon.”

“Is she getting settled?”

To Lily’s great disgust, tears were welling up in her eyes. She hated crying. It made her look so weak. “Absolutely. She’s settled under my bed, and she’s never coming out. She hates me.”

“Lily…” he paused. “…I’ll be right over.”

Within minutes, he was there.

“How did you get here so fast?” Lily demanded as she opened the door.

“I was at Riley’s house when you called.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your night. You didn’t have to come.” Angry and frustrated at her pathetic attempts to win over Maria, Lily answered more harshly than she meant to.

He looked at her strangely, but just answered, “I told you I’d be here if you needed me.”

“You said I couldn’t handle a difficult pet, and you were right. Maybe I should take her back.”

“Hey, it’s only been a few hours. You couldn’t have done anything that horrible.”

Lily described how she’d brought the carrier home and let Maria out. The cat had cautiously stuck her head out, looked around, sniffed the air, and then took off through the living room, down the short hallway into Lily’s room and under the bed.

“She hasn’t moved since,” Lily wailed. “I can’t get her to come out.”

“Actually this is pretty normal behavior for a cat.”

“It is?”

“Yes, she’ll come out when she starts to feel comfortable. Probably while you’re sleeping or away from the apartment at first. She’ll have to come out to use the litter box and eat, anyway.”

“So I didn’t do anything wrong?”

“No. It’s better to let her come out by herself than to try and coax her out, but I don’t think you’ve done any damage. It will take a long time for a cat like Maria to learn to trust. She may never exactly be the cuddly lap sitter type.”

“That’s okay with me,” Lily said, relief flooding her. “I’m sorry I bothered you. You can go back to Riley’s house now. I don’t want to ruin your Friday night.”

“I don’t know.” Ian offered her a flirtatious smile. “Maybe I’d rather spend the evening with you.”

“With me? Why?”

“For one thing, you’re a lot better looking than Riley is.”

Lily felt her mouth drop open, and she quickly snapped it shut. Was Ian flirting with her? She felt like she’d just been a rather large pain in his backside, and here he was grinning at her as though he was happy to be with her. She didn’t know what to say.

“So what do you want to do?” Ian prompted her.

“I…I don’t know.”

“Can I make a suggestion?”

“Why not?”

“How about a movie. We can call Grace and Riley and see if they want to go too.”

“But…but I don’t want to leave Maria all alone.”

“It’s probably better if you do. I told you she’s more likely to come out when you aren’t around at first.”

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t want her to put off finding the litter box for too long do you?”

Lily’s eyes widened. He was kidding, wasn’t he? He had to be kidding. Still, better safe than sorry. “All right. I’ll change. You call Riley and Grace.”

She hurried away into the bedroom and closed the door.

Ian allowed himself a moment to cherish his triumph. Lily had gone prickly on him again, and he’d turned her attitude around. Who would have thought after the way she’d brushed him off this morning, that she’d be agreeing to go out with him tonight. Maybe he was learning to how to handle her.

He brought out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Riley’s number.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Seven

The evening almost got off to a bad start when Lily and Ian got into an argument about who was going to pay for the movie. Ian wanted to buy her ticket, but Lily insisted she would pay for herself. Grace solved the problem by suggesting that the women would pay for the tickets, while the men would pay for popcorn and soda.

“We got the better end of the deal,” Grace confided as she and Lily found seats in the theater. “Snacks are always more expensive, plus we only had to wait in line once. They’re doing it twice.”

Lily smirked. “I didn’t know you were such a mastermind, Grace.”

“Just don’t tell Riley,” she said and winked.

Meanwhile, Riley and Ian were figuring out what Grace had just revealed to Lily. “Nice going,” grumbled Ian. “Grace has you wrapped around her little finger.”

“Hey,” Riley protested. “If she hadn’t suggested this, you and Lily would still be arguing over who was going to pay. And we’d have ended up standing in line to get popcorn anyway. It’s what the guy always does at movies.”

“Chivalry is not dead.” Ian chuckled.

“So how are things going with you and Lily?”

“She says she wants to be my friend.”

“That’s not usually what a guy wants to hear from girl. How do you feel about that?”

“With Lily, that’s a major step forward.”

“Are you sure she’s worth all this?”

Ian grinned. “You know I love a challenge.” Then, with a more serious note, he added, “Plus Lily told me a little about her marriage. I understand why it’s so hard for her to reach out to people now.”

The line moved forward, and Ian realized this wasn’t the best of places for a private conversation, so he changed the subject.

The four enjoyed the movie but Lily declined to go out for ice cream after, saying she wanted to get home to check on Maria. “But you can just drop me off, Ian, and then meet up with Riley and Grace. I don’t want to spoil your fun.”

“No, I’ll go with you to check on Maria.” He waited for an argument and was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t offer one.

As they stepped into Lily’s apartment they saw a streak of brown fur heading for the bedroom. They discovered that Maria had found and used the litter box and eaten some of the food Lily left out for her.

“At least she came out,” Lily said. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Of course.” Ian stood by the door awkwardly. He didn’t want to leave yet, but Lily hadn’t invited him to stay.

“Do you have to go already?” she asked.

That was just what he’d been waiting for. “No, not yet.”

“Would you like some coffee or a soda?”

“Sure. Don’t bother to make coffee. A soda’s fine.”

Lily ducked into the kitchen. While she was gone Ian studied the few photos she had on her wall.

She came back out of the kitchen with two tall glasses. Ian accepted one as he asked her, “Who are these people in the pictures?”

Pointing to one, Lily answered, “That’s my mom and dad. My dad died a few years ago.” Moving on she pointed out several cousins, aunts and uncles in the other pictures.

“You’re adopted I take it. None of these people look Asian,” Ian commented.

“Yes. My parents went to Korea to adopt me. Sometimes it’s strange not to have anyone that looks like you in your family, but most of the time I don’t think about it.”

“Does anyone in your family live around here?”

Lily shook her head. “I have an aunt in Milwaukee that’s the closest. Her son Kenny still lives in Milwaukee, but he travels so much I don’t really count him. My mom lives in Illinois.”

“Do you get to see her much?”

“Let’s sit down,” she said, and Ian followed her to the couch. They sat on opposite ends, and turned toward each other. “Do you think Maria will come out again tonight?”

Ian frowned. “Did you just change the subject on me?”

“Um…no. What was the subject?”

Ian wasn’t fooled. She really didn’t want to talk about her family. “Family. You know, I have so much family, and so many of them live in Orchard Hill, that I can’t walk a block without tripping over a relative.”

Lily was drawing patterns in the condensation on her glass. “Do you like that?”

“Yes, and no. It has its good points, such as you always have someone to lend a hand when you’re moving. On the other hand, everyone knows your business and feels they have, not only the right, but also the duty to comment on every aspect of your life from your choice of career to your choice of dental floss.”

She laughed, and Ian relaxed. If she became too uncomfortable, he’d be out the door in no time flat. But he really did want to know more about her family.

“I always wanted brothers and sisters when I was growing up. I did have a few cousins that lived close by, and that was good, too. I…I don’t see them much any more.”

“Grew apart over the years, huh?”

Lily was quiet, staring into her glass. The silence stretched on, and Ian let it go. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, “I did it. I stopped writing to them and getting together with them.”

Ian tried to contain his surprise. He didn’t want to spook this skittish creature who was gradually extending her trust to him. “Why did you do that?”

“My life was a mess. My marriage was a joke.”

“You thought they’d be disappointed in you?”

“No. I knew they would hurt for me. I couldn’t inflict that on them.”

“So, you were protecting them?”

She nodded, and his heart twisted painfully at the sorrow etched on her face. “Let me get this straight, Lily. You stopped being friends with men because your husband was jealous?”

“Women, too. He was jealous of anyone or anything that took my focus off of him. He was just nastier about the men, so I worked harder at avoiding them.”

“All right. And then you cut yourself from your family because you didn’t want to hurt them? You’ve been dealing with everything alone all this time?”

“No. I have God. He’s always there. He never leaves us or forsakes us.”

“That’s true. But still it’s nice when a neighbor pops over with a casserole once in a while. That’s been a lot for you to carry.”

“I thought I was so lucky when Ted asked me out. He was my literature professor in college. When the semester was over and our class was finished, he asked me out to a movie. I was thrilled. We were married a few months later, after I graduated.”

“Is that why it seems to bother you that Riley and Grace are engaged already.”

“How did you pick up on that? I didn’t tell anyone!”

Ian shrugged. “I don’t know. I just did. Maybe it was the look on your face when we had brunch with them after they made their big announcement.”

“I know they’ve known each other forever, but it still reminds me of how I rushed into things with Ted. I didn’t really know him when we got married.”

“I guess you proved that adage, ‘marry in haste, repent at leisure.’”

Lily nodded. “Definitely. I think Ted’s problem is that he’s basically insecure. I first realized that when I received a scholarship to continue my studies in English Lit as a graduate student. Since it was his field too, I guess he felt threatened by my success. He was always reading my papers, belittling me, pointing out errors. It became such a problem that I dropped out and went to beauty school instead. Even Ted couldn’t be jealous of my shampooing skills.”

“That’s how it happened. Grace mentioned you were an English major. I wondered how you went from Shakespeare to shampoo.”

“Okay, now I’ve revealed one of my deep dark secrets. It’s your turn.”

She’d opened up to him. It was only fair that he should do the same. He took a deep breath. “I felt guilty because I didn’t drop out of school.”

“What?”

“My father died when I was close to finishing. Riley dropped out instead and went home to take over the family business.”

“Does Riley resent that?”

“He doesn’t seem to, but I still feel bad. I would never have cut it as a hardware store owner, though. I don’t know a wood screw from a finishing nail. Riley worked there all through high school. I worked on my uncle’s farm.”

“It sounds like Riley was the better candidate for the job.”

“Yeah, I know that. But he was so young. I wish I could have supported him more. I should have come home and worked at the store a while before going on to grad school.”

“Did Riley ask you to do that?”

“No. I offered, and he refused. But I should have anyway.”

“Anyone can tell that Riley loves you, Ian. You guys are always together.”

Ian smiled at her. “You’re an only child. Maybe you don’t realize how love and resentment can go hand in hand.”

Lily laughed again and the mood lightened a bit. Ian decided to let the conversation go. He’d learned a lot about Lily tonight. He needed time to think it all over.

They talked about the movie they’d seen, and that lead to talking about favorite movies and books. Their sodas were finished, and the ice melted, before Ian realized how late it was getting. “I guess I should be going, Lily.”

Her eyes flew to the clock. “It can’t really be that late, can it?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Ian got up, grabbed his coat from the chair, and put it on. Lily followed him to the door.

“I had fun tonight. Thanks, Ian.”

She was looking up at him, and he detected a shyness in her eyes as well as a softening of her demeanor. He wanted to kiss her, but even now, he doubted if she’d allow it. But maybe a hug?

As Ian put his arms around her he was surprised that Lily reached up and put her arms around his neck, hugging him back. Leaning down, his cheek rested against hers. They stayed that way for a few moments, and he wondered if he dared to turn his head and kiss her cheek.

Then they heard a loud meow. Maria was standing in the middle of the floor, eyeing them warily. He could feel Lily’s gasp of surprise.

The phone rang, and Maria shot back under the bed like a bolt of lightning.

“Oh darn,” Lily muttered as she walked over to the phone and picked it up.

Her expression changed, and Ian instantly knew who was on the other end. He took a step toward her, and she held out her hand and shook her head.

Ian stood there undecided. He wasn’t going to leave while Lily was on the phone with her ex-husband, but he wasn’t sure what to do to help.

“Just a minute, Ted,” Lily said. “Ian, please go,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “I’m staying.”

“I can handle him.”

“I know you can, but I’m still staying. Moral support.”

Lily stared at him and finally nodded. She put the phone back to her ear. “Now what is it you want, Ted?...Yes, there is someone here with me. A friend…I’m not giving you a report of my social life. What is the purpose of your call….I thought so. No, I’m not sending you money, Ted. My inheritance from my uncle was small, only a few hundred dollars, and I’ve already invested it into my business.”

She frowned and held the phone away from her ear as he began to shout obscenities at her.

Ian’s fingers itched to take the phone from her and take on this loser for himself. But Lily didn’t want that, so he stayed where he was and clenched his fists to keep his hands still.

When Ted’s tirade wound down, Lily put the phone back to her ear. “If you’re going to talk to me like that Ted, I’m hanging up. Don’t call again until you can hold a conversation like a civilized person or call at a decent hour. In fact, don’t call again at all if it’s about that money. You aren’t getting any.” She hung up the phone.

“Wow, you really can handle him.”

Lily smiled. “You doubted me? Actually I’m usually not so assertive with him. I guess your support helped.”

“Do you think he’ll call again?”

“I don’t know.”

Ian waited around another half hour, and when Ted didn’t call back he reluctantly decided to leave.

This time it was Lily who initiated the hug. “Thank you for everything, Ian,” she told him as she hugged him tight. “I’m glad I took a chance on being friends with you.”

“I am too,” he slipped out of her embrace, and then said good-bye. He left quickly before he did something that would jeopardize their new friendship. The urge to kiss her had been overwhelming. He wanted to be more than friends with Lily, but if she didn’t trust him as a friend, she’d never trust him as a boyfriend.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Eight

As March wore on, the weather warmed, and winter began to give way to spring. The snow started to melt, leaving the town slushy, muddy and grey. But as far as Lily was concerned, everything was sunshine and roses. She felt her heart opening slowly, day by day, like the petals of a flower.

Encouraged by her friendship with Ian, Lily decided to extend herself a bit more, to come out of her shell. She invited Angel to have coffee with her at Grace’s. Grace ended up sitting with them, and the three of them had a wonderful time talking and laughing.

Ian began teaching Lily and a couple of other volunteers to groom the animals to get them ready for the adoption fair. In between lessons, Lily practiced on Cherub until she was the best groomed dog in town, right down to her painted toe nails. Angel incorporated Cherub’s picture into the posters she was designing for the fair.

Lily emailed some of her cousins and was pleasantly surprised at their friendly responses.

And, she decided to invite her mother to Orchard Hill for Easter.

Only one thing spoiled Lily’s new found joy, and that was Maria’s refusal to come out from under the bed unless Lily was gone or sleeping. She had begun the habit of sitting on the floor beside her bed every night and talking to the cat, hoping Maria would get used to her and come to accept her.

She was telling Ian about this one Sunday before church, and he applauded her for her gentle approach. “Don’t forget she was probably abused and lived wild for a while before she was brought in to the shelter. It may take a long time for her to trust you.”

Lily sighed and made a face. “That’s all right. I can wait.”

Ian started to chuckle and then stopped. Lily could see he was looking at something over everyone’s heads.

“What is it?” she asked.

He shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s just that Pansy Parker and Misty Green were both looking this way a minute ago. Pansy sure seemed happy, but Misty looked pretty mad, and she was staring right at me.”

“Did you do something to offend her?”

“I don’t see how I could have. I haven’t even spoken to her in weeks.”

Lily shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t even you she was looking at.”

“Maybe.” Ian cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Can I come over after church?”

“To my place? Why?”

“I…” Ian looked uncomfortable.

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“No. I just hope you won’t be mad at me.”

“For what?” She was asking questions and getting too few answers.

“I bought you something.”

She cocked her head and looked at him, puzzled. “You bought me a gift?”

“Sort of. It’s a gift of the practical kind though.”

“Really.” She should have pushed him to tell her more, but for the moment she was fascinated with the sudden wave of shyness that had swept over him. His face was turning red, and his hands were stuffed into his pockets, his shoulders hunched. He looked like a little boy who’d just been accused of eating cookies before supper.

“We’d better go sit down,” Ian muttered and, silently, Lily fell into step with him. In the sanctuary, they found seats next to Riley and Grace. For once, the pair was not holding hands, and Lily noticed the tension in Grace’s shoulders. What had gone wrong?

There was a coffee hour after the service. When Riley and Ian got caught up in a discussion of the upcoming baseball season, Lily pulled Grace aside.

“What’s wrong? Did you and Riley have a fight?”

She nodded. “Is it obvious? I thought I was hiding it well.”

“The fact that you two are not billing and cooing for the first time since New Year’s is a dead giveaway.”

Grace’s shoulders slumped. “It’s this wedding, Lily. There’s so much to do, and Riley is getting tired of it. He says the wedding is more important to me than he is.”

“I thought you were going to keep it simple.”

“I was. I am, but there’re still so many details. And complications keep popping up.”

“Like what?”

“Like how many guests we invite. We were going to limit it to close friends and family. Well, you know what Riley’s family is like. Then, my dad keeps asking if he can invite some of his clients. I wanted a pianist, but Riley’s mom insists we have to have an organist. I was going to print our own invitations, but my mom says that will be tacky. Then there’s the whole question of where we’ll hold the reception—”

“Whoa, hold on, Grace; I get your point.”

“What should I do?”

“I think maybe you should give yourself some more time. Why does the wedding have to be this summer?”

“Because if we go later, it will remind everyone of…of…”

“Of Steve leaving you at the altar.”

Grace nodded. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to recreate the other wedding.”

“No one will. But what about a spectacular fall wedding? Autumn colors are great. Or what about Valentine’s Day? That’s when you got engaged, wasn’t it?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes, it was. That’s something to think about.”

“And you can ask me for help if you need it, Grace. I am your maid of honor,” Lily reminded her.

“I know, but I thought you were pretty busy yourself.”

“With what?”

“With the adoption fair and with,” Grace smiled, “with Ian.”

Lily returned her smile with a frown. “What do you mean with Ian?”

“Things seem to be getting pretty cozy between you two.”

“Well, he’s my friend,” Lily said. She felt uncomfortable admitting that, but she didn’t know why. Why should it be such a news flash that she had a friend?

“Yes, he’s your friend.” Grace’s mouth tilted into one of those teasing smiles again. “And maybe more?”

Lily shook her head. “No. Just friends.”

Of all people, Grace should understand what a big step it was for her to be friends with Ian. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested in the more part, she just wasn’t ready yet. What was wrong with enjoying what they had for now?

Just then Ian put his hand on her shoulder. Lily jumped, startled by his nearness. She thought he was still talking to Riley.

“Are you ready to go now?” he asked.

“Where are you two going?”

Lily shrugged. “Just back to my house for a little while. Nothing special.”

Again with the smile. “Okay then. You guys have fun.”

When Lily looked back, Grace was already deep in conversation with Riley, probably explaining the proposed change of wedding plans to him.

****

Ian followed Lily home. He tried not to think about the snippet of conversation he’d overheard. He didn’t know why it should bother him. He knew that friendship was all there was between him and Lily. He hoped for more. He dreamed of more. But he was starting to fear it would never happen.

Lily got out of her car and waited for him to park before heading up the steps to her apartment. He carried the brown paper bag with the gift inside.

When they got inside the first thing Lily did was to check Maria’s food dish to see if she had eaten anything while she was gone. With amusement, Ian watched her fuss over Maria’s things. Lily might have become a pet owner later rather than sooner in life, but she was a natural

Then she turned to Ian. “So what is this all about?”

Ian held out the paper bag. “I got this for you.”

She reached in and pulled out a cardboard box. “A phone? I already have a phone. I have several in fact. One for the living room, one for the bedroom, and one for the shop.”

“I know, but this phone has something the other phones don’t have.”

“What’s that?”

Ian took the box from her and pointed out an item in the list of features. “It has caller I.D.”

He could tell from the look on her face that she didn’t understand so he continued. “You don’t have to miss any calls from clients, but if it’s someone you don’t want to talk to, you don’t have to pick up either.”

Her eyes lit up. “You mean like Ted?”

“Yes, like Ted.” He’d been afraid she’d be mad, but the gratitude in her eyes may have been worse. It made him want to take her in his arms. He held tightly to the box to stop himself.

“Ian, you’re a genius! That’s such a simple solution. Why didn’t I think of that?” Lily launched herself at him and gave him a huge hug. The feel of her body pressed against his was more temptation that he could bear. He disentangled himself as quickly as he could without hurting her feelings. No matter how he felt, he didn’t want to push her if she wasn’t ready.

“I’ve got to go now,” Ian said hastily. “Lots of stuff to do this afternoon.”

“All right. Anything I can help with?”

“No, nothing. It’s all stuff I have to do by myself. Paperwork…order supplies…take George for a walk.”

“You have to take your dog for a walk by yourself?”

“Yes,” Ian felt himself starting to babble. He had to get away before he did something that would take him from being “just friends” with Lily to being despised by her. “George is very jealous. He doesn’t even like Riley to walk with us. Just the two of us.”

Lily looked at him as if he were a lunatic, and Ian was beginning to feel like one. “So, I’ll see you at the meeting on Tuesday. Bye.”

On Tuesday, Lily and Angel got to the adoption fair committee meeting before he did, but as he walked in, he overheard Angel speaking to Lily.

“Are you and Ian doing anything Friday night?”

“Well, I’m not,” Lily replied, sliding into the seat next to Angel. “But I don’t know about Ian. Why do you ask?”

“Jeff and I wanted to know if you two wanted to go out to dinner with us, like a double date.”

“A double date? You know Ian and I are just friends, don’t you?”

Angel’s face showed her surprise. “Really? You seem like more.”

“No. Just friends.”

Ian pulled out the chair next to Lily and sat down. “Yes, that’s us,” he muttered. “We’re pals.”

This was the second time in a week he’d heard her insist that they were just friends. It grated on his nerves.

Pansy Parker wandered into the room and over to the threesome.

“Are you lost Pansy?” asked Angel. “This is the Adoption Fair Committee meeting.”

“Of course I’m not lost,” the older lady replied. “My book club is meeting across the hall. But I saw you three in here, and I thought I’d ask you something.”

“All right,” replied Ian. “Fire away.”

“We need more workers for the Easter Breakfast. Can any of you serve?”

“Jeff and I are spending Easter with his parents,” said Angel.

“That’s nice, dear,” said Pansy, barely sparing her a glance. “What about you two?”

Ian shrugged. “Sure. I think Riley and a couple of my sisters are serving. Might as well make it a family thing.”

Lily shook her head. “I can’t. I’m having a guest for Easter.”

This was news to Ian. “A guest? Who?”

Pansy looked irritated. “Maybe your guest would like to help, too.”

Lily looked alarmed. “Oh no, I couldn’t ask…This is someone special. I just want them to enjoy the day.”

Someone special? Who could that be, Ian wondered.

Lily turned to him. “It’s someone I want you to meet, Ian.”

“Who is it?”

Her smile held a hint of shyness. “It’s a surprise.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t serve then, Ian. Maybe you should just sit with Lily and her guest,” Pansy suggested.

“Oh no, I can still help out.”

Before Pansy could say anything else, Mary banged her gavel for the meeting to start. Pansy left abruptly, shooting a dark glance at Lily.

Ian had trouble attending to anything that was said at the meeting. It was a good thing he was an old pro at this adoption fair. He wondered what Lily meant by “someone special.” Usually that sort of comment meant a significant other. Where would Lily come up with one of those? If she were dating someone, all of Orchard Hill would know about it. Maybe it was someone from out of town. But why would she want Ian to meet a boyfriend?

A sudden nasty thought chilled him. She wasn’t getting back together with Ted was she? No, that was ridiculous. They couldn’t even have a civilized conversation. He knew it was a farfetched idea, but somehow, he couldn’t shake it. He left as quickly as possible after the meeting.

TITLE

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter Nine

The day of the adoption fair was sunny and warm. The calendar page had turned to April, and shoots of green had started to appear in the gardens around town. Lily hoped they would have flowers by Easter. She loved the colorful daffodils and tulips that came with the spring.

She and several other volunteers arrived at the shelter early that morning. They bathed and groomed all the pets before placing them in carriers so they could be transported to the park downtown where the fair would take place. Ian was there, too, doing a last minute check on all the chosen animals, making sure they were healthy and ready to be seen.

Lily was busily brushing a white and grey lop-eared rabbit when Ian stopped by to give him a look over. In spite of the need to hurry and finish grooming all the animals, she took a moment to speak to him.

“I haven’t seen you lately. What have you been up to?”

Ian shrugged as he ran his hands over the rabbit. The nervous animal squirmed in Lily’s grasp. “Nothing much.”

She’d hardly seen him since he gave her the new phone. That moment had changed everything. To her, the phone with the caller ID had been a fantastic gift. It told her that he cared about her well being, but that he also trusted her to take care of herself. He wasn’t trying to control her or contain her on the pretext of keeping her safe.

In that moment, Lily knew she was ready to move on in her relationship with Ian. She wanted to be more than friends with him. And then, he’d suddenly disappeared from her life. She hadn’t seen him since the last meeting. Even at church he ducked out immediately after the service.

She took a deep breath and gathered her courage. “Ian, are you avoiding me?”

His head jerked up to look at her, and the rabbit took the opportunity to wiggle out of their grasp. It propelled itself from the table to the floor, scratching Ian in the process.

Another volunteer scooped up the fugitive and put him into a carrier. Lily picked up Ian’s hand. Blood was welling up from a long scratch there. “Let’s get this fixed up.”

“I can take care of it.” Ian grumbled and walked away. He didn’t look back, but he could feel Lily’s presence behind him as he walked to the deserted laundry room where the first aid kit was kept.

“You’d have to do it one-handed. Let me help.” She pushed him down on a tall stool that sat by the washer.

He held himself stiffly as she washed his hand and dried it. Then, she rummaged through the first aid kit and brought out some salve and bandages.

“I’ve really missed you, lately,” she said, as she rubbed the salve gently over the scratches.

He laughed, and it came out as a harsh sound. “Why would you miss me? I’m just a friend.” He couldn’t afford to forget that. And it wasn’t likely that he would after what he’d seen earlier in the week. He’d stopped at the hardware store to talk to Riley, and when he’d come out, he looked down the street toward Lily’s shop. A man he didn’t know was getting out of a car. Lily came out of the shop and greeted him with open arms. The man hugged her so hard that he lifted her up off her feet. When he set her down, Lily lead him into the shop.

Ian felt a sharp pain in the region of his heart. He’d been patiently waiting for Lily, hoping that their friendship would become something more, and now he knew it never would.

She looked up at him, surprise on her face. “Just a friend? How can you say that? Ian, you’ve done so much for me. You’ve really helped me get my life back on track. There’s no way I can ever thank you enough.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” he said gruffly. He wanted to ask her about the man, but she was holding his hand and standing close to him. It was affecting him more than he cared to admit. He had to put some space between them. “Slap some band-aids on here, and let’s get back to work.”

She reached up and smoothed the creases from his forehead. He kept his eyes averted, not wanting her to read what must be clearly written on his face. Her hand slid from his forehead and down to his cheek.

“Lily, are you done? We have to…” Before he could finish his sentence she leaned over and kissed him. He froze with shock. The feathery brush of her lips against his had been so brief he wasn’t sure it has happened at all.

Then slowly she brought her lips up to his again. Having used up all his restraint, he put his arms around her and kissed her back.

They were interrupted by the sound of a woman clearing her throat loudly. It was Mary leaning in from the hallway. “As cute as you two are,” she said “we do have work to do. Save it for later.”

Lily pushed away from him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

Mary smiled. “I understand. I was young once, too.”

Lily hurried away before Ian could move. He was stunned. What had just happened? Was he wrong about the man he saw her with being a boyfriend? If it was a boyfriend, then why would she kiss him?

Ian remembered what she’d said right before she kissed him. “There’s no way I can ever thank you enough.” Was that all the kiss was? A thank you?

“You too, Ian” Mary said. He’d forgotten she was there. “We have a lot to do yet.”

“I’ll be right there.”

He managed to put the band-aids on himself one-handed. Then, he went back to his duties as veterinarian, pushing the questions he had about the kiss to the back of his mind.

It was a long day, but a good one. The fair received a large amount of visitors, and many families applied to adopt the animals on display. Lily felt a huge sense of accomplishment by the end. A few families lingered. A young boy, perhaps thirteen years old, was reluctant to leave the energetic terrier type dog he’d apparently bonded with.

The couple whom Lily assumed was his parents patiently waited for the boy. The woman had brown hair, softly curling. The man’s silver hair made him look older but his face was still fairly youthful.

“Mom, can we adopt him, please.”

The woman smiled at him. “I’d like to, but I’m just not sure.”

“He’s old enough to be responsible,” the man spoke up. “Give the boy a chance, Faith.”

When Lily came over with the dog’s carrier the boy asked if he could apply to adopt the dog. She smiled at him. “Sure, if your mom and dad say it’s okay.”

“That’s not my dad,” the boy replied. “But I wish he were because he’d let me have the dog.”

“Kevin,” the woman said, “I’m not saying you can’t take care of the dog, I’m just not sure if you’ll have time. And we don’t know if he’s housebroken or has had obedience training or anything.”

“I promise to feed him and walk him every day. And I’ll teach him to sit and stay and everything.”

“He’ll do it, Faith,” the man insisted.

“That’s easy for you to say, Andrew. You don’t have to live with the dog.”

Lily watched the threesome argue. She wondered who the gentleman was if he wasn’t the boy’s father. They certainly seemed like a family.

Ian ambled over. “Hello Andrew, Faith. Looks like Kevin has his heart set on that dog.”

Faith smiled. “He certainly does. What do you know about him, Ian?”

“He’s a fairly young dog, housebroken but not well trained. If Kevin is willing to work with the dog, he’ll do fine.”

“I will work with him, Mom, I promise.”

“I’ll help him,” the man, Andrew, added. “I’ve trained a puppy or two in my time.”

With a shrug the woman gave in. “Let’s go get the forms.” Kevin said good-bye to the dog and ran along with his mom to the table that held all the forms and information on caring for pets. Ian and the man talked for a few more minutes, and then Andrew followed the woman and her son.

“They aren’t a family?” Lily asked Ian.

“No, Andrew is the school principal and Faith is his secretary. They’ve worked together for years.”

Lily shook her head. “They seem like more than co-workers.”

Ian shrugged. “As far as I know, that’s all they are.”

She wished she were brave enough to say, “What about us? Are we friends or more than friends,” but she couldn’t. Kissing Ian had taken all her courage. It was up to him to make the next move.

Lily coaxed what seemed to be Kevin’s new dog into the carrier. When she’d shut the door, she turned to Ian. “What are you doing when we’re done here?”

He looked at her for a few seconds and then said. “I’m going to make it an early night. I think I’ll just go home and crash.”

“Oh. Okay. That sounds like a good idea.” A lump of hurt rose up in her throat. That answered her question.

For the next week, Lily tried very hard not to think of Ian. She gave her apartment an extra thorough cleaning in anticipation of her mother’s visit. She even bought a bouquet of spring flowers. Her mother hadn’t seen the apartment before, and Lily wanted it to look perfect.

Her shop was busy, too, as it always was before a holiday. Everyone wanted to look their best for the family gatherings. It was with a sigh of relief that she flipped the sign to closed on Friday. She was done until after Easter.

And, she just had enough time before her mother arrived to change the sheets on the bed for her mom, and to put sheets on the hide-a-bed in the sofa for herself.

Just as she was about to head upstairs, there was a knock on the door. She turned and saw Ian standing outside her shop. Lily rushed back to the door and unlocked it.

“Hi Lily,” he said gruffly. He didn’t look happy to be here.

“What can I do for you, Ian?”

“I know you’re closed and all, but…”

“But what?”

“Pansy Parker just told me I needed to get a hair cut. She said I couldn’t serve Easter breakfast looking like a cave man. Can you give me a quick trim so I don’t have to hear about it all morning tomorrow?”

Lily glanced at her watch. “Sure, but it has to be quick. I have to get ready for my guest.”

“Who is this mystery guest?” asked Ian as he sat in her chair.

She put a plastic cape over him. “Someone you gave me the courage to reach out to.”

“That’s me. I should hang up my stethoscope and become a counselor.”

“Ian, sit up straight or you won’t be able to give you a good cut.”

She wondered why he seemed to be in such a bad mood. Was he mad at Pansy for sending him to get his hair cut, or was it her? Was he uncomfortable because she’d kissed him last Saturday?

Lily was silent as she finished cutting Ian’s hair. Internally she debated whether she should talk to him about it or not. She thought he was interested in her as a potential girlfriend, but she must have misread him. She should reassure him that she was okay with that.

She wasn’t okay with that, but she’d rather be friends with him than go back to nothing at all. She needed to let him know that things hadn’t changed.

Finished, she took the cape from Ian, and he practically jumped out of his seat. Pulling out his wallet he asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing, Ian. It’s on the house.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but then he shoved his wallet back into his pocket. “Thanks. I have to go now.”

“Ian, wait.”

He turned and looked at her expectantly.

“About last week. The kiss…”

Silence thickened between them.

“I just wanted to let you know that nothing’s changed between us. I’ll always be your friend.”

It broke her heart, but if that was what Ian wanted to hear, that’s what she would tell him.

Only he didn’t look happy to hear it. “I know Lily. We’re still friends. Just friends.” He turned on his heel and left the shop.

Lily locked the door behind him and went upstairs to make up the beds. Tears fell on the crisp clean sheets, and she let them. Some things hurt too much to hold back.

****

On Easter morning, Lily woke early. The hide-a-bed was uncomfortable, but she was glad to be sleeping there if it meant her mother was visiting.

Her mom had arrived on Friday afternoon. It didn’t take long for Lily to show her mother the shop and the apartment. They even peeked under the bed for a look at Maria. Then Lily had given her a tour of Orchard Hill and taken her out to dinner that night.

On Saturday, they met Grace for breakfast, and then Lily’s mother insisted that they needed to go shopping.

“Shopping?” asked Lily. “What on earth for?”

“I need to get you a house warming gift. I didn’t know what to get you before, but now that I’ve seen your place, I have some ideas.”

She had ideas all right. Lily took her mother to a mall in Green Bay. Her mother bought her new towels, new dishes, a new comforter. She would have bought Lily a new set of pots and pans if she hadn’t protested.

“Mom, you’ve bought me too much already.”

“No, I haven’t. I can see who got the better half of your divorce settlement.”

“I didn’t want anything that reminded me of Ted,” Lily admitted.

“I don’t blame you,” her mother said. “I’m so glad he’s out of your life.”

“I’m sorry I let him come between us, Mom. I just didn’t want you to know how bad things were.”

Her mother’s eyes misted with tears. “It’s all right. Let’s forget the past and look to the future.”

“And I promise to never shut you out again.” Lily hugged her mother, right in the middle of the houseware department.

“What caused this change of heart, Lily?” her mother asked.

“Well, I made a friend. He showed me that I needed other people—especially family.”

“Is that why you started emailing your cousins?”

Lily nodded. “I missed them, but I was afraid they wouldn’t want to talk to me after I’d shut them out for so long.”

“But they did want to talk to you, didn’t they?”

“Yes. Kenny even stopped to see me on his way home to Milwaukee last week.”

“Do I get to meet this miracle worker who’s given me my daughter back?”

Lily nodded. “He’ll be one of the servers at Easter breakfast. And there are some other people I want you to meet there, too.”

Lily started telling her mother about Angel and Jeff and Riley. By the time she started telling her about the adoption fair, they had left the mall and found a quiet café for coffee and conversation.

“All of this sounds wonderful, dear,” her mother said. “But you haven’t said much about the friend that started it all. What did you say his name was?”

“Ian. Dr. Ian O’Neil.”

“Is there maybe something more than friendship going on there?”

Lily put down her mug and shook her head. Then remembering her promise not to shut her mother out, she said, “I’d like there to be more, but I don’t think he feels the same.”

“You never know,” her mother replied. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

****

Easter Sunday dawned crisp and clear. There were cars in the Orchard Hill Community Church parking lot before the sun came up. The sky was just starting to turn pink when Ian parked his car there, and he and Riley headed into the church.

It didn’t take long for the church basement to become filled with people, and Ian was kept busy clearing tables and offering refills on coffee. Not quite busy enough though to keep his mind off of Lily. He dreaded the moment she would appear with her “special guest.” He prayed that it wouldn’t be Ted. He could accept another man, but not the one who had treated her so horribly, the one he’d heard call her terrible names and who had made her retreat into herself, cutting off those who loved her most.

As he carried another stack of plates to the sinks, Pansy tapped him on the shoulder. “Your turn to take a break. Grab a clean plate and go eat.”

“Sure. Thanks,” he said. Grab a clean plate. What did she think? That he’d take one off the stack he’d just put into the sink? Shaking his head, he went out to get into the line for the buffet.

He found himself right behind Lily. She wasn’t with a man, though. Maybe he hadn’t come. Then again, maybe he’d stopped at the rest room to wash his hands before eating.

Lily turned around and greeted him warmly. “Ian, happy Easter. I’m glad you’re taking a break now. You can eat breakfast with us.”

Ian wanted to smack himself in the head for walking into this. How could he get out of sitting with them?

Before he could think of a good excuse—or even a bad one—Lily turned to the woman standing in line in front of her. She looked vaguely familiar. Where had he seen her before?

“Ian,” said Lily, “I’d like you to meet my mother.”

Automatically, he put out his hand to shake hers. He realized he’d seen the woman’s picture in Lily’s apartment. “Mrs. Robinson, I’m pleased to meet you.”

She took his hand and shook it firmly. “Lily, is this the friend you’ve told me about?”

“Yes, this is Ian O’Neil.”

“I’m very pleased to meet you. Lily has told me that it’s you I have to thank for her invitation to join her for Easter.”

Ian felt a bit slow on the uptake. How was he responsible for Lily’s mother being here?

“Yes, Ian. You convinced me that I needed to reach out my family again. That’s why I wanted you to meet my mother.”

It began to dawn on him what was going on. “This is your special guest?”

Lily nodded. “You told me I should open up to my family again, and I did.”

“I’m very grateful to you,” Mrs. Robinson said, “for giving my daughter back to me.”

Ian was completely flabbergasted, a term he’d heard his grandfather use, but had never quite grasped the meaning of until now. Fortunately he didn’t have to think of anything else to say right then as they arrived at the head of the line. It was time to fill their plates. Pansy was serving pancakes. She looked very smug, but Ian had no idea what that was all about.

His break must have come and gone, but Ian didn’t notice. He was so happy just to be sitting and talking to Lily and her mother, so relieved not to be talking to Lily and a boyfriend. How could he ever have thought she’d be stupid enough to reconcile with Ted?

“The whole family is thrilled that Lily has come back into our circle, Ian. I can’t thank you enough.”

“I didn’t really do anything,” he protested.

“You must have done something,” Mrs. Robinson protested. “She’s been emailing all her cousins. Her cousin Kenny even felt welcome enough to come for a visit.”

That explained the strange man he’d seen hugging Lily. Why hadn’t he just asked her? This put everything into a different light—especially the kiss.

He sat with the two ladies during the church service. Easter Sunday had never felt so joyful as it did today.

But after the service, Misty Green caught up with him.

“Since you skipped out early on serving, you can help with the dishes, Ian,” she told him.

Before she could drag him away, Ian managed to tell Mrs. Robinson that he’d enjoyed meeting her. He wanted to tell Lily he’d come over later, but Misty was stronger than she looked. She hauled him back to the kitchen where she teamed him up with Hope Velasquez to scrub egg pans. He knew Hope was the librarian at the elementary school, and not just pretty, but bright and vivacious. Still, Ian hardly noticed her as he scrubbed away at the pans.

By the time he escaped from the kitchen with hands that he didn’t think would unwrinkle before the next weekend, it was already early afternoon. He made a quick stop at home, checked on the guinea pigs and George, grabbed the surprise for Lily, and then headed back into town.

When she heard the knock on her door, Lily thought it must be her mother. She had left just a few minutes before. Maybe she’d forgotten something.

She couldn’t keep the surprise from her face when she saw Ian standing there. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to do something with you.”

Lily stepped back and let him in. “Okay. What do you want to do?”

He had a portable CD player in hand. “Where can I plug this in?”

Lily showed him an outlet in the living room. He took a CD from his pocket and put it into the player, then hit play.

Slow, soft music filled the room. “That’s beautiful, Ian, but I don’t understand.”

“Dance with me.” He swept her into his arms, and they moved together in the small space as they had at the New Year’s dance.

Lily felt content for the first time in a long time, but she didn’t understand what was going on. “Why are we doing this?” she asked.

“I’ve been dreaming about this since we danced at New Year’s, and I wanted to see if it felt the same.”

She pulled away far enough so that she could look up into his face. “I’m different than I was at New Year’s.”

“I know. What I don’t know is: are we friends?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Could we be more than friends? Would you go out with me?”

“Go out with you—like on a date?”

“Date me, be my sweetheart? My steady girl? Let me court you.”

Lily stopped, forcing Ian to stand still, too. “Do you mean it? You aren’t teasing me, are you?”

He took her hands. “Lily, I’ve never been more serious in my life. Will you go out with me?”

She nodded.

“Is that a yes? I want to hear you say it.”

“Yes, Ian I’ll go out with you, be your sweetheart, your steady girl, whatever you want.”

“When you said you were bringing someone special to Easter breakfast, I thought you were bringing a date.”

Lily’s mouth gaped. “How could you think that?”

“I don’t know. I must be an idiot.”

“Great, I’m dating an idiot.”

“Yes, I am an idiot. You just agreed to be my sweetheart, and I’m standing here talking to you when we could be dancing again.”

Lily’s face lit up. “Or you could kiss me.”

Ian smiled and said, “Obviously, you’re the brains in this relationship.”

He did kiss her then, and it was better than a whole basket full of chocolate bunnies.

She felt something soft brush against her leg, and she broke the kiss to look down. Maria was rubbing against the two of them and purring.

“She finally came out from under the bed,” Ian exclaimed.

Lily laughed. “Well, you are very good at convincing people to come out of their shells. Even when they’ve been nothing but nasty and rude to you.”

Maria wandered away and settled herself on a sunny windowsill.

“Honey, you were worth it all,” said Ian as he twirled her around and they started to dance again.

TITLE

Epilogue

Misty took a look around her living room. Usually it appeared, as she liked to think of it, comfortably lived in. She hated the sterile showroom look of a perfectly tidy room. But her father believed in order—a place for everything and everything in its place. And she would try to keep up that appearance for the scope of his visit.

Misty loved her father, and she wanted to enjoy his visit, not listen to him lecture her on tidiness, so she’d just put up with it for a few days. He never stayed longer than a week. She could handle a week of putting every book back on the shelf the moment she finished reading it, of hanging up her coat instead of draping it on the chair in the kitchen and of keeping the coffee table scrupulously bare.

Misty decided there wasn’t another thing she could do to improve the tidiness of her living room just as she heard a car pull into her driveway. She ran out to help her father with his bags.

Her father got out of the car and stretched. “That drive gets longer every year,” he said.

“You could fly,” Misty suggested. “I’d pick you up at the airport.”

“Fly? I’ve never flown in my life, and I’m too old to start now. So, how about a hug?”

Misty gladly hugged her father. “Can I help you with your bags?”

“You sure can, sweetie.” He popped the trunk.

Her mouth dropped open. “Dad, why do you have so much stuff?”

“Florida was getting boring,” he told her. “I need a break. I thought I’d stay with you for a few months. Fishing season is just getting started. I’d like to try out some of my old fishing spots.”

She stared at her father. A few months? Months? “That’s a long time, Dad. Are you sure you can be away that long?”

“Oh sure, I’ve made arrangements, got a house sitter, all that.”

“Well…good. That’s good then.”

There was no way she could keep her house so scrupulously uncluttered for that long. He’d drive her insane.

And worst of all, how could she keep up with Pansy in their competition? Pansy was already one match up on her, and Misty had her next project already planned.

She had her eye on Faith Fielding and Andrew Thomas. Faith was a regular customer at her store. Misty knew she’d been carrying a torch for Andrew for years.

She shifted her attention back to her dad, who was pulling bag after bag out of his trunk. With a resigned smile she said, “Let’s get you settled Dad.”

She’d find a way to make this match. She had to. She’d find something—or maybe someone—to keep her dad busy.

TITLE

Orchard Hill

Volume One

by

Kara Lynn Russell

TITLE

Chapter Four

Grace went to work on Saturday, but she was so distracted and clumsy that she’d probably have been more help if she’d stayed home. Her whole brain was still in shock. Riley O’Neil had kissed her. And it wasn’t an ordinary kiss—it was a passionate, full throttle ‘I definitely want to be more than friends’ type of kiss. It scared her to death.

On Sunday, the worship service was led by the Sunday School, which presented their version of the Nativity. Normally Grace thoroughly enjoyed watching the children and seeing their own discovery of the wonder of Jesus’ birth. But today her attention kept drifting to the man sitting ahead of her and across the aisle: Riley O’Neil.

She had never thought of Riley as more than her best friend. They had gone to elementary school and high school together. They’d started college together, but Riley left before long because of his father’s death. He said it didn’t matter because he would have taken over the family business eventually anyway, but Grace knew he missed the chance he would have had for a few years of freedom.

Some people wondered why it was Riley who took over and not Ian. Even now, when Ian had moved back to Orchard Hill, the family still looked to Riley instead of to Ian, the eldest and technically, in Orchard Hill minds, the head of the family. Most Orchard Hill residents just didn’t understand.

But Grace did. She knew, even though he tried to hide it, Riley was much more sensitive than Ian would ever be. He picked up on things like emotions and body language. It was hard to avoid telling him what was wrong because he always noticed when something was bothering you, no matter how hard you tried to hide it.

Ian was a good guy, but he was analytical and logical where Riley was observant and intuitive. Riley was the kind of person you could tell things to.

And even though she knew all these things about Riley that no on else knew, she had never once realized—not even suspected—that he had feelings for her other than friendship.

Dating Riley. It was an idea that was both inviting and terrifying at the same time. She already loved Riley as a friend. But if dating didn’t work out, she’d lose his friendship, wouldn’t she? Now that she’d lost Steve, who had also been very much her friend, Grace didn’t think she could spare Riley.

After the Christmas program, refreshments were served in the gathering space. She smiled and made small talk with her friends and neighbors. She complimented Joy Harper on the Christmas program. Joy, the church organist, always worked with the Sunday School children on the music for the program. Then, she asked Jeff Bradley how he liked living in Orchard Hill

All the while, she had a strange feeling that someone was watching her. Glancing around, Grace noticed that Pansy Parker and Misty Green were together in a corner, looking at her and whispering to one another. That was odd. Usually that pair didn’t get along at all. And why would they be looking at her? Did she spill punch on her dress?

Grace dismissed it and sought out her friend Lily. “How’s business?” she asked as a conversation starter.

“It’s busy,” Lily replied. “Everyone wants their hair to look good in the family photos at Christmas.”

“That’s coming up fast,” said Grace. “What are you doing over the holidays?”

“I guess I’m going to my aunt’s in Milwaukee. My mom will be there. What are you doing?”

Before Grace could answer, Pansy popped up in front of her, dragging Riley by the arm. “Grace, there you are,” she said with a hint of false sweetness. “We were just looking for you.”

Grace tried not to notice that Riley looked ready to gnaw his arm off to get away. “What do you need, Pansy?”

“Well, I was talking to Irene Nelson yesterday, and she was telling me that they need more people to decorate for the New Year’s Eve Dance at the community center. So I was thinking about it, and I realized you and Riley would be the perfect team.”

“What makes you think we’d do such a good job?”

Pansy hesitated, as if thinking, then said, “Well, Grace, you’re so creative. You always do the nicest displays for your shop. I’m sure you’d be good at it.”

“What about Riley? Where does he come in?”

“He can bring the ladder,” said Pansy hastily. “So how about it? Can I tell Irene you’ll do it?”

Riley shrugged. “Okay. I’m in.”

Grace hesitated, not sure she wanted to do a project with Riley right now. But brain freeze had set in, and she couldn’t seem to think of even a flimsy excuse. Finally, she answered, “I think I’ll have time.”

“Great. I’ll call Irene, and she can call you two with the details.” Pansy turned to Lily and began to steer her toward the refreshment table. “Have you tried the mint fudge? It’s a new recipe I found.”

Grace and Riley were left staring at each other. Riley looked away first, dropping his gaze to his shoes. “So, are you avoiding me now?”

“No,” said Grace with a twinge of guilt for lying in the church building. They both knew that normally Riley would have been the first person she sought out to talk to.

“Well, I guess I should be going. I’ve had all the cookies and punch I can hold.”

“Riley.”

He stopped and turned back to her..

She put a hand on his arm. “I’m afraid. I don’t think I’m ready for things to change between us.”

“That’s too bad then, because they already have.”

When he shrugged off her hand and walked away, Grace felt abandoned. This wasn’t fair. She’d already lost Steve. Did she have to give up Riley, too?

****

Riley didn’t come into The Grace Place all week. Grace pretended she didn’t care because she had so much work to do getting ready for the annual Christmas party. On Saturday night, she was serving hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. They’d been baking cookies all week. Several local church groups were going to perform, and the evening would end with a sing-along.

“I’m so excited,” Vanessa told Grace as she lugged a heavy pan of dishes back to the kitchen after the morning rush. “I wonder if Riley will come. It sounds like something he’d like.” Vanessa was particularly looking forward to it, because she had never been to one of Grace’s parties before.

“Maybe,” Grace replied.

“I haven’t seen him in here lately, come to think of it.”

Grace cringed. She hoped no one else had noticed.

“I thought he came in every day.”

“He’s probably busy with Christmas stuff, too.”

“Yeah, probably.” Vanessa disappeared into the kitchen, and Grace gave a sigh of relief.

Her relief was short lived. She looked up just in time to see Steve enter the shop. Her breath caught in her throat. Were they back already? She’d been so wrapped up in her problems with Riley, she had actually forgotten about Steve.

“Hi Grace,” he said, advancing to where she stood behind the counter and smiling shyly at her.

She stood there like a deer caught in someone’s headlights and let him come right up to her. “Hi Steve.” She managed to force the greeting out.

“Look, I’m sorry about the wedding. I just couldn’t go through with it.”

As shock subsided, her anger woke. “Isn’t this conversation a little personal to be having in public?”

He smiled a little more. “Well, I figured here you wouldn’t start throwing things at me.”

“I’m not the sort of person who does that, Steve.” She may have been glad they didn’t get married, but she was still angry about how he’d run out on her and betrayed her, the coward.

“Anyway, I’m sorry. Is there anything you need me to do? Do I owe your dad anything for lost deposits or whatever?”

****

Riley thought that maybe he’d given Grace enough space. Maybe it was time to try talking to her again. So, on his break he walked down to The Grace Place. The sun was shining, making snow glisten everywhere. He could feel Christmas spirit in the air. It was going to be a good day.

He heard his name and turned. Jeff was jogging across the street toward him. “Hey, Riley, how about a cup of coffee? I’ll buy.”

“I’m in a generous mood today. I’ll let you buy.” Riley laughed at his own joke.

They walked into Grace’s. Riley saw Steve immediately, saw that he was smiling at Gracie, turning on the charm. It was easy to read the hurt and anger on her face. She looked alone and vulnerable. Something inside Riley let go…

And the next thing he knew, Jeff was pulling him off Steve, who was lying on the ground with blood streaming from his nose.

TITLE

Chapter Five

Jeff drove home in a roundabout way, trying to untangle his scattered thoughts. He should he be glad the dog stopped him from kissing Angel. Darn that dog! Jeff’s life had been nothing but trouble since it showed up. Or was it since Angel showed up?

It was just as well he hadn’t kissed her. What would Tony say if he knew Jeff had almost kissed his little sister? He looked down at his dirty shirt and smiled in spite of himself. He hadn’t kissed her, but he hadn’t been able to pass up the chance to hold her, if only for a minute.

The image of Angel at his mother’s dinner party came to mind. Maybe he could take her instead of Susan. After all, Susan was already mad at him. He groaned. Angel was sweet, impulsive and as naïve as Tony had said. Some of the women his mother was supposedly friends with would eat her alive. No, he’d better call Susan and patch things up. Angel was entirely wrong for him. Susan was a perfect match. Organized, efficient, ambitious.

He paused, thinking that was a pretty unromantic inventory of a girlfriend. Then, he shrugged. Romance wasn’t everything. By all accounts it didn’t last long after you got married. Better to pick someone you could get along with when there was no romance involved.

He couldn’t help but think of his parents who were still affectionate after almost three decades of marriage. When he was younger he had prayed that God would send him someone he could care so deeply about. It hadn’t happened, and so he figured that it probably never would. Very few people found that kind of love.

He pulled his car into his garage and switched off the engine. Yes, he’d definitely call Susan tomorrow and make up. He’d remind her of the invitation to his parents’ party. That should appease her. And he’d forget all about Angel…and how she’d felt in his arms…and how she looked when he’d almost kissed her. No, he wasn’t going to think about Angel anymore at all.

****

Over the next few days Angel visited several more businesses in the area, gained a few new customers and worked like mad on her Valentine’s Day cards. She hardly thought about Jeff at all. Really.

She was thinking an awful lot about Valentine’s Day, however. Nothing she tried seemed to work. Why was this so hard? Angel was sick to death of hearts and cupids by Sunday. She was glad to take time off to go to church with Misty.

The Orchard Hill Community Church had a beautiful facility. The sanctuary was the oldest part of the structure, filled with well-maintained woodwork and windows that let in plenty of sunshine. There was only one stained glass window at the back. It depicted Jesus praying and it’s simplicity along with the rich colors used made it stunning.

She had a moment of homesickness for her own church back in Minneapolis. She belonged to a small, traditional congregation in one of the suburbs. Her church family and her faith were what had kept her going in the long bleak years of her mother’s illness. She would never regret putting her own life on hold to take care of her.

At first it had been hard, but after chemotherapy appointments, when her mother was too sick and weak to sit up for long, Angel offered to read her daily scripture and devotions to her. Then she’d joined her mother in praying. At first she’d felt bored by it all, but as the days grew darker and hope for her mother dimmed, Angel found comfort in the words of scripture and the prayers they offered up together. When she’d finally laid her mother to rest, it was with the firm belief that she was in a better place.

After the service, Misty took Angel around and introduced her to a lot of people. One of them was church secretary Pansy Parker.

Pansy acknowledged the introduction politely. “I had heard your cousin’s daughter was coming to visit. It’s nice to meet you…what did you say your name was?”

“Angel. It’s nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Parker.”

“Please dear, call me Pansy.”

“Oh look,” interrupted Misty. “Isn’t that Jeff trying to get your attention over there. You’d better go talk to him.”

Misty shoved Angel in that direction. She went reluctantly, knowing he wasn’t really trying to signal her. Misty must just have wanted time alone to talk to her friend. She didn’t think she should talk to Jeff, but she didn’t know anyone else here so she kept walking toward him. She was only a few feet away when someone stopped her.

“Hi, Angel. How’s that little dog doing?” It was Ian, the veterinarian.

Angel smiled in relief. “She’s doing great. Has anyone tried to claim her yet?”

“No. I doubt if anyone will. I’m sure she’s yours if you want her.”

Off to the side of Ian, Angel saw Jeff’s head turn, and their eyes met briefly.

Jeff paused in his conversation with Joseph Velasquez when he saw Ian talking with Angel and felt a rumble of something like jealousy in his gut. He drew his attention back to Joseph, who was asking him about finding a bigger house. It didn’t matter to him who talked to Angel. He didn’t really want to talk business in church, but since Joseph had brought it up…

The sound of Ian’s deep laugh distracted Jeff and pulled his attention back to the pair. Looking past Joseph, Jeff watched Angel smiling up at Ian. He towered over her diminutive frame. He said something that made her laugh, and her face lit up. Jeff thought she really did look like an angel, although he’d never seen one depicted with wild red curls. Suddenly he wanted to be the one who made her laugh like that.

He couldn’t concentrate on Joseph and his housing needs any more. Jeff finished the conversation, gave the man his card, then walked to where Ian and Angel stood, noting with sudden, inexplicable anger, that Ian had his hand on her shoulder.

“Hi, Angel. Ian, I think Riley is looking for you.” The lie slipped out so easily that it shocked him.

Ian looked around for his brother. “Is he? I don’t see him.”

“He must have gone back into the sanctuary.”

“How could he miss Ian?” asked Angel. “He’s a head above everyone else in the room.”

Jeff shrugged and Ian went off in search of Riley. When he was gone, Jeff turned to her and practically growled, “What was going on with you two?”

Angel blinked in surprise. “We were talking.”

“About what?”

“About Cherub running away, and then he was telling me a story about…hey, I don’t have to tell you this. You’re starting to sound like my brother.”

“Yes, your brother. What would Tony think about you flirting with some guy you hardly know.”

“Flirting? I don’t think…”

“I’m just watching out for you. Not all guys are as nice as you think.”

“Are you suggesting that Ian isn’t trustworthy?”

“Well, no.” Even in his present state of mind Jeff knew that trying to cast Ian as a villain was ludicrous. “It’s just that…”

“I thought you didn’t want to be my keeper anymore.”

“That was when I didn’t think you needed one.”

Her lip trembled, and her beautiful eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you’re acting this way.”

“Angel, don’t do that. I’m sorry.”

“What are you doing to make this poor girl cry?” Pansy had somehow sneaked up on them.

“I’m…I’m all right, Mrs. Parker.” Angel brushed the tears from her eyes. “Jeff didn’t do anything.”

“You just come with me, dear, and he won’t bother you any more. And call me Pansy, please.”

Jeff watched Pansy lead Angel across the room to where Misty stood. The woman didn’t look any happier than he did. Was she angry that he’d upset Angel? Funny, but her glare settled on Pansy, not him.

Angel looked back at him once, her expression so distressed that he could have kicked himself. What had come over him? All he knew was, he didn’t want Ian or anyone else getting that close to her. Of course, it was because he’d promised Tony he’d watch out for her, and he was keeping his promise. That was all.

Riley approached Jeff. “I heard Ian is looking for me. Have you seen him?”

Jeff sighed, utterly disgusted with the mess he’d made of things. “I think he’s in the sanctuary.”

****

Jeff didn’t see Angel for the next few days. He was starting to wonder if she’d gone back home, when he saw her through the window of The Grace Place one morning. She was sitting alone at a table with a sketch pad and a mug of coffee. Her head was bent over the paper, and she was intent on her drawing. He stood and watched her for a moment, and she never noticed him.

He crossed the street to his office, avoiding The Grace Place. He didn’t need to buy coffee there everyday. He had a coffee maker in his office…somewhere.

Not that he was avoiding Angel. It was just that she had a knack for complicating his life. Susan was finally speaking to him again. He needed to steer clear of anyone who would put his name back on her black list.

Of course, she had been delighted with the invitation to his folks’ dinner party. That invitation alone might grant him forgiveness for many sins.

And as he crossed the street and got to his office, he had a feeling he was going to need that kind of grace, because on his doorstep sat a little brown mutt with trouble written all over her face.

He bent down and scratched Cherub’s ear. “What are you doing here?” The dog leaned into Jeff’s hand. “I should just pretend I didn’t see you,” he told the dog. “You are bound to get me into trouble again.”

“Jeff, darling, who are you talking to?”

And here came trouble. Jeff straightened and faced Susan who was briskly striding up to him.

“Hi Susan.”

“Did you get a dog?”

“Not exactly.”

“Is it a stray?”

“No, I know who she belongs to.”

Susan looked at him strangely, but he didn’t elaborate.

After a moment, she said, “Anyway, I stopped by to tell you that I just got the contract to sell that brick colonial on Maple. Do you know which one I mean?”

Jeff tilted his head back and thought for a moment. “Yes, I know which one you mean.”

“I have the fact sheet here.” Susan dug in her tote. “I thought it might be a good prospect for the Hamilton family. It seems like you’ve shown them twenty houses.”

“Yes, they are a bit particular. Maybe this will be just what they’re looking for.” He took the paper she offered him. “Thank you, Susan.”

“You’re welcome. I’m really looking forward to meeting your parents Saturday night.”

“That’s great.”

“How about we make a full day of it? The Annual Orchard Hill Art and Crafts Show is being held at the community building. Let’s spend the afternoon there and then go on to your parents’ house.”

Art show. How boring could you get? “I don’t know,” he hedged. “I’ve got a lot of paperwork to catch up on.”

“I find it’s a good place to meet potential clients,” Susan told him. “So make sure you bring business cards.”

Now that sounded like Susan, ever anxious to advance her career. His parents were going to love her.

Cherub was obviously getting tired of not being the center of attention. She scratched at Jeff’s pants leg as if to say “Hey, I’m still here.”

“Ugh. That mutt’s still here,” said Susan, her lip curling in distaste.

Cherub turned and looked up at Susan with sad brown eyes, tail wagging.

“That creature needs a bath.”

This was obviously not the reaction Cherub wanted, so she jumped up and put her paws on Susan’s leg.

Susan jerked away. “Yuck. It’s gotten me all dirty. I’ll have to go home and change.”

Jeff could barely see the mark on her designer slacks where Cherub had jumped up against her. For a sensible person, sometimes Susan could be such a drama queen. “Come on, Susan, I don’t think it’s that bad. Come into the office, and we can sponge off the dirt.”

“No, no. Jeff you said you knew who this dog belonged to. Why don’t you do something about it?”

“Um, it’s my dog.”

He whirled around to find Angel standing there, sketchpad under her arm.

“Oh, Jeff, it’s your little friend again,” drawled Susan. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping her out of trouble.”

“I’m sorry,” Angel apologized. “She must have slipped out of the house with me.”

“You’ll have to be more careful in the future, dear. Do you know how much it will cost to have this suit dry cleaned?”

“No, but I can pay for it,” answered Angel grimly.

“Susan, don’t you think you’re overreacting?” asked Jeff.

She turned on him. “Why are you defending her?”

“I’m not defending her. I’m just saying it isn’t that bad.”

Angel took a business card from her purse and handed it to Susan. “You can send the bill here,” she said.

“Angel, you don’t have to—”

She shot him a look. “Just let it go, Jeff.”

Angel patted her leg and moved away, Cherub following her at once.

That left him alone with Susan. Who was boiling mad at him…because of Angel…again.

Time to remind her of that invitation.

Table of Contents

Orchard Hill: Volume One

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine