Jolene dropped the remaining hay into the tub on the ground. “There you go. Eat up, buddy.”
Unlike when she’d asked him to back up, Cyprus didn’t lower his head to eat. Instead, he glanced down at the green hay and then back up to Jolene.
“Eat up,” she tried again. “Remember? Like back up? Only eating instead of backing.”
Cyprus took another backward step but bumped into the stall wall, startling him and terrifying Jolene. Faster than she could say Merry Christmas, she bolted out of the stall, swung around, and slammed shut the door, locking it into place.
“I guess I sort of told you to do that,” Jolene admitted, out of breath. “Go on now. Eat your lunch.”
Ignoring the food, Cyprus came over to the door and stretched his long neck over. Jolene shrugged backward, away from the intimidating animal. From where she stood, she could feel his warmth on her face, and when he blew a sputtering breath out from his mouth, she about jumped out of her skin.
“Cyprus, you have to eat. Thomas gave me one job and so far only half of it is completed. Clara’s doing her part—your turn to do the rest. Eat your hay.”
The two stared at one another, a stand-off in the barn.
“Not going to give in, huh? Well, I’ve got an idea.” Jolene raised her index finger in the air. “Wait right there. Not that you’re going anywhere, really.”
Hurrying to her car, she retrieved her brown sack lunch she’d packed earlier that morning. When she came back, Cyprus was in the same position, his head stretched out of the barn stall, ignoring the meal waiting for him.
“You just want some company, don’t you, big guy?”
Jolene reached into the bag and pulled out a ham sandwich. She took a bite. “See? I’m eating my lunch. Clara is eating her lunch. We’re all eating lunch. Lunch time!”
Cyprus didn’t budge.
“Oh, come on, boy. You’re going to make this difficult on me, aren’t you?”
Like earlier, Cyprus nodded. Jolene was beginning to think the horse was a descendent of Mr. Ed.
“Fine then. Back up.” She ordered him backward until there was enough room to safely enter the stall. “Okay. You win.” She held up her sandwich and took a bite, overly dramatic in her movements. “Now eat your lunch.”
Surprising her, Cyprus bent his head down to snatch a mouthful of hay from the tub. He raised back up and crunched loudly.
“I’m the horse whisperer,” Jolene said to herself, amazed at her newfound ability. “You just wanted a lunch date, huh? Well, funny thing—I’m actually on the market again. Not sure if you remember that guy who worked all the magic on your hoof, but he and I kinda, sorta had a thing going. I thought we did, at least. But that’s over. He left Merrylark yesterday. Not sure if I’ll ever see him again, actually.” Jolene lifted her sandwich to her mouth, pausing. “Wow. It’s pretty sad when I say it out loud like that. I mean, in fairness, I hardly knew him all that long. But maybe you don’t have to know someone long to know they’re everything you’ve been missing in your life. Luke sure felt like that missing puzzle piece in my life, even if it was just for a short while.”
Cyprus continued snacking on his hay, but he’d look up at all the right places and to Jolene, it really felt like someone was listening.
But that might’ve had more to do with the fact that Thomas was standing just on the other side of the stall door.
“Thomas!” Jolene screamed, throwing her sandwich across the barn. It hit Thomas directly in the face. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! How long have you been standing there?”
“Only a minute.” He swiped at a streak of mustard on his chin with his thumb. “I forgot to tell you that Cyprus sometimes likes company for his meals, but I see you’ve already figured that out.”
The heat of humiliation crept up Jolene’s neck. “How much of my rambling did you hear?”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me, Jolene, although I don’t think it’s much of a secret. Anyone who spent any amount of time with the two of you could easily see just how much you both cared for one another.”
Hearing things like that wouldn’t help Jolene get over Luke any faster. Instead, it served only to further confuse her. “Luke was just a neighbor,” Jolene lied. “Nothing more. Anyway, he’s gone and I’m here and I think from here on out I’ll just be content with my singleness. Plus, now I’ve got all this extra time to hang out with the horses.”
“I know they appreciate it. And so do I,” Thomas said. “Enjoy your lunch, Jolene.”
“We will,” Jolene answered, followed by Cyprus’s whinny of agreement. “Horse whisperer,” she quietly said to herself. “I like the sound of that.”
26
Luke
LUKE WONDERED IF it would feel like being inside a cave, but to his surprise, it wasn’t that way at all. Having all of the windows covered with brown paper to keep anyone on the outside from seeing in felt like being wrapped inside a Christmas present, a surprise about to be uncovered. Luke had been back in town for three days and though he’d had to keep his stay a secret, it turned out to be easier than he’d expected.
The most difficult part, he’d found, was knowing how close in proximity he was to Jolene without actually being able to be with her, or even see her. The thought of Jolene strolling on the sidewalk just outside the store made Luke want to throw open the door and race to her, sweeping her up in his arms and telling her right then and there how much she still meant to him.
He couldn’t do that, even though he dreamt of it every minute of the day.
“Cat’s on her way over,” Devon called over the buzz of the handheld drill. He set the tool down and slammed his hand on the counter to test the durability of the butcher block tabletop screwed into place. “Man. That looks good, no?”
“Looks incredible,” Luke agreed. He swung around the counter’s side to stand across from Devon. “Afternoon, sir. Can I take your order?”
“Just a plain ol’ cup of joe for me.”
“Still doesn’t sound like the right name for this place, does it? Too generic.”
Devon nodded. “I agree. Give it time. It’ll come to you.”
“I hope I’m doing the right thing here, Devon. What if all of this backfires on me?”
“It won’t, brother. I promise you. Every single person we’ve talked to has been nothing but utterly impressed with our stroke of storefront genius.”
“The only person I really want to impress is Jolene.”
“She will be impressed. No doubt about it.” Devon took Luke’s shoulders into his grip and looked him in the eye. “You need to just trust me on this.”
“Knock, knock!” The front door popped open a sliver, enough for Luke to see Cat’s black-lined eye peering through. “Safe to come in?”
“Yep! Come on in.” Devon waved her inside, shutting the door behind her and locking it quickly.
“Vick’s parked out back. He and Tanner will unload the machine and bring it in through there if that’s okay. Not too many places in town to hide that big ol’ beast of a truck.”
“That’s the perfect spot for it. I’ll go out to meet them right now,” Devon said. He unhooked his tool belt and placed it onto the counter.
Luke followed Cat’s gaze around the room. He tried to read her expression, but it was blank and untelling, giving nothing away.
“Luke,” she mouthed, her voice soft as a whisper, not something he’d ever expected out of Cat. He figured she only had one volume: full blast. “I have no words.”
“Is that a good speechless or a bad speechless?”
“It’s a holy guacamole, I cannot believe what you two have created here speechless!” She laughed, tossing her head back with a cackle. “Well, would ya’ look at that—found my words. Knew that wouldn’t last long.”
“You still think this is the right thing to do? You don’t think I’m making a huge mistake here? What if she hates it?”
“It’s the only thing to do. Ever since
you and Devon gathered us all to tell us about your plan, it’s all I can think about. I just wish we could speed up the build out process. I know you two are busting your buns to get some of Martha’s baked buns in here, but it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do to lie to Jojo. Today I had to tell her I sold the coffee truck to a Swedish trapeze artist based out of a San Antonio circus! It’s absolutely awful keeping the truth from her!”
Luke’s brow knit together. “Why such an elaborate lie?”
“You have seen my truck, haven’t you? Painted magenta with a big ol’ fat cat drawn onto the side? You should know everything I do is over-the-top elaborate, even my lying!”
“I appreciate you keeping this a secret, Cat. Shouldn’t be more than a couple days at this point. We’re pretty much just waiting for the paint to dry,” Luke said. “That and the permits to come in.”
“Vick knows quite a few people down at the county. I’ll see if we can pull some strings. If they’re like anyone else in Merrylark, their lives have been touched by Jolene’s in one way or another, too. Once they hear what you’re doing for her, those permits will get signed right off. I have no doubt about it.”
“Coming through! Wide load!” Devon’s voice rung out from the backroom. He shuffled in doing the moonwalk, holding one end of the espresso maker, Vick at the other end. Tanner walked next to them, making waving motions with his arms that resembled someone attempting to land a plane.
“Right over here, guys.” Cat rushed to the counter just as the trio settled the machine onto the newly installed tabletop. “Perfect fit.”
“And with that, you officially have yourself a coffee shop, Luke Handley.” Devon came up behind Luke and slapped a palm between his shoulder blades. “Congratulations. This really is just what this town needs. Aunt Martha will have a space for all of her extra bakery items, the town will have a place to relax and hang out, and Cat will be free of that monstrous, gas-guzzling coffee truck. It’s a win-win all the way around.”
Luke couldn’t say he wasn’t pleased with the way things had turned out. It was remarkable how quickly he and Devon had been able to transform the once empty space into an inviting retreat. The furniture was exactly right. The decorations were spot on. Every detail was absolute perfection.
“It really does feel like Jolene’s, doesn’t it?” Cat remarked. She spun on her heel to survey the room again. “All we’re missing is, well, Jolene!”
“And a name. Cup of Joe just doesn’t feel right anymore now that it’s finished,” Luke admitted.
“I agree with you on that. Feels too generic and Jolene is anything but that,” Cat said. “So let’s think back to the first time you set foot in Jolene’s home. That’s what we want to recreate here—the feeling of coming home. What emotion did you feel in that exact moment, Luke? Can you remember?”
That was an easy answer. “Joy. Cheer,” Luke said. He paused, thinking. “I’d have to say cheer. With all the Christmas decorations and her kind invitation to stay for a cup of coffee—what I felt was completely full of holiday cheer.”
“Well then.” Cat winked at Luke with her thick false lashes. “I’d say you’ve got yourself a name.”
“Cup of Cheer,” Luke said, loving the sound of it.
“Cup of Cheer.” Cat nodded. “It’s perfect. Just like our Jolene.”
LUKE HADN’T BEEN able to sleep a wink. The fact that he was crashing on a blowup mattress in a box of a room had little to do with it. Even if he’d been slumbering in a plush bed fit for a king in a castle, he knew sleep wouldn’t’ve come. He just had too much on his mind and too many butterflies swarming in his stomach. It was as though their constant flutter kept waking him each time he’d start to drift off, a tap-tap-tapping reminder that his nerves were taking over.
At half past two, he decided to give in to the insomnia.
He pulled out a pair of slippers from within his duffle bag and walked down the stairs to the new coffee shop just beneath the studio apartment. The lights were out and with the windows covered, the space was pitch black. Luke flipped on a lamp next to the corduroy couch and sat down.
Though he and his friends had meticulously attempted to recreate Jolene’s family room in the space, he knew without Jolene in it, it would never feel complete. It had been a rush of hard work and emotion, but every detail was finally put into place and the big reveal scheduled for later that day.
It worried Luke that he didn’t know what he’d get. Based on his interaction with Rose, Luke figured Jolene never wanted to see him again. If that was her desire, it would have to be okay with Luke. Ultimately, he wasn’t doing this for himself. He was doing this entirely for Jolene.
He knew her heart for this town. He knew her wish to be an even bigger part of it. And he knew that her years of sacrificing for her friends ultimately led to the sacrifice of realizing her own dream.
Kiara had said to use the money from their cancelled wedding to build out Luke’s dreams and future. If he’d learned anything from his short time with Jolene, it was that a life lived for others was infinitely more rewarding than one lived only for oneself.
It was time to put into practice the lesson Jolene had selflessly taught Luke during his week at Merrylark Lake.
HE MUST’VE FALLEN asleep on the couch sometime in the wee hours of the morning, because just around sunrise, Luke felt a nudge against his shoulder, an attempt to rouse him from sleep.
“Is sleeping in just not a thing in Merrylark?” Luke grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. He smacked his mouth and yawned.
“Big day, brother,” Devon answered, holding out a mug for Luke to take. “Gotta get you sufficiently caffeinated!”
Luke sat up and took the cup. He looked into it. “Nice job with the latte art. A snowman?”
“Supposed to be a wolverine, actually, but snowman works.”
Luke laughed. He sat back against the couch and sighed. “I’m not sure I can go through with this today. I’m even more nervous than when I proposed to Kiara, and I just about lost my lunch over that.”
“You have nothing to be nervous about. You have met Jolene, haven’t you? She has to be the nicest person to walk the earth. And even if she doesn’t like it, the worst thing out of her mouth would be something along the lines of, ‘This just isn’t my favorite.’”
“I think I’m not her favorite.”
“Maybe not right now, but once she sees what you’ve done for her here, you’ll shoot straight to favorite-person-ever status.”
Luke took a swig of the coffee. “Honestly, none of that even matters to me anymore. I just want her to be happy, even if that means it’s not with me.”
“Spoken like a man that is absolutely head over heels in love.” Devon glanced at Luke’s feet. “Or head over slippers, I should say. Listen, brother, go on upstairs. Take a long, hot shower. Clear your head. Cat and I will get everything ready here. Aunt Martha’s coming over in an hour and Roger and Millie shouldn’t be too long after that.”
“I can’t tell you enough what your help and friendship means to me, Devon. The fact that you were willing to take a chance on my crazy idea means more than you know.”
“In fairness, it’s not really taking a chance at all. The fact that Jolene will be running the shop makes it a sure bet. Everyone loves that woman. And Aunt Martha’s day-old pastries are just the icing on the cake.” Devon took the coffee cup from Luke’s hand and placed it on the low table in front of them. “Go on. Get yourself cleaned up. Please. You say you only care about Jolene’s happiness, but you should also care a little about your friend’s ability to breathe. Because right now you are pretty ripe, brother. Pretty ripe.”
“Okay, okay. I get the hint. See you in a few.” Luke stood to go. “I really hope we can pull off this surprise, Devon.”
“I know we can,” Devon replied, utterly confident. “And it might not be the only one this town will get today, either.”
27
Jolene
JOLENE NEVER LIKED
when her friends called her in a panic. It seemed like that was happening more and more these days. From Millie’s sudden fall to Martha’s overbooked oven snafu, Jolene’s friends were consistently getting themselves into pickles of all kinds.
It wasn’t that Jolene minded being called upon for help. She actually loved that her friends felt like they could count on her in a time of need. It was the desperation in their voices that she disliked. She never liked the thought of the ones she loved in distress.
So when Martha rang her again that morning while Jolene was out at the barn, her voice full of unease, Jolene took on those same emotions. She couldn’t help but be empathetic when the people she cared about were in a bind.
Martha had said Devon ran into an issue at his new property. Something about an application for a permit being denied. Jolene wasn’t sure how she’d be of any help in the situation, but she was glad to offer whatever assistance she could. Martha said the county officer knew of Jolene back from college and that at this point, whatever connections they could make would greatly increase their chances of the permit coming through.
Of course Jolene was eager to lend her hand, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t equally as interested in learning a little more about the plans for the storefront. When she saw the brown paper coverings go up in the windows earlier in the week, admittedly, her curiosity had been piqued. She was also just a touch saddened, knowing the ideas she and Luke had discussed back at The Rolling Pin would never come to fruition in that location. Even still, it would be good to fill the vacant space on Glenn Street. Merrylark would benefit from the addition of a new business, and for that, Jolene couldn’t be more pleased.
She found a parking spot just outside the store, almost like it had been reserved for her. She couldn’t believe her luck. Downtown Merrylark was absolutely bustling these days. With each day closer to Christmas, the sidewalks seemed to increase with shoppers by the dozens. Just as she pulled the keys out of the ignition, Jolene saw Martha burst out of the entrance door, slamming it shut behind her. She looked out of breath and beyond distraught, her hair all wayward and her apron twisted across her body.
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