“Hey, Stella!” a table full of diners called out.
What? People weren’t staring or ignoring her. They also weren’t interrogating her.
“Hi, Stella!” another group said as they waved at her.
They were all waving to her and chatting as if she’d been a part of their town for years. The firefighters were teasing her, and much to Jace’s irritation, flirting with her.
“What’s going on?” Molly asked with something that sounded like annoyance in her voice. “I was given the side eye for months when I started working in Keeneston.”
“I don’t know,” Jace admitted but he smiled as Stella fell into easy conversation with a table of his aunts and uncles. “Poppy, why isn’t everyone giving Stella the third degree?”
“We all met her at the garden center opening. She’s such a dear. You better lock that down because the men are going nuts over her,” Poppy warned.
Molly and Jace saw Pam Gilbert’s two grown sons joining Stella as they stood around the firefighters’ table. “I’m trying. We were supposed to be here for a date.”
“I’ll get a table for two ready for you then.” Poppy gave him a wink and set down two menus at the table in the back. Now Jace needed to get Stella away from the firefighters.
“New blood. Nice.”
Jace turned to see sheriff’s deputies Cody and Andy grinning like fools next to him.
“Where’s my little sugar baby?” Aniyah’s voice boomed as she and her husband, State Trooper DeAndre Drews, walked into the café.
Stella turned around with such a large grin on her face she looked ready to squeal in excitement. “Aniyah! Oh, this must be your husband. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Stella excused herself from the table of single men and rejoined Jace as Molly shook her head in disbelief. Stella fit into Keeneston without any trouble whatsoever.
“April went back home tonight. I’ll have her next week for the night.”
“You have to bring her over so I can do her nails.” Aniyah wrapped her arms around Stella and squeezed. “I’m so excited you moved to Keeneston. We’ll have a girls’ night soon.”
“Sounds good,” Stella told her as Aniyah and DeAndre moved to join Jace’s cousin Reagan and her husband, Carter Ashton, for dinner.
“We have a table in the back,” Jace told her as he placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her to their table. He felt the warmth of her body through her polo shirt and the curve of her spine under his hand. Images of running his hand down her bare back flooded his mind as he tried to remain the perfect gentleman . . . at least on the outside. “Goodnight, Molly, Sarah. Have a good weekend and I’ll see you both on Monday,” Jace said over his shoulder. “This is your first time here, isn’t it?” Jace asked Stella as he held out the chair for her at their table.
“It is. It’s exactly like everyone described.”
“So you had a good opening day?” Jace asked, taking his own seat across from her.
“It was everything I could have dreamed of and more. Your friend Ariana is so nice. Between her and your mom, I think I was introduced to the whole town.” Stella looked around and then leaned forward so no one could overhear them. “Is she really a princess?”
“She is. She used to act like it, but now she knows the importance of real friendship. She only throws around the P word to help people who are in need.”
“Are you, or were you, and Ari an item?” Jace was so surprised he didn’t answer right away and that flustered Stella. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. I was told so much gossip today that I should just keep my mouth shut or I’ll accidentally say the wrong thing.”
“No, it’s not that. I just haven’t been asked that. Ever. Ari and I are just really good friends. She’s more like a sister to me, honestly. When I asked you to dinner, I really thought of this as a date. I’m sorry if I got that wrong.”
* * *
“No!” Stella might have spoken a little too loudly. She was so relieved and felt as if she was messing everything up since she saw Jace through the window. “I was hoping it was a date,” she admitted.
Jace’s smile was pure pleasure but the tilt of his lips also sent one heck of a sexy message. “I’m glad. I’ve been looking forward to getting to know you better since I found out you were April’s aunt and not her mother.”
Stella groaned and put her hands over her face. “The spinster aunt who needs a man. I’m so embarrassed.”
Jace steered the conversation away from her relationships and to her professional life, which made Stella very grateful. She told him how she’d grown up showing lambs in 4-H, and in high school she was part of the Future Farmers of America. Her love of the outdoors and being in the FFA led her to major in agricultural business at the University of Kentucky.
“My dad is going to love you,” Jace told her with a little laugh as if he knew something she didn’t.
“Is your dad into agriculture?” She’d met Jace’s mom earlier. She didn’t strike Stella as the farmer type, though.
“You could say that. I’ll let him tell you all about it.”
“Great. Looking forward to it. Your mom did invite me to some family dinner she said y’all have every other week or so.”
Jace choked on his sweet tea and had to cough to catch his breath. “She did what?”
“I believe she said it was dinner with just the family. Next weekend, I think. She said you’d give me the details. Should I not come? I admit it was weird to be invited but I thought it was because she wanted to be friends.”
She watched Jace’s face as the shock wore off. He looked worried. “No, of course you should come.” She didn’t believe him. Her feelings were slightly hurt, but she didn’t dare admit that. It sounded pathetic to her that she so desperately wanted to have friends and to be part of the community. She’d been so focused on work that she’d never really taken the time in the past year to build her personal life and she really wanted to put roots down in Keeneston.
She needed to change the subject and fast. “Did you go to medical school at Kentucky?”
“I did. I spent a lot of time before med school building schools and helping communities in Africa. I knew I wanted to help people, it just wasn’t until I began helping doctors who came to visit that I even thought of the medical field. As soon as I started learning, though, I couldn’t stop.”
Could Jace even be real? He helped build schools during school breaks, he loved children, he wanted to help people, and he didn’t seem to be judgmental or demanding in any way. Social status didn’t even seem to register with him. And he encouraged her. Every story she told about her dreams, he told her she’d accomplish them and more.
“Do you plan on going back to Africa?” Stella asked as Poppy set down their dinners.
“I do. I want to spend two to three weeks there every year.”
“What about your medical practice here?”
“There are two doctors who live Keeneston but work in Lexington. They’re a mother-daughter team. Dr. Emma, the mom, is retiring and she’s offered to fill in at my clinic, and her daughter, Dr. Ava, has said she’ll help, too. I’m also the team doctor for the football team, the Lexington Thoroughbreds. Emma and Ava said they’d split duties and cover them both for me when I travel.”
The front door to the café flung open and Stella looked behind her to see Draven and Addison along with two people Stella hadn’t met.
“Holy smokes,” Stella said under her breath as Addison held up her hand. The ring was so large, she could easily see it from across the café.
“We’re getting married!” Draven shouted before he kissed his fiancée to the cheers of the crowd.
“Dammit,” Stella heard someone curse.
“That’s Nikki. She thinks she should be royalty.” Jace gestured to a table full of twenty-something women all dressed up. “They’re the Keeneston Belles. Technically a charity group, but really a husband-hunting club. Nikki’s their leader and ha
s lost out on all her choices of husbands so far. I think she’s the leader more out of fear than choice. No one but Addison would stand up to her.” In fact, the Belles did seem rather nervous as they looked at Nikki.
An older woman with auburn hair stood up and hugged Draven and Addison. “I guess we’re going to need to hire a new prosecutor.”
Addison’s smile fell a little. “I’ll help you look, Kenna. I already have an idea, though.”
“That’s Kenna Ashton. She’s the town’s judge. You met her kids today, Sienna, who is married to my cousin Ryan, and then Carter, who is married to my cousin Reagan. Reagan and Carter are sitting with Aniyah,” Jace explained to her.
“How many cousins do you have?”
“Girl, that’s the question,” a cute woman with an Irish accent said. “I’m Camila Davies. I’m married to another one of Jace’s cousins.” She pointed to the man shaking his head at her. “This is one of who-knows-how-many Davies cousins, my husband, Wyatt Davies.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Wyatt said to her. “And there’re just seventeen of us.”
“You forgot Cricket,” Jace told him.
“Oh, that’s right. Eighteen,” Wyatt corrected.
“But what about the babies? I’d been counting them as my cousins, too,” Reagan added from her table.
“Then that would be . . .” Wyatt paused and counted on his fingers. “Twenty-two?”
“Told you,” Camila mouthed and Stella used her napkin to cover her laugh.
“What about the Belles?” one of the girls asked Addison, drawing everyone’s attention and earning a glare from Nikki. “We’re going to miss you.”
Addison smirked. “I’m so glad you asked that. I have a replacement who will be coming in and taking over the chairs of my committees.” The look Addison gave was as if she were a cat that caught a mouse by the tail.
“No one can just come in,” Nikki said with a huff.
“They can if they’re a legacy. She’ll be here in a couple weeks.”
“Who?” Nikki demanded, but Addison was already hugging a line of people who were gathering.
Stella turned back to Jace. “Do you want to go congratulate them?”
“I’ll congratulate them later. I’d rather talk to you.”
Stella’s heart swelled a little and she was sure there was a little blush to her cheeks as they went back to talking as if they were the only two people in the entire Blossom Café.
7
Stella opened the door to her freshly painted house and braced herself for Jimmy’s welcome home. He slid on the freshly stained hardwood floor as he took the corner from the back of the house to the garage door. His long tail wagged, knocking the wall and causing the pictures to rattle.
“Hey, boy. Did you miss Mommy?”
Jimmy leapt up onto his hind legs and placed his big front paws on her chest so he could lick her chin.
“I missed you, too. Come on, let’s go outside.” Jimmy barked and ran for the back door. Stella poured a glass of wine and followed him to the back of the house. She unlocked the door and opened it. Jimmy shot out the back and ran excitedly around.
Eden and Karl had given her a swing and four large chairs and one small one for April. Stella took her seat and looked at the stars. Without the city lights, she could see stars she’d never seen before in the night sky. She sipped her wine and smiled to herself. Tonight had been a great date. Jace had been the epitome of a gentleman. They’d had wonderful conversation and she was filled with joy just thinking of their time together and the idea of a second date, a date she hoped would be soon.
Jace had walked her down Main Street after dinner to her truck. He’d asked for her phone number and she’d given it to him. He hadn’t kissed her goodnight, but he’d promised to call soon. Stella had driven away, and when she’d looked in her rearview mirror, she’d seen him standing there, watching her until she was out of sight.
Stella did a little wiggle in her chair as the memory filled her with that special kind of excitement that new relationships seem to bring. The kind where you’re wondering if the other person likes you as much as you like them and then they do something that shows you they do.
Stella’s phone pinged with a text message. “Do you think that’s him, Jimmy?”
Stella picked up her phone and the first thing she noticed was caller ID said Unknown. Well, she didn’t have his phone number so maybe a doctor didn’t want his number to be public. Stella swiped the message to read it.
All that giddy excitement dropped like a boulder as she stared in shock and disbelief at the words on the screen. I saw you tonight flirting. You were throwing yourself at him like a cheap WHORE.
WHORE.
WHORE.
WHORE.
WHORE.
WHORE.
The word kept filling the screen as text after text came through. Stella was shaking violently, and every ping of an incoming text message was like a knife stab to her heart.
Stella muted the phone and tossed it into the yard as if the person sending the texts could have reached out and grabbed her. “Jimmy!” she yelled as her dog ran after the phone. The harshness of her yell had him slinking back into the house, but she couldn’t leave him outside in case whoever sent that was outside watching.
The second Jimmy was inside, she shut and locked the back door. She systematically went through the house turning off the lights and making sure every door and window was locked and checking every single cabinet, closet, and even under the beds. She had to make sure the person wasn’t inside her house.
Stella ran for the kitchen as soon as the house was locked down and grabbed her cordless phone. She’d ordered a landline for her business and was so glad she did as she peeked through the curtains to see the screen of her phone lighting up with incoming texts.
Stella dialed her brother’s number with fingers that shook so badly she almost couldn’t hit the right buttons.
“Hello?”
A sob broke free at the sound of her brother’s voice.
“Stell?”
“Karl, I’m scared.”
“What happened, Stell?” Stella could hear Eden ask what was going on in the background as Stella gave into sobs for a brief moment. Then she forced herself to take a deep breath.
“Someone sent me horrible texts calling me a whore.”
“What?!” her brother yelled. “Who?”
“I don’t know. It was from an unknown number, and then the screen just filled with the word over and over again. I threw the phone in the yard and ran inside. I don’t know if they’re watching me or not. I don’t know what to do,” Stella admitted as she hid in the utility closet.
“Call the police, Stella. I’ll be right there.”
“Okay,” Stella agreed. She didn’t want to make a fuss, but she was scared. She hung up on her brother and then bit her lip as she looked at the phone. Was this really an emergency or was she just over reacting?
Stella pushed open the door to the pantry and crawled out. She listened and didn’t hear anything so she headed straight for her office and grabbed her laptop. She found the nonemergency number for the Keeneston Sheriff’s Department and called.
“Keeneston Sherriff’s Department.”
“Um, hi. This is Stella Winters.”
“Hi, Miss Winters. This is Andy. Is everything okay?”
“No, it’s not.” Stella took a deep breath and pushed the tears down. “I’m sorry to bother you and it’s probably nothing, but I got these really strange texts just now from an unknown number and they really upset me. I don’t think a crime was actually committed, but I don’t feel safe either.”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, Miss Winters. I’ll be right there. Are you at the old farmhouse?”
“Yes.”
“Just keep your doors locked. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
“Thank you.”
Stella hung up and looked around. She grabbed the poker from her
fireplace and stealthily retreated upstairs. From a guest bedroom, she crept toward the window overlooking the backyard. In the darkness of the room with the curtains drawn, it was hard to see so Stella moved slowly. Anger was beginning to replace the fear as she ever so slowly moved the curtain so she could look out into the yard.
She swallowed as she saw the phone screen lighting up from where it lay on the grass about fifteen feet from the porch. Stella scanned the backyard as Jimmy leaned against her. His tail was tucked and his ears were pinned down as if he, too, were on edge.
“I’m sorry, buddy. You’re a good boy.”
Stella went from window to window upstairs, searching the darkness outside. There was no movement. No shadowed figure standing in the yard staring up at the house. Nothing.
Jimmy’s ears went up and Stella moved to a front-facing bedroom to look out. Two headlights appeared on the horizon and Stella tightened her grip on the poker. Suddenly red and blue lights flashed from the car and Stella knew it was Andy. She ran down the stairs and stood by the window, looking out until he was only feet from the door. Only then did she finally unlock the door and open it.
Andy looked like a nice guy. He was the same height as Stella and had shocking, carrot-orange hair and bright blue eyes. While his rounded face made him look as if he were sixteen, his body told her he was older. He might be small, but he wasn’t soft. He was lean, and muscles of his exposed forearms showed strength. It wouldn’t be long until his baby face caught up with the rest of his body and Andy went from geek to stud.
“Thank you for coming out. I’m sorry I freaked out. It’s not like they threatened me. I think,” Stella told him as she opened the door and let him into her house.
“I’d rather have you call and feel better and nothing be wrong than not call and worry all night. Now, who texted you?”
“I don’t know. My caller ID said Unknown.”
Andy held out his hand after giving her a single nod of understanding. “Can I see the phone?”
“Um, I kinda threw it into the backyard.”
Forever Saved Page 6
