Second Chance Match

by Arlene James

  She took the helmet without a word and released the clip that held her long hair in a clump at her nape. The wheat-brown mass tumbled about her slender shoulders. Garrett had to turn away to keep from reaching out to touch it. When he turned back, she had fixed the helmet in place and the clip had disappeared into a pocket of the blue Monroe Pharmacy smock that she wore over her jeans and T-shirt. Ellie had come up with the smock after dinner last night. Tiny Jessa could have worn it as a dress. Kent, God bless him, had promised to find a smaller one. Meanwhile, she’d make do. Garrett had the feeling that she was very good at making do.

  He slung his leg over the bike saddle and waited for Jessa to settle in behind him. Leveling the motorcycle, he put up the kickstand and reached for the ignition. This time, Jessa’s arms curled around his waist without any prompting. Garrett smiled to himself. Progress. He hoped.

  Less than ten minutes later, he parked the bike at the corner in front of the pharmacy on the downtown square. Garrett walked to the door and found it locked. He tapped and stood back as a man in a lab coat hurried to let them in. The pale eyes behind the round glasses on his round face measured Jessa with bald interest as Garrett introduced Kent’s younger partner to their new employee.

  “Mildred!” he called over his shoulder before turning back to Jessa with a smile and an explanation. “Millie’s been here since the doors opened. She’ll be training you.”

  Millie turned out to be even smaller than Jessa and stooped with age, her back so bent that she could barely look up from the floor, but she waved toward the soda fountain along the inner wall. “We’ll start over here. Coffee should be made by now.”

  “I’d welcome a cup,” Garrett said. Jessa pushed her helmet at him before turning to follow the old woman moving at a snail’s pace past the aisles of shelves bearing products. Carrying both helmets, Garrett brought up the rear. Kent’s partner, a pharmacist like Kent himself, moved toward the prescription counter at the back of the store.

  Garrett took a seat on a chrome-and-red vinyl stool at the chrome-and-black counter. Millie pulled a heavy china cup from beneath the counter, placed it in front of him then added a narrow paper napkin and a spoon before listing a number of flavorings available.

  “Just plain black coffee, thank you,” Garrett told her.

  He sipped the dark brew and watched with unabashed fascination as Millie took Jessa through the workings of the old-fashioned soda fountain, recipe by recipe in the book literally chained to the back wall. Millie moved slowly, but she talked fast, and Garrett could see Jessa’s eyes glazing over halfway through.

  “Just study the recipes and you’ll be fine,” Millie finished up. “When you’re done, you can join me in Cold Medicines, and I’ll show you how to read the bar codes.”

  With that, she turned and shuffled off, presumably to the Cold Medicines aisle. Jessa flipped the recipe book back to the beginning and stood perusing it for several moments. Then she idly turned to lean against the back counter, and the chain affixed to the wall yanked the book right out of her hands. Throwing them up, she moved to leave the fountain area. Garrett quickly pushed his cup to the edge of the counter for a refill.

  “If you wouldn’t mind....”

  She halted to glare at him, then a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “What are you still doing here anyway?”

  “Drinking coffee,” he replied as she refilled his cup. Suddenly impatient with this whole situation, he asked, “Why are you here?”

  She slid the coffee pot back onto the burner. “I need to make some money. Nearly every cent of my savings is tied up in supplies for the flower shop.”

  “So open the shop,” he told her.

  She parked her hands at her waist. “And where exactly do you suggest I do that?”

  “At the Monroe place, of course.”

  She dropped her hands, asking avidly, “So you’re giving up your claim to it?”

  All she wanted was to get rid of him. But all he really wanted was to look after her and Hunter. Just to look after them. Was that too much to ask?

  “I’m suggesting that we share it,” he told her bluntly. “The more I think about it, the more I’m sure it would work. You and Hunter can move into the house and open your shop. I’ll build my nursery in the backyard.” She started shaking her head. “I’ll stay on at Chatam House and work part-time,” he argued. “There’s just no reason not to do it.”

  “I don’t see it that way,” she said, folding her arms. “It’s too…”

  “Too what?” he demanded.

  “Too risky.”

  “That’s nonsense! The businesses clearly complement each other. You and Hunter will have the house to yourselves. What’s risky about that?”

  She bit her lip. “I don’t know.”

  “Just think about it,” he urged, rising to toss a five-dollar bill onto the counter. “See you at one.”

  “Oh, no,” she said quickly. “Abby offered to give me a lift home when I called her to tell her about the job last night.”

  Disappointed, he snapped, “Fine! Just don’t forget that we have a meeting to plan the wedding reception. And keep the change.”

  Grabbing up both helmets, he strode out of there before he said or did something that he’d regret. Like kiss her. That’s what he wanted to do, he realized, just grab her and plant one on her, make her see him as something more than the Chatams’ gardener. As he strapped down the extra helmet on the back of the bike, he admitted to himself that it wouldn’t work between them. There were things about him that she didn’t know, things that would make her even more wary than she was now. He’d tried to tell her the other day at the rose arbor, but he couldn’t bear to see the disgust on her face.

  What difference did it make, anyway? She’d made her lack of personal interest perfectly clear. She was not for him. Period. Might as well accept that fact.

  Still, he was right about sharing the Monroe Place. It made perfect sense. The businesses did complement each other, and the space was large enough for both. She and Hunter would have a home of their own, and he would be able to see them, watch over them. Until some other guy came along and snapped her up.

  Depressed, he spent the morning in a pall, doing laundry and straightening his room before going out to gas up the truck and grab a bite of lunch that Hilda would not have to prepare. When he wandered into the ballroom at the appointed time, only Magnolia had arrived before him, and he knew before he’d crossed even half of the expansive room that she’d planned it this way.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “They’ll be along. I wanted a private moment with you. Were you able to speak to Jessa this morning?”

  “Sure. When I dropped her off at the pharmacy I went inside and had a cup of coffee.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing.”

  Mags made an exasperated sound. “Did you suggest that you share the Monroe property?”

  “Yes. And she refused.”

  “Why?”

  “Too ‘risky.’” He lifted both forefingers and curled them to indicate quotation marks.

  “Utter nonsense,” Magnolia grumbled. “It’s the perfect solution.”

  “I know that.”

  Magnolia tapped the cleft in her chin with a forefinger. “Someone has to convince her.”

  “Don’t look at me,” he said. “I’ve tried.”

  “Try harder. It’s the only fair thing for both of you.” He didn’t care about fair anymore; he only cared about Jessa and Hunter, but he didn’t tell Mags that. She smiled and said, “I’ll say a prayer for you.”

  “Better be that praying without ceasing thing,” he grumbled, and she laughed.

  Ellie waltzed into the room just then, followed by Asher, Hypatia, Odelia, Kent, Hilda and
Chester. He glanced at his watch and wondered when Jessa would arrive. She should’ve left work ten minutes ago. Corralling his thoughts onto the subject at hand, he listened as Ellie chattered about the wedding, but in the back of his mind ran Magnolia’s words.

  So convince her. Try harder. It’s the perfect solution. I’ll say a prayer.

  He sent up his own prayer, because the sooner he could convince her, the better for everyone.

  “Thanks, Abby.” Releasing her seat belt, Jessa leaned across the little car and hugged her mother’s old friend before hopping out to run up the steps and walk through the front door of Chatam House. Knowing that she was expected in the ballroom, she fought the impulse to look for her son and instead journeyed down the right hallway to the double doors that now stood wide open. Everyone turned to look at her the instant that she stepped onto the marble floor of the magnificent room.

  Muttering, “Sorry I’m late,” she hurried to join the group in the center of the space.

  “What do you think?” Ellie asked, bouncing on her toes. “At which end of the room should the bridal party’s table be?”

  Jessa glanced around. “Neither. I’d put the bridal party at a long table there between the two sets of doors. The gift table could go right across from it.” She looked up at the chandelier overhead, adding, “And the cake should go on a round table right here in the center of the floor, with buffet tables coming off it.”

  Ellie clapped her hands. “Perfect!

  “We have four large matching urns,” Magnolia said. “They’ll need very large arrangements to balance them, but don’t you think that would be enough, even for so large a space?”

  Jessa nodded, mentally placing the urns for maximum effect. “We could float violets and candles in bowls of water on the guest tables and string small white lights over the tops of the windows like twinkling valances.”

  “We have lights like that!” Odelia said excitedly. “Oh, how pretty!”

  “We could bring in the topiaries and light those, too,” Garrett put in.

  Ellie sighed. “It’s going to be so beautiful.”

  “Mommy!” Jessa turned toward the sound of her son’s voice. He stood with Carol in the open doorway to the hall, gaping at the massive room. Jessa smiled, and he ran forward, crying, “Watch!”

  Suddenly, he dropped onto his knees and slid halfway across the room, nearly bowling into the group gathered there. Bodies hopped every which way to avoid a collision. Jessa’s jaw dropped, and embarrassment flushed her cheeks with hot color even as the other adults laughed or hid smiles. Hunter had never before done such a thing! Garrett bent and lifted the boy to his feet, then slapped hands with him.

  “Good slide!”

  “That’s more fun than sliding down the banister!” Hunter declared.

  Sliding down the banister? Anger boiled up in Jessa. She knew exactly who to blame for this. The guilty glance that Garrett shot in her direction confirmed her worst suspicions. Impulsively, she marched forward and stabbed him in the chest with a forefinger.

  “I want a word with you. In private.”

  Garrett looked around, nodded just once and took her arm. “This way,” he said grimly.

  He walked her across the floor, out of the room and down the hall to the sunroom, then into the back hallway past the kitchen to the room that they called the family parlor. He shoved the door closed behind them. She rubbed the tingling skin of her arm where he had held it, though he had in no way injured her, and put on her sternest face. She knew that her anger was unreasonable, but nothing had gone as she’d hoped since she’d come to Buffalo Creek, absolutely nothing. And it was all his fault!

  “How dare you teach my son such risky behaviors!”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Then where did he get such ideas?”

  “The same place all kids get them.”

  “He’s never done such things before!” she pointed out hotly.

  “He’s never been a normal kid before!” Garrett shot back.

  Jessa gasped. “There’s nothing wrong with my son! He’s a quiet, well-behaved little boy, and you have no right—”

  “None at all,” Garrett agreed, interrupting. “But that’s not going to stop me. Not any longer.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but his big hands reached for her and dragged her against him. The next thing she knew, he was kissing her.

  Stunned, Jessa froze. And then she melted. She couldn’t help it. She had no defenses against such sweet heat or the joy that burst within her as Garrett’s arms gently closed around her, tucking her against his chest, her head nesting in the hollow of his shoulder, her face turned up to his. She knew she had only to step away to put a stop to this, but that single step seemed beyond her. The anger dissipated like steam released into the air, and she knew that on some level she had been waiting, hoping for this.

  “Ah, Jess,” he whispered against her lips. “Jessa.”

  And then he kissed her again. Or did she kiss him this time? She feared it was the latter, but she couldn’t seem to stop. Finally, he did.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he admitted, making her smile.

  “Have you? I—I wasn’t sure.”

  He cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. “I half expected you to slap me,” he told her wryly.

  “I should,” she muttered. “I think. I don’t know. There’s just too much to consider.”

  He pushed out a gusty sigh and tilted back his head. “You’re right. Okay. Put the two of us aside for a moment. We’ll take this step by step.” Drawing her over to the sofa, he sat down there with her, both of her hands in his.

  “Let’s start with Hunter. He’s blossoming. Don’t you see that? He’s no longer cowering in fear and protecting himself in silence. He’s stepping out of his shell, daring to try new things. That’s all that was back there. As for my influencing him, I may have mentioned sliding down the banister to him, but I didn’t do it with him or show him how, and I was as surprised by that grand slide across the ballroom floor as you were. But it’s no big deal. I’ll make sure he knows that he shouldn’t do it again, if only because he’ll tear the knees out of his pants. Okay?”

  She managed a nod, fresh color rising to her face now that she could think of her anger and the kiss—kisses—sanely.

  “You shouldn’t cower in fear any longer, either,” he told her, smoothing her hair with one hand.

  She realized that it had fallen and reached back to pluck out the clip. “I’m not.”

  “You are,” he argued. “And I don’t blame you. But, honey, you’ve never been safer than you are right now. Please, please, understand that.”

  Tears filled her eyes, but she managed to ignore the endearment and squeak, “I do. Really, I do.”

  He sighed with relief. “Good. Then you’ll think about the two of us sharing the Monroe place, won’t you? I mean really, seriously think about it. I’m convinced that both of our businesses would benefit if we share the space.”

  She nodded. In truth, she couldn’t help thinking about it. She’d thought about it all day even though she’d tried not to. He clasped her hands again.

  “You could set up shop in the back parlor rather than the front,” he said eagerly. “I’ll build the nursery between the garage and the shed. We could gravel the space between your shop and the nursery for parking. That way the front door is yours, and you could use the butler’s pantry as workspace.”

  He was right. That would be perfect, far better than using the front room for her shop, but she just couldn’t tell him yes. She had to think this through carefully.

  “Tell you what,” Garrett said squeezing her hands. “Let’s pray about it. Right now. Together.”

  Jessa looked up at him in wonder
. He wanted to pray with her? Now?

  Wayne had only ever prayed in church. Now that she thought about it, she realized that she had only ever seen him pray when others could also see him doing so. But here sat Garrett Willows, urging her to private prayer. Jessa nodded.

  Garrett closed his eyes and bowed his head, bringing his brow to hers. “Lord, thank You for bringing Jessa and Hunter here. Please keep them safe. You know our needs and dreams. You know what is best for us. If sharing the Monroe property is not best for all for us, then please show us that. And if it is the best thing, help us see that, too. That’s all either of us want, Lord, the best for everyone involved. So, we’re asking You, in the name of Christ Jesus, to guide us. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Jessa whispered.

  Garrett kissed her forehead, slipped an arm around her shoulders and leaned back against the flowered, overstuffed cushions with her. “Think it over,” he said. “You don’t have to decide today. As for us,” he went on softly, “I don’t want you to worry about what just happened. We’ll take it slow, just see where things go between us. I’ll give you all the room and time you need, I promise. And if things don’t go anywhere, that’s okay. But I hope you know how much I’ve come to care about you. I think I have from the beginning, really, from the moment you tumbled off that ladder into my arms.” He chuckled. Then he sobered, promising, “I’ll never intentionally do anything to hurt you or Hunter, as God is my witness. Where this goes, what happens between us, that’s up to you. Completely. Okay?”

  Her mind whirled with all he’d said. It was almost too much to take in. What if he turned out to be just like Wayne? What if her business succeeded and his didn’t, or vice versa? She needed time to think it through, bit by bit. And wasn’t that exactly what he was offering her?

  Blinking back grateful tears, she nodded and whispered, “Okay.”

  Smiling, he sighed again and smoothed a hand over her upper arm. “It’s all going to work out now. You’ll see. Everything’s going to be just fine.”