by Loree Lough
Grinning, he gave her the cone. She’d earned it, first by digging herself from the pit of painful history, then by making the best home-cooked meal he’d eaten in months, and finally by helping him remember how good it felt to laugh. If this is a sign, Lord, I’d sure appreciate a sign, so I’ll know I’m reading Your signs correctly this time.
The silliness of his thought started a whole new round of laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” he said, standing. And wrapping her hand in his, he tugged her to her feet. “Let’s take a walk.”
“Where?”
“Along Pequea Creek. It’s not far from here, and it’s a nice night for a walk.”
She followed, but he sensed her unasked why?
“Maybe we’ll hear a whip-poor-will singing in the breeze.”
“Y’think?”
“Could be.”
“Can’t say when I last heard a whip-poor-will.”
And Simon couldn’t say what inspired him to slip an arm around her waist and pull her close. But he did.
And she let him.
Chapter Five
“Tell me,” Simon said, balancing an ankle on a crossed knee, “just what does a public defender do, anyway?”
Finally, a subject Julia could talk about with no fear of waking sleeping monsters! “Most of the cases I’m assigned require me to represent juveniles whose parents can’t afford private attorneys.”
“‘Require’? You mean, you don’t have any say about who you fight for?”
She laughed. “Not if I want to get paid every month.”
“So even if somebody’s guilty, you’re ‘required’ to go to bat for them.”
“Somebody has to.”
“Don’t know if I could do that.”
If she had a dollar for every time she’d heard a similar sentiment, Julia could probably afford that trip to Ireland she’d been dreaming about. “Oh, you’d do it.”
On the opposite shore of the Pequea, a young boy sat on a pier. She watched as silvery ripples, stirred when his bare feet sloshed in the water, ebbed to their side of the creek. “You save helpless animals every day of your life, Simon, so you can’t tell me you’d turn your back on helpless kids.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw him nodding then felt him shrug the shoulder closest to her own. “But,” he began, “if those kids commit crimes, shouldn’t they be punished?”
“Yes and no.”
Simon scooted forward on the wrought-iron bench so he could turn slightly to meet her eyes. Milky moonlight gleamed from his blond hair like a silvery halo. “Yes and no? I wouldn’t have pegged you as a double-talker, Julia.”
If she hadn’t heard it all before, dozens of times, she might have been offended by his accusatory tone. “Of course criminals should be punished to the fullest extent of the law…if they’ve had the benefit of proper legal counsel and a fair trial.”
One brow rose high on his forehead as he tilted his handsome head. “I see your point…I suppose.”
It was Julia’s turn to shrug. “No shades of gray in the law, I’m afraid. A thing is either right or it’s wrong. You’d see that more clearly if a loved one was facing a prison sentence and—”
“I’d be heartbroken, I’m sure,” he interrupted, “if someone I cared about broke the law. But there are no shades of gray in the Bible, either. A thing is a sin or it’s not.”
She tried to think of a single instance when she’d had this argument and won, and not one came to mind. But then, people rarely countered her comments with Bible talk. “I guess it’s lucky for me you’re such a devout Christian, then.”
His frown said what words didn’t need to: “I don’t get it.”
“Didn’t Jesus say ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged’?” She scooted forward, too, then added, “It’s comforting to know that you won’t judge me simply because we disagree, wholeheartedly, on this point.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “I’ll say this for you….”
Julia cringed inwardly as she waited for the proverbial “other boot” to drop.
“…When you’re right, you’re right.”
And one of the things she’d been right about had been her judgment of Simon. He truly was a good and decent man, and nothing underscored the fact more than his last comment. If she’d been on a quest to “Find Mr. Right,” Julia could have ended her search right there on the banks of Pequea Creek.
But she hadn’t been husband-hunting. And she’d already made up her mind to spare Simon—who’d proven “white knight” tendencies by dedicating his life to animals—from having to rescue yet another suffering orphan.
“But enough about me. What made you decide to become a veterinarian?”
If she thought he hadn’t noticed her attempt to steer the conversation away from herself, Julia was sadly mistaken. “It’s a long, boring story, actually.” He’d go along with her wishes…for now. He was under no delusions, though, and had no intention of changing his mind about getting involved with this extraordinary—if not confounding—young woman. Clearly she needed a friend, and Simon believed that was why God had introduced him to Julia.
“It just so happens I like long, boring stories. They’re my favorite kind.”
He’d known her less than twenty-four hours, yet she’d managed to make him laugh more in that short time span than he had in months. It felt good, being in her presence. Not as good as being in her arms, but—
“Okay, since you seem determined to keep your boring story all to yourself, let me guess….” Julia cleared her throat then sat straight and tall, and with hands clasped and resting in her lap, she spoke as if reading a bedtime story to a child: “When Simon Thomas was a little boy—a boy who routinely gave his poor mother fits—he found a baby bird that had fallen from its nest. He looked and looked but couldn’t find its mother, so he gently put it into a shoe box. Then he visited his local library to find out what went into the care and feeding of baby birds, and in no time,” she said, hands fluttering like bird wings, “the baby grew up and flew away, thanks to its substitute mother, Simon Thomas.”
A moment passed, filled only with the sounds of crickets, singing in the distance. “Wow,” he said. “Amazing.”
Julia’s girlish giggle floated around him and hung on the gathering mist. “Oh, c’mon. You don’t expect me to believe that’s the story!”
“No,” he admitted. “But you’re close. Eerily close, as a matter of fact.”
She’d left her sweater in his car, draped over the passenger seat, and the chilly breeze made her shudder and hug herself. If he’d been wearing a jacket, he’d have draped it over her shoulders. Instead he slipped an arm around her back and scooted her nearer to his side. At first, Julia stiffened and then relaxed, content, it seemed, to share his warmth.
“You want me to guess again?”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “It was two baby squirrels, not a bird. And they didn’t fall from a nest; I took them when I found their mother dead on the side of the road.”
“Oh nooo,” she wailed. “Run over by a car?”
“’Fraid so.” It had been awhile since he’d thought of that period of his life, and Simon smiled at the memory. “Had to gather up my courage and march across the street to ol’ Mrs. Holt’s house.” He faked a shiver. “Neighborhood kids claimed the place was haunted and that she was a witch. But rumor also had it she could fix any critter, no matter how broken.”
“Kids,” Julia huffed, “can be so cruel.”
“Just so happened I pulled the short straw that day, meaning it was my turn to sneak under her fence and come back to our clubhouse with something to prove I’d been in her yard.” Simon grinned at the memory. “There I was on all fours, heart pounding like a parade drum, expecting to see her stirring a caldron of scary brew…and I caught her red-handed, cooing to a nest of bunnies.”
“How old was she?”
“At the time, I’d have said ninety
-nine or one hundred.” He laughed. “Now? I’d guess midseventies. Behind those Buddy Holly glasses and all that silvery hair, she was nothin’ but a big softy. And she bribed me to protect her reputation as a grouch by plying me with hot-from-the-oven sugar cookies and cold chocolate milk. After our snack, she let me help feed her rabbits, chattering the whole time about how important it is to keep babies warm, what to feed them, how much to dole out and how often….” Simon added, “I told her about Boris and Natasha and asked if the same stuff would work to keep them alive.” He sighed. “And it did.”
Julia reached over to squeeze his hand. “You named them Boris and Natasha?” She giggled. “What a lovely story!” Another squeeze. “Thanks for sharing it.” Then, “So what did you bring your friends, to prove you’d entered the ‘witch’s den’?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to forestall the laughter bubbling in his throat. “She gave me a wallet-sized picture of Jesus. You know the one where He’s surrounded by children?”
She threw her head back and laughed, clapping her hands. “She sounds delightful!”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “And we stayed in touch right up until her death about six years ago.”
She sandwiched one of his hands between her own. “Oh, Simon, I’m so sorry. I’m sure you miss her a lot.”
“Yeah, but I think of her every time someone brings an abandoned animal or bird into the clinic.”
“Did she have a husband and kids?”
“Nope. Just a bounty of critters.”
“And you.”
An ash gray cloud passed in front of the moon, shrouding Pequea Creek’s edge with shadows that, under other circumstances, would have inspired dread and gloom. But with Julia beside him, Simon’s spirit soared with calm content. Remarkable, he thought, bearing in mind that he’d resolved to keep things strictly platonic between them.
“Feels like rain,” she said, hunching both shoulders and cupping her elbows.
“Looks like it, too.” He got to his feet and held out a hand, wondering why it mattered so much that she took it. When at last she did, Simon’s heart thrummed with relief.
Her tiny hand tucked into the crook of his arm, they strolled quietly over the cobblestones.
“Very gentlemanly of you,” she said after awhile, “to walk so slowly on my behalf.”
Another woman might not have noticed that he’d shortened his long-legged strides so she needn’t half run to keep up with him. But then, another woman wouldn’t have been Julia. A good thing that she couldn’t read his mind, he thought, because then she’d know her petite stature wasn’t solely responsible for his chivalrous pace. He’d been in no particular hurry to reach his car, because getting there only meant he’d have to take her home, and that meant spending the rest of the long, lonely night without her. Four and a half hours in her presence were more than enough to make him want four and a half more and another four and a half after that.
“I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed an evening more,” she said, looking up at him.
The clouds chose that moment in time to release their dark hold on the moon, and under its shimmering light, her long lashes cast spiky shadows on her cheeks, making her eyes look even larger than before. Her smile carved a dimple into her right cheek, and he resisted the urge to touch it and then trace the outline of her soft, generous lips.
“I’ll bet you’re wishing right about now that you’d let me follow in my car.”
“Of course not. Why would you say such a thing?”
“Because then you could head straight home to Windy and Wiley instead of driving me all the way to the other side of town.”
She’d made a reference to the men in white coats earlier, and if Julia had known how much he dreaded taking her home, she’d call them right now. But if he knew what was good for him—and her—he’d better choose his words carefully. At least until he had a chance to hit his knees and find out what in the world the good Lord had in mind for them. “It’s only a few miles and a few minutes,” he said truthfully. “No big deal.”
“Well, still. It’s been fun. So thanks…especially for the ice cream.”
“And thank you for supper.”
“Thank you for introducing me to Windy and Wiley. They’re…they’re grrrreat. And—”
“Thanks for the scintillating conversation.”
“—and for the walk along the Pequea and for sharing that delightful ‘Why I became a veterinarian’ story, and—”
“Uncle,” he said, pretending to wave an imaginary white flag. “I give up. It’s official: You’ve out-thanked me.”
“Ahh, a man who knows when to quit. You’re one of a kind, Simon Thomas!”
No, he thought, you’re one of a kind. No bigger than a minute, Julia had more energy than five adults and a couple of rowdy kids. She was fun, fascinating, and spunky, with strength of character that belied her petite frame. He’d laughed more in her company than he had in…Simon couldn’t remember when he’d had a better time. He frowned to himself, trying to figure out why his brain seemed to be playing a tennis match, lobbing “She’s got too much baggage” and “You’ve gotta get to know her better” over an invisible net.
He couldn’t say what had happened between this moment and the one when he’d made up his mind to keep her at arm’s length, but as sure as he stood beside her, Simon had done a complete one-eighty. It wasn’t like him to change his mind, especially this quickly. But if he got down-and-dirty honest with himself, he’d spent far too many years dragging sad history himself, so who was he to judge? The only thing that could keep him from her now was God, telling him in no uncertain terms to stay away from Julia Spencer. Simon intended to pray like crazy that Julia was in the Creator’s greater plan for his life. And if he knew what was good for him, he’d better pray, too, that the Lord would give him the courage to accept it in case she wasn’t.
Chapter Six
“No need to walk me to the door.”
“I’d like to see you try and stop me, pip-squeak.”
Laughing, she said, “Well, all right. If you insist.” Secretly, nothing could have pleased her more. Since she’d decided that tomorrow it would be business-as-usual, Julia wanted nothing more than to squeeze every possible moment out of this wonderful, magical night.
She hadn’t remembered to turn on the porch light. “Oh, good grief,” she muttered, digging through her purse. “I hope finding the key hole will be easier than finding my keys.”
In a heartbeat, Simon aimed the pin-thin blue light of a mini flashlight into her bag. “Does that help?”
“I’ll say!” She fished out the key ring. “Wherever did you find that thing?” Julia asked, shoving open her front door.
“One of my patients gave it to me. Nifty gizmo, eh?”
“I’ll say,” she repeated. Funny…, she thought. She usually had no trouble at all in saying goodbye to a date. Which in itself was odd, considering how seldom she dated. But there she stood, fidgeting with her purse strap, trying to decide whether to step inside her foyer or stay on the porch, fumbling for just the right way to end the evening. A short list of possibilities flitted through her head: See ya around! Take care! Don’t let the bedbugs bite! Julia was about to say, Drive safely now, y’hear? when Simon drew her into a hug.
“So what’s on your schedule tomorrow?”
“I, um…,” she stuttered as he rested both hands on her hips. “…I, ah, I have to be in court at nine.”
“To defend a murdering, thieving thug?”
“No,” she laughed. “Nothing quite that dramatic.”
“Well, I’ll pray that your side wins.”
Julia felt like a dimwit, staring up into his face. Better back off, she told herself, before you get in over your head. But despite the promise she’d made to herself mere hours ago, she felt rooted to the spot and glued into his embrace. “Thanks,” she said.
“Can I call you tomorrow?”
She swallowed. How could she sa
y no? But…how could she say yes? The man deserved a woman who could share everything with him, and Julia had absolutely no intention of telling him about the defective genes she’d inherited from her parents!
A thought flashed through her head, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. She’d spent most of their beautiful night together trying to figure out ways to keep him at a distance. How self-centered and arrogant to think he wanted more than a casual, platonic relationship! Maybe she’d misread everything, from the way he held her hand to the way he looked deep into her eyes and gently tucked her hair behind her ears. For all she knew, he behaved the same way with kids who brought their dogs and cats into his clinic!
“Earth to Julia, Earth to Julia….”
She had to laugh, for she’d said the same thing to him just a few short hours ago. Part of her felt a surge of relief, thinking that he acted this way with just about everybody in his life. And yet the very idea woke an ache in her that made no sense. No sense at all, since they’d only met that morning!
“So…?”
“So…what?” she echoed.
“So…can I call you tomorrow?”
“For what?”
Simon chuckled and hugged her tighter. “To see whether or not you won your court case.”
“Sure,” she said on a sigh, “if you like.”
“Well, no need to sound so enthused.” His forefinger traced the contour of her jaw. “All I can say is, it’s a good thing I’m not the supersensitive type.”
Julia’s confused brain buzzed with contradictions, questions, and decisions, and she’d barely heard what he said. “What?” Hopefully his response would fill in at least one of the blanks.
“Never mind.”
When Simon wrapped his arms tighter around her, Julia thought for sure he intended to finish that kiss that he’d started in his living room, hours ago. Was this what people meant when they talked about love at first sight? Because if she didn’t know better, she would’ve sworn she’d fallen in love with this gorgeous, goofy guy when he’d walked toward her at the sanctuary!
