Somehow helping her run Morning Glory’s for that afternoon had become the most important thing he’d done in recent memory, which was really quite pathetic. Still… maybe it was a start to finding his way back to happiness in life.
Maybe things weren’t all bad, after all. Maybe there might be a reason to stay.
Of course, the most pressing question was whether he had the girl to thank or the situation. Would helping anyone have put him into such good spirits, or was this new feeling of warmth because he had helped her specifically?
Going about his morning the following day, he kept turning this question over in his mind. While he replenished the shelves in aisle three with fresh stock, Ben pictured her smile. As he reviewed the orders that had come in from assorted local businesses, he felt as if her arms had wrapped around him in thanks once again. And he smiled, which is not something he had done much of these past few years. But today he just couldn’t help himself. It felt good to have lightness in his heart once again. He only hoped he could hold on to it for long enough to make an actual, lasting difference in his life.
Ben sighed as he realized that it probably wouldn’t. As time went on, the memory of that afternoon would fade. The only way to keep this newfound hope alive would be to replenish it with more time in Summer’s company. And how could he just show up at her shop unannounced and volunteer his services once again? He didn’t want to insult her by implying she couldn’t keep things running without his help, and the thought of asking her on a date made his stomach turn.
What if she said no? He’d rather think fondly of her and wonder what if than find himself facing a real-life rejection. And somehow he couldn’t see things ending in his favor, no matter how hard he tried. No. It would definitely be best to savor his memories while they lasted and see how he felt once they no longer cheered him. Would he find a new reason to feel happy, or was this his last grab at bliss? His last grab, and already he had loosened his fingers and let it float away.
This was why Ben constantly found himself stuck in a dark hole, because he was too afraid to climb out and face the sunshine, to let summer reign.
And then, suddenly, there she was, live and in the flesh… and standing just a half a store’s length away, chatting with Maisie as the two looked over a fresh flower delivery.
Summer frowned and shook her head, and Maisie placed a conciliatory hand on her shoulder. Another mistake? Probably, but Maisie was too good-natured to make much of it. She would sell whatever Summer had brought, and she would do so happily. Ben envied her in that way, that Maisie always made the best of everything. But then again, she’d been born into the wealthiest family in town and had everything handed to her along the way. Ben liked to believe he would share her sunny outlook had he been blessed with the same circumstances.
Noticing him then, Summer smiled and gave an enthusiastic wave.
Oh, crap. Had he been staring this whole time? Ben nodded curtly and then retreated down the aisle pretending he had something important to do.
Coward! He’d spent all of last night and this morning pining away for her, and when she actually showed up he couldn’t run away fast enough. See, Ben. This is why you don’t deserve nice things. His inner critic continued to taunt him as he fled for the back of the store. Just as quickly as hope had filled his heart, it circled the drain, and disappeared.
Had Summer really just screwed up another order? Well, at least Maisie was being nice about it. She smiled at Summer while placing the baskets and vases Summer had just delivered into a beautiful display at the front of her store.
Maisie shook Summer offer whenever she tried to apologize. "Sure, it's not what I ordered, but there's no denying these flowers are gorgeous. My customers are going to grab these up lickety split, and before you know it, I'll be placing a whole new order from Morning Glory’s."
"Are you sure?" Summer wondered if she was ever going to get things right—or at least get them right before the end of her stay in Sweet Grove.
"Oh, honey, you’re fine! Stop worrying so much. Just slow down, relax, take some time to smell the roses. Oh, look! Here are some now." Maisie laughed as she pushed a bouquet of yellow roses toward Summer’s nose.
Summer laughed too as she leaned in and took a good, long whiff of the fragrant petals. "Well, I can already tell I'm going to like you. I'm just sorry I didn't get the order right. Next time though…"
"Oh, no, no, no you don't. What did I just say about the roses? Seems to me you're just trying too hard, and that's causing you to get all sorts of flustered. I bet you haven't even taken the time to show yourself around Sweet Grove. Am I right?” Maisie crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for Summer's response.
Summer shrugged. "Is it that obvious that I'm new around here?"
"This is a small town, and everybody knows everybody. Besides, your Aunt Iris is a good friend of mine. I've been hearing about her cruise for… Must be years now. I swear, the very same day I took over the market, your Aunt Iris was here delivering flowers and introducing me to Sunny Sunshine while telling me all about the trip she had planned, just as soon as she could afford to take it. I’m so happy for her, by the way."
Summer chuckled. "Yes, that's my Aunt Iris for you. She always has a smile on her face and a story to tell. Well, almost always. When I got here, all she wanted to do was show me how to take care of Sunny Sunshine and tell me all about life in Sweet Grove. Actually, she did mention you. She said—"
Maisie interrupted with a long drawn out sigh. "Why does that not surprise me?"
Then a bright smile returned to her face as she said, "Iris does have a certain reputation for gossip, but she means no harm. In a way, she's Sweet Grove’s alternative to having a local newspaper. With her around, we’ve just never needed one. You want to know what's going on, you ask Iris. Speaking of, will you be taking over that role too while she's away?"
"Well, I haven't met too many people yet, so I wouldn’t know what to gossip about. But I'd certainly be happy to try. What do I need to know? Maybe I'll at least be better at this than I am at running the shop. Honestly? I've been so frazzled that I’ll take whatever small victory I can get."
"You've been here a few days now. I say it’s time you made some friends. Other than Sunny Sunshine, of course."
Both women laughed as they headed toward the front of the store. A blur of movement caught Summer’s eye, and she was pleasantly surprised to spot her mysterious helper from the day before. Ben.
She wanted to call out, but her voice caught her throat, so she settled on a wave instead.
Rather than returning her greeting though, he quickly retreated down the nearest aisle and out of view.
Summer frowned.
Maisie put a hand on her shoulder. "So you've already met Ben, I take it?"
"Yeah, and I thought we had made friends, but…"
"That's Ben for you." Maisie sighed and fixed her eyes on the place where Ben had stood just seconds before. "He has the kindest heart, but life has been unfair to him, and now he's a bit… How do I put it? Gun shy. Oh, that's an awful way to say it, considering… But I really shouldn’t be telling you his life story. Poor guy’s had a hard enough time as it is. Anyway, I'm sure you did make friends, and, well, this is a small town. Seems I can't say that enough about Sweet Grove… But, really, you're destined to run into each other again. Maybe next time he won't be able to make such a fast getaway. Ben is a sweetheart. He just needs a little extra… Reassurance."
Well, that was an earful. Summer found herself torn between wondering what had happened to make Ben so skittish and contemplating whether it would be worth the effort to befriend someone who needed so much extra coaxing.
"One for the road," Maisie shouted as she threw an apple at Summer. By some miracle, Summer actually managed to catch the unexpected projectile before it could bounce off her chest and fall to the ground.
"Did you know that the Sweet Grove our town was named for is actually an apple grove? Yeah, G
olden Delicious just like that one. You won't find better apples anywhere in the country. I don't care what those orchards in New England try to claim. Nothing quite as sweet as the Texas soil and nothing quite as delicious as that there apple." She nodded toward the fruit in Summer’s hand.
"Hey, I was wondering how the town got its name. Thanks for the history lesson," she said and then bit down into the sweet fruit and sighed as its delicious juices flooded her taste buds.
Maisie walked over and handed her a small paper bag filled with Golden Delicious and other varieties of apples. "Now, my dear, you’re fully initiated. So come on out and celebrate with us. Thursday is karaoke night at the Rusty Nail. The girls and I never miss it, and now that you're here and have been initiated into the Sweet Grove ways, you're one of us too. Meet us there at eight? I won't take no for an answer, so you might as well agree right now."
Summer bobbed her head and thanked Maisie for the invite. She could think of nothing she'd like more than to make a few new friends, especially friends who wouldn't run away whenever she tried to say hello.
Before heading back to her car, she took one last glance around small grocery store. But Ben was nowhere to be found.
Chapter 5
Ben had spent the rest of that day chastising himself for not returning Summer’s friendly greeting. Why couldn't he just smile and say hello? They’d spent a nice couple of hours together the afternoon before. He'd enjoyed his time in her company, and it seemed that she had liked talking with him as well. She was clearly grateful for his help, and the smile that spread across her face when she spotted him across the store made it clear she was happy to run into him again.
So then why had he run away? Sigh.
No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't answer that question for himself.
Later that day, Maisie had asked him if he was all right, and he’d said that everything was fine, that he just had a lot of work to do. She eyed him suspiciously but didn’t press him any further. Of course, then he had to spend the rest of his shift keeping himself as busy as possible so as not to invite any more unwanted questions.
All the while, he couldn't shake Summer from his mind – not just how terribly he’d messed up, but also her smile, her touch, her kindness, and especially the way being with her had made him feel. Here was a woman who was completely new to town. She didn't know his history, which meant she didn't act stilted around him the way the others so often did. Despite the general panic as they tried to catch up with all the orders at Morning Glory’s, their conversations had been effortless, natural, and honestly, the best Ben had had in years. Sure, they’d focused mainly on the tasks that needed to be done, but she treated him like a hero, like he was the only one who could save her from the unfortunate mess she'd made.
And he loved that.
Back and forth he went between happy thoughts of the girl who'd finally broken through his heart’s many barriers, and unhappy thoughts of how he himself had behaved that morning. Not even the library could provide adequate distraction when he went there after work to find a new topic to study. He tried the old-fashioned card catalog and the newer digitized computer system. He browsed at random through the stacks, and even asked Sally for her suggestions. But nothing held his interest.
Well, nothing other than Summer...
What if he were to swing by the flower shop and pretend he had a new order from Maisie? Would she believe him? Would that be enough of an excuse? And what would he say if she asked why he had run away from her that morning?
Even though thinking on his feet was obviously not his strong suit, if he tried to force himself to work out all the details beforehand, he'd probably never find the nerve to speak to her again. So he said good-bye to Sally and left without any books to keep him company as he took the short walk toward Morning Glory’s.
You can do this. She already likes you. Just say hello, place your order, and ask if you can offer any further help. Easy. That's all he managed to tell himself before his insecurities took over once more.
Why did the thought of seeing her again make him so excited and so nervous all at the same time? He'd never felt this way before, or at least not in a long time. He thought back to freshman year in high school when he had first developed his crush on Elise Nelson. They’d even gone to the homecoming dance together and a couple dates after that. But, as it turned out, a couple of fourteen-year-olds didn't know the first thing about love, and while he liked Elise just fine, they weren't necessarily good together. Not in that way at least.
Is that how it would be with Summer too, once the initial excitement of this new attraction wore off? Or would it be different now that he was an adult, now that he knew himself better—now that he had so little else that made him happy in life?
Would it be better to know now whether things could or couldn't work, or should he do whatever it took to cling to the glorious fantasy of what if? This particular question terrified him—so much that he hung his head and turned away just before reaching the block where the flower shop sat.
He wasn't ready for this. He hadn't asked for it…
Or had he?
Ben thought back to the desperate prayer he had made and briefly wondered whether it had been heard. Too many questions, not enough answers. It all made Ben's head spin.
Sometimes he just wished he could turn his brain off for the day and be happy like everyone else, but then he realized that this is exactly what his mother had done with the help of liquor. And that it was actually the very last thing he wanted for himself.
No, he needed to stay sharp in order to protect them both, even though sometimes it felt that his own mind was conspiring against him.
By the time he turned into his driveway, he had decided that he would lose himself in a Netflix binge that night. Maybe a lighthearted romantic comedy. Perhaps an Adam Sandler movie. He was going to keep daydreaming about Summer no matter what he put on, so he might as well give himself some good material to work with. Actually, he was kind of excited to kick back and browse through all the choices.
"Mom! I'm home!" he called as he walked through the kitchen and thrust open the pantry.
"Mom?" He shouted again as he popped a bag of popcorn into the microwave and watched the turntable spin. When she didn't answer, he tromped over to her room and knocked on the closed door.
Still no answer.
Okay, now he was worried.
That night, Summer slipped into the flirty party dress that she had packed on the off chance she’d find a reason to wear it during her stay in the small, sleepy town. She teased her dark curls and stacked her arms with bangles a friend had brought her from India. A quick coat of dark red lipstick and she was ready for whatever the night brought her way.
Maisie found her the moment she walked through the doors of the Rusty Nail. "My, don't you look like a million bucks? Turn, turn! Let’s see the whole thing."
Summer’s metallic toned skirt floated around her, making beautiful waves through the air as she spun.
A woman she hadn't yet met reached over and caressed one of Summer’s curls. "I am so jealous of that gorgeous hair of yours. My hair won't even hold a ponytail—let alone a perm— and you have all this beautiful natural bounce.”
Maisie laughed and pulled her friend away from Summer. "Settle down, she just got here. You're going to scare the poor thing off! Summer, this is Jennifer."
Summer smiled and nodded, noting how uncomfortable Jennifer looked in her heeled shoes. "Nice to meet you. Thanks for having me out tonight."
"Don't mind me. I spend my whole day in the company of kids, and sometimes I forget that it’s okay to act like a grown-up." She tittered and saddled Summer with an unexpected, but affectionate, hug.
Maisie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "She's like the kid sister I never had."
"But, boy, would I have liked to grow up with all those handsome brothers of yours!" Jennifer added.
"Don't get me started on my brothers," Maisie s
aid with another eye roll. "Anyway, Summer here is running Morning Glory’s while Iris is on her cruise. Jennifer owns the daycare center over on Cypress, and she also serves as the Sunday school teacher at the church. So like she said, sometimes she forgets how to be an adult. But we love her for it! Karaoke nights wouldn't be the same without her. Heck, life wouldn’t be the same without her."
Jennifer blushed and reached in for another hug, this time from Maisie. "Aww, thank you, Maze.”
A fourth woman joined them. "Okay, what did I miss? Who's the new girl? Hey, wait. I know you! We met the other day at Morning Glory’s. You’re Iris’s niece! Summer, right?"
Summer recognized the tall, lively blonde at once. "Hi, Elise. Yeah, that's me. Did your friend like the flowers?"
"Oh, Kristina? She's actually just parking the car now. So you can ask her yourself. I just know you two are going to get along great." Elise leaned into the group and lowered her voice several notches. "Before I forget, Kristina got some less-than-great news from the doctor. I know she'll explain everything herself, but before she gets here, I just wanted to ask if we could all pass on the drinks and the greasy food tonight. She can't have any of that anymore, and I want to make sure we show our support, so she doesn't… Hey! Over here, Kristina!"
A beautiful, plus-sized woman wearing a sequined top and black slacks came over to the group. Unlike the other women of Sweet Grove, her skin was the color of dark honey and her features were full and sensual. She smiled, but Summer could tell she had just recently been crying. "Hello, everyone,” she said with a small wave. “Oh, someone new! Hi, I'm Kristina Rose, Kristina Rose Maher. How do you do?"
Love's Prayer (The First Street Church Romances Book 1) Page 3
