by Mia Ross
“Yup,” he said as their waitress arrived. “Better get used to it.”
The straightforward advice made perfect sense to her, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. Once they’d placed their orders, he poured them each a glass of sweet tea from the pitcher the waitress had left for them.
Heather’s first sip of the Southern concoction made her hum in appreciation. “Ooh, that’s good. I’m not a big fan of iced tea, but this is delicious.”
“Cam puts something special in it. Secret ingredient he won’t tell anyone.”
She took another sip, swirling it around before swallowing. “I think it’s mint.”
“Sure, but what kind? Even Erin doesn’t know what he uses, and she’s married to the guy.”
That led their light conversation to his family, and how things were going at the rescue center and the farm. Before she knew it, they’d chatted their way through dinner and homemade cheesecake topped with fresh blackberries, juice drizzling down the sides into a puddle on the plate.
“Cam’s mother is a genius in the kitchen,” Josh said. “She’s had two strokes, so she works at home and has him pick up the desserts a couple of times a day. She says baking is the best therapy she’s ever done. Plus, we all get to enjoy her cooking, so it’s a win-win.”
“Two strokes?” Heather echoed, shaking her head. “How did she and her family ever get through all that?”
“Faith.”
The answer came so quickly, she knew it was reflexive for him. Gazing across the table at this handsome, good-hearted man, she said, “You make it sound like religion makes hard things easy.”
“Not easy,” he corrected her gently, “possible. We all need extra strength at one time or another, like you did when your brother died. Bailey was counting on you, and you stepped up. It wasn’t what you had planned, but you did it anyway. The way I see it, God was watching over the two of you, even if you didn’t realize it.”
Was that really how she’d gotten through that heart-wrenching time? Devastated by the loss of her only sibling, somehow Heather had kept trudging forward. Making funeral and legal arrangements, consoling her parents, doing everything in her power to make Bailey feel safe and loved. Doing what needed to be done because it was important and she was the only one capable of doing it. More than one person had asked her how she’d managed, and because she honestly hadn’t known, she’d learned to smile and change the subject.
Was it possible that God had been giving her the strength she needed to survive the worst time in her life? “I hadn’t considered that. Does God really work that way?”
“He works in all kinds of ways,” Josh assured her, leaning back in his chair so the waitress could clear the table. “If you’re interested, you and Bailey are welcome to join us at church on Sunday. Maybe you’ll find your answer there.”
“I don’t know.” She hedged. “I haven’t been to a service in years.”
“Mrs. Wheaton teaches the Sunday school. They mostly paint pictures and sing kids’ worship songs. Bailey would probably love it.”
The name rang a bell, and Heather smiled. “Is that the same Mrs. Wheaton who gave the day care classes a singing lesson today?”
“Probably. She never misses a chance to teach kids about music.”
“She sounds like my sister-in-law,” Heather commented sadly. “Polly was a concert pianist when she met Craig, but when they got serious about each other, she didn’t want to put all of her time into performing. She switched her major and became a teacher. No matter how fussy Bailey was, if Polly started singing to her, she’d calm right down, as if she wanted to hear every note.”
Heather felt her chin starting to tremble, and she fought to contain a rush of tears that was threatening to break free of her control. Embarrassed, she looked down at the checked tablecloth to avoid Josh’s gaze. To her astonishment, a large hand settled over hers for a comforting squeeze.
“It’s okay, Heather,” he said gently. “Missing people is part of loving them. But as long as you and Bailey keep her parents’ memories alive, they won’t ever really be gone.”
Glancing over, she saw true empathy dimming his usually bright blue eyes. Swallowing hard, she dredged up a wan smile. “Considering what your family’s been through, I guess you know what you’re talking about.”
“Loving people is hard. Losing them is harder. Hanging on to what we get in between is important, ’cause none of us knows how much time we’re gonna have together.”
“I thought you were a farmer, but just then you sounded like a philosopher.”
“Maybe I’m a little of both,” he said with a wink.
The lighthearted gesture blew away some of her sadness, and she was grateful to him for finding the perfect way to lift her spirits. “I’m guessing no one else knows that, though.”
Clouds blew through his eyes, and he frowned as if her words pained him. Just as quickly as they’d appeared, they evaporated, leaving behind his customarily open expression. “Probably not. So, what’re you up to tonight?”
Heather followed his lead and switched topics. “Absolutely nothing. I haven’t had a chance to explore the town yet. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Downtown folds up like a tent at six, and this is the only thing open after that. There’s a movie theater and mall over in Rockville, but that’s a half hour away.”
Heather wrinkled her nose. An hour-long round-trip for things that she wasn’t remotely interested in doing sounded more like self-imposed torture than fun to her. Then inspiration struck, and she asked, “Are you busy?”
“Not hardly. What’d you have in mind?”
“I promised to give you a waltzing lesson. How about now?”
“Sounds good.” When the waitress dropped off the check, Heather reached into her bag for her wallet, but he waved her off. “It’s on me.”
“But you weren’t planning on company. At least let me get the tip.”
“Not a chance. I’m a Southern boy, and we don’t let a lady chip in for her own dinner. I’d sooner work in the kitchen to pay Cam, and I hate washing dishes.”
As he stood to pull out her chair for her, she wasn’t sure what to make of his sudden flare of stubbornness. She’d gotten accustomed to his laid-back personality, so his adamant refusal caught her by surprise. In a good way.
“All right, then,” she finally agreed, smiling over her shoulder at him. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter Seven
The Closed sign was on the door when Josh and Heather walked into Pampered Paws. Erin looked over from where she was hanging brightly colored puppy collars on a half-empty rack. Disapproval flashed in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a smile for Heather. “Hey there. What’re you guys up to?”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out that her thinly veiled suspicion was aimed at him, but since she hadn’t addressed him by name, Josh chose to ignore it and just grinned. He’d been tormenting his big sister since he’d first come to understand the concept, and he was well aware that she hated it when he pretended to be clueless. Almost as much as when he actually was clueless.
“Josh bought me dinner over at the Oaks Café,” Heather explained. “So I’m returning the favor with a dancing lesson. I know you’ll be down here working on inventory, so we’ll try to keep the noise to a minimum.”
“Speaking of dancing,” Erin said, crossing the floor to pick up a sheet from the counter, “six more bidders registered for the bachelor auction today. That brings us up to forty, and the event isn’t till the end of May.”
Heather’s eyes shimmered with excitement. “That’s fabulous! Fifty was our goal, and we might end up with even more. If these ladies are feeling extra generous, maybe we’ll be able to afford to replace those ruined picnic tables, too.”
&n
bsp; Erin gave him a long look before saying, “You didn’t tell her?”
“It was gonna be a surprise,” Josh replied, trying to imitate Mike’s growl but failing completely. Since it wasn’t his style to be gruff, he shrugged it off with a grin. “I’m building the tables myself out of some scrap lumber Cam had lying around after the Oaks Café’s renovation. That way, we’ll have plenty of spots for people to sit and it won’t cost anyone a dime.”
“Really?” He nodded, and Heather shook her head. “Between the farm and the playground, where are you going to find time for building tables?”
He enjoyed pitching in when he could, and folks around town were used to him lending a hand on various projects during the year. They didn’t think anything of it, so her praise was new to him. Feeling awkward, he answered, “I like keeping busy. Besides, there’s always time for the really important stuff.”
“Like waltzing lessons?”
“Well, now, that’s a whole different deal, isn’t it? Ya gotta have fun once in a while.”
Heather rewarded him with the kind of dazzling smile that could go to a guy’s head if he wasn’t careful. “You think dancing with me will be fun?”
In all honesty, he’d been looking forward to it ever since she’d first suggested it. But with Erin staring at him as if he were a potential shoplifter, he decided it was best to play it cool. “Long as I don’t crush your toes or spin you down the stairs, it should go just fine.”
She laughed and headed for the door that led upstairs to her apartment. As he turned to go, Erin announced, “I need a tall guy to help me with something down here, Heather. I’ll send your student up when he’s done.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go put on my steel-toed pumps.”
Flashing a sassy look over her shoulder at him, she turned and continued up the steps.
He was still watching her when Erin’s palm smacked the back of his head. “Hey! What was that for?”
“I warned you, Joshua,” she hissed, using his full name as if that would make more of an impact than her hand. “What on earth are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking you want me to sell some poor, unsuspecting woman a ticket for something I can’t do. Heather offered to give me some pointers so I don’t make a total fool of myself, and I figured it made sense to take her up on it.”
Doubt crept into his sister’s gaze, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “The dance auction wasn’t my idea. It was Heather’s. And while we’re on the subject, what possessed you to say yes in the first place?”
He was getting annoyed with everyone second-guessing his motives, and he let that irritation into his voice. “I’m doing it for the kids, so we can finish the playground before Parker, Abby and Bailey graduate from high school.”
The moment he said it, he knew he’d made a terrible—and telling—slip by including Bailey in his list. And judging by Erin’s suddenly compassionate expression, she’d heard it loud and clear. “You really like Heather, don’t you?”
“What’s not to like?” he said as casually as he could manage. “She’s smart and pretty, and she laughs at my jokes.”
“Besides which, you love kids, and her niece already thinks you’re Superman.” He didn’t know how to respond to that, so he kept quiet. She studied him for several moments, and his big sister’s laser-focus appraisal made him want to squirm. He managed not to give in to the impulse, but it wasn’t easy.
“Josh, I know that you want what Mike and Drew have,” Erin went on in a gentler tone, “how important family is to you. But these two aren’t ready for that yet. I’d hate to see you set your heart on someone whose life isn’t in the same place as yours.”
“Like Cindy, you mean,” he added grimly.
“That girl broke your heart, not to mention your bank account.”
“The jeweler took the ring back,” Josh reminded her, grimacing at the humiliating memory. “I think he felt sorry for me.”
“But that didn’t help mend anything inside you. It took you a long time to get over Cindy, and I don’t want to see that happen again.” Leaning closer, she murmured, “Don’t tell Mike or Drew, but out of the three of you clowns, you’re my favorite. For a boy, you’re actually not half-bad.”
“Thanks.” Deciding it was time to bring the mood back up, he winked. “I’ll be sure to remind you of that when you’re doing your Christmas shopping.”
“And there’s the maddening other half,” she shot back, aggravation replacing the fond look she’d been wearing a second ago. Sighing in frustration, she gazed up at him with a pitying expression. “I can’t tell you what to do, but promise me you’ll be careful. For your sake, and for the Fitzgeralds’. They’ve been through enough this year.”
Her unsolicited advice echoed what Mike had said to him during their lunch at the farm. Josh wasn’t sure what she thought could go wrong, but she meant well, so he did his best to view her comment the way she’d intended. “I appreciate your watching out for me, sis. You’re not half-bad yourself.”
He moved past her, stopping just long enough to drop a kiss on her cheek.
“Oh, you’re a real piece of work, Kinley boy,” she scolded him through a proud smile. “Now, get outta here before I change my mind.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Grinning, he took the creaky steps three at a time on his way up to Heather’s apartment. When he stepped into her living room, he was impressed by the transformation. Last time he’d been here, the place had been full of boxes and furniture stacked with suitcases. Now, there were bright throw pillows scattered around and floor-length curtains on the windows, giving the small space a nice, cozy feeling. Family photos crowded one of the built-in bookshelves, and he went over to check them out.
“I didn’t have room for all of them,” Heather told him from the kitchen, “so I let Bailey pick her favorites.”
One in particular caught his eye, and he lifted the frame for a better look. A young couple sat together in a hospital bed, a tiny baby held between them. They looked tired but content, with no idea that in a few short years, their daughter would be an orphan. So much promise in the little family, Josh mused, only to end in sorrow. He wasn’t usually one for brooding, and that thought made him sadder than he’d been since losing his own father years ago.
Heather joined him in the living room, and he hunted for something positive to say. “They look happy.”
“They were.” With a wistful smile, she took the frame from him and set it back in its place. “I was away at college, and they called me around midnight to tell me Polly had gone into labor early. I drove like a crazy woman to get there in time, and I made it to the delivery room just before Bailey was born. This was the best day of all our lives. So much has happened since then, it seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Bailey’s blessed to have an aunt who loves her the way you do.” When Heather gave him a quizzical look, he tried again. “You’ve given up a lot for her, from that night right up till now. I’m sure you get plenty of offers for jobs that pay way better than this one, but you came here for Bailey. It can’t be easy to make that work, but you’re doing it.”
Heather stared up at him, slowly shaking her head. “How on earth could you know that? I got one from a place in Louisville the other day, but I didn’t tell anyone about it.”
“Common sense,” he replied with a shrug. “You’re really good at what you do, so it’d be crazy to believe you didn’t have other options. Maybe even some that didn’t include living in a tiny apartment above your boss’s pet store.”
“The rent fits into my budget, so I’m not complaining.”
He got the feeling that she wanted to tell him something more but wasn’t sure whether or not she could rely on him to keep it to himself. He’d learned over the years that the best way to get someone’s trust wasn’t to ask for it, but
to earn it. Whether you were talking about animals or people, gaining their confidence took a considerable amount of patience. But in the end, that was the best approach, and he chose it now.
“So,” he began, rubbing his hands together as if he couldn’t wait to get started, “the waltz. What do we do first?”
“Music.” Going over to the mini speaker system on the windowsill, she plugged in her phone and scrolled through the list of songs. “I’m thinking this will work for starters.”
The room filled with the highbrow chords of a full orchestra, and he couldn’t help laughing. “I feel like I’m way underdressed.”
“You’re fine. Now, you put your left hand here—” she guided his hand to rest on her waist “—and take my right hand lightly in yours. This isn’t the tango, so you won’t be flinging me around. A nice, loose hold is what we’re after.”
Josh was a lifelong farmer, more at home with picks and shovels than white gloves. Doing his best to follow her instructions, he asked, “Is this okay?”
“Yes, but you need to relax your posture a little. More fluid, so your steps will be smoother.”
After several attempts, each one clumsier than the last, she stepped back and gave him an odd look. “Are you okay? It feels like you’re made of wood or something.”
“I told you, I don’t dance,” he reminded her curtly. “This is why.”
“You plowed through a falling-down building to rescue a little girl. This should be a piece of cake for you.”
“I’m trying.”
“Yes, you are,” she snapped, sounding as frustrated as he felt. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she thought for a minute and then said, “Let’s go at this another way. Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so. Honestly, Josh, you’re twice my size. What do you think I’m going to do to you?”
She had a point there, he had to admit. But he was a hands-on kind of guy, so this cerebral approach to dancing was an uncomfortable stretch for him. “Okay, but if you tell me to picture us floating around on a cloud or something, I’m outta here.”
