by Mia Ross
“Well, I’ve got things to wrap up behind the scenes, so I’ll leave you to your reunion,” she said briskly, turning away before she lost her head and made a complete fool of herself.
Her heart protested immediately, causing a twisting sensation in her chest that made her wince. She’d been disappointed many times in her life, and some of those losses hurt worse than others. But never had she been so close to everything she wanted, only to have it snatched away from her at the last moment.
Maybe Josh felt the same way, she mused, slowing her pace to let him catch up if he wanted to talk to her. When he didn’t appear by her side, she chanced a look back at the dance floor.
Josh stood apart from Cindy, arms crossed while he listened to whatever she was saying. Her anxious expression told Heather that their conversation was mostly one-way, and she was human enough to be happy about that. In her mind, the best possible outcome was for Josh to honor his obligation for one dance and then leave. Without Cindy. After all, it wasn’t like she was planning to relocate to Oaks Crossing. Once she was gone, Heather would have a long talk with the good-natured farmer and learn, once and for all, what kind of future he had in mind for them.
Heather was just starting to feel more positive about things when she noticed Erin plowing through the milling crowd like a woman on a mission. The grim expression she was wearing swept away Heather’s optimism as if it were nothing but smoke.
“I got the news,” Erin began without preamble, “but you’re not gonna like it.”
“Please,” Heather replied, forcing a laugh. “How bad can it be?”
“Cindy’s grandparents’ house is still in the family, but no one’s lived in it for years. She’s here to see what kind of work it needs before she can move in.”
Heather’s heart plummeted to the floor. “You mean, she’s planning to stay here permanently?”
“That’s what Mom heard.” Resting a hand on Heather’s shoulder, she lowered her voice. “But that doesn’t mean she and Josh will get back together. Cindy’s been gone for years, and it took him a long time to get over her. My little brother’s a moron sometimes, but he’s not stupid enough to let her hurt him again.”
Erin’s confidence had a hollow ring to it, and while Heather appreciated the gesture, she had to be practical. While he’d looked irritated at seeing his old girlfriend, Josh hadn’t made any effort at all to explain his relationship with Heather to Cindy. Anyone with a brain would assume that meant he wasn’t sure about his feelings for either one of them.
Unfortunately, tonight’s strange events had shown her exactly how she felt about him. Josh had come to mean the world to her, and she wasn’t sure how to go about falling out of love with him.
* * *
Man, did he wish he’d stuck to his guns about the not-dancing thing.
If he had, Josh figured that right about now, he’d have finished his work for the day and would be spending his evening with Heather and Bailey. Instead, he was on his third dance with Cindy because she’d begged him for more time so they could talk, and he didn’t know how to tell her no.
That had always been his biggest problem when it came to her, he lamented silently. When she turned those beautiful green eyes on him, he was just about helpless. Even when what she was asking him for went against his better judgment.
“So my cousin told me about the benefit tonight, and I thought it would be the perfect opening for me to tell you I’ve seen the light and I’m moving home,” she finally wrapped up her story with a hesitant smile. “You were right all along. The big, bad world is no place for a sweet country girl like me.”
The night she’d turned down his proposal, he’d told her that, hoping to convince her to stay in Oaks Crossing and share the life he’d always envisioned himself living. The trouble was, for him that dream had died years ago, and he wasn’t remotely interested in reviving it. Not with her, anyway.
His lack of a response seemed to make her nervous, and she let out a shaky laugh. “Most people like to hear that they were right.”
“It was a long time ago, Cindy,” he hedged, searching for a way to be honest without hurting her over something that was so far in the past it barely affected him anymore. “It doesn’t matter who said what.”
“I found out the truth, though. And I did it the hardest way possible, believe me. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Not to him, he thought, although he grudgingly gave her credit for playing the drama card to entice him into asking her for details. While it wasn’t in him to be cold and uncaring, the last thing he wanted was to be subjected to the sordid details of whatever disaster had sent her back to Kentucky with her tail tucked.
Wrestling with so many conflicting emotions wasn’t easy for him, but he was trying desperately to keep a rein on his temper and avoid making a scene that wouldn’t solve anything and would embarrass them both. “A lot has changed since then.”
“Like what?”
He growled in frustration. So much for being nice. “You really wanna do this here? Now?”
“Yes, I do,” she insisted, tilting her chin in a defiant gesture that made him think of Heather. Then, in a blink, Cindy’s features softened, and she gave him those doe eyes again. “Please, Josh. Five minutes, that’s all I’m asking.”
He certainly wasn’t going to have it out with her in the middle of the gym where so many folks were watching them, probably expecting some kind of blow-up. Stepping away, he motioned for her to go ahead of him and followed her into the deserted hallway. And there, in front of the case holding the football trophies that he and his brothers had helped earn, he waited for her to continue the discussion that, to his mind, had already gone on way too long.
“So,” she began in a more or less reasonable tone, “you were going to tell me how much things have changed since we last saw each other.”
In answer, he looked her up and down, then allowed his disapproval of her outfit to show in his expression. “Kinda fancy for someone who claims she wants to go back to being a country girl, don’t ya think?”
“These are just clothes,” she informed him angrily. “I’m still the same person I always was.”
That did it for him, and suddenly he didn’t care who heard them. Scowling for all he was worth, he folded his arms in a gesture that made it clear he was done tiptoeing around her feelings. “Yeah? You came strutting in here like the queen of England, to make sure I noticed. To make sure everyone noticed. That was never your style before.”
“I told you, I was late because there was an accident—”
“I don’t care,” he interrupted curtly. “The Cindy I used to know would never humiliate me in front of the whole town this way. She would’ve come by my house later so we could hash things out in private. And she never would’ve paid a small fortune to dance with me, just to show up everyone else.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” she confided in a miserable whisper. “I wanted to be sure I won so we could talk.”
Her chin started trembling, and beneath the expertly applied makeup, her face contorted in what his instincts told him was genuine sorrow. When her eyes glistened with tears, he managed to hold his ground, but it was a near thing. She was a lot better at playing on his sympathy than he was at withholding it.
Summoning Mike’s trademark growl, very quietly he said, “That won’t work on me anymore. You made your choice about me the night I proposed, and I learned to live with it. You came home, expecting to find me right where you left me. But I’m not the same guy anymore, and no amount of waterworks is gonna change that.”
With that, he turned away from her for what he prayed would be the last time. On his way out of the building, he passed several groups of people standing in line at the refreshment tables. Josh was aware of the rumble of comments he left in his wake, but he couldn’t have possibly c
ared less.
Only one person’s opinion of him mattered right now: Heather’s. But in his attempt to keep things under control until he could quietly set Cindy straight, he feared that he’d blown whatever chance he might have had of winning the veterinarian’s closely guarded heart. He realized now, too late, that he should have delivered his blunt parting speech while Heather was still there, so she’d know without question how serious he was about the relationship that had been gradually building between them.
Judging by her quick exit, he knew that there was no fixing the situation tonight, even if he could somehow figure out how to explain the temporary lapse in his sanity. She was angry with him for the clumsy way he’d behaved, and she had every right to be. Raised by an Irish mother whose temper could raise the roof, Josh had a healthy respect for a woman’s fury and understood all too well that it was best to keep your head down until she cooled off. And hope she eventually forgave you for being an idiot.
For now, since he had no idea what else to do, he headed home. After the way his night had gone, some peace and quiet sounded good to him.
Chapter Ten
Monday morning, Heather was struggling to finish the French braid Bailey had requested in honor of the day care’s return to its own building. The job wasn’t easy with her model practically bouncing off the tall stool she was perched on.
“Hold still, bean,” she chided, trying to keep hold of the strands that were on their way out of her grasp. “Otherwise, you’ll be stuck wearing a plain old ponytail.”
Immediately, the girl stopped dancing, amending the movement to a more sedate bop. “Sorry, Aunt Heather. I’m just excited. It’s a big day.”
“I know, and I’m thrilled you and your classmates will finally be back in your own place. Since the old decorations were ruined, Miss Tammy told me they’re going to let you guys choose how to do them over. Won’t that be fun?”
“Cara’s mom told us about that, so Cara and I have a million ideas already. Mrs. Simon said we’re very creative.”
“That was nice of her, especially since it’s true.” Heather bound the braid with an elastic band and quickly tied on a fresh blue ribbon that matched Bailey’s sparkling eyes. Sitting back, she looked her beautiful niece over and smiled. “Very pretty. Are you ready to go?”
Bailey nodded, jumping down from her seat to put on the backpack that had been sitting fully stocked in the living room since last night. Not wanting to spoil her fun, Heather didn’t bother reminding her that her lunch was still on the counter. Instead, she unzipped the pocket to add it in, then rezipped the bag and held out a hand. “Then let’s go.”
Partway up the street, they joined up with the Simons and headed across the square as a group. They spent the short walk chatting and laughing, and Heather was struck by how quickly she and Bailey had been accepted by the friendly residents of this small town. That thought led to another, less appealing one, and she fought to keep a smile plastered on her face.
She hadn’t heard from Josh all weekend, and two emergency surgeries at the clinic had kept her from attending church on Sunday. Thanks to Cindy O’Donnell’s unexpected appearance, the dance had ended on a cliff-hanger worthy of a hit TV series, and Heather wasn’t sure where things stood with Josh. He’d promised Bailey that he’d be here this morning for the grand reopening, and under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have occurred to her to question the commitment he’d made.
But these weren’t normal circumstances, and she casually glanced over at the cars parked in the lot, looking for his pickup. When she saw it there, she chided herself for being silly. She should have known that, no matter what had gone on between them, he’d never let Bailey down. It simply wasn’t in him to disappoint a child.
Still, she feared that this wasn’t likely to go well, and as they went through the house’s antique glass-front door, she braced herself for some uncomfortable moments until the party was over. When they stepped into the bright, airy lobby, Bailey deserted her to greet friends who were obviously as elated to be back as she was. Heather stood near the door, taking in the repairs and outright improvements that had been made to the stately old building.
So many windows had been broken in the storm that the contractor had replaced them all, and the light streaming through them gave the interior a sunny appearance that welcomed children and parents alike. Soft colors on the walls were the perfect backdrop to the kids’ artwork, paintings and drawings showing everything from rolling fields to lush forests to family portraits. As Heather strolled along the walls admiring them, one in particular caught her eye, and she paused for a closer look.
“My family, by Bailey Fitzgerald.”
Below the slightly crooked title was a little girl holding a kitten, obviously Bailey and Annabelle. Beside them stood a taller version of the girl, and overhead were winged figures of a light-haired woman and a man in a blue baseball cap, watching over everything. Everyone looked happy, which suggested to Heather that her niece had finally come to terms with the loss of her parents.
“I’m no art expert, but that’s a real pretty picture.”
Josh’s mellow drawl came from behind her, and Heather waited a beat to collect herself before turning to face him. After what had gone on at the dance, she had no doubt that people were watching them closely, so she kept her tone light to avoid attracting any more attention than necessary. “Thanks. I’ll tell her you said so.”
“Already did.” Leaning in, he added, “I always check out the snacks first thing. If you get there too late, all they’ve got left is warm juice and wheat crackers.”
She laughed, which was clearly what he wanted, but he was acting as if nothing had happened Friday night. Instead he was smiling and cracking jokes, being his usual charming self. The problem was, she was still smarting over the way he’d neglected to introduce her to Cindy and explain that Heather was the new woman in his life. Maybe she’d misread his attention all along, she thought morosely. Maybe he’d decided that he was satisfied with them being friends and wasn’t interested in anything more.
Unfortunately, she wouldn’t know for sure unless she asked him straight out how he viewed their relationship. But she’d never done that with a man in her life, and she wasn’t about to stoop that low now. If he wanted to pursue a romantic future with her, fine. If not, fine. It really didn’t matter to her one way or the other.
Before that defiant thought was even finished, though, another, gentler one drifted in to remind her that Josh’s unspoken plans for them did in fact matter to her. Very much.
“Sierra mentioned yesterday that we’re getting low on straw bedding for the baby barn,” Heather commented, giving him an opening to make arrangements to stop by the clinic for a reason other than speaking to her.
“I’m swamped right now, but tell her I’ll bring some down later in the week.”
Heather waited for him to say something else, give her one of those heart-stopping grins, anything that would tell her he’d gotten the hint.
But he didn’t.
Fighting off her disappointment, she decided that she’d been too subtle and tried one more time. “The otters are nearly ready to go, if you want to come by and see them before we release them.”
“That’d be cool. Thanks for letting me know.”
“You’re welcome.” Josh had always been so up-front with her that she knew that his cluelessness wasn’t an act. He really had no idea she was still upset. Or maybe he’d never known it in the first place. Out of pride, she did her best to hide the fact that she was terribly disappointed to discover that she’d misunderstood his intentions toward her. And that, contrary to her earlier belief, he really was like every other man she’d known.
Thankfully, Bailey left her circle of friends and skipped over to join them near the art wall. “Do you like my painting, Aunt Heather?”
“It’s beautiful.” Heather drew her in for a hug that felt comforting to herself, too. She didn’t need a man to make her life feel rewarding when she had Bailey around. “I’m sure your parents are thrilled that you drew them so well.”
“I don’t remember Mommy, so I drew her to look like the picture on my night table. I made sure Daddy was wearing his favorite hat. I couldn’t do a little D for the Tigers, but I think he’d like it.”
Heather’s throat clogged with remorse for all the wonderful things Craig was missing with his daughter, and she swallowed hard before speaking. “He’d love it, bean. He was always so proud of you.”
“I still miss him,” Bailey said, looking at the picture somberly, then up at Heather. “But I’m glad I have you.”
“And I’m glad I have you,” Heather murmured as tears welled in her eyes. Reaching out, she flipped Bailey’s wandering braid over her shoulder and then gave her a gentle shove. “You’d better go get some of those ginger snaps before they’re all gone.”
“Okay. Do you want some, too?”
“No, thank you.”
Unfazed, Bailey trained her clear blue eyes on their guest. “How about you, Josh? You like cookies.”
“I sure do. Lead the way.”
He held out his hand, and she took it without hesitation, chattering like a delighted blue jay while she led him over to the treats. Heather watched them go, her heart sinking a little with each step they took together. As fond as she’d been of Josh, she worried that Bailey had become far too attached to the tall country boy who seemed to have dismissed the idea of anything beyond friendship with Heather.
Heather could live with that, because she had to. But she had no idea how she was going to explain it to Bailey.
* * *
“Are you sure?” Erin asked, frowning in obvious disappointment. “Friday night you seemed really excited about staying here long term.”
She had been, Heather admitted glumly. What a difference a few days made. Since her boss knew perfectly well what had happened, she saw no reason to be coy. “Things have changed since then.”
