“Hello, Earth to Genny. Time to lock up.” Cilla gave her shoulder a small shake. “Hey, did you hear me?”
“What?” Cilla’s face swayed a little in front of her eyes before steadying. She didn’t know how long she had been standing at the counter staring at the plate she was supposed to be loading with samples.
“It’s closing time. Are you okay?”
“Fine.” She tried for easy nonchalance, but Cilla’s eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in an I-don’t-believe-you-one-bit way.
“What happened? Did Connor say something?”
She might as well tell the truth. Lena and Jacqui were within earshot, tidying already neat merchandise and sending curious glances her way.
“We’re going to lunch tomorrow.”
Lena clapped her hands together like Nona used to do, except with a loud woop that would have had her giving them a lecture on manners.
“About time.”
Cilla’s mouth pursed tighter as she eyed Genny. Growing uncomfortable at the scrutiny, she slipped out from behind the counter but didn’t get far. Jacqui blocked her way to the back of the store.
“Not so fast. Are you sure you’re up for this?” Jacqui’s concern eased the pressure building in her chest. Her sister and her cousins loved her, but their nosiness and insistence on picking away at every detail of her life was one of the reasons she was thinking of leaving Laurel Cove.
“Of course. It’s just lunch with an old friend. Nothing more.” She even sounded confident. Too bad her bravado didn’t go further than pride demanding her words not waver.
Jacqui stepped aside. But then there was Lena and Cilla coming up behind her. She was the baby, and they took this overprotective sister and cousin thing seriously.
“We haven’t talked about Nona’s fortunes. And we need to. Hear us out, okay.” She couldn’t argue with the quiet sincerity in Lena’s request.
“Okay. I’ll hear you out. But I’m not going to believe in that silly fortune ever again.”
“That’s fair. Won’t work if you don’t believe anyway. So it’s up to you.” They were being way too reasonable about this. There had to be a catch somewhere.
After a quiet half hour going through the routine of closing the shop, the four of them were once again standing at the front door, ready to leave.
“First round’s on me,” Cilla said as she locked the door. “Nona would have been very proud of her store today. It was the hit of the festival.”
***
The pub was packed, but somehow Phil, the owner and longtime friend, found a quiet table for them in the back.
“Okay. What’s up? Why is everyone walking on eggshells around me all of a sudden?”
“What do you mean?” Lena asked. A questioning frown drew her eyebrows together, creasing her otherwise smooth features.
“You all are being way too reasonable and understanding.”
“We love you,” Cilla interjected.
“Yes, and you usually have no problem sticking your noses into my business.” Genny looked from Cilla and Lena across from her to Jacqui next to her at the small table. None of them could refute her statement. They ordered a round of the local Christmas ale on tap and waited for the waitress to leave. Tension blanketed the silence between the women. Genny was not going to ask again. They’d spill whatever was bothering them sooner or later. Hands clasped in her lap, she kept her mouth shut.
“Tell her, Cilla,” Lena snapped. Genny was always better at the quiet game.
“Cilla?” Genny asked, frowning at her sister’s worried expression.
“Weird things have been happening lately.” Her voice was low, almost a whisper. Genny would have laughed, but she could see by the tight set to her face that Cilla wasn’t joking.
Genny shivered as a chill settled over her. “What do you mean weird?”
Cilla slid a piece of paper she’d pulled from her purse across the table toward her. “I found this on my…on Nona’s…desk this morning.”
Three sets of gazes were glued to her.
“Stop creeping me out.” She picked up the creased note. “It’s a piece of Nona’s stationary. Not unusual to find in her office.”
“Just read it.”
The single sheet of cream-colored card stock with her grandmother’s initials scrolled across the top was folded in half. The ink was faint and hard to see in the dim light. Her fingers shook as she recognized her grandmother’s handwriting.
Don’t be afraid to wish the wish that’s in your heart. Each of you will find the love you are looking for.
She could hear her grandmother telling them these exact words when they were begging her to tell them their love fortunes. Nona had acquiesced to their pleading only one time each, on their eighteenth birthdays. They wrote a secret wish on gold-foil paper and placed it in a bottle. The act was special and secretive and magical for an eighteen-year-old. Nona spoke a blessing in her ancestor’s language and then told them their fortunes.
That birthday had been such a special one for Genny. Nona had picked her up for a date, just the two of them. They baked the whole day. It was the happiest she could remember being, aside from the first time Connor told her he loved her.
Genny cleared her throat. “I miss her, too, but I don’t see how this is weird? She left you a note that you’re just now finding.”
“No. I packed up all her stationary and cleaned the office, and I know this was not there when we left last night.”
“You want to believe Nona’s contacting you from beyond the grave? Really? I thought you were the rational one.” No wonder they wanted to talk about her fortune. They all believed Nona was still with them. “The office was a mess, and you missed something, and now you are reading too much into it.” She might hear Nona’s voice in her head sometimes, but she didn’t really believe she was talking to her. Did she?
“You’re being obtuse.” Cilla’s eyebrows drew together and her frown deepened.
“That’s not the only thing weird. I’ve been dreaming about Nona every night since she died.” Lena’s soft confession shifted the conversation from the note to her.
“That’s not unusual, Lena.” Genny stated, hoping her tone would hold off the tide of woo woo that was coming.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Jacqui asked.
Lena squirmed in her seat. “I thought I was just missing her. But now, she’s always there. Talking to me, not in a scary way. It’s comforting. More like how I remember our conversations used to be.” She shrugged and closed her mouth into a tight line.
“What does she say?” Cilla asked.
Lena blushed and looked away. “She doesn’t really say anything. She…. Well…. Mostly just listens to me. And sends me memories. I think.”
“You remember almost everything already. Which memories does she send you?”
“Different things. My past boyfriends, my wish, and my fortune. And she sends me memories of all of us together, too. The happiest times. Before your mom went all crazy and when Dad was still around and we all loved being a family and were together.”
Genny was not going to confess she had secret conversations with Nona in her head. They were simply her imagination. If she believed in ghosts or whatever, she might be stupid enough to believe in fortune telling. No. No. No. Not again.
“I think we are all just mourning Nona in our own way. We miss her, and we want her to be with us again,” Genny said, around the tightening in her throat.
“She’s not gone. Stop talking about her like she’s gone.” Genny flinched as if slapped by Lena’s words.
They shared the pain the words came from. None of them wanted it to be true. But Nona was dead. And the sooner they dealt with reality, the better. She should take some of her own advice. Standing, she grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair. “I’m not talking about this anymore. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She left before any of them could ask her any more questions. Damn. Cilla was the p
ractical one and she was thinking, what, Nona somehow wrote her a note from beyond the grave? Maybe someone was playing a trick on her? Whatever they were experiencing, it wasn’t their grandmother. Not for real.
Keep telling yourself that, and I really will go away.
The pain that squeezed her heart at the quiet voice made her stumble. Please, Nona, if it’s really you, tell me what I’m supposed to do.
Genny swiped the back of her gloved fingers under her eyes at the tears that fell.
I love you. Not an answer, but she felt better hearing it.
***
Genny stepped through the doors of Lola’s Italian Cuisine and froze. The dimly lit foyer led to a hostess stand that was the gateway to four rooms full of tables covered in crisp white tablecloths and a bud vase with a fresh flower in each. The plain cream walls had been covered with a collection of paintings the owners added to every year. All with the same theme—Italian countryside or still lifes of flowers and food. The quality of the paintings ranged from kids’ art projects to gallery-worthy local artists desperate for a venue. Some were even for sale. The atmosphere was warm and comforting, and the food had been a local favorite for over fifty years.
The young hostess standing at the podium held a menu in her hand and smiled. Genny couldn’t move. The smell of garlic and herbs, mingled with the aged scent of the wood paneling, enticed memories to surface. She let them pass as if catching up with an old friend where each story leads to another forgotten one.
Lola’s had been her family’s go-to place for everything from celebrations to game nights to prom dates. And she and Connor had more dates there than anywhere. Why hadn’t she been back since she’d been in town? This was why. Waves of unfiltered memories washed through her as every pent-up emotion she’d been struggling to rein in threatened to break free. Several deep breaths later, she sent an embarrassed nod to the hostess, who was looking at her like she was worried Genny was about to puke or pass out.
“I’m fine. I’m meeting someone.” Her voice struggled to work around the lump in her throat.
“Dr. O’Rourke?”
Dr. O’Rourke? “Yes. Is he here?”
“This way please.”
She followed the girl through the restaurant to one of the back rooms where Connor sat at the only occupied table. He stood as they got closer. His mouth split into a wide smile that held a hint of nervousness, devastating to her already on edge nerves. Clasping shaking fingers around the strap of her purse, she approached the table. Should I hug him? Give him a peck on the cheek? Awkward worry had her questioning her every move. The hostess stepped aside and all thought flew out of her head when Connor embraced her in a quick hug. His spice and woods scent encircled her, calming her.
“Thank you for coming.” His simple words against her ear stoked a deep hunger. He released her to pull a chair out for her. Connor sat next to her instead of across from her, close enough his knee brushed hers under the table.
She seemed to have no defense against him inching his way into her heart one sweet gesture at a time.
Thankfully the hostess had left them alone. She was sure her face was flaming red from the heat of her skin and her thoughts. Her heart pounded against her lungs, requiring several more deep breaths to bring her nervousness under control. Connor was either oblivious or was taking great pains to give her a minute, keeping his interest glued to the menu while she fidgeted in her seat.
Genny took a sip of water, the cold liquid sliding down and pooling in her stomach when his gaze caught hers. Not even ice water could cool the desire building a bonfire in her belly.
“I mean it. Thank you for coming. I half expected you wouldn’t,” he said, eyes dancing with a light she couldn’t quite name.
“We can’t avoid each other. Besides. I wanted to come.” Damn, didn’t mean to blurt that out. His eyes widened a second before narrowing, roaming over every inch of her visible above the table.
Ordering their food offered her a respite from the intensity of her tangled-up emotions. Just go with it and see what happens. Genny willed herself to loosen up and enjoy reconnecting with an old friend. Conversation flowed easy and smooth. The pizza was as good as remembered, and she was able to relax enough to laugh at some of his stories of being a single dad. His attention on her was mesmerizing. She didn’t even pause when he suggested dessert.
“Their tiramisu is even better than it used to be.” She licked the last of the espresso-laced cream from her fork and leaned back in her chair. “I’m not going to be any help at the store without a nap now.”
His gaze lingered on her mouth and she fought the urge to brush her hand through his hair and caress his smooth-shaven cheeks.
“Your mother must be so proud of you,” he said.
“Hardly.”
His expression changed from open and easy to still and serious. Apprehension slid up her spine, drowning out the warm comfort that had settled over her. The mood shifted, increasing her self-consciousness.
“She wanted you to find your passion, and it seems you have.”
“She wanted me to find my passion in Laurel Cove, not traveling around the world. She’s pretty much disapproved of all my choices. I’m too much like my father, I guess. Nona was the one who was the most proud.”
A flash of something crossed his features. Anger? Connor had a lot to be angry about when they were together, and she’d been an expert at reading his moods.
“What about your parents? Their son becoming a doctor. What parents wouldn’t love that?”
She smiled through the awkwardness filtering into their companionable bubble.
“They never could agree on anything so if one is happy about something, the other makes an excuse to dislike it. Same goes for my being a doctor. Mom can’t understand why I would come back here, and Dad can’t understand why I haven’t found a wife yet.”
The waitress placed their check on the table, giving Genny time to recover from the turn in conversation. The shift to words like “wife” made her earlier discomfort return.
He pulled the check toward him. “I owe you. More than what one lunch can make up for.”
What does he mean by that? Another devastating grin sent her mind careening in a whole other direction. Her heart slammed against her rib cage as he stood and held out his hand to help her with her coat. He slid the soft wool over her shoulders. Ripples of awareness pinged every nerve ending when the tips of his fingers caressed her neck. He slipped his hand under the collar, pulled her ponytail out, and gently smoothed it down her back. The intimate act stoked a need so intense she leaned into his touch, her body begging for closer contact. She could simply turn her face to his and kiss him, show him every unsaid emotion. Satisfy the almost undeniable urge to lose herself in his embrace.
The hostess walked in to seat a large group, shattering the moment. Genny stiffened but Connor’s hand never left the small of her back as he ushered her toward the exit.
“Have a good day,” he said as they passed the newcomers.
Tongue-tied from embarrassment, Genny nodded and mumbled something similar to “good day.” What the hell was I about to do?
They walked to the front of the restaurant, the pressure of his hand burning straight to the skin underneath. He stopped to pay at the counter, and Genny kept going out the door.
Cold air rushed into her lungs, the shock calming her briefly. The pounding of her heart practically vibrated through her making her hands and lips tremble. She was no less confused about what to do. They had talked about all kinds of things, but had avoided the main issue between them. She needed to make a decision about her job that day. Her heart was telling her to give him a chance, but her mind was telling her to run.
She was half-a-dozen steps from her car when he called her name.
“Hey, don’t run out on me now. Please.”
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Shoving her hands into her coat pockets, she took another step toward her car.
“This is all a little overwhelming.” I will not start blubbering like a child. I will hold myself together.
“Hey. For me, too. Can we do this? Can we take this one step at a time, together?”
In two long strides he had covered the distance between them. His warmth blocked the cold breeze. Genny didn’t back away this time. He was enticing, offering her what she had been missing.
“I have so much I want to make up to you.” His warm hands cupped each side of her face, his fingers sliding into her hair. It would be so easy to lean into him, give up, and let her desire take over. “I never should have left you. I should have ignored your mom, my mom, my stupid fears, and told you then I didn’t want to lose you.”
Tears tickled her lips despite her resolve. “My mom?”
He cursed as she stepped out of his touch. “Look. Why don’t you come over to my house and let’s talk. Really talk.”
“What does my mom have to do with anything that happened?”
“Not here. My house is just down the block. Please. Come with me.”
She wasn’t going to leave Laurel Cove again until everything was out and on the table. She owed herself that much.
Good girl.
Not now, Nona.
They walked the block toward an older street off the main square. Her thoughts raced with questions. Her mom had adored Connor when they were dating, but as soon as he left, she never brought him up again. Instead, she focused her attention on Genny and her sister finding something else to do in Laurel Cove besides help Nona with the store. While Genny’s uncle had done the opposite with her cousins by encouraging them to get out and explore the world. Yet, there they all were, back in town and drawn to Nona’s store.
They stopped in front of a small two-story cottage with a tall bay window jutting out the front. The house was familiar, but she couldn’t place how until they stepped inside the front door.
“You bought the Framptons’ house. I played here several times when I was a kid.” Genny stood in the foyer, taking in the changes from time and renovation. “I loved this house.”
Her Wish Before Christmas (Holiday Hearts) Page 5
