by Judi Lynn
Chase finished his meal and glanced at the clock. “Paula and the kids will be home soon. I’d better get moving.”
After he left, Tyne realized how nice it had been to have someone underfoot here. What would it be like to wake up to the same woman every morning? To come home to her every night? A few months ago, he’d have run from that. He’d say it was suffocating, claustrophobic. Now, it appealed to him. He thought about what Chase had told him about Daphne.
She wasn’t going to her parents’ for suppers. She was holing up in her cabin, more of a recluse than she’d been before. That girl needed a good shake-up, and he was just the man to give it to her. He’d like to shake her right into his arms.
Chapter 43
Tyne worked the breakfast shifts on Mondays. By now, it was almost rote. A good thing, then he could just go through the motions. Mondays were like that.
He’d soaked the potato and sausage strata in custard overnight and only had to put it in the oven. He slid the sausage links, bacon, and sausage patties in after them. Then he started on the baked eggs with smoked salmon in ramekins. There weren’t as many guests now, so Steph could stay at the bakery to help Maxwell. He could handle Monday’s prep by himself. He poured the cooled, homemade granola into a bowl and started on the fruit salad.
Ian came to help him set up the buffet with juices, hot water for tea, and urns of coffee, boxes of cereal, and muffins that Tessa had made. Ian helped out during the slow months when he didn’t hire a high-school kid as an extra hand. They filled bowls with ice and nestled different yogurts in there, then set up the toaster with different breads, bagels, and English muffins. When the guests walked into the dining room, Tyne frowned. “You didn’t bring Drew in the kitchen with you. What’s up?”
Ian walked to the kitchen coffeepot and poured himself a mug of breakfast brew. “I got here a little late, took him straight to Paula’s mom. Why? You miss him?”
Tyne was surprised to admit he did. “The little fella’s kind of cute.”
“He takes after me, but don’t tell Tessa I said that.”
“I can see both of you in him.” That baby had it made. His parents were good-looking, and they both fussed over him. Tyne thought about Daphne. If he and Daphne had a baby, what would it look like? It couldn’t be ugly, right? Not with them as parents. Then he frowned. What if it looked like one of her parents? There went that fantasy.
Once breakfast was done, Betty whizzed into the kitchen. The only day he saw her was Monday. It was the only day their shifts melded. She frowned at him. “You look sort of full of yourself today. What’s up?”
“I’m planning a full scale campaign to make Daphne mine.”
Her jaw dropped. He couldn’t have surprised her more, but she recovered quickly. “It’s about damn time. I’ve been wondering when you were going to flex your hottie muscle.”
He laughed. “Chase gave me a pep talk yesterday.”
“Good for him. That girl needs to have a man in her life.”
“She was seeing the professor,” he reminded her.
“I said a man, not a putz.” Betty started for the dining room to get it ready for lunch.
Tyne was in charge of that, too, on Mondays. Luckily, Steph showed up to help with the two soups and two types of finger sandwiches for a proper tea.
“How’s the bakery?” Tyne asked.
“Maxwell knows you can’t help on Mondays, so he kicked into gear. We got everything done. I didn’t think he was going to make it, but he pushed himself.”
Tyne nodded. “Someday, I’m going to quit coming, and he’s going to have to push himself more.”
“He’s getting there,” Steph assured him. “One step at a time.”
Tyne knew the feeling; only today, he was going to take a giant step. He could hardly wait.
Betty stayed until two to help with clean up, and she patted him on the shoulder on her way out the door. “Claim what’s yours, tiger.”
“Tiger?”
“Show your true stripes. Sweep that woman off her feet.”
Steph raised an eyebrow. “It’s about time.”
Tyne shook his head. Women were hard to please, especially coworkers.
With lunch out of the way, he started on his entrée for Monday night’s dinner buffet. He’d decided on baked, miso black cod with an Oriental cold-noodle salad. By the time Paula walked into the kitchen, he and Steph had their part of the supper done.
“Tyne’s going to make his move on Daphne today,” Steph blurted to Paula.
“It’s about damn time.”
Where had he heard that before? He wiped his hands on his apron. “Give me a break, will you? I thought she didn’t want me.”
“You thought wrong.”
“Lord, I hope so, or my ego’s going to be flat as a pancake later tonight.”
Paula smiled. “Go see for yourself. I’m declaring a victory.”
With those words ringing in his ears, he hopped in his Jeep and drove to his apartment. Instead of rushing up the stairs, though, he wandered into Daphne’s shop. She still had a few customers milling around. They always came around Thanksgiving to buy special items for the holiday. Daphne made stained-glass candle holders and cornucopias that were popular. He browsed up and down the aisles and saw Daphne glance at him nervously. The gossip was right. She looked like hell. Too thin. Unwashed hair pulled up in a ponytail. Drab clothing.
The last customer left, and Tyne was about to go to the counter, when a man burst through the door and hurried to Daphne. With a huge grin, he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her soundly on the lips.
Tyne froze. It felt like his blood stopped in his veins.
The man pulled back, leaving Daphne breathless, and said, “I love you, love you, love you! What more can I say?”
Tyne had seen enough. He turned on his heel and stalked out the door. Yes, Daphne had lost weight. A lot of it. But his friends were wrong. She wasn’t pining away, thinking of him. She was too caught up in passion to eat. What a fool he’d been! She hadn’t been to her parents. Guess what? She was probably with this guy. Somehow, he could claim her every second, every minute. Tyne had never been able to do that.
He jumped in his Jeep and drove. He was in Columbus an hour later, and he had no desire to return home. He booked a room for the night and went to a bar. He was going to eat and drink . . . and be miserable. But at least he knew. Daphne had missed him for about three seconds. It was time for him to move on.
Chapter 44
Daphne shook her head, trying to clear it. Why had Tyne come to the shop? What did that mean? But then she looked at Keavin. They’d known each other since they wore diapers, and she smiled. “I take it that Chelsea liked your present?”
“It’s the best anniversary gift I could have given her. You’re a hero. You made me look good.”
“I’m happy for you.” Daphne glanced out the window as Tyne’s orange Jeep sped down the street. Tyne had looked upset, no, furious. Was he angry at her?
Keavin gave her one last hug and hurried on his way. She walked to the front window and glanced down the street. Tyne’s glare had unnerved her. What could she possibly have done to upset him so much? She was standing there, lost in thought, when her parents pulled to the curb.
Not now. She bit her bottom lip. She’d never thought that before, but she wasn’t in the mood to argue with them about Tyne. She was tempted to call him on his cell phone, to ask why the hell he’d stormed out of her shop. When she’d looked up and seen him, her heart felt like it had jumped into her throat. A cliché for a reason. Hope filled her, and then he’d stalked away.
Mom and Dad stepped through the door, and Mom gave her a quizzical look. “You look confused.”
Daphne opened her lips to explain, but then thought better of it. She shook her head instead. “It’s nothing. Aren’t you two out of work early today? Do you have plans?”
Mom looked disappointed. “You were about to share with us, weren’t you?”
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“It was just a fluke happening, nothing to linger on.” Daphne crossed her arms and waited. She wasn’t going to discuss Tyne with them.
Dad forced a smile. “An old friend of mine is going to be in Bloomington tonight. His son graduated from there and got a job at a university in Kentucky. Bloomington’s halfway between them, so they’re meeting there. We thought you might join us.”
“So that I can meet your friend’s son? Another professor? No thanks.”
“He’s good-looking,” Mom said. “And he’s your age.”
“I’m sure he’s wonderful, but I’m not interested.”
“He’s very active. He goes white water rafting every summer.” Dad gave her an expectant look.
“Is he a gourmet cook?” Daphne knew she sounded snippy and tried to soften her tone.
Her mother grimaced. “You can go to restaurants if you want gourmet.”
Daphne shook her head. “Look, I know you’re trying to help, but if he’s not Tyne, I don’t want to meet him.”
“You and Tyne are done,” Mom said. “You need to move on.”
That rubbed Daphne the wrong way. She felt her eyebrow rise. “I’d rather do without, thanks anyway. Have a wonderful time with your friend.” Thankfully, a group of customers entered the shop and Daphne smiled. “Sorry. Have to go.”
Her mother’s expression turned thunderous, but it couldn’t compare with Tyne’s when he left. Daphne thought about that as she went to stand behind the counter. What had made Tyne so angry? No time to call him now. It probably hadn’t been a good idea anyway. Tyne wasn’t shy. If he had something to say to her, he’d have said it.
People came in and out for the rest of the day. Once she closed up shop, she drove straight home. The scenery that usually soothed her went unnoticed. Seeing Tyne had made her want him all over again. After a quick supper, she could work on his quilt some more. Had he heard about that? She was scooping food into Shadow’s bowl, but hesitated.
That was it. Someone had told Tyne about her quilt. She hadn’t thought about how he might react to it. What if he thought she was making a big deal out of nothing? What if he thought she was just plain pitiful for hanging on to memories he considered trivial?
She squared her shoulders and went to the sewing room. Let him think whatever he wanted. This was about her healing, and if she wanted to make and save this quilt, she would. But she’d hide it in a closet so that he’d never glimpse it. She never wanted to see the blistering look he’d squelched her with again.
Chapter 45
When Tyne drove home from work on Tuesday night, he saw Miriam’s car parked next to his usual spot. No, no, no. He wasn’t in the mood. He’d wallowed in pity in Columbus last night and he’d worked Daphne out of his system. To hell with her! He’d never been hung up on a girl before, but enough was enough. He was over her.
Steph and Paula had taken one look at his face when he walked into the kitchen and left him alone. He wouldn’t get any grief there. They’d better not treat him with pity either. He’d given it his best, and it was pointless. Time to move on.
When he climbed out of his Jeep, Miriam left her car to join him. If she’d come to lecture him about how he’d treated Daphne, he had plenty of come backs to defend himself. Miriam might be witty and brainy, but he was no slouch when it came to banging ideas around. He turned to her with a frown.
She threw up both hands. “Hey, don’t bite my head off. Can we talk?”
He grimaced, but unlocked the shop’s back door and led her upstairs to his apartment. He didn’t want her to stay, didn’t try to be welcoming. “What do you want?”
She leaned her bony hip against the wall. “I want to know why you went to see my girl Daphne yesterday.”
Like he’d tell her. She’d tell Daphne, and they’d both have a good laugh over it. “I wanted to know if she’d let me out of my lease early. I’m thinking of finding someplace else to stay.”
Her thin shoulders slumped. Damn, the woman ate everything in sight and was still stick thin. She looked upset. She obviously hadn’t thought of that. Neither had he until now, but it wasn’t a bad idea. There were crappy apartments on the fringe of Mill Pond. There might even be other rentals above shops if he took the time to look. Maybe he could talk Ian into letting him use a cabin or room at the resort until he found something else. If he had to, he could live a town over.
Miriam didn’t give up easily. “She said you looked really angry when you left yesterday.”
“I’d already waited around to talk to her. It was my turn, but then some guy rushed through the doors and she ignored me.”
Miriam put her hands on her hips. She was so tall and thin, her pose reminded him of a scarecrow. Not nice, so he pushed that image away. He liked Miriam. “You couldn’t wait another five minutes to see her?”
Tyne shrugged. “How did I know it would only be five minutes? They looked pretty chummy together. He gave her a big kiss.”
Miriam narrowed her eyes. “Is that what upset you?”
“Why would that bother me? Daphne can kiss anybody she wants to.”
“She and Keavin are old friends. His wife loved the stained-glass piece Keavin special ordered for their anniversary.”
Tyne froze. “They’re not a couple?”
“Daphne and Keavin? When she can’t get over you? Get real. Would I be here if Daphne found a happy-ever-after with somebody else?”
He frowned. “She hasn’t?”
“That’s what I just said, isn’t it? How many women have you bedded since you quit spending time with her?”
“I don’t bed women as sport.”
She studied him and nodded. “No, you don’t, and you could. I’ll give you credit for that.”
He was beginning to feel better. He grinned. “What else will you give me credit for?”
“Don’t push it.”
She looked so dejected, he motioned to his kitchen. “Want a beer?”
“What? So I can cry in it? Got any good snacks?”
“You eat a lot for someone so thin, you know that?”
“I burn energy intimidating kids all day. Try it sometime.”
He hung his jacket on the coat tree in the small foyer and motioned for her to join him in the kitchen. He reached for the loaf of French bread on his counter and handed her a serrated knife. “Slice it about an inch thick.”
While she sliced, he drizzled olive oil in a skillet to heat. Then he diced two tomatoes with some basil in a bowl. He sautéed the bread, salted it, and rubbed it with a clove of garlic. Next, he spooned the tomatoes over it. “Hope you like bruschetta.”
She bit into it. “I sure as hell do.”
He’d eaten at the resort, so sat opposite her and nursed a beer. “What’s Daphne doing now? Rumor is she’s not eating supper with her parents every night.”
“She’s making a grieving quilt.”
He frowned. “Never heard of one.”
“No one has; it’s all about you. Every square tells something about you. She says when she finishes it, she’ll have you out of her system.”
“Is that so?” He looked thoughtful, and Miriam tilted her head, gauging his reaction.
“Are you over her?”
She’d been honest with him. He’d return the favor. “No, but I will be. I give myself two more weeks.”
Miriam chuckled. “You and Daphne are on the same timeframe.”
“She thinks she can get over me in two weeks?”
“Why not? You’re special, I’ll give you that, but pretty soon, you’ll be history. What do you want, for her to light candles at a shrine for the rest of her life?”
“I could give you a framed picture of me for her to use.”
She choked swallowing her last bite, then threw back her head and laughed. “God, you’re full of yourself.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Probably often.” She quirked her lips. “I wouldn’t mind having a picture of you next to my bed, thou
gh.”
He shook his head. “You might do kinky things to it.”
“Now there’s an idea.” She leaned forward, anxious. “Have you thought of giving Daphne another try?”
“I was going to, but then I saw that guy kissing her. It pissed me off. I took off and had a long think. Now, I don’t know what I want.”
“Don’t blow it,” Miriam told him. “I’ve never seen two people more right for each other. I’ll never have that. I need to live vicariously through you two.”
He focused on her, and she squirmed. Good to know. He could make Miriam uncomfortable. “Some guy is going to see past your mouthy ways and gawkiness.”
She pouted. “Now I’m gawky.”
“In a good way.”
“Yeah, that’s probably what you tell all the girls.”
He laughed, and she rose.
“Don’t give up on her, Tyne. She loves you.”
Daphne loved him. If he’d heard those words a week ago, he’d be racing to her cottage, pulling her into his arms. The words warmed him, but confused him. Would she rather grieve for him than have him? Why hadn’t she called for him to come back when he’d stalked out of her shop?
When the door closed behind Miriam, Tyne moved to the couch to finish his beer. What now? He decided to give himself time. Guests were pouring into the resort tomorrow for Ian’s Thanksgiving special. He and Paula would be too busy to think straight. And maybe that was a good thing. Maybe some distance would make things clearer.
He’d told Maxwell that he wouldn’t have time to help him at the bakery, but Steph said that Tyne didn’t need to worry about that. Maxwell had gone from sleeping most of each day to working every hour he could. He threw himself into experimenting with new breads, staying in the kitchen from early morning until he collapsed into bed at night. Phase two, she called it.
“First, he shut down,” she explained. “Now, he’s keeping busy every minute he can. It fills the emptiness.”
Tyne understood that. He’d kept busy when Daphne left him. And now, did he really have a chance of winning her back? Or would her parents shut him down again? Did he want to go through that pain again? He couldn’t decide.
