Afterward, Lillian chatted with the ladies as they strolled toward the sanctuary. A few lingered, matching their pace to the wheelchair. Hoping her mother wouldn’t tire, Maddie found places at the end of a pew close to the back, then folded the wheelchair so that she could lean it out of the way. But she wanted it close in case they needed a quick escape. Lillian could still forget where she was and talk out loud, interrupting the service.
Maddie soon forgot her worry, distracted when person after person came to greet them and comment on the new shop.
“We knew it was going to be a smashing success.” Samantha beamed, winking at Maddie.
Emma McAllister was only a few feet behind. “It really is super, Maddie, and we’ve never had anything like it here in Rosewood.”
Which is what J.C. had said.
Chrissy slipped into the pew, crossing past Maddie to sit beside Lillian. J.C. was right behind her. Not expecting him to climb over two adults, Maddie asked the others to scoot down. They did but didn’t leave as much space as Maddie would have liked. When J.C. sat beside her, his arm pressed into hers. At first she couldn’t tell if the warmth that swamped her was coming from him or from the flush she felt.
Holding herself rigid, she didn’t move when he reached for a hymnal, brushing against her, then settling back in place. Belatedly, she realized she could stop holding her breath. Feeling ridiculous, she lectured herself. They were in church. He just happened to be sitting next to her. Just like any other member of the congregation.
But he wasn’t just any other member. He was her business partner, landlord, the man who caused her pulse to quicken, her thoughts to meander toward romance. Initially worried that Lillian might not make it through the morning service, now Maddie wondered if she would.
Bowing their heads for the opening prayer, Maddie added urgent, silent words, asking the Lord to help her through this hour, to calm her racing feelings. Both the piano and organ played the prelude to the first hymn. As they stood, J.C. offered his hymnal to share. Maddie started to refuse, planning to use her mother as an excuse, but Chrissy had already opened another hymnal and was sharing it with Lillian.
J.C.’s voice was a pleasing surprise. Hitting each note evenly, he sang the words with ease. She wondered why he wasn’t in the choir. The thought melded into another, remembering the timbre of his voice when they had crashed into the fireplace. The way it had caused her skin to prickle, to raise her awareness of him.
Abruptly, she tried to step backward. The pew already hugged the back of her knees and she swayed. J.C. immediately caught her arm, holding it until the song finished. Flushing even deeper, Maddie swallowed, wondering how much more embarrassed she could become.
Thankfully, she sank back onto the pew, momentarily forgetting that J.C. was still pressed next to her. Although she had always been able to lose herself in the sermon, today she scarcely heard the pastor’s words. She certainly didn’t absorb any of them. Maddie tried to put a little space between them by inching toward her mother. Lillian smiled, then patted her knee affectionately, but she didn’t budge. To make matters worse, she could see that J.C. was listening intently to the message, not affected as she was.
By the closing prayer, Maddie was ready to bolt out of the pew. She needed and wanted to listen to the sermon. Today had taught her that wouldn’t happen unless she made sure she didn’t sit by J.C. again. Feeling guilty as she shook the pastor’s hand, Maddie silently promised the Lord to behave properly in the future.
Relieved to be away from the jarring sensations, she nearly screeched when J.C. suggested lunch. Her voice came out in a squeak. “I’m sure Mom is tired.”
“Lunch?” Lillian responded gamely. “Where?”
Rosewood’s café was closed on Sunday like the rest of the businesses.
“There’s a new place on the highway,” J.C. replied. “A big chain outfit, but they have a good menu.”
Maddie tried to refuse.
But Lillian beat her to the punch. “That sounds lovely.” She patted Chrissy’s arm. “Would you like that?”
For once Chrissy didn’t shrug her indifference. “Okay.”
Great.
Maddie tried to maneuver in beside her mother. Lillian waved her away. “Let Chrissy sit with me.”
J.C. stowed the wheelchair in the back and Maddie reluctantly slipped into the front seat.
After driving about fifteen miles, Maddie couldn’t remain silent. “How far is this place?”
“Not too much farther.” He glanced at her. “Do you have something else on for today?”
Her lips froze. Of course she didn’t. And since he lived across the hall she couldn’t avoid him. “Just wondered. I haven’t seen this restaurant before.”
“Chrissy likes their French fries and cheese sticks.”
Even better. A place that served food that would go directly to her hips and stay there.
As J.C. had told her, they drove only a few more miles. The parking lot was packed.
“If we have to wait, I don’t think Mom will have the energy,” Maddie told him in a low voice, not wanting to be trumped by her mother again.
“Their service is good. Why don’t we check it out?”
Wishing she could will his vehicle to peel off in the opposite direction, she kept quiet as they parked. It didn’t bode well that J.C. unloaded the wheelchair. Once Lillian was inside, she would no doubt want to stay.
The wait was only ten minutes, all of which Maddie spent plotting to make certain she didn’t sit close to J.C.
The hostess led them to a small curved booth. “I’m sorry it’s a bit on the small side. But a larger table won’t open up for at least thirty minutes.”
“It’s fine,” J.C. assured the young woman.
Maddie silently agreed, not wanting to lengthen their stay. She looked over the compact booth. Lillian needed to sit on the outside. Maddie assumed J.C. and Chrissy would slide into the middle section and she could take the remaining outer position.
“Lillian, why don’t we get you seated first,” he suggested.
She allowed him to assist her out of the wheelchair and into her spot.
Pleased, Maddie teetered on her heels.
“Chrissy, hop in this side,” J.C. instructed.
She complied and Maddie suppressed her grin. However, unaccustomed to wearing her dress shoes, she tilted more than she expected. J.C.’s arm shot out to steady her. The next second he was ushering her into position between Chrissy and himself.
Maddie bent her head. Why Lord?
The hostess had remained and she placed menus in front of each of them. “Your server will be here in just a minute.”
Maddie grabbed her menu, wanting to decide as quickly as possible so she could eat quickly, then leave quickly. Quickly, quickly, quickly. Yet her attention wandered when J.C. shifted, his long legs stretched out beneath the table and more important, next to her. She tried to scoot over.
“Ouch!” Chrissy complained.
“I’m sorry, just trying to get comfortable,” she mumbled, feeling the warmth flooding her face, then grabbing a menu to hide behind.
“Lillian, they make a great chicken pot pie,” J.C. suggested.
Lowering her menu slightly, Maddie saw the confusion in her mother’s face. Guiltily, she realized she had been more concerned about herself than her mother. All the choices on the menu would be overwhelming for Lillian. “You like chicken pot pie,” she encouraged.
“And you can have some of my fries,” Chrissy offered.
That brought a smile to Lillian’s face.
Watching her mother and Chrissy interacting, Maddie realized how fortunate she was. The Lord had answered her prayers for both assistance and guidance. Financially, they had a solid future. Before J.C.’s offer, she had worried constantly about how they would manage. And she was fulfilling her dream. The shop was a wonder. She couldn’t ask for a better situation.
Keeping that thought in mind, she ate her lunch, tried to i
gnore the flutters J.C.’s proximity caused and made herself concentrate on the good. When they were ready to go home, she couldn’t understand the jab of disappointment when J.C. left her side and stood up. Deciding she was more fickle than the storms in spring, Maddie made herself smile.
J.C. took charge of Lillian’s wheelchair, Chrissy walking next to Lillian as they crossed the lobby. Maddie paused to pick up mints for each of them.
“Are you here with him?” Owen demanded from behind her.
She turned around, wishing she had seen Owen first so she could have avoided him. “I’m just on my way out.”
J.C. glanced back, then turned the wheelchair around so all three of them were staring. Uncomfortable, she waved him on. “I’ll meet you at the car.” Waiting only until he complied, she lowered her voice. “As I said, I’m on my way out.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
Exasperated, she clenched the mints in one fist. “It’s none of your business.”
“Of course it’s my business!” Owen raised his voice and several people craned their heads to watch.
“You’re making a scene.”
“You think I care?”
“Apparently not. I’m sorry if you have some mixed-up idea about us, but you need to let it go.”
“How can you say that?”
Perplexed, Maddie shook her head. “Owen, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but please stop.” Not listening to his retort, she fled outside.
Having stowed the wheelchair, J.C. settled Lillian in the backseat while Chrissy hopped in next to her without any coaching. J.C. helped Lillian buckle her seat belt. “Looks like we’re all set.”
“You’re such a nice young man,” Lillian told him. “Like Maddie’s young man.”
He froze.
“Who’s that?” Chrissy asked.
“We just saw him,” Lillian murmured. “His name is …” She shook her head. “Did you eat your dessert?”
J.C. recognized that Lillian was tired. It was possible that she was wrong about Owen Radley. Instantly, the image of Owen and Maddie on the sidewalk flashed in his thoughts.
Closing the backseat door, he spotted Maddie rushing toward the vehicle. By the time he skirted the hood to open her door, she hastily climbed inside, looking as though she was fleeing the scene of a crime.
The only conversation in the SUV was Chrissy’s chattering to Lillian. J.C. pulled out of the parking lot back onto the highway. His mind racing, J.C. could rationalize Lillian’s wanderings as simply fatigue. That didn’t explain why he had seen Owen with Maddie before. Was he, as Lillian phrased it, Maddie’s young man?
But as much as J.C. wanted to ask, he couldn’t. Not only was it the wrong time and place with Chrissy and Lillian in the back, but Maddie also hadn’t shared any more of her personal life with him. He knew who her closest friends were, but she had never divulged information about any romantic interests. Was that why she had pulled back from him so abruptly when they discovered the fireplace?
Silent until they were close to the outskirts of town, Maddie finally spoke. “Thank you for lunch.”
He glanced at her. “It’s an interesting place.”
She avoided his gaze. “Yes.”
Tell me what Owen means to you. The words nearly tumbled out, but he clamped his lips shut.
Chrissy piped up from behind. “I wish the drugstore was open so we could get shakes.”
Distracted, he looked in the rearview mirror. “You just ate dessert.” Then it hit him. He wasn’t having to coerce her into eating.
“I could make shakes,” Maddie offered. “We have chocolate ice cream.”
Chrissy’s favorite. He hadn’t noticed that Maddie was getting to know his niece so well. It reinforced his need to know what else he had missed.
Chapter Eleven
The following weeks encouraged Maddie to believe her tea shop could succeed. Not expecting the same volume of business as her grand opening weekend, she had been pleasantly surprised to see that many of the people, primarily women, became repeat customers.
“It’s the place for ladies’ lunches,” Samantha assured her.
Maddie had added muffins and cookies from the local bakery to the display case. She had planned on making everything herself, but preparing the tarts, pastries, sandwich fillings and other items on her menu took quite a bit of time. And Lillian still required the same amount of care.
Glancing over to the nook where Lillian chatted with one of the women from her Sunday school class, Maddie silently prayed that her mother would continue to flourish in their new environment.
“She’s loving it,” Samantha commented, breaking off a bite of a coconut macaroon.
“I’ve been so blessed.”
“You deserve it.”
Maddie shook her head.
Samantha tapped her cane. “I’m pretty well versed in the blessings area, you know.”
Her friend’s recovery had been nothing short of a miracle. When Sam had returned to Rosewood, she had been paralyzed with no hope of recovery. Prayer, determination and J.C.’s expertise had defied that diagnosis. “Yeah, I know.”
“So how is J.C. these days?”
“Subtle, Sam, real subtle.”
“And you’re avoiding the issue.”
Maddie shrugged.
“Now you’re acting like Chrissy. Give.”
Chuckling, Maddie picked up the tray of tarts, rearranging the ones that were left. “Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s nothing to tell.”
“Why don’t I believe that?”
“Because you’re a hopeless romantic. This time, though, your radar’s off.” She glanced again at Lillian’s nook. Chrissy sat beside her, concentrating on her new project.
“What’s Chrissy doing over there?”
“She’s making name tags for Mom’s friends so she can know who she’s speaking to when they come in. See that basket? We’re going to keep them in it on the little table by the door.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to write them out when people drop by?”
“Oh, these are permanent name tags. Chrissy decided they ought to look like little teapots. So I helped her with the mold, bought the clay, paints and pin backs. And she’s making and painting each one.”
“Clever.”
Maddie frowned. “She’s a bright girl.”
“Then why don’t you look pleased?”
“She’s still not doing as well as she should in school.”
“I’m guessing that’s natural,” Sam protested. “I can’t imagine how she’s coped.”
“And she resents anyone who wants to take her parents’ places. J.C. said she ran off every nanny, housekeeper and babysitter he ever hired.”
Sam looked pointedly at Lillian. “She seems content when she’s with your mother.”
“I know.” Their bond kept increasing and the relationship was helping both of them.
“It’s going to take time … bringing your family together.”
Knowing that would never truly happen brought a piercing pain. Although Lillian could fulfill the spot of a missing grandparent, Maddie couldn’t do the same in a motherly capacity. It wouldn’t be fair. When J.C. married, his wife would be the one to step into that role. Watching how earnestly Chrissy was working on the name tags brought a lump to her throat. The child was encroaching on her heart, as well.
Along with her uncle.
Samantha poured a fresh cup of tea. “Let’s be grateful for today’s blessings. The other will come along in time.”
Knowing Sam had read her thoughts, Maddie swallowed. “You’re right. The Lord has always watched over us.” And even if she wasn’t part of Chrissy’s future, she could enjoy each and every day with the child while she prepared her own heart for a life without her new family.
By Sunday, J.C. was eager to attend worship service. His mind had been in such confusion that he needed the fellowship, as well as the guidance in the pastor’s words. Regardless of where h
e was, what he was doing, Maddie kept popping into his thoughts. Knowing he should be concentrating on Chrissy’s happiness, J.C. wanted to reinforce his commitment and keep the Lord close.
Pulling on his suit jacket, he smelled pancakes from across the hall. Chrissy had gone over while he showered and dressed. They had fallen into a routine of eating with Maddie and Lillian. The only thing he could really cook involved meat and an outdoor grill.
After school each day, Chrissy walked home, spending the afternoons in the Tea Cart. Then she headed upstairs with Maddie and Lillian. If he couldn’t leave the office or hospital, they ate dinner without him. Either way, Chrissy was never left on her own any longer. It was an overpowering sense of relief. One that should have made him content. Instead, his thoughts were continually spinning around Maddie and Owen.
The door to the Carters’ apartment was ajar as it usually was once the building was locked up for the night and on Sundays. Ever since Owen’s intrusion, J.C. made sure they were safely locked in when the shop wasn’t open.
Maddie stood at the stove flipping pancakes on the griddle while maple sausage sizzled in a second pan. Must be tasty. Chrissy’s plate was nearly empty.
J.C. pulled out a chair, sat down and reached for a napkin. “You better get dressed, Chrissy.”
“Uh-uh.”
He glanced at his watch. “We don’t want to be late.”
“I’m not going.”
J.C. smoothed the napkin in his lap. “What do you mean?”
“That I’m not going,” she said slowly, drawing out each word.
“Quit joking around and get dressed.”
“You never listen to me,” she replied, her lower lip wobbling a tiny bit.
“Of course I listen to you.” Baffled, he studied his niece.
“Uh-uh. And I’m not going!” Shoving back her chair, she ran out and across the hall, slamming the front door of their apartment behind her.
Sobered, he glanced at Maddie. She had abandoned the cooking, frozen in place, holding a spatula in one hand as she stared out into the hall after Chrissy.
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