A Handful of Hope

by Elizabeth Maddrey

  He nodded and pulled open the door to Season’s Bounty. “All right.”

  Jen squeezed his hand. She never should have said anything to Rebecca about not wanting him at the wedding. Who knew Rebecca would run off to Paige and get her to agree to ask him not to come? Okay, maybe she’d hoped that’s what would happen. But it hadn’t seemed likely. And it was all water under the bridge now, so there was no point in worrying about it. If people couldn’t deal with the fact that they’d worked through their differences, well, too bad.

  “Hey!” Rebecca jumped up from a table near the front of the restaurant as they came in. “We’re out in front today. Paige said being away for a week left the kitchen staff in need of some serious revamping. So, for now, she set up a big table just for us. I think she’s still planning on us being her guinea pigs, but they left menus in case we’d rather go that route. David. It’s good to see you. I’m sorry about the whole—”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He smiled and pulled a chair out for Jen, then sat next to her.

  Jen reached for his hand. “Who else is coming?”

  “I think everyone. Ben’s parking the car. Sara said she’d be here and Jackson is in the kitchen working on the first round of food. I think he’ll end up being our runner tonight. Gives him a chance to keep tabs on his wife.”

  Jen laughed. “It’s like that, is it?”

  “What’s like what?” Jackson slid a tray laden with three platters of hors d'oeuvres onto the table. “Sorry about that. I haven’t waited tables in...ever. I never waited tables.”

  “You know, I never did either.” Jen shrugged. “You’re doing fine.”

  Rebecca snickered. “I did. Maybe I ought to be running food out for us?”

  “Then I wouldn’t get to sneak kisses in the kitchen.” Jackson grinned and sat. Waving to Ben as he pushed through the main restaurant door.

  “I don’t understand why the parking garage across the street is so much fuller than it usually is on a Friday night. I finally ended up parking down the street, and only then because I saw someone leaving.” Ben kissed Rebecca as he pulled out his chair and sat. “Hey, David. Glad you could make it.”

  Jen nudged David with her elbow and leaned to whisper in his ear. “Told you.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He nodded to Ben. “Thanks.”

  “Sorry I’m late. Parking is...hi, David. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think it through and I just—”

  David stood and pulled Sara into a hug. “Don’t worry about it. Okay? I’d been meaning to delete the thing basically since I opened it, and it’s my own fault that I kept getting distracted. How are you?”

  Sara frowned at Jen.

  Jen shrugged. Was she not supposed to have told David? Sara knew how Jen felt about David, so why would she assume Jen wouldn’t say anything? She’d never been good at secrets. Sara knew that. Of course, if Sara had said something, Jen would’ve tried.

  “I’m okay. I had a chance to meet the guy Jen recommended today. I think it’s going to help. And I may talk to the pastor, too. We’ll see.”

  David nodded. “Good.”

  Ben, Rebecca, and Jackson exchanged confused looks and Jen chewed her lip. Telling David was one thing, but if the whole group was going to find out, that was going to be up to Sara.

  “What’s going on?” Rebecca reached for Sara and squeezed her hand as she moved to an empty chair.

  Sara sighed. “I guess Jen didn’t tell everyone? I’m having a little trouble coping. Luc—well, it’s not all Luc. He just pushed me over the edge. Jen helped me understand that there’s no harm—no shame—in getting help. So I’m talking to a counselor.”

  Rebecca nodded. “If you end up not liking him, let me know. I’ll give you the name of my therapist.”

  “You have a therapist?” Jen stared across the table. After what she’d said about snapping out of it?

  Rebecca hunched her shoulders. “Yeah. I’ve been going for years, mostly to deal with the complicated relationship I have with my parents, but other things too. I’ve just never told anyone. It’s not something I like to talk about—it’s such a ridiculous weakness to not be able to—”

  “No. What is this?” David shook his head, a frown etched into his features. “What is wrong with us as a society? As a church? Why do we treat depression as some kind of stigma? It’s a disease like any other. You don’t just pray your way out of it, you need help. Sorry...hot button.”

  Jackson chuckled. “I see that. But you’re not wrong. I’m glad you’re talking to someone, Sara. And that you’re willing to share with us. I’ll pray for you.”

  Jen reached for one of the plates in the center of the table. “Now that that’s out of the way, are we going to eat?”

  “Before we do that, we have news.” Rebecca reached for Ben’s hand. “It’s why we were hoping everyone could come tonight.”

  Zach and Amy pushed through the restaurant door and waved. “Sorry we’re late. What’d we miss?”

  “Nothing yet, really.” Sara jerked her chin toward Rebecca. “But she was just saying they had news.”

  “Ah. We do, too.” Zach held a chair out for Amy. “But you go first.”

  Ben and Rebecca exchanged a look before Rebecca spoke. “I’m pregnant.”

  Jen laughed and joined in the scattered clapping that worked around the table. “Congratulations, guys.”

  “Yeah, man. That’s great.” Jackson slapped Ben on the back.

  “You’re not upset, are you?” Sara shifted in her chair and looked at Rebecca.

  “Not at all. We’re not kids. And while sure, we might have wanted to wait a year or two, this is a good thing. God’s plans are better than ours.” Ben rubbed Rebecca’s shoulder and looked at Zach. “What’s up with you two?”

  Zach cleared his throat. “We got married this afternoon. That’s why we’re late. The courthouse was busier than we anticipated.”

  Jen stared up at the ceiling, absently stroking Tribble’s head. What a pleasant night. Good food. Good conversation. And maybe, between Rebecca, Sara, and herself, they’d managed to raise awareness within their little circle.

  David had been amazing. His struggles with his sister’s depression had given him such insight. And compassion. He’d shared, a little, about her struggles. And for the first time in a long time, Jen had been willing to talk about her own. And then to find out that she wasn’t alone in feeling inadequate.

  Was it simply part of the human condition to struggle like that?

  In some ways, that was a comfort. She wasn’t alone. Even her friends who always seemed to have everything together struggled at some level with those same thoughts and feelings. Maybe not to the same degree, but they understood. Not the full extent, but enough that it was clear she wasn’t alone.

  That left her lighter inside than she’d been in a long time.

  She chuckled and rolled to her side, burrowing under the covers. Rebecca and Ben were expecting. They’d be great parents. And it’d be fun to have a baby to spoil. She’d always loved babysitting. It was unlikely they’d refuse her offer to help out—who didn’t love a night out every now and then? Still, it was a big change. December wedding and not three months later, a baby. But if anyone could do it, it’d be them.

  The big surprise was Zach and Amy. They were still having a big Christmas wedding, it would just be their public vows and a chance for everyone to dress up and celebrate their commitment. They weren’t, at this point, planning on telling many people that they were already married. Amy’s parents had gone to the courthouse, and they’d let Zach’s family know. But beyond that they were planning to keep it quiet.

  Jen scoffed. She gave them a week before they let the cat out of the bag.

  Jen took the leash down from the hook where she stored it and clipped it to Tribble’s collar. “You ready, girl? David’s taking us on an adventure. I don’t know where, but it’s a lovely day. And we get to be with David, so that’s a bonus, right?”

  Tribble d
anced around her feet, tangling her legs in the leash.

  Jen laughed and let go of the end. She stepped out of the coil and reached for her dog’s collar. “Sit. Sit, girl.”

  Quivering, Tribble almost sat, her tail end hovering over the ground, not quite touching.

  “Good girl.” Jen grabbed the leash and looped it over her hand as someone knocked. “That’s got to be him, let’s go.”

  She tucked her phone in her pocket and hooked her purse over her shoulder before opening the door.

  David looked amazing. Dark jeans and a collared shirt were casual, but on him they weren’t sloppy. Should she have worn something nicer? Her jeans were older, faded and comfortable, but with the dog in tow, she hadn’t wanted something too nice. She’d said Tribble did okay in the car, but the truth was, sometimes she did and sometimes she didn’t.

  “You set?”

  She nodded. “We are. No hints on what we’re doing?”

  He grinned and shook his head. “Nope. Come on. You’ll figure it out soon enough.”

  David backed out of the parking spot and before long they were on the Beltway, headed toward I-66.

  “So we’re headed into the city? I wonder if the cherry blossoms are still on the trees?”

  “Told you you’d figure it out. They should be. The festival was last weekend, but everything I’ve read says they’re still lovely. I thought we could walk along the tidal basin. My mom used to drag the whole family down every year for photos with the cherry blossoms. Even when she stopped, I’ve been making my way downtown every spring, whenever I can, to enjoy them. I probably wouldn’t admit it to her, but I miss those family photo shoots.”

  Jen laughed. “My mom tried it one year. We ended up with so many tourists in our photos she never did it again. I think it was the weekend of the festival though. So that definitely didn’t help us.”

  “I imagine not. Usually, if you can go the weekend before or after, you still get the blossoms, but without quite as many tourists.” He shifted lanes as they crossed the bridge over the Potomac. “The big question is whether or not we’ll find parking. I’m hoping we can, but we may end up needing to find a lot, pay, and then walk. That okay?”

  “Of course. If Tribble gets tired, I’ll just carry her. That’s the nice thing about a tiny dog.”

  “Sure. Though the big dogs don’t get tired as fast. So...tradeoff.”

  He had a point. Though big dogs weren’t really her favorite. As much as she loved dogs, the big ones...they still made her palms sweat.

  They wound through the streets surrounding the National Mall. Jen scoured the parking areas for empty spaces or cars with their brake lights on, anything that might indicate they were getting ready to pull out. “Oh—over there, right.”

  David followed her pointing finger and nodded. “Got it. Let’s see if we can beat everyone else.”

  Flicking on his turn signal, David zipped across two lanes of traffic and eased into the parking spot. “Good eye. Looks like we have two hours?”

  Jen craned her neck to see the sign and nodded. “Sounds right.”

  David tapped his phone. “I set an alarm to be sure. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem, but I’d just as soon not end up with a parking ticket.”

  Tribble sniffed the grass at the curb and squatted while Jen waited for David to come around to the sidewalk. He took her hand and squeezed. “Let’s go this way—we’ll get to see more of the trees, and the water.”

  As they walked, Jen looked around. There were plenty of people out doing exactly as they were, but it wasn’t so crowded that you were squeezed on the sidewalk. The delicate pink, almost white, blossoms of the cherry trees were the perfect crown to the horizon, a stark contrast to the blue water. “I’d forgotten how beautiful this is. I don’t come downtown as much as I should. We’re here by all this history, and yet I get so caught up in living that I forget what’s right in my back yard.”

  David nodded. “I come downtown for work sometimes, or for volunteer activities with some of the politicians I try to help out. But I haven’t been to a museum in...ages. You want to do that sometime?”

  “Yeah, that’d be great.”

  “Oh. Let’s stop here.” David pulled her into a little copse of trees where a stone lantern sat. “Look through the middle.”

  Jen leaned over and peered through the hole in the lantern, the stone creating a frame for the blooms on the other side of the Tidal Basin. “I love that.”

  Tribble wrapped the leash around her legs and then David’s, dragging them closer together.

  Jen laughed and started to reach for the dog’s collar when David slipped his arm around her waist.

  “I love you, Jen. I said it the other day, and I know the timing was off. But it’s just as true today, maybe more true. Truer?” David frowned and rested his forehead on hers. “I want you to know that. I’m in this with you for the long haul.”

  Heart racing, Jen wrapped her arms around him, ignoring Tribble’s excited yipping and the leash tightening around her legs. “I heard you. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to think. I thought maybe you were confusing love with pity, or something else. But I don’t think that anymore. I’m so grateful you’re in my life. I love you, too.”

  A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he lowered his lips to hers.

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  Keep reading for a sneak peek of the fifth and final book in the Taste of Romance series, A Tidbit of Trust.

  Chapter 1

  Sara Reynolds slipped on her sunglasses and stepped out of her hotel room onto the beach. This was the perfect way to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Sun, sand, and absolutely no plans. Of course, it would be better with friends—which had been the original plan before Rebecca and Jen met guys, fell in love, and ruined everything. Sara blew out a breath. Maybe that wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t exactly fair that she was alone in Jamaica on what was supposed to have been their girls’ trip. Okay, sure, they’d never put an actual date on the excursion, but they’d discussed it enough over the years that when she’d mentioned the idea in September she’d expected a little more enthusiasm. Obviously, as pregnant as she’d been, Rebecca had been out. She’d finally given birth to her little girl, Chloe, just last week. But Jen was getting married on Valentine’s Day, which meant she ought to have been ready for one final fling. Right?

  She walked across the warm sand to a row of lounge chairs and dragged one a little bit away from the rest. The beach wasn’t busy yet, but everything she’d read online prior to booking said the resort was always at capacity this week and she didn’t intend to be smashed up against other sunbathers like sardines in a can.

  Her therapist, at least, was proud of her for coming alone. Sara had been single since the debacle with Luc last spring. Her stomach twisted as his face swam unbidden into her thoughts. He was supposed to have been the one. Not the one who strung her along as his stateside girlfriend while he kept a wife at home and who knew how many other women across the globe. He travelled for a living—well, he had. At least he’d been fired after his behavior was made public. Regardless, Dr. Thomason said Sara’s willingness to travel by herself was indicative of progress.

  “Miss? Can I get you anything?” The lilting Jamaican accent from the roving server made her smile.

  “No, thank you.”

  “Are you going to Dunn’s River Falls today? They still have seats on the shuttle. If you want to go, I can book you.”

  Sara stared out at the ocean. The waterfall was famous. Everything online said visitors couldn’t come to Jamaica and not go. But...it was her first day here. “They’re going again later in the week, right?”

  The young man pursed his lips. “I’m not sure. Would you like me to get you a schedule?”

  “Sure. Thanks.
”

  He grinned, his white teeth gleaming in stark contrast to his dark skin. “I’ll be right back.”

  She adjusted the lounge chair so it reclined more and closed her eyes. Even as handsome as the man had been, she’d had no desire to flirt. That had to be progress, too. She wasn’t here to hook up. Maybe that would’ve been a serious consideration a year ago but...she was changing. Trying to at least.

  “Here, miss.”

  Sara opened her eyes and took the schedule with a smile. She skimmed the various tour options and sighed. There wasn’t another trip to the falls through the resort until her last day. And the timing of that would make it a challenge to be at the airport with enough lead time. She could always get a taxi and go on her own, but...“You said there’s still room to go today?”

  He nodded.

  “Then if you’d sign me up, I’d appreciate it. I’m in 461.”

  “Yes, miss. Meet in the front lobby at ten-thirty. Do you want a sack lunch?”

  “Is there food there?”

  He nodded. “There are local vendors. For sure some will have patties, maybe there will be someone grilling.”

  “I’ll give the locals a try.” She was here, after all, for adventure. And if it didn’t sit well, she could stay on the resort for the rest of her stay with a free conscience. “Thanks.”

  He bobbed his head again and drifted off toward a couple who was busily setting up a home away from home on the sand. Sara stood and collected her towel. If she was catching a shuttle at ten-thirty, she’d best go change.

  The resort wasn’t far from the falls. It had taken maybe twenty minutes to get to the parking area. Now she stood in the crowd with all the others who had been on the shuttle listening to last minute instructions.

  “As we climb the falls, you need to hold hands with the person in front of you and the person behind you. We’ll climb like that in a chain. If you start to slip, the people on either side should be able to help. But most of all don’t panic.” The guide grinned. “This is supposed to be fun.”