“Are you headed out fishing?” Howard slid the carton across the counter toward them. “Elmer Foster brought in some mighty fine worms just this morning. Most of ‘em over six inches.” He held up his hands to demonstrate the length.
Jenn shivered and took a step back, bumping into Bill.
His strong hands steadied her for a moment before he let go. “No thanks. We’re just here to do a little shopping and pick up the mail. Have you sorted it yet?”
Howard snorted, looking offended. “Course I have. It’s always in the boxes by ten. You know that.”
Bill grinned. “Okay. Just checkin’.”
Howard moseyed around the end of the counter and crossed to the opposite side of the store where he slipped through a doorway. Two seconds later he appeared behind the window set into the wall. Rows of glass-front mailboxes filled the wall nearby.
Bill leaned toward her. “Looks like the post office is now open. Come on.”
Jenn stifled a giggle and followed Bill down the aisle filled with cake mixes, bags of flour and sugar, and small jars of spices. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg tickled her nose as she walked past.
Howard rested his arms on the post office counter and leaned forward. “Can I help you?”
“I’m just checking my box.” Bill turned to Jenn. “Do you need stamps or anything?”
“No thanks.” But she realized there was something else she did need. Straightening her shoulders, she smiled at Howard. “Overseeing both the store and the post office must keep you pretty busy. Are you looking for any help?”
Howard frowned and brushed his hand across the counter. “Well, my wife Arlene works with me most days, but she’s off visitin’ her sister in Burlington right now. Betty took a spill last week and broke her wrist.”
“I’m sorry.” Jenn remembered the lonely days she’d spent in the hospital. It amazed her how many of her so-called friends had been too busy to visit. Or had they been frightened away by Phillip’s description of her burns? “It’s a good thing she has her sister nearby to help,” she said softly.
“Yes, yes it is.” He stroked his beard, regarding her more closely. “But to answer your question, Tipton’s a small town. And I can generally handle both the post office and store myself though Arlene’s here most afternoons.”
Jenn nodded, forced a small smile and tried to shake off her disappointment. She shouldn’t expect to find a job the first time she asked, but it would’ve been nice.
Bill took his keys from his pocket and unlocked one of the post office boxes. He pulled out a small stack of mail and thumbed through the pile.
Howard peeked over the top of his glasses. “There’s a letter in there from your folks.”
Bill glanced up at him. “Howard, you’re supposed to sort the mail, not read it.”
“It’s not reading if I’m just lookin’ at the return addresses.”
Bill winked at Jenn, and then he pulled out the letter.
Jenn glanced at the upper left corner trying not to be too obvious. Highland, NC. She’d never heard of it, but she imagined North Carolina was a beautiful state with plenty of open space and woodlands. She could picture Bill coming from a place like that.
Bill dropped two advertisements in the trashcan then tucked a phone bill and the letter from his family in his back pocket. He glanced at her. “Okay. You have the shopping list?”
She nodded and took it out of her purse, but she couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t open the letter from home. She would have given anything to receive a letter from her parents. But that was impossible now. They’d been gone almost ten years. In some ways, it seemed like a long time ago, but on other days, she felt like the accident had happened last week. Either way, it definitely wasn’t long enough to stop the pain that echoed through her heart each time she remembered losing them.
Fifteen minutes later they dropped off three bags of groceries in the back of Bill’s truck. As they crossed the street toward the Tipton National Bank, Jenn glanced over her shoulder. “Are you sure it’s okay to leave those groceries sitting out like that?”
Bill sent her a quizzical look. “Sure. Why?”
“But anyone walking by could just help themselves,” she added.
“That kind of thing doesn’t happen around here.”
“Never?”
Bill chuckled and sent her a lazy grin. “Well, Roy Chambers says someone stole his canoe paddles out of the back of his truck, but the word around town is he tipped over when he was fishing at Mirror Lake and lost ‘em there.” Bill pushed open the front door of the bank and stood back for her to walk through first.
That simple gesture pleased her more that she would have imagined. “Thanks.” She smiled up at him, deciding she could definitely get used to this kind of treatment.
She stood back and watched as Bill passed a check and deposit slip to the middle-aged woman behind the teller’s window. They greeted each other by name, and the teller asked him about the stream stomp at the nature center. Bill launched into recounting a funny incident that had left him and several kids muddy and soaked.
How would it feel to be known and greeted like that, to live in a town where your roots went down deep and everyone treated you like friends and family? All her life she’d lived in a large city where anonymous sales people barely spoke to her and almost never cracked a smile. And things were not much better at her aunt and uncle’s home. Stern and emotionally distant, they’d always left her feeling like an outsider.
Bill tucked the cash from the teller in his wallet and slipped it into his back pocket. “Thanks, Mary Ann. You have a good day, and tell Chuck I said hello.”
“Oh, I will. And you and your friend have a nice day, too.” The teller smiled at Jenn, a hint of curiosity in her brown eyes. The woman lifted her hand and waved goodbye.
Jenn stepped outside as Bill held the door open for her again. The scent of fresh baked bread drifted past. Jenn sniffed and glanced around. “Wow, do you smell that?”
Bill pulled in a deep breath. “Yeah. I bet it’s coming from the Green Mountain Bakery or the Wild River Café.” He nodded down the street. ”Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Let’s go then.”
They walked past Mc Cullen’s Pharmacy following the delicious scent. The door of Berkley Real Estate opened, and a young woman stepped out. When she spotted Bill, she smiled and waved.
“Hey, Julia.” Bill returned her wave.
The name clicked, and Jenn guessed she was the friend Lauren had asked to be her maid of honor. She wore a multi-colored flowered skirt and a neatly pressed, blue sleeveless blouse that revealed her flawless skin and glowing tan.
Bill and Julia exchanged a hug.
A ripple of uneasiness flowed through Jenn as she watched them. Evidently, Bill and Julia were also good friends. And no wonder—Julia was adorable. She had light-brown hair styled in a cute, short cut that showed off her dainty ears and slender neck.
Julia stepped back, adjusted the strap on her brown leather purse and shifted her focus to Jenn. Her smile dimmed slightly, and questions shimmered in her pretty blue eyes.
Bill turned to Jenn. “This is Julia Berkley. She’s a real estate agent.” He pointed to the office on their right. “She works here with her Dad.”
Jenn extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Jennifer Evans.”
Julia’s smile brightened. “Lauren told me you were in town. Are you staying until the wedding?”
Jenn nodded, discomfort over her situation stealing away the explanation.
“Are you looking for a place to rent?” With only a brief pause, Julia continued, “There’s a cute little two-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of town that just became available. The owners can’t come up this summer, so they want me to find someone to rent it. It’s a great location and totally furnished.” Julia looked at her expectantly.
Jenn’s mouth suddenly felt parched. “Well . . . I’m not sure. I don’t—”
“Jenn’s staying with us.” Bill’s calm, even tone settled the matter.
“Oh.” Julia’s gaze darted from Jenn to Bill.
Warmth flooded Jenn’s cheeks, but she was grateful Bill hadn’t shared the details of the explosion and fire or her empty bank account.
“Well, that’ll give you more time with your brother.”
Jenn nodded. “I hope so.”
“Lauren said you’re going to be in the wedding with us. Did you see the dress she picked out? It should look pretty in periwinkle blue.” Julia turned her 100-watt smile on Bill. “And I can’t wait to see Bill in a tux. Since he doesn’t even like to wear a tie, it should cause quite a stir around town.”
Bill chuckled and waved off her comment. “It won’t matter what I’m wearing. Everyone will be looking at Lauren and Wes. It’s their day.”
“Of course.” Julia’s eyes sparkled. “But I’m still planning to bring my camera and get a picture of you all dressed up like that. Who knows when it will ever happen again?”
“Hey, I get dressed up. I own a very nice suit.”
“How many times have you worn it?”
Bill rubbed his chin. “Twice. Once for John and Lisa’s wedding and once for their reception.”
Julia laughed softly. “That was on the same day, so it only counts as one time, and that was two years ago.”
Jenn’s stomach tightened. Julia’s playful tone hinted at more than friendship between her and Bill. Did Bill feel the same way about Julia?
Surprise stirred her heart. Why was she even considering the question? She wasn’t interested in Bill. But she couldn’t help watching them and trying to figure out what was going on beneath the surface.
Jenn crossed her arms and felt the scars underneath her sleeve. She glanced at Julia’s smooth, glowing skin, and her heart clenched. She’d never look like that again.
“So, where are you headed?” Julia focused on Bill, a hopeful light in her eyes.
Bill looked past Julia’s shoulder. “We’re going over to the café to grab some lunch.”
Jenn waited, holding her breath. Would he ask Julia to come along?
But he turned to Jenn. “Are you ready?”
She nodded, relief making her feel ten pounds lighter. “Nice to meet you, Julia.”
“You too.” Julia lifted her gaze to meet Bill’s. “See you Sunday?”
He flashed a warm smile. “I’ll be there.” Then he placed his hand on Jenn’s lower back and with gentle pressure signaled it was time to go. After they took a couple steps, he dropped his hand, and Jenn found herself missing his touch.
She silently scolded herself and reigned in her runaway emotions. Bill was her brother’s roommate and her friend. That’s all. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe he wanted more than that. And even if he did, she couldn’t imagine opening her heart or showing him her scars.
Chapter Eight
“I need to find a job.” Jenn twisted the paper napkin in her hands as she looked across the café table at Bill.
Her sudden shift in the conversation took him by surprise. He swallowed a sip of his iced tea and noticed her eyes were a pretty moss green today. He squelched that thought and forced himself to focus. “What kind of job?”
“I’m not sure. I was hoping you could tell me about some of the local businesses, places I might be able to apply.”
He nodded slowly, mentally sorting through possibilities in and around Tipton. “What kind of work do you want to do?”
She sent him a rueful smile. “Well, I don’t think I’m going to get a job based on my education or training.”
“Why not?”
Her cheeks flushed and she leaned forward slightly. “My degree is in performing arts. The only job I’ve had since graduation was working at a dinner theater. The supporting actors wait on tables before the show, so I suppose I could apply at restaurants.”
She glanced around the Wild River Café, watching the fifty-something waitress approach the neighboring table with a piece of apple pie in one hand and a steaming coffee carafe in the other. “But all I really did was take drink orders and tell people when it was their turn for the buffet.” She sighed and turned to stare out the window, a look of discouragement settling over her face.
Bill rubbed his chin. “We have a community theater group, but I’m not sure if the actors are paid or volunteers.”
She poked around at her chicken salad without taking a bite. “I don’t really want to be on stage right now.”
He nodded. Was it her smoke damaged voice or her scars that held her back? He wasn’t sure, but either way he imagined it was frustrating to have to give up her career, even temporarily, because of her injuries. “So, what else to you like to do?”
She bit her lower lip for a moment then shifted her gaze back to him. “I like to hunt through flea markets and garage sales looking for hidden treasure.” A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Last summer I found an old child’s rocker and a small, three-drawer dresser. I refinished and painted them for a friend who was having a baby. She liked them so much she asked me to paint a mural on the wall of the baby’s room to match the designs on the furniture.”
“What was the mural like?”
“It was a forest scene with fairies, elves and a waterfall.” She gazed out the window again, a dreamy look in her eyes. “I totally lost track of time when I was working on it. My friend had to remind me to stop and eat. It took a over a week to finish, but she loved it, and so did I.”
“So, you’re an artist, too.”
She smiled. “Well, I’ve taken a few art classes, and I enjoy creating unique gifts for people, but that was the first time I ever tackled a mural.”
An idea formed in his mind. He turned it over for a few seconds before he made his decision. “How would you like to paint a mural for me?”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t imagine a wall filled with fairies at your house.”
He grinned. “Me neither. But I can picture a mural with Vermont plants and animals at the nature center. You could make it like a big painting but add the names of the plants and animals so it could be educational as well as artistic.”
Her eyes lit up as she listened to him talk. “Are you serious? You’d hire me to paint a mural?”
“Sure. Wes and I were just talking about taking down those old display cases near the entrance. I think a mural would look great there.”
Doubt flashed across her expression. “But you haven’t seen my work. How do you know I’m good enough?”
“Do you think you can do it?”
She hesitated a moment, then lifted her gaze to meet his. “If we can find pictures of the plants and animals you want me to include, I’m sure I can do it.”
Bill nodded, a hope rising in his chest. Not only would he be giving her a job, he’d be helping her tap into different talents that could provide a new focus. “I have a shelf full of books at the nature center. I think you’ll find everything you need there.”
“Great.” Her eyes sparkled now.
“I’m not sure how much we can pay. I’ll have to check with Mr. Zeller, but there’s money set aside for new displays, so I’m sure we can work something out.”
She nodded, grinning like she’d won some prize.
“So, we have a deal?” He held out his hand.
She reached to shake it, her smile radiant. “You just hired yourself an artist.”
* * * *
Jenn dipped her brush in the soft blue paint and stroked across the next section of sky. From her vantage point, four steps up on the sturdy wooden ladder, she glanced at the drawings she’d painstakingly added to the wall over the last few days.
This mural had turned out to be a bigger project than she’d first imagined. With Bill’s help, she’d spent a day skimming books and collecting ideas. It took two more days to draw each section of the mural on a large drawing pad. Then she’d spent a couple days transferring the drawings to the wall, much of the time working
up on the ladder and stretching to reach several feet away.
This morning she’d driven Wes’s car into Richboro and purchased the paint and brushes. Finally, this afternoon, she’d begun to paint, working on the sky and clouds first.
She laid her brush on the tin pie plate she used as a palette and climbed down the ladder. Lifting her gaze, she studied her work, checking to see if the color she had mixed for the sky matched the previous section.
The tense muscles in her neck and back screamed, reminding her that she’d demanded more of them these past few days than she had since the fire. Groaning, she squeezed her shoulder and tried to rub out the pain.
Bill walked toward her. He’d spent the morning teaching a group of boy scouts how to build a rope bridge, and the last time she’d seen him he’d been a muddy mess. Evidently he’d showered over at the lodge locker room and now wore clean cargo shorts and a dark green Wild River T-shirt, revealing his tanned, muscular arms and legs.
“How’s it going? Everything okay?”
“Yes, I’m just a little stiff.”
“Where does it hurt?”
She hesitated then pointed to her neck and shoulders. “Guess I’m not used to stretching and painting up on a ladder like that.”
He nodded. “I do a lot of hiking and we get sore from carrying our packs. I know what’ll help.” He stepped behind her and began gently kneading her sore neck muscles.
Jenn tensed, expecting pain as he touched the collar covering the scars on the side of her neck, but the slow, soothing motion of his warm hands felt wonderful. Closing her eyes, she released a deep sigh and let the tension melt away.
“You don’t have to push so hard, Jenn,” he murmured as he continued the neck massage. “There’s no rush with this project.”
“I know. But I like what I’m doing. I hate to stop.”
Surrendered Hearts Page 5
