by Debby Mayne
“She’s not at home, either.”
A touch of concern flickered through Ed. “Is something wrong?”
Jennifer laughed. “No, I just had a few things I needed to ask about. We’ve been trying to find an easier way to haul all that glass tomorrow.”
Ed wandered toward the shop and took a long look around. “Seems she has everything packed in boxes—at least all the small stuff.”
“Yeah, I know. I was there helping her this afternoon.”
“Don’t worry about the glass. We’ll get it moved just fine. Oh, how was the cruise?” Ed asked, hoping to change the subject.
“It was better than I ever expected. Brian and I were talking about what a great honeymoon it would make.”
Ed practically ran into the wall in front of him. “I’m sure. Look—I have some stuff to do, so I’ll see you later.”
“If you see Jill, tell her to give me a call. I left messages, but she doesn’t always check her voice mail.”
“Will do,” Ed said as he clicked the End button on his phone.
Not checking voice mail was another characteristic of Jill’s nature. He checked his at least three or four times a day. What if she missed something important?
Ed headed home where the girls were playing with the same old boxes of toys Jill had given them when they first met. He’d come to accept the fact that it wasn’t all junk.
Emma handed him his mail as he passed her. “Mrs. Cooper called and said it’ll be a few more weeks before she can come back.”
Ed’s insides knotted. “Oh, that’s just great. In the meantime, what am I supposed to do?”
“That’s what I’m here for.” Emma narrowed her eyes. “You need to learn to relax, Ed, or you’ll have a heart attack.”
Ed rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry I took it out on you. It’s just that I’ve got so much going on, I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, first of all, prayer helps.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I do plenty of that.”
“You also need to accept the blessings from the Lord.” Emma paused before continuing. “He’s brought a bunch of people into your life, and we’re all willing to help.”
“And I certainly appreciate it,” Ed said with a half smile. “But I don’t want to overdo it with the child care.”
“We consider your girls our blessing,” she said. “So stop worrying. Have you ever thought that maybe your biggest problem might be your too-high expectations rather than too much to do?”
Ed opened his mouth but decided it was better not to argue and clamped it shut. Emma studied him for another second before he started to leave.
On his way out the door, he turned to Emma. “I won’t be too late. I really apprec—”
She smiled. “I know, Ed. And I love being here with the girls. Have a great time.”
“Have fun, Daddy,” Stacy said. “Tell Jill to come see us.”
“I will,” he replied. “That is, if I see her.”
All the way to the restaurant he thought about how his girls had become attached to Jill. It was painfully obvious they needed a woman in their lives—and not just a babysitter. And being honest with himself, Ed realized Jill had awakened something inside him that brightened the world around him. A couple of times he’d actually entertained the thought of giving in to his attraction to Jill to see where things could go for them. But reality always kicked in when their differences jumped in the way. Marcy had been a little messy, but Jill made her look like Mrs. Clean. Even without that issue, though, he couldn’t forget how devastated the girls would be if things didn’t work out and Jill turned her back on them.
He parked his car and was about to open the door when he noticed a familiar figure walking toward him. He glanced up in time to see Jill, who had just spotted him, nearly trip over the curb.
Twelve
“Whoa there,” Ed said, running up to her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yes, I just wasn’t watching. Sorry I’m so late.”
Ed glanced at his watch. “You’re not late. In fact, we’re both right on time.”
Jill tilted her head to one side. “But I thought. . .I was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.” She frowned then shook her head. “Never mind. Let’s just go inside, okay?”
As soon as they walked in and saw the group seated at the table, with two empty chairs beside each other, Ed’s suspicions were confirmed. He’d been told when to get there, and knowing he was always punctual, everyone else had arrived early. Based on what Jill said, they must have wanted her there waiting for him—or they figured she’d be late.
Rather than make a fuss, Ed accepted that it was a setup with Jill. She looked as uncomfortable as he was.
The entire two hours were spent being on show for the rest of the people in the group. Everyone obviously wanted him and Jill to get together. He wanted it, too, and he had missed her so much he was finally willing to take a risk.
As soon as she finished her dinner, Jill grabbed her purse. “Sorry, but I have to run. I have an early morning tomorrow with the move and all.”
It was dark outside by then. Ed stood. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“You don’t have to,” Jill said quickly.
“He’s being a gentleman,” Jennifer whispered.
Jill looked at her friend then at Ed. “Okay,” she told him.
Jill’s discomfort ripped at Ed’s heart. Once they reached her car, he made sure she was safely inside. She rolled down her window. “Thanks, Ed. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“You know I wasn’t in on this setup, don’t you?” he said.
She paused then nodded. “Yes, of course.”
He couldn’t think of a way to mention how he felt, so he said, “Drive safely. I’ll see you bright and early along with the rest of those clowns.” He took a step back. “Stacy and Tracy are coming, but Emma will take them home if they start acting up.”
Jill smiled. His heart did a double-loopy thing.
“G’night,” she whispered. He waved then turned and walked away.
❧
He must have been brushing me off, Jill thought. He made such an issue of not being in on the setup. Deep down she’d hoped he’d set it up himself. She loved everything about him—including his incredible sense of responsibility. Through Ed she’d learned that discipline was a good thing if done right. Not only did she love his girls, but she was also in love with everything about Ed—from his desire to fix her life to the Christian kindness he showed everyone in his path. Jill had never met a man with such integrity.
She tossed and turned all night, mulling over his reaction to what the group had tried to do. Even though it was meddlesome, she thought it was sweet that they cared enough to go to that much trouble.
When morning finally arrived, Jill dressed in jeans and her favorite T-shirt from the bank. She took a couple of sips of coffee before heading out. It was unseasonably warm, but in north Georgia that wasn’t unusual. It could be snowing one day and short-sleeve weather the next.
The parking lot at the warehouse was already filled with pickup trucks and SUVs. Ed had let them in, but no one had started loading yet. The second she arrived, a couple of the men approached her.
“We’d like to take the big stuff over first while y’all pack the smaller boxes,” one of them said.
Jennifer’s husband, Brian, pointed toward a white truck with the tailgate down. “How about the desk first?”
“Sure,” Jill replied. “Whatever you think is best.”
Three hours later Jill was back in her own shop with the desk in place. She’d shown them which boxes needed to go first; then Ed suggested she go to the shop to supervise unloading. By the end of the day everything was at the shop, and all the big pieces were in place. Ed’s daughters had helped unpack a couple of boxes, but they lost interest and begged to go home. Before they left with Emma, they ran up to Jill for a hug.
She noticed Ed watching, but he quickly tur
ned away when their gazes met. The rest of the afternoon went by in a flash.
“This is simply amazing,” Jill said as she took a long look around.
“Yeah, we have a good group,” Brian said. “If you need anything else, just give us a holler.”
After a few minutes the place had cleared out, with the exception of Ed and Jill. “Want me to stick around a little longer?” he asked.
“No, thanks. I have everything under control,” she replied. Except my heart, but that’s not open for discussion.
“Then I need to get home to the girls. I’ll see you in church tomorrow.”
After he left, Jill blew out a deep breath. The emotional roller coaster she’d been on since she’d met Ed had left her exhausted even more than the physical move. Now maybe she’d have some time to think and figure out how to manage her personal life. With the shop in place and plenty of regular customers, she felt more confident she’d be able to make a living.
After putting the last of the glass knickknacks on the shelves, Jill locked the door and sat in an old wooden rocker for some quiet time. She bowed her head in prayer and focused on all she had to be thankful for. Closure with Ed was on her mind, but she didn’t know where to begin with that prayer.
She went to church the next morning, but she saw the gleam in some eyes as people looked back and forth between her and Ed. So she scooted out of there as quickly as she could without being rude.
Over the next couple of weeks, Ed stopped in when he could to finish his work. He updated her on the progress of his development and how busy it was keeping him. After he had completed the last of the projects, Jill asked about the girls.
“Emma’s been watching them,” he said. “Mrs. Cooper’s coming back next week, so things should be pretty much back to the way they were.”
“Oh,” Jill said. “That’s nice.” She couldn’t even force a smile.
Ed had taken a step back, but he stopped. “What are you thinking, Jill?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I miss seeing them. I sort of got attached, you know?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I know what you’re saying. I’m kind of attached to them myself.”
She managed to grin. “Why don’t you bring them by sometime so I can see them?”
His face lit up. “They’d like that,” he said. “But I know you’re busy.”
She watched as Ed drew closer. “I’m never too busy for your daughters, Ed. I really enjoy being around them.”
He looked down at his feet. “Well, I guess I’d better run,” he finally said. “See ya.”
Suddenly she knew she couldn’t let him go that easily. “Wait, Ed.”
He turned to face her, one eyebrow lifted. “Do you need something?”
She nodded slowly. “We need to talk.”
“Talk?”
He sure wasn’t making this easy for her. “Yes. About us. I, uh. . .”
Ed paused then closed the gap between them. “What’s on your mind?”
Jill swallowed. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but it was risky. Until now she’d been willing to take risks, but this was different. This wasn’t just about money or a business. This dealt with her heart.
He reached for both of her hands and squeezed them. “It must be important for you to hold back like this. Are you afraid of something?”
She nodded. “Yes, very.”
“You don’t have to be. This is me. Ed. I’m your friend, remember?”
Finally she sucked in a breath. “That’s part of the problem.”
He blinked. “Huh?”
“Before I met you, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted; then you came along with your girls. You were there to help, and that confused me because I didn’t understand why you were so eager to help someone who obviously couldn’t pay you. Now I do.”
He smiled. “You’ve come a long way, Jill, but then so have I. I think we understand each other better now.”
“I’m not so sure. After watching you in action, fixing my shop and being a father—a wonderful father—I see things differently now. Faith in Christ is personal, but it’s also a way of life.”
Now his smile spread across his face, and his eyes even crinkled. “I see a few things differently now, too. You’re a wonderful, kindhearted, responsible woman who’s been badly hurt. Let’s give our thoughts and feelings some time to simmer; then perhaps we can talk more later.”
Before she’d gotten to know Ed, that kind of talk would have made her crazy, but his slower, methodical process made sense to her now. She was willing to wait until they were both ready to talk more.
He pulled her close, tilted her face up, and kissed her on the tip of her nose. Then he let go of her and slowly backed away. “I’ll check on you every now and then. Call if you need me.”
After he left, Jill immersed herself in organizing things in the shop. She felt a combination of emotions—from elation to concern. When she felt worry tugging at her heart, she went to the Lord in prayer.
The next week was busier than ever for Jill. Now that she had more capital to work with from early sales and she knew what her clientele wanted, she was able to carry a higher quality of antiques. Ed had stopped by periodically and made comments about the changes. The fact that he noticed warmed her heart even more.
“I know this seems like a random thought, but would you like to join the girls and me for dinner on Friday night?” Ed asked one afternoon when he’d stopped by on his way to the courthouse to take care of business on his development.
Jill wanted more than anything to be with him and the girls, but her feelings for Ed had intensified even more now that she only saw him on Sundays and once in a while when he had time to stop by the shop. “I don’t know,” she said. She didn’t want to be a random thought.
“The girls wanted me to ask you,” he said. “What should I tell them?”
This put a different light on things. She didn’t like disappointing Stacy and Tracy. “The girls put you up to this?”
He nodded. “They miss you.”
“They miss me?”
He paused, grinned, and added, “I miss you, too. Please say yes.”
How could she turn down such an offer? “Okay, I’ll be glad to go.”
“Since you close at six we can pick you up at six thirty at your house, if that’s okay with you.”
She nodded. “That’ll be just fine.”
The rest of the week Jill kept hoping Ed would stop by again, but he didn’t.
On Friday, before going to the shop, Jill put out some clothes to change into after work. Then she headed for the shop, hoping for a busy day so it would go by quickly. Her wish came true. She had a steady stream of customers throughout the day.
She couldn’t seem to get out of there fast enough. As soon as she could, she flipped the sign to Closed, then dashed to her car. Ed was always on time, so she drove home, ran inside, and changed. A glance at the clock in her living room let her know she’d barely made it with one minute to spare. She sat on the edge of the sofa to kill the minute she had, but six thirty came and went, and still no Ed. Her nerves almost got the best of her when he was ten minutes late. She’d just stood to call his cell phone when the doorbell rang. It was Tracy.
“Daddy and Stacy are in the car waiting,” she said. “They made me come get you cuz I’m the one who made us late. Stacy unbuckled me as soon as Daddy stopped the car. All Daddy had to do was open the door for me.”
Jill smiled at the worry lines etched on the little girl’s face. “That’s okay, honey. I’m usually the one who’s late, so it’s no big deal.”
“I know that. Daddy told me you’re always late, and that’s why we never take you with us.”
Suddenly Jill felt as if she’d hit a brick wall. “Your daddy told you that?”
Tracy nodded. “But that’s okay. Stacy and I still love you. And we think Daddy does, too, because he’s so happy you’re going out to eat with us.”
Now Jill had no
idea what to think as she walked out to Ed’s truck with Tracy. Stacy’s little face was pressed against the window.
“Sorry we’re late,” Ed said as he climbed out and helped her and Tracy into the truck.
Jill offered a half smile. “Don’t worry about it.”
Throughout the meal Jill chatted with the girls about everything that was going on in their lives. Stacy told her about Sunday school, and Tracy told her about the dollhouse her daddy had made for the dolls she’d given them. Jill avoided looking at Ed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him watching her, a pained expression on his face.
After dinner the girls wanted to play in the arcade next door. Ed asked Jill if that was okay, and she nodded.
“Is something bothering you, Jill?” Ed asked the minute they were alone.
She had to ask him. “Yes,” she finally said. “Did you tell Tracy you didn’t want to take me with you anywhere because I’m always late?”
Ed’s eyes widened. “No, but I guess I can imagine where she got the idea. One time when they asked if we could take you to church I said no, that we would be late if we came to pick you up, especially if you didn’t know we were coming.”
Jill let out her breath and smiled then. She was glad she had asked.
They were there for a half hour when Stacy started whining and stamping her feet. When Ed reprimanded her, Jill looked away.
Finally, after Ed had told Stacy not to do something and she did it anyway, he took both girls by the hand and said it was time to leave. Stacy continued whining and talking back, but Ed stayed firm. It was evident to Jill that the girls were tired.
Ed helped Stacy into the truck while Jill buckled Tracy into her car seat. By the time they arrived at Jill’s house, both girls were sound asleep.
He reached out and took her hand. “Thanks for going out with us. I’m sorry about the girls’ behavior.”
“I totally understand.”
He tilted his head and looked at her before a grin spread across his face. “Yes, I think you really do understand.”
“Thanks for the great evening, Ed. Tell the girls I enjoyed being with them, and I hope to see them again soon.”
