Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley (Arcadia Valley Romance Book 0)

by Mary Jane Hathaway

  “Besides,” Dad put in with a wink, “there’s no reason to date an ugly woman.”

  Mom shook her head as her elbow dug into Dad’s side. “That’s not what I meant, Barry.”

  “Trust the boy. He’ll make the right decision. It’s not up to us. Coming for lunch, son?”

  Grady shook his head before his brain had made a decision. “Not today, thanks. I have plans.” What kind of plans? Maybe to do some looking around his home and his heart to envision what both would look like with Joanna at the center.

  Chapter 10

  “Ready?” Grady smiled at her across his car.

  Joanna took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” Imagine, spending Mother’s Day with Grady’s family. Really, the first time they’d do more than greet each other in passing. Last week, Linda had bowed out due to a headache. Today, Joanna was tempted to do the same.

  “Hey, my parents don’t bite.” He reached over and caressed her hand.

  Not biting wasn’t the same thing as welcoming her, though. She forced a smile. “It will be fine. I’m just nervous, is all.”

  He slid his fingers down her cheek and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “No need,” he whispered. “You’re awesome. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Agreeing was easier than arguing. She didn’t feel awesome. She felt like an outsider poking into a private family event. Because it was true.

  Grady rounded the car and opened the door. He took her hand and led her up the sidewalk and steps of a huge Georgian-style house. Joanna could only imagine how long it took the housekeeper to clean. Linda and Barry owned two thriving businesses, after all. She doubted they scrubbed their own toilets.

  The massive oak door swung open as they reached it, and a young woman bounced out. “Grady! And you must be Joanna. I’ve been dying to meet you.”

  At least someone was happy to see her. Someone besides Grady.

  “My sister, Kenia,” said Grady. “She’s died for so many reasons over the past decade that I stopped attending her funerals.”

  “Oh, you.” Kenia made a face at him as she linked her arm through Joanna’s. “Come in. Lunch will be on the table shortly.”

  Joanna’s mom always sat back on Mother’s Day, expecting everyone to serve her. Hopefully the card Joanna had popped in the mail reached her on time. She’d try Skyping if she got home before night fell in England.

  The foyer with its immense glistening chandelier and curving staircase continued the lavish impression from the outside. A tall potted plant stood beside the door, while a massive bouquet of white roses, nestled in greenery, dwarfed the mahogany hall table.

  Joanna took a deep breath. She’d known the Akers had money, of course. One glimpse of Grady’s cherry red Eos would have told her if nothing else had. While he’d talked of taking her to see his own house, they hadn’t had time in the past couple of weeks. It was a busy time of year, he said. Everyone in Arcadia Valley was looking for bedding plants, looking for garden seeds, looking for rakes and hoses and potting soil. After Mother’s Day, gardens would be in, and things would slow down a bit.

  “There you kids are.” Barry Akers came in from an open doorway. “Come into the dining room.”

  If Joanna hadn’t felt Grady’s arm around her waist, she’d have been tempted to bolt. As it was, he propelled her forward into a formal space with dark wood furniture and heavy draperies. White linens covered the table, crowned with a low centerpiece to match the one in the foyer. Five places had been set with white china, gleaming silver, and fluted glasses Joanna would bet were real crystal.

  Déjà vu. The last time she’d seen Pierce…

  Grady pulled out a chair and seated her. Her hands trembled as she spread the linen napkin across her lap.

  Barry seated his wife and then his daughter. “Let us pray,” he said, launching into a heartfelt thanksgiving for the mother of his children and the food for which they were about to partake.

  Food Joanna hadn’t had a glimpse of yet, but she felt herself relaxing slightly during the grace. Grady’s parents might be successful business people, but they were believers, just like her. She had nothing to be afraid of.

  She opened her eyes to an older woman preparing to set a bowl of steaming asparagus soup in front of her, parmesan grated on top. It smelled heavenly. “Thank you,” Joanna murmured. The soup tasted as good as it looked and smelled, and dainty sandwiches completed the simple but elegant meal.

  Apparently, these people didn’t believe in chitchat during meals, a far cry from two five-year-olds who informed her that belches meant the food was good. It was a wonder any bites forced their way past the torrent of words pouring out of those two. If only she were at the drive-through with Cameron, where life was real.

  Linda Akers folded her napkin and set it on her plate, which was whisked away by the staff. “Tell me a bit about your business, Joanna. I understand you’re new to Arcadia Valley. What brought you here?”

  Grady’s hand squeezed hers under the table.

  “I was ready to leave Salt Lake City. My brother needed someone to help out with the twins, so it was an easy decision to move here instead of somewhere else.”

  “He’s lucky to have you,” Linda said.

  “Thank you. They’re fun little boys, and I’m grateful to be part of their life.”

  “How convenient for you to be able to work from anywhere you like. What exactly is it you do?”

  Here it went. “I’m a real estate consultant. I’ve helped many land owners with rezoning issues and other aspects of reimagining property usage.” Joanna pushed out her professional smile. “Clarence’s living trust is not the first one I’ve handled.”

  “That sounds really... interesting.” Kenia sounded dubious.

  “I like the challenge, and I enjoy seeing people’s dreams come true, even when the situation doesn’t seem ideal.” What about her own dreams? She glanced at Grady, who was, that moment, lifting a lemon square from the selection on a tray held by the kitchen staff. Was he her dream? In many ways, yes, or was she just on the rebound from Pierce? Did she actually love Grady Akers in a forever kind of way?

  The tray came within her own reach, filled with at least two dozen dainties in several flavors, none of them chocolate. She selected a tea cake and looked up at the server with a smile. “Thank you.”

  Joanna was in over her head. This wasn’t the life for her any more than Salt Lake City had been. How many worked for Grady in his own home? Sure, it would be great to marry a man who could provide for her needs. She was tired of scraping and being at the mercy of clients who withheld payment for the most obscure reasons, but the opulence in the Akers household was something else entirely. If she told Linda how broke she was at the moment, waiting for said payments, no doubt she’d be standing outside the door even before she could blink. Shouldn’t a marriage be a partnership with both members equal, not one who had everything and one who had nothing? Or had that just been Pierce talking?

  “Excuse me.” She stumbled to her feet. “May I use the restroom?”

  Across the table, Kenia stood. “I’ll show you where it is. Right this way.”

  She followed Grady’s sister down a paneled corridor. Kenia turned and squeezed Joanna’s hand. “Don’t mind our mother,” she whispered. “Ever since Vanessa, she’s cross-examined everyone I’ve dared to date. I think Mom scared Grady completely off it, until you.”

  “She seems to be so suspicious of me.” Joanna couldn’t believe she’d said that. Or that her voice had trembled.

  “Once you win her over, she’ll be your staunchest ally. I promise.”

  “I don’t know if I can. She seems to think the worst of me, like I’m trying to trap her precious son.” And she wasn’t, was she? Grady was the one who’d pushed for a relationship, not her. She’d tried to keep him away at first, but his charm and good looks had trickled into the dry places in her existence, bringing her back to life.

  “Mom feels she needs to be careful
on our behalf, I suppose. She and Dad have built the Akers enterprise into a pretty big business for a small town, and she doesn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. It’s nothing personal.”

  Joanna stared at Kenia’s hand where it still rested on her arm. “It feels personal.” But maybe because it wasn’t so far from the truth. Oh, not that she wanted to take over and ruin the family name, of course. But she could certainly see why Linda would have different aspirations for her son. Higher ones.

  She escaped into the powder room Kenia indicated, wondering if she dared show her face in the dining room again.

  * * *

  Grady parked the car and glanced at Joanna. She’d barely said a word since the disastrous lunch at his parents’ house, but he wasn’t dropping her off at her place again until he’d seen a genuine smile.

  He opened the car door and held out his hand. “Come. Let’s walk.”

  She blinked and looked around. “Where are we?”

  “Arcadia Creek Park.”

  Joanna bit her lip but nodded and climbed out of the Eos. He beeped the car doors locked while keeping her hand wrapped in his. It was a gorgeous spring afternoon. Mock crabapple trees filled the air with their heady perfume and cast a carpet of petals along the paved path. Dappled sunshine invited them forward.

  He felt her release a long breath as they strolled. That was more like it. They ambled onto the swinging bridge over the creek and stopped in the center.

  “Joanna.” He turned her toward him and slipped both arms around her waist.

  She looked at him, sucking in her bottom lip, reminding him of their very first date. He’d lost so much ground taking her to meet his parents. Please, God, let her see herself as I see her. As You see her.

  “Joanna, I love you.” He bent to kiss her and caught her cheek rather than her lips. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, holding her against his chest.

  “But you can’t,” she whispered. “I’m not the woman you need. Certainly not the one your mother wants for you.”

  “I’m sorry for putting you through that.” He’d known Mom would prod, but he hadn’t expected Joanna to crumble. He’d expected her to raise her chin and gain Mom’s respect. His mind replayed the conversation over and over. Where had it gone off the rails? What tender spot had his mother hit? “Mom doesn’t make my decisions for me. She can’t tell me whom to love.” Although she certainly tried. “I’m thirty-two, Joanna, not a kid. And I’m in love with you.”

  “What does that mean, in love?”

  He kissed her silky hair. “It means I value you more than I value myself. That I want to protect you and see your smile.” How much was too much to say? Right now, it would be far too easy to promise her forever, but she wasn’t ready to hear those words. Was he ready to say them? Oh, yes, he was. He tightened his arms around her body, stroking her back, tangling his fingers in her long curls. “I want to see the sunshine through your eyes,” he murmured.

  She still hadn’t relaxed into his arms, just stood there and let him hold her.

  “Joanna?”

  She looked up, and he lowered his mouth to hers and caressed her lips gently. He wanted to kiss her with all the passion welling up inside him, but if he pushed too hard, she’d pull away. He teased at her lips then kissed her cheeks and nose and eyelids. “Joanna. I love you.”

  Why didn’t she say the words back? He knew she felt them. Sure, they’d known each other not quite two months, but his heart had found its focus.

  “Grady, this isn’t going to work.”

  “What do you mean? I’m not a mama’s boy. I’m the one who loves you. Treasures you.”

  “I should have known better than to let my heart get involved. It’s business between us. The living trust. When that is over, you don’t need to pretend anymore.”

  How could he make her understand? “It’s not business, sweetheart. It’s love. Don’t you see it? Feel it?” A tear trickled down her cheek, and he kissed it away, tasting its saltiness. “Joanna, please don’t shut me out.” Even he could hear the desperation in his voice. Was he losing her forever? Just because his mother put the Spanish Inquisition to shame?

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what love is. Lisa vowed to love Cameron forever, but walked away in less than five years. My parents’ relationship is weird. I thought I’d fallen in love once before. It felt just like this, but I was wrong. So wrong. I thought I could do this, Grady. I thought I could, but I can’t. I think I’m meant to be alone the rest of my days. God can make me content with being Evan and Oliver’s Aunt Jonah.”

  Grady cradled her face between his hands. “Joanna. Don’t be afraid of love. Don’t be afraid of me. I’m not like that other guy, any more than you’re like Vanessa.”

  “But how do I know? How can I be sure?”

  If he could transfer his own confidence onto her, he would, but it had to come from within. It had to come from God. That must be the missing link. Sure, it had been a church committee meeting that brought them together. They’d seen each other more Sundays at Grace Fellowship, even sat together. But how much time had he spent showing her he could be the spiritual head of their home?

  Not much. Not at all, really.

  “I’ve failed you, sweetheart. I’ve tried to show you my love, but I haven’t demonstrated God’s love to you. He loves you so much more than I ever could, and I want to make that up to you. I want to talk about Scripture with you. Pray with you. Things I should’ve been doing but haven’t. I’m sorry.”

  Her perplexed gaze met his.

  “It’s not going to be easy getting rid of me, Joanna. I’m not walking away at the first sign of trouble, because I believe God has brought us together. He’ll make us stronger through it. Will you give us a chance?”

  “Are you sure? I’m a mess.”

  “I’m sure.” He kissed her again and, this time, she kissed him back.

  Chapter 11

  Joanna ushered the three children into Clarence’s room ahead of her. She could think of a dozen ways this could go wrong. One of them already had when Grady texted to say he’d be a few minutes late.

  “Wow.” Maisie stopped dead in her tracks. “Those flowers are amazing.”

  “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Joanna smiled at the sight of the vibrant bouquet on Clarence’s side table.

  Evan shrugged one small shoulder. “Aunt Jonah gets flowers all the time, bigger’n that.”

  Maisie stared at him. “Bigger than that?”

  “Yeah.” Oliver nodded. “All the time.”

  Grady had sent two bouquets last week. The trigger had likely been guilt over the disastrous lunch with his parents. Joanna bent over to kiss Clarence’s cheek. “Good to see you.”

  Not that Clarence was looking at her. His bright gaze roved from one child to the next. “These are your brother’s children?”

  Whew. He remembered things today. “The boys are, yes. Oliver is the redhead and Evan is the blond. Boys, say hi to Mr. Akers.”

  “Hi.” Evan stepped closer and leaned his pointy little elbow on Clarence’s knee. “Are you somebody’s grandpa?”

  Clarence lifted a shaky hand and set it on the boy’s head. “I’m Grady’s granddad.”

  Oliver frowned. “Why does somebody old like Mr. Grady get a grandpa and ours lives way far away? That’s not fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair, Oliver.” The twins’ life sure wasn’t, or they’d have a mom, at least. Joanna rubbed the little boy’s shoulder as she turned to Maisie. “This young lady is Maisie Felton, Clarence. She’s the one who is working so hard at your greenhouse. Do you have a grandpa, Maisie?”

  Maisie shook her head, her gaze fixed on the arrangement. “Nope, I don’t. I don’t have pretty flowers, either.”

  If she ever found herself with extra funds, Joanna would send a bouquet to Maisie and her mom. She loved how cheerful her own drab basement suite looked these days, thanks to Grady. Pierce had never bothered with anything as frivolous as flowers.
He’d never guessed — or cared — that she longed to gaze upon beauty. Not that she’d known it herself, back then. Did she dare hope Grady meant everything he said?

  “Sorry I’m late to the party.”

  Joanna’s heart lifted as she turned at the sound of Grady’s voice.

  He knelt at Clarence’s side. “Hey, Granddad. Looks like you have more visitors than space. It’s a sunny day. Would you like to go out on the patio?”

  Clarence’s face brightened. “Outside?” He pushed at the arms of his chair in a struggle to get upright.

  Oliver tugged at Joanna’s sleeve. “Is there a playground?”

  “I don’t think so, but let’s see.” It would have been so much easier to just bring Maisie, but anytime the girl was available, the twins were home from school, too. “Come on, kids. Which way to the patio, Grady?”

  Grady pulled his grandfather’s walker within reach. “It’s the one you can see through the window here. There’s a door just down the corridor.”

  “Okay.” She herded the children into the common area and looked around for the access. Half a dozen elderly people watched with interest as she pointed the trio in the right direction. She hadn’t spent much time with old folks before, and it felt weird to be the center of so much attention.

  “Where you been hiding those kids of yourn, Grady?” asked a quivery voice. “Sweet-lookin’ young-uns.”

  “Not mine, Mrs. Smith. Just found them outside over by the greenhouse the other day.”

  Joanna grinned at the humor in his voice and pressed the button to slide the exterior door open.

  “Cabbage patch kids, then?”

  Grady laughed. “You could say so. Over this way, Granddad.”

  Joanna took in the enclosed garden, nestled as it was between Frank Sinatra, its neighboring pod, and the walkway that connected them. At the open end, a tall wrought iron fence secured the space for the residents. A raised pond with koi caught the children’s attention, and they ran over. Several smooth concrete walkways wound through the area with a large seating area in the center. A gardener who’d been kneeling in one of the planted areas watched the children for a moment before turning back to her work.