Orchard Hill Volume One

by Kara Lynn Russell

  “Really?” She searched his face, trying to see if he were telling the truth.

  “Yes, really.” He reached out and touched her cheek, pushing back a strand of hair that had fallen there. She shivered, but this time it wasn’t from the cold.

  “What about your date?”

  “What date?” He leaned in closer, until his lips were only a breath away from hers. Her stomach somersaulted; he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and then…

  Arf. She heard a little bark and scratching at the door.

  Jumping up, she nearly knocked Jeff over. “Cherub!” She ran in her bare feet to the kitchen door. She flung open the door and held out her arms to the little dog who rushed in, tail wagging.

  “Where have you been?” Angel ran her hands over the happily squirming dog, making sure her stitches were still in tact. She was covered in dirt and snow, but the sweater had kept her dry underneath.

  Jeff came in behind her. “Well, if the dog is back, and you’re all right, I guess I’ll go home.” His voice sounded strange. Was there a note of disappointment in it?

  Angel stood up and turned to him. “You don’t have to.” What was she saying? A minute ago, she was trying to push him out the door. But then, he’d almost kissed her. Had she imagined that? Did she want to find out?

  “No, I’m still a little tired from this morning. I think I’ll just go home.”

  “Oh Jeff, I didn’t think…”

  He held up a hand. “I’m all right, Angel. Just a little tired.”

  She walked him to the front door and tried to hug him but he stepped back from her. Angel realized she was covered with dirt and slush from the dog. “Sorry.”

  “I’ll take a rain check on that hug,” he said. “Save it for me.”

  “All right. Good night.”

  He turned around. “On second thought, I could use that hug now.”

  “I’ll get you all dirty.”

  “It’s okay. I wash.” He enveloped Angel in a hug that warmed her more than any tea he could have made. She hugged him back as hard as she could. When he stepped back his shirt was smeared with dirt, but he had a smile on his face. “Thanks, Angel. I needed that. It’s been a long day.”

  “And not a very good one, thanks to me.”

  “Enough of that.” He lifted her chin until she looked him in the eye. “It’s not like you did it on purpose. I want you to stop beating yourself up about it.”

  His eyes were mesmerizing. She should move away, break the contact, but she couldn’t. “All right,” she agreed, not even sure what he’d said.

  “Good girl. ‘Night, Angel.”

  Good girl? Good grief. Was he going to pat her on the head, too? Maybe she had imagined the almost-kiss. “Good night.”

  Angel watched through the window until he got in his car and drove away. Then, she turned back to Cherub. “I guess it’s just you and me, sweetie.” She went in search of some old towels to clean up the dog and the floor before Misty got home.

  TITLE

  Chapter Five

  Jeff drove home in a roundabout way, trying to untangle his scattered thoughts. He should he be glad the dog stopped him from kissing Angel. Darn that dog! Jeff’s life had been nothing but trouble since it showed up. Or was it since Angel showed up?

  It was just as well he hadn’t kissed her. What would Tony say if he knew Jeff had almost kissed his little sister? He looked down at his dirty shirt and smiled in spite of himself. He hadn’t kissed her, but he hadn’t been able to pass up the chance to hold her, if only for a minute.

  The image of Angel at his mother’s dinner party came to mind. Maybe he could take her instead of Susan. After all, Susan was already mad at him. He groaned. Angel was sweet, impulsive and as naïve as Tony had said. Some of the women his mother was supposedly friends with would eat her alive. No, he’d better call Susan and patch things up. Angel was entirely wrong for him. Susan was a perfect match. Organized, efficient, ambitious.

  He paused, thinking that was a pretty unromantic inventory of a girlfriend. Then, he shrugged. Romance wasn’t everything. By all accounts it didn’t last long after you got married. Better to pick someone you could get along with when there was no romance involved.

  He couldn’t help but think of his parents who were still affectionate after almost three decades of marriage. When he was younger he had prayed that God would send him someone he could care so deeply about. It hadn’t happened, and so he figured that it probably never would. Very few people found that kind of love.

  He pulled his car into his garage and switched off the engine. Yes, he’d definitely call Susan tomorrow and make up. He’d remind her of the invitation to his parents’ party. That should appease her. And he’d forget all about Angel…and how she’d felt in his arms…and how she looked when he’d almost kissed her. No, he wasn’t going to think about Angel anymore at all.

  ****

  Over the next few days Angel visited several more businesses in the area, gained a few new customers and worked like mad on her Valentine’s Day cards. She hardly thought about Jeff at all. Really.

  She was thinking an awful lot about Valentine’s Day, however. Nothing she tried seemed to work. Why was this so hard? Angel was sick to death of hearts and cupids by Sunday. She was glad to take time off to go to church with Misty.

  The Orchard Hill Community Church had a beautiful facility. The sanctuary was the oldest part of the structure, filled with well-maintained woodwork and windows that let in plenty of sunshine. There was only one stained glass window at the back. It depicted Jesus praying and it’s simplicity along with the rich colors used made it stunning.

  She had a moment of homesickness for her own church back in Minneapolis. She belonged to a small, traditional congregation in one of the suburbs. Her church family and her faith were what had kept her going in the long bleak years of her mother’s illness. She would never regret putting her own life on hold to take care of her.

  At first it had been hard, but after chemotherapy appointments, when her mother was too sick and weak to sit up for long, Angel offered to read her daily scripture and devotions to her. Then she’d joined her mother in praying. At first she’d felt bored by it all, but as the days grew darker and hope for her mother dimmed, Angel found comfort in the words of scripture and the prayers they offered up together. When she’d finally laid her mother to rest, it was with the firm belief that she was in a better place.

  After the service, Misty took Angel around and introduced her to a lot of people. One of them was church secretary Pansy Parker.

  Pansy acknowledged the introduction politely. “I had heard your cousin’s daughter was coming to visit. It’s nice to meet you…what did you say your name was?”

  “Angel. It’s nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Parker.”

  “Please dear, call me Pansy.”

  “Oh look,” interrupted Misty. “Isn’t that Jeff trying to get your attention over there. You’d better go talk to him.”

  Misty shoved Angel in that direction. She went reluctantly, knowing he wasn’t really trying to signal her. Misty must just have wanted time alone to talk to her friend. She didn’t think she should talk to Jeff, but she didn’t know anyone else here so she kept walking toward him. She was only a few feet away when someone stopped her.

  “Hi, Angel. How’s that little dog doing?” It was Ian, the veterinarian.

  Angel smiled in relief. “She’s doing great. Has anyone tried to claim her yet?”

  “No. I doubt if anyone will. I’m sure she’s yours if you want her.”

  Off to the side of Ian, Angel saw Jeff’s head turn, and their eyes met briefly.

  Jeff paused in his conversation with Joseph Velasquez when he saw Ian talking with Angel and felt a rumble of something like jealousy in his gut. He drew his attention back to Joseph, who was asking him about finding a bigger house. It didn’t matter to him who talked to Angel. He didn’t really want to talk business in church, but since Joseph had brought
it up…

  The sound of Ian’s deep laugh distracted Jeff and pulled his attention back to the pair. Looking past Joseph, Jeff watched Angel smiling up at Ian. He towered over her diminutive frame. He said something that made her laugh, and her face lit up. Jeff thought she really did look like an angel, although he’d never seen one depicted with wild red curls. Suddenly he wanted to be the one who made her laugh like that.

  He couldn’t concentrate on Joseph and his housing needs any more. Jeff finished the conversation, gave the man his card, then walked to where Ian and Angel stood, noting with sudden, inexplicable anger, that Ian had his hand on her shoulder.

  “Hi, Angel. Ian, I think Riley is looking for you.” The lie slipped out so easily that it shocked him.

  Ian looked around for his brother. “Is he? I don’t see him.”

  “He must have gone back into the sanctuary.”

  “How could he miss Ian?” asked Angel. “He’s a head above everyone else in the room.”

  Jeff shrugged and Ian went off in search of Riley. When he was gone, Jeff turned to her and practically growled, “What was going on with you two?”

  Angel blinked in surprise. “We were talking.”

  “About what?”

  “About Cherub running away, and then he was telling me a story about…hey, I don’t have to tell you this. You’re starting to sound like my brother.”

  “Yes, your brother. What would Tony think about you flirting with some guy you hardly know.”

  “Flirting? I don’t think…”

  “I’m just watching out for you. Not all guys are as nice as you think.”

  “Are you suggesting that Ian isn’t trustworthy?”

  “Well, no.” Even in his present state of mind Jeff knew that trying to cast Ian as a villain was ludicrous. “It’s just that…”

  “I thought you didn’t want to be my keeper anymore.”

  “That was when I didn’t think you needed one.”

  Her lip trembled, and her beautiful eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you’re acting this way.”

  “Angel, don’t do that. I’m sorry.”

  “What are you doing to make this poor girl cry?” Pansy had somehow sneaked up on them.

  “I’m…I’m all right, Mrs. Parker.” Angel brushed the tears from her eyes. “Jeff didn’t do anything.”

  “You just come with me, dear, and he won’t bother you any more. And call me Pansy, please.”

  Jeff watched Pansy lead Angel across the room to where Misty stood. The woman didn’t look any happier than he did. Was she angry that he’d upset Angel? Funny, but her glare settled on Pansy, not him.

  Angel looked back at him once, her expression so distressed that he could have kicked himself. What had come over him? All he knew was, he didn’t want Ian or anyone else getting that close to her. Of course, it was because he’d promised Tony he’d watch out for her, and he was keeping his promise. That was all.

  Riley approached Jeff. “I heard Ian is looking for me. Have you seen him?”

  Jeff sighed, utterly disgusted with the mess he’d made of things. “I think he’s in the sanctuary.”

  ****

  Jeff didn’t see Angel for the next few days. He was starting to wonder if she’d gone back home, when he saw her through the window of The Grace Place one morning. She was sitting alone at a table with a sketch pad and a mug of coffee. Her head was bent over the paper, and she was intent on her drawing. He stood and watched her for a moment, and she never noticed him.

  He crossed the street to his office, avoiding The Grace Place. He didn’t need to buy coffee there everyday. He had a coffee maker in his office…somewhere.

  Not that he was avoiding Angel. It was just that she had a knack for complicating his life. Susan was finally speaking to him again. He needed to steer clear of anyone who would put his name back on her black list.

  Of course, she had been delighted with the invitation to his folks’ dinner party. That invitation alone might grant him forgiveness for many sins.

  And as he crossed the street and got to his office, he had a feeling he was going to need that kind of grace, because on his doorstep sat a little brown mutt with trouble written all over her face.

  He bent down and scratched Cherub’s ear. “What are you doing here?” The dog leaned into Jeff’s hand. “I should just pretend I didn’t see you,” he told the dog. “You are bound to get me into trouble again.”

  “Jeff, darling, who are you talking to?”

  And here came trouble. Jeff straightened and faced Susan who was briskly striding up to him.

  “Hi Susan.”

  “Did you get a dog?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Is it a stray?”

  “No, I know who she belongs to.”

  Susan looked at him strangely, but he didn’t elaborate.

  After a moment, she said, “Anyway, I stopped by to tell you that I just got the contract to sell that brick colonial on Maple. Do you know which one I mean?”

  Jeff tilted his head back and thought for a moment. “Yes, I know which one you mean.”

  “I have the fact sheet here.” Susan dug in her tote. “I thought it might be a good prospect for the Hamilton family. It seems like you’ve shown them twenty houses.”

  “Yes, they are a bit particular. Maybe this will be just what they’re looking for.” He took the paper she offered him. “Thank you, Susan.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m really looking forward to meeting your parents Saturday night.”

  “That’s great.”

  “How about we make a full day of it? The Annual Orchard Hill Art and Crafts Show is being held at the community building. Let’s spend the afternoon there and then go on to your parents’ house.”

  Art show. How boring could you get? “I don’t know,” he hedged. “I’ve got a lot of paperwork to catch up on.”

  “I find it’s a good place to meet potential clients,” Susan told him. “So make sure you bring business cards.”

  Now that sounded like Susan, ever anxious to advance her career. His parents were going to love her.

  Cherub was obviously getting tired of not being the center of attention. She scratched at Jeff’s pants leg as if to say “Hey, I’m still here.”

  “Ugh. That mutt’s still here,” said Susan, her lip curling in distaste.

  Cherub turned and looked up at Susan with sad brown eyes, tail wagging.

  “That creature needs a bath.”

  This was obviously not the reaction Cherub wanted, so she jumped up and put her paws on Susan’s leg.

  Susan jerked away. “Yuck. It’s gotten me all dirty. I’ll have to go home and change.”

  Jeff could barely see the mark on her designer slacks where Cherub had jumped up against her. For a sensible person, sometimes Susan could be such a drama queen. “Come on, Susan, I don’t think it’s that bad. Come into the office, and we can sponge off the dirt.”

  “No, no. Jeff you said you knew who this dog belonged to. Why don’t you do something about it?”

  “Um, it’s my dog.”

  He whirled around to find Angel standing there, sketchpad under her arm.

  “Oh, Jeff, it’s your little friend again,” drawled Susan. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping her out of trouble.”

  “I’m sorry,” Angel apologized. “She must have slipped out of the house with me.”

  “You’ll have to be more careful in the future, dear. Do you know how much it will cost to have this suit dry cleaned?”

  “No, but I can pay for it,” answered Angel grimly.

  “Susan, don’t you think you’re overreacting?” asked Jeff.

  She turned on him. “Why are you defending her?”

  “I’m not defending her. I’m just saying it isn’t that bad.”

  Angel took a business card from her purse and handed it to Susan. “You can send the bill here,” she said.

  “Angel, you don’t have to—”
<
br />   She shot him a look. “Just let it go, Jeff.”

  Angel patted her leg and moved away, Cherub following her at once.

  That left him alone with Susan. Who was boiling mad at him…because of Angel…again.

  Time to remind her of that invitation.

  TITLE

  Chapter Six

  It cost Jeff a mochaccino—whatever that was—at Grace’s and the promise that he’d pick up Susan for the art show on Saturday morning. Now he had to spend the whole day there instead of just the afternoon. Once she finally left for her own office, he sat down at his desk and called Angel.