01_The Best Gift

by Irene Hannon

  Routine business was dispensed with first. Then Stuart MacKenzie presented his proposal, and the floor was opened for comments and questions. A.J. glanced at Blake and gave him a thumbs-up sign. He shot her a quick grin, then stood and made his way to the microphone.

  “Good evening. I’m Blake Sullivan, co-owner of Turning Leaves, a bookshop in the block that Mr. MacKenzie is targeting for his development. I represent the seven merchants on that block. I also represent Jo Williams, the original owner of Turning Leaves, who passed away a few months ago.

  “I mention Jo because she was the first merchant to open a business in what twenty-some years ago was a blighted area. I’m sure some of you were around back then and remember that Maplewood wasn’t exactly prime real estate. But Jo believed in the area and was convinced that with the right nurturing, it would someday rise again. The other merchants on the block felt the same way.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t hesitate to call these people pioneers. They courageously took a chance on an area many had written off as too far gone to be saved. They invested their time, their energy and their finances in Maplewood, and they did it with no concessions from city hall.

  “Today, Maplewood is a thriving community. I submit to you that without people like the loyal, hardworking merchants in this room tonight, the incredible rebirth that this town is enjoying would never have happened. I also submit to you that one of the reasons this area is attracting new investment and renewed residential growth is because of its character, which has remained largely intact.

  “Mr. MacKenzie’s proposal is quite impressive. And I don’t quarrel with his numbers. I’m sure the projected revenue he discussed tonight is sound. But this type of development will change the very character of Maplewood that has attracted renewed interest. Independently owned businesses, like those represented here tonight, will give way to franchises. The town will become homogenized. And in doing so, it will lose its unique appeal and charm. In the long run, I believe that will hurt, not help, the city.

  “Ladies and gentlemen of the board, as you consider this proposal, I ask you to weigh the immediate financial gains against the long-term effect on this community. And I ask you to factor in the human element. Because in the end, people are what make up a town. There are good people in this room tonight. People who fight for what they believe in and work hard to make their dreams come true. And they are also people who will probably be forced to leave if this development goes through. That will be a great loss to this town. I present to you tonight signatures of more than two thousand residents who agree with this position and are against this development.

  “As I said at the beginning, Jo Williams was the first to take a chance on this area. She’s gone now. But her legacy lives on in the lives of the people here tonight and the businesses they have built. I hope that you don’t let this legacy slip away. Thank you.”

  For a moment after Blake finished speaking, there was silence in the room. And then, almost as one, everyone rose and applauded wildly. But as he made his way back to his seat, Blake hardly heard the ovation or felt the hands that slapped him on the back. He just wanted to get back to A.J. Because the only reaction he really cared about was hers. He knew she’d counted on him to deliver an impassioned plea. Knew that a great deal rested on his ability to convince the board of the value the current residents added to the community.

  When he reached his seat he glanced at her—and almost went limp with relief. Her face was shining, her lips tipped into a smile, telling him he’d done okay. Maybe more than okay. As he took his seat beside her, she reached over and rested her hand on his arm. And though her voice was gone, her eyes were eloquent, filled with gratitude, admiration…and something else he couldn’t quite identify. But whatever it was made his throat suddenly go dry.

  Only with great effort did he finally tear his gaze away and focus on the rest of the meeting. The other speakers, area residents, were also very good. The board appeared impressed, but it was hard to say what the outcome would be. Dollars spoke loudly, and in the end the board might not be able to ignore their voice. But the merchants and residents had certainly given it their best shot.

  As the meeting wrapped up, A.J. nudged him and quickly jotted down a few words. He leaned over to read them. “What next?”

  He wished he had a better response. “We wait.”

  She gave him a disgruntled look, wrote again, then turned the paper so he could read it. “And pray.”

  Blake studied the words. He didn’t put much faith in the power of prayer himself. But he wasn’t about to dissuade anyone who wanted to ask God for help.

  Because it sure couldn’t hurt.

  Chapter Seven

  “I don’t feel right about leaving.”

  A.J. turned to Blake. “Why not? You’ve been planning this trip for weeks. Didn’t you tell me this annual ski weekend in Colorado with your college buddies is an inviolable tradition?”

  “Yeah. But you’re barely back on your feet, and something could come up with the MacKenzie project.”

  A.J. planted her fists on her hips. “First, I’m feeling much better. Second, nothing is going to happen in the next five days with MacKenzie. The meeting was only last week. Didn’t you say that your initial research showed there probably wouldn’t be a decision until March or April?”

  “I know, but…”

  “No buts. Everyone deserves a vacation, Blake. Nancy told me you haven’t taken one in over a year, other than a few long weekends. So go. Relax. Enjoy. We’ll be fine.”

  He studied her for a moment, debating. She still looked pretty peaked to him. But he knew he’d never hear the end of it from Jack and Dave if he bailed out at the last minute. “Okay. You convinced me. But call if you need anything.”

  “Don’t worry about us. Just have fun.”

  The fun part was no problem. Dave and Jack would see to that. But not worrying…that was something else entirely.

  Because even though he was trying desperately to keep his business partner at arm’s length, A.J. was beginning to get under his skin.

  So not worrying was not an option.

  “Hey, Jacko, what’s with all the phone calls to the little woman?” Dave teased.

  Jack grinned at Dave. “Don’t ever let her hear you call her that. She’ll deck you.”

  Dave chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Bonnie would do the same to me. But hey, on our annual guys’ weekend, anything goes, doesn’t it? What we say here stays with just the three of us. Right, Blake?”

  Blake unceremoniously dumped his ski boots in the hall and grabbed a soft drink from the fridge before joining his two college buddies. “Absolutely.”

  Jack propped his feet on the coffee table, gazed at the crackling fire and gave a contented sigh. “Ah, this is the life.”

  “Yeah. But only for one long weekend a year,” Dave groused good-naturedly. “Then it’s back to bills and stopped-up toilets and diapers and the nine-to-five routine.”

  “You guys wouldn’t change a thing,” Blake said, dropping into one of the condo’s easy chairs.

  “That’s true,” Jack admitted, taking a long swallow of soda. “So when are you going to get with the program? I thought you’d be the first one married.”

  “Yeah,” Dave concurred. “You were the one who wanted to settle down with the Leave-It-To-Beaver wife, raise two-point-five children and have a house with a white picket fence. What happened?”

  “I’ve got the house,” Blake said.

  “So where are the two-point-five kids?”

  “I think I need the wife first.”

  “Not these days, you don’t.”

  “Mr. Conventional would,” Jack declared with a grin.

  “I didn’t see either of you guys deviate from the norm,” Blake pointed out.

  “Guilty,” Jack admitted. “So when are you going to take the plunge? Met anyone interesting lately?”

  An image of A.J. flashed through his mind. In fact, she’d been
on his mind a lot during the trip. As he’d maneuvered tricky moguls with expert skill, he’d thought again about her unexplained limp. And he kept picturing her when she’d been sick, looking so uncharacteristically fragile and helpless.

  As the silence lengthened, Dave glanced at Jack and leaned forward with sudden interest. “I think he’s been holding out on us.”

  Jack nodded. “Yeah. Okay, Blake, spill it. Who is she?”

  Blake frowned. “Who?”

  “The woman you’re thinking about right now.”

  “What makes you think I’m thinking about a woman?”

  Dave chuckled. “Because we’ve been there. We know the look.”

  “What look?”

  “The I-don’t-know-how-this-happened-but-I-think-I’m-falling-in-love look.”

  Blake’s frown deepened. “You’re nuts.”

  “Yeah? Are you going to tell me you weren’t thinking about a woman just now?”

  “No. I was. My partner.”

  Jack’s eyebrows rose, and he looked at Dave. “His partner,” he repeated knowingly.

  Dave nodded sagely. “Sounds logical to me. My wife’s my partner. How about you, Jack?”

  “Yeah. Makes perfect sense.”

  “Come on, you guys, cut it out. I’m serious. She’s my partner at the bookshop. I thought of her when you asked if I’d met any interesting women. She certainly falls into that category. But she’s not my type.”

  Jack took a long swallow of his soft drink. “Right.”

  “How old is she?” Dave asked.

  “I don’t know. Thirtyish, I guess.”

  “Is she married?”

  “No.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “A.J.”

  “Different name. What does it stand for?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Hmm. Is she pretty?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you think about her all the time?”

  “No.” Which was true. He didn’t think about her all the time. Just most of the time lately. “Look, what is this? The third degree?”

  “Maybe. If you won’t talk, we have to ask questions,” Jack said. “Like in the old days, when we first met. Man, you were a clam back then. Dave and I almost gave up on you.”

  “But persistence paid off,” Dave interjected. “And we’re not about to let you regress. So spill it.”

  “There’s nothing to tell. Trust me, you guys will be the first to know if I ever meet the right woman.”

  “And this A.J. isn’t it?”

  “Not even close.”

  “Why not?”

  “I told you. We’re completely different. She’s too unconventional and spontaneous for me. When I’m around her, I never know what to expect next. It’s totally frustrating. We’re at odds most of the time.”

  Dave glanced at Jack. “What do you think?”

  Jack finished off his soft drink. “He’s a goner.”

  Blake stared at his two best friends in the world. They grinned back at him smugly. He considered arguing the point. Then thought better of it. He’d be vindicated when nothing ever happened between him and A.J.

  But for some odd reason that thought didn’t give him a whole lot of satisfaction.

  “What are you doing?”

  The sound of Blake’s voice startled A.J., and she almost lost her balance on the ladder. Blake was beside her in an instant, his hand on her arm. She turned and looked down at him, noting that he was tanned from his days of skiing. And he looked rested. Which was more than she could say for herself. They’d been exceptionally busy while he was gone, and since she wasn’t back to full strength yet, the extra workload had taken a toll. Not to mention that her hip was hurting again.

  “Welcome back,” she said wryly.

  Blake studied her face, noting her pallor and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She looked tired. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. But don’t sneak up on people like that. You scared me!” she complained.

  Which was only fair, since she’d scared him. When he’d walked into the stockroom and found her wielding a heavy box while balancing on the second-highest rung of the ladder, he’d panicked.

  “So what are you doing?” he repeated.

  “Isn’t it obvious? I’m putting a box on the shelf. Like I’ve done a million times since I’ve been here.”

  “I can do it for you.”

  She frowned. “I don’t need you to. I can do it myself.”

  He recognized the stubborn set of her jaw, the slight tilt of her chin. She was prepared to do battle over this, but he took a different tack. “What are you trying to prove, A.J.?” he asked, his tone almost gentle.

  Her eyes widened in surprise at his unexpected response. Then they grew wary. “What do you mean?”

  “Why won’t you let people help you?”

  “I let people help me.”

  “When?”

  She tried to think of an example. “I let you take me home the day I was sick.”

  “Not by choice. You’d have preferred to stick it out. If you hadn’t almost keeled over, I think you would have told me to get lost. Try again.” He folded his arms across his chest.

  She couldn’t come up with another example, so she took a defensive position. “What’s your point?”

  “I just want an answer to my question. What are you trying to prove by tackling a job like this when you have a bad leg and you knew I’d be back today.”

  “I don’t have a bad leg,” she said tersely. “And I wasn’t trying to prove anything.”

  “I think you were. I think you were trying to prove that you don’t need anyone, that you can handle things on your own.”

  “I can handle things on my own.”

  “Not all the time. And not everything. Now will you please get down off the ladder and let me put the box on the shelf?”

  She glared at him. “No.”

  A muscle twitched in his jaw, but when he spoke his tone was mild. “Fine. Then I’ll at least hold the ladder for you.”

  A.J. did not want him hanging around while she struggled with the heavy box. And she certainly didn’t want him around when she descended the ladder. Climbing it hadn’t been her most graceful moment. Getting down would be worse. But from the resolute look in his eyes, it was clear that Blake wasn’t going anywhere. He was prepared to wait her out. So she might as well get this over with.

  Gritting her teeth, A.J. turned back to the storage rack and hoisted the heavy box toward the top shelf. Much to her dismay, she missed the edge and had to make a second attempt. All the while she felt Blake’s scrutiny boring into her back. Since when had he taken responsibility for her welfare? And what was with all those questions just now about trying to prove something, about not needing anyone? Why would he ask such a thing? And more importantly, why did the questions bother her?

  A niggling voice in the back of her mind whispered back, “Maybe because he’s hitting too close to the truth,” but she shut it out. She didn’t want to go there. At least not right now. Not when she still had to negotiate the rungs of the ladder.

  A.J. knew her descent was awkward. And slow. And that Blake missed nothing. It took all of her willpower to turn and face him when she was at last back on level ground. She wanted to say, “See, I told you I was perfectly capable of doing this myself,” but she couldn’t tell such an obvious lie. She’d struggled with both the box and the ladder. And he knew it.

  A.J. expected Blake to make some snide comment. But he surprised her.

  “I’ll put the ladder away,” he said quietly.

  She stepped aside without protest. His comment held no rancor, but she knew he was upset. On one level, she was touched that he cared enough to worry about her welfare. On another, she was troubled by his unsettling questions. She knew by now that Blake’s instincts were generally sound and his insights keen. What had he seen in her to make him ask those questions?

  A.J. didn’t kno
w the answer.

  And she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Because she had a feeling that it might change her life. Again. And that scared her.

  Big-time.

  “Well, it looks like the weather people were right for once.”

  A.J. looked up from the front counter and followed Nancy’s gaze. Snow had begun to fall, and there was already a fine covering of white on the sidewalk.

  “Seems odd for this time of year,” she commented.

  Nancy shrugged. “Some of our worst storms have been in early March. The good part is the snow never stays around very long.”

  A.J. didn’t pay much attention to the weather as darkness fell. But when Nancy came back from an early dinner break, A.J. took notice of her worried expression.

  “This is going to be bad,” Nancy said. “The streets are already turning to ice, A.J. Maybe you should go home. You have the longest drive. Blake and I only have to go a mile or so.”

  A.J. walked over to the window and peered outside. Several inches of snow were already on the ground, and the streets had a slick sheen to them. She fought down a wave of panic. Ever since the accident, she’d hated driving in the snow. But there would be no way around that tonight. Even if she took Nancy’s advice and left now, driving would be dangerous.

  She turned back to find Blake watching her. Since their exchange in the storeroom a few days before, they’d largely avoided each other. They were polite. They were professional. But they didn’t get personal. Their conversations focused on business and the weather.

  She didn’t have to say a word for Blake to know that she was nervous. He could feel waves of tension emanating from her body, could see the stiffness in her shoulders. He could also see the subtle, stubborn, defiant tilt of her chin as she gazed at him. So he knew his next suggestion wouldn’t meet with a favorable reception. He also knew he was going to make it anyway.