by Leah Atwood
“Oh.” Her pink lips formed a circle.
He averted her gaze and looked out the window. “I wanted to impress you and thought it would be a romantic gesture. I guess I didn’t think it all the way through.”
“And here I am, ruining it.” She reached over and touched his arm. “It was very sweet. Thank you.”
Once inside the restaurant, he saw that Dani had outdone herself. True to his request, she’d cleared out the back room, leaving only one table, which was next to a window overlooking the bayou. A small oil lamp glowed from the center, and several candles were lit in hurricane lamps throughout the room. Low strains of classical music filtered through the air, loud enough to create a setting, but not enough to distract.
He owed Dani big time for helping him out tonight. Even though she’d already said no, he would still make sure she was compensated for the loss of income due to closing for half the night. When he’d offered the first time, she’d reminded him that it was the least she could do since he’d lent her the start-up money to get Bayou Bits up and running. It hadn’t been a big deal to him. He’d had the money—she’d needed it. She was the only cousin from his dad’s side and the closest thing he had to a sibling.
Sophie sat in her seat, browsing through the menu. “Everything sounds so good. I have a bad habit of ordering a dish other than my first instinct and then I regret it.”
“Trust me to order for you?”
Her cheek indented, and he imagined she was deliberating. “Okay, but nothing with shellfish. I’m allergic.”
“Duly noted.” He stored the information away for later use, because he had every intention of seeing her again, many times. “What happens if you do eat it?” he asked out of curiosity.
“Hives. It’s not pretty, which stinks because I love shrimp, but it’s not worth the effects.”
“Is regular fish safe?”
“Yes.”
He took the menu from her hands and laid it flat against the table. “In that case, you’re in for a treat. You won’t find a better blackened tilapia than Dani’s.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Dani approach the entrance of the room, giving him two thumbs up. He stifled a laugh, glad his cousin approved of Sophie. A few minutes later, their server for the night came to the table, bringing the drinks they’d requested, sweet tea for both, and taking their order.
As they waited for their food, Sophie visibly relaxed. She settled into her seat, her face more at ease. All evening, she’d been holding back a piece of herself. But she was trying, and that made him happy. Intuitively, he gathered she was more bothered by his status than she was letting on and not entirely comfortable with it. Not because she was star struck, but because she saw the differences in their lives, the difficulties that would await them if they pursued a relationship. For that, he couldn’t fault her, but he couldn’t change who he was. All he wanted was a chance to know where this could lead.
Fortunately for him, she seemed just as invested as he was. Their souvenir from the circus verified that.
“Why did you go into teaching?” he asked.
She took a sip of tea before giving an answer. “When I was in elementary school, I was the kid who always wanted to learn more. I’d even ask my teachers for work to do during the summers.”
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”
“Can’t say I didn’t give you fair warning. I was a bookworm even then. My third-grade year, I had a teacher, Mrs. Elsen, who wasn’t into the job. It could have been something in her personal life at the time, I don’t know, but her lack of enthusiasm was obvious. I felt like I couldn’t approach her and whenever I did, she was annoyed with my ‘zest for learning’ as I’d been told I had.”
“That’s not right.” All his teachers had tried to encourage him, even when he’d shown no interest.
“I agree. All throughout school, and to this day, I’ve never forgotten how that felt. Teachers are supposed to encourage learning, not the opposite. Mrs. Elsen showed me the power a teacher has over a child’s learning experience. Because of her, I wanted to help students cultivate their potential, feed them knowledge in a way that would make them want to learn more, not take away their natural inquisitiveness.”
Man, she was breathtaking when she came alive like that. Teaching was her calling, not just a paycheck. “You have a real passion for teaching.”
She quirked an eyebrow, giving him an odd look. “It’s funny, when you were talking about music earlier, I wondered what it would be like to feel so strongly about something. I never thought about teaching being my passion, but I love it. I couldn’t picture myself in a different career.”
“Your students are lucky.” He wouldn’t mind sitting in a few of her classes, if only for the sheer joy of seeing her come to life.
Dinner arrived—two plates of Dani’s famous blackened tilapia with cilantro-lime slaw on the side and a small pastry cup filled with corn maque choux.
Sophie took a bite of the fish, a small sigh of pleasure escaping. “This is delicious. Flaky perfection.” She quickly took another forkful.
He didn’t bother disguising his enjoyment of watching her eat. She loved food and made no attempts to hide her appreciation for the meal. When was the last time he had shared a meal with a female who didn’t pretend she only ate salad or exotic fruits? Too long.
“Dani taught herself everything she knows about cooking.”
“Impressive. I’ve never eaten any fish on a par with this. And the slaw—I’ve never tried anything past regular picnic coleslaw and broccoli slaw, but this is amazing.”
Too soon, the night ended. Gram would be home from church with Gracie, and Gracie liked him to put her to bed. No matter how much he enjoyed this time with Sophie, his daughter came first. Turning on the truck’s radio, he let music fill the air on the way back to Sophie’s house. His mind was preoccupied, desperately searching for the best way to tell her he was leaving in a week. He didn’t want that, of all things, to be a deal-breaker.
“Thanks for tonight,” Sophie said, reaching for the door.
They were in her driveway, had been for several minutes. He blew out a breath. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Her grip on the door loosened, and she moved her body so that she faced him. “Yes?” Her features were pulled tight, a clear sign of disquiet.
He turned off the radio. “I want to see you again, but I don’t know what I’m doing. This is all new to me.” Pausing, he ran a hand over his hair. “I’m only here for another week. After that, I’ll be back sporadically for a while until I can arrange having off for another block of time.”
Sophie released a breath, her relief tangible. “That’s it? Thank goodness.”
“Thank goodness I’m leaving?” His forehead wrinkled, and he sought clarification.
While giving a short laugh, she looked him in the eyes. “Thank goodness you want to see me again. You’ve been so silent and sullen since we pulled into the driveway. I had myself convinced you were trying to find a polite way to be rid of me.”
His voice caught in his throat. “Never, Sophie. I can’t stand the idea of not seeing you again.”
“Then see me again,” she answered with unwavering conviction.
“A relationship with me won’t be easy. Is it even fair to ask it of you?” His conscience had to warn her, give her the chance to run.
“Let me be the judge of that.”
The atmosphere in the truck’s cab shifted, the air heavy with emotions. Involuntarily, his arm rose to brush a tendril of hair from her face. His palm lingered against her cheek—it wouldn’t take much to lean over and kiss her. Too soon. Sophie was different than the other girls. He liked that she was different.
Green eyes, darkened in the dusky twilight hour, stared back at him, asking the same question he was thinking.
“What now?” Someone said it out loud. He didn’t know whom.
“A day at a time. Faith and prayer,” Sophie murm
ured.
“I should go now.” His hand remained on her cheek. They needed to talk about this more in depth, but not now.
“Probably a good idea.” Her words came out strangled and forced.
“I’ll walk you to the door.”
She only nodded. With his thumb, he gave her face a final caress before pulling his arm away. He slid out from the driver’s side, walked around and opened the door, helping her out. Her porch light illuminated the entry to her house, and they stood under it, poised to say goodnight. Sophie shivered, despite the damp, tepid air.
“Can you meet Gracie and me at the park tomorrow?”
“What time?”
“Nine.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good night.”
“Good night,” she whispered back as he walked away.
Chapter 7
Halfway tempted to throw his phone across the yard, Bryce reluctantly answered the call from Caroline. Work was the last think he wanted to think about today, his return to Nashville in a few days looming over his head like a storm cloud.
“Hi, Caroline,” he greeted, less than enthusiastically.
“Gee, nice to hear from you, too. It’s about time you decide to answer.” Annoyance laced her voice, but she’d get over it. She always did.
“I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“You can’t disappear for a month and expect the world to stop for you. That’s not how it works, Bryce, and you know it. Do you have any idea of the strings I had to pull to clear your schedule?”
“Yes, and I appreciate it,” he told her, acknowledging the tight spot he’d created.
“You do realize in this day of constant internet access, I could have tracked you down. Still could if I wanted to badly enough.”
He called her bluff. “But you didn’t, and you won’t, because you respect me too much.”
“You’re right, but you’re pushing my buttons lately.”
Her frustration was mounting, so he upped the charm, trying to smooth the ruffled feathers. “And that’s what makes you the best.”
“Flattery won’t work,” she responded in a dry tone.
“I’ll be back in a few days. Can we talk then?” He wanted to enjoy his last few days in Oden Bridge without the stress of work.
Caroline sighed. “We’ve been friends longer than I’ve been your manager, correct?”
“Yes.” She was the first friend he’d made in Nashville. He’d been playing small venues and local clubs, getting his name out there, and she’d been working for a promotional company. They’d gone out a few times before realizing they had nothing more than friendship between them, but they’d developed a rapport and trust. As he gained popularity and needed to hire a manager, he’d never considered anyone but Caroline.
“Then why can’t you tell me the truth? Rumors are flying— as your manager, knowing what’s going on will help me do my job better. As your friend— I’m worried about you. So are the guys. If you were anyone else, I’d say you're a prima donna but I know you too well.”
Years of friendship had to be trusted. “A lot has happened in the past year. Give me these last few days, and I promise I’ll tell you everything when I get back.”
“Okay,” she agreed, but not without another sigh. “Are you driving or do you need someone to pick you up at the airport?”
“Driving. I’ll be in late Thursday night.”
“Let’s do lunch Friday. Where do you want to meet?” Caroline pressed, not letting him off the hook.
“Have something sent to your office. I’d rather this conversation be in private.”
“I have meetings until eleven. Come by at noon. In the meantime, call the guys. Jay and Adam are pretty ticked at you for ignoring them. Rob’s not too far behind.”
“I haven’t blown them off,” he protested. “Why can’t everyone understand I needed time away?”
“Why can’t you understand that you’re part of a team? Your name sells the records, but the band’s vital to your success. They think you’ve forgotten that.”
He bit his lip to calm down before he spoke. “It’s not like that.” The words came out as more of a growl than a statement.
“What are they supposed to think? All of you came into this together, rode the wave to the top together. Now that you’re there, you’re disappearing without a trace, not returning their calls, cutting them from your life. Intentional or not, you’ve created a rift.”
The truth hurt. “I’ll smooth things over when I get back. Trust me, that’s not how I meant anything.”
“We’ll talk Friday. Should I bring them in also?”
“Later. After we talk.”
“Call me if anything changes.”
Discouraged from the phone call, Bryce went to check on Gracie. She’d fallen asleep for a rare nap, lying on Gram’s wicker sofa that was in the screened-in rear porch. Her arm curled around a stuffed bear that she’d been using as her assistant in a magic show. Furfluff was the name she’d given the poor toy. With a name like that, he was lucky to be an inanimate object and not a real animal.
A cold front had blown through, significantly cooling down the temperature— if eighty-one degrees in mid-afternoon could be considered cool. Sure beat ninety-five degrees with one hundred percent humidity. When Gracie woke up, he’d take her out for a snow cone then stop by the park. Summer afternoons with weather this pleasant didn’t have too often in the Deep South and weren’t to be wasted.
Plus there was also an ulterior motive.
He wanted to see Sophie and knew she had no plans after her morning tutoring session. By way of a text, he invited her to join them. Since running into each other at the park on Wednesday, they’d seen each other every day, if only for a few minutes. Friday, she spent the morning with him and Gracie. Saturday, once Gracie had gone to bed, Gram had kept an eye on her and he’d gone to Sophie’s house where they watched a late movie. They’d missed most of the movie, opting instead to talk. Yesterday morning, Sophie had joined him at Gram and Gramps’ church. Together, they’d been on the receiving end of a few curious glances, but mostly everyone greeted Sophie with a friendly smile when she was introduced as a friend. Some of the congregation already recognized her from school. The morning at church with Sophie reminded him why he loved Oden Bridge so much. No one in the town treated him any differently—he was simply Gene and Adele Landry’s grandson. In this town, he could almost pretend he had a normal life.
“You’ve worn her out this past month,” Gram said, walking toward him from the garden shed.
“Have to get all the time in I can.”
“You could have more time with her.” Gram’s words were gentle, but the meaning clear.
“How? I hate leaving her, but I don’t know how to without giving up my career.”
“Have you prayed?”
Frustration clawed at him. After praying for months, he still didn’t have answers and told Gram so.
“Keep your faith, dear child, and in His time, you’ll receive answers. Our Lord is wiser than anything we can imagine.”
“Thanks, Gram. I needed that reminder today.”
“Sophie is a nice girl. I enjoyed meeting her yesterday.”
“I knew you’d like her.” Probably the only girl he’d ever been interested in of whom Gram would approve.
“Did you tell her you are leaving?”
“Yes. I told her that first night after you and I talked.” Time was simultaneously flying by and going in slow motion. A week hadn’t passed since their first date, but they’d made every moment since count. He felt like Sophie had been part of his life for years, not days. Yet, when he thought about leaving on Thursday, their time together didn’t seem nearly long enough.
“Am I being selfish?” He asked Gram the question that had been plaguing him for several days. “Leaving Gracie is hard enough, but I feel like I’m doing what’s best for her. But with Sophie— is it fair to her, asking her to wait a
round when I’m not here?”
Gram tucked her arm through his and patted his hand. “Sophie strikes me as a girl with a good head on her shoulders. Talk to her, let her make that decision. When she does, don’t second guess her. Trust that’s she thought it through, prayed about it, and knows what she wants.”
“What would I do without you?” He squeezed her hand and gave her a hug. Gram had been more of a mother to him than his own had ever been.
“This year has been difficult, to say the least, but you’re facing it head-on, striving to do what’s right. Your grandfather and I couldn’t be more proud of you. We love you—don’t ever forget that.”
“Couldn’t if I tried.” He flashed her a grin. “When are you going to come to Nashville for a visit?”
“You know your grandfather. He’s not much for traveling.”
“I’ll fly you first-class,” he bargained. “It would mean a lot to me.”
“I’ll see what I can do. After fifty years of marriage, I’ve learned a trick or two.”
Smirking, he swatted at a mosquito grazing at his arm, knowing he’d just won the battle. Once Gram set her mind to something, there was no turning back. His home in Nashville stayed vacant most of the time, causing him to wonder why he’d even bought a house. Granted, before last year he’d been there more often, before his spare time was spent in Oden Bridge with Gracie. Now, every time he was home, the house felt sterile and empty. There was no laughter, no running hugs from his daughter, no worthy memories that make a house a home. If his grandparents came to visit, the warm, familial feeling would linger even after they’d left. That’s what he hoped, at least.
“Are you sure you can’t stay a few extra days?” The hopefulness in Gram’s voice echoed his own wishful thinking.
“I can’t. Caroline’s ready to chew my head off as it is, and I’m on thin ice with the band.”
Gram gave his arm a final pat and stepped away. “Invite Sophie over Wednesday night. I’ll make a big dinner to send you off.”
“I’ll ask her. She’s meeting us at the park once Gracie wakes up.”
