Only Just Begun

by Vella, Wendy

  “So are you thinking you want to lease this and expand Tea Total?” It was a leap, but he was a businessman, and it would have been his next step if he owned the business next door.

  “It would never work.”

  “It may,” he said.

  “You think so?”

  “Morning, Mandy, Ted.”

  “Mr. Timms,” Ted said as the bookstore owner unlocked his door. “When are you thinking about shutting the store, Mr. Timms?”

  “Not long, actually. A month, maybe two months,” the man said. “Our grandchildren are in Florida, so we’ve decided to move there. Just need to lease this and the flat, then we’ll be off.”

  “Can we come in and have a walk around?”

  “Of course. Are you thinking it may complement Tea Total, Mandy?”

  “I—ah, I’m not sure yet, Mr. Timms, but it’s something to think about.” Mandy shot Ted a look that was as close to a serious glare as he’d ever got from her.

  Ted followed her inside.

  “Take your time, I need to pack some books out back. Let yourself out when you’re done, or if you need anything else just call.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Timms,” Mandy said.

  Ted looked around the space after the man had left. A few feet bigger than Tea Total, with rooms out back. He wondered what she was thinking.

  “You didn’t need to ask him, Ted. I would have got around to it.”

  “Sure you would,” Ted said, moving to stand beside her by the wall separating the two shops. “Does Mr. Timms own the shop?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tell me what you would do with this space,” Ted asked her.

  “It’s only a thought, I mean I doubt—”

  “Mandy. Just say the words.”

  She said them still facing the wall.

  “I would make Tea Total bigger and put in more food cabinets and offer high teas. But I’d also have an area in here for a book corner, and there’d be story time for kids, and still sell books.” He heard the excitement in her voice.

  “Sounds like a good idea. You worked out a business plan?”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “Stop looking at the wall and look at me.”

  She did, and he saw the excitement then. She wanted this bad.

  “You talked to your aunts?”

  She shook her head.

  “So you’d put an opening in that wall?”

  “I’m not sure if I would be allowed to, but yes, that would have to happen for it to work.”

  “Where would the reading area be?”

  She walked him around the space, pointing out things that told him she’d given the idea of merging the shops a great deal of thought.

  “How would you pay for all this?” Ted asked when she was done.

  “I guess I’d have to get a loan to do it.”

  “Guess?”

  She wandered to the window and looked out at the street. He saw the Buick at the same time as her, but dismissed it because it didn’t belong to anyone he knew. The driver window was open, and a man was looking out. Mandy tensed. Ted heard a whimpering noise.

  “Mandy?” He reached her quickly. “What’s wrong?”

  Her face was chalk white, fists clenched.

  “Mandy!” He took her shoulders, turning her to face him. “What’s wrong?”

  She clenched her eyes shut tight.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “This is not nothing.” Ted gave her a gentle shake.

  “I—ah, just thought I saw someone.”

  “Not a good someone, by that reaction. Who did you think you’d seen?”

  “No one.” She looked at him, and he saw the lingering remnants of fear. “It’s no one. I was mistaken.”

  He pulled her into his arms and hugged her hard. She was shaking.

  “You’re strong in here, remember.” He eased back and tapped her forehead.

  “I want to be.”

  “What’s stopping you?”

  “Him,” she whispered.

  “Him who?”

  “The man who changed my life forever.”

  With those words she walked around Ted and out of the shop. His eyes followed her until she disappeared.

  Chapter 9

  Tea Total was quiet the following day, so Mandy took a few hours off before the lunch time rush. She found herself once again in front of Mr. Timms’s bookstore. She wanted change for herself, wanted to grow as a person, and this could be a step toward that. Ted was right, she needed to make plans.

  Looking at the street, she remembered seeing that car yesterday. The man had looked like someone from her past, but she knew that he couldn’t be here and hadn’t found her. Plus, he’d be older now. Still, it had been a shock, and she hated herself for her reaction… especially in front of Ted. Now he would have more questions she didn’t want to answer.

  Exhaling slowly, she entered the bookstore.

  “Back again?”

  “I am interested in expanding Tea Total, Mr. Timms, but I need to do the numbers to see if I can make it work.”

  “I’d love to lease to you and your aunts, Mandy.”

  “I’m not actually here to discuss that today. I wondered if you had let the apartment yet?”

  “I haven’t. Are you interested?”

  “I am. Could I take a look?”

  “One minute and I’ll get the keys.”

  He returned, handed them to her, and ushered her out the back door, telling her to drop them back when she was done. Mandy took the stairs up with excitement building inside her chest.

  It was ridiculous, but her hands shook as she turned the key in the lock. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside.

  At her age, most people had left home. It was time for Mandy to take that step. She knew that, as did her aunts. But they’d never say that to her. In fact, she was certain they’d simply adjusted to life with Mandy.

  But this, a move to here on her own, would be good for her. Wouldn’t it?

  It wasn’t huge, but Mandy thought that maybe it was just the right size. There was a small kitchenette, separate bathroom, and a small bedroom. It was clean and tidy, and Mandy realized that if she took it, she had no furniture to fill it. She would have to visit Bas. His secondhand store would be a starting place.

  The simmer of excitement had her walking to the window seat and looking at the main street of Ryker Falls below.

  Could she do this? It was a huge step to take, but one she had to at least try.

  Leaving, she handed the keys back to Mr. Timms and asked what the rent was. He told her.

  “I’ll let you know tomorrow if I’m interested.”

  “No worries, and I’d be happy to have you up there, Mandy.”

  She left and went back into Tea Total to change into her gym gear. Her mind was still running through the possibilities of expanding it as she drove to the lodge.

  She could do it, Mandy thought, pulling into a space. She would need to budget, but she could do it. Plus, if she decided to lease the bookstore she would be there to work on the changes.

  It was almost unbelievable that she was even thinking about doing all these things. She had Ted to thank for so much. He’d made her look at herself. Made her start thinking about change.

  Taking the stairs up to his gym, she opened the door a crack to ensure no one else was using it. He’d said it was only him and her, but still.

  Slipping in, she closed it behind her. Moving to the table where a piece of paper sat, she saw her name on the top.

  Hi, Mandy, do this:

  She read the list, then started at the top again, having absolutely no clue as to what any of these things were. In fact, the only exercise she understood was ten minutes on the treadmill and ten minutes on the stepping beast. And maybe crunches; her aunts did those, and she knew the old-fashioned term was sit-ups.

  He’d said she needed to stretch first. She could do that too.

  Stripping off her jacket, she le
t her eyes go to the photo framed on the wall. It was of a young girl smiling. Mandy thought maybe she was about eleven years old. She looked so happy.

  If she looked hard enough, she could see Ted in the young girl, around the eyes and mouth.

  Was she his sister?

  Mandy didn’t know anything about him. But she’d believed him alone in the world because she’d never heard him mention family. But then, she didn’t talk about herself either, so maybe he was the same.

  Reading the note a last time, she started with stretching. Five minutes, Ted said. After that she got on the treadmill.

  “Come on, Mandy, you’ve been on this, it can’t be that hard to start.” She pushed the large green arrow. The conveyer began to move slowly. “Well, all right then.” Putting in her earbuds and turning up the volume on her cell phone, Mandy searched for a button that made the machine go faster.

  A snail could walk faster than her about now. Randomly pushing buttons, she stopped the machine twice, then found the increase button and was soon moving at a good pace.

  Ted came in when she was finishing up her ten minutes and raised a hand. He started on the rower.

  Mandy pulled her eyes from the muscles on display, ignored the butterflies in her tummy, and went to the stepper.

  She’d walked in when he and Buster were arm wrestling, but it was Ted who drew her eyes. The power in his body had caught and held her attention.

  Looking at the panels on the stepper, she thought they seemed even more complicated than the treadmill. A large hand reached over her and turned it on, then got to a level she could cope with.

  “Thanks. Did someone give you those? She pointed to the two bands of wooden beads around his wrist. She’d only seen them a few times, but they hadn’t seemed to her like something Ted would wear.

  “No problem, and yes.”

  She waited but he didn’t add anything, and Mandy wasn’t the type to push for an answer.

  He rowed, she stepped, and it was surprisingly comfortable for all she was alone in a room with Ted Hosking, the large, disturbing male who had once kissed her. The man she was aware of for no reason she could fathom than he fascinated her.

  Mandy was surrounded by handsome men. The Trainer brothers, Fin, Dylan, and many more. So why was she aware of this one? The tycoon who was so different from her it was weird that they even inhabited the same world.

  “You ready to do your weights now?”

  She tripped and would have landed on her face had he not grabbed her and settled her gently on her feet on the floor.

  “Thanks.” Mandy pulled out her earbuds. “You surprised me.”

  “Sorry about that. You ready to do some weights?”

  “About that, Ted. I’m not really sure what you meant when you wrote all that stuff down.”

  His smile had never been large like others, but it still packed a punch.

  “How about I show you the first time, then you’re set.”

  “Thank you, but I’m not really sure I want to do many weights.”

  “They’re for strength, not muscle definition, Mandy. They’ll help you grow old stronger.”

  “Really?’

  “Your aunts have hand weights, I’m sure. Those two pretty much do most things.”

  “They do them with the other seniors down at the hospital on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

  His mouth twitched.

  “Must have been fun to grow up with.”

  “They’re pretty awesome, but I’m not like them,” Mandy said quickly.

  He frowned. “You need to stop that.”

  “What?”

  “Putting yourself down. It’s really annoying.”

  The shirt he wore was an exercise one and pulled tight against his muscles. But she wasn’t frightened of this man anymore. He’d never hurt her. Piss her off, yes, but hurt, no.

  “I don’t.”

  “You do…, constantly. It’s like you’re not happy unless you’re sure everyone understands you’re beneath them.”

  “What? No, I’m not!” Mandy felt the foreign burn of anger. “You have no idea about me. I can be determined when I need to.”

  “Sure you can. Tell me an instance.”

  Mandy scrambled to come up with something.

  “I told Mr. Randall yesterday that I wouldn’t be giving him a second scone for free because the last mouthful had baking soda in it.”

  His lips twitched again. “Tough girl, but that’s not what I meant and you know it. When was the last time you really stood up for yourself?”

  She dug deep into her memory and came up with nothing except the fact she’d been to see Mr. Timms today about taking his apartment. But she wasn’t ready to tell anyone that yet, in case she backed out.

  “Thought so. You need to work on that, Mandy. Work on being mentally stronger.”

  “I’ve always been this way.”

  “I don’t think so, and that’s no excuse. In fact, it’s a pretty pathetic one.” He braced his legs and folded his arms, which showed off a really nice set of muscles. Not that Mandy was looking.

  “It’s not pathetic to be quiet and… and shy. You don’t know what I was like, what I’m like now. In fact, you know nothing about me.”

  “You’re as timid as a mouse. I can’t imagine you’ve been any different. I bet you were bullied at school too.”

  She had been, but she wasn’t letting him know that.

  “In fact, I think Rory told me she was mean to you.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Why should I? It’s not like you’re going to fight back or anything.” His face was calm and just a bit supercilious. Her anger rose.

  “Is there a reason you’re being mean?”

  He didn’t speak, just gave her a smile.

  “Asshole!” Mandy muttered, then took a step backward as a large hand shot out and grabbed her, hauling her close.

  “I would never hurt you. I thought we’d covered that.”

  “It’s instinctive,” Mandy whispered.

  “Then break the habit.” He pulled her closer still. “Be strong in here,” he said, kissing her forehead. Then he released her, and Mandy was reeling.

  “You did that, provoked me deliberately!” She was outraged.

  “I just wanted to see if you had any fire in you. Seems you do. Nice work.”

  “I just remembered when I was tough.”

  “Shoot.”

  “I told Mrs. Howard she couldn’t have her scones for free at the women’s league meeting. I told her she has to pay now like everyone else.”

  “Yeah? Nice work, that woman was born mean.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Now let’s get through those exercises. I have work to do before those idiots get back from their adventures and the bachelor party fun begins again.”

  “Those Howling guys seem kinda nice,” Mandy said.

  “Sure. But they’re like the Ryker boys, and you get a whole bunch of guys together that are identical in most ways, it’s gotta beg trouble for someone like me.”

  He was messing with a long bar and loading weights on the ends.

  “Someone like you? Aren’t you like them?”

  “Not really, but they’re fun. Now you come and stand here and do this.” He took the bar and showed her what he wanted.

  “What does ‘not really’ mean? You’re a guy, you like to mess about and eat and drink. Isn’t that the guy 101 handbook?”

  “When you stand, push your shoulders back. Stop slumping.”

  Mandy felt the muscles in her shoulder twinge.

  “There’s a guy 101 handbook? Damn, you don’t have a copy, do you?”

  He was funnier than she’d realized. In fact, she was seeing a side to Ted Hosking that wasn’t corporate raider or intimidating.

  “I sold the last one to Dylan when he arrived back in Ryker.”

  “Funny girl.”

  He grabbed some hand weights and showed her more exercises.

  “What did y
ou mean by ‘not really’ like them?” Mandy wasn’t looking at him, so it was easier to ask the question.

  “Don’t be nosey.”

  “I’ve never been called that before.”

  “Nosey?”

  She nodded.

  “Here’s the deal, Mandy. If you ask me a question, I get to ask one too.”

  She looked at him standing there in his shorts and shirt, one large hunk of handsome, and shut her mouth.

  “I didn’t think so.”

  That he thought she was chicken annoyed her enough to ask a question.

  “Where were you born?”

  “Wisconsin. You?”

  “Detroit.”

  “How’d that go for you?” he asked, picking up a skipping rope.

  “Okay. You?”

  “Okay. We done now?”

  “Yes.”

  He was relentless in making her get the exercises right. She had to do each one again and again until he was happy. When they were done, she was aching all over.

  “Nice work.” Ted threw her a bottle of water he’d got out of the fridge. The surprise was that she caught it. Mandy had never been very coordinated… or had she? He said she always put herself down, so maybe he was right and she needed to try harder in that area.

  “You did good today, Mandy.”

  He wasn’t even sweating, while it dripped down her back. She bit back the instinctive need to deny his words, and instead said, “Thanks. It’s hard, but I’d like to get better.”

  “You will, you just have to practice. You’ll get stronger.”

  “Who’s that?” Mandy pointed her finger at the picture of the girl on the wall over his shoulder, because suddenly she really wanted to know.

  “I thought we were done with the questions?”

  “Just being polite.”

  He drank deep, then said, “Because you’re all about being polite, right? You don’t want to rile anyone up by challenging them or anything?”

  “I just asked you who was in that photo, Ted. If you don’t want to tell me, fine,” Mandy muttered grabbing her things.

  “My sister.” The words were flat and cold.

  “How old is she?”

  “She’s dead.”

  The air changed in the room. He didn’t look at her again, simply went back to the rowing machine and sat.

  Mandy watched him start moving, pulling and retreating with so much force she thought he looked like he was trying to outrun demons. Gathering her jacket, she slipped it on, then started for the door. She threw him a wave, but he didn’t respond. Mandy didn’t exhale until she was in her car.