“I think you need a vacation. This is historically a slow time. Why don’t you go someplace sunny and warm?”
“You don’t know how nice that sounds.” She glanced toward the window and noted raindrops sputtering from the gray sky. “But I don’t think now is the time to leave.”
“Then when?”
“I don’t know. All I know is I can’t leave you here by yourself. It’s not right.”
“Then we’ll close the shop for a week. I could use a break, too.”
Kayla’s eyes widened. “No way. Think about the lost revenue. We can’t close for an entire week!”
“Fine—four days, then. We’re closed Sundays, anyway, so let’s look at the books and see which week was the slowest last year and plan to close from Sunday to Wednesday. What do you say?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Jill stood up. “Good. Meanwhile, I’ll go check out last year’s numbers and our bank account. I kind of like the idea of a vacation.”
Kayla gulped down the rest of her coffee. Would time off really make things better, or did the problem go deeper than that? The feelings of discontentment were not unfamiliar. She’d had them off and on throughout her life.
Whatever the problem, she needed to figure it out, because vacation or no vacation, she doubted these feelings would go away until she dealt with whatever was causing her to feel dissatisfied.
She stood and glanced over the wall of CDs Jill insisted they carry and was drawn closer by one in particular. “DJ Parker.” She’d heard of him. In fact, a few of Jill’s friends thought he was amazing, so she’d stocked his latest CD.
Kayla pulled it off the wall display and studied the man on the cover. Wow, he had an uncanny resemblance to Derek, but yet they were nothing alike. Derek was clean-cut and this guy looked like a beatnik.
She moved to put it back, then hesitated and looked a little closer. They could be twins except for the hair and goatee. They both had stunning eyes. She’d always had a thing for eyes, especially blue ones. She shrugged it off and put the CD back on the shelf. She’d have to point it out to Derek the next time he was in—she could only hope there’d be a next time.
Chapter 2
“I’m home,” Derek called as he strode into the family room carrying the flowers he’d purchased.
Mom’s eyes sparkled. “They-re beau-t’ful.” She reached for them and sniffed.
Trying to ignore her broken speech, he handed her the vase. The doctor expected with therapy her speech would return to normal. She’d already had a couple of sessions.
He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. “For a beautiful lady. Where should I put them?” He took the flowers from her hand.
She pointed to the coffee table. At least her limbs all worked without a problem and her brain, other than whatever controlled her speech, functioned normally, as far as the doctors could tell. She picked up a pad of paper she’d been using to communicate and handed it to him.
“What’s this?” The words covered an entire page.
She blinked. “Read.”
“Bossy, bossy. Really, Mom,” he teased, and sat on the couch.
The church is looking for a new worship pastor. I mentioned you.
He sucked in a breath and kept on reading, then handed the notepad back. “I wish you hadn’t said anything. But now I know why the pastor left me a voice mail suggesting we talk.” He sighed. It was time to tell his mom why he’d left his music career. “Mom, being famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“Worship pastors…aren’t famous.”
“I know. The problem is my voice. If I get onstage and sing, anyone who is a fan will recognize it. Then everything will change. I’ll be DJ Parker, not Derek Wood. I need to find me again. I need time.”
She waved a hand.
“Don’t brush this off, Mom. You don’t understand what it’s like having people follow you everywhere you go and having your every facial expression analyzed.” He made air quotes with his fingers. “DJ stepped out alone on a Friday night. Is there trouble in paradise? Could this mean the end for leading lady Estelle Rogers and crooner DJ Parker?” That headline was the beginning of the end for sure.
He didn’t regret breaking up with Estelle. She had dated him only to boost her career. The worst part was, that was the same reason he’d originally asked her out. Too bad he’d fallen for her in the process. Aside from being burned by love, he had grown shallow. He didn’t like who he’d become.
Mom flipped to the next page on her pad and pointed.
I knew you would say no to singing in church. But music is your life and let’s not forget your dream was to be a worship pastor. You just got sidetracked with the fame and fortune. Give your first love a chance. It’s not too late.
He doubted that very much. Derek swallowed the lump that had formed. Mom had never been happy about his music career. She’d said God had something else for him, and that he was missing his calling. Maybe she was right. “I’ll think about it.”
“No! You talk…to him.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to him, but no promises. I really can’t risk anyone hearing my voice and realizing who I am.” He shook his head. “You don’t understand what it was like living under the paparazzi’s microscope.”
“You regret your success?” Though her words were slow, they hit the mark.
“No. I loved it. But it changed me, and not for the good. That’s the part I didn’t like. I need to find me again.”
“Good boy. You will.” Mom patted his hand and closed her eyes. Clearly it had taken a lot out of her to talk with him. He placed a throw blanket over her, then sauntered into the kitchen. Cooking had never been his thing, but he knew how to use a can opener. They’d received last night’s meal from a nice family at the church, but according to the calendar the free food ended yesterday. He was the official cook until his mom felt up to it again.
Derek dug through the cupboards and frowned. It looked as if a trip to the grocery store was in order, or he could go pick up a couple of sandwiches and soup from the deli. The deli won. Mom would never approve of canned soup, so he’d pick up extra for tomorrow, too.
He poked his head into the family room, where she still slept, then grabbed his keys. He’d be back before she knew he was gone. He jogged to his pickup and headed toward downtown. The dreary day was made a little brighter by the banners that hung from the old-fashioned streetlamps along the sidewalks announcing the Spring Festival at the end of April. Why they didn’t wait until May or June, he didn’t know. It seemed to him any kind of outdoor activity in this area would get rained out, but what did he know? He’d been there only a short time. The town definitely had pride. From the clean, wide-sweeping sidewalks to the well-kept benches and perfectly manicured City Park. Yes, Oak Knoll was a nice place to live, even if it had rained four out of seven days a week for the past month.
Deli on the Rye was next door to the florist shop. Too bad he hadn’t thought of food earlier, but his stomach wasn’t growling then. He pulled into a parking spot and hustled inside. He stopped short.
Kayla stood at the counter. She wore a cuddly-looking sweater and an ankle-length black skirt. Her long curly hair cascaded down her back. Was it as soft as it looked? He shook his head, willing the thought away. She turned just then, and her face lit when she spotted him. “Hey there. Twice in the same afternoon.”
“Must be my lucky day.”
“Mine, too.” She shot him a grin.
He sauntered over to her and studied the menu board.
“Did your girlfriend like the flowers?”
“The flowers were for my mom, and she loved them.”
“Oh, I thought… Never mind.” She grinned. “I’m glad she enjoyed them.”
He reached for the order sheet, scanned it, checked off what he wanted on the sandwiches, then turned back to Kayla, who was still waiting for her order. “This place makes the best sandwiches.”
“I know. I come here
at least once a week.”
He stepped up to the counter and placed his order, then sidled up to Kayla again. He glanced toward the window and spotted another banner. “What goes on at the Spring Festival?”
Her face lit. “It’s so much fun. The whole town turns out. It’s a combination street fair, art fair and farmers’ market. People come from all around. There’s tons of food and baked goods, too. All the proceeds go to the town beautification fund.”
“Here’s your sandwich, Kayla.” Nick, the owner of Deli on the Rye looked at Derek. “Your order is almost ready. How’s your mom doing?”
“Her speech is a problem, but she still gets her point across.”
Nick chuckled. “I like your mom. Give her my best. She comes in here once a week for my split-pea soup.”
“I didn’t know that. Will you change my soup order to split pea?”
“You got it.”
Derek turned his attention back to Kayla, who was stuffing her wrapped sandwich into an oversize purse.
She looked up. “What happened to your mom?”
“She had a stroke last week.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry. Do either of you need anything?”
“Thanks, but we’re doing okay. I’m a little concerned about going back to work and leaving her alone, though. Her speech was affected by the stroke, and I don’t think she could make anyone understand what she needed over the phone. Otherwise, she seems to be fine.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “So far my boss has been understanding, but I don’t know how many more days I can miss without losing my job.” Losing the job wouldn’t be a hardship, but he enjoyed making deliveries. It was fun meeting so many people who liked him for himself and not because he was famous.
“Hmm. What’s your mom’s name? Maybe I know her.”
“Helen Wood.”
“I don’t think we’ve met. This town feels small and cozy, but it’s amazing how many residents I don’t know since I’m holed up in the flower shop most days.”
“That makes sense.”
“If I think of some way to help your mom, is there a way I can reach you?”
He almost spouted out his cell number but stopped. He’d learned after his first album went gold not to give that out. “Tell you what—I have a feeling I’ll be in here a lot. Maybe leave a message with Nick, and I’ll stop in at your shop.”
“Okay. That reminds me. There’s something at the flower shop I want to show you.”
He raised a brow. “Really? I’m intrigued.”
“Good. See you.” She flicked him a saucy grin and ambled out.
He turned back to the counter and started when he saw that Nick stood there with his arms crossed over his chest and a wide grin covering his face.
“She likes you.”
“Kayla?”
Nick nodded. “She’s been coming in here every Friday for the past two years and rarely says a word. I’ve never seen her talk to anyone the way she just did with you.”
Derek tucked the information away to ponder later. Right now he had his eye on dinner.
“I added an extra container of soup for your mom. On the house. You tell her to not be a stranger.”
Derek paid and snatched up the bags. “Thanks, man. See you soon.” He strode out the door and headed straight for his pickup. Kayla liked him, huh? He wasn’t sure what to do with that bit of knowledge. Of course, Nick could be wrong. Not that it mattered, since he wasn’t in the market for a girlfriend. Right now he needed to focus on getting his mom well and figuring out what to do with the rest of his life.
* * *
“You remember Derek?”
“The UPS guy, right?”
“Yes, well, his mother had a stroke last week. She’s doing okay, but he said her speech has been affected. He’s afraid to leave her alone for any length of time, and I thought maybe she could hang out here with us.”
Jill looked up with wide eyes. “I don’t know. I’m not great around old people. Especially sick ones.”
“She’s not sick and she’s not old. Think of her as your mother. Surely you’d want someone to keep your mom company if she’d had a stroke. Her name is Helen Wood. Maybe you know her.”
“Oh! Why didn’t you say so? Of course I know Helen. She’s an absolute sweetheart. I had no idea she had a son. I’d heard she had a stroke but didn’t connect her with Derek. You’d think she would have mentioned him.” She hung her head, and her cheeks reddened. “You’re right—she isn’t old. She’s good friends with my mom. And guess what else. She’s an accountant.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. My mom said she still has her faculties. Maybe she would be willing to look at our books while she’s hanging out here and give us some advice on how to boost profits. I really want this place to do exceptional.”
Kayla pressed her lips together. Jill was needlessly worrying since their profits were decent, but there was no harm in trying to improve. “We’ll need to talk with Derek and find out if his mom is up to it, but I see no harm in asking.”
Kayla busied herself with her preopening routine—dusting, sweeping, mopping when needed and washing fingerprints off all the windows.
Time flew, and an hour later she flipped the closed sign to open and propped the door wide with a wagon filled with flowers. These sunny days were a rare treat she intended to take advantage of. She smiled at a passerby, then went inside.
Kayla grabbed yesterday’s money bag from the safe and slipped it into her large purse. “Off to the bank. Be back soon.” She headed out the door, made a left, passed Deli on the Rye and kept going.
She spotted a UPS truck parked ahead and picked up her pace. Maybe it was Derek. Her heart rate quickened. An unfamiliar man wearing the standard brown uniform stepped out of the phone store across the street and jogged across the two-lane road. Deflated, she slowed down. She’d hoped it was him.
Oh well—she could simply leave a message with Nick at the deli as Derek had suggested. She doubled back, and reaching for the door to Deli on the Rye, she lost her balance as it suddenly swung inward. She fell forward, and steady hands grasped her shoulders.
“Hello, Kayla. We meet again. Are you all right?”
Kayla blinked and nodded. “Kismet. I was going to leave a message for you.”
He grinned. “Really?”
“Yes. It’s about your mom. Jill, my business partner, and I would like to help. We were thinking she could hang out at the shop some days so you could go back to work.”
He shook his head. “That’s not necessary.”
“Of course not, but that’s what friends do. They help each other.”
“Hmm. I didn’t realize we were friends.” He winked. “In that case, let me talk with my mom and see what she thinks. Maybe she’d be up to it for part of the day.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “If you’ll give me your number, I’ll call you.”
She rattled off her cell number and nearly floated to the bank, then back to the florist shop.
“Are you okay?” Jill’s tone sounded anxious in the otherwise peaceful shop.
“Perfect—Derek has my number.”
Jill giggled. “I think he had your number the minute he stepped in here.”
Kayla stuck her tongue out, then joined her friend in a gigglefest. She wrapped an arm around her stomach and tried to slow her breathing and stop laughing. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night, and you know how I am when I’m tired.”
Jill nodded. “Exactly like me. I didn’t sleep, either. All I could think about was taking a vacation.” She waggled her brows. “I was considering Palm Springs. What do you think? I already looked at our orders, and there’s nothing for the next seven days. We could close up the shop all week or just until Wednesday.”
“I don’t know if closing up is such a great idea. Especially if you’re worried about profits. Even if we hold a sale to get rid of the cut flowers in the fridge, we’d take a hit. We need to be open to make money. What abou
t your mom? Do you think she’d come in and run the place for a few days? Or better yet, we take separate vacations and leave the shop open.”
Jill crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. “Actually, that’s a good idea. I’ll see if my mom would cover for you, but what about me? We’d have to find someone who can do what I do.”
“What about hiring Ashley temporarily?”
“She’s still in high school.”
“But she’s eighteen and graduates this May. What if you plan your trip for this summer? That would give you more time to work with her and become confident in her skill.”
Jill broke into a smile. “I’ll talk to her after school.”
Footsteps sounded behind her. “Excuse me.”
Derek!
Chapter 3
Derek stood in the flower shop’s entrance, his gaze on Kayla. Her cocoa-colored hair cascaded down her back in loose ringlets.
Her face lit in a smile as she stepped toward him. “This is a surprise.”
“I wanted to say thanks for inviting my mom to hang out here, but I don’t think it will work.” Although the offer was meant to be kind, he could see nothing kind about asking his mother to sit in a public place for several hours.
The smile slid from her face. “I’m sorry to hear that. I wish her a speedy recovery. If there’s anything at all we can do, please let us know.”
He nodded. What was it about Kayla that made him regret turning her down? Maybe it was the sincerity with which she made the offer—no strings attached. She was so different from the kind of women he usually dated. Not that he was thinking of dating Kayla. His time was consumed with taking care of his mother right now.
The other woman stepped forward and held out her hand. “I’m Jill. Your mom and mine are friends. I think she’s planning to invite Helen over, so maybe that will work better for her needs.”
“That’s a good idea. She needs to be around her friends,” Derek said.
Jill reached for the phone. “Good. I’ll let my mom know. I think she was planning to stop by and visit Helen today. Maybe the two of them already worked things out.”
A Valentine for Kayla Page 2
