by Debby Mayne
“He might not be your husband, but he seems like a nice young man. Does he work here with you?”
In unison, Elizabeth and Cindi said, “No!”
“Do you think he’d mind telling us what he thinks of my daughter’s dress?”
Elizabeth told Cindi to stay right where she was while she went to ask Jeremy. Cindi was thankful for the reprieve. Facing him immediately after the woman’s innocent but clearly misguided comment would have been next to impossible.
Seven
“The dress is beautiful,” Jeremy announced. “I’m sure the groom will consider himself a very fortunate man.”
The mother-of-the-bride’s chest swelled with pride. “I think so, too, but of course I would.”
“Seriously, she looks great. I think you made an excellent decision.” He glanced at Cindi, but to her surprise, he didn’t look the slightest bit uncomfortable. “But I didn’t see the other dress on her, so I don’t have anything to compare this one to.”
The woman’s eyebrows shot up. “Would you like to see the other one on her so you can compare them?”
“Mo–om,” the bride moaned. “I’m sure he has better things to do with his time than stand around a bridal shop with a bunch of strangers.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” he said. “In fact, I’d love to see the other dress.” He turned to Cindi. “That is, if you have the time.”
What could Cindi say now? He’d put her on the spot in front of a valued customer. “We’re okay on time. Our next appointment isn’t for another twenty minutes.”
As Cindi ushered him away from the fitting room, the bride’s mother said, “Just keep in mind the other dress will need many more alterations.”
Once the fitting room door closed, he looked at Cindi with contrition. “Sorry if this is inconveniencing you.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Jeremy. This is what I do all day. It’s not an inconvenience.”
“Whoa. Looks like I might have pushed a hot button.”
Before she had a chance to defend her reaction, the fitting room door opened and out stepped the bride. Jeremy tilted his head to one side and studied her for a few seconds; then he moved around to get a view from a different angle. “It looks very pretty, but I agree with you all. The other one is perfect. It accents all your best features, while this one calls too much attention from your face.”
The bride’s mother beamed. “You have a great eye. Have you thought about going into the bridal business?”
Cindi was instantly stunned speechless. Elizabeth started coughing. Jeremy chuckled. “Yes, I’ve thought about it.”
“Oh, you ought to do it. You’d be very good. Not many men would be as comfortable as you in a roomful of women voicing their honest opinion.”
Jeremy thanked her then took a step back. “Great chatting with you ladies, but I need to run.” He headed for the door then stopped, turned, and faced Cindi. “I’ll call you later.”
The bride’s mother didn’t waste a moment before turning to Cindi. “Who is that man?”
“His name is Jeremy Hayden, and he’s a businessman who is trying to establish himself here in Atlanta,” Cindi replied, trying hard not to let on how she felt deep down.
“I’ll definitely be watching for him. If he has a business I can use, I’ll be one of his best customers.”
After the bride and her mother left, Elizabeth turned to Cindi. “If he winds up owning a bridal shop, I sure hope she has more than one daughter.”
Cindi laughed. “Yeah, me, too.”
Elizabeth suddenly grew serious. “So has he completely backed off trying to buy this place?”
“Looks that way.”
“That was a fast change of heart.”
“Yeah, it was, wasn’t it?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I never saw him in action until today. He has finesse.”
“It’s all a ruse to get what he wants,” Cindi reminded her. “Remember? He’s always been good at going after the prize then losing interest.”
❧
Jeremy left the shop with an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Giving his opinion to that bride actually made him feel good—much better than when he worked in the candy store he’d first purchased years ago on a whim. He’d been looking for something to do with his life after the army. He got what he thought would be a temporary job working behind the counter—until something better came along. Then when the owner got in some financial trouble and said he’d have to either sell the shop or close it, Jeremy impulsively made a lowball offer. To his surprise, it was accepted. Once he owned the place, he made a few changes, hired people who knew how to sell, and offered samples. Those few things brought great rewards. He bought the video store next door when the owner had to leave the country.
When Jeremy grew tired of the candy store, he offered a special seller-financing deal to his employees, who jumped at the chance to own their own business. He carried the business skills he’d learned there to the video store and his next business after that and made it a point to learn everything he could to be successful.
His parents had been surprised at his business acumen and called it instinct. However, Jeremy knew better. He worked hard, learned from his mistakes, and treated people fairly—from the employees and vendors to the customers.
He now had a better understanding of the allure of running a bridal shop besides the business aspect. What would Cindi say if he told her he’d reconsidered and wanted to run it himself? Would she believe him?
He’d have to talk to her later, when she wasn’t staring back at him with a look of distrust. Elizabeth, on the other hand, had actually smiled at him—a major feat as far as he was concerned. He’d sensed a lack of connection when he’d first come back, most likely due to Elizabeth’s deep devotion to her lifelong best friend. Ever since he could remember, those two had practically been joined at the hip. One could almost always finish the other’s sentences. There were times in high school when he’d felt a little jealous of what they had.
Sure, he’d had friends, but the relationships were mostly built around sports. He played basketball, so he and his teammates picked up games off-season on weekends. But when it was over, they either headed out for food or went their separate ways. There was never anyone he could talk to about anything meaningful.
When Cindi had brought him to church, he felt like a misfit, so he found ways to avoid it. At the time, he figured his parents managed to get by without it, so what was the point? However, now he knew that without Christ, life didn’t hold much meaning beyond the here and now, and where was the joy in that? Once something in this world was gone, it was over. With the Christian perspective he now had, he realized how valuable life was and what he had to look forward to in eternity.
When he first became a believer, he thought once he got out of the army he might give up all his worldly possessions and go into the ministry. However, the base chaplain explained that not all believers are called to do that.
“The Lord wants us to go out and spread the gospel through everyday life. Being in the service or taking on the role of a successful businessman gives you quite a few opportunities to be in places I’m not likely to be.”
So he’d prayed about it and made the decision to finish out his army stint and focus on opportunities to share the Word. He loved the Lord now, and he understood what Cindi had believed since childhood.
When he got home that night, his parents told him they wanted to go back to the same church. He was ecstatic and let them know how much that meant to him.
After his mother left the room, his dad asked him to sit down. “I think this is the very thing we’ve needed for a long time, but I’m still worried I’ll look stupid because a man my age should know more about the Bible.”
Jeremy jumped up. “Stay right here, Dad! I’ve got another great book that’ll help.”
He went to his room, dug into his nightstand drawer, and pulled out a book he’d been given when he first started atte
nding church. It explained a little more than the basics of Christianity, and that bit of knowledge armed him with confidence. What better person to give it to than his dad?
“What’s this all about, son?” His dad turned the book over and studied the back flap.
“A friend in Savannah gave it to me, and it helped me with the very thing you’re worried about.”
His dad’s eyes lit up. “Oh, okay. It has answers to some of my questions. Mind if I borrow it for a few days so your mother and I can look through it?”
“Keep it, Dad. After you and Mom read it, you can pass it on to someone else who needs it.”
Jeremy felt closer to his father than he’d ever been in his life. Amazing what coming to the Lord had done for him.
On Sunday Jeremy and his parents got to church early so they could find a good seat. His mother said she didn’t like sitting in the back, so they moved closer toward the middle. He tried to avoid any confrontation with Cindi, because he didn’t want her to think he was there for anything besides worship.
His mother belted out the worship songs, while his dad was more reserved. That was okay, though, because he was there worshipping his Savior. Jeremy felt as if he might burst with joy.
After church he and his parents made it all the way out to the parking lot when he heard someone call his name. He turned around and spotted Elizabeth running toward them.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” she asked.
“I didn’t think I needed to,” he replied. “Besides, I don’t want to annoy Cindi any more than I already have.”
He saw the corners of Elizabeth’s lips start to curl into a smile, but she caught herself. “Well, I just wanted to welcome you.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth,” Jeremy said.
His mother stepped forward. “Why don’t you, your husband, and Cindi stop over for dinner later?”
“Um. . .” Elizabeth nervously glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t think so. Not today.”
“Mom,” Jeremy said softly.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I shouldn’t do that to you.”
“You didn’t embarrass me,” he said.
Elizabeth took a step back. “I really need to run.”
Jeremy held up a finger to get her to wait and turned to his mom. “Why don’t you two go ahead and get in the car? I want to talk to Elizabeth for a moment, okay?”
His mother looked nervously back and forth between Jeremy and Elizabeth. “You won’t be long, will you?”
“No, of course not.” After his parents were safely out of listening range, he turned back to Elizabeth. “I wanted to let you know I’d never do anything to hurt Cindi or her shop. All I wanted—”
“You don’t have to explain anything to me. It’s between you and Cindi.”
He could tell she still didn’t completely trust him. All she’d wanted to do was show good manners and welcome him and his parents. He pursed his lips then smiled. “I understand.”
Elizabeth started walking away but quickly turned. “By the way, Cindi loves vanilla mocha drinks from that coffee shop down the street.”
He chuckled. “Thanks for the tip.”
Once he and his parents got in the car, his mother turned to him. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing. Just chitchat about business.”
“I hope you’re not still trying to buy that bridal shop from Cindi.”
“Mom, please leave my business dealings to me. It’s not open for discussion.”
She lifted her hands in surrender. “Whatever you say, Jeremy. Who am I to understand what’s going on between you and that girl? You’ve never let love get in the way of what you wanted before, so why should I expect it to start now?”
That comment bothered Jeremy more than he wanted to admit. He thought about it the rest of the afternoon, and it woke him up in the middle of the night. Maybe his mother was right. Perhaps he should take a step back and look at his life from a different angle. He lay there staring at the ceiling for a few minutes before he decided to stop worrying so much.
He shut his eyes and prayed for direction, only now he prayed specifically for what to do with Cindi. By now, he knew he loved her even more than he had as a high school kid. He finally fell asleep, only to be awakened by his alarm clock.
He thought about what his mother had said all the way to the shop, and he knew she was probably right. He stopped off at the coffee shop for a couple of vanilla mocha drinks then headed to Cindi’s Bridal Boutique.
Elizabeth grinned when she saw him come through the door. “How nice of you!” she said a little too loudly, letting him know she wanted Cindi to hear. “Cindi!” she hollered. “Jeremy brought us something wonderful!”
Cindi came from the back looking puzzled. When she spotted the coffee shop logo cups, she gave him a quizzical look.
“A little birdie told me you liked vanilla mocha.”
She lifted one eyebrow and shot a glance in Elizabeth’s direction. “I wonder who that little birdie is.” A softer look covered her face when she turned back to him. “I saw you in church with your parents yesterday. I think it’s nice you’re bringing your family to worship.”
Jeremy sensed Cindi’s shell was starting to crack. He knew once that happened, he had the ability to totally knock it away by really pouring on the charm. But that was his old self. Although he never meant any harm, he didn’t want to do anything that remotely hinted of underhandedness. He wanted her to trust him without any of the smoke and mirrors he once relied on to get what he wanted from people.
❧
Cindi’s first reaction when she’d seen Jeremy in church had been that he was more persistent than anyone she’d ever known, and she’d put up her defense for when he approached her. However, he hadn’t bothered to come up to her or use the church in any way. In fact, he seemed to be hiding from her. Elizabeth talked to her and said that in spite of her earlier concerns, she now felt Jeremy had sincerely become a Christian.
She’d thought about it all Sunday afternoon and lay in bed thinking about it half the night. She prayed about her own judgment, and when she woke up, she felt a heavy weight lift. In fact, she actually looked forward to the next time she saw Jeremy.
The vanilla mocha drink was a bonus.
“Thanks for the coffee,” she said as she reached for it. “I really need it this morning.”
“I wish I liked coffee,” he admitted. “It smells good, but I still don’t like the taste.”
“Just enjoy the aroma.” She lifted the lid and moved the coffee cup in the front of him. “Wanna try a little?”
He leaned over and inhaled. “It doesn’t smell as strong as hot coffee, but I have to admit, I’d be tempted to taste it if I didn’t know what it was like.”
“I remember how much you used to enjoy milk shakes and malts.”
“Still do,” he said as he patted his belly. “But I can’t indulge as much as I used to.”
Elizabeth backed away from them. “I have to finish a hem, so I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
Cindi felt a little awkward chatting with Jeremy like this, but it wasn’t too bad. He did seem very nice, and after Elizabeth had that talk with her, she sensed Jeremy was relaxing and not being so pushy.
“So did your folks enjoy church?”
He nodded. “Yes, very much so. In fact, my dad has been asking quite a few questions. I gave him a book someone gave me when I first came to Christ.”
“You really are a Christian now, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said with a nod. “I really am.”
Joy filled her heart. “That’s the best news ever.”
❧
He stood and watched her for a moment until a customer entered. That gave him an excuse to edge toward the door. After he said good-bye, he overheard her asking questions about the needs of the bride-to-be, and he was impressed with her subtle salesmanship. Cindi handled each customer as if she was the most important perso
n in Cindi’s life. It was obvious she truly loved what she did, and it was the perfect work for her. He went straight to the real estate office and asked for Fran.
While he waited, he flipped through some of the residential booklets and spotted a couple of houses that appealed to him. Fran came out ten minutes later.
“Hi, Jeremy. What can I help you with?” she said as she clasped her hands together. “I have an appointment in about an hour, but if you’d like to come back to my office, I can spare a few minutes.”
He followed her through the maze of offices until they reached her tiny office with the window overlooking Peachtree Street. He sat down in the chair across from her desk.
“I’d like to start looking at other businesses,” he said right off the bat.
“Are you still interested in the bridal shop?”
He paused then said, “Not at the moment. I need to see how things work out between the owner and me.”
She leaned forward and leveled him with a concerned look. “I don’t normally recommend potential buyers spend so much time talking to the sellers, but when I realized the two of you knew each other from a long time ago, I didn’t say anything.”
Jeremy nodded. “I’m beginning to think it might have been a huge mistake for me to keep going over there. She might be getting the wrong idea about my intentions. It’s hard for me to forget how I used to be, but I know now that I need to leave my old, immature self behind. I don’t think I really want to buy the shop anymore. All I want is to buy a good business, boost the earnings, then sell it for a big profit.”
He saw Fran’s glance dart to something behind him, so he quickly turned around. There stood Elizabeth looking down at him with a scowl on her face, and he fidgeted, wondering if he’d done something wrong.
Eight
“Elizabeth,” he said with a smile. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t smile back. “I just came to talk to my friend who works here. She said you were with Fran, so I wanted to stop by to say hi.” Her eyes had narrowed, and she was still scowling.
