A Valentine's Wish

by Betsy St. Amant

  Andy wanted to punch that cocky smirk off Jason’s face, but his arms suddenly felt like noodles. Lori had made her decision.

  He was too late.

  Lori watched Bella study her proposal. The shop owner had been so excited about the changes Lori had created in her store that she wanted to hear it all. With a burst of courage, Lori had pulled the proposal from her bag and presented it to Bella.

  Now Lori stood, chewing on her lower lip and wishing she could snag a chocolate crocodile from the case as she watched Andy and Jason square off. They were pretending they weren’t, but the truth was obvious. Her heart hurt, wondering what Jason might be rubbing in Andy’s face. Even if Andy had hurt her and used her, there was no cause for cruelty—and that gloat on Jason’s face represented exactly that.

  Was Jason telling Andy she’d accepted his business offer? When the three of them had walked inside the store, her shock momentarily wavered her confidence in her decision—that, and seeing Andy’s face again. His kiss still hovered in her memory like her favorite fleece blanket, soft and warm. But she’d asked Jason to meet her, and she couldn’t let a fleeting feeling change her resolve. She was making the right decision. Jason had shown so much effort to prove he’d changed, with the gifts and all, that he deserved her forgiveness.

  And she deserved her dream.

  Bella slid her reading glasses on top of her head and turned piercing blue eyes to Lori. Her lips pursed, then broke into a giant smile. “This is brilliant.”

  “It is?” Lori’s mouth opened. “I mean, thank you.” Excitement temporarily replaced the tap-dancing nerves. “You’re the only one to think so.”

  “What do you mean?” Bella’s penciled eyebrows drew together in a tight frown.

  Lori explained her bad luck with getting a loan. “I’m too much of a risk.”

  “That’s ridiculous. I should go down to those banks and tell them what-for.”

  “I appreciate the loyalty, but it’s hopeless.” Lori hesitated. “With my current credit, I guess it’s my fault.”

  “I’ll have to see what I can do about that.” Bella tapped the proposal in her hand. “Now, how about my nephew over there?” She nudged Lori in the ribs. “I saw hearts in his eyes a few minutes ago. Now I understand why he got all flustered every time he called me about the store.”

  “You know about that?” Lori winced.

  Bella laughed. “Andy confessed he told you. I hope you weren’t upset with me for asking him to keep an eye on the store. Of course I trusted you with it, or else I wouldn’t have hired you. But it was the only way I knew to get you two together.”

  “What?” Lori’s mouth gaped open. Bella had been scheming as a matchmaker, too? Was the entire city of New Orleans trying to get her and Andy together? She snapped her mouth shut.

  Bella’s eyes twinkled. “He would always talk to me about Lori this, Lori that. I knew he had a thing for you months ago, even if he didn’t see it himself yet. It seemed like destiny when you turned up needing a job just when I needed a store manager.”

  Lori’s own heart skipped before thudding painfully against her chest. “Andy had a thing for me months ago?” Months. Not just weeks. Not just since the pastor’s ultimatum. Her eyes darted to Andy and Jason, who now stood yards apart as if they’d never even met.

  “That was my interpretation.” Bella handed the proposal back over and met Lori’s gaze. “And I can assure you, my dear, that I’m rarely wrong.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Lori fiddled with the strings on her apron as Bella breezed out of the shop, unable to do more than call a faint goodbye in her wake. Andy held the door for his aunt and then turned, sending a sad smile in Lori’s direction. The depth of emotion in his eyes made Lori open her mouth, eager to stop him and apologize for her outburst at the church Wednesday night. Then Jason cleared his throat, and the reminder of her decision hit full force. She couldn’t go into business with Jason now if she and Andy had a chance together.

  Lori looked back at Andy, but he was gone. The door shut behind them with a snap, and a thick silence fell over the shop.

  Jason joined Lori on her side of the counter, slipping off his coat and tossing it on the shelf. “Alone at last.”

  “Actually, Monny is still in the kitchen.” Lori tapped the pages of her proposal together although they were already pretty straight. Hopefully Monny wouldn’t leave for lunch before Summer arrived for her shift. Lori didn’t feel comfortable being alone with Jason, especially not with that eager gleam in his eye. Should she get rid of him, cancel the whole deal? But what if Andy refused to give her a second chance? Part of Lori wanted to run after Andy and beg forgiveness for overreacting. The other part of her—the logical, realistic, soon-to-be unemployed part—feared his rejection and whispered doubts laden with insecurity.

  Lori forced a smile through the turmoil. “What’s the first step?” She wanted to draw up papers or go real-estate shopping. Something. Anything to convince herself she was making the right move.

  A slow smile quirked Jason’s lips. “I think the first step should be a hug—and maybe a kiss.” He held out his arms and moved toward her with an enticing smile. “What do you say? For old time’s sake?”

  Lori ducked away from his reach, and Jason’s arms fell to his sides. A frustrated frown marred his features. “Come on, Lori. We’re a team again. What’s the big deal?”

  She jerked as if he’d slapped her. “It’s a very big deal. You haven’t earned my trust back. This is a business to me, Jason. Business only. I’m not interested in being partners with benefits, regardless of our past.”

  His expression hardened, then softened as if he’d flipped a switch. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” He straightened and edged away, respecting her space. “Let’s take a look at that proposal you have and see what kind of goals you’re after.”

  Lori pressed her lips together and took a deep breath before handing over the proposal.

  Jason flipped open the first page. “This looks great. Very professional.”

  “Thanks.” Her shoulders straightened. “I did it myself.”

  “You did a good job.”

  This was new—compliments on her efficiency from the very man who once ruined most of the confidence she’d ever had. Lori’s defenses melted a little further. This was the smart choice. It had to be. She smiled. “I just might have to celebrate my new business with some shoe shopping tonight. I can use my gift card.”

  Jason nodded absently as he kept flipping pages.

  “The gift card you got me.”

  “What?” He looked up, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

  Lori reached for her purse to show him. “You know, the one you sent when you were my secret admirer.”

  “Oh, right. That one.” He smiled, distracted, as he looked back at the proposal. “Hope you enjoy it.”

  Lori tucked the gift card back in her purse. Something didn’t feel right. Was Jason that preoccupied with her proposal? He almost sounded like he’d never seen the present in the first place.

  Time for a test. Lori tugged the proposal from his hand. “That was really romantic, you know, playing the role of secret admirer. It was what helped convince me to forgive you and give you a chance with this business deal.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Jason reached for the papers, but Lori held them back, forcing him to keep eye contact.

  “What was your favorite of the presents you sent?”

  His cheeks colored. “The gift card, of course. I remembered how much you love shopping.”

  “Second favorite.”

  Jason sighed, clearly growing frustrated. “Why does it matter?”

  “Just curious.” Lori kept the proposal out of reach and waited.

  “The, uh…the teddy bear.” He sniffed and snatched at the document in her hand. “Now can we get back to work?”

  Lori let the papers slide through her fingers as anger fused with shock. She’d never received a teddy bear. A fact
that could only mean one thing—Jason wasn’t her secret admirer.

  Her eyes narrowed at Jason’s profile as rage and a fresh burst of regret reeled her senses. He’d lied to her, again. He hadn’t changed—if anything, he’d gotten worse. She didn’t want anything to do with this man. Not with his money, or his time. How could she have ever considered going into business with him? Her stomach rocked at the close call, and she grabbed her proposal. “Get out.”

  “What? Lori, are you insane?” Jason stared in surprise. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “You are.” She shoved his jacket at him. “My secret admirer never sent a teddy bear. You lied to me.”

  “I said what I had to say to get you to talk to me.” Jason stumbled over his feet as Lori kept pushing him toward the door. “I know this is the right decision, if you would just—”

  “I said go—before I call the police.”

  “The police?” Jason gawked. “Lori, what’s gotten into you? You’ve never been this rude before.”

  “Guess I learned from the best. Thanks for teaching me.” She pushed open the front door and held it with a pointed expression. “Goodbye, Jason.”

  “You can’t give up on her.” Bella’s tone offered little room for arguments from the passenger seat of Andy’s car.

  His fingers gripped the wheel harder as he made the turn onto his aunt’s street. “You don’t understand. She made her decision.”

  She tsked with her tongue, flapping one hand in the air as if brushing off a fly. “Women change their minds all the time. It’s our prerogative.”

  Andy bit his lip to keep back the frustration threatening to pour forth as he pulled into Bella’s driveway. “You know you’re my favorite aunt, but will you please give it a rest?” He couldn’t take much more of the prodding. Bella hadn’t stopped since the moment they’d left the shop. It was like ripping a bandage off his heart with every word.

  Bella opened the door as the car rolled to a halt. “I will certainly not give it a rest. My favorite nephew is in love, and I’m going to make sure his heart doesn’t get broken.” She shut the door behind her and walked to the trunk.

  “I’m your only nephew,” Andy muttered as he unlatched his seat belt. He joined Bella at the trunk of his car and picked up the largest of her suitcases, her words echoing through his head. I’m going to make sure his heart doesn’t get broken.

  Andy hefted the suitcase into the house, duffel bags hanging off each arm. Too late for that.

  Summer’s eyes grew rounder and rounder. “I’m a measly half hour late for work and I miss all the good stuff.” She shook her head, blond hair brushing fast across her cheeks. “I can’t believe Jason lied like that.”

  “I can.” Lori locked the door of the Chocolate Gator and slipped her keys into her purse. “He always did before.” She pressed her fingers against her eyes, wishing she could erase the entire day. Looking back, the whole afternoon seemed surreal. First Bella’s unexpected return, Jason and Andy butting heads, and then discovering Jason’s lies. She wanted to go home and hide under the covers, but maybe an evening stroll would clear her mind. “Do you want to take a walk with me? I need some air.”

  “Sure.” Summer fell into step beside Lori, and they walked the first block in silence, enjoying the quiet, cool night air.

  Lori tugged her jacket tighter around her, trying not to look in store windows as they ambled through the French Quarter. Red and pink hearts decorated almost every display, a harsh reminder that Valentine’s Day was right around the corner. She’d been single the last few years at the dreaded V-day, but she always had Gracie and Andy to order a pizza with or rent a sappy movie to make fun of together. Now Gracie had Carter, and Andy—well, Lori had lost that friendship along with everything else she thought she was sure of this afternoon.

  “Why are men so clueless?” Summer offered the question into the evening air.

  Lori shrugged. “Some things we’ll never know.” She let out her breath in a slow huff. “Sort of like how I’ll probably never know who my secret admirer was.”

  Summer’s eyebrows knitted together. “I guess that is still a mystery, huh? I grew so used to the idea of it being Jason, I forgot we still have no idea.”

  “I wish I could forget.”

  “Come on, you don’t regret the gifts, do you?” Summer paused in front of the window of a music store and admired the display promoting iPods. “Oh, look, the new version is out.”

  Lori pulled on Summer’s jacket sleeve to tug her along. “No, I don’t regret getting the gifts, not really. But if I hadn’t gotten them, I would have never agreed to this deal with Jason. I really thought he had changed.”

  “Forget about that. Nothing you can do now.” Summer shoved her hands in her coat pockets. “Maybe your secret admirer is a stranger, some random customer that saw you working that first day in the shop and thought you were cute.”

  “Maybe.” Lori shivered as a sudden gust of wind lifted her hair from her coat collar. But she didn’t want a stranger, she wanted Andy. “Wait, that’s impossible. The gifts were so personalized, he had to have already known me.”

  “Then I’ll tell you what I’ve told you a hundred times already. It’s Andy.”

  Lori shook her head. “No way.”

  “Why not?” Summer stopped walking and faced Lori, crossing her arms stubbornly across her chest. “You’ve been so determined this whole time that it couldn’t be him. I don’t understand why you’re so adamant about it.”

  Because nothing that great ever happened to her.

  The truth rocked Lori’s senses, and she stopped beside Summer, a new chill washing over her that had nothing to do with the winter breeze teasing her hair. After Jason broke off their wedding, she’d started looking for the negative in everything. Why waste precious time and energy on something she wanted so badly just to get shot down again?

  Summer started walking again. “Quit assuming you know everything and give the idea a chance.”

  Lori didn’t want to go there in her mind, not after the emotional drama of the afternoon, but Summer’s silence made it impossible not to. Andy knew she loved chocolate—Wait a minute. The Hershey’s Kisses. She stopped walking again, and her mouth gaped. Andy always kept a bowl of them on his desk in his office at the church. The corny cards—pure Andy. The new leather Bible cover—he’d seen her ripped and faded one at church a hundred times. Of course he’d know her favorite verse. And the gift card for the shoes—well, anyone could have known that.

  But the sweet note that came with the last gift…Lori closed her eyes, the words still memorized, lingering in her brain. To the woman who makes more lists than anyone I’ve ever known—just one of your many adorable qualities. Here’s a supply to get you through the next few pro/con situations.

  The truth hit Lori’s heart like Cupid’s bow, and a slow smile teased the edges of her lips until it blossomed into a full-fledged, goofy grin.

  Andy really was her secret admirer.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Lori tried to squelch her excitement as she poured two cups of coffee and took them to the table where Bella waited. The shop owner had called her that morning and asked to meet before the store opened to discuss business. Maybe Bella was going to let Lori stay on a little longer. At least until she could put out her résumé and find a decent paycheck—especially since Lori’s dream of running her own store was no longer possible, thanks to a horde of snobby bankers and her lying ex-fiancé.

  She pushed away the negativity that still hovered with thoughts of Jason. Eventually, she’d have to forgive him. If she didn’t, that grudge would only fester and spoil her own life—not his. It was obvious Jason had no true regrets about anything. It was better to brush him out of her life once and all—even if the forgiveness factor still left a bad taste in her mouth.

  It sure would be a lot easier to forgive him if she had something positive to cling to—like a relationship with Andy. Why hadn’t he answered her calls last
night? Lori tried to focus as she sat in the chair opposite Bella. Now wasn’t the time for wishing. It was time to get to business. She drew a deep breath. “Need any cream or sugar?”

  “Black is fine.” Bella took a long sip. “Mmm, perfect.”

  “It took a while to get there.” Lori wrinkled her nose. “Your coffeemaker didn’t like me at first.”

  “Lucille is ornery,” Bella agreed.

  “You named the coffee machine?”

  “A monstrosity like that deserves recognition. Don’t you think?”

  “Maybe that’s why she never liked me. I didn’t know her name.” Lori grinned around her mug.

  “Well, regardless of Lucille’s stubbornness, you rose above and conquered your obstacles. I’m very impressed.” Bella leaned back in her chair and studied Lori with a serious gaze. “I left you in a tough spot. No training, little instruction. Yet you did an amazing job.”

  Lori blinked and set her mug on the table. “I did?”

  “Certainly. Sales increased from last quarter, and I can’t walk down the street without one of our regulars telling me how much fun they had visiting with you. They also mention how much Summer has changed, how friendly and lighthearted she is now.” Bella shook her head with amazement. “You’re like a supermanager.”

  It couldn’t be that easy. Doubt tickled the edges of Lori’s newfound confidence, and she nervously traced the rim of her coffee cup with one finger. Maybe she had made a difference in befriending Summer, but the sales record had to be a mistake. She hated to remind Bella of her many managing errors, but Lori had to know. “What about all my mess-ups? Forgetting to close the freezer and losing a day’s worth of customers, burning ingredients, a flopped three-for-two sale…” Lori’s voice trailed off as Bella waved her hand in the air.