Snowflake Sweethearts

by Turansky, Carrie

  “Your daddy moved away before you were born.” Annie’s voice sounded more tense than usual. “I don’t know where he lives now.”

  He clenched his jaw and scowled. What kind of man would walk away from a pregnant woman and her unborn child? He could’ve at least stuck around and helped out until Emma was born.

  “I wish my daddy lived here.”

  Emma’s soft reply cut him to the heart. Poor kid. All she wanted was a regular family, including a father who loved her.

  He could identify. He’d lost his dad when he was twelve, in a flash flood that swept through their campground. His mother and brother had also been pulled in by the raging current and drowned.

  Harrowing memories flashed through his mind, but he quickly closed that door, shoving them away into the darkest corner of his heart. What good did it do to think about it now? He could never go back and change anything that had happened. That one terrible night had altered the course of his life forever.

  Closing his eyes, he leaned against the wall and pulled in a deep breath, trying to steady his surging emotions.

  Annie’s voice cut through the silence. “I understand what you’re saying, sweetie. You wish you had a daddy who lived with us and was a part of our family.” The sorrow in Annie’s voice hit him hard.

  Someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

  His grandmother’s lips parted as though she was going to speak. But he lifted his finger in front of his mouth and guided her away from the kitchen and down the hallway.

  “What’s going on?” Irene whispered.

  “Come on,” he said, keeping his voice low. He led her into her bedroom and shut the door.

  “Why are we sneaking around?”

  “I don’t want Annie to know we heard what she said to Emma.”

  “But I didn’t hear anything,” Irene said, looking disappointed. “What did I miss?”

  “Emma was asking about her father.”

  “Oh.” Irene’s eyes grew round. “What did Annie say?”

  He related the few things he’d heard, the weight of it clamping down on his heart again. “Has she said anything else to you about Emma’s father?”

  “No, she told me about Emma in a Christmas card the year she was born, but she didn’t say anything about the father.” She frowned and crossed her arms. “Terrible man, deserting them like that.”

  “I’m sure there’s more to the story.”

  Irene pulled back. “You’re not defending him, are you?”

  “No. It just makes me wonder what happened.” Alex shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “I don’t understand it. What guy in his right mind would walk away from someone as great as Annie?”

  Her eyes widened, and a slow smile spread across her lips.

  Heat flashed up his neck. “I mean she’s got a lot of good qualities. It just doesn’t make sense.”

  “You’re right,” Gram said, her eyes glowing. “She’s a kind and caring person, an excellent mother, and I’m sure she’ll make someone a wonderful wife.”

  His face burned, and he gave Gram a quick nod. “I’m sure she will.” Then he turned and strode away before she could say anything else.

  Of course he wanted Annie to be happy and get married someday. That was a given. But as he considered what that would actually mean, his chest tightened. Would Emma’s father come back into the picture, or would Annie meet someone else? The painful pressure in his chest increased. He blew out a deep breath and tried to shake off the crazy feeling. He had enough on his plate without worrying about some guy swooping in and snatching Annie away.

  Chapter Seven

  Annie carried her computer over to the dining-room table and sat down with Irene. “Here, take a look at this website.” She turned the computer so her friend could see.

  Irene adjusted her glasses and studied the home page of The Corner Café in Rockwood. “Oh, my, that’s lovely.” She peered at the screen for a few more seconds. “It’s stylish and modern, but it still looks comfortable and homey. I like it!”

  Annie nodded. “Their history is a lot like Jameson’s. They evolved from a traditional, family-owned bakery to a contemporary café that’s become a hub for the community.”

  “What kind of changes did they make?”

  “They responded to their customer’s requests to add more choices to the menu. Look at this.” She clicked to the next web page. “They still offer all their original breads and sweets, but now they also serve breakfast and lunch sandwiches, soups, salads, panini and pasta.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Do you think we could offer something similar?”

  Annie thought through the preparation needed for that type of menu. “We’d probably have to add some equipment in the kitchen, but not too much more.”

  Irene nodded, her expression growing more hopeful by the minute. “But it will take more than updating the kitchen to make us look like this.” She pointed to the photo on the screen. “I’ve got some savings put away. Maybe that would be enough to cover the equipment and furnishings we need.”

  Annie’s train of thought lost steam at the mention of Irene’s savings. Draining her friend’s bank account was a risky prospect. What if these changes weren’t enough to save Jameson’s? What would happen to Irene then? Maybe she shouldn’t get Irene’s hopes up until she ran these ideas by Alex. But surely he’d see that remodeling Jameson’s was the only way to bring in new customers and make it profitable again.

  Annie laid her hand on Irene’s shoulder. “I think this is just what we need, but let’s talk to Alex and see what he says.”

  “Good idea. That boy has a head for business.”

  Hearing Irene refer to Alex as a boy made her smile. But it made sense. Irene had raised Alex since he’d lost his parents and brother when he was twelve. Irene rarely spoke about the tragedy, but Annie remembered hearing others say they’d been caught in a flash flood while they were on vacation. Alex had been the only survivor.

  Annie shivered. Alex never talked about his parents or brother. Maybe their loss was still too painful, or maybe he had just moved on—but the first scenario seemed more likely.

  “Yes, let’s show Alex. I’m sure he’ll know what to do next. The bakery finances were a tangled mess until he helped me sort everything out.” Irene sighed and shook her head. “I had no idea our income had dipped so low. My dear John would be so disappointed in me if he could see what’s happened.”

  “Oh, no, Irene, I’m sure he’d understand. And now that you’ve got a clear picture of the situation, you can make new plans and look ahead to a brighter future.”

  “Yes, the future...that has to be our focus now.” Irene studied the screen once more.

  Annie’s gaze shifted, and in her mind’s eye she saw Jameson’s freshly painted in warm, inviting colors, with new, comfortable seating and cheerful decor. Customers would fill the café and enjoy the delicious new menu items she would create. “I think our neighbors and friends will like our fresh, healthy food.”

  “Of course they will. People have always loved Jameson’s, and now it will be even better.”

  “We’ll make a special effort to keep your current customers,” Annie continued. “And we’ll welcome a whole new circle of friends to Jameson’s.”

  “I love it!” Irene’s smile lit up her face. “It sounds like a perfect fit for Fairhaven.”

  The back door opened. Annie and Irene glanced toward the kitchen.

  “Gram, I’m home.” Alex walked into the dining room. Irene and Annie exchanged smiles.

  He searched their faces. “What are you ladies up to?”

  “Annie and I have been surfing the web, looking for ways to update the bakery, and I think we’ve found just what we want.”

  He cocked
his head. “Really?”

  “Yes, come take a look.” Irene motioned him over.

  Alex joined them at the table, and Annie explained her ideas. When she finished, she clasped her hands in her lap and waited for his reply.

  He tapped his fingers on the table and studied the computer screen. “You’re talking about making some expensive changes. I’m not sure we should take on a big project like that.”

  “Nonsense!” Irene pushed back from the table. “This is just what we need to save Jameson’s and bring in a new generation of customers.”

  He rubbed his jaw, still looking doubtful. “I’m not sure, Gram. Doing this much work on the building would mean closing the bakery for several months, and that would put your employees out of work.”

  Annie straightened. “Why not keep those employees on and have them help with the renovations?”

  “Good idea!” Gram said. “We could do the work in phases. Things like painting the exterior, putting up a new awning and adding planters wouldn’t take too long. Then we could do the interior work.”

  Alex leaned back, his forehead creased with a slight frown. “This is going to cost a lot. Are you sure you want to make this kind of investment?”

  “It’s either that or close down, and I definitely want to keep the bakery open.”

  Annie’s stomach tightened. “It’s a risk, Irene. If things don’t go as we hoped, you could lose your savings.”

  Irene waved away her concern. “I’m sure it’ll be a huge success. And there’s no other way I’d rather see my money spent.”

  “Wait a minute.” Alex shifted his serious gaze to Annie. “What do you mean lose her savings?”

  “Irene said she’d rather borrow from her savings than get a business loan from the bank.”

  Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “But that’s your retirement money, Gram.”

  “I don’t see any other way to get this done quickly.”

  “I’m not sure that’s wise. Let me talk to a few people.”

  “Who?”

  “An accountant, a lawyer, a banker, maybe someone from the Small Business Administration.”

  Annie shifted in her chair. “I already looked online at SBA’s website for information on applying for a business loan. The process is pretty daunting. You have to write up a complete business plan and gather a lot of financial information. Borrowing from Irene’s savings would be a lot quicker. We might have to close for only a few weeks, as opposed to months, if we finance the changes ourselves.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “Maybe those steps recommended by the SBA are there to protect business owners and keep them from making a foolish mistake.”

  Heat flooded Annie’s cheeks. “Remodeling Jameson’s is not a foolish mistake.”

  His eyebrows dipped. “That’s not what I said.”

  “But that’s what you’re implying.”

  “No, I’m just trying to get you to slow down and think realistically. We have to be sure we can make a profit and pay back the money you’d take from my grandmother’s savings.”

  “I know it’s a risk,” Annie said, “and it will take a lot of work, but it’s a worthy project with great potential.”

  Irene looked up at him. “Your grandfather and I spent decades building our business. We have a good reputation and loyal customers, and I think updating Jameson’s is the next step to making it profitable again.”

  Alex looked back and forth between Annie and Irene. “All right. I can see you’ve both got your hearts set on this. But I’d still like to see a business plan and show it to a few people. If the facts line up and they agree, then I’ll feel better about moving ahead.” His steady gaze rested on Annie. “That’s the only way I’m willing to risk my grandmother’s savings.”

  Annie nodded. “I understand, and I’m sure we can come up with a plan you’ll like.”

  Irene stood and linked arms with Annie and Alex. “So we’re agreed. Annie will draw up the business plan. Alex will show that to some people and get their input, then we’ll move ahead and give Jameson’s a new lease on life.”

  Annie nodded and held tightly to Irene’s arm. This was a good plan. She felt certain of it. Her gaze shifted to Alex, hoping they’d convinced him they were right. But the shadow of doubt still clouded his eyes. It would take more than positive thinking and a hopeful plan to win him over. She’d have to create a strong business plan that answered all his questions if she was going to ease his fears. And that was exactly what she intended to do.

  * * *

  Alex towed the blue plastic tarp full of fallen leaves out to the street and dumped the load on the growing pile. The trees weren’t finished shedding all their leaves yet, but he’d hoped coming outside and doing something physical would clear his mind and ease the tightness in his neck and shoulders.

  So far it hadn’t helped much. No matter how diligently he raked, one question kept cycling through his mind. Why had he been so hard on Annie about her remodeling ideas?

  Sure, he was concerned about his grandmother and feeling pressured to make a decision about the bakery. But her ideas weren’t unreasonable. It was just the thought of risking his grandmother’s savings that brought out the bear in him.

  Should they take a risk like that? What if her plans flopped? He’d be the one footing the bill to care for his grandmother if she lost her investment.

  Would that be so terrible? He made a good salary. He could afford to take care of his grandmother if it came to that. But what if he lost his job? He hadn’t mentioned that possibility to Annie or his grandmother. They had enough on their minds, and he didn’t want to add to their worries.

  Maybe it was time he had a little faith...in Annie, and someone else, too. He glanced up at the sky as he strode across the yard and picked up his rake. God, if You’re up there and You’re listening, could You give me some

  help here?

  He gripped the rake as the irony of that plea washed over him. Faith in God and talking to Him in prayer hadn’t been a regular part of his life since he lost his parents and brother sixteen years ago.

  At first the hurt and anger had been so overwhelming that he couldn’t focus his thoughts. Then the angry words came in torrents, but he’d stuffed them down deep inside, nursing a grudge against God for taking his family. In time, all he felt was cold distance that squelched any small flicker of faith left in his heart.

  But as he watched Annie pray with Emma and read those Bible stories each night, something had begun to stir in his heart. He didn’t know why his parents and brother had been taken. He probably never would. But spending time with Annie eased the ache in his heart. And those embers of faith he thought were dead were beginning to glow and flicker back to life...all because of Annie.

  He raked another pile of leaves to the center of the lawn, musing over the way she’d had such a big impact on him in such a short time.

  His cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read Annie’s name on the screen. His heart pumped an extra beat as he lifted it to his ear.

  “Hey, Alex. I hate to bother you, but I’m stuck—” The sound of a truck roaring by cut off her words.

  His heart lurched. “Where are you?”

  “I’m on the Five Freeway, just north of Lakeway Drive. I’ve got a flat tire.”

  He tensed. “Are you pulled over in a safe spot?”

  “Yes, but I can’t get one of the lug nuts off.” More traffic buzzed past in the background.

  “You’re trying to change the tire yourself?”

  “I’ve done it once before, but this time—”

  “Annie, please get back in the car and lock your doors. I’ll come help you.”

  A second passed before she answered. “Okay, thanks.”

  “Sit tight. I’ll be there in less than te
n minutes.”

  “I’ll be watching for you.”

  He tossed the rake aside and dashed for his car. She was trying to change a tire on the freeway by herself? She hated to bother him? Was that how she felt, as if she was a bother? He growled under his breath as he climbed in and slammed his car door.

  * * *

  Annie stared at the phone in her hand. An eighteen-wheeler barreled by, sending a cold gust of wind swirling around her. She slipped inside her car.

  Why did Alex sound so upset? Had she interrupted him while he was doing something important, or was he actually worried about her? The way he’d told her to get in the car and lock the doors sounded more like concern than irritation.

  A smile crept across her lips, and a little shiver traveled up her arms. It had been a long time since a man cared enough to worry about her or promise to come and help when she was in trouble.

  It had been even longer since she’d dared to ask.

  She started the engine, turned on the heat and rubbed her hands together, hoping that would drive away the chill. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of her wind-tossed hair and pale face.

  She looked as if she’d been hiking through a storm. With a disgusted huff, she reached for her purse, pulled out her lipstick and swiped color across her lips, then tried to smooth down her curls.

  Her hand stilled and she stared in the mirror. What was she doing? Alex saw her every day and knew exactly how she looked. He’d seen her in all her frazzled glory, first thing in the morning when she saw her daughter off to school and last thing at night as she tucked Emma into bed.

  He would not be impressed by a little lipstick.

  Her shoulders sagged and she leaned back. If only Alex would truly see her and care about her the way she cared about him. She tried to squelch that longing, but as she replayed his response to her phone call, the longing grew stronger.

  Would he ever see her as more than his old friend and his grandmother’s companion?

  Closing her eyes, she reigned in her thoughts and turned them into a prayer. Lord, You know how I feel about Alex. He has so many great qualities I admire. He’d make a wonderful husband and father, but if You don’t want me to get involved with him, please help me do something about these feelings. I definitely don’t need more complications and heartache. I’d never recover from another broken heart, so if Alex is not the right man for me, please make it so obvious I can’t miss it.