by Lyn Cote
Their dreams and plans never had a chance to come to fruition.
It was funny, she sometimes thought, that even though she loved Johnny and even though—as perfect as he was—he sometimes pressured her to go farther than she knew was right, she never had a problem saying no, and he always respected her wishes. Luckily, she’d learned a valuable lesson the day Griff had kissed her. Desire was a strange emotion. It could be found where you least expected it, and resisting it was much harder than she’d ever imagined.
Griff. She hadn’t seen much of him her last year of high school, which suited her just fine. If he’d pursued her, she feared she would have given in…with no pressuring at all. Griff Harrison was too much of a temptation, and Hannah was afraid she wouldn’t have had the strength to flee.
Chapter Three
“So you’ll need the parlor for at least two hours, right, Mrs. McCallum?” Hannah asked, wedging the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she started a page for the upcoming lingerie shower Clara McCallum was giving her niece—Griff’s former wife.
“That’s right, dear,” Clara said. “I know it’s a hectic time for everyone, and I can’t believe you have an opening, but since Josie is coming in for Christmas, we thought we’d kill two birds with one stone and save her a trip later.” She gave a heartfelt sigh. “The whole family is just so happy for her. She and Griff tried, but he was all wrong for her. Still, they’ve both turned out well, though we did wonder about them both back when they were young—”
Knowing Clara’s penchant for gossip and with a clear memory of Josie Jones’s slightly naughty past, Hannah cut off the older woman. “It’s no problem, Mrs. McCallum. I’m catering a party that night, but I’ll be taking the food to the Bick-hams’, so the house will be all ready for you.”
“You’re an angel,” Clara gushed. “Always willing to work things out.”
“I try, Mrs. McCallum. After all, hospitality is my business.” Hannah spent the next few minutes firming up the details of the shower, which included theme and color scheme and quoting and negotiating prices for various finger foods. Satisfied that she had enough information, she was preparing to end the conversation, when Clara said, “Did you hear about Harold Harrison?”
Hannah paused in writing down how many and what kind of finger sandwiches she needed to make. Harold was Johnny and Griff’s dad. He’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s more than a year ago, which, according to the local grapevine, was one of the reasons Griff had moved back. No matter how she felt about Griff, she’d always liked his parents, who’d attended her church all her life. “No, ma’am. Is he worse?”
“Effie Poteet said he wandered off yesterday afternoon while Margaret was taking a shower. She thought he was asleep, so she didn’t go in to check on him for a couple of hours. By that time, he’d gone off and she couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. She called Griff, and he notified the sheriff’s department. They didn’t find him until after midnight.”
Poor Margaret. “Is he all right?”
“He’s scratched and bruised up and has a broken leg from tumbling down a creek bank. He’ll be in the hospital a day or two.” Clara gave a little sigh. “Griffin was right there all night with the rescue workers. You know, for all his wild ways, I never thought he was as bad as he was made out to be.”
Talking about Griff was the last thing Hannah wanted to do. Thankfully, her other line rang. “I’d love to visit with you more, Mrs. McCallum, but my other line is ringing.”
“You go right ahead and get it,” Clara said. “I’ll stop by and look through your cake book one day this week. Bye now.”
Hannah hung up and answered the other line. “Mimosa Manor. This is Hannah.”
“Hey, it’s me,” Elizabeth said. “Did you hear about Mr. Harold?”
“Mrs. McCallum was just telling me about it. How is he?”
“Fair. They’re hoping he doesn’t develop pneumonia from being out in the cold and damp so long. They said Griff sent his mother home, and he’s staying at the hospital. Jo and I were going to take dinner over to Miss Margaret’s tonight and we were wondering if you’d like to send something.”
“Of course. I always have something in the freezer.”
“Great! How about dragging out a cake? I’m picking up a box of chicken and some bread, and Jo is doing a couple of vegetables. If you have dessert, we’ll be set.” She paused, then asked, “I don’t suppose you’d have time to pick up our stuff and drive it out there, would you?”
Hannah raked a hand through her dark hair. “Oh, Elizabeth, I have a million things to do before tomorrow night.”
“I was afraid of that. Jo has two funerals tomorrow and said she’d probably be at the shop until late. Bram is out of town, I’m showing a house way out in the country at five, and Jake is up at the river property without his cell phone.”
“I guess I don’t have much choice, then,” Hannah said with a sigh.
“If it will help, I’ll bring our food to your place.”
“That would help tremendously.”
“Good,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll see you about four-thirty.”
Hannah hung up and went to get one of her famous banana cakes out of the freezer. If Elizabeth brought the food to her, it shouldn’t take over thirty minutes to run it out to the Harrisons’. She’d be fine.
As she began filling mini puff pastries with almond chicken salad, her mind wandered back to her conversation with Clara McCallum. It sounded as if even the Joneses had a favorable opinion of Griff despite the fact that his and Josie’s marriage had failed. Was she the only one whose life Griff had wrecked who hadn’t forgiven him? The thought was unsettling.
Josie and her daughter, Callie—Griff’s daughter—came to visit three or four times a year and always went to see Harold and Margaret. What did Josie think about Griff moving home? Would it make a difference? Was their divorce amicable, for their child’s sake? Would he try to see her while she was in town?
Why do you care, Hannah?
She knew it was none of her affair, but it was impossible not to wonder about him, not to think about him, since—like it or not—he seemed to be invading her life from various avenues. One of the pitfalls of living in a small town, and something she’d have to get used to.
Elizabeth showed up early and helped Hannah load the food into the van she used to transport her catered items. After dragging a brush through her hair, adding another swipe of mascara to her brown eyes and freshening her lipstick, she was on her way to the Harrisons’ home, which was located five miles north of town, down a gravel road. Weak western sunshine, the last remnants of the November day, shimmered off the red and deep purple of the black gum and sweet gum trees that bordered the road. Shadows gathered beneath them. As she approached the Harrison place, a pristine white two-story farm house, she noticed two vehicles in the driveway. One, she knew was Margaret’s. The other no doubt belonged to a well-meaning neighbor.
She picked up the cake from the seat, carried it to the door and knocked. In a matter of minutes it swung open to reveal a disheveled Griff. Hannah couldn’t stifle her gasp of surprise. Why wasn’t he at the hospital? Then she noticed he was as surprised as she. Surprised and…weary.
“Were you sleeping?” she asked, as he smothered a yawn.
He offered her a sheepish smile and ran a hand through his already tousled hair. “Yeah. I was asleep on the sofa. What have we here?” he said, gesturing toward the cake in her hands.
“Jo, Elizabeth and I decided to bring your mother dinner. I thought you were at the hospital.”
“Which is why you volunteered to make the delivery.”
“Actually,” she said, shoving the cake toward him, “I was the only one free, and I need to get back ASAP.”
“Party?” he asked, relieving her of her burden.
“Yes. City officials and their wives.” Without waiting for him to reply, she turned and headed for the van.
She was taking the chicken from the i
nsulated container when a voice from behind her asked, “You stay pretty busy, I guess.”
“Very,” she said, without turning. “Considering the size of the town.” She handed him the chicken and a package of rolls. She picked up two containers of vegetables and pushed the van doors closed with her hip. “That’s it.”
“Ladies first.”
Hannah preceded him into the house and went straight to the kitchen. Things hadn’t changed much since the days she’d visited with Johnny. New paint, new curtains, new flooring. Other than that, things in the house were the same. But she knew they weren’t. The house was older, as were its inhabitants. Harold wasn’t the same gentle man who’d teased her unmercifully and kept a pocket full of candy for the kids at church. Now he was often violent, contrary. And the wear and tear was showing on Margaret, Hannah thought as she set the bowls on the counter and gave the older woman a hug.
“What’s all this?”
“Elizabeth, Jo and I fixed your dinner.”
“That’s just like you,” Margaret said, a fond smile crinkling her plump cheeks.
“How’s Mr. Harold?” Hannah asked.
“Doc Mayfield says he’ll be all right barring complications of some sort. They gave him something to calm him down and help him sleep and told me and Griff to come home and get some rest.”
“If he’s stable and sleeping, there’s no use wearing yourself out by staying there,” Hannah said.
“I suppose not.” Margaret gestured toward the food. “It’s almost suppertime. Won’t you stay and have a bite with us?”
“Thank you, but I have a houseful of people coming at seven-thirty.” She glanced at her watch. “And I won’t be ready for them if I don’t get back.”
“I understand.” Margaret gave Hannah another hug and said, “Griff, walk Hannah out. I’ll start warming up supper.”
“That’s all right. I can see myself out,” Hannah said.
“Nonsense. He’ll just be in my way if he hangs around here.”
Hannah forced a smile and headed for the front door, Griff tagging along behind. “I hear Clara’s having Josie’s shower at your place,” he said.
Hannah paused in the doorway and turned. “Yes. December fourteenth.”
“From everything I can tell, Josie is getting a great guy this time.” Implying that he wasn’t, Hannah thought.
“Clara seems happy for her,” Hannah said. “But she was quick to say that the two of you had really tried.”
“Clara always did like me,” Griff said, one corner of his mouth lifting in a wry smile.
Hannah wound her fingers together and forced her brown gaze to his. “So you’ll be seeing your daughter soon. Do you get to spend much time with her?”
Griff smiled again. “We see one another as often as we can.”
“That’s good.”
“Yes,” he said, “it is. Especially for me and my family. Callie is very much a Harrison.”
He looked extremely satisfied about that. Hannah wasn’t sure why the idea of Griff being proud of his daughter’s genes filled her with such sadness. “You’re close, then?”
“As close as we can be under the circumstances.” He smiled, a full-fledged, thousand-watt smile that made Hannah all too aware that he was a handsome man. “Well, now, this hasn’t been too hard, has it?” he asked.
“What?” she asked, bewildered.
“Carrying on a conversation with me without cutting me to ribbons with that sharp tongue of yours or throwing my sordid past in my face.”
Hannah felt the heat of a blush creep into her cheeks, making her even more uncomfortable. “As I said the other day, it’s a small town. We’re bound to run into each other every now and then.”
“Bound to,” he agreed, solemnly as he plunged his fingertips into his jeans pockets.
“It would be a little immature of me to resort to insults whenever we do cross paths.”
Griff gave a slow nod. “Well,” he said, “it isn’t forgiveness, but it’s progress of a sort, I suppose.”
Despite what she’d just said, Hannah felt her ire rise at the mockery she heard in his voice. “What do you want from me, Griff?” she snapped. “Absolution for your sins?”
“No,” he said. “I already have that from Who it counts the most. As for what I want from you…” His voice trailed away. “You aren’t ready for that.” He gave her a sad smile. “And I’m beginning to wonder if you ever will be.”
Chapter Four
On Sunday morning, Hannah slept through the alarm and had to rush to get ready for church. Since there was no time for a proper breakfast, she grabbed a muffin and poured herself a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Though she knew what day it was, habit made her glance at the calendar. Five weeks to go until Christmas Eve and the end of the annual madness that paid her bills. She took a sip of her coffee, hoping the strong brew would perk her up. She was already exhausted.
After washing down the last of the muffin, Hannah grabbed her purse and her Bible from the countertop and headed for the door. She was going to be late.
The bell that signaled the beginning of Sunday-school class was ringing as Hannah stepped through the door of the educational building. She heard doors closing as she hurried down the hallway to the adult class she attended. She waved at Elizabeth and Jake, as they stepped through the doors of the young married class, no doubt joining Jo and Bram. Fighting the sting of tears, Hannah quickened her pace. She took a pen from her purse and added one more to the attendance slip hanging outside the door. As she stepped through the aperture, every eye in the room turned toward her.
“Sorry I’m late,” she mumbled, letting her apologetic smile move from face to face until she found the front of the small room. Stunned to see Griff instead of the usual teacher standing at the podium, she stopped dead in her tracks. The smile melted from her face.
“No problem,” he said, smiling.
Recalling that the regular teacher was away for the weekend, Hannah gathered her scattered wits and found a seat near the back of the room. She opened her Bible to the text, Matthew 6:14, and read the familiar words. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…
A flash of anger shot through her and she slapped the pages shut. Had Griff deliberately chosen the passage to rub in her unwillingness to forgive him? Had he moved to Prescott just to make her life unbearable? On the heels of that uncharitable thought, she remembered that the class had been studying forgiveness for several weeks. Her anger dissipated, and shame settled over her. Why was she so quick to think the worst of Griff? Why was she so unwilling to forgive him? And how was she going to make it through the next forty minutes?
For the remainder of the class, Hannah kept her gaze focused on the Bible in her lap and her mind firmly on the study so no more ugly thoughts could work their way into her head. To her relief, she wasn’t called to take part in any of the discussion, probably because she never once made eye contact with Griff. When the bell rang, signaling the end of study, she escaped the room before anyone could speak to her. She made a beeline for the auditorium, determined to put as much distance as possible between her and Griffin Harrison.
As she took her regular pew, she saw Bram and Jo following Elizabeth and Jake down the far aisle. Elizabeth smiled and waved; Hannah waved back. The foursome settled in next to a distinguished man who sat with his arm encircling Elizabeth’s mother’s shoulders. Hannah’s mouth fell open in surprise. Jake’s dad and Phyllis Sinclair, Elizabeth’s mother? Was there something in the water? The envious thought slipped into her mind before she could stop it and again, she was overwhelmed by an immediate sense of shame.
What was wrong with her that she couldn’t be happy for her friends and their happiness? And what about Elizabeth’s mother? After Phyllis had been so hurt and suffered so many years of being alone, Hannah knew she should be thrilled that the older woman had met a good and decent man she might spend the rest of her life with. And she was thrille
d, but…she was sad, too, and maybe just the tiniest bit jealous. Not a very noble attitude, but she was at least being honest with herself.
Why don’t you try being honest with yourself about Griff? the small voice inside her nagged. She was, wasn’t she? After all, she’d admitted to Susan and herself that she’d once been attracted to him, dangerously attracted. Thank goodness she’d come to her senses. Men like Griff Harrison had no staying power. They were only out for a few laughs and a good time.
Everyone said Griff had changed. Were they right? Had he turned into the upright, devoted and caring person they claimed? If so, where did that leave her and the anger that filled her every time she thought of him and how his recklessness had robbed her of Johnny, her perfect man?
After the service was over, Hannah agreed to go with her friends to the Broadway Café for lunch. Truth to tell, she was starving for some good country cooking, something she didn’t have to fix herself.
They had just placed their order when Griff walked in, accompanied by the preacher and his family. He gave the table’s occupants a smile and a little wave and followed the Kendalls to a room usually set aside for club meetings and opened up to handle the Sunday lunch crowd. Hannah was glad she wouldn’t have to look at him throughout the meal.
She pushed her chair away from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies’ room before my lunch gets here,” she said to her friends.
Turning, she crossed the narrow room and went up the steps that led to the lobby of the historic hotel. The hall was empty—no doubt everyone was in the dining room—and the sound of her suede heels echoed hollowly on the mosaic tile floor. She saw by the movable sign on the door that the unisex bathroom was occupied and leaned against the wall to wait.
