He took hold of her hand. “I could never think less of you. And I already know what I need to know about you. That you’re kind, generous and good.”
Taking courage from his words, she took a deep breath. “My mother got sick. Unable to work consistently, she couldn’t pay the rent. We were evicted from our apartment in Durham.” Kara slipped her hand from his. “So from the age of eight until I was about ten, we lived out of her car.”
He sucked in a breath. “I’m so sorry, Kara.”
She dropped her gaze. “The streets were scary at night.” She shuddered. “We had no place to go. No one to turn to. I watched my mom choose to not eat so the little money she scraped together could feed me. But even with her sacrifice, I remember always being hungry.”
“And you’ve made it your life mission to feed people.”
She looked up. “People wonder how what happened to us could happen in America. The land of plenty. Yet, we fell through the cracks, and no one noticed.”
His brow furrowed. “But your teachers...”
“It’s hard to pay attention when your stomach hurts. I fell asleep a lot in class. The other children...” She bit her lip.
Even now, the memory brought incredible shame. As an adult, she understood the shame wasn’t deserved, but every time she thought of those terrible times, the shame rushed in all the same, like a flood.
“They called me names,” she whispered. “Because my clothes were dirty. And I smelled.” She kneaded the cushion between her hands. “It became easier not to go to school.” Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. “No one missed me. I used to pass the other kids’ nice houses and wish I lived there. The ones with the pretty yards. And I’d imagine what life would be like if I were them.”
“Kara.” He tipped up her chin with his forefinger. “Look at me, darlin’.”
Salty tears ran down her cheeks. “My mother did the best she could, but she was so sick. Perhaps if she’d had access to proper medical care in the beginning, she wouldn’t have died.” She gave a small, helpless shrug. “That’s one of the hardest parts. The never knowing.”
He opened his arms. And without a second’s hesitation, she went into them. Tucked under his chin, he stroked her hair and she closed her eyes. He made her feel so safe. So protected.
And loved? She was almost too afraid to hope for that. Her childhood had taught her to not expect too much.
“There were shelters for people like uh—us,” her voice quavered.
Will’s arms tightened around her.
“Homeless people like me. Except, there were never enough beds. But when I was about ten, we got a spot that particular night. Mom was so tired. By that point, she slept a lot.”
She brushed her cheek against the denim of his shirt. He smelled so good. Like outdoors. A spicy cologne. And something that was just him. Manly.
“It wasn’t suppertime yet, but my stomach ached. I could smell the food being prepared in the shelter’s kitchen. So I crept downstairs to where the volunteers were preparing dinner. I hid in the pantry. From the aromas, I tried to identify what was for supper. The tomatoey smell of the Brunswick stew simmering on the stovetop. The tangy vinegar scent of barbecue pork.”
He raised his head. “Glorieta.”
“Area restaurants took turns volunteering at the soup kitchen. Mama G found me huddled in the pantry.” Kara squeezed her eyes shut. “She had on this funny hat with a bold pattern of yellows, reds and greens. She gave me a corn stick to munch on, wrapped a small towel around my waist and put me to work stirring green beans in a pot.”
Her ear pressed against his chest, she took reassurance from the steady beat of his heart.
“Glorieta saved me. I owe her everything. She found a long-term family shelter for us and arranged palliative care for my mother at the last stage of her life. At my mother’s funeral, which Mama G paid for, she asked me if I’d like to go live with her and the boys. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
She held her breath, relishing the comfort of his arms. Just one minute more, please, Lord. Before he thrust her away. She dreaded the moment she had to look into his eyes. To see herself in his gaze as a less-than. The disgust. The judgment. Like so many did when they learned of her background.
“You are the bravest person I’ve ever known.”
“That’s not true.” She sat up. “You’re a firefighter. You show real bravery every day.”
He caught her face in his hands. His strong, warm hands. His calloused, yet gentle, palms against her cheeks. “Real courage is more than running into a fire. Real courage is hanging in there, through thick and thin instead of running away.” He brushed his lips against her forehead. “And when I look at you, I see the most beautiful, most courageous woman I’ve ever known.”
He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Your triumph over that background only makes me long to know you even more.”
Relief that he understood—that he got her—left her feeling suddenly weak. And spent.
“Maddox isn’t the only one who loves blueberries.”
Her mouth curved. “Oh?”
“Yep.” He grinned. “And every time I look into your eyes, I’m reminded how much I really love blueberries.”
She batted her lashes at him. “Is that so?”
He laughed and opened his arms again. “How did you get so far away on the couch?”
She went to him. And he cradled her for a long time. Neither feeling the need for words.
There was no place she’d rather be. For the first time in her life, she’d truly found home.
* * *
The next few weeks flew by. Will and Maddox spent a lot of time with Kara. He couldn’t help but notice Soufflé seemed to have acquired a great many more toys. And his own name-inscribed, porcelain feeding bowl.
Will rolled his eyes at her. “Why do I get the feeling that even when the splint comes off, that cat is going nowhere?”
She laughed. “No more strays.”
They cooked dinner together almost every evening at her house. He’d certainly never eaten better. And his heart had never felt so full. Maddox blossomed under her nurturing presence. Will began to imagine if those sweet times never had to end.
Which scared him. But taking courage from Kara’s past, he soldiered through. Determined to relish every ounce of happiness while he could.
His perspective glass half-empty, he couldn’t quite shake the sense—based on past experience—that it wouldn’t last. Nothing good ever did.
The council vote kept getting kicked down the road. But finally it was scheduled for the Thursday before Easter. Still a few weeks away.
He tried not to dwell on it. Or agonize over what the outcome might be. Instead, he focused on doing his job, being a good dad and spending as much time as humanly possible off the clock with Kara.
Yet, always at the back of his mind, the impending decision loomed large. Change was a fact of life. But change never brought him anything good. He resolved to not try to look too far ahead, but to enjoy the now.
The Saturday morning of the Flapjack Flip-Off dawned. Standing outside the open firehouse bay, he had an excellent vantage point for observing the proceedings on the square.
ErmaJean was the president of the ladies’ auxiliary, and her helpers had been busy. Miss IdaLee, who’d taught at least three generations of Truelovers, had used all her connections to secure some great raffle prizes this year. Lila Penry’s art students had designed the colorful fliers Luke, Zach and the other guys hung around town.
GeorgeAnne had been less than thrilled at the direction this year’s fund-raiser had taken, but Will was about done with her muleheadedness. If she didn’t like it, she could boycott the Flip-Off. And miss out on all the fun, too.
The ROMEO component—Callie’s dad, Amber’s dad, Maggie’s dad and Pops among
others—had been in charge of the layout. Foldout tables and chairs lay scattered across the green for diners. The two competing griddles were deployed on either side of the gazebo.
The café was temporarily shuttered for today’s event. An event he hoped would bring the community together in support of Kara. And the other downtown businesses would enjoy a red-letter day, reaping the benefits of the Flip-Off. Including GeorgeAnne’s hardware store.
His gaze skimmed over the blonde chef who arrived at 6:30 a.m. to set up her station. The competition would begin at eight sharp.
In a matching black chef’s coat, Leo would flip crêpes alongside Kara. Shayla and Trudy were working the fixin’s on the side. Crêpe lovers could choose between savory fillings or sweet toppings, like fresh whipped cream, chocolate sauce or a maple-pecan syrup.
Will had a quiet word with Shayla about surreptitiously saving him some of both. His public loyalty had to shine forth for the TFD. But privately?
His stomach belonged to Kara.
As for his heart? He scrubbed his face with his hand. He headed over to check on Zach and the guys manning the pancake side of the competition.
Family-friendly interactive opportunities would begin at nine, including a demo of an aerial ladder rescue and a tour of the firehouse. Unless called out, the apparatus would be on display for the kids to climb into for a photo op.
A sizable crowd gathered underneath the tall, stately oaks. Mayor Watson mounted the steps to the gazebo. He tapped the mic. At the electronic blare, everyone flinched.
Will took his place on the platform as the TFD representative. His gaze roaming over familiar faces, he estimated at least two hundred people had shown up to support the worthy cause. He hoped town council members were taking notice.
Mayor Watson made a few general remarks and then got to the reason they’d gathered. “All you can eat until eleven a.m.” He chuckled. Underneath the husky-sized, red golf shirt, his round belly jiggled. Come December, the mayor doubled for Santa. “Don’t want any of you leaving hungry.”
“No fear of that,” Tom Arledge, Pops’s best friend, shouted and patted his lean belly. “I’m here to do my part.”
Everyone laughed.
“This year we have a special addition. A real sweet treat with the Mason Jar’s own Kara Lockwood.” Mayor Watson’s blue eyes twinkled. “Crêpes or pancakes. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite by putting the suggested donation of five or ten dollars into either the boot—” he gestured at the leather firefighter boot on the table in front of Zach’s crew “—or the hat.”
Kara had upturned a chef’s hat on her table.
“The team with the most donations at the end of the day wins. It’s breakfast, it’s a contest and it’s a fund-raiser.” Mayor Watson fingered his white beard. “What could be more fun?”
Will spotted the missing member of the matchmaker trifecta at the back of the crowd. He bit back a smile. Sure enough, GeorgeAnne hadn’t been able to resist attending.
“Lady and gentlemen.” The mayor’s jolly, broad face broke into a grin. He winked, playing to the crowd. “You see what I did there?”
Will fought the urge to exchange glances with Kara.
“On your mark, get set...griddle!” the mayor yelled.
And the competition commenced.
Kara and Leo went to work. As did Zach and Lieutenant Bradley. Spatulas flashed in the sunshine of the April morning. A delicious steam rose off both grills. And there was a whole lot of flipping going on.
Looked like Pops had organized the small fry of Truelove into a cheering section. The Green girls, Maddox and his best buds, the Hollingsworth boys, Maisie McAbee, Jonas’s mini-me cowboy Hunter and sweet little Emma Cate Gibson.
The TFD had their own supporters, as well.
Arms folded, the barbecue queen stood off to the side, her lips curled in a soft smile at the small-town antics.
Within minutes each team sported stacks of completed product. Lines formed quickly. The light, golden-brown hues of the crêpes and pancakes were a pretty sight to behold.
Alongside toppings of cinnamon apple, powdered sugar and a mix of berries, Trudy dished out her brand of sassy ribbing. Even the fire crew couldn’t help but laugh.
Kara remained focused and calm. Completely in her element. Her cheeks rosy from the heat off the griddle. Her blue eyes sparkled.
But he was nervous enough for the both of them. Behind the scenes, he was unable to stop pacing. Totally thrilled as Kara’s line grew longer and longer. People returned for second and third helpings.
Watching her work, so poised, he couldn’t help reflect on what she’d shared with him about her childhood. Every time he thought of it, it made his chest contract and his gut knot. At all she’d gone through and so young. It made him admire her all the more for what she’d accomplished as an acclaimed, award-winning chef.
He also recognized her willingness to open her heart to him had been a gift. A gift she didn’t share with many. A privilege afforded to him. And a responsibility.
She made him feel something he’d never felt before. For the first time since the fiasco with Liz, he wondered if God would give him a second chance at love.
Perhaps God hadn’t cast him aside. Perhaps this time a relationship was possible. He found himself believing that his future might be bright with promise.
Mayor Watson called a halt at eleven. By eleven thirty, the local accounting firm of Penry and Penry were ready to announce the results.
All total, the event raked in over three thousand dollars. Loud gasps punctuated the throng. Will could hardly believe it, either. This was the largest take of any previous Truelove fund-raiser for the Firefighter Cancer Foundation.
Myra Penry, Lila’s mother, stepped up to the mic. “And I am also pleased to declare the winner of Truelove’s first-ever Flapjack Flip-Off...” She grinned at the crowd, letting the suspense mount.
He clenched his fists at his sides. Afraid to breathe.
“By only a slim margin... It was close, ladies and gentlemen.” Myra held aloft the gold-plated spatula trophy. “But the winner is...”
Please, God, I know it’s been a long time. But for Kara’s sake... He closed his eyes.
“Kara Lockwood and team!”
His eyes flew open. Leo caught his petite boss in a bear hug, lifting her off her feet and whirling her around. The crowd went wild. Stomping and clapping.
Including the members of his fire brigade. Because Kara’s food was just that good. Earlier, he’d caught Zach stuffing his face with one of the strawberry and whipped cream crêpes.
He shot a glance over the crowd, locating GeorgeAnne. A begrudging smile hovered on her face, too.
Then he focused on Kara’s lovely, laughing, flushed features. Suddenly, more than anything in the world, he wanted to kiss her. And before the day was out, he resolved to do just that.
But with the event winding down, he had to make sure the firehouse was set to rights first. A small-town fire chief was never really off duty. Pops and Miss Glorieta disappeared somewhere with Maddox.
He went around checking on his guys. Shaking their hands. Offering halfhearted commiseration, but sincere appreciation to Zach and the crew.
The men took their defeat good-naturedly. He glimpsed in Zach and company new respect for the French-loving chef. And Will was filled with such hope. Such certainty that Kara was right. That God would work everything out for their good.
Surely, the council would acknowledge the TFD’s essential role in the community. His relationship with Kara would have the freedom to flourish. And Maddox...
Will set off across the deserted green to congratulate Kara at the Mason Jar.
His son might eventually acquire a cream-colored tabby with a love of soufflés. And one day Maddox might even—Will’s heart skipped a beat—get a mother to call his own
.
A few long strides brought him to the entrance. With a quick jerk, he thrust open the door. At the sound of the bell, Kara turned. She’d placed her trophy beside the little silver Eiffel Tower.
She smiled at him, and he thought his heart might burst in two. Her smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, after decades of dreary rain.
Cupping her elbows in his hands, he lifted her off her feet.
“Will—oh,” she gasped.
He carried her to his favorite red swivel stool and set her down. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He felt her breath on his cheek. His heart pounded. Did she feel what he felt for her? An enormous, knee-buckling, overwhelming tide of rightness.
“Can I kiss you?” he rasped.
“I thought you’d never ask.” The blue in her eyes deepened to indigo. “Please. Do.”
He brushed his mouth over hers. Giving her the chance to pull away if she chose. But she didn’t.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. And the next kiss was hers. His sassy, independent, give-as-good-as-she-got chef.
Now at long last, spring had unfurled in his heart. Forever throwing off winter’s chill. Nevermore to return.
As if by unspoken, unanimous consent, they both came up for air. Unwilling to let her drift far, however, he held her in his arms. His chest heaved. His heart thundered.
Clapping broke out on the other side of the cut-through window.
Looking over Kara’s shoulder, he realized they’d had an audience, but he didn’t care. Leo ducked his head, and Shayla blushed.
“Woo-hoo!” Trudy heckled. “’Bout time, you two.”
Glorieta and Pops grinned.
Wearing the ever-present plastic firefighter helmet, Maddox fist-pumped the air. “Way to go, Daddy!”
Chuckling, Will rested his forehead against Kara’s.
“You kiss pretty good. For a fire chief,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips against her smooth skin. “You aren’t too bad yourself.”
“This time I’m asking for a rain check.” Her lovely gaze flickered from their friends and family. “Without the rubberneckers.”
Love Inspired June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 47
