by Elsie Davis
“Sounds good to me,” she said simply, putting her trust in whatever it was Chad was cooking up.
“Perfect. I’ll be right back,” he said, sliding out the truck.
Moments later, she watched as he headed into the deli. Good. Whatever it was didn’t involve him doing any of the cooking.
Rachel decided to call her mother, but it rolled to voicemail. Talk about good luck. “Hey, Mom. Just wanted to let you know there’s been a change in plans, and I’m not headed to Alaska. At least not yet. I’ll explain lat—”
“Rachel? Are you still there?” her mother asked in a breathless voice like she’d run for the phone.
Apparently, Rachel’s luck was short-lived. “Yes. I just left you a message letting you know I’m not leaving for Alaska.” She waited for the slew of questions, followed by a lecture that would come.
“Oh dear, why not?” her mother asked, her tone concerned.
Not at all the response or tone she expected from her mother. “Change of plans.” Now wasn’t the time to explain about Chad or her reasons for taking a detour in life to take a chance on love. Something she wasn’t willing to do for Alex. At least now, she understood why she left. It was merely a wait to buy time against the inevitably lousy decision when she said yes to Alex in the first place.
“Oh, dear,” her mother’s echoed words left Rachel in a quandary of how to continue.
“What’s wrong, Mom? You keep saying, oh, dear. Like you wanted me to go, something we both know isn’t true. I thought you’d be happy I was sticking around.” She glanced up at the deli, relieved to see Chad wasn’t in sight. Her mother was acting strange, and she didn’t want anything to dampen her afternoon with Chad.
“I am, dear. You see, though. I mean, the thing is…well, I just came from the grocery store. I ran into Alex there, and I, oh dear, I know you don’t want me talking about it, but—”
“Mom, there’s nothing between Alex and me.” This one-track line of thinking on her mother’s part had to stop.
“That’s good, dear. So good. Because Alex was with that wedding planner of yours–that Brittany girl. Can you believe it? They were holding hands, and…and then he kissed her. I’m so sorry, dear.”
Her mother’s concern was genuine, and it went a long way to lifting the cloud hanging over them. She was finally accepting the truth—or what she knew of it anyway. It was up to Rachel to fill in the blanks seeing as the breakup wasn’t entirely Alex’s fault.
“I know all about it, Mom. I told you, Alex and I talked. We weren’t meant to be together. We never were. It was just two people following expectations and not their hearts. Alex is in love with Brittany, and I’m happy for him. For them. Everything had worked out for the best, trust me.” Especially the part where Rachel herself was giving love a real shot—not running away.
“You knew?” her mother asked.
“Yes. After I left the wedding, I called Alex on the way to the cabin, and we talked. Alex asked me not to say anything until he had time to break the news to his parents. I’m guessing by now, they know. But, it sounds like everyone knows, which is good.”
“But I so wanted you to find love. Marriage is a blessing, and children are another of God’s beautiful blessings if they’re anything like you. So I just want you to be happy,” her mother said, emotion choking her voice.
This was a side of her mother she rarely saw, but it was always welcome. “I am happy, Mother. And just so you know, I’ve met someone. And as far as new beginnings go in a relationship, I’d say this one has strong prospects.” Of course, she wouldn’t go as far as Leslie vocally, but deep down, Rachel couldn’t help the secret hope her friend was right.
“Oh. Who is he, dear?”
“Chad McCarthy.” Speaking of the handsome new man in her life, he was walking out of the deli, a large basket in hand. A picnic would be perfect—especially with him.
“Leslie’s brother is a fine young man. Just home from Afghanistan and doing some wonderful things at the community center. It’s all over town. We should have him over to dinner.” And just like that, her mother had moved on.
Only the new cycle wouldn’t end until Rachel was walking down the aisle, but in the case of Chad, she didn’t mind. “That sounds lovely, Mother.”
“Wait until I tell your father. He’ll be thrilled his little girl has found someone of her own.”
Rachel wasn’t so little anymore, but she’d always be her daddy’s little girl. Something A-OK with her. “I’ve got to run. Chad is back from an errand, and he has a surprise planned.”
“Oh, how sweet. A man who likes surprises is a real gem.”
Her matchmaking mother was on a roll, something only time would tell if Chad was up to.
Chad returned, sliding a large basket in the back seat.
“What’s with the basket?” she asked.
“I thought we should have a romantic picnic at the cabin. Kind of like a first date.” He grinned.
A die-hard romantic was not something she’d pegged him for, but it was totally appealing. “But we’ve eaten there plenty of times.”
Chad shook his head. “Not any food this good, and, I might add, not voluntarily. This is all by choice since we are officially in a relationship.”
“I thought food was the way to a man’s stomach, not the other way around?” Rachel laughed, basking in the glow of his sweet intentions.
“I think it definitely works both ways when neither of us knows how to cook,” he teased.
He was right of course. Not to mention, it sounded like the perfect way to commemorate the changes and decisions made today that would affect the course of their future.
Fifteen
Chad pulled up Leslie’s house and parked next to the curb. They slid out of the car and cut across the lawn, heading for the porch.
Knock. Knock.
Rachel shot Chad a grin, more than a little excited to share the news with Leslie.
The front door was pulled open, and Leslie stood there gawking at her. “You do realize you’re supposed to be on a plane? Did you miss the flight?” she asked, getting right to the point.
There was no need for pleasant formalities between friends, and this was big news. The biggest. “Actually, I did. Miss it, that is. On purpose.” She took great pleasure in unfolding the news layer by layer.
“What? I can’t believe that. That’s not like you at all, Miss Efficient. What happened? And more importantly, when can you get another flight to Alaska? And how is it Chad’s with you?” she asked, darting a glance at her brother who’d stood off to the side, equally wanting to watch the scene unfold. Brother and sister, always looking to one-up each other. And this new development certainly fit the category.
Leslie had a lot to worry about, but Rachel wasn’t one of the worries, or shouldn’t be. It wouldn’t do to keep Leslie in suspense. “Slow down and let me tell you what happened.”
“Then hurry up, will you. You sound far too happy and easy-going about all this.”
Rachel laughed. “The thing is, I was on the plane. But as I was sitting there waiting for the doors to close, and I was saying my prayers. You know, the way I always do. And when I finished, everything changed. I had to get off the plane.” There was so much more to it, but over the phone, it was hard to explain the urgency and strong feeling guiding her decision. How did one explain taking a risk for a feeling?
“Oh, no. What did you do, Rachel Harrelson? Did you get arrested? Is that why Chad’s here? Did he bail you out of jail?”
“No, nothing like that.” Her friend had a vivid imagination. “I got off the plane voluntarily,” she said, putting Leslie at ease. It wouldn’t do to have her racing out the door to face down airport security, all for the sake of prolonging the good news.
“Why?” Leslie demanded.
Rachel grinned. “You have my permission to say I told you so because the answer to your question is simple. Chad.”
He stepped forward and reached for Rachel�
��s hand, a happy grin on his face.
Rachel waited for the information to sink in.
“As in Chad and you? Ummm, together?” she asked, glancing down at their interlocked hands. Leslie’s eyes grew wide, twinkling like lights on a Christmas tree.
“Yes. Together,” Chad said, pulling her close.
“You were right about how I felt toward him, and I decided I wasn’t going to run away without letting Chad know the truth,” Rachel explained. “But listen to this…the kicker is…it turns out your brother was getting on the plane. To Alaska.”
“So if you’re both going to Alaska, why are you still here? I’m having a hard time keeping up with you two, but I like what I’m seeing.” She grinned.
“We were going. I planned on traveling to Alaska with Rachel and working remotely at the community center. Staying here, for the time being, will help get the program on its feet faster,” Chad explained.
Rachel was still giddy when she thought of the moment she ran into him outside the gateway. It was a memory she would cherish forever. “I plan on helping at the community center while he gets it up and running with Andrea—his new manager,” Rachel said emphasizing the last word, knowing that once upon a time she’d thought otherwise and said as much to Leslie.
“Woohoo! I knew I was right. Told you so, girlfriend.” Leslie pulled her in for a hug, raising her casted arm in the air and out of the way.
This was the easy-going, laughing Leslie that she knew and loved. Maybe the news was the best medicine to helping her friend recover from the accident. Rachel grinned, more than willing to give Leslie credit for calling the relationship between her and Chad right. “Yes, you did.”
Leslie squealed. “We’re going to be real sisters. And I get to be the maid of honor. And we get to plan a wedding. Oh, such fun. Yay!”
“Not so fast. There aren’t any wedding bells, just an agreement to date. You need to slow down your expectations by at least a year or two,” Rachel joked, trying to rein her friend’s enthusiasm down a notch. She snuck a glance at Chad, hoping Leslie’s wedding bell enthusiasm wouldn’t send him running for the hills.
“A month or two tops,” Leslie insisted.
“That’s enough, Leslie. Quit pushing us. Rachel’s had enough of that to last a lifetime. We’ll take this as slow or as long as we need to. And right now, I’ve got plans to take my girlfriend on a romantic picnic if you’ll quit jabbering away about a wedding.” Chad chuckled. He leaned in and gave his sister a hug. “I’ll be in the truck waiting, Rachel, so don’t let her talk your ear off.”
“So that’s how you want to play it. Hmmpphh. We’ll see. As to a picnic, as long as Chad’s not doing the cooking, you’re safe,” Leslie teased, as they both watched him walk away.
“That’s exactly what I thought earlier. I learned that the hard way—from experience. But then again, who am I to talk? Neither one of us can cook.” Maybe there is a lot of dining out in the near future. The memory of the burned breakfast fiasco not one anyone, including each other, would forget anytime soon.
“Ohhh, that gives me a great wedding gift idea. A cookbook and cooking lessons for two. It would be perfect,” Leslie announced.
Leave it to her friend to jump to the finish line even after she’d been warned to stop. “Leslie, knock it off. No wedding plans are in the making. You’ve got to stop this nonsense. You know the old saying…walk before you run. That’s what we’ve agreed to do.”
“Sure thing, sis. I need to go research cooking lessons, and you need to go on a picnic. Later,” Leslie said, stepping back into the house and closing the door. Her friend was on a one-way track down the wedding aisle—for her brother and best friend, and it would seem there was no derailing the train. “Everything okay?” he asked tenderly, brushing a lock of hair back from her cheek.
“Let’s see, your sister has got us married in two-or-three months tops. Oh, and my mother, well she has you coming to Sunday dinner. And in case you didn’t know it, you’re the new paragon in town and her top pick for my boyfriend, soon to be husband.”
Chad laughed. “All sounds good to me,” he said, starting the truck and putting it into gear as if she’d told him nothing more than the weather.
“Quit teasing,” she said, punching him in the arm. She’d told him the truth more as a way to take the pressure off when the reality of the matchmaking efforts of his sister and her mom hit him hard. But it would seem it backfired…his answer sending her heart racing and her brain into overdrive. “So tell me what you have in mind for our date? We’ve got lots of time to kill on the drive up to the cabin.”
“I hadn’t gotten that far in the planning.” He grinned. “It was impromptu.”
“Well, okay then. We can plan it out to make the best use of our time and make sure we leave in time to get home. How about a walk in the woods? Or we could even try sledding again. That was so much fun. But then, it has recently occurred to me that everything I do with you seems better somehow.” It was also the reason she’d started to wonder if things were different between them than any other relationship she’d been in because, in the past, it never worked out this way. Someone always wanted to do something she didn’t, and she found reasons to do something different.
“Not worried about running into another bear?” Chad teased.
“Not with you around. My hero would save me every time.” He’d been doing it ever since they met, he just didn’t know it, and she hadn’t even realized it herself until recently.
“That I would,” he said, reaching over to cover her hand with his, their fingers intertwining.
They arrived at the cabin, the place freezing cold since Chad had closed the place intending to head to Alaska. His actions still had the power to leave her in awe. What woman wouldn’t be flattered? “Brrr,” she said, pulling her coat tight around her and jumping up and down to get her circulation going for warmth.
“Sorry, I should have remembered this part. I’ll have a fire started in no time,” Chad said, moving to the fireplace. He bent down to light the starter log he’d placed in between the larger logs.
“Good idea. I would have thought a rough and tumble former-military man would have started his own fire. You know…like a boy scout,” she teased.
“Except boy scouts grow into men and become a master scout leader. Any good leader recognizes the benefit of making a job easier and quicker, especially for someone he—cares about deeply.” A warm light reflected in his eyes as he gazed down at her.
The pause in his comment set Rachel’s heart in racing mode as she wondered what he’d been about to say, but for now, she’d let it slide. Cared deeply were strong words and a sentiment she, herself, echoed about him. “Touché. I’ll buy that.”
Within minutes, the logs had flames licking up, and soon they would put off heat. “I’ll grab a couple of blankets, and we can sit by the fire to eat. Hopefully, the heat pump is in auxiliary mode and gets us up to speed quicker.” Cooler temperatures were by design in restaurants that wanted you to eat and run, making way for more guests. Rachel didn’t want to speed up anything about this picnic scenario.
“Pricey wish, but for you, it’s all worth it,” he grinned, moving to the thermostat, and turning the dial higher.
They talked and laughed, the fireside picnic romantic and heartwarming. Heartwarming enough that Rachel didn’t mind the cold. As long as she was together with Chad, her life would always be rich and warm, at least she hoped it would. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, considering this was only their first date. But it was hard not to when one considered the history of their non-date time. A time of friendship with difficulties, and a time that led them to this point. The care-deeply point.
“Ready for that walk in the woods?” he asked, rising to his feet as he offered her his hand to help her up.
“I am. Maybe I’ll get some great photos. There’s always so much to see out here.”
“And I’ll let you lead so that maybe I get some great s
napshots of you. I’m hoping the snow dumps on your head, so I get a turn to laugh.” He chuckled, dropping a light kiss on her cheek. “Might even have to make it happen.”
Rachel shook her head. “You wouldn’t dare. Would you?”
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see just what I would or wouldn’t do. It’s half the fun,” Chad said, his warm smile leaving her without a doubt just precisely what he would do.
“Chad…”
“Come on,” he said, pulling her forward to where they laid all their jackets and stored their boots.
It’s not like she wouldn’t go, so she’d find out soon enough. It wasn’t long before they came to the edge of the woods, and Rachel stopped to take a picture of a fox they spotted through the bare trees. They both stayed quiet, appreciating the moment and snapping photos to capture the memory.
Snow fell from the branches above her head. “Oh, you brat.” She spun to look at Chad through the snow clinging to her eyelids and brushed at her face.
“What? Call it fate, if you will, but I had nothing to do with it. I promise.” He chuckled.
“Yeah, right.” Rachel leaned down to pick up a handful of snow. Payback time.
“Don’t you do it.” Another pile of snow fell from a branch and landed on his head, his expression becoming one of shock. “No way.” Chad brushed the snow off the top of his head and face.
“Fate. I believe you now.” She dropped the snow she held in her hand to prove her point.
“Good. Glad we’re on the same team,” Chad said, taking a step closer.
Rachel nodded. “I agree.”
Chad leaned in and kissed her lightly.
But there was nothing light about the sense of well-being and joy she felt. Peaceful. “I think we should move out from under the trees if we don’t want another dousing. With the weather warming up, we could get pummeled by the falling snow.”
“I don’t know. It seems as though it’s half the fun.” Chad pulled her into his arms, brushing more snow off her hat and out of her hair.
