by Jillian Hart
"Okay, I wouldn't, as long as you smile at me with that sparkle of yours, that's good enough for me." He liked that they were both smiling. "I'm glad I could help you with that. It was the least I could do, to make things right for you."
"Honestly, you have done that. There aren't words enough to thank you."
"Good. Well, that's what I needed to know. That you're okay now. Okay. Work calls, so I ought to be going. If I come back by to purchase one of your cakes, will you promise not to lock the door when you spot me and flip the open sign over to closed?"
"Ooh, that's a tempting thought, and I make no promises. You'll just have to do it and see."
"I just might." He touched the brim of his hat respectfully, but that dashing grin of his put a flutter into her heartbeat as he turned around and yanked the door open. "You take good care, Miss Shepherd. I hope you don't run away, taking off for parts unknown, when you see me again."
"We'll just have to wait and see what I decide." She smiled back at him, feeling as bright as a summer sun filling up the sky. He moseyed outside, closed the door behind him and ambled away with his easy-going, wide-shouldered swagger. She suspected there would be no reason she would actually see him again. Other than him ordering a cake, why would their paths ever cross?
But to her it felt like they would.
The back of her neck tingled. She glanced over her shoulder, the gift on the table beside her and the letter he'd given her still held in both hands. Her sisters gawked at her, including a customer standing outside the big window on the boardwalk.
Shoes tapped across the polished floor to stop near the window. Stella sighed. "What are you staring at, I wonder?"
"Gee, I wonder, too," Mindy's voice went up two notes with the music of what sounded like delight. Or suspicion.
Jada folded up the parchment and attempted to tuck away her personal feelings toward a certain dashing man. "Who me? I was just staring off into thin air so glad our landlady changed her mind."
"Yes, we overheard, thanks to Frisco Hayden." Stella swished over in a lovely blue gingham dress. "Jada, don't you see it was more than that? He could have simply had Miss Pratt come by with the letter herself or have it sent over. But he came to deliver it to let you know. He did that for you. He got that family to change their minds and let us stay! And without a fee!"
"He's a hero to me," Mindy added, snatching the paper up and unfolding it. "I can't believe this. Can't you see what he did for you?"
"He was just simply doing the right thing, since it was his sons' doing in the first place," Jada said, blushing, "but it was terribly decent of him. That, and a whole lot more."
"Good, because he looked to me like he wanted to like you." Stella waggled her eyebrows. "You know, like."
"And not just any kind of like," Mindy pointed out. "Frisco Hayden is not the kind of loser a girl throws back into the pond."
"Yes, I'm quite aware the man was terribly kind to me, but that was all. He was terribly kind to us all," she insisted.
"Technically it was all you. He had only had eyes for you, prettiest sister of mine," Stella pointed out lovingly.
"Yes, the prettiest sister," Mindy agreed, setting the paper back on the cushion. "Now that he did this and brought you a gift, maybe you'll have to admit you like him."
"If I do, and I'm not saying I do, then that's not the reason why. But this is thoughtful of him. What a good man he is." She laughed as she said it, right along with her sisters. "Why do you two have marriage in mind? I'll only go as far as admitting he's not as dislikable as he used to be, but there is no possible way I will ever admit to feeling one bit more for the man. I don't like him."
"You're smiling, which means you do." Stella rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. "Do you think it’s possible you could just do us a favor and admit it?"
"What? No, that's going a bit too far. I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment. Then I'll be forever hearing how you think I like him, and if he looks my way then you'll have to read something into that. No, it's best to say I can barely tolerate him and that way I won't be hurt when disappointment hits." The truth was a painful thing. "I do not think the man is interested in me that way."
"Although you wish it, and we wish it for you." Stella bit back a smile. "It's very practical of you, because he is rather fine, isn't he?"
"I didn't notice," she teased. Because of course she noticed.
"She's just too tender after Roland broke her heart and decided not to keep her as a wife, our poor sweet Jada." Stella sidled over to the little round oak end table where the gift sat. "Aren't you going to open this and see what he got you?"
"Me?" She felt her heart ache. "I'm not curious at all, I'm nothing of the sort."
That made her sister's smile widen! Jada shook her head, wishing, oh how she was wishing, that they could have a change of topic. No more discussing the man, thinking of the man, praising the man! And oh, he really did save her the attorney fee because she would have had to hire him to look over the contract and argue with the Pratt woman until he was blue in the face. Frisco Hayden had saved her that unnecessary step.
Oops, there she went, smiling over that handsome man once again.
"Well, I am curious!" Mindy sidled up to Stella, bumped her in the arm comically, to move her over just enough so that she could grab the package. "Huh, it's pretty light. What do you think is inside it? It weighs next to nothing!"
"I know what you're trying to do." Her face burned. She pulled out a chair and stepped on it, curtain rod in hand. "You're trying to peak my curiosity."
"Whether your curiosity is peaked or not, why, that's none of my business. But mine is." Stella reached over and gave the red ribbon tying up the very small box a tug. The bow loosened, the ribbon tumbled aside and left the box lid bare and unprotected. "Can we open it?"
"Go ahead. I'm not dying to. You go ahead. You seem to be the one interested." She shrugged one shoulder as if she really weren't impressed at all by his thoughtfulness (boy, was she!), and watched through her downturned lashes as Mindy lifted the box lid.
"Oh, I'm breathless, this is unexpected," Mindy breathed in. "Definitely unexpected."
"But definitely nice." Stella nodded, her lustrous curls bobbing around her highly impressed smile.
"See?" Mindy tipped the box toward Jada, who was unable to move. The lamplight caught on a facet of the ruby, heart-shaped, resting in the center of soft black velvet.
Jada's eyebrows shot upward, she leaned forward and nearly tumbled off the edge of the sofa cushion.
"I'm absolutely convinced now." Stella sparkled with certainty. "Frisco is sweet on Jada. I think he's serious."
"How can he be? He doesn't even know me," she bantered right back but she was losing the battle, she could see it in her sisters' eyes as they glimmered with held-back laughter and delight. Delight!
Why, she did not know what to do about sisters who loved her that much and who wanted only the very best for her. Definitely, Frisco Hayden would do. Before she could figure out a witty response intended to stop the discussion in its tracks, the shop's front door swung open to reveal a snowy figure. Boy, when had it started snowing so hard? It was really pummeling down. Was their business done for the day? Why, they'd only had one customer! Well, now two.
Elderly Mrs. Sprouts' young granddaughter, just eighteen, untied her hood and gave it a push back to reveal her sweet smiling face. Snow tumbled to the floor at her feet. "Whoops, I didn't mean to bring all this in with me. No one was expecting this winter weather!"
"Welcome to our shop again, Ellen. It's coming down like crazy out there." Jada pushed off the cushions, rising to her full height, and it was at that moment, while gazing down at the small box her sister held and seeing Frisco's gift of thanks to her, she felt, why, elegant. Not too old and spinster-y, after all.
"Do you think it will turn into a blizzard?" Stella swished over to gesture their customer to the wood stove. "The wind's really kicked up, why, it's almost a whit
eout out, and just that fast."
Jada quietly took the little box from her sister and lifted the beautiful jewelry out of its soft velvet nest. "It's coming down so fast, I can barely see into the street. Is that your husband out there at the hitching post?"
"Yes. My handsome Rufus drove me here, and look at him, he's comforting the team." Joy made Ellen even more lovely, so relaxed and happy and newly married just three months. She looked quite happy, so it was easy to be happy for her. "With a storm like this, we might not have a chance to get much more shopping done. I hate to rush in and out and not visit, but I need some bread, dinner rolls and a chocolate cake."
"Then let's get this wrapped up nice and quick for you." Jada crossed the small shop to the counter, looking down as she went to pin the beautiful heart-shaped ruby onto her dress collar. "This is definitely not the May weather we expected yesterday."
"True, I sure hope you will be heading home after this." Stella sauntered over to the counter and poured a cup of tea from the china pot.
"That's our idea. I've got this last errand and then we're homeward bound. I'm thankful we don't have too far to go. Just a few blocks from here. Not many people were out anyway. Just the sheriff and some of his posse, making sure everyone was heading home while the getting was good." Ellen accepted the steaming cup. Snowflakes clung to her dark honey-brown hair, glinting in the lamplight. "This hits the spot. Say, that's a beautiful pin, Jada. Is it new?"
"Something like that." Jada boxed the chocolate cake and tied both boxes together, making an easy-to-carry bundle. She kept right on talking so her sisters couldn't get a word in edgewise and comment about the handsome gift-giver and reveal his identity. "Is there anything else you want? I've got the freshest and the best all wrapped up for you."
"You are just that good, all of you." Ellen took a sip and sighed. "That hit the spot, thank you, Stella. And Jada, please put this on our account. I'd best get going before my husband freezes into an icicle out there. What is he doing?"
They all turned toward the window, squinting through the hard white tumble of snowflakes. "It looks like he isn't alone. Someone's talking to your husband, Ellen."
Her heart kicked hard at the sight of that snow-covered hat, those familiar, reliable rock-hard shoulders and nearly covered with snow.
7
The poor man, Jada thought. He must be probably mostly frozen through. As she slid the packages across the counter to Ellen, her gaze strayed to the window and lingered there. The big, angry snowflake pelted down, sticking to the window glass, making the world outside white and accumulating on the boardwalk. He was almost impossible to see now, just a hint of black, a rock-hard curve of a shoulder, a shadowed moment, and then nothing at all.
"You be safe and get home before this gets any worse." Jada shook her head, scattering her thoughts, and yanked her attention away from the window. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No, this is perfect, and I'm going to be happy at supper tonight. Thanks, you wonderful ladies, and don't go out in this if you don't have to. Stay in, keep safe and warm. I'll see you in a few days!"
"Goodbye, and thanks for coming in." Jada watched the door whip open, their cheerful and well-married customer slip into the white pummel of snow, and with the click of the door, disappeared into it, leaving them alone in the silence.
It was really hard to compare to all the happiness she'd left in her wake. A woman, well-loved and well married, was the best kind of great happiness she knew of. Not that she was aspiring to that, but her fingertips strayed to her collar where the heart-shaped ruby set between pearls and diamonds made her heart twist hard with a new and vulnerable kind of hope.
Through the thick white pummeling haze, the man straightened. He turned towards her, his gaze shot right past everyone else on the boardwalk, into the store and arrowed straight at her. She felt the impact like a flutter to her heart. His gaze didn't flicker as he stalked closer, giving a brief, inattentive wave to Ellen's husband at the hitching post as he gave her a one-sided grin.
Which may be why he didn't veer to his right and walked straight into a support post, it struck him in the shoulder and he bounced off it and hit the window. His hand splayed to the glass and the frame rattled. His boots slid out from beneath him and he swam backwards, arms flailing and, with a stumble, regained his balance.
The door handle was in her hand before she'd decided to reach for it, tugging open the door before she released she wasn't wearing a coat. The frigid air cut her to the bone and her teeth chattered. "Hey, Frisco! A-a-are you all right?"
"My dignity may never recover but that's what I get. I should have watched where I was going." The handsome man was blushing, his eyes bright with self-deprecating humor, which only served to make him more attractive. "I didn't see that post there."
"Clearly. How's your shoulder?"
"A little sore. I bet that leaves a mark."
"Likely a bruise."
"I've got nobody to blame but myself."
"And the b-b-blizzard."
Cute. Frisco squared his shoulders, drew himself up to his full height and attempted to gather what was left of his dignity, but he doubted that could be fixed. Jada Shepherd, lightly flocked with snow falling all over her, was laughing. At him. Soft, sweet peals of mirth that warmed the air and made his heart beat as if it were in danger of coming back to life.
She shivered, trembling hard in the arctic air, making her blue skirts swirl around her slim legs in just the most attractive and pretty way. Not that he was trying to notice her beauty intentionally and all of her brightness. Just an accidental sort of noticing, and now he couldn't stop. He blinked, but his eyes refused to move away.
So, he lifted his chin, he kept the grin on his face from growing. No sense showing his true feelings to the lady. "What are you doing? You're starting to freeze right before my eyes. You're turning into an icicle."
"Hey, that's what I always s-say. You have a good sense of humor." Jada arched a slender eyebrow at him, as charming as could be, and the corners of her mouth quirked up into a blossom of a smile. "I'm glad you're okay, although you look n-nearly frozen solid, even after taking a hit from the post like that. Do you want to c-come in for a cup of coffee or are you on your way s-somewhere?"
"No, I'm officially off volunteer work, so I should just be going so I can recover from, er, post abuse. Who knew it was so violent? It could have been worse, though." The humiliation and humor that went with it just grew and grew. "I could have hit my head and knocked myself out. Slipped on the snow and went down and landed on my backside. At least this way I'm still standing."
"I wouldn't call that impressive." Her grin grew wider and as did her laughter become grander. "You look worse for the wear."
"I've had a long day."
"Clearly, or you would have noticed the post before you walked into it." Oh, the poor man. He was snow-covered from his hatted head to his booted toe, and he made a Frisco-shaped imprint on the snowy background. The brim of his hat was bent on one side (it had survived the collision with the wooden support just fine, aside from a little damage) and it sat dipped lower on one side, hiding her view of half of his chiseled face. The square, angled line of his jaw softened as he smiled more broadly. Dimples dug into his lean cheeks.
"It wasn't my most shining moment, I have to admit, and now that post is my enemy. I'll be keeping my eye out for him, mark my words."
Mirth sparkled in her blue-as-dreams eyes. "Are you coming in? Or going home? It's really coming down out here."
"I'm supposed to be on my way home."
"Well, your feet aren't moving. Are you frozen in place?"
"No, but I've come close before." What he needed was a jaunty, witty response, something debonair to impress her with. Never gonna happen, buddy, he told himself. Look at the unimpressed arch of her eyebrow and eye roll she'd just given him. Likely she looked out at him and saw just another man who couldn't measure up to her quality standards.
More's the pity, he thought, because he was determined to keep trying. But it didn't seem likely that he was ever going to succeed. "Hey, you're wearing my pin, the one I gave you."
"Yes. I love it. Thank you. I would have remembered to thank you right off." Jada smiled at him sweetly. "But you distracted me with your near disaster here, and I'm glad you aren't hurt. That's what matters, and yes, I love the pin. Thank you very much, thoughtful and kind man."
"You're very welcome, I'm glad you like it. Are you trying not to laugh at me?"
"Oh, no, not me." Little flecks of sapphire sparkled in her vivid blue eyes. He loved those sparkles immensely.
Probably far too much.
"Mr. Hayden, don't listen to Jada. You must come in and warm yourself before you head for home." Stella looked over the lean dainty line of Jada's shoulder and nodded at him, ready to help him out.
He knew an ally when he spotted one. Eagerly, he let his grin broaden and turn into his best flash of a smile. Maybe, even, he looked a little dashing. Why, a man could always hope.
"Why, we insist on it." The youngest sister looked at him over Jada's other shoulder, full of that gleeful expectation that wondered if he had marriage on his mind. Oh, he knew that look. It usually sent him running. But Mindy gave him a nod of approval. "We won't take no for an answer. You had better come in and recover from that incident with the post."
"Yes, I saw it rear up and hit you with my own eyes." Jada took a step back, swiped some of the snow off her bangs where they had caught, flocking her as if with a sparkle of a tiara, and his heart caught.
Boy, that women could hook him, and hook his hard. He couldn’t break the effect of her spell on his heart and his boots carried him forward before he'd even made the decision to move. If only Jada wasn't watching him with a narrowed gaze, as if she were sizing him up and finding him wanting. He'd better figure out a way to win favor with her, or he'd be out of luck.
