A Valentine's Wish (12 page)

S
aturday-morning business was at an all-time high. Lori didn’t even take time to break for lunch between the steady streams of customers. Apparently everyone in the city was celebrating the beautiful weekend with chocolate and coffee.

“Monny, what’s the status on that raspberry-swirl cake?” Lori called over her shoulder as he bustled through the kitchen door with a fresh supply of chocolate-dipped marshmallows. She counted change for a customer and smiled. “Have a nice day.”

Summer intercepted Monny and took the heavy silver tray from his hands. “Thank you,
mi cara
.” He brushed his hands together and started back toward the kitchen. “Cake will be ready in ten.”

He disappeared into the kitchen while Lori slid open the display case and Summer deposited the desserts inside. “Thanks.” She shut the case as Lori turned back to the register. “Today is crazy. I don’t think I’ve taken a breath yet.”

“Just wait until next week.” Lori closed the register drawer with a bang. “Valentine’s Day will be even worse. And with it falling on a Sunday this year, everyone will be shopping for treats the Friday and Saturday before.”

“Are we going to run another sale?” Summer leaned one hip against the counter and studied her chipped black nail polish.

“I’m not sure yet.” Lori swatted at Summer. “And hey, no touching the glass. I just cleaned that this morning.”

“Aye, aye, Boss.” Summer moved away from the display and glanced around the store. “Looks like we finally have a lull. What do you need me to do next?”

Lori fought to keep the shock from her expression. Summer, volunteering for more work? She really had changed over these last few weeks. Ever since Lori had confided in her about the blunder with Monny, Summer’s production at work had increased. It seemed like the girl had just been bored before—apparently, a new friend made all the difference. Summer seemed a far cry from the sullen, moody student who barely lifted a finger and routinely dressed all in black.

Lori studied Summer’s long-sleeve black top, dark denim jeans and black cropped jacket. Well, she was still wearing black, but not for long. She smiled. “You can wipe down those vacant tables over there. But first, I have a surprise. Sort of a gimmick to promote Valentine’s Day.”

“Oh, yeah? What?”

Lori hurried into the supply room off the kitchen and came back with a cardboard box. “Hand me those scissors over there, please.”

Summer passed over the blue-handled scissors, and Lori cut into the packing tape. “I ordered these last week. They just got here yesterday.” Yesterday Lori hadn’t been anywhere near the right frame of mind to do anything but make it through the afternoon, much less care about a delivery. She set the scissors on the counter and pulled open the box flaps. In retrospect, today shouldn’t be any better. Nothing had changed from the day before. But at least with the shop so busy, she could distract herself from thinking about Jason.

And Andy’s lack of response at Café Du Monde. He had puffed
up at Jason’s arrival, but after the revealing of her secret admirer, Andy deflated faster than a balloon at a child’s birthday party.

Lori’s stomach twisted, and before she could sink into a bad mood, she hurriedly lifted two aprons from the box. “Ta-da!” She held one at her waist to model for Summer. They turned out cuter than Lori had hoped, with the pink background and black trim.
The Chocolate Gator
was stitched across the front in a black cursive font. It was just the thing to draw attention and cheer up the place for the coming holiday.

Summer’s eyes widened in alarm. “Those are pink.”

“
And
black.” Lori tossed Summer’s apron to her. “Tie it on.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Can’t I just clean the bathrooms instead?” Summer held the apron as far away from her as she could, as if it might bite.

“You’ll be doing that later, too.” Lori laughed. “Come on, it’s not so bad.”

“Monny doesn’t have to wear one.” Summer pouted.

“Monny’s in the kitchen, isn’t usually seen by customers and actually gets his aprons dirty. These are for show.” Lori looped the ties around her waist and straightened the front. “See? Cute. You can wear it over your usual work clothes.”

“Great,” Summer grumbled. “Why not stick me in some high heels while you’re at it?” She tied her apron with quick, jerky movements and moved to stand in front of the display counter’s reflection. “Pink. I’m wearing pink.”

“Live a little. You might actually like it.” Lori playfully hipchecked her.

Summer stumbled to one side but continued to stare glumly at her image. “I doubt that.”

“It softens you up. Maybe you’ll catch yourself a man.” Lori stuffed the bubble wrap inside the box and folded the cardboard flaps back down. Several of the youth-group members’ older brothers had sure looked interested last Wednesday when they
came to pick up their siblings after the service. Summer, however, remained either oblivious or aloof to the fact.

“Why bother? You’ve got more than enough men for both of us.” The teasing light returned to Summer’s eyes. “Which one would you rather share?”

Lori paused, hands lingering on the package. “What are you talking about?”

“Jason. Andy. This secret admirer of yours…” Summer’s voice trailed off as she ticked the names on her fingers.

Lori shook her head. “Jason isn’t mine, and neither is Andy. And, as it turns out, my secret admirer
is
Jason.”

“Really?” Summer frowned. “You didn’t mention that little detail yesterday afternoon when you said you ran into your ex.”

“I wasn’t exactly in a detailed type of mood then.”

“I remember, trust me.” Summer rolled her eyes. “Well, hey, if wearing this apron makes you happy, I’ll do it. Anything is better than Ms. Grumpy from yesterday.”

“Thanks, I think.” Lori wrinkled her nose and handed Summer the delivery box. “Will you take this back to the supply room for me? We might be able to use it later.”

Summer obediently headed toward the supply room, shaking her apron-clad hips with exaggeration.

“Ha ha,” Lori called after her. She turned as the bell over the door rang. A uniformed deliveryman strolled inside, a small package clutched under one arm.

“Delivery for Ms. Perkins.” He set the box on the counter.

“That’s me.” Another delivery from her secret admirer? Lori’s heart rate spiked until she remembered Jason was the culprit. Her smile slowly faded.

“This was sent a few days ago. It fell behind the seat in my truck.” He adjusted his baseball cap. “Sorry about that. Sign here.”

“No problem—it happens.” Lori scrawled her name on the electronic signature pad. “Thanks.”

“Have a nice day.”

As the deliveryman walked back outside to his truck, she tore open the package and pulled out a small pink gift box tied with a red bow.

“Another gift?” Summer hurried across the shop and leaned her elbows against the counter despite Lori’s previous warning about the clean glass.

“This one was sent several days ago. The truck driver misplaced it.”

Summer tilted her head to one side. “I wonder why Jason mailed it this time instead of delivering it through the random people like before.”

Lori quirked an eyebrow. “Maybe because you yelled at an old lady and I got stuck in a window?” Which meant Jason must have been lurking nearby, watching the entire ordeal. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

“Oh, yeah.” Summer’s face darkened, and she cleared her throat. “Hurry up! Open it.”

Lori ripped into the paper and pulled out a stack of polkadotted stationery and sticky notes tied together with a straw ribbon. A plain note card nestled between the strings with a typed message.

A knot lumped in Lori’s throat at the sweet words. She tried to picture Jason pounding out this message at a typewriter or computer but couldn’t. It made sense, though—he definitely
had been victim of her pro/con lists over the years. He even used to tease Lori about them, to the point where she started making them in secret. Was this Jason’s way of apologizing for the past, of showing her he’d changed and wanted her forgiveness?

“What’s it say?” Summer craned her head, trying to read the small type.

Silently, Lori handed over the card.

“Wow, pretty good stuff.” Summer tossed the note card on the counter. “What a romantic.”

“I guess.” Lori fingered the edges of the card. Jason never had been romantic before. But then again, he always did know how to get what he wanted. Was this another ploy? Or a gift from his heart?

No one could answer such questions on an empty stomach. “I need chocolate.” Lori pulled open the glass case and claimed a chocolate crocodile from a lace doily. She bit off the gator’s head and pretended not to notice Summer snatching a piece from the display for herself.

The chocolate melted slowly in Lori’s mouth. But she could probably eat everything in the store and still not have enough clarity to solve this issue. She needed advice from someone who knew her as well as Jason, but wasn’t biased like Gracie. Someone who’d heard the entire story but remained a neutral party.

She needed Andy.

Andy’s cell phone lit inside the cup holder of the movietheater chair. He glanced at the number on the display screen, and his eyes widened. Lori’s number. He quickly pulled the cell free, grateful he remembered to put it on mute before taking some of his youth to see a new family-friendly comedy, and flipped it open. “Hold on just a second,” he said softly.

He leaned over the armrest and whispered to Jeremy, “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.” Then he stood and stumbled past the jeans-clad legs of his protesting youth group. He finally
cleared the aisle and hurried into the lobby of the theater. “Are you there?”

“Yes.” Lori’s soft voice made his stomach flip. “Where are you?”

“Today was movie day, remember? It was on the church calendar.” Andy dodged a young mother chasing after her two toddlers and headed toward the restrooms, where it was less chaotic. The scent of buttered popcorn wafted from the refreshment stand, and he wished Lori were here so he’d have an excuse to share a bag with her again.

“That’s right. I almost forgot.” Lori sighed, her breath whooshing through the phone. “I feel so out of touch with the youth lately, ever since taking on this new job.”

“I would imagine.” Andy ached to tell Lori exactly how much he missed her but bit back the words. It wasn’t his right—not until she figured out things with Jason. The very thought of that jerk’s name made Andy lose his appetite, and he turned his back to the refreshment stand.

“I didn’t realize you were at a movie. Go back in with the kids—we can talk later.”

Was it his imagination or did Lori sound disappointed? Andy fought the hope rising in his throat and tried to keep his voice nonchalant. “It’s no problem. This particular movie isn’t exactly a brainteaser. I can miss a few scenes. What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk about Jason.”

His hopes plummeted toward the gum stuck on the baseboard of the theater wall. So much for positive thinking. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “Oh?”

“I’m confused.” Lori blew out her breath in a huff. “He shows up out of nowhere, sending me these gifts—probably buttering me up before letting me know he’s back. I don’t know what to do.”

He’s lying to you.
Andy longed to scream the words into the phone but pressed his lips together instead. It wasn’t his place.
At this point, putting himself into the equation would only add to Lori’s stress and confusion. Until she worked out her feelings about Jason, Andy had to stay out of it.

Even if that did mean spending Valentine’s Day alone with a TV dinner, wondering how much longer he’d have a job.

“Andy? Are you there?” Lori’s voice jerked him away from his dark thoughts and back to his equally dark reality.

“I’m here.” He forced a smile, hoping it would show in his voice.

“Another gift came today.”

“It did?” Andy paused, hoping he hadn’t sounded too shocked. He hadn’t sent any gifts in days. Did Jason decide to suddenly start sending his own presents in order to give merit to his lie?

“Yeah, the delivery driver almost lost the package. It was dated several days ago. Stationery with my initials printed on the front, and a really sweet note.” Lori’s voice softened. “It was very romantic. You should read it.”

No need. Andy had every word memorized. He had, after all, labored over what to write for at least half an hour. He balled his fist and pounded the carpeted theater wall soundlessly with one hand. “I’ll have to do that.”

“It sounded nothing like Jason. Maybe he really has changed. He never was the romantic type.”

Or the loyal type, from what Lori had told him before. Andy slowly leaned forward and rested his forehead against the poster of an upcoming movie, not sure how much longer he could stand this conversation. “Mmm-hmm.”

“I’m sorry to keep you from the movie. I just wanted your opinion.” Lori suddenly sounded lost, and her confusion nearly broke Andy’s heart. “You know about my past with Jason, and you’re my best friend. What should I do?”

Dump him. Marry me.
Andy briefly closed his eyes, afraid to open his mouth lest the words jump out on their own accord.

“Andy?”

“I’d say pray about it.” He winced at the trite-sounding answer, but the meaning was sincere. “Definitely pray about it before making any big decisions.”

At this point, only God could clear up the mess Andy had made.

L
ori stood, arms crossed against the unseasonably cold wind, staring blindly down the bustling French Quarter street. Pray about it? That’s all her youth-minister-best-friend could say? It’s not like she hadn’t already prayed about it, and she knew prayer should be a first resort, not the last—but surely Andy could have contributed something else. Something logical, practical. Something with feeling.

Something like
Forget about Jason and fall in love with me
.

The wind tickled the hair at Lori’s neck, and she flipped up the collar of her red plaid coat. Andy wasn’t interested in her that way; he’d made that clearer than the glass on the display counter in the shop. If he had ever thought of her as more than a best friend, he wouldn’t have dismissed her plea for help so callously. So why did her thoughts keep going there? It appeared, for whatever reason, that Jason was suddenly wedging his way back into her life—while Andy seemed to be trying to wiggle out.

With a frustrated sigh, Lori dropped her cell in her coat pocket and turned toward the shop. The sound of her name being shouted against the wind made her turn at the door.

“Lori.” Jason jogged down the sidewalk, his cheeks bright
red in the cold winter air. He looked the same as always—wirerim glasses, simple but classy black jacket, designer dress slacks even on a Saturday. He appeared wealthy, sophisticated, intelligent. One would never look at him and imagine he’d cheat on his fiancée months before their wedding.

The memory steeled Lori’s spine, and she kept one hand on the chilly door handle. Inside, Summer looked up from wiping down a table and made a surprised
O
with her mouth as her eyes caught Lori’s. She straightened slowly, rag in hand, and gestured outside with raised eyebrows. Lori shook her head. No, she didn’t need backup. She could handle Jason on her own.

After Andy’s brush-off, apparently she was going to have to.

She struggled to keep her expression neutral, trying to remember Jason had changed, had sent those romantic gifts that just days ago had given her a new hope for the future. She wouldn’t tell him off just yet. A relationship was out of the question, but forgiving him might not be, if he proved himself. Jaw clenched, she forced a smile. “What do you want?”

His easy grin didn’t falter. “I wanted to see you. We didn’t get to talk very long at Café Du Monde.” He paused. “Were you on a date?”

“With Andy? No, he’s just a friend.”
Thanks for rubbing it in.
Lori welcomed the distraction of a streetcar driving past, grateful she had somewhere to look for a moment other than into Jason’s intense gaze.

“Good to hear.” His stance relaxed, and he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “I’d hate to think I came all this way for nothing.”

Lori’s heart jerked. “What are you talking about?”

“I told you I came to see you.”

His saying so didn’t make it true. Then again, there were the gifts…. Lori released her breath in a slow sigh. “Thanks for the presents. They were thoughtful.”

A quick shadow flashed across Jason’s face, then was gone
so fast Lori wondered if it had really happened. “Anytime. I knew you’d like them.” He cleared his throat. “Listen, I was wondering if you’d accompany me to dinner. We obviously need to talk.”

Lori hedged. Gifts or not, could she sit across a table from the man who broke her heart and destroyed her self-esteem with one really bad, really embarrassing choice? She’d been the talk of their church for weeks, the victim of pitying looks and awkward pats on the back. She shuddered at the recollection.

“I want to apologize. Officially.”

Lori evaluated his gaze, searching for sincerity or a secret motive. What would be so bad about an apology dinner? She deserved at least that much from Jason after the way he’d treated her. She could order something expensive and chocolaty, accept his apology and put this secret-admirer stuff behind her once and for all. She could move on and put her full focus on the Chocolate Gator. Maybe she’d even write up a business proposal and apply for that loan she’d mentioned to Summer.

A crowd of tourists in family-reunion T-shirts suddenly pushed past them on the sidewalk, jostling Lori’s purse and her thoughts. She had to make a decision now. No time for a pro/con list. She stepped out of the way to let the rest of the crowd pass and met Jason’s eyes briefly. “Sure. Just tell me when and where.”

One dinner to make him go away. What could it hurt?

Lori doubted her decision the second she left the Chocolate Gator and headed toward Decatur Street. The uncertainty didn’t stop even as she stepped through the rust-colored doors of Café Maspero and breathed in the smell of fresh bread, browned meat and olives. Her stomach grumbled, but she didn’t think it was from hunger—most likely it was from seeing Jason raise his hand and gesture to her from a table in the back.

She took a fortifying breath and wove through the maze of
wooden tables, under the bricked archway and past a sea of redupholstered chairs. She must be crazy for agreeing to meet Jason for dinner. Her justification of ordering an expensive meal couldn’t even be carried out here, since Café Maspero was known for their great prices and huge portions.

Lori paused at the table across from Jason and didn’t return his smile. “I changed my mind.”

His welcoming grin faded, and he slowly stood. “Lori, please. Just hear me out. You’re already here, and I know you must be hungry from working all day. Sit.” He sank back onto his chair and raised his eyebrows. “Please?”

Those muffalettas
did
smell good. Lori dropped her purse on the floor by her chair and sat. “Fine. But make it fast.”

He handed her a menu. “This place is amazing. I’ve already been twice since arriving in the city. No wonder you love New Orleans so much. Did you know this restaurant site used to be a slave exchange?
And
the same place where Andrew Jackson plotted the New Orleans battle?”

Lori fought the urge to roll her eyes. Someone had obviously been hitting up the local guided tours. She snatched the menu from Jason’s hands, then frowned. “Wait a minute. How long have you been in town?”

“The day before I found you at Café Du Monde. So, three days now.”

Lori pretended to scan the limited menu, but her mind raced. If Jason had only been in town a few days, how had he sent the gifts these last two weeks?

“Are we ready to order?” A waitress hovered over their table with a notepad and pen.

Lori ordered a half muffaletta and water with lemon, and impatiently tapped her nails on the table as Jason requested the jambalaya and a Coke. The moment the waitress turned to leave, Lori leaned forward in accusation. “How did you know where I worked? Or that I was even still in New Orleans?”

Jason reached for her hand, but Lori moved it away. His expression turned to one of exasperation. “Lori, you grew up here. You always loved being a New Orleans native. I knew you weren’t going anywhere.”

She pulled in her lower lip, hating that he was right and still knew her that well. “I thought you moved back to Dallas after you…after we…” She couldn’t even make herself say the words
cheated
or
broke up
.

“I’ve been back in Dallas for a few years, working for my father’s consulting business.” He made room for the waitress placing their drinks on the table, then turned his attention back to Lori. “I knew you’d still be in the city, so I did some sightseeing and asking around. I’d just found out from a girl at the aquarium that you were working temporarily at the Chocolate Gator when I ran into you at Café Du Monde.”

Stupid old coworkers. Lori exhaled with a huff. She should have never called to update her friends in the gift shop and lobby about her new job. But then again, how was she supposed to know her ex-fiancé would track her down all the way from Texas?

Jason reached for her hand again. “It was fate.”

Or a really, really bad cosmic joke.

“How did you end up working at the Chocolate Gator, anyway?”

Lori quickly picked up her water glass and took a sip, both to avoid his touch and to stall as she processed the dozens of questions threatening to pour from her mouth. So now she knew how Jason had found her in New Orleans—but what about Amy, the woman he’d left Lori for? Obviously they’d broken up if he’d hunted Lori down a full state away. But why now, after all these years? And what about the gifts?

“Lori?”

She blinked, struggling to focus on Jason’s recent inquiry instead of her own. “What’d you ask? Oh, yeah—my friend’s
aunt owns the store. She needed a temporary fill-in while she visited family.”

“I see. And you’re enjoying it?”

Lori shrugged. “So far, but it’s not my place. I’d love to open my own shoe or accessory store one day.”

“You’d be amazing at that. You always had a head for business.” Jason smiled.

“Apparently not.” Lori snorted, thinking of all the disasters that had occurred so far at the Chocolate Gator. She didn’t really seem to have a knack for anything anymore—except spending money she didn’t have and picking out fantastic shoes.

“What do you mean, apparently not?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Lori crossed her arms over her chest, hating that she’d spilled so many of her personal dreams right there on the table to her ex. She narrowed her eyes. “How is it possible you sent the gifts if you’ve only been in New Orleans a few days? You just said you didn’t even know where I worked until you got here.”

Jason took a long sip of Coke and stirred the ice in his glass with his straw. “Doesn’t it take the romance out of it if I explain every little detail?” He winked.

“No.” She crossed her arms. “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”

Jason sighed. “Yes, you caught me. I’m lying.”

Lori’s eyes widened. If he was lying, then who was her real secret admirer? Her hopes soared. This meant he was still out there somewhere, still penning his love, still planning romantic—

“I used my father’s private investigator to find you weeks ago.”

Lori’s excitement collided with harsh reality. She fiddled with her straw, torn between wanting her admirer to be someone else—namely, Andy—and the hope that maybe Jason really had changed and was trying to prove it to her. But lying wasn’t going to help. God, why can’t my admirer be Mr. Right, instead of Mr. Almost-But-Never-Was?

Jason seemed to read her mind. “I’m sorry I lied. I just
didn’t want to freak you out about the private-investigator thing. I don’t want to scare you away.”

Cheating on her months before their wedding had scared her away—not taking advantage of his father’s flamboyant wealth by hiring someone to find her. Thankfully, the food arrived before Lori had a chance to respond, and she bit into her muffie with relief.

“Am I coming on too strong?” Jason wiped his mouth with his napkin and peered at her over the edge of his glasses in that familiar way he’d always done. “I just want you to know how sorry I am for the past. I’m trying to make it up to you.”

Lori set her sandwich on her plate. “Look, I appreciate dinner and the apology, but I have a new life now. I’m happy.”
Liar,
her conscience screamed. Well, she was trying to be happy, at least. Despite the fact she had no long-term career, no decent dating potentials and had gained four pounds the last time she’d stepped on the scale, thanks to her new easy access to chocolate crocodiles. “I don’t understand why you’re here.”

“I thought it was obvious.” Jason tilted his head to one side.

“You might want to spell it out for me.” She refused to make it easy on him.

Jason removed his glasses and took her hand across the table. “I broke up with Amy not long after you and I split up. It was a mistake. I should have never treated you that way.”

“No kidding.” The mention of the other woman’s name made Lori’s fingers curl and her mind race. The memories. The lies. The broken dates. The late-night excuses as to why he never answered his phone. Lori abruptly tugged her hand free and grabbed her purse. “I knew I shouldn’t have come.” She fought a round of tears as she dug blindly for her wallet. Why had she let these long-buried emotions resurface? Jason had been as good as dead to her these last several years, and now he’d sprung back to the topsoil like a bad weed. If he wanted her forgiveness, he was going to have to try harder than that.

Jason shoved his full bowl away from him on the table and leaned forward in earnest. “The other day I was sitting in my high-rise office, surrounded by a ton of expensive, material things and I realized I didn’t care about any of it. I miss you. What do I have to do to prove that to you?”

Lori wrestled a few bills free of her wallet and dropped the cash on the table as she stood. “You’ll have to do a lot more than this.” Then she turned on her heel and strode out the front door.