Her Unlikely Family (18 page)

“You'd be in Charleston, though, right?”

“That's what I'm thinking.”

Gary looked sorely tempted. “Do you really think I could handle the everyday operations?”

“What have you been doing for the last week?”

“Well, I may have lost a major client.”

“That one's on me. It doesn't count. Over all, you did great.”

“I have really enjoyed it. Dad seems surprised at the fact that I've managed as well as I have.”

“I'm sorry he's never shown enough faith in you.”

“And I'm sorry he's put so much pressure on you your whole life. I wouldn't have traded places.”

“Until now.” Michael smiled. “So, what do you think?”

“I think I'm not that easily bribed into changing my mind.” He untucked his shirt and kicked off his shoes. “End it with Josie now, before you both get hurt. No woman is worth the damage this could cause your family and your career.”

E
arly the next morning, Josie plopped herself down on a tall stool near the grill.

“So what brings you here on your day off?” Bud asked.

“Oh, nothin'.”

“Uh-huh.” He scraped bits of fried egg off the sizzling surface.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Feeling on edge, are we?”

She looked at the old man who'd been more of a father to her than her own father had been. And more of a mother than her own mother, for that matter. “I met Mike's brother last night.”

“Meetin' the family so soon?” He set the spatula aside and wiped his hands on his apron.

“It's been nearly two weeks, thank you.”

“It's been eleven days.” He touched his finger to her forehead. “Have you lost your mind?”

“No. Only my heart.”

“Seems to me you've lost both.”

“The brother, Gary, hated me.”

Bud's expression hardened. “Why, that no good—”

“He has good reason. He's worried about Mike leaving the bank, causing family strife.”

“That makes it okay?” He walked around the counter and sat on the stool beside her. “I'm serious. I've been afraid that man would hurt you.”

“I imagine Mike and I are afraid of the same thing.”

“Of me taking out my shotgun?”

His overprotectiveness eased some of the tightness from her chest. She poked him in the arm. “No, silly. Of falling in love when our worlds don't fit together.”

“But your world—the one you've been ignoring—does fit with his if you want it to.”

“That's not the real me. I don't want the kind of life my parents had.”

“Then tell Mr. Throckmorton goodbye and get back to your own peaceful life.”

“Peaceful,
lonely
life.”

He slid off the stool and headed for the grill. “Plenty of fellas out there.”

“Just between you and me, there's no one out there who makes me so happy.”

“Happy like you are right now?”

She sighed loud enough for him to hear.

“Just be careful.”

“You know, Bud, I've tried to be. But now I'm wondering if I should trust that God brought us together and has plans for us.”

Bud stood and waved a hand at her. “You need to be realistic.”

“I'm about as realistic as they come.”

“Not where Throckmorton is concerned.”

“My whole life I've been in self-protect mode. That's all good and fine if there's no one I'm interested in. But that's changed now. There's a good man whose company I enjoy, and who appears, wonder of all wonders, to care for me. He laughs at my jokes and likes me for me. The real me. And even though I can't imagine how we could possibly have a future, I'm tempted to risk giving him a chance.”

“To risk getting hurt.”

“Isn't every relationship a risk?”

He harrumphed.

“I like to think this is a God-thing, and want to have faith.”

Bud sighed, then went back to his grill.

“If by some miracle he'll stay in Gatlinburg, we might have a chance to make this work. So I'm going out on a limb this time, Bud.”

“If you fall off, you know you have a shoulder to cry on here at the diner.”

Her tender heart bruised a little more. This man that she'd grown to love wouldn't be here for her forever. “Thank you. And—” She stood and hugged him. “I love you, you grouchy old man.”

He patted her on the back. “I love you, too, you opinionated, hardheaded gal.”

She laughed. “What would I do without you?”

With another dismissive wave of his hand, he slapped a sausage patty on the surface. “Oh, you can't get rid of someone as mean as me.”

“So I'll have you here to bother me forever?”

“Yep. Looks like it. You tell that man he'll have to go through me if he thinks he's gonna marry you.”

“We haven't come close to thinking about that.”

“Oh, he will. I've seen it in that whipped-puppy look he gives you.”

A little thrill caught in her belly, making it feel as if she were flying down Roller Coaster Road. Was Bud right? It wasn't like him to play around.

If only he were.

 

Josie sat on her bed studying the antique-looking portrait of Mike and her. She was struck by her expression of pure joy. She'd had a sense of completeness since she and Mike and Lisa had bonded. She'd found the family she had craved for so long. The family Bud had tried to give her the last couple of years.

The doorbell rang, and she rushed to the door and opened it.

“Hi.” Mike stood on her front porch wearing a troubled expression. A far cry from the one in the photo.

“Hi to you. Where's Lisa?”

“I left her at my house eating breakfast.”

“With Gary?”

“Yes.”

She knew why he'd come, then. And why he didn't look happy. “So you're going to Charleston?”

“Yes. I should be back late tomorrow.”

“How did she handle it?”

“Okay once she realized Gary would be staying.”

So now Josie didn't have the excuse of worrying about Lisa. She should just go ahead and cry
, Don't leave me!
the way her mind was screaming. “Have a safe trip, then.”

“So you're okay with my going?”

“Why wouldn't I be?” she snapped.

“All you have to do is say the word, and I'll stay.”

“I wouldn't dream of stopping you,” she said, way too waspishly. But, she wanted him to decide on his own.

Maybe she was being too scared. Then again, maybe he'd go home and forget about her. Forget what they'd had together.

Well, she would never know for sure if he didn't go.

“I know you and Gary had a rough start,” he said. “But I talked to him last night. I think he'll behave.”

She pressed her hand into his chest to stop him. “Do what you need to do. I'll deal with it.”

“I'm afraid you may have to deal with my parents, too. They're driving up to check on Lisa and should be here late this afternoon.”

“Well, that's just dandy. Bring 'em on. The whole Throckmorton clan.”

“Josie…”

Resignation blotted out the fear. It was time to either move forward or give up. Yet she couldn't bear to think about the latter. “No. I'm serious. I may as well have my trial by fire. If your family and I survive the meeting without killing each other, then maybe when you come back, we can try this you-and-me thing and see where it leads.”

He smiled his heartbreaking, knee-melting smile. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, well…” She shooed him away.

He stepped closer, reached out, brushed a curl back from her temple. Would he finally kiss her?

She was ready this time. She nearly cried with the realization of how badly she wanted him to.

“Josie, I—”

She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes, hoping…waiting….

“I've got to get on the road.”

She blew out a deep breath, the one she'd been holding. Disappointment made her want to wail. Instead, she said, “Go. I'll hold down the fort.”

“I promise I'll be back as soon as I possibly can. We'll talk then, about our future.”

Her heart turned over, sending her world into slow motion. Before she could manage to utter a word, he smiled, then ran to his car. With a jaunty wave, he backed out and drove away.

Toward Charleston. Toward his home. Toward his real life.

Would he change back to the man who'd driven into town a couple of weeks ago?

She could only wait. And pray.

 

Gritting her teeth, Josie picked up the phone and called Gary. She was proud at how civilly she spoke. She even invited him and Lisa to come have dinner with her. He very graciously accepted. Then very smoothly suggested he take them out to eat since his parents would be joining them.

“You're smooth, Gary. Very smooth.”

He chuckled, a lot like Mike. “How about we come over there at five o'clock when they're supposed to arrive?”

“Fine. I'll be here.”

Once she hung up, she looked at herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door. Pink hair. Grungy clothes. Her own mother wouldn't know her.

Did she have to look her worst for Mike's parents just to prove herself?

Lord, sometimes I don't know who I really am. I have this past that's so different from who I am now. Which is the real me? Since meeting Gary, I wonder.

Should I be ashamed of myself for even caring what he thinks?

If she humiliated herself in front of Mike's parents, it would only hurt him more.

Sure she might enjoy putting them in their place. She smiled just thinking about it. But if she had any chance of ever making a go of it with Mike, she couldn't just blatantly disrespect them.

Out of the blue, she recalled her dad pointing up the stairs, sending her to her room because she had embarrassed them if front of guests once again.

Well, she wouldn't embarrass anyone this time.

She would embrace her past. And she would start by phoning her parents.

 

Josie stared at the phone, willing it to dial itself. Willing it to make the phone call she was scared to make. She had apologized to her mother during the last call. But she hadn't really tried to talk, to work on forgiveness from both sides. Now she knew she had to if she was going to go on with her life and be a whole person.

She dialed the number, and this time her dad answered.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Josephine? Is that you?”

“Yes, it's me. I hope Mom told you I called the other day.”

“Well, yes, she did mention it.”

“How was your golf game?”

“Same old, same old,” he grumped in his gruff voice.

He was the same old, same old, too. Mr. Negative. “Dad, is Mom there? I'd like to talk to both of you.”

“Hang on.” He covered the mouthpiece. She heard a muffled, “Ruby Lee, pick up the phone. Josephine is on the line and wants to talk to us.”

The line clicked. “Hi, baby. I'm so glad you called back when I could talk.”

“Hi, Mom. Dad, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“I wanted to call and tell you both that I hope you will forgive me for all the trouble I caused as a teenager,” she blurted before she lost the nerve. No talking about the weather for Josie Miller. “It's just that I always felt like I was under so much pressure. I didn't handle it well.”

“I hope you can forgive us for our mistakes, too, Josephine.”

So her mom did understand. “Yes, I forgive you. You know, no matter what I said or did, I always loved you both.”

“I love you, too, honey,” her mom said.

Silence from her dad.

“Ben?” her mom prompted.

“We love you, too, Josephine.”

He couldn't say that he personally did, but it was a start. At least Josie had opened up communication. “Well, that's what I wanted to say. I guess I'll let you go.”

“Oh, don't go so quickly,” her mom said. “Tell us what you've been up to.”

“Well…” After so many years, she had no idea what to tell. “Like I mentioned the other day, I'm going to buy the diner where I work.”

“You're going to buy that greasy spoon, huh?” her dad asked.

It
was
a greasy spoon, but she didn't appreciate him saying so. It felt like a slight to Bud. “The owner, who's been very good to me, is retiring due to a back injury. I'm taking it over, buying it when I get the down payment saved.”

“Do you need some money?” her dad asked. To him, everything came down to dollar signs.

“No. I've got a nice little nest egg saved.”

“Well…” He cleared his throat. “If you need anything, you know the number.”

“Do you have a man in your life?” her mom tossed out there, having no idea that it was the sixty-million-dollar question.

“A man?” her dad asked in the same tone of voice he'd used to disparage his golf game. “Goodness, Ruby Lee. Don't interrogate the girl, or she won't call back.”