Hometown Proposal (2 page)

Clinging to Seth, Olivia laid her head on his shoulder. “She likes almost anything. You don't have to worry about her.”

Straightening, Olivia looked at Barbara. “I a big girl and feed myself.”

Olivia's pronouncement brought a smile to Barbara's face. “That's good to hear. I rounded up some small utensils for her to use earlier. Let me see if I can remember where I put them.”

As Barbara turned and began searching in a nearby drawer, Juliane came around the kitchen's center island to shake his hand. With her chin-length light brown hair and caramel-colored eyes, she looked almost the same as the last time they'd met. The sisters' coloring was much the same, but Elise was tall and willowy while Juliane was at least a head shorter—petite like their mother. “Seth, good to see you again. Welcome to Kellerville. We're all so excited that you've taken the job.”

“Thanks.” Seth wondered whether
all
included Elise. He guessed from her expression that it didn't.

Although warmth radiated from the rich oak cabinets, granite countertops and homey oak furnishings in the room, there was no warmth in Elise's gaze. “Hello, Seth. How have you been?”

“I've been good—busy, but good.” He couldn't help noticing that she was the only one who hadn't offered to shake his hand.

“I'm happy for you.”

Seth tried to measure the sincerity of her words. Was she really glad, or was she being polite in front of her family? He doubted that her parents, or at least her dad, knew the whole story about the end of their relationship. If her parents knew, he probably wouldn't have gotten the job, much less this dinner invitation.

Olivia squirmed as Seth held her. “Down, please.”

“Okay, here you go.” Glad for Olivia's polite request, he gently deposited her on the hardwood floor, which matched the kitchen cabinets. When he glanced up, Elise was watching him. She immediately averted her eyes, as if she were embarrassed to have been caught staring at him. Wondering what she was thinking, he could hardly wait for the chance to talk with her alone. He didn't have a clue when that might happen. He had to get through this evening first.

On the other side of the kitchen, Elise looked down at her brown clogs. Seth had caught her staring. How was it possible that he had the little girl he'd refused to acknowledge eighteen months ago? She wanted to ask, but tonight's dinner wasn't the time for such a conversation, and she intended to see to it that they wouldn't meet again. Somehow she would get through this night. Then, hopefully, she wouldn't have to see Seth for any length of time. She'd just have to live without answers.

Elise shifted her gaze to the child. The sad, stricken face of the little girl's mother swam in Elise's mind as she looked at Olivia. She had her mother's big, dark brown eyes—the color of black coffee. Looking at the child made Elise relive that day in Key West—the day Seth had shown his true colors as he turned Olivia and her mother away. Elise tried to block the scene from her memory as a lump rose in her throat.

Turning from the drawer where she'd been rummaging, Barbara held up a small spoon and fork in triumph. “I found the things for Olivia. Just her size.”

“Looks perfect.” Ray held out a hand to Olivia. “Should we put them on the table by your plate?”

Barbara laughed as Olivia nodded and willingly followed Ray into the dining room. “Seth, I think Olivia has stolen my husband's heart. He's dying to be a grandparent like his brothers and sisters.”

Juliane chuckled. “I think that's the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Okay, you've got me there.” Barbara glanced at Seth. “Seth, maybe you can let us borrow Olivia.”

Seth smiled. “Does this mean you're offering to babysit? I'm going to miss having my mother around.”

Barbara clasped her hands. “That's an excellent idea.”

“I was kidding. I wouldn't want to impose.”

“No imposition.” Barbara looked at Ray, who had just returned to the kitchen with Olivia still clinging to his hand. “Ray and I would love to watch Olivia, wouldn't we?”

“I think that would be great!” Ray voice boomed through the kitchen.

Seth smiled as he glanced from Ray to Olivia. “Looks like you've got a new friend.”

“Mr. Kewwa is nice.” A little smile curved Olivia's mouth.

Being careful to keep a straight face, Elise smiled inwardly at Olivia's assessment. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all. Still, every time she looked at the child, she couldn't help remembering how badly Seth had behaved. What had changed? The question continued to haunt her.

Barbara retrieved a couple of dishes from the refrigerator and set them on the counter. “Ray and Juliane, please take these into the dining room and get everyone settled. Elise and I'll bring in the rest.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Seth asked.

“No, thanks. You're a guest. We've got it covered, but I've
got something for Olivia.” Barbara went into the pantry and returned a few seconds later with a bright red booster seat. She handed it to Seth. “You go into the dining room and get Olivia settled.”

“Thanks.” Seth took the booster seat, then glanced at Olivia. “Look what we've got. You want to help Daddy find a place at the table?”

“'Kay.” Olivia scampered ahead.

Elise watched Seth follow his daughter, and her heart did a little flip-flop. She didn't want to have this reaction to him. She didn't want to feel anything for Seth—good or bad. She just wanted him somewhere else, but that was an impossible wish.

“Do I sense a little surprise from you about Olivia?” Barbara grabbed a big platter from the nearby cupboard and put the roast on it. “He told your father that you knew he had a daughter, but you seemed thrown at seeing her with him.”

Surprised at her mother's perception, Elise stepped closer and put her back to the dining room so her voice wouldn't carry into the other room. She didn't want Seth to hear any of this conversation. “Do you intend to quiz me about Seth, or have me help you?”

“Both. You can put the potatoes and carrots in there.” Barbara handed Elise a bowl. “So am I right?”

Elise didn't want to talk about it, but letting her mother know the truth was probably best. Still, there was no way Elise could possibly tell her mother the whole story. She didn't know the whole story herself. “Seth and I had a falling out just before I left my job on the cruise ship, and, yes, part of it had to do with Olivia. But at that time, he didn't have custody. Seeing her was surprising.”

“I had no idea he had a child until he came here to interview. When did you find out?”

“This isn't the right time to talk about it.”

“I agree, but for your father's sake, please make this a pleasant evening.”

“I have no other intentions.” Following her mother into the dining room, Elise prayed for God's peace to settle in her heavy heart.

When Elise reached the table, the only place left to sit was directly across from Seth. Still waiting for that peace she'd prayed for, she put the bowl on the table and took her seat. She didn't know which was worse—looking at Seth or at Olivia. They both filled her mind with troubling images from the past. Purging her thoughts of all disconcerting memories, she focused her attention on her father, who sat at the head of the table.

“It's so good to have my two girls here along with our guests. Let's thank God for this food and fellowship.” Ray bowed his head.

As Elise bowed her head, she noticed that Olivia had bowed her head and folded her little hands. The sight touched Elise's heart. Was Olivia mimicking Ray, or had she learned about prayer from somewhere else? Elise doubted that Seth had encouraged Olivia to pray. When they'd been together, he'd had little use for God. Seth had never seen the point in believing in God or leaning on religion. She'd let him draw her away from the faith she'd known while growing up in Kellerville—a faith she had embraced again since her return—a faith that she hoped would see her through tonight and all future encounters with Seth Finley.

O
livia giggled as Seth stood behind her chair, cutting the roast beef on her plate into little pieces and mashing her potatoes. He loved taking care of his daughter, but tonight what he really wanted was for Elise to notice that he was a changed man. He hoped his happy child would say something good about him. All he wanted was to prove himself to Elise, and maybe earn the chance to win back her love. She was the reason why he'd taken the job, why he'd moved to Kellerville. But given the way she'd worked to avoid him all evening, his chances looked pretty slim.

“Is that good?” Seth settled on the chair next to his daughter.

“Good, Daddy.” Olivia picked up her fork and started to eat.

Seth cast a surreptitious glance in Elise's direction. She was helping herself to the potatoes and carrots and not paying the least bit of attention to him. Still, she looked tired and upset. Her manner reminded him that he needed to forget about his own worries. His selfish past was something he was trying to put behind him. If he was going to win her back, he'd need
to remember to put Elise's feelings first. He was still working on that, and old habits seemed hard to overcome.

Juliane looked Seth's way. “Dad said you've been living in Pittsburgh, right?”

“Yes, I quit my job with the cruise line and moved back to Pittsburgh because my dad died suddenly from a heart attack. I knew my mom would need my help.”

“Oh.” Elise placed a hand over her heart. “I'm so sorry.”

“Thanks. It was a real shock.” Even after a year and a half, the trauma of his father's death still touched Seth. Sometimes, he thought, in his effort to be strong for his mother, he'd never let himself fully grieve.

“I knew you left the cruise line because of family problems. I didn't realize you'd lost your dad. I remember meeting him when your parents came on one of the cruises. He was terrific.” Elise appeared truly sympathetic.

Seth let her reaction soak in. Maybe she still had a little soft spot in her heart for him. He could hope. “My dad's sudden death was very tough on my mom, so I wanted to be there for her.”

Barbara passed the green beans to Elise. “How does your mom feel about your moving away now?”

“She's getting used to the idea.”

Barbara glanced at Elise and Juliane, then back at Seth. “As a mom, I know how much I like having my girls close by. I didn't like Elise being so far away from home when she was working on the cruise ships.”

“Neither did my mom.” Seth chuckled. “Now she's more unhappy that Olivia won't be a few minutes away.”

“I can understand that. If I had a granddaughter, I wouldn't want her far away, either.” Barbara patted Seth on one arm.

After they finished passing the food, the conversation lagged for several minutes. As they started to eat, Seth didn't miss the looks Juliane gave Elise. What was that all about?

“Seth,” Juliane said as she glanced at Elise, then back at him, “how did you happen to learn about the job here?”

Seth guessed the furtive glances that passed between the sisters had something to do with Juliane's question.

He wished Elise were the one who was curious about him coming here, not her sister. “Through a friend. A guy I worked with on one of the cruise ships moved to Cincinnati a few months ago. He contacted me to see whether I was interested in moving there.”

Juliane raised her eyebrows. “But Kellerville isn't exactly Cincinnati.”

“True, but he e-mailed me the link to the job board from the Cincinnati paper, and I saw the ad for the job here in Kellerville.” Seth hoped Elise wasn't too angry that he'd taken the position. After he was hired, he'd promised himself that he wouldn't push for any contact with her right away. He wanted to win her back, but he knew he couldn't rush her. Anything that happened would have to be at Elise's pace. During the interview process, he made no effort to contact her, even when he'd been in town for interviews.

Juliane eyed him. “And you wanted to leave Pittsburgh?”

Seth wondered what Juliane was trying to accomplish with all of her questions. Was she trying to get him to admit that he'd come here because of Elise? “I did. I was looking for a new opportunity.”

“So you thought Kellerville would be a good place for that opportunity?” Juliane continued her questioning like a scrappy little dog that had grabbed hold of a pant leg and wouldn't let go.

“Yeah.” Guessing that Juliane was tackling the questions Elise wouldn't ask, Seth looked deliberately at her. “While we were working together, Elise used to talk about Kellerville and told me what a great little town it is.”

With an expression of disbelief, Juliane turned to look at Elise. “You did?”

“Why are you so surprised?” Laying down her fork, Elise furrowed her eyebrows.

“Because you couldn't wait to leave.”

“I know, but I came back, didn't I?”

“You did.” Juliane smiled. “And I'm glad.”

“Me, too.”

Seth took in the exchange between the sisters, glad to have the attention on someone besides him. He guessed from their conversation that they'd buried old sibling rivalries. He remembered how Elise used to talk about Juliane always being the perfect one and how Elise could never hope to live up to her sister's image.

Seeing their newfound camaraderie, Seth wondered about the other changes he might find in Elise. He wanted to get to know her again. He hoped to have a new start with her just like the one she'd had with her sister.

Barbara took a sip of her water, then set the glass down. “I have to put in a plug for our wonderful little town, too. It's a great place to raise a child.”

Seth glanced over at Olivia. “I thought that, too. Olivia was definitely a factor when I considered this job.”

Ray slathered a roll with butter. “Well, the rec center committee, me included, is excited that you decided to take the position. Where are you staying now?”

“At that suites hotel on the edge of town.”

“Nice place. Barbara's brother is the manager.”

Seth smiled. “That's good to know. I'll be there until I can move into the house I've rented.”

“When will that be?” Barbara asked.

“The moving van is supposed to arrive on Friday. I just hope there are no hang-ups. My stuff is on a truck that makes a delivery in Columbus before it comes here.”

“Let us know if you need any help—like someone to watch Olivia.” Barbara winked.

“Thanks. I might take you up on that.”

“Please do.” Barbara resumed eating.

The conversation lulled as everyone ate. In the quiet that ensued, Seth's mind buzzed with a myriad of thoughts about this move. He tried to put everything into perspective.

When Seth had found the job opening, he'd thought of it as a gift—a chance to get to know Elise again. He'd spent a lot of time in prayer. When he'd gotten the position, he'd seen it as an answer from God.

Now he was second-guessing himself. He knew that unless he could prove that he'd changed, she would hold his past against him.

Elise eyed him from across the table. “So if your mom isn't happy about your moving, why did you decide to leave Pittsburgh?”

Her question seemed to come out of the blue, and Seth didn't miss the accusation in it. Had she been sitting there sizing up the answers he'd given to her family's questions? Did she see his move as another selfish action? Maybe that soft spot he'd thought about earlier didn't exist after all.

“Most likely a move was in my future, whether I took this job or not.”

“Why?” Elise sat forward as that little furrow between her eyebrows deepened.

“I was working for a hotel chain as a manager, and my boss indicated there was a transfer to Seattle in my future. So if I had to move, I wanted it to be on my terms, not someone else's. When my friend asked me about moving to Cincinnati, I saw the area as a good possibility. For my mom's sake, it isn't too far from Pittsburgh—about an hour by plane, or a little over four hours by car.”

“Okay. Now I understand.” Elise lowered her gaze and stabbed a piece of meat with her fork.

When she instantly ended their eye contact, Seth wondered whether she was embarrassed by the way she'd quizzed him about the move, or if she just wanted to avoid eye contact with him as much as possible.

He wanted her to like him again, but he could tell it would be a while before she'd be ready for a relationship with him again. First, he wanted a chance to apologize for being a jerk, then try to earn her respect. Thinking about the way he used to live always pained him. Even though God had forgiven him, he kept living with the guilt. Maybe gaining Elise's forgiveness would help him forgive himself.

Ray pushed back his chair and patted his stomach. “That was great food. You outdid yourself, dear.”

“Thanks. I hope you left room for dessert.” Barbara laid her napkin on the table. “I made a carrot cake.”

“I've got plenty of room for carrot cake.” Ray stood. “I'll help clear the table.”

“I help, too.” Olivia scrambled down from her chair.

Seth reached out and grabbed her arm. “Olivia, please ask Mrs. Keller whether she needs some help.”

For a moment, Olivia looked crestfallen, and Seth's heart plummeted. She'd been so good. He didn't want anything to change that. But before he could say anything to soothe her concern, she brightened. “I help you?”

“I think that's a wonderful idea.” Smiling, Barbara nodded and held out her hand to the little girl.

Thankful for Barbara's willingness to accept Olivia's request, Seth watched his child accompany Barbara to the kitchen. While they were gone, he helped the others clear the dining room table. Olivia's charm was working on everyone except Elise. He was still waiting to see her smile. His pres
ence didn't appear to make her very happy. When she finally smiled, he would know he'd made some progress.

After they'd cleared the table, Barbara returned carrying a tray filled with plates, each containing a piece of cake. Olivia followed close behind. Gripping the edges of a white plastic plate, the little girl balanced the piece of cake, her steps slow and deliberate.

Olivia stopped beside Seth's chair. “For you, Daddy.”

Seth took the plate. “Thank you, sweetheart. Do you want to get back in your seat?”

Olivia shook her head. “Help more.”

Seth looked at Barbara. “Okay?”

“Sure.” Barbara lowered the tray. “We'll serve together.”

As Barbara carried the tray around the table, Olivia picked up the plates and gave one to each person. When they reached Elise, Olivia stood on her tiptoes and handed the plate to her. “'Lise, for you.”

“Thank you, Olivia. You're such a good helper.” Elise smiled as she took the plate.

Seth took in the smile. Though he wished it were for him, the smile warmed his heart. If she couldn't smile for him, at least she smiled for his daughter.

While they ate their cake, conversation floated around Seth. He made an occasional comment, but he mostly listened, taking in the joy. He was glad Elise had found happiness back in her hometown. He wondered whether he could ever be a part of it.

Ray finished a bite of cake, then glanced at Seth. “I'll have to introduce you to our future son-in-law, Lukas. He would've been here tonight, but he had to attend some kind of management meeting at the medical devices plant he runs.”

Seth's heart nearly stopped as a bite of cake went down wrong. Was Elise engaged? He'd never considered the possibility that she might have found a new love since returning
home. Having to watch her with someone else would be a cruel turn of events.

“I'm sure Lukas will try to recruit you for the church softball team,” Juliane said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

As Seth looked at Juliane, he noticed the sparkling diamond ring on her left hand. Lukas must be Juliane's fiancé. A cautious relief settled around his heart. Seth checked Elise's left hand. No ring, but that didn't mean she wasn't dating someone. He was every kind of fool for thinking he could waltz into town and find his way into her heart again with no obstacles.

“I'm sure Seth isn't interested in being on the church softball team.” Elise didn't even look at him as she made the statement.

“But I would. Sounds like fun.” Seth waited for Elise's reaction, but none came.

“I've got a great idea.” Ray snapped his fingers. “There's a men's prayer breakfast before church tomorrow. Would you like to go with me? Since you're new in town, the gathering would be a good opportunity to meet Lukas and a bunch of the other guys.”

“Dad, you're being a little pushy, aren't you?” Elise's gaze darted between Seth and her father.

“Really, Elise, your dad's right. I'd like to meet some folks from the community.” Seth didn't miss the surprise in Elise's eyes. Was she remembering the old Seth—the one who had no use for God or religion?

“Great. I can pick you up at the hotel,” Ray said.

Seth glanced at Olivia. “Like I said before, I'd like to join you, but I can't take Olivia to the men's prayer breakfast.”

Barbara looked expectantly at Seth. “Oh…this could be my first chance to babysit. I can watch Olivia while you go to the breakfast.”

Seth hesitated again. Even though Olivia seemed comfortable with Barbara, he wasn't sure how Olivia would act for a lengthy time with someone she didn't know very well. Her sitters in Pittsburgh had always been his mother or his aunt Susan. But he had to face the fact that he'd have to rely on a lot of new people here to help him with his child. Having Barbara watch Olivia was probably a good start.

“What do you say, Olivia? Would you like to visit with Mrs. Keller in the morning while Daddy goes to a meeting?”