Love Notions (5 page)

“Betty Crocker is one of my best friends and my crock pot is a close second.” Riley reached for her hand, digesting what she said and knowing with all his heart that the path he’d so comfortably traveled the past two years was about to take an unexpected detour. He swallowed hard, his appetite suddenly fleeing. “When we’re finished eating, would you like to go for a walk?”

“It’s a beautiful evening.” Jami smiled, unaware of the sudden change in him. “I’d love that.”

6

Jami slipped out of Nana’s Novel Notions, crossing the walkway toward Riley’s firm. She breathed deeply, savoring fresh air resplendent with the scents of pine and summer sunshine. The two, mingling together, brought back memories of Nana and all the time they’d spent nestled in lounge chairs on the back deck of Nana’s house, reading together. It was funny, really, how each of them could spend hours engrossed in a story and yet they still managed to communicate, nonetheless. More than funny…it was a wonderful bond they shared.

Had shared, Jami reminded herself. Nana was gone. She’d missed her grandmother at the “Friends and Family” event and would miss her at every other event that came down the pike, as well. Jami drew a breath, wiped away a tear, and reminded herself how proud Nana would be. The thought brought a small measure of comfort.

“Riley?” Jami gave one quick knock on the glass-paned entrance door before pushing it open. “It’s Jami. Are you busy?”

“Down here,” he called. “Last office on the right.”

Jami took her time, drinking in her surroundings. Detailed drawings, richly matted and framed, lined the front reception area as well as the length of the hall. She recognized some of the buildings—the addition to Anderson’s Bakery, an extension to the river walk behind Heart’s Haven, a new front façade for the city-county building, an expanded Angel Falls library. Every detail, from the brickwork to the overabundance of sparkling windows and inviting landscape, exhibited beauty. Had Riley designed each of these?

“Hey, there.” Riley stood as she entered. He dropped a pair of wire-framed reading glasses onto the blotter of his desk. “How’s it going next door?”

“Good…amazing.” She rounded a cherry-colored leather chair opposite the desk. “May I?”

“Of course. You’ve probably been on your feet all day. Coffee?”

“Yes, please. I suppose it’s not officially an office without a coffeemaker and, for you, a bushelful of cream and sweetener.” She sank into the chair, crossed her legs, and wiggled sore feet. “It’s nice here, Riley, not at all what I expected.”

“What
did
you expect?”

“I don’t know. Chaos. Disorganization. Anything but this kind of beauty.”

“It’s organized here, in my primary office. Just don’t peek into any of the other rooms. The mass of unattended files could form a mountain.”

“Maybe you need an assistant.”

“Yes, that and more space.”

“Have you tried storing documents on your hard drive?”

“I have. And I’ve discovered that I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy. I like the smell of paper…the feel of it in my hands. Besides, technology and I repel one another like a fly-swatter and mosquitos.”

“An assistant—a secretary—could help with that.”

“I have a secretary. She’s already gone home for the day. And the rest, getting truly organized, necessitates more space.
That
requires an expansion.”

“Or better planning and use of space.”

“Touché.”

“Perhaps a new location…”

“I like it here. Angel Falls is
my
home, too. I’ve left once, just as you did, and I have no plans on relocating again.”

“Well, the drawings along the hallway and in your lobby area, they’re…breathtaking. Are they all your designs?”

“Yes, and thank you, I think.” He handed her a foam cup filled with coffee. Heat swirled, leaving a tiny curl of fog. “I continue to amaze you at every turn. That’s good.”

“I never knew you liked to draw, to design.”

“That’s because I didn’t broadcast it. The guys on the team would have thought it was…odd. Back then, I worried way too much about what others thought. I was pretty good at drawing up our plays, though. That’s about as close as I came to letting the cat out of the bag. The only one who really knew—who encouraged me—was my mom.”

“I’ll bet she was—is—proud.”

“Yeah. My dad, well, not so much. I wish he was here to see me now, though. Maybe he’d feel differently.”

“What happened?”

“Massive heart attack a few years back. He never got to see all this.” He swept the room with his hand. “That still leaves a sting.”

She could relate, considering the turn of events with Nana. It was heartbreaking. Tenderness for Riley and all he’d lost flooded her. “I’m sorry, truly.”

“Me, too.” He poured a cup of coffee for himself, stirred in the obligatory quart of cream and pound of sugar.

“It’s odd how time changes things.” Jami sipped her coffee, the warmth easing a tightness that clutched her vocal cords, making it difficult to speak. “I just remember you…I don’t know. Always angry?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

“Telling.” She smoothed a hand over her skirt. “And you didn’t seem to like anyone, especially not me.”

“It’s true, the angry part. I’m not sure why, except everything seemed so mixed up back then. My folks were on tenuous ground. I realized I wasn’t the ball player I’d hoped to be. I felt, deep in here,” he pressed a hand to his chest, “like something was missing. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.”

“But now you know?”

“Yes, I know.” He came around the desk and eased onto the edge to face her. His eyes, dark and dangerous, fixed on hers. “And I also know that what you felt about me not liking anyone was inaccurate. I’ve always liked someone special—for as long as I can remember.”

Her pulse quickened as she clutched the coffee cup hard enough to put dents in the foam. “Who?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” He leaned in and brushed a finger along her jawline. “Jami, that day in your grandmother’s car, I caught a glimpse of your beautiful dress draped over the seat, and I just couldn’t bear the thought of you wearing it for another guy, dancing with someone else. And I couldn’t stand the thought that you were on the path to a cartload of hurt. Not after all you’d already been through with your parents. I know I was a little out of my head, but what I told your grandmother—all of it was true. You have to believe that.”

She could barely find the words. “Oddly enough, I think I do.”

“Good.” He blew out a breath. “That’s a start.”

“But how did you know all I’d been through?”

“I might not have said much back then, but I paid attention.”

“You sure said plenty in the car.” She grimaced. “So, despite the fact that you were bleeding profusely, you still tried to protect me?”

“Yes, I was. I still remember you leaning over me…the way you smelled like strawberries and sunshine. Your eyes were bluer than anything I’ve ever seen and so full of concern for me.” He stroked his fingers through her hair, pausing to tuck a lock over her ear as he repeated, “For me. No one had ever really worried over me before. Whatever I’d felt for you before that…a kind of tugging in my chest whenever I saw you, well, in that moment it just took off. I know it’s crazy but I felt…I wanted to kiss you.”

“You did?”

“Yes.” He leaned in, his touch oh so gentle. The clean scent of soap clung to his skin, and Jami smelled a hint of peppermint on his breath. “And I still want to kiss you. But the timing is…off. I’ve waited almost eight years for you. Waiting a bit longer won’t hurt…not enough to kill me, at least.”

“But I don’t understand.” Jami’s pulse stammered. Had he really just said what she thought he said? “That afternoon Nana and I found you, I remember you were wearing your letterman jacket, even though it was warm out. There was blood along the collar and down the sleeves, staining the letter, and I thought it odd that you’d hunt in something so valuable and sentimental.”

“I have to come clean. You need to know the truth. The hunting story was a ruse, Jami.” Riley shook his head, his gaze begging her forgiveness. “It was really Jacob Fortner. We got into it after school…over you.”

“No!”

“Yes. He was bragging about his plans with you for homecoming night…disgusting things. I couldn’t allow him to try to follow through on them, so we fought. I’m not proud of my actions, Jami, but they did serve a purpose.”

“I feel terrible. That’s awful, Riley. How could I not know…not see?”

“You were young and foolish.” He shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. “We both were.”

“You shouldn’t have gotten mixed up in it. He hurt you.”

“I had no choice, and we hurt each other. But that’s in the past.” He took the battered coffee cup from her hands, set it on the blotter alongside his. “I want you to trust me. That’s important to me to have your trust, firm and solid. A kiss should mean something, and how could it, without trust?”

“Oh.” She eased back as her gaze swept his office. “I do, with what you’ve just shared. But as for the rest…with all that’s going on in both our businesses, that’s a tough one.”

“Right. We’re at a crossroad. I need something and you want something different.”

“Want?” She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart race. “I more than want.”

“OK. We both
need
something—my firm, your bookstore. Both are important for obvious reasons. We’ve both worked hard, and we’ve both come home to stay. Now, we just have to figure out a way to meet in the middle.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Maybe so.” Riley’s hand was warm as it reached for hers. “But not impossible.”

****

“I’ve ordered some audio books for my book club.” Jami plucked a pen from his desk and began to doodle on a notepad. Her gaze was distracted, and Riley imagined she felt the need to keep her hands busy. “Mrs. O’Leary wants to join, so, considering her visual limitations, I thought they would be a nice addition to the stock. She was thrilled that you took the time to pick her up and bring her by for a while today.”

“She’s my friend.”

“And mine, as well.”

“And it
is
‘Friends and Family Day.’”

“It
was
‘Friends and Family Day.’ I’ve just closed up shop. Julia’s gone home.”

“So your day’s been good?” Riley switched off the coffeemaker and shut down his computer. “Everything you’d hoped for?”

“That and more.”

“Good.” Riley closed the file he’d been working on when she walked in. He tucked it into the file cabinet beside his desk and reached for his office keys. “Want to cap it off with a walk down by the river to check out the plans for the Fourth of July festivities, maybe indulge in a hot fudge sundae from the creamery?”

“Are you suggesting dessert before dinner?”

“Sure. Why not?” He didn’t want to let her go. Not yet. Now she gazed at him with the same concern he’d seen that day in her grandmother’s car. Her eyes, blue as sapphires, held a hint of wariness he meant to erase. It would take time and patience, both of which he was willing to sacrifice. But could he sacrifice even more to find a way to Jami’s heart…to earn her trust completely? And, if he surrendered all of his needs, would the cost destroy any hope for a future with her?

The very thought that they were at odds made his heart ache. There had to be a way through the mess he’d created. He just had to find it.

7

“Do you miss the meat?” Jami asked as she placed a second helping of her soon-to-be-famous veggie lasagna on Riley’s plate.

“Do I look like I miss it?” He dug in, devouring a mouthful. “This is delicious. With dishes like this, I could almost give up Bambi.”

“Riley Hunter!”

“I’m joking.” He surrendered his hands.

“Good.” She poured him a second cup of coffee and settled back into the chair opposite of him at her modest kitchen table. Beyond the bay window, a setting sun bathed the Angelina Forest in hues of magenta and gold. Leaves shimmered, a gentle breeze taking the edge off the July heat. “In that case, I have chocolate éclairs for dessert.”

“It’s nice of you to cook for me when there’s so much on your proverbial plate already.” Riley’s gaze locked with hers over the rim of her glass. “Tomorrow’s your Grand Opening.”

“Yes.” Jami’s heart sang with the thought. Finally, the day she’d waited an entire year for. It was fitting that the big day would take place on Independence Day. Foot traffic over the boulevard would be plentiful with the parade passing right by her shop and the festival just down the block. “I’m so excited…and nervous. Julia’s still down with that stomach bug, and I don’t have a replacement. If she doesn’t make a quick recovery, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“It will all work out.” Riley reached for her hand. “Remember, God is in control.”

“Well, maybe God can send Julia a dose of feel-better-soon.”

“I’ll send up an order.” He winked and grinned. “You’re opening at nine?”

“Right—to give early parade-goers time to have a look-see and sign up for the book club.”

“And the fireworks start at nine forty-five, so you’ll be done by then, right?”

“It’s going to be a long day.”

“But wonderful.”

“Yes…wonderful.” Jami shifted gears. If she didn’t take the focus off her and the bookstore’s big day, her nerves were likely to frazzle. “You told me about your dad, but where’s your mom, Riley?”

****

Jami’s question startled him. He took his time answering as memories flooded back to the surface.

“She’s living in Houston.” He added sugar to his coffee, along with a healthy splash of the vanilla creamer she’d set on the table. “She moved there after she and my dad divorced. She teaches art at a community college.”

“I’m sorry about their divorce. That had to be hard on you.”

“It was.” Words really couldn’t do justice to the cauldron of emotions. His world had been toppled like a high-rise made of blocks. “Things weren’t all rosy before both my parents lost their jobs, but the stress of that was the final straw, I guess. I felt so helpless, like it was my fault because my plans for college only added to their burden. I thought I’d snag a scholarship. Several scouts looked my way going into senior year. But my mediocre season blew any chance of that.”