North Dakota Weddings (55 page)

Rayne slowly exhaled. He referred, of course, to her rejecting his invitation before because she’d had to change her blouse. His attempt at humor made her nervous. “I can’t think of a single excuse today.”

“Good.” Jack stood up. “There’s a lot we need to discuss.”

As Rayne stared up at him, he seemed to be referring to so much more than work. But that was just the imaginings of Rayne’s errant and traitorous heart. She took in his determined jaw, rugged good looks, and the emotion in his eyes.

What was he really thinking?

She wanted to run her fingers through his dark hair. Ugh.

He opened her door and took a step into the hall, though one foot remained in her office. “See you later, Rayne.”

Then he shut her door, disappearing behind it. When Jack smiled, all was well with the world—except Rayne could not work like this. She knew, beyond any doubt, concern over her relationship with Jack, or lack thereof, had shadowed her fountain. If she continued down this path, FountainTech would suffer along with her reputation.

She’d prayed for an answer, a direction, but God always seemed to be silent when it came to her career path. She doubted attending Heidi’s church would give her any more clarity, and she certainly wouldn’t attend simply because Jack did.

The headhunter’s phone number was saved in her cell phone. She’d find a private moment today to call him and schedule a meeting with him.

A muted knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

Rayne shook her head. “Come in.” What was her office this morning? Grand Central Station?

Barb stuck her head in, a mischievous smile on her face. She slipped through the small opening she’d made and shut the door quietly behind her, then sank into the chair. “Hey girl.”

Elbow on her desk, Rayne put her fingers to her temple. “So, how did it go?” Rayne hadn’t wanted to ask, but she knew Barb was expecting her to.

Barb fairly bounced in the chair, though she appeared a little flushed. “You won’t believe how well it went.”

“Really?” Rayne asked, fearing what she would hear. Barb had apparently gotten something much different out of the trip to Dallas than Jack had.

One last phone call and Jack would head to Rayne’s office and take her to lunch. Maybe out of the office he could dig a little deeper, find out what had been bothering her while she had worked on the design for the fountain model, if anything.

Avoiding her had been a mistake. His entire project could suffer—he wouldn’t live up to his reputation, the reason he was hired—if he couldn’t control his feelings for Rayne. He would prove to himself today at lunch that he could kill what she stirred in him, that he could work with her and remain oblivious to her charms. He had to. It was his job, and he was a professional.

Jack was back.

He lifted the receiver to return a call when Rayne stepped into his office, looking haggard.

“Jack,” she said in a rush of breath, and staggered forward.

“What’s wrong?” He sprang from his seat and ushered her into a chair, then closed the door. He kneeled next to her. “Rayne, what’s happened?”

She shoved her hands through her hair, pushing it back from her tear-streaked face. “Sorry, just give me a minute. I shouldn’t have rushed in here like this.”

Jack rose. “Don’t tell me. You can’t go to lunch.”

She stared up at him. “What?”

Seeing the hurt in her eyes killed Jack. “I shouldn’t have said that. So, this is serious, isn’t it?”

She nodded, sniffling. “It’s my father. He’s had a heart attack. We think, anyway.”

A wall of memories and dark emotions slammed Jack. A house burning with his parents inside. He braced himself against the impact. “I’m so sorry. Is he going to be all right?”

“I don’t know. Mom called to tell me. The ambulance is on the way.” She peered up at him, a feeble smile slipping onto her lips. “That means I can’t have lunch with you.”

Jack stuck his hands into his pockets. “Is there anything I can do?”

Rayne nodded. “Forgive me?”

He chuckled, incredulous. “For what?”

“For the fountain. I know it wasn’t what you were expecting.”

“Rayne, don’t worry about that now. Please. Go to your father.”

“I might need a few days for this. Just… I’ll use my vacation time or something.”

“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”

She stared out the window as though looking into oblivion, or into the possibility of a morbid future. Funny, Jack only had to look into his past for that.

He held his hand out to her, unsure what he was doing, unsure of her response. She placed her small hand in his, reminding him of the night they’d gone skating and finally held hands, though their gloves were a protective barrier. Her hand was soft and trembling. Using him for support, she stood to her feet.

“Let me walk you to your car,” he offered.

She gave him a wary glance. “That’s not necessary. I only came to tell you because…”

“Because I’m your boss of course. Plus, we had lunch plans, which you obviously can’t keep now. And I’m only walking you to your car because, as a coworker, I want to help.”

Her right cheek lifted in a partial smile. “Just so we’re clear.”

Something wonderful coursed through Jack, despite his continued avoidance of feelings for her. Rayne seemed to be playing the same game that he was playing—dodging an office romance. Her eyes and her words convinced him—but how long could they dance around the obvious?

Jack escorted Rayne to her office, feeling the weight of her crushing news along with her. Coworkers walking the halls could see something was amiss and hung back to watch, questions in their eyes. He would explain everything later. In her office, he assisted her in gathering her briefcase and a few other items, and with his hand on her elbow, he gently guided her through the reception area, out the FountainTech doors, and onto the elevator. He rode down with her.

“Rayne, are you sure you’re in a state of mind to drive?”

“They’re bringing him to Fargo. It’s the nearest hospital with decent cardiology facilities.”

“I’ll drive you over,” Jack said, trying once again to assist her.

The elevator opened, and Jack stepped out with Rayne. She turned to face him and gave a pointed look. “Jack, you don’t need to drive me.”

Jack didn’t get it. Why would she refuse his offer? It stung a little. “If not me, then someone else. What about Heidi?”

“There you are, Rayne.” A tall, blond man stepped up to Rayne, jangling car keys.

“Paul,” she said, choking back tears.

“Your mom said the ambulance had arrived.” Paul wrapped his arm around Rayne’s shoulders. “Let’s go.”

Jack stared, watching the lumberjack-looking guy whisk Rayne away. She appeared to melt into him for support, as though comfortable in his arms. Was this the guy from back home who’d sent the roses? Jack squeezed his fists, scolding himself for probing where he shouldn’t. For caring about her in a way that he shouldn’t.

Still—Jack clenched his teeth, angry at the determined thoughts—if this man was Rayne’s type, how did he even have a chance?

S
itting in the passenger seat of Paul’s truck, Rayne stared at the snow melting against the window as he drove her back to her parents’ farm.

After two days of tests, her father had been sent home from the hospital to rest. Though his heart attack was mild in relative terms, lifestyle changes were prescribed. Her father wasn’t a man who liked changes. Rayne knew her decisions to go to college and then leave the farming community for the city had been hard on him.

“You okay?” Paul asked.

Rayne tugged her attention from the watery formations on the window to look at him. He watched the road, his glances intermittent and concerned.

“I’m fine.” Rayne knew her halfhearted answer was less than convincing. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d caused her father stress because of her unwillingness to comply with his wishes. Yet she was a grown woman.

When would they let her go? Her throat felt like a cardboard box was expanding inside. She’d give herself this ride home to shed the tears, then no more—she had to be strong for her father.

Rayne sucked in a shaky breath then flipped open her cell and called the office. Gail answered in her professional receptionist tone.

“Gail, this is Rayne. Can I speak to Jack?”

“Hi, Rayne. He’s in a meeting, but I’m sure he’ll want to speak to you.”

Rayne feared her connection wouldn’t last even though she paid for the best plan in North Dakota.

“Rayne?” Jack came on the line.

“Thanks for talking to me. Gail said you were in a meeting.”

“No problem. How’s your father?”

“They’re sending him home. I need the rest of the week off—maybe even two. I know it’s not…what others do.”

“Everyone is different. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“I’m willing to use my two-week vacation on this if I have to. It’s just that, if I come back to work now, I’ll just be a basket case, no good to you.”

Jack took a long breath, loud enough for Rayne to hear over the phone. “Just promise me something?”

Rayne glanced over at Paul, who seemed intent on listening, though how could he avoid it? “What’s that?”

“When you come back, I want you to put your heart into this project. We’ll do everything we can do from this end, but Rayne…”

“Yes?”

“I need
you
to make this work. Without you, it won’t be the same.”

Rayne wasn’t certain she liked the burden Jack placed on her; still, there was a part of her that warmed to the fact he had so much faith in her.

“I promise I’ll do my best.”

“Fair enough.”

“Thanks for everything, Jack. I’ll call you soon.”

Jack was silent for a moment, making Rayne wonder if she’d lost her connection.

“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. And Rayne…take care of yourself.”

“See you soon.” Rayne flipped the phone closed, wondering at the call.

“Your boss seems like a nice guy.”

“You could hear him?” She stared at Paul.

“Of course. The cab is pretty quiet, and he was talking loud.”

“Yes, he’s very nice.” Rayne leaned back against the headrest and shut her eyes.

“He seems to think a lot of you.”

Rayne let the conversation rest there, refusing to answer.

“What do you think of him?”

Apparently, Paul wasn’t willing to let it drop. “I think he’s a gifted person and will be good for FountainTech.”

“He’s seems to be interested in you as more than a coworker.”

Rayne jerked her eyes around to Paul, who stared straight ahead at the thickening snow. She hoped they wouldn’t run into a whiteout. “How could you know that? You’ve met twice, once at FountainTech and then again at the hospital.”

Rayne thought back to that moment when Jack had come into her father’s room to check on his status. The gesture had been a soothing balm to her soul.

“Guys just know. He cares about you.”

Rayne sighed then rested her head again. “I’m talking to another company, Paul. I’m not sure I’ll be at FountainTech much longer.” Rayne wasn’t sure why she’d shared the information. She wasn’t thinking straight. If she’d thought that telling Paul she wouldn’t be working with Jack would ease his concern, it probably didn’t make him feel better to know she would be working elsewhere—possibly out of state. Far from her parents’ home and from Paul. When Paul didn’t say anything else, Rayne let her mind drift back to the crisis with her father. The very second she’d learned of his condition, she feared she might lose him.

In that moment, everything looked different. She would have given anything to have been home and spent time with her parents. She would have given anything for her father to think the absolute best of her. They’d always had a good relationship, and he’d always appeared proud of her. That’s why her decision to pursue a profession outside of farm life had been the most difficult decision of her life. Her father hadn’t approved. If she came back to stay, would she hear the words of praise from his lips that she longed to hear?

Silently, she prayed.
Lord, help me to know what I should do. You know the future. I’m more than willing to do Your will for my life, if only I know what that is
.

“We’re here,” Paul said.

Rayne opened her eyes to watch Paul maneuver his truck around the circular drive in front of the Flemming farmhouse. He jumped from the cab and jogged around to open the door for Rayne. He held his hand out to her.

She took it, feeling the calluses and reassuring strength in his grip, and stepped down.

“I’m here if you need help. Do you hear me? Don’t hesitate to call me.”

Looking into his eyes, she could see the love behind them. It took her breath away. “Thanks.”

She glanced away so he couldn’t see her apprehension—fear that he hoped to endear himself to her. But if the small spark she had for him could be kindled…

Should she allow that to happen?

Paul tipped her face back to look at him, keeping his hand under her chin. “While you’re here, please think about what I said before. You’re focused on your father now—I know that. But give us some thought, too, okay?”