Operation: Married by Christmas (11 page)

Will closed his eyes and knew she spoke the truth.

To an extent.

T
he day after Thanksgiving, Will worked tirelessly on the gates he'd been commissioned to finish by Christmas and help with the program. He was going to have to make every minute count, and he still had to squeeze in a quick visit to his parents. What had he been thinking to agree to help with the program?

Not only did he have too much work that needed to be finished, but also he now had to contend with a mind that wouldn't stop thinking about Haley. That was the problem he couldn't deal with.

Setting his protective glasses in place, he picked up his grinder and went to work smoothing out the rough edges of the steel artwork. The monotony of the work helped him think, and he had plenty to think about. Mainly he was trying to wrap his mind around a way to smooth out the problem that Haley had created for him when she'd walked back into his life.

She wasn't the girl he'd loved all those years ago. She'd grown and evolved into a woman he didn't know. But he was curious about her, as was the entire town. To tell the truth, he was getting more and more irritated with each Haley Bell story. What he used to think of as tales of endearment he was now seeing in another light. And it wasn't pretty. It was taking everything he had in him not to tell everyone to button their lips. Not a good frame of mind to be in, but that was the way he felt. It bothered him that he was so moody when it came to Haley.

She wasn't part of his life anymore and probably never would be. He'd been praying for the Lord to help him deal with the confusion assailing him, but he wasn't getting any peace from it. He knew from experience that God had good reason for not answering his prayers. Still, it didn't mean he was happy about having to be patient waiting for answers.

As a matter of fact, if God didn't do something soon then he might make a move he would regret for the rest of his life. Clint's suggestion to ask Haley out on a date was the worst idea Will had ever heard. But he'd be lying if he didn't admit that a part of him wanted to do exactly that.

Shutting down the grinder, he yanked the safety glasses off and stared unseeingly at the progress he'd made. Despite what she'd told him at lunch, ten years ago Haley had walked out on him, giving him no choice in her decision to leave their dreams behind to pursue her own. He'd be a fool to be drawn to her again. But he was. The thing that scared him more than anything was realizing that if he wasn't careful, he'd find that he wanted her back in his life stronger than he'd ever wanted her…and that was a dangerous thing to admit.

It was an admission that could lead him down a one-way street to another broken heart. That wasn't going to happen again if he could help it.

The question was, could he help it? Every time he was around her, his will, no pun intended, softened.

 

“Haley, stop kidding around and come back to work.”

Haley held the receiver away from her ear so that Sugar's screeching wouldn't burst her eardrum. She'd come home Friday after working on props and found an urgent message from Sugar waiting on the answering machine. Immediately she called her back even though she would have rather closed the door to her room to contemplate all that was on her mind.

“Calm down, Sugar,” she said halfheartedly. “Now, tell me what's got you so wound up.”

“Marcus Sims—that's who has me wound up. You said to call if something big came up. Well, this is it. He asked specifically for you. He said that you'd handled the Daltry sale and he wants you to represent him in the sale of his villa.
And
he wants you to help him find new digs. So come home. Do you know what kind of commission that's going to be? And I haven't even mentioned yet that the bosses are getting antsy. Of course, Marcus Sims calling for youv was a big blessing from the Man Upstairs—if you know what I'm talking about.”

Haley's head was spinning as Sugar talked at warp speed. Marcus Sims calling for her. Haley closed her eyes and pictured the handsome investment manager. She'd met him at one of the benefits where she'd represented her agency, and he'd been a real charmer. So much of a charmer that she'd had to be up front with him almost immediately and let him know she was engaged to Linc. She'd hoped he'd turn some of his charm toward someone else once he knew she was off the market. He'd been charming even then, letting her know if the engagement didn't work out that he'd be back. And now, this sudden urge to sell his home and contract her services? Haley had no illusions; the man knew she'd called off her wedding.

Even though Marcus's calling bothered her for reasons that had nothing to do with selling real estate, his call would work to benefit her by giving her more leverage with her brokers. “Sugar, tell Marcus that I won't be able to do anything for a couple of weeks. I'll call him as soon as I get back in town and set something up if he's still interested.”

“But he wants to talk now. Like, yesterday! Think commission.”

Haley did but passed. “I'm in the middle of something here. I can't just drop everything—”

“Since when?”

Haley frowned at the telephone receiver and Sugar's attempt to be funny. “Sugar, tell me again why I have you as an assistant?”

“Because you love me. You need me, and you know I'll talk straight with you.”

Haley could hear the smile in Sugar's voice. She was right on all counts. “Okay, you're right—”

“As always.”

Haley rolled her eyes. “Okay, since you are so smart, you figure out what to tell Marcus Sims. I've got my own problems here, so ta-ta for now, girlfriend.”

“But—”

Despite the mix of emotions swirling inside of her, Haley hung up the phone. She was going to have to return to her job soon, but it could wait a little longer. She knew now coming home had been the right move for her. Things were shifting into perspective and suddenly she was seeing things in a whole new light. The heaviness she'd carried in her heart about Mule Hollow had lifted for the most part. If the people of the town would have held her back from achieving her goals, they wouldn't have done it intentionally. Listening to them retelling stories about her escapades over Thanksgiving dinner, she'd realized how foolish she'd been harboring hard feelings all these years. They loved her, and thank goodness she was adult enough to see clearly now.

But Will was a different story. A different story altogether. She'd been thinking about what he'd said ever since they'd talked on the playground. Walking to the window of her bedroom, she stared out at the darkened sky and lifted her fingers to her lips. She could almost feel his touch again, soft as a feather. She'd trembled inside when he'd suddenly squatted in front her. His touch had shaken her as deeply as the silken sorrow in his eyes when he'd apologized and melted her heart.

It scared her, actually, this ache that he'd awakened.

In the distance she heard the wailing of a coyote. The high-pitched howl sent shivers down Haley's spine, so lonesome sounding. So desperate.

She turned out the light, climbed into bed and slammed her eyes shut. She had a busy day coming up, and the best thing she could do was to go to sleep now. She was just feeling nostalgic was all. Nothing that rest wouldn't cure. And if that didn't help then a fun day out. Shopping with Lacy and Sheri was bound to cure what ailed her.

At least, as she flopped to her back and felt her bones relax, she was counting on the shopping to cure her crazy head.

After thirty minutes of holding her eyes clamped shut and numerous failed attempts at counting sheep, Haley flopped to her stomach, yanked her pillow over her head and wished for a gun…or a bullhorn. Anything that would send the yowling coyotes deeper into the woods. If she could get rid of them, maybe she could sleep and stop replaying her conversation with Will over and over again in her head.

No such luck. The stinking coyotes refused to leave—and so did thoughts of Will.

Even buried beneath two pillows and her grandmother's quilt, Haley was doomed to spend a sleepless night thinking about the past.

 

“Hey, what do you think about these?” Sheri Gentry asked as she modeled a set of reindeer antlers. “A red nose and I'm in business, girls,” she said, looking like a kid.

Haley picked a red nose out of the bin next to her hip. “Here ya go, Rudolph,” she said, tossing it to her. Sheri caught it and held it up near her nose for effect.

They were waiting next to the door, rifling though the different kiddy Christmas display items while Lacy paid for her decorations at the counter.

“Oh, uh-oh!” Sheri squealed, dropping the nose and antlers as she pulled a pair of green elf shoes from the big bin. They were a good ten inches long with upturned toes from which a big red jingle bell swung. Attached to them as a set was a pair of pointed ears that were as big as Haley's hands. “Now this is what I call an outfit! Hey, Lacy, let's buy these.” She held them up, nodding enthusiastically. Lacy rolled her eyes, made a face of mock horror, while mouthing an emphatic “No.”

Haley chuckled at Sheri's expression of utter dejection.

“You are no fun, Lacy Brown,” she grumbled then met Haley's gaze with eyes full of fake annoyance. “I like to call her by her maiden name when I pick on her. Matlock just doesn't sound the same.”

Lacy walked over and plopped a bulging bag of candles and ribbons into each of their hands. “Carry those, girls, and let's go get something to eat before we head home. I'm going to work y' all so you're going to need nourishment.”

Haley couldn't help liking these two friends. They were like up and down. Lacy was up, and Sheri was down. Lacy served up something funny, and Sheri downed it with flair. Haley had almost called and canceled her date to come shopping with them. She'd awakened feeling as if she'd been plowed over by Applegate's ancient tractor—or the wild hog she'd encountered on her first week in town. However, she'd decided that getting out was probably the best thing she could do for herself. Not only did she want to get to know Sheri and Lacy better, but also she desperately needed a few things to help her make it through the rest of her stay in Mule Hollow.

Not to mention that if she'd stayed home she'd have only thought more about Will. She didn't want to think about him anymore, and she certainly didn't
need
to think about him.

They dropped the bags off at Lacy's car, bantering all the way. Haley was amazed every time she saw Lacy's monstrous pink car. Up until she'd seen the pink 1958 convertible Cadillac sitting in front of Lacy's salon, Haley had only seen the flamboyant make of car in movies or from a distance when an occasional Elvis fan or car buff passed through town. When she'd climbed into it earlier, she felt as if she'd been shot back in time. It was very nostalgic and fun. On the ride to Ranger, Lacy hadn't let the top down because there had been a slight drizzle in the forecast—not, she told Haley, because it was below fifty degrees outside. Cold weather was great fun with the top down, Lacy declared. Haley had a convertible but hadn't tried that one before.

Bags stored safely in the bottomless pit of a trunk, they crossed the street and went to lunch at a new little Italian restaurant that, in Lacy's words, was “to die for.”

She was right. Haley loved it. “
Luv
ed it!”

Although normally a lemon cheesecake fanatic, Haley made the mistake of letting them talk her into trying their tiramisu. Big mistake. Haley enjoyed coffee but had never had the coffee-flavored dessert, and she never would again! She got the oversize forkful of creamy dessert in her mouth and couldn't swallow it. It tasted so horrible that her jaws locked, and her throat refused to work. “How,” she wanted to know and would have asked out loud if she could have swallowed, “could anyone think
that
was good?” Much less fabulous? Her eyes started to water and her palms started to sweat by the time she managed to choke it down. Talk about misuse of a good pot of coffee….

All the while Lacy and Sheri laughed, totally insulted that she didn't share their love of the atrocious concoction.

It went without saying that the tiramisu was not the highlight of her day.

The only bright spot in the situation was the double portion of lemon cheesecake she ate to rid herself of the taste.

Later, as they climbed into the car and headed home, they were still teasing her about the horrible facial expressions she'd made. She had to admit she'd probably looked funny.

They continued to have a great time all the way back to Mule Hollow, and when they pulled up in front of the community center, Haley knew she'd made friends for life. She felt relaxed and happy as they unloaded the trunk and clomped into the building intent on getting in some work on the production before the crowd arrived for the evening. Haley had a couple of set designs she wanted to go over with Lacy because she thought she could tweak her drawings a bit and make them better. Following them inside, Haley marveled at how much had been accomplished. But there was still a good bit to be done.

“So, what's up with you and Will?” Sheri asked, cocking an eyebrow. “I just can't hold my curiosity in any longer.”