Operation: Married by Christmas (4 page)

Not that it really mattered anymore, since they'd both moved on with their lives and it was obvious that he didn't want anything more to do with her.

Still he had hurt her badly. The pain had dulled over the years but it had taken time. Time to get past the questions that would sneak up on her when she least expected them. Questions such as why hadn't Will loved her enough to believe in her? To come after her? Sure, a person could ask, Why hadn't she loved him enough to stay? But things had been complicated. She'd only been in her junior year of high school when they started dating, while Will had been in his sophomore year of college. It still blew her away thinking about it.

They made plans together, plans to leave Mule Hollow, and then just before they were to marry he changed his mind. He decided that he didn't want to pursue a career in architecture. He wanted to throw all that away—

And he expected her to forgo any dreams she had, marry him anyway and be content. She loved him so much she almost did. But at the moment of truth, when she was about to enter the church, something inside clicked.

Didn't she have the right to stretch her wings? Was she always going to be everyone's little darling? The little “Haley Bell” no one took seriously? Or was she going to stand up for herself and reach for her dreams?

She decided she had every right to want more, and she fled.

What she hadn't ever been able to get over was that Will had let her.

Haley pushed aside thoughts of Will. She hadn't come home to think about him, of that she was certain. She heard Applegate's truck pull up outside. It was time for the two of them to have a serious talk about what the doctor had said about his health.

It dawned on her that maybe he was so distracted by his condition that this was the reason he'd failed to tell her Will had moved back to town. That was really a huge alarm for her because Applegate just didn't pass up things like that. Unless he wasn't himself. And if he wasn't himself—Haley stopped her runaway thoughts as the back door opened and Applegate walked inside.

It was time for some answers.

“A
pplegate, why have I let you talk me into this?” Haley sat in the truck beside her grandfather and stared at the bright blue building in front of her. As with all the buildings on Main Street now, each was painted a vibrant color and Mule Hollow's community center was periwinkle-blue with lemon-drop trim. Inside the townspeople were holding the first call for the annual Christmas program. Instead of getting answers, she'd somehow let Applegate talk her into participating. The man had a way of looking so pitiful that she couldn't say no. Especially since she was going to be here and she wanted to spend time with him, and since he was going to be at practice most evenings, it only made sense that she help him out.

After all, he clearly wasn't feeling too well, and since he'd refused to fess up to what was wrong with him, it was all the more reason for her to stay close by his side. Case in point, here she was about to get out and follow him into the building. A packed building judging by the number of cars and trucks sitting along the sidewalks.

“Well, are ya comin'?” Applegate asked, standing at the door looking back at her.

With an odd sense of foreboding she got out of the truck and trudged up the steps. She'd changed into a flowing skirt of turquoise-and-gold paired with a shimmering blouse—a sleeveless blouse because that was all she had with her and she hadn't made it to the store as planned. Needless to say she was cold. She had bare arms and strappy sandals! On top of her summer attire, she wore her grandmother's red wool short coat. It made a fashion statement like none Haley had seen since the day in kindergarten when she'd insisted on wearing her pink tutu to school with her brown riding boots. That had been a Haley Bell moment she'd heard about until the day she'd left town.

Haley stood for a moment in the chill, tugging the collar up as she lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. She might be reduced to looking like that poor little klutz of a girl she used to be, but all she had to do was remember that she wasn't little
Haley Bell
. She was Haley Thornton. Confident career woman, rising star, a force to be reckoned with.

And clothes did not make the woman, the woman made the clothes.

Never let them see you sweat.
That's right.

Chin up, smile on, she stepped onto the sidewalk determined to make the most of this night.

Standing on the planks, she smiled. She'd thought many times as she'd walked down the paved sidewalks of Rodeo Drive about Mule Hollow's plank sidewalks. They were so “Dodge City” and so far removed from the life she had now.

Looking up, she found her grandpa staring at her, his normal hound-dog scowl softened around the eyes. Automatically her heart puddled; she did love him so. “What?” she asked softly, stopping beside him.

“You look like yer grandmother standing there in that purdy little red coat. My how she did love that coat. I kin remember the day she bought it up in Ranger at the discount store. You know yer grandmother, nothing fancy fer her, but she said red was a girl's best friend and it just put a spring in her step every time she tugged it on.”

Haley's eyes misted at the remembrance that was so Grandma Birdie. A no-nonsense dynamo, Birdie Thornton had been a woman to admire. Applegate had always said Haley had her genes, yet until she'd moved away, Haley had never really thought so. She couldn't imagine Birdie ever having doubts about anything.

Haley leaned in and kissed Applegate's cheek. “Thank you for that reminder.” He winked at her and held the door open. Haley ran a hand lovingly down the red coat and stepped inside the crowded room, no longer thinking about how the little coat clashed with her outfit, but how glad she was to feel her grandmother's embrace.

Just as she'd thought, the conference room was full. That didn't keep Lacy and Norma Sue from immediately spotting her and whisking Haley into the crowd, introducing her to anyone she hadn't met at the diner that morning. Haley was amazed at how the town had grown. There were couples—of all ages—everywhere. And they looked so happy. As everyone took their seats, she found herself studying them. These couples had something she'd known was missing with each of the men she'd left at the altar. The closest she'd come to finding happiness like that was with Will, but she'd been wrong. Looking at the couples around her now, Haley promised herself that the next time she was tempted to say yes to a wedding proposal, if there was a next time, she wouldn't say it unless she knew it was right. She wanted to feel something inside that would say, “This is the one.”

The door opened at that moment and Will stepped inside. Haley's pulse jumped as if she were a track star who'd just heard the starting gun go off. It wasn't fair that the man had only gotten better looking with age. It was as if he were Clint Black or something, ageless. Not wanting him to catch her staring, she forced her gaze to Lacy, who was standing behind the podium holding a stack of papers.

Despite shifting her gaze, Haley remained aware of Will as he moved toward the back of the room. She wished she had a pair of blinders on to cut her peripheral vision to nothing. Maybe then she could concentrate on what Lacy was saying. As it was, she could see Lacy just chatting away, but Haley wasn't hearing a word she was saying. Oh, no. Haley was unwillingly tuned in to Will's quiet hellos to everyone he passed. Determined to ignore him, Haley gave Lacy her full attention.

“—casting's done on the play,” she was saying. “But today we're getting the behind-the-scenes committees set up. We are going to have so much fun with this Christmas program!”

Lacy's enthusiasm was contagious. The play was going to be a look at what it might have been like for Mary and Joseph when they returned to his hometown after Joseph took Mary to be his wife. Audiences would be able to feel what they may have gone through because they were doing what God asked of them. Earlier when Applegate talked her into helping, he'd told her all about it and it sounded intriguing.

Fortunately for Haley, there was no acting involved for her. She'd agreed to come only to help with the props, a job she'd enjoyed during high school. She was pretty artistic, although when it came to swinging a hammer she was all thumbs and there were plenty of Haley Bell stories to prove it. Now Will, he was good with a hammer.

She found herself glancing toward the back of the room, where he stood, legs planted shoulder width apart, arms crossed as he focused on what Lacy was saying. Her pulse jumped again just looking at him and she quickly focused forward once more. She certainly hoped he wasn't on her team. The thought of having to work close to him just didn't settle well. There was so much past between them that it was obvious they would only bring turmoil to the present effort. And that wouldn't be good for anyone.

Lacy started reading off the list of committees. There was the costume committee—something Haley would never be on, seeing as how the one time she'd tried to hem a dress she'd accidentally sewn the skirt of the dress she was wearing to the dress her grandmother was teaching her to hem. Then there was the food committee, the marketing committee, makeup committee and onward down the line until last, but not least, the props committee. A sense of dread started filling Haley with each committee list that was called out and Will's name didn't appear. When Lacy started reading the props committee members, Haley knew she was doomed even before their names were read back-to-back. It was everything she could do to keep the alarm she felt from showing in her expression as she felt gazes bouncing off her at every angle. She swallowed hard and though her palms were perspiring she kept her hands still, not allowing herself to wipe them on her skirt for fear everyone would see that she was sweating. It was a trait she'd learned when negotiating property contracts. But this was different. This was more personal. She didn't want to be stuck on a team with Will. The man was a spur in her past that she didn't want to revisit. If she'd known he was living back in Mule Hollow she probably wouldn't have come home. There was no way she wanted to spend time with him.

But it was done. There was nothing she could do about it and not look suspicious. Not to mention how it would disappoint her grandpa.

She forced herself to think positively. She was a big girl now. This was a good time to wipe the slate clean. She could pull Will Sutton's ever-present memory from out of the dark closet she'd stuffed it in all those years ago and expose it to the light—then move on with her life. Her California dream life. A life that was wonderful, and fulfilling, and…and everything she'd ever wanted.

She straightened in her chair.

This was a good thing.

A step forward. That was what this experience would be. A big gigantic step toward…her future.

W
ill didn't miss the look that passed between Norma Sue and Esther Mae the minute the names were read. The moment he heard Lacy call out Haley's name, he zeroed in on the two known matchmakers. He hadn't even realized Haley was going to help with the program. Now he was pretty sure he was being set up. But why? Why would anyone want to do that?

He thought Haley would be gone by the weekend, and now he realized that she must be staying. He needed a cup of coffee to digest that bit of information. He strode toward the table where cookies and a coffeepot sat. Listening to Lacy continue to describe all that needed to be done before the big production in five weeks, his brain rolled over the time he didn't have that was going to be required of him for this. It was going to be a tight squeeze to get it all done, but it was the thought of spending time with Haley that filled him with dread.

He should have seen it coming. Haley could draw anything, so it was logical that Applegate had recruited her. Trying to shake the unease rising in him, Will took a cautious swallow of hot coffee and studied her profile. She looked as tense as he felt, no doubt just as wary as he was of this development. There was no denying that she would be a big help to the program. And the program was what this was all about. He should just relax and ignore the red flags he was seeing—

“Somethin' on yer mind?”

Applegate suddenly slapped him on the shoulder in greeting. Will sloshed coffee down the front of his jeans and glanced at the older man. He hadn't realized anyone was in the kitchen behind him, especially Applegate. He had no idea how long App had been watching Will stare at his granddaughter.

“No sir,” he said, taking a quick swig of the scalding liquid and feeling the inside of his mouth fire up as he met Applegate's gaze. Will made a concerted effort to keep his eyes off Haley when they automatically started to slide back in her direction. He couldn't afford to let himself slip up like that again. The last thing he needed was to start speculation that he was standing in the back of the building staring longingly at Haley…. It might have been true, but that didn't mean he wanted everyone to notice he still had feelings for her.

To his dismay, instead of heading back to his chair, Applegate planted himself beside Will, folded his thin arms across his chest and settled in. He was so thin he reminded Will of a praying mantis as he cut his eyes toward Will and caught him staring.

“I figure we're gonna be puttin' in some long hours ta get this stage setup designed and finished in time,” he said, raising a bushy brow.

Will relaxed a bit, relieved that Applegate wanted to talk about the program. “You're right about that. But I didn't see anything in those plans that requires welding. Why do they need me?” he asked.

Applegate cleared his throat loudly and shifted from foot to foot. His dour expression remained, but Will read his body language. Applegate was hedging. “We hoped you could come up with some easier way to help move the sets around.” He cut his gaze at Will. “Ken ya do that? Plus, I got you on the drawing team. It ain't jest your welding that gotcha on my crew.”

Dread settled over Will at the mention of drawing. He had a feeling he and Haley were going to be spending a lot of time together. Looking away, he focused on Lacy as she waved her hands to get everyone's attention again.

“Time to break up into individual groups so team leaders can set up work schedules,” she called out, her face beaming. “All cast members see me.”

Will hadn't known Lacy long, but it was obvious she had a heart for Mule Hollow. He'd moved home to help keep the town alive, but it was evident that Lacy had come here, set the town on her shoulders and was pushing with all her might to make it a place people wanted to set roots in. He liked her, and watching her get this production together he could fully understand how she'd been able to talk a bunch of dusty cowboys into painting their town the colors of a Joseph's coat of many colors. He smiled as she waved her arms over her head then met her husband Clint's gaze and sent him a kiss airmail. Something tugged inside Will watching the affection that passed between his old friend and his new wife. Will had always wanted that, but he'd resigned himself to the fact that he would probably never have it.

A flash of red caught his eye and, as quick as that, he was watching Haley again as she removed the little red coat she'd been wearing. The room was warm as toast, but when she slipped her graceful arms from the wool coat, he wished the heat would stop working. It was obvious that she'd stayed in shape, though she did look a bit thin to him. She probably worked out alongside the rich and famous at one of those preppy little gyms. After all, networking was a fact of life in any business, especially Haley's profession. If you wanted to be successful, you had to go where your clients were—and looking at the tanned, lean muscles of Haley's arms and her trim figure clad in the shimmering sleeveless top and flowing skirt that clung to her hips then flared out about her legs in a soft swirl of vibrant cloth, it was more than apparent that she must know all about networking.

“Hey, Will, what's up?” Sheri Gentry said, sailing past him to grab the coffeepot. Will sidestepped out of the way. Everyone knew that Sheri, the local nail tech and co-owner with Lacy of the salon Heavenly Inspirations, was a coffee-drinking dynamo. She and her husband, Pace, had just arrived back from a trip to Australia and like Haley, Sheri had a tan that wouldn't quit.

“Not much, Sheri. How's life treating you?”

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Peachy.”

Will chuckled then found himself glancing back toward Haley. He was so surprised to find her walking his way that he almost dropped his cup. He'd been out of line at their last meeting. If they were going to be working together, he had to be a man about it and act like an adult. That meant holding his tongue and keeping the past in the past.

 

Haley stopped beside Applegate, resting a hand on App's crossed arms and lifting an eyebrow. “Interesting group we have for the prop production.”

It wasn't a question but a forthright statement that said she, too, hadn't missed that they were on the same team. And she had her suspicions. Applegate's expression didn't change at all. He looked from Haley to Will. “We needed persons with creativity and abilities, and the two of you fit the bill purdy perfect. I 'spect the good Lord was smiling on us when He brought the two of you back here. So, of course, I picked the both of you fer the design team. Now, I got me a good group of painters and such, but seein' how the two of you is so good at drawin' I figured y' all kin git in here first, draw up the different sets Lacy's askin' fer and then we kin pull the others away from their other projects to paint.”

Will met Haley's gaze and couldn't miss her look of displeasure. Well, he wasn't any more thrilled at being thrown in with her than she was. All the years since she'd abandoned him at the altar had left him with emotions he tried to keep buried deep. There was no way of getting around the fact that he'd thought all these years that he still loved her. But he'd realized just this week that there was indeed a fine line between love and hate. And though he didn't hate Haley, these feelings he'd been carrying around couldn't still be love. More likely they were a mixture of hurt, loss and longing for what she'd left behind.

Those feelings seemed to be bubbling to the surface as raw today as they'd been the day he'd met her gaze across the church full of wedding guests and seen her shut down on him. He'd known in that instant that he'd lost her. When she'd turned and run from the church, he hadn't moved. He'd locked up, knowing she'd made her choice.

Back in those days Haley had had the most expressive eyes Will had ever seen. They'd had their first fight over his decision not to leave Mule Hollow only days prior to the wedding, and he'd read in the flare of her gaze that she'd chosen to follow her heart. And her heart hadn't included him. If it had, she'd have respected his decision to seek a simpler life in the town he loved. She'd have chosen to marry him, raise a family and build a quiet life in a place with values—the place he'd felt in his heart was the right place to be. Haley had made it clear that their vision of life was not the same, so he'd let her go.

Yet all these years he'd thought he still loved her. He must have been wrong. He didn't even know her.

How could you love someone you don't even know?

 

There he went, looking at her as if she were gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Haley had a bad feeling about this entire setup, and with the way Will was looking at her, it was easy to see he thought this was all her idea. Well, if he thought she was any more pleased at this turn of events than he was, he had another think coming. The last place she wanted to be was spending the time with him that it was evident this project was going to require. This had not been in her plans for returning to Mule Hollow.

There was no way she and Will were the only semi-artistic people in this entire room. Applegate had something up his scrawny little sleeve. The fact that he suddenly wouldn't look at her was a big clue. But why? That was the question. What could he possibly gain by throwing her into a situation that required her to work so closely with Will?

“So,” she said. “It seems we are on the same team.” Like she'd acknowledged earlier, she was taking steps forward and if that meant spending time around Will then so be it. Meanwhile, she needed to keep her cool around Will so that no one would get any silly ideas that she was nervous or fluttery around him. Fluttery, an odd word, but it fit because her insides were feeling like the wings of a thousand butterflies. Maybe Will Sutton made her nauseated.

“And you two are going to have yor work cut out fer ya. That's why I picked ya. Haley, we were picking teams the day you drove into town—like I told y' all, if that ain't a God thang then I don't know what is. Instantly, I remembered that time back when you was in high school and y' all built that puppet set for the elementary school. You remember that?”

Staring up at Will, Haley couldn't help remembering how much fun they'd had coming up with the design and building it together. Will had been home from college, and she'd come up with the idea and he'd jumped right in to help her. “We did have fun,” she confessed, knowing there was no way to deny it. The admission startled Will. It showed in his eyes and the way he shifted his head to the side as he studied her. Haley liked that she'd surprised him. He needed to realize she was capable of moving on.

“Didn't we?” she asked him, lifting an eyebrow when it suddenly occurred to her the feeling could have been one-sided.

He nodded first, then answered, “Yes, we did.”

Applegate snorted. “Yup, this'll work. I kin tell these thangs.”

Haley wasn't so sure about it, but she couldn't help smiling at the satisfaction radiating from her granddad.

It was nice to see she was at least making him happy—even if it left her feeling, well, fluttery.