by Alexa Verde
She glanced at Kristina, who’d insisted on helping her behind the counter. As a self-employed interior designer, Kristina could choose her own hours to work—or not to work. With Greg’s sports equipment store doing extremely well, she seemed to be exercising the latter option more often now.
Freed up from so much counter duty, Aileen dedicated more time to baking and allowed herself to get up later than four o’clock. Despite all the food preparation yesterday, at last she didn’t feel as if she’d fall on her face from tiredness.
“I still insist on paying you,” Aileen said as she brought out a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, the delicious aroma spreading around. Oh, how she loved the scent of freshly baked cookies!
“Nonsense!” Kristina waved her off and handed Nai a dozen pumpkin rolls with cream cheese filling, Aileen’s nod to the fall season. “But you do need to hire some help because I’m not going to last here forever.” She patted her stomach. “The little one will take all my attention.”
“Or little ones.” Nai grinned while she paid. “I agree with Kristina. At first, I thought the employees at Ivy’s on Spruce weren’t efficient and only hired out of my aunt’s kindness. But I was wrong.”
Her best friend feigned shock. “What, you say your aunt isn’t really kind?”
“Oh, you!” Nai playfully swatted her hand before picking up the box of pumpkin rolls. “She’s very kind. I meant, the staff at the bookstore turned out much more helpful than I realized. I don’t know how I would have managed the store without them when Aunt Ivy was ill.” She turned to Aileen. “Let’s get together at The Pancake Shoppe when we get a chance.”
“Thank you.” Aileen sent them a grateful glance. She was beyond thankful that Kristina, Nai, and their other friends, Reese and Julia, had accepted her into their circle, though she’d had to miss most meet-ups because of working late.
“But if you have to work, we can meet here instead.” Kristina seemed to read her thoughts. “We all love your pastries. And one of us can man the counter while the others talk.”
“Thanks. But it’s not fair to you. I’ll come up with something. See you later, Nai.” Aileen rushed to the adjacent kitchen to check on the batch of cherry turnovers.
Maybe she’d have to take up Jonah on his offer to work at her store. She’d even obtained a work permit once he’d turned fourteen two months ago, but she wanted him to study and have fun instead. She remembered all too well how it had weighed on her to start working young.
However, now he was more insistent because he needed pocket funds for dates. Besides, Shannon wanted to learn to bake, so he wanted to learn, too. Of course, he could work only a limited number of hours and only when school was out, but it would still give her a nice respite. And Shannon was already nearly begging her to apply for a work permit for her, as well.
Hmmm.
In just two days of Kristina manning the counter, Aileen seemed to have happier customers because she wasn’t running out of items before the end of the day and had added more variety to the menu, including finally baking treats for people who had diabetes or couldn’t eat food with gluten, Her profits had increased as a result. She’d even moved up the line of all the cakes she’d been hired to bake, which meant she could take more orders. And if things kept going this well, she could afford a part-time employee.
All in all, hiring help didn’t seem like a selfish or risky decision any longer. It seemed a smart decision.
Lord, please guide me here.
She was back at the counter when her phone rang. She fished it out of her pocket. Dad!
Great.
He’d be wonderful to bounce ideas off.
Besides Roman, he’d been her biggest supporter. On late evenings this week, when Jonah was already in bed, she’d told her father on the phone how the things were progressing with Roman and the job offer. With Kristina helping out, Aileen could take a quick break to talk to him.
She swiped the screen to answer and stepped into the kitchen. “Hello, Dad.”
“I have something I need to tell you, and I think I should do it in person.” His voice sounded serious. “And I have news.”
Oh no.
No, no, no.
Did he have a relapse?
She leaned against the wall because her legs felt like cooked noodles and didn’t want to hold her up any longer.
“Okay,” she squeaked. “I can find time to drive to Portland.”
“No need. I’ll be in Chapel Cove in the evening. Care to have a cup of tea with me at Aileen’s Pastries? I tell you, life is not the same without your cherry turnovers.”
“Of course. I… look forward to seeing you.” She stared at the phone after he hung up before sliding it into her slacks’ back pocket.
The rest of the day passed in a mental fog. Kristina asked her more than a few times what was wrong, and Aileen answered she didn’t know.
By the evening, she had a headache, and everything inside her trembled. One thing was clear—if her father needed her to take care of him, she’d have to take that job offer and move to Portland.
Her gut tightened, both from worry about her father and from the prospect of never seeing Roman again.
She prayed more than she’d ever prayed in her life, except when her father had been sick the first time.
By the time Kristina left—after turning the sign from Open to Closed—and her father entered, Aileen was one big bundle of nerves.
“Hey, Dad.” She gave him a tight hug as tears prickled behind her eyes.
He hugged her back, then let her go and studied her. “You look awful.”
“Well, thanks, Dad.” She gestured for him to sit and hurried to bring two plates of cherry turnovers, then two cups of hot tea. Not that she’d be able to eat, but her father would insist on her having one for herself.
“Okay, that sounded wrong.” He took a seat. “You’ll always be my beautiful, precious daughter. What I meant is you look like you’re worried about something. Is it anything I can help you with?”
“You can help me by telling me what’s going on. Why you needed to talk to me.” Tense, she eyed him as she sank into a chair.
Chapter Eighteen
Aileen stared at her father.
On a closer look, he looked better than he had in years. His hair was as white as ever, but a new sparkle lit his eyes. And his shoulders, often stooped before, were now straightened out. He was dressed in a nice ironed blue suit while his clothes had been wrinkled before unless she ironed them.
Her father said grace before taking a bite of the turnover.
He was praying now?
“Well, first of all, I met up again with someone I used to know here, and I might be moving back to Chapel Cove to get to know that person better.” He winked, that youthful sparkle flashing in his blue eyes.
Air whooshed out of her lungs. “So you’re not sick again?”
He blinked at her. “No. Unless you call love sickness, and I don’t think so.”
Good thing she was sitting already, or she might’ve fallen down. “How… how did you meet? During one of your visits here to see Jonah and me?”
“Yes. And then we continued our relationship online.” He took another bite of cherry turnover. “Mmmm, this is as good as I remember it. Even better without your mother berating me for getting extra pounds. So yes, online. Technology isn’t only for you, youngsters.”
At forty, she wouldn’t exactly call herself a youngster, but she went with it. “I… I’m thrilled for you. And I’d love to have you live closer.”
“Just your cherry turnovers are worth moving back for. But seriously, I want to see you and Jonah more often. I want to meet that girlfriend of his and maybe talk some sense into that boy. And I want to see where this new relationship goes. By my age, one realizes how precious time is.”
She took a sip of hot tea as the lump in her throat she’d had all day dissolved. “This is awesome. I’ll help you move, of course. That’s what you wa
nted to tell me in person?”
“Yes. And one more thing.” He studied her over the rim of his cup. “I thought a lot about what you told me about you and Roman and the job offer. Before you make your decision, you should know something.”
Uh-oh.
She tensed again. She didn’t like that beginning. “Yes?”
“Remember the down payments I made for you on your business and your house?” His eyes became pensive as he finished his dessert.
Her rib cage squeezing, she hurried to bring him another. “I do. You insisted on it, and that was the only way I could get both. I’m very grateful, and you know I’ll pay you back as soon as I can. Or…” She swallowed hard. “Do you need it now?”
Was her dad contemplating a generous courtship and a big wedding? He deserved it—of course, he deserved it! That meant she’d have to sell her business to pay him back.
As disappointment tightened her stomach, she knew again what she wanted to choose.
“No.” He sipped his tea. “I told you that you don’t have to pay me back ever. Because frankly, I wasn’t the one who came up with the funds.”
She stared at him. He’d borrowed from someone. She should’ve guessed it then. “Now that person wants it back.” Of course, she was still overjoyed her father was all right.
She just didn’t want to leave her hometown—and okay, Roman—again.
“You get it wrong for the second time.” Her father drained his tea. “He doesn’t want his loan back. I just think it’s time you know who that person was. He asked me to never tell you, but I’m afraid you might make the biggest mistake of your life if I don’t.”
“O–okay. Who was it?”
“Roman. I never told you, but we kept in touch. You know I once hoped he’d be my son-in-law.”
Her jaw slackened. “But he–he hated me at the time.”
“Oh, my dear daughter. You’re so great with pastries but not too great with knowing people. He might’ve been resentful somewhat toward you, yes. But he never hated you. He loved you too much.”
For a few moments, she couldn’t say a word. Then the doorbell made her jump to her feet. She should’ve locked the door.
As Mrs. MacPherson entered the store, Aileen turned to her father. “Sorry, Dad. Let me help Mrs. MacPherson, and I’ll be right back with you.”
Her father got up, a soft smile curving on his lips. “Actually, I asked Brooke to meet me here.”
Aileen’s gaze moved from Mrs. MacPherson to her father and back. “Brooke?”
Oh.
Oooooh.
“We, um, have been seeing each other.” The older lady’s cheeks pinked, and she suddenly looked ten years younger.
Her turquoise suit, consisting of a light jacket and a pencil skirt, suited her well, making her blue eyes look brighter. Or was it new love that brightened her eyes?
Aileen squealed and hugged her father, then Mrs. MacPherson. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, dear.” Mrs. MacPherson hugged her back. “I all but gave up on romance, and look what happened.”
Aileen glanced at the empty plate on the table. Interesting that Mrs. MacPherson’s favorite dessert became her father’s favorite, as well. “Don’t tell me you met over my cherry turnovers. Actually, do tell me. I want to hear all about how you two met again. But first, please sit and have any of the pastries you’d like. On the house, of course.”
“I hope you won’t get offended, but we’d love to take a couple cherry turnovers to go. I have a dinner reservation at The Fisherman’s Hook.” Her father slipped his arm around Mrs. MacPherson’s shoulder.
Huh. The fanciest seafood restaurant in town. Thankfully, now that he didn’t have a wife spending everything he earned and more—or in this case, his retirement payment—he should be able to afford it.
Mrs. MacPherson looked up at him, and her cheeks pinked even more. A little more, and they’d match the filling in her favorite dessert.
“Two cherry turnovers coming right up.” Aileen hurried behind the counter.
While she was wrapping the desserts and placing them in the box, her father said, “I met Brooke in the park. I was sad that I had to leave you and Jonah and drive to the empty apartment in Portland and contemplated getting a puppy. Somehow I found myself in the park, looking at dogs.”
“My dog ran to him and slobbered all over him, so I went to apologize.” The dear woman laughed. “I was so surprised to discover it was Johnnie. Of course, we knew each other before, but we both were married at the time.”
“There was no need to apologize. It was one of the best welcomes I received. Well, if not to count your kisses…” His neck reddened.
Aileen cleared her throat.
Her father continued, “Then I said I thought about getting a dog, and she told me about her favorite breeds and shared her cherry turnovers with me. She said they were from the most wonderful baker this town ever had.”
Mrs. MacPherson chuckled. “Apparently, the way to a man’s heart can really be through his stomach, though I couldn’t claim making these. Anyway, we started talking and only realized how much time had passed when it got dark. I just felt that connection. But once you went back to Portland, I thought that would be it.”
“I couldn’t let a treasure like you go.” A glow softened her father’s eyes when he looked at the woman beside him.
“Oh, stop it.” Mrs. MacPherson swatted at his hand playfully.
Aileen handed them the dessert. “I hope your evening is wonderful.”
“I’m sure it will be.” Mrs. MacPherson’s lips lifted up.
Once they left, Aileen closed the store, her thoughts running wild. After climbing inside her car, she sent a text to Jonah and received a reply that he was still learning carpentry from Mr. Roman.
She clicked the seatbelt and drove off. Roman’s generosity, especially while she’d expected him to be angry with her, overwhelmed her. She owed him so much in many senses, and it both filled her with gratitude and weighed on her. Despite never wanting to saddle him with her debt, she’d done it already, without knowing it.
But he’d been willing to help her, the woman who’d hurt him, no questions asked, not waiting for anything in return….
How could a woman not love a man like that? No wonder she’d fallen for him a long time ago.
She made a turn to the right.
Love truly was in the air in Chapel Cove this year, with many couples dating, getting engaged, and getting married. Not only women in their forties, like Kristina, Nai, and Reese—okay, and herself—were getting a second chance, but older couples, too.
The town’s best gossip Violet was dating Nai’s father-in-law and an engagement seemed to be on the horizon. Dr. Johnson and Nai’s aunt Ivy might finally admit their feelings for each other. And now her father and Mrs. MacPherson…
Aileen drove up to Roman’s townhouse to pick up Jonah and turned off the engine. After clicking her seatbelt open, she rushed out of her vehicle and to the townhouse.
Her heart was beating faster at the prospect of seeing Roman again. As she ran up the porch, the voices of Roman and Jonah and then her son’s laughter made her pause. They sounded happy.
Was it possible this was the answer to her prayers, even the ones she hadn’t voiced yet?
Could she, too, have a new beginning at forty?
A week after Thanksgiving, as Roman finished hanging lights on the roof of Aileen’s house, his thoughts drifted while his hands worked the hammer. Anticipation squeezed his heart. Would she like the surprise he had waiting for her when she returned from her store? Or would this be too much too soon for her?
Spending the weekend with Aileen and Jonah had been wonderful. They’d worshiped God together in church, gone for a delicious lunch at Tia Irma’s, then spent the afternoon at the beach despite the cold, double dating with Jonah and Shannon.
He and Jonah had surprised Aileen by cooking dinner five days ago—steaks, potatoes, and a garden salad—a
nd she’d been smiling the entire evening. She’d looked at him differently then, too, with more of a quiet appreciation, surprise, and affection. He’d stopped at her store every day since, grateful to his sister for helping Aileen out. He loved seeing less tiredness in her features. Jonah seemed happy to start helping out in the store in what little time he had between school, wrestling, and dating Shannon.
But Aileen still didn’t tell him what she’d decided about the Portland job.
Maybe she couldn’t forgive herself for marrying another man. Or maybe she didn’t believe he’d forgiven her completely? Or maybe, true to her nature, she worried too much that things might not work out between them.
Either way, he couldn’t lose her a second time.
And that was the reason he was working on this surprise.
Even if Aileen wasn’t ready for a leap of faith, he was.
He had to do this.
His phone beeped, signaling an incoming text. Normally, he preferred not to talk on the phone or text while being on the roof, but he made an exception this time. He’d been expecting a call.
He checked his phone and smiled. While Kristina with her friends were inside Aileen’s house bringing in food and setting up the table—Jonah was in on the surprise and had let Kristina in—it obviously was easier for her to text than to leave the house and yell to him. He opened the text and grinned again.
He had the best sister in the world.
Shame on you for making a pregnant woman work. Just kidding. Fajitas, rice, beans, and even homemade flour tortillas are set up on the table. Reese and Nai put up the decorations already. It’s all ready for you to wow Aileen, hermano.
He squelched a few stings of guilt over making her work. While his cooking skills were decent, they didn’t compare to Kristina’s. At least, he should be done here soon.