When You Look at Me (A Pleasant Gap Romance Book 2)

by Pepper Basham

  A card came next.

  Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. I hope to see her very soon. Your contribution to our world will be greatly missed, but I feel certain you will find the joy of motherhood an equal challenge to your many talents. Keep heart, brave one.

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. Emmeline Sterling

  Julia rubbed her thumb across the final phrase, almost as if this mysterious Emmeline reached from the past and spoke to her. An unexpected pregnancy. A shift in plans. The last thing she felt was brave.

  A short letter came next in the envelope. The handwriting turned sharply, giving the letters distinct peaks and valleys.

  My dearest Amelia,

  I am in awe of the photo you sent me of little Rose. She is beautiful, just like her mother. Forgive my absence as you start this journey as a single parent. I will come to you when I can—and when it is safe—but know my love is already with you, no matter what oceans separate us or time parts us. You are as close to me as memory.

  Keep safe, my darling.

  Lucas

  Julia reached behind her for the desk chair, slowly sitting, her thoughts grasping for out-of-reach connections. “It doesn’t make sense. If the baby’s last name is Sweitzer, do you think Millie became pregnant from a different man before meeting Lucas?”

  “I suppose it’s possible. The life of a celebrity is fraught with temptation.” He kept his attention on the papers in his hands, but a small frown puckered his brow. “Just ask Wes.”

  Julia knew her sister’s famous boyfriend suffered from a profligate past, but she’d never imagined the same for devout Aunt Millie. Of course, Wes was a different man than he used to be too, so perhaps Aunt Millie had also had a life-changing experience that led to her faith. Maybe her pregnancy was the catalyst?

  “Do you think Lucas fell in love with her even though she carried this”—she looked once more at the letter then back to Henry—"Sweitzer’s baby? He certainly seems to have cared about both of them, even if he was a spy.”

  Henry paused, his gaze boring deep as he gave silence a part in the conversation. “I should think the right sort of man could love like that.”

  Her gaze flickered to his. Or the Wright sort?

  Her heart leapt at his words, at the confidence in his voice. But…but could it be true? Could Henry Wright be as sincere and almost yesteryear in his tenderness as he seemed? “Then that would mean Aunt Millie became pregnant by this Sweitzer fellow, fell in love with Lucas, and yet kept the Sweitzer last name? Why does that feel wrong?”

  “There was a war going on, yes? Perhaps Sweitzer died in combat and Lucas was his best mate who felt compassion for your aunt that then turned to love?”

  “Clever speculation, Mr. Wright.” Julia couldn’t tame her grin. “I think you’re a romantic.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “I believe it’s a byproduct of being a musician.”

  “Or”—she raised a teasing brow to challenge him— “visa versa.”

  He lowered his gaze, a slight blush of red darkening his cheeks. Poor man. Better change the subject. “So then, who is this Emmeline Sterling, I wonder?”

  “I’m not certain but her name is at the top of the sheet music.” He brought the paper close and proceeded to read in his beautiful English accent. “‘Music for the illustrious Emmeline Sterling of Chelsea, London.’ But…something isn’t quite right about the score.”

  She leaned in, a lovely whiff of his vanilla scent wafting over her. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s clear this music was handwritten, not printed, of course.” He gestured toward the note markings with their inconsistent shapes and sometimes uneven lines.

  “Are you saying Millie or Lucas was composing this piece? They were musicians. Why would that be so unexpected?”

  He brought out both pages of sheet music. “If it’s a composition, it’s not a very good one.” She stepped closer and examined the page as he continued. “The first page is a replication of one of Brahms’s piano sonatas, but the second…” He brought the other page up for her better view. “As you can see, the line of melody is consistent and playable, but the chord structures beneath? They…they wouldn’t sound…”

  “They’d sound awful.”

  “Exactly.” He walked to the upright piano. “Listen.” A discordant progression of mismanaged chords with an occasional tingle of the sonata’s melody rising above the dissenting notes sounded throughout the room.

  She cringed at the horrible misuse of notes and melodies. “Why would she save something like that? Or even have it?”

  He studied the music, leaning close and taking on a very Clark Kent-ish intensity. Yes, he did remind her a little of the humble alias for The Man of Steel—in the best possible ways. Unassuming, a little fumbling, gentle. Her lips slipped into a smile. And with the heart of a hero?

  Her throat dried out at the sudden thought and she looked away. Her emotions kept bungee jumping between embracing this unexpected interest in Henry Wright and running from the possibilities. Why couldn’t she give herself permission to feel this attraction to him? Her head screamed no but her heart…well, he had something she craved.

  She really needed an additional appointment with her counselor…and a whole lot of prayer.

  “I don’t know.” He stood from the piano bench and took the sheet music back in hand as he crossed the room. “But it’s safe to say your great aunt left you something of an intriguing mystery to uncover.”

  She took the sheet music he offered, studying it, trying to fill in the missing gaps of information, but coming up empty. “It certainly seems so, but I don’t know if I have time for a mystery with a house to empty.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and nodded, examining the room as if trying to use x-ray vision to unearth more secrets. To compliment her mental digression, a brown wave rebelled against the flow of his hair and dipped down over his forehead. She grinned. Very Clark-Kent-ish indeed.

  “We need to get back to the bakery to prepare for the party tonight, but I’ll be here on Tuesday.” Her breath strained for release, but she forced her thoughts into words. “Would you like to…come with me?”

  His gaze shot to hers, searching, before he finally seemed to work out an answer. “Yes. Yes, I would be glad to.”

  Her smile trembled into place. “Good.” She gathered the rest of the papers and moved toward the doorway, Henry not far behind, carrying the box of papers. What a wonderful strangeness to find comfort in both conversations and silence with him. To feel…safe.

  She locked up the house and approached the car, Henry by her side, his smile a ready encouragement whenever she glanced his way.

  No, he was nothing like Peyton. With each additional minute she spent with him, the truth sank deeper, more certain.

  “Henry.” She rounded the car and stopped just before getting into the driver’s seat.

  He paused as he placed the box into the backseat, his eyes visible over the top of the car. “Yes?”

  “Earlier, when you said I was extraordinary…” She swallowed through the unexpected emotions rising in her throat. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  T here was no mistakin’ it, and the very idea made Nate Jenkins almost sick to his stomach.

  Another highfalutin city boy from across the world had made his way into their family.

  As the last guests arrived for Wes and Eisley’s party, each finding a place to hide in the shadows of the room, Nate couldn’t ignore the way his wounded girl, Julia, bloomed around Henry Wright. He hadn’t heard her laugh so much in almost a year. And her smile when she looked at the good-for-nothin’ foreigner? It brightened up the whole room. What was a daddy to do about that?

  And Henry? Well, that boy didn’t hide his interest a‘tall. He waited on her like she was the princess Nate had always told her she was. Daggone it! He should have called her somethin’ else, because Henry was tryin’ real hard to meet the expectation.
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br />   There was somethin’ unnerving about a boy who talked so little, spent so much time with an instrument, and wore his skittishness like a bowtie. Nate shook his head. And if it didn’t beat all, Henry Wright had shown up wearing a bowtie for church last Sunday. What sort of boy wore bowties?

  God sure did have a sense of humor, and He was most likely havin’ a good ol’ laugh about this Jenkins situation right now. Nate shot a look to the ceiling, highly suspicious.

  Was some twinkle toes really what his girl needed most? A pang shot through his chest at the thought. If Eisley married Wes, which sure seemed in the future, there might come a time when they’d move plumb across the world and then…what would happen to that part of a daddy’s heart?

  And what if Julia and Henry were next? He pressed his palm against his chest to massage away the deepening pain. Sure, young’uns were supposed to grow up and all, but how was a daddy supposed to let them fly all the way to England? Was his heart strong enough for that?

  “They make a good pair, you know?”

  Nate looked to his right where Lizzie Worthing had sneaked up beside him, securing his ungracious thoughts about the British at the moment. Even if Lizzie left England to elope with Uncle Joe, which somehow made the man all smiles and giddy and energetic like he was half his age, Nate wasn’t inclined to be generous toward any possible traitors who might steal his young’uns away. Good for Uncle Joe, though. And Lizzie wasn’t half-bad, though Nate kept the compliment tight-lipped.

  “He’s too quiet. Makes you think he’s hiding something.”

  Lizzie brushed back a strand of her silver-lined golden hair and exaggerated an eye roll—just for his benefit, if Nate knew the woman at all. “Oh, pishposh. I’ve known Henry since he was six years old, and there’s no man sincerer in all of Derbyshire.”

  “Yeah? But sincere about what? ’Cause I don’t like the way he’s lookin’ at my girl.” Even if Henry’s actions had been perfectly fine and his expression kind, Nate knew exactly what was going through Henry Wright’s head and, well, it wasn’t right. No sirree. “Besides, we ain’t in Derbyshire right now, are we?”

  She waved away his words, her attention following the crowd in the room and not him. Some people just couldn’t handle good sense. Nate copied her movement, settling his sights on another woman whose golden hair was softening with age, but who still held on to her youth and his heart without reserve. Kay bustled here and there, arranging plates at a two-seater café table in the center of the room—the “special couple’s” table, decorated with a bouquet of wildflowers and “romantic” flickering lights of an old-fashioned oil lamp, to use Sophie’s words.

  That girl probably bled fairy dust.

  “They both like music,” Lizzie added.

  “And me and the town drunk both like Marilee’s chocolate pie. Don’t mean we’re made for a lifetime commitment.”

  “You’re pigheaded, you know?”

  “And you’re a busybody.”

  The glint in her eyes hinted she liked the banter. Silly woman. How on earth did Joe put up with her?

  And yet, Joe had never looked better.

  God sure had some crazy notions sometimes. Neither Julia nor Henry knew either sparked the other, which was just fine with Nate because they hadn’t known each other long enough to think about sparks.

  His grimace deepened. Though, that hadn’t stopped Eisley from sparkin’ like the Fourth of July over her fancy pants British actor. Nate gazed at the ceiling and raised his hands into praying position. Maybe if he stared long enough, God might send some clarity on the influx of British boys into the Jenkins family—or at least the punch-line to the joke. “Just one good country boy, Lord? Just one?”

  “You’re impossible, Nate Jenkins.” Lizzie nudged his shoulder with her finger. “Country boy or city boy, the heart is what matters, and you know that’s true, as well as I, despite all your protests.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a good-hearted country boy who didn’t speak all hoity-toity. Is that so much to ask?”

  She shook her head, but her grin remained wide. “You’re hopeless. Positively hopeless.”

  “I’m startin’ to feel a little hopeless about finding any country boy for my remaining girls. I only got two left if Twinkle Toes gets serious.”

  “Country boy, is it? I’d take whatever sort as long as they loved my child.” Her blond brow skyrocketed in a needling way that made him like her argument less—even if he agreed with her. “You know, Henry helped Wes through his difficulties. He stood by him, quiet but true. He may be more reserved than you expect, but he takes excellent care of the people he loves.” Lizzie nodded toward Henry, who was carrying a punch bowl to another table as Julia followed behind with the ginger ale and juice. “And I should think that notion trumps many differences.”

  Nate’s stomach pinched. Why did Lizzie have to mention the L word? Love brought marriage, and marriage to a man who lived across the ocean brought… Well, not what he wanted.

  But the boy was so careful and…kind. Gentle. Nate’s lip snarled. Too gentle, if he had anything to say about it. His gaze fastened on Julia, and the memory of those first few months after her attack surfaced. He’d been so helpless—and angry enough to want to pound the good-for-nothin’ boy who’d hurt her into the dirt. The very idea of his rough hands leaving the bruises he’d seen on Julia’s arms, of the liberties he’d taken, of the wounds in her eyes when she’d finally become aware of all that had happened...

  He looked again at timid, citified Henry.

  Maybe gentle was what she needed most of all.

  And Nate wanted what Julia needed most. Even if it hurt him to the marrow of his country-boy bones.

  He nearly growled. Lord, help him. His family was turning into a bunch of British fancy boys, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  His gaze landed on Sophie, who teetered on a step-ladder while stringing the last bunch of fairy lights across a window, her eyes sparkling with who knew what sort of fairytale notions. He wasn’t even going to try to imagine what boy would catch her. Oh Lord, please don’t let him dress in pink.

  That only left Rachel. He zeroed in on his raven-haired tough girl and nodded. Yeah, maybe she’d be the one to bring home the football-playin’, nail-drivin’, Chevy-sportin’ son-in-law.

  “They’re here.” Nathan ran into the room, hands flying as he darted around the tables, his warning sending the room into instant chaos. “I just saw Wes’s car stop outside. They’re here.”

  Everyone darted in different directions to find their hiding spots.

  “What if she said no?” An uncomfortable silence fell with Greg’s question. His son shrugged his shoulders from his hiding spot in the nearest corner of the room. “You think this celebration might be a little awkward if she turned Wes down?”

  “There’s no way she’ll say no, Greg,” Sophie barked, one hand on her hip, as she halted her descent down the ladder. Rick rushed to her side as she wobbled, and gave her a hand.

  See, he’d raised his boys to be gentlemen too.

  “This is her fairytale dream.” Sophie sighed. “A girl doesn’t turn down an offer like that, ever.”

  “Get the lights! Get the lights!” Nate’s little wifey crossed the room to his side, her pale eyes sparkling with an excitement she often kept hidden behind her soft smile. He knew Kay trusted their kids’ futures to God, even if it meant another place became home. He grimaced. Or another country. Somehow, she’d come to peace with it and helped the idea grow on him too.

  He rubbed his chest again. The thought still hurt though.

  The lights flickered off except for the lantern-lit tables peppered in various spots around the room, and then the faint sound of a closing door followed by laughter echoed down the hallway.

  “What on earth are you doing, handsome?” Eisley’s voice carried into the room. “Julia’s bakery is the last place I thought we’d come to share our big news.”

  Well, that was a pretty good si
gn of what his oldest daughter’s answer had been.

  “I told you, I have an extra special celebration planned,” Wes replied.

  “The ring on my finger proves it’s already been an extra special evening.”

  “Well, how about one more thing.” The door opened and Eisley stepped over the threshold, her eyes squinting against the bright flashing lights that sparked to life at her entrance.

  A rousing surprise sounded from all around. The glow on his girl’s face. The bright smile. And Wes grinning at her like a fool in love. Eisley’s young’uns ran up to them, hugging Wes as much as their mama, and Nate nodded, allowing the sweet warmth to press in beside the pain.

  They were good together. A family.

  Laughter ushered them deeper into the room as Sophie bounded forward like a kangaroo, leading them to their special table. This was right. Good.

  Music pulled Nate’s attention toward the piano. Julia played while Henry stood next to her, his fiddle propped on the inside of his left arm, a bow rising and falling against its strings. Maybe…maybe they did share something special.

  The same sweetness and ache swelled in Nate’s chest all over again. Oh Lord, help me.

  The hardest part of being a parent was letting go.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Last night had been a beautiful success.

  Julia grinned as she stopped by the communication board on her way up the stairs to gather linens for cleaning. Her body ached from her work the previous day at Aunt Millie’s followed by Eisley’s engagement party, but so many exciting things were happening.

  Things she wouldn’t have imagined eight months ago.

  Eisley getting married again. Julia selling the bakery—in fact, she’d closed on the sale with Amy on Monday. Aunt Millie’s amazing inheritance left behind so Julia could finally fulfill those dreams she’d tucked away for another day. She’d even emailed her professors that morning to ask about resuming her final semester of classes in the fall and contacted the registrar office to get the ball rolling.