Longing to give her some sort of comfort, Crockett reached across the table and took hold of her hand.
She latched on to it as though it were a lifeline. “A distracted driver had run a red light and plowed into Peter’s car going forty-five miles per hour in a thirty-five zone. The police said they didn’t stand a chance.” A lone tear spilled ono her cheek, tearing at Crockett’s heart. “I never even got to say goodbye.”
Crockett cleared his throat and somehow managed to talk around the lump that was still lodged there. “I am so sorry you had to go through that, Paisley.”
“Me, too.” She lifted a shoulder and made a poor attempt at a smile. “And just so you know, I don’t usually tell people that story.” She finally made eye contact with him. “But since I kind of exposed my heart back there at the castle, I thought you deserved to know.”
Still holding her hand, he roughed a thumb over her knuckles. “How did you end up in Bliss?”
“I shut down Weddings by Paisley soon after the accident. I wasn’t in any shape to plan weddings or give pep talks to brides-to-be, let alone run a business. Once I stopped wallowing in my grief, I knew I had to begin anew. That my dreams no longer centered around my family. That it was time to think about me and what I wanted. But my family and friends made that rather difficult.”
“How so?”
“This probably sounds terrible, but I grew weary of their pity.”
“Not at all. I’ve been there myself.”
“I know they meant well, but as soon as I’d take two steps forward, they’d pull me back. So, I decided to relocate. I didn’t know where, didn’t particularly care, so long as it was where God wanted me to be.” She smiled in earnest then. “I was at the doctor’s office one day, thumbing through a magazine, when I saw a sweet little ad for this charming town in Texas. Knowing that I definitely needed a little bliss in my life, as the ad said, I visited and fell in love with the town and its people.”
“Do you ever miss the city?”
She puffed out a laugh. “There are many things I miss, but the city is not one of them.”
He studied the remarkable woman across from him. “Paisley, I believe I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
Still holding her hand, he stood, rounded the table and pulled her to her feet. “For underestimating you. You are a strong woman, stronger than most men. Myself included.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“I don’t. The fact that you were able to move past your pain and start a new life here in Bliss, all the while holding tight to your faith, is something to be admired. It makes me ashamed of how I treated you in the past.”
“Now who’s pitying me?”
“Paisley, the only pitiful one here is me.” It really bugged him, the way his hackles used to go up whenever he was around her.
“That’s not true. You’re a good man.” She released his hand and moved toward the window. “This rain isn’t going to let up anytime soon. What do we do about the castle?”
“We wait. It may be a few days before we can get back in there.”
Yawning, she nodded. “I think I need a nap.”
At least her mood seemed to have improved, so he wouldn’t have to worry about leaving her while she was down. Problem was, he didn’t want to go. Like someone who’d just uncovered a rare treasure, he wanted to stay and admire it.
And that was a problem he’d never anticipated.
Chapter Nine
Bile burned the back of Paisley’s throat as she stood in the open doorway of the castle late Wednesday morning. When Crockett suggested the water had receded enough for them to safely check on things at the castle, she’d been more than eager. But she definitely wasn’t prepared. Mud and muck stretched the length of the entry hall and beyond.
“I think I might be sick.” She pressed a hand to her stomach.
Crockett stepped inside. “I’d say we got off pretty easy.” Crouching, he eyed the area where the floor met the wall. “Doesn’t look like we had more than six inches.” He stood. “Could have been much worse.”
“I don’t even want to think about what that would have looked like.” Wearing her rubber boots, she moved into the entry hall before making a left into the library. Things hadn’t fared any better in there. “Good thing we took those drapes down.”
They wandered from room to room, assessing the damage, which was pretty much the same no matter where they went on the first level. Mud-covered floors, small puddles, dank air. Far more than a mop or a fan could cure.
“I’m glad there wasn’t any carpeting down here.” She continued into the kitchen where her packing had come to a halt. “This looks even more disgusting than it did before.”
“Good news.” Crockett moved behind her. “It was slated to be a gut job anyway.”
“What do we do about all this mud? Shovel? Shop-Vac?”
“No, we’re leaving this to the professionals. Molly’s already given me the go-ahead to bring in remediation specialists—” He grabbed her elbow and tugged her toward him. “Looks like we have a guest.”
“A guest?” She peered up at him. “What do you mean a—?”
His gaze was intent.
Following his stare, she saw something slithering near one of the cupboards. A shudder ran through her as she took another step back. “Is it poisonous?”
“Yep. It’s a cottonmouth.” His dark eyes still fixed on the snake, he said, “Hand me that broom by the door.”
Reaching behind her, she grabbed the old wooden broom and handed it to him. “How are you going to kill it with that?”
Armed, he took a step forward. “Why don’t you open that door.” He nodded toward the corner of the kitchen. “Then come on back here behind me.”
“Why? What are you—?”
“Door please.” His voice was calm as he nudged the snake with the end of the handle—something the snake did not take kindly to.
“How do I know that isn’t where he came from or that there aren’t any more?”
“Paisley. Please.”
She huffed out a breath, grabbed the phone from her pocket and turned on the flashlight before cautiously approaching the area. Satisfied it was clear, she pulled the door open and hurried back toward the swinging door.
“Thaaank you.” He slowly lifted the broom handle, bringing the snake with it. Then he inched toward the door, holding the broom steady, his focus never leaving the nasty creature.
When he stepped outside, she moved closer to see him lower the snake into the grass. Then he hurried back inside, closing the door behind him.
Hand on her hip, Paisley looked up at him. “I can’t believe you let him go. That was a poisonous snake. Why didn’t you kill it?”
He stared down at her, his expression stern. “Would you have preferred I let you handle it?”
“Of course not. Though I probably would have bludgeoned it with the broom. Or at least tried.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I didn’t have a shotgun or shovel, so I had to improvise, all right?”
She couldn’t help smiling. “My hero.”
“Whatever.” He pushed past her. “Let’s go grab some lunch at Rae’s. I’m getting cranky.”
“What else is new,” she mumbled, following him through the swinging door. “But we need to come up with a plan of action.”
“I think better on a full stomach.”
After locking up, she climbed into his truck, and they rode in silence.
Five minutes later, he pushed open the door of the café, allowing Paisley to enter.
The aroma of coffee mingled with the tantalizing scents of fried chicken and beef enchiladas, making her stomach growl. Since it wasn’t quite noon, they had their pick of tables.
Behind the counter, Rae was conversing with one of her waitresses. And i
t appeared the waitress was crying.
Just then, Rae looked their way. “Paisley, come on over here.”
Peering up at Crockett, she lifted a shoulder. “Let’s see what’s up.”
Rae addressed the young woman beside her. “If anyone can help us figure this out, it’s Paisley.”
“What do we need to figure out?” She glanced from Rae to the waitress.
“Samantha is supposed to get married on Saturday.”
“I heard.” Paisley couldn’t help smiling. “Congratulations.”
“Well, there’s been a little mishap.” Rae eyed a weeping Samantha. “The roof on the parish hall collapsed from all of the rain. They were supposed to have their reception there.”
“Oh, no. That’s terrible.” Paisley’s heart went out to the girl. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
The young woman sniffed. “If we can’t find someplace else, we’ll have to cancel the wedding.”
“Nonsense.” Paisley reached across the counter and squeezed her hand. “I’m sure one of the other churches in town would be happy to step in.”
“None of them are big enough. Besides, all of our decorations were in the hall. Now they’re ruined.”
Releasing Samantha, Paisley mentally sifted through other prospective venues, trying to come up with a solution. “Now don’t you go giving up hope just yet. Decorations can be replaced, and there’s bound to be some place in this area that will work. What about Cattleman’s Hall?”
Samantha looked chagrinned. “We can’t afford it.”
“I understand. Even if you could, it’s rather plain. The parish hall has a nice ambiance.”
“That’s why we were going to have it there. Well, that and the church gave us a discount. But I wanted a rustic wedding.”
“Rustic, huh?” An image popped into Paisley’s head. “Excuse me for a minute.” She tugged a rather uncomfortable-looking Crockett aside. “Didn’t I see an old wooden barn out at your place?”
“Yeah. We use it to store hay.”
“So, it’s structurally sound?”
“Of course.” His brow wrinkled.
“Does it have electricity?”
His gaze narrowed. “I’m almost afraid to say yes.”
“Great, can I see it?”
“When?”
“Right now.”
“Paisley, if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking—”
She grabbed him by the arm. “Come on. We can talk while you drive.”
“Now, just hold on a second.” He tugged free. “I’m hungry.”
“Oh, all right.” She looked over her shoulder. “Rae, I need two burgers and fries to go. And the faster the better.”
“I’m on it.”
Rejoining Samantha, she said, “Don’t give up hope just yet, darlin’. Not until you hear back from me.”
* * *
“You know, I had my heart set on the fried chicken special.” With one hand on the steering wheel and a burger in the other, Crockett whizzed past the Bliss city limit sign.
“And I wanted you to kill that snake, so we’ll call it even.” In the passenger seat, Paisley popped a shoestring fry in her mouth.
“You sure seemed eager to help that girl with her plight. Like something sparked to life inside of you.”
“Yeah, it did.” A sweet smile played across her lips as she peered out the window at the waterlogged pastureland. “When I closed the doors on Weddings by Paisley, I didn’t think I’d ever want to go back. That it would be too painful. But this past year I found myself missing it.” She looked back at him. “Then on a walk one day, I wandered by the castle. I started doing a little research and, well, here we are.”
“Until you mentioned Weddings by Paisley the other day, I wasn’t aware that you’d owned a wedding planning business.”
“I’ve been smitten with weddings all my life, and God gave me the skills to help make bridal dreams come true. Weddings by Paisley drew clients from all over Georgia.”
He glanced her way. “Impressive.”
“To some people, maybe. I just loved what I did.”
“And you’re seriously considering having a wedding reception in my barn?”
“I won’t know if it’s doable until I see it. If it is, would you allow Samantha and Brenden to use it? I promise to oversee everything and will take full responsibility if anything is damaged.” She peeled back the wrapper on her burger. “I just hate the thought of them having to postpone their wedding because they don’t have a place for their reception.”
His own burger gone, he retrieved his foam cup of water from the cupholder. “Why don’t they just have the wedding and call it good?”
“Because the wedding is formal, whereas the reception is relaxed. It allows the happy couple to mingle with their guests and celebrate with friends and family.”
“Wow. My wedding reception wasn’t anything like that.”
She twisted to face him. “What do you mean?”
“Ninety-five percent of the two hundred guests were Shannon’s friends and family. And since I wasn’t much of a dancer, she spent most of the night on the dance floor with her friends.”
“Crockett, that’s horrible.” Reaching across the center console, she squeezed his arm, sending a jolt of awareness straight to his heart. “A wedding and the reception are supposed to be about the couple, not just one person. That’s something I always emphasized to my brides. Even though they get to be a princess for the day, the wedding isn’t just about them. The man they intend to spend the rest of their life with needs to be happy, too.”
Crockett couldn’t help the laugh that puffed out. “Maybe that was part of Shannon’s problem.”
“What?”
“I don’t think she planned to spend the rest of her life with me. Once the party was over and life became day-to-day, she lost interest. Said I was boring.”
“Surely there were some good times.”
“I suppose. Things were pretty good when she was pregnant with Mac. I think it was mostly because it made Shannon the center of attention. But again, the newness wore off a few months after Mac was born.”
“What about David?”
His heart squeezed. He pulled in a long breath while the hum of the tires filled the air. “Shannon was not happy when she learned she was pregnant a second time. After David was born, she insisted we hire a nanny because she couldn’t be expected to stay at home with two kids all day. I told her she’d have to go back to work then, but that didn’t last.”
“So what did she do?”
“Before or after she found a boyfriend?”
“Oh, Crockett.” He’d never seen such a cute pout. “That’s terrible. How did you end up with someone like that?”
He lifted a shoulder. “She was very convincing. Fortunately, I had a better lawyer than she did, so she didn’t walk away with near as much money as she thought she would.”
“Well, I find that very infuriating. I mean, it’s one thing to ‘fall out of love’—” she did air quotes “—with someone, but to go after their money is just plain spiteful.”
“Ah, it’s all right. She found herself a sugar daddy who seems more than happy to cater to her every whim.”
Paisley shook her head. “It hurts my heart that you had to go through that. Those must have been some tough years.” As if she hadn’t had her share of those.
“They were, but I try not to dwell on them. Not when I have Mac and David. They’re the best things that ever happened to me.”
“They’re great kids. You’ve done a good job with them. I’m just sorry you have to go it alone.”
“I don’t know. Parenting may not be easy but, in my experience, it’s a lot easier than marriage ever was. I’m not planning to go down that road again.”
“You shouldn
’t close yourself off to love just because of one bad experience.”
“Once bitten, twice shy.” No woman in her right mind would want him, anyway. He hadn’t even been good enough for his own mother, and now that he’d revealed so much to Paisley, she’d see him for the loser he was. If she hadn’t figured it out already.
He pulled into the ranch, allowing the country music from the radio to fill the space as they continued past the house, following the road beyond the horse barns and along the edge of the pasture before coming to a stop in front of the gable-roofed structure with faded red paint.
Paisley stepped out of the truck, her sapphire eyes alight with wonder. “This is even better up close.” Her attention shifted to him. “If the inside is half as good as the outside, we might have a winner.” Her excitement was contagious.
He eagerly slid the doors open, an unexpected thrill welling inside of him as though she’d been talking about him instead of the barn. Like that would ever happen.
Inside, she took in the dark gray rafters, beams and posts. “Now, this is how rustic is supposed to look. All we’d really need to do is get the hay out of here, clean things up, string some lights. Lots of lights.” Pausing in the center of the space, she turned right, then left. “We could have a dance floor here in the middle.” She motioned with her hands. “Tables and chairs all around it. Tablecloths. Mason jars full of wildflowers. That is, assuming they didn’t drown.” Smiling, she nodded. “Mmm-hmm. This should be quite spacious without the hay.” She pulled out her phone, made a few taps, then let out an emphatic, “Yes!”
“What are we yessing about?”
“I was checking the weather. Things look good for Saturday night, so we could put some tables outside, too. Overflow for those wanting to escape the noise inside.”
“Yeah, I can see that. I, uh, might even be able to come up with a few wooden picnic tables. You know, to keep that rustic feel going.”
“I love it!” She approached him. “Crockett, I know I kind of forced this on you, but what do you say? Can Samantha and Brenden have their wedding reception here?”
“Are you sure? I mean, it has a dirt floor.”
A Future to Fight For Page 11