Hometown Healing

by Jennifer Slattery

  Two hours later, he arrived at the theater a few minutes before rehearsal to go over the night’s menu with the chef. They had two requests for gluten free and one for no dairy. Fresh asparagus lay on the counter, washed and ready to be cooked, and a quick glance into the walk-in verified steaks were marinating.

  “Looking good.” He smiled at his kitchen staff and shot Dillon a thumbs-up. Then he migrated to the dining area to wait on his cast, who should be arriving soon for the preshow rehearsal.

  He made a visual sweep of the theater’s interior, imagining how it would look after the renovations. Wild West Murder Mystery. The notion might seem absurd, but sometimes it took the unexpected to make things work. He smiled at Paige’s old phrase, remembering the fun, giggling girl she used to be. Before life had stolen the joy from those sweet blue eyes. From what he’d heard, that ex-husband had really hurt her something awful. Lying, manipulation... Before abandoning her and her sweet little one.

  What kind of father could just up and walk away from his baby girl?

  Then again, wasn’t that what Paige’s dad had done years ago?

  No wonder she acted so guarded around him.

  What would it take for her to learn to trust again? he wondered.

  Back in high school, when she’d first started pulling away, he’d thought she was done with him. That he’d annoyed her something fierce. He knew now she’d been hurting. And when Paige hurt, she withdrew. Pushed people away.

  Kind of like she was doing now. He didn’t know how to deal with her any more today than he had back then. But he desperately needed her help. So he better start learning. Fast.

  Chapter Four

  On Sunday morning, Paige awoke to Ava singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” She was lying on her back on the guest bed with her arms stretched toward the ceiling, and her pudgy little hands opening and closing.

  “Aren’t you the cheerful little one?” Paige scooped her up and kissed her neck, triggering a series of squeals and giggles.

  “You hungry?” She checked the time on her alarm clock. It was past eight o’clock—later than she normally got up. Or had intended to, thanks to a restless night spent fretting over Jed, the last person she needed to be thinking about.

  “Ice cweam?” Ava’s eyes held a mischievous glint, adding at least two years to her chubby-cheeked expression.

  “Ice cream?” Paige asked. Ava scooted toward the edge of the bed, but Paige pulled her back by her ankle and started tickling her once again.

  “Yeah!” She spoke in between her laughter.

  “For breakfast?”

  “Yeah. Ice cweam. Ice cweam. Ice cweam.” Ava smacked the bed with each statement, and her eyes were practically swallowed by her smile.

  A knock sounded. “You up, sweetie?” The door creaked open, and Mom poked her head in.

  “I am now. Isn’t that right, Ava-girl?”

  Her daughter bobbed her head, and her auburn curls danced against her forehead.

  Paige leaned back against the headboard. “Everything okay?”

  Mom stepped inside, wearing a long pink dress that hit her midshin and a shimmery cardigan. Ava’s eyes lit up. She scrambled toward her grandmother’s outstretched arms.

  “There’s my little princess.” Mom peppered Ava’s face with kisses, initiating more laughter.

  Mom tugged Ava’s pajama top, which was riding up, over her round belly. “Figured we’d go to church together this morning.”

  Paige rubbed her eyes. Church? She hadn’t been in years, and not once with Mom. “I don’t want to be rude, but...I didn’t think you were into religion.”

  “Don’t sound so enthused.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just...surprised.”

  “I go on occasion, and today seems as good as any, especially considering I actually slept some last night. Soon as my head quit feeling like it wanted to explode.” She tugged on one of Ava’s curls, then released it. “Figured you’d be happy with how you keep bugging to get me out of the house. Besides, thought you’d want to go. You always did as a kid.”

  When she’d accompanied Mrs. Tappen, Mom had always stayed home, sipping coffee and watching talk shows. Or rather, staring mindlessly at the television while some talk show host’s voice dominated the otherwise silent living room.

  “When’s the service?”

  “Nine.”

  That meant she had forty-five minutes to feed and dress Ava, gulp down some caffeine, tame her frizzy hair and get out the door. Not much time. Certainly not enough to send out her résumé like she’d planned.

  Two cups of coffee and a shower later, she emerged from her room with damp but de-frizzed curls, and she was dressed in white capris and a flowing purple blouse. Wearing pink shorts and a matching top that was trimmed with lace, Ava looked as adorable as ever.

  She was the one bright spot from Paige’s failed marriage, the one good thing her ex-husband Jarred had given her.

  “You ready?” Mom asked.

  “Yep. I’ll drive.”

  “Actually, we’re—” Mom snapped her fingers “—hold on. I need to grab something to keep my blood sugar up.” She dashed into the kitchen.

  Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Who would be visiting so early on a Sunday? She found Mrs. Tappen standing on the stoop, wearing a floral dress and a pale blue bonnet. Her long silver braid was draped over her shoulder.

  “Oh, good.” She swept Paige into a tight hug. “I’d hoped you’d join us. And look at you!” She caressed Ava’s cheek with the back of her hand. “As darling as a rosebud.”

  “Good morning, Judith.” Mom approached them, carrying two bananas and a partially eaten bag of saltines.

  “That it is.” Mrs. Tappen patted Paige’s cheek. She hiked her purse higher on her shoulder, turned toward the walk and cast Mom a backward glance. “You sleep well?”

  “As well as can be expected.” Traipsing after Mrs. Tappen, she talked about insomnia, backaches and everything else that hindered a good night’s sleep.

  Paige locked up and then followed the two chatty ladies with a smile. Psychosomatic or not, it was nice to see Mom so animated, so engaged. It’d be good to spend the morning with Mrs. Tappen, too.

  Maybe her time in Sage Creek wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

  She rounded the corner to the driveway, but then stopped.

  Oh, no. She should’ve known.

  There sat Jed’s truck in Mom’s driveway with him behind the wheel dressed in a plaid, short-sleeved shirt. Clean-shaven, he grinned like a kid on the first day of summer vacation.

  The image triggered memories of all of the times he’d pulled up in a pickup similar to this but not quite so fancy, waiting to take her to the movies or out for ice cream. Sometimes just for a long drive into the country.

  He jumped out as the ladies drew near, tipping his hat first at Mom and then at his grandmother. “Howdy.” He rounded his truck to open the door for them and then faced Ava. “Hey there, little princess.”

  Ava grinned, then turned her head away. Then turned it back, and then away again.

  Jed laughed. “Peekaboo, huh?” He played along, revealing one goofy expression after another.

  Ava giggled and snagged the brim of his hat, making it sit cockeyed. He plunked it on her head. Everyone laughed when it practically swallowed her. Everyone except Paige. She wasn’t sure how she felt seeing the man who’d broken her heart connecting with her little girl.

  Jed chuckled and put his hat back on. “Gonna have to watch you, aren’t I?” He poked her in the stomach, eliciting a giggle, and then faced Paige. “She need a car seat?”

  “Oh. Right. Hold on.” She paused. “Actually, how about we just follow. It’ll be easier.”

  “Nonsense. I’ll grab it.” Her mom dashed to her car before Paige could argue.

  P
aige hadn’t seen her move that fast since...ever.

  This was not how she’d planned to spend her first Sunday back in Sage Creek. But she couldn’t back out now, not without looking like an idiot.

  So instead, she offered her widest smile, did her best to make small talk until everyone, Ava included, was settled, and slid into the passenger’s seat—Mom and Mrs. Tappen conveniently occupied the back. So they could sit near the baby. Allegedly.

  Frowning, she swiveled and looked at each of them in turn, noting the sparkle in their eyes.

  They were up to something, and it didn’t take a psychology degree to figure out what.

  They could play matchmaker all they wanted. Paige and Jed were not getting back together. Even if she thought they held the slightest chance of starting over, which she didn’t, she had a kid. What man wanted a ready-made family?

  He eased into the street and then headed toward the church. “What’ve you been up to? Feel good to be home?”

  She cast him a sideways glance, wishing she hadn’t when her heart gave a lurch. “Haven’t been here long. But so far everything’s the same as when I left.”

  Stopped at a red light, he looked her way and held her gaze. “Maybe not everything.”

  What did that mean?

  The conversation between her mom and Mrs. Tappen stilled, making Paige uneasy. Like they were all in on something and she was the odd man out. Or the target. Probably both.

  Could Jed sense the tension? The not-so-subtle conniving the two older women were engaged in?

  Paige watched houses blur into streaks of tan and blue outside her window. Until the uncomfortable stretch of silence became unbearable. “What about you? You working for your dad at his law firm?”

  A tendon in his jaw twitched. “Nope. Got my business degree instead.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Really? What’d he say about that?”

  “He wasn’t too happy about it. Still isn’t, but I couldn’t see myself sitting in a courtroom all day, helping people fight each other. Besides, I’ve never been a bookworm or an orator. Seems a man needs to be both for lawyering.”

  “That’s good. That you figured out what you wanted, I mean. Stood up for yourself.” He’d always said he felt forced into a mold three sizes too small.

  Mom and Ava began singing the alphabet song in the back. Jed joined in for a few lines. He shot her a goofy smile with his eyes crinkled, like he had countless times before, whenever he was on the cusp of a prank or about to share a joke. He’d always been quick to embark on some adventure, one he often tried to finagle her into.

  “Are you happy?” The question came out before she could censor it, before she realized how much she longed to know his answer.

  “I’ve been making out all right. Staying busy.”

  “He bought half my business.” Mrs. Tappen reached forward and gave his arm a squeeze. “We’re partners now, isn’t that right?”

  He nodded with his grin widening as his deep brown eyes swept in her direction.

  “Speaking of—” his grandmother strained forward so her head poked between their seats “—didn’t you want to talk with her about something?”

  Jed sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He gave another nod, slower this time. “Been meaning to—ah—to finish the conversation we started the other day.”

  She tensed, anticipating where the discussion was headed, as they pulled into the church parking lot. Women in pastel and floral dresses walked between the cars with their shiny-faced kiddos in tow. She recognized almost all of them.

  Jed parked and swiveled to face her. “About that job... Have you given it more thought? We’d love if you’d write our scripts, press releases and other marketing stuff.”

  He went on to tell her about his plans to turn his grandparents’ old theater, the one they’d poured their hearts into for decades, into some sort of Wild West–themed dinner theater. What did Mrs. Tappen think about all of that? If his plans failed, she’d lose her business, her husband’s legacy.

  “Can’t pay a whole lot, but the hours would be flexible.” Jed tugged at his earlobe, a nervous habit she remembered well. That was how she knew when he was about to ask her something, or to do something. Like before he’d kissed her that first time. “Imagine nothing near what you’re used to. The turnaround would be pretty quick, but the work would be steady enough. We’d like to keep our shows new, fresh.”

  “Least it’d be something,” her mother chimed in while unbuckling Ava from her car seat.

  Paige winced inwardly. As true as her mom’s statement was, it only reminded her of how broke and unemployed she was. But she tried to maintain a strong, confident smile.

  “I appreciate the offer.” She grabbed her purse from off the floorboard. “But I’m a journalist. I really doubt I have the skill set you’re looking for.” She reached for the door. “We ready?”

  “Absolutely.” Mom exited the vehicle. “Come on, pumpkin.” She scooped up Ava and then lingered near Paige’s door.

  Jed and Mrs. Tappen got out at the same time, and the latter rounded the front of the truck.

  “Just mull it over, sugar.” She squeezed Paige’s hand. “No need to answer today.”

  “I’ll do that.” She could think about it all day, all week for that matter. Her answer wouldn’t change. If anything, the notion made her all the more determined to find another journalism job.

  As much as she loved Mrs. Tappen, and as kind as her offer was, Paige refused to be anyone’s rescue project.

  * * *

  In church, Jed tried to concentrate on the message, but his thoughts kept shifting to Paige, who was sitting between Grandma and her mom. Underneath her firm smiles and curt replies sat a deeply wounded woman, one who, if he were to guess, probably felt as if life were stacked against her.

  Hadn’t he said she wouldn’t go for the writing gig? If not for Grandma’s prodding, he never would’ve asked. But he’d hoped she would, if only to spend time with her. To catch a glimpse of the sweet, tenderhearted girl that chased after lightning bugs and spent hours watching for shooting stars.

  He knew things had been rough after her dad had left. Her mom had slipped into a scary depression, but Paige had acted like Jed was the enemy. Or had she simply grown leery of all men, marking him guilty by association?

  Didn’t matter. She wasn’t interested. From the sound of it, she didn’t plan on sticking around Sage Creek long enough, nor could he offer her a financial incentive to stay. Not to mention she had a kid. As adorable as little Ava was, Jed wasn’t ready to be a dad.

  The pastor closed in prayer, and everyone stood.

  “Guess that’s it, then.” Jed grabbed his Stetson from the pew beside him and repositioned it on his head.

  “Paige Cordell!” They turned to see Lucy Carr, head of the cultural committee, heading toward them. She wore a pink dress and matching hat. “I haven’t seen you in ages.” She pulled a stiff-looking Paige into a hug, then grabbed hold of her hands and stepped back. “Look at you, all grown-up. I heard you and your munchkin were back in town.”

  Paige visibly tensed as a few of Trinity Faith’s quilting gals gathered around, tossing off questions so fast, it made even Jed’s head hurt.

  “Where’s that precious baby your mama talks about so much?”

  Mrs. Cordell inched into the circle. “In the nursery. Having a blast with that mischievous grandson of yours, I imagine.”

  Lucy laughed. “I’ll bet. Keeps his mama on her toes, that one.” She faced Paige. “You and my daughter need to reconnect. Let your little ones get to know one another. Matter of fact, the Friday Faith gals are having their monthly craft night this week. You should come.”

  “Uh...” Paige hesitated. “What time?”

  “Seven o’clock sharp. Speaking of time, I best get going. I’ve got a committee meeting this afte
rnoon to talk about our plans for the annual father-daughter dance.” She hugged Paige, Paige’s mom and Jed’s grandma in turn. The other ladies followed suit in a comical display of Trinity Faith affection.

  Jed took two steps back to avoid getting caught up in the fray. By the time all of the squeezes and goodbyes had ended, Paige looked ready to make a run for it.

  Grandma must’ve noticed her discomfort, because she hooked her arm in Paige’s. “Let’s go grab that angel of yours from the nursery. Then what do you say we all go to lunch?”

  “Sounds fun!” Mrs. Cordell grinned.

  Paige visibly stiffened, and her gaze shot to him.

  “I don’t know.” He had half a mind to go, just to corner Paige into relaxing some. But something told him they’d pushed her far enough already. Then again, she’d been pretty high-strung from day one. Probably on account of being unemployed and all, and with a mouth to feed. Most likely she needed time to think things through.

  “We’ve got a show this evening.” They’d added Sunday nights for the summer in an attempt to build up revenue. “I need to make sure my staff’s all set up.”

  “Oh, posh.” Grandma waved a hand. “There’s plenty of time.”

  “If you don’t mind dropping me home—” Paige smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear “—Ava needs a nap, and I want to send some queries out.”

  “Those can wait.” Mrs. Cordell lightly slapped her arm. “It’s Sunday. A day for rest.”

  “I’ve been resting since I got here, Mom. And contrary to what you may think, I do...” She took in a deep breath and released it slowly. “I’m sorry.” She faced his grandma. “I would love to, truly, but can I take a rain check? I really should tackle my to-do list.”

  “Of course, dear.” Grandma gave her a sideways hug. “Next Sunday, then. That’ll give you time to pencil us in your planner.”

  “I...uh...”

  Jed bit back a chuckle to see Paige stammer, plumb out of excuses.