He’d grown up with nothing and no one, except Uncle Hal. And yet, she couldn’t say that she was any better off or any happier. Besides, couldn’t their faith bridge that social gap?
“Better rethink this partnership,” Tom said, gazing at her intently, “before it’s too late.”
“Rethink it?” Amie blinked, then gazed at him. “Why?”
He turned pensive for a few long moments as he peered over at the Warrens and Matt still singing around the piano. “Tigerton is a whole lot different than Chicago. Might even be backwards to a woman like you. Maybe you won’t like living up here.”
“Maybe,” she replied carefully. “But I no longer like living in Chicago. There’s nothing for me in that city and I think I’ve sensed it for a long time.” She considered him, taking in his obvious concern. “I’m tired of living my life at such a break-neck pace, Tom. I’m looking forward to the change up here. But I will admit it’ll probably take some getting used to.”
“What about me?” Challenge rang in his tone. “I’ve got a GED and in a few months I’ll have three managerial courses under my belt. But that’s it. I’m not exactly your typical Harvard grad.”
“And praise the Lord for that.” A smile played on her lips. “Just remember, you’ve got a lot of wisdom gleaned from life experiences. You’re also honest, forthright, and a Christian, as well as one of the best friends I’ve ever had. Who else would put up with my babbling?”
He chuckled and sat back once again, appearing much more at ease and even…confident. “OK, then, Amie. Seems your fate is sealed.”
“I hope so.”
He paused. “Yeah, me too.”
“I’m tired of living in Limboland, not belonging anywhere.” She tipped her head. “Does that make sense?”
Tom gave a nod. “Might even be the reason you feel down.”
“Might be.”
“Except, you have a place in the world…”
He obviously meant Tigerton.
Tom’s gaze met hers, searching her face intently, and a tiny breath caught in her throat as she slowly comprehended the meaning in his expression, the desire shining plainly in his hazel eyes. And he wants to be more than just my friend. Oddly, she didn’t feel panicked, but a wondrous sense of hope was laced with anticipation.
14
“I’m telling you, she’s interested.” Matt’s tenor carried through the darkness from where he laid on the full-size bed a few feet away.
Stretched out on the inflatable mattress on the floor, Tom placed his hands behind his head and gazed at a ceiling of nothingness. He grappled with his brother’s remark, afraid to believe it. Yet Tom sensed a certain spark between Amie and him. Only problem was, Amie called him the best friend she’d ever had. Didn’t sound like love to Tom.
“There you two were,” Matt continued, “sitting on the sofa tonight and giving each other moon-eyes.” He sighed dramatically. “If that ain’t love...”
“We were not giving each other moon-eyes.”
“Oh, yes, you were. Everyone in the room saw it.”
Embarrassment stabbed at Tom’s gut.
“You got it bad, dude,” his younger brother continued. “I’ve never seen you so taken with a woman before—not unless you include Nancy Chesterfield.”
“It’s Nancy Simonson now—and it has been for the last nine years.”
“Yeah, but who’s counting, right?” Matt laughed.
Tom rolled his eyes. “I got over Nancy before dropping out my senior year.”
“I know. I’m just giving you the business.” In the silence that followed, Matt yawned. “So...are you interested in Amie? I mean, romantically? I don’t hear you denying it.”
“Oh, I’m interested, all right. More than I should be.” Tom heard the bed springs creak as Matt shifted his weight and he imagined his brother had rolled to his side.
“Seems she’s good for you. I mean, I haven’t seen you so clean since…well, I can’t remember. You’re always the guy with oil staining your hands and grease covering your shirt.”
“Nice.” Had he really looked that bad for so long?
“You look as if you’ve joined the living again. There’s a spark in your eyes and a spring in your step.”
Tom grinned. “I’m not a huge reader, but that cliché you used tells me you are—and that’s good. You’re learning something at college.”
“Ha, ha,” came Matt’s retort.
Tom sobered. “You last saw me right after Hal’s funeral when I was down in the dumps.”
“Down in the dumps? Try clinically depressed. I was worried about you.”
Tom couldn’t help a grin. “Guess I was worried about me too.”
“And then Amie comes along.”
His grin broadened at the mere thought of her. “When she first showed up at the filling station, I assumed she would be like her greedy siblings and take everything of value. I figured she’d be one of those high-society snobs, but instead she...she wasn’t.” Tom rolled onto his side and the air mattress beneath him crinkled. “Amie talked me into taking her to dinner and that night we ran into Big Al. He started up with his usual Anderson family slams, but Amie put him in his place.”
“You were down and out, so God sent an angel to cheer you up.”
Tom laughed. “Yeah, something like that.” He went on to relay the story of how he came into the partnership, and how he and Amie had been corresponding for months, with the exception of Thanksgiving when they’d actually seen each other. And now Christmas. “I guess that’s where we’re at.”
“So, you gonna ask her out? I mean, officially?”
“Been thinking about it.”
“Take her to the bowling alley, why don’t you?”
“Yeah, right.” Tom snorted. “Somehow I don’t think my Chicago angel would appreciate the place.”
“Well, OK, how ‘bout a concert? Laura told me about one in Wausau tomorrow night. It’s a four-man ensemble that plays classical music—guitar, two violins, and a flute, I think. Kind of boring, but the stuff women think is romantic. I can’t go because I’m due back in Madison tomorrow night for work. But I could get the details for you.”
“A concert, huh?” Tom’s mind went into a tailspin. They’d be in Wausau anyway to see Jim Henderson. Maybe they could stay for dinner...and a concert...their first date...
“Tom? You dreaming before you even fall asleep?”
“Very funny.” He rolled over and plumped his pillow. “Yeah, find out the specifics for me, little bro.”
Matt groaned. “I will if you never call me that again.”
“Deal.” More silence. Sleep weighed heavily on Tom.
“Hey, Tom?” Matt’s voice cut the quiet. “No offense intended, but about your wardrobe—”
“I’m working on it.”
“OK.” Matt paused. “Uh, well, if you’re not above taking some advice from me, I could share what I learned in that business class I had last semester. We spent weeks on the subject of dressing for success. We were even assigned partners and had to go shopping for the best deals on clothes.”
“Sure. I’m open to hearing whatever you’ve got to say on the subject.” Tom grinned into the darkness of his make-shift apartment in the church’s basement. “As long as you passed the class, that is.”
“Yeah, yeah…I’ll have you know I aced it!”
“Well, that’s a relief.” A grin tugged at Tom’s mouth while sleep beckoned him into its black velvet arms. “But how ‘bout you play professor tomorrow morning? I’m beat.”
“No problem.” Matt yawned once more. “Gives me time to plan my lessons.”
Soon Matt’s light snoring echoed through the room.
One last thought of Amie and Tom, too, gave in to a much-needed sleep.
~*~
His palms were sweaty, his stomach rolling, and his mouth felt as dry as an old soda cracker. Was asking Amie out worth all this? As if in Divine reply, she strolled into the Warrens’ livin
g room and gave him a sunny smile that melted his trepidation. It was worth it, all right.
“Believe it or not, I’m finally ready,” she stated brightly. “Are you all set to go?”
Nodding, Tom rose from the couch where he’d been waiting for her. “Say, um...” He glanced around to be sure everyone was out of earshot. “...would you, um, well, what I’d like to know is...would you go out with me tonight?”
Her blonde brows shot up in surprise. “You mean like...on a date?”
He hesitated. Maybe mixing business with pleasure wasn’t such a good idea after all.
“Sure,” she said, before he could reply. “That’d be fun. What do you want to do?”
Relief flooded his being and he felt more sure-footed. “I thought we could go to dinner and hear a concert in Wausau. We’ll be there anyway for our meeting with Jim Henderson this afternoon.”
“Am I dressed OK for the concert?”
Tom flushed as he gave her attire the once-over. In a denim skirt, colorful sweater, and red scarf loosely knotted around her neck, she looked appropriately dressed for almost any occasion. “You’re lovely, as usual.”
“Thanks.” She gave a little laugh before earnestness entered her gaze. “You look great yourself.”
His face warmed and Tom was certain it resembled a ripe red tomato. Thankfully, Matt lent him the navy dress slacks and grey corduroy jacket. He hadn’t ever paid much attention to his wardrobe and only bought new blue jeans, underwear, socks, and shoes when the old ones wore out. His sweat shirts, T-shirts, few dress shirts, and the one suit he owned, he’d acquired. But since the end of October, he had become more aware of the way professional men dressed and, as he’d told his brother last night, he was working on up-scaling his apparel. If he was to be half-owner of a hotel and have a hand in running it, he figured he’d better look the part.
Amie pulled her coat out of the hall closet and Tom politely helped her into it. Then they left the house for his pickup truck.
“How long have you owned this truck? It looks new, but I know you were driving it last summer.” She strapped herself into the seat.
“I purchased it a couple of years ago.” Tom fired up the engine and backed down the gravel drive. “After my dad died, I sold our property.” He headed for the highway. “I put some money away for my sisters, whom I haven’t seen in years, gave my brothers a portion, and put down a chunk on this truck.” A spear of melancholy stabbed him. “Hal was the one who insisted I buy something with my share of the sale, even though I had intended on giving it all to Matt for college.”
“Hmm...so you have two brothers and two sisters?”
Tom nodded, wishing Amie wouldn’t ask too much about his less than admirable family background. However, if she inquired, he’d tell her.
“And Phillip is the dude in jail, right?”
“Right.” Tom resisted the urge to squirm.
“And he was always the troublemaker, right?”
Tom turned toward her in a quick, jerking motion. “How’d you know that?”
“My, um, uncle told me—in a manner of speaking.”
“He did, huh?” Puzzled, Tom returned his gaze to the road ahead and submitted to the informal interrogation. As much as he despised talking about his past, he never wanted any of it coming between Amie and him—even if their relationship didn’t develop into anything beyond a strong friendship. Better to be up front and honest now. “My brother, Phil always had a knack for getting himself into all sorts of predicaments. Wound up in jail and still has a couple more years to serve. I try to visit him a couple times a month.”
“That’s so sad.” Amie’s tone reflected her obvious sympathy.
“Phil got what he deserved. He got in a fight and stole a car and led police on wild chase.”
Amie winced.
“Maybe his life will be much different once he’s released.”
Tom didn’t miss the hopeful note in her voice. “It better be. And now that he claims to have a strong faith. I guess he’s got a fighting chance at a decent life after he gets out.”
Her blonde head nodded.
“And your sisters, Lois and Jeanne...they got married awfully young, didn’t they?”
“I guess you could say that, yeah.” A knot began to grow in his chest. Had Hal really told her all this? When? More importantly...why? And why didn’t Amie say so sooner?
Silence filled the truck’s cab.
“Did I ask too many questions?”
“No, it’s OK.”
More silence.
“You may be thinking about how different my family background is from yours,” she began in her typical, sweet babbling way. “But there are similarities. For example, we’re both the oldest of our siblings and I suppose a good measure of responsibility goes along with that rank.”
“I suppose.”
“I was always the black sheep of my family, ever since I ‘found religion’, as my dad calls it. I was in junior high when Uncle Hal shared his faith with me. He made such a compelling case for Christ that I believed then and there. It was also my uncle who found a church for me to attend outside of Chicago and he’d check on me every so often to make sure I was really going.” She chuckled lightly. “And there’s another similarity between you and me, Tom—my uncle called us his son and daughter in the faith.”
“That’s right. He did.
“Did he ever talk about me?”
“Uh-huh.” A smile came easily to his lips. “All the time.”
“What did he say?”
“Well, let’s see…I recall the time you were in a high school play and Hal got all worried you’d be so wonderful on stage that you’d run off to Hollywood and ruin your life. He wanted me to pray you’d be a flop on stage.”
Amie replied with an amused-sounding gasp. “And did you?”
“Sure.”
“Well, it worked.” She feigned a huff. “When it came time to say my lines, my mind went totally blank. Right in front of a packed auditorium. I was so humiliated that I never tried out for another production.” Leaning towards him, Amie gave his shoulder a playful and mild shove.
Tom’s smile widened.
“So you see, your prayers probably saved me from becoming another blonde starlet, complete with tragic ending and all.”
“Why a tragic ending?”
“More dramatic.”
“Ah…of course.” The tightness in his shoulders disappeared now that the topic was off of him. “Tell me some more about your family.”
“No way! I don’t want to scare you off before we even have our first date.”
“I don’t scare that easily, Amie. Besides, I already met your brother and sister.”
“Oh, yes. Dottie and Stephen.” She sighed with the proverbial dramatic pause.
Tom chuckled to himself.
“My brother and sister can be difficult because they’re not easily impressed unless you’re some top exec of a Fortune 500 company. But I think you’d like my dad. I’ve told you about him.”
“The practical joker, right?”
“That sums him up, yes. I’m sure you’ll meet him eventually. After all, we are just minutes away from becoming business partners.”
“True.” Tom inclined his head. Oddly, he didn’t feel a mite nervous.
“Now, my mother...she’s another story.”
“Hal mentioned her. What did he used to call her again?” Tom searched his memory. “A modern-day socialite.”
“That’s her.” Another pause. “I love her dearly, but she and I rarely get along. My dad sort of plays mediator. Mom’s very different from Uncle Hal. You’d never guess they were brother and sister.”
Tom pondered the remark. “Kind of funny how people turn out like that, so different, given the fact they’ve got the same parents.” His own words convicted him.
If Hal and Amie could be different from their siblings, couldn’t he also be dissimilar from his family—all except Matt, anyway? And it occurre
d to him then that he’d judged himself unfairly. The measuring stick he’d used on others was long and marked with understanding and forgiveness, while his was short and scored by self-condemnation based upon who his father had been—the town drunk.
Shaking himself mentally, Tom tuned into Amie’s congenial prattling. He smiled, thinking he’d never known a woman who could talk as much as she did and still be coherent. But it didn’t annoy him. Rather, it relaxed him. Unlike most of his exchanges with females, he felt no pressure to keep a conversation going. But mostly Tom found her babbling…endearing.
Lord, is she the one? The revelation nearly overwhelmed him but at the same time it gave him the courage to push aside the notion that his developing feelings for Amie could potentially hurt their partnership. There was too much riding on this partnership. He couldn’t let that happen!
Nearly an hour later, Tom rolled into Wausau, a city of some thirty-nine thousand people. He parked his truck, got out, jogged to the passenger side, opened the door, and helped Amie out of her seat.
“Thanks, you’re such a gentleman. They’re a dying breed these days. Trust me.”
“I do—trust you, that is. I wouldn’t be going into business with you if I didn’t.”
“Ditto.”
Amie took his elbow and picked her way across the patches of snow and ice left behind by the plow. The knee-high boots she wore with their spiky heels were no match for Northern Wisconsin winters. Even so, Tom didn’t mind lending his arm as they headed for the office building. In fact, he enjoyed the connection.
Once inside, they took the elevator to the fourth floor and only had to wait a few minutes for Jim to finish up with another client.
“Come on in, you two.” Dressed casually and wearing a wide smile, Jim shook Tom’s hand, then Amie’s. “Hal would be quite pleased that you two are going into business together. It was his ultimate wish and prayer.”
The remark put Tom further at ease. He had no doubt believing this was God’s will.
The rest of the meeting went well. Several loose ends were tied up, their limited liability company established, and some unfinished financial predicaments solved. Jim proved infinitely helpful when it came to several confusing forms and complicated permits that Tom had been unsure of how to handle. And, as it happened, with the money Hal left his son and daughter in the faith, there was a good chance they wouldn’t have to take out a building loan.
Her Hometown Heart. Page 13