* * *
In the ten minutes it took for Justin and Tara to pull up in the driveway, Julia had managed to guide Chad to the front of the house and spray him down with the garden hose. As he stood dripping, his eyes watering, Chad understood how a mating dog must feel when the hose is turned on him. Humiliated, he hunched in his skin, not looking up as his friends jumped from Justin’s truck and hurried across the lawn.
“You look like hell,” Justin laughed.
“Pee-ew-ee,” Tara offered, pinching her nose.
Chad’s angry eyes flashed in the porch light.
“Thanks guys. Did you drive down here to comment or help?”
Julia giggled. “He’s a mess, isn’t he?”
“So, what’s the plan?” Justin asked, tucking his hands in his front pockets. “I’ve never been sprayed by a skunk. What do you country folk do?”
Tara cocked a hip, her head swiveling toward him. “Well, we hillbillies are usually smart enough to stay away from skunks!” she retorted, then turned back to Chad. “I have no idea.”
“Hang on,” Julia said, hurrying across the porch and through the front door. Ringo trotted out past her toward Chad but ground to a halt two feet away, and then backed up. Rolling in the grass, the little dog pawed at his nose and whined.
“Does it hurt?” Justin asked.
Flashing him a nasty glare, Chad flung water from his hands. “My eyes burn a little, but the water helped.”
“You’re just painful to the rest of us,” Tara laughed.
“Either help me or go away,” Chad scowled.
Julia returned carrying her computer tablet. “Good news!”
Chad’s expression showed hope. “You found a cure?”
“Oh—no, but George is back in her bed.”
“Of course, she is,” Chad muttered.
Julia continued. “I Googled it and there is a mix we can make from hydrogen peroxide and soda that should help you a little.”
“What about tomato juice?” Justin asked. “I heard that you should take a bath inV8.”
“That’s old school,” Tara scoffed. “Becky’s dog got sprayed once and she washed him in tomato juice. He just smelled like skunk spaghetti afterward.”
“Oh, that’s a lovely thought,” Justin laughed.
“Excuse me?” Chad interrupted. “Can we get back on topic here?”
“I have these ingredients,” Julia said, scrolling on her tablet. “But anything you touch will smell. Lucky for you I haven’t decorated my bathroom yet.”
Chad ran his hands across his head, flinging water, causing Justin and Tara to scuttle out of the way. “Don’t worry about it -- I’ll just go home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Tara said. “Your truck will smell like skunk if you do that.”
Grinding his teeth in frustration, still lamenting his lost plans with Julia, Chad scowled across the yard. “Fine. Whatever.”
“Tell you what,” Julia said, “Tara and I will be in the kitchen stirring this up,” she held up the tablet, “And Justin, you help him strip and get up to the bathroom, touching as little as possible.”
“Oh, there will be no touching if he’s stripping,” Justin scoffed.
“Knock it off, will you?” Chad huffed.
Julia and Tara headed across the porch, Ringo at their feet, leaving the men to sort out Chad’s problems. As Julia passed through the door, she clicked off the porch light.
“This is not what I had planned for tonight,” Chad grumbled as he tugged the smelly dripping shirt over his head. “Where should I put this?”
“What did you have planned?” Justin asked, avoiding the dripping shirt, with interest ripe in his question.
Chad rubbed a stinking hand across his face, his nose wrinkling. “Nothing. Forget it. What am I going to do with these clothes?”
* * *
Bobby clomped into the office the next morning wearing a scowl, as he had for the past week. When the door closed behind him, his nostrils flared. “Did a skunk get in here?”
Chad didn’t look up from the computer where he was toying with adding Julia’s deliveries to the schedule.
Dropping his keys on the desk, Bobby sniffed again. “Seriously, it smells in here.”
Irritated, Chad rolled the office chair back from his desk and glared at Bobby. “Oh, so now you’ll talk to me.”
Bobby shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ it smells, that’s all.”
“Look, we really need to talk,” Chad stated. “Sit down.”
With a curled lip, Bobby pointed toward the door. “Could you talk with me up wind?”
“No.”
Bobby sighed and pulled up a chair across the desk. “Okay, what?”
“I’m your boss, don’t ‘what’ me.”
Leaning back in his chair, Bobby stared up at the ceiling and then made eye contact. “So. this is about work then.”
“Bobby, stop it. You know what this is about. Julia and I had a thing going since she pulled into town. This whole thing is a misunderstanding. She’s not—We haven’t—”
Sniffing and shifting in his chair, Bobby made it clear he didn’t believe a word Chad said.
Chad shoved to his feet and paced, then turned back to face Bobby. “It’s different with Julia.”
“Different how?” Bobby demanded.
“I—I feel different about her,” Chad started. Bobby’s head swiveled up to Chad, his eyes large behind his smudged lenses, for the first time in weeks, responding as a friend instead of an enemy. “You mean like—like—”
Chad turned away and ran his hand across the top of his head. “I don’t know, I only know I want to be with her. For a long, long time.”
Shifting to sit up in his chair, Bobby cleared his throat. “So, you’re saying this is serious. Between you two, I mean.”
Staring out the window, Chad was at a loss. Finally, he shrugged. “Yeah, I guess it is,” he confessed. “I suppose you could hate me forever, but I’d really rather you didn’t.”
Bobby considered Chad’s words, his eyes riveted to the back of Chad’s desk, his hands limp in his lap. He looked up. “You’re my best friend, man, more like a brother.” He sighed. “How does Miss Julia feel about this?”
Chad exhaled. “She feels really bad that you are hurt.”
“Not that, I mean how does she feel about you?” Bobby corrected.
“Oh,” Chad returned to his chair and rolled forward, adjusting it under his desk. “Uh, she seems—I mean—she feels the same way.”
Bobby’s face scrunched. “You don’t sound very sure.”
Chad stared at the computer screen. Finally, his gaze lifted to meet Bobby’s. “She’s scared.”
Bobby jumped from his chair so fast it tipped over. “Scared!” he sputtered. “What did you do to her?”
Chad rubbed his hands across his face. “It’s not like that, Bobby. She’s not scared of me.”
Bobby leaned over the desk. “I don’t get it then, what is she scared of?” he asked, his hands flinging into the air.
Once again at a loss, Chad leaned back in his chair. He laced his fingers across his stomach, pondering exactly what Julia was afraid of.
Pulling his chair upright, Bobby sat back down, waiting.
“I guess she’s afraid she’ll be left alone again.”
“What do you mean?”
Chad leaned forward. “Did you know she was married?”
Bobby jerked back. “No.”
“Well, she was and she got very sick, and her bastard husband divorced her and walked away.”
“But that’s...” Bobby’s mouth hung slack. “That’s just mean, and...”
Chad nodded. “I know.” He rubbed his fingers along his jaw. “She came here to hide away from people so she wouldn’t be hurt again.”
“And you’re not going to hurt her?” Bobby scoffed, sarcasm in his voice, his jaw thrust out and his eyes glimmering.
Shrugging, Chad leaned back into his chair. “I
know I’ve been— but I’m gonna do my best, Bobby, I swear to God.” Saying the words out loud made them real, causing a swell in Chad’s chest that terrified him more than a little. “But I still don’t know if she’ll give us a chance,” he continued. “I know she wants to, deep down, and so do I.”
Bobby slumped, staring at the floor, his hands twisting in his lap as a long moment slipped past with only the sound of occasional traffic outside the door.
Chad waited, wondering which way the conversation was going to go.
Finally, Bobby looked up, his eyes bright as he pushed up his glasses and his back ramrod straight. “Well, I’m not gonna let nobody hurt her again. You hear me?”
Chad nodded solemnly.
Standing, Bobby scooted his chair back against the wall. “I’m watching you,” he promised Chad.
“Understood.”
Chapter Seventeen
The next afternoon, Chad’s box truck rumbled down the road toward Julia’s house. Bobby sat with one boot propped on the dash as he sang loudly and off key with the truck stereo, utterly ruining the song, Day Tripper.
Chad grimaced at the noise and braced himself to see Julia, knowing that once she was near him, his blood would surge, and his brain would lurch into low gear. She needed time, and that was one thing he had, so he’d give her space to figure things out. He just hoped she wouldn’t need too much time because he was a patient man, but he was no saint.
Thankfully, Bobby’s strained singing came to a halt as they pulled up to Julia’s house. Jumping from the cab, Chad and Bobby walked around to the back of the truck and Chad tugged open the rolling door to reveal the display counter Julia and Tara had refinished. From the look of the crackled paint and worn edges, the softly glowing white case looked as if it had just been pulled from a high-dollar, turn-of-the-century store.
As the men lugged the piece from the back of the truck and across the lawn, Julia and Tara appeared on the porch, each cradling a kitten to her chest.
“This is so exciting!” Tara gushed, running her fingers along the kitten’s downy back.
Julia lifted her kitten away from her shirt, releasing its tiny claws from the fabric with her other hand, and turning toward the house. “I better put this little guy back and help.”
Tenderly placing the kitten back into Ringo’s bed, Julia murmured to George, then snuck out quietly and closed her bedroom door to keep the little monsters from escaping and getting underfoot. Since their eyes had opened, the kittens were determined to explore.
Chad instructed Bobby to ease the display case onto the porch, and then he set down his end and leaned back with a huff. With one hand resting on the case, he gazed at Julia. “Hey, beautiful. Hey, Tara,” he said in greeting, his eyes roaming over Julia like silk lingerie. “Where do you ladies want us to put this?”
Julia bit her bottom lip and glanced toward the living room. “I was thinking I could move the living room furniture around and make the space more of a parlor. I could ring up purchases there and set up a side table with tea and snacks. You know, like a tea room, where ladies can sit and chat.” Her gaze darted between Tara and Justin for input.
Tara grinned. “The room would be perfect to relax in, and I know every woman in town is dying to see it. I’ve been telling them all how romantic it is.”
“Sounds like something that would attract women,” Chad joked. “I guess the men who come to the shop can just stand outside under a tree.”
The girls laughed.
“Why would the men stand outside?” Bobby asked, pushing up his glasses.
“Just grab your end there, bud,” Chad chuckled as he bent to lift the display case.
It took Julia and Tara thirty minutes to decide where everything should go, both instructing the men to move the furniture and display case around the room. But finally, they felt that traffic would be better between the door and the seating, as well as grant access to the tea table, if the display case were placed just inside the door by the window seat, where customers could easily check out.
Chad backed away, wiping his brow with the back of his wrist, and Bobby placed his hands on his knees, breathing heavily, his glasses nearly slipping off the end of his nose.
Tara tipped her head to one side, still cuddling the kitten. “This room looks absolutely perfect,” she stated matter-of-factly.
Julia nodded in agreement. “It turned out lovely.” She turned to Tara. “Thank you so much for helping me and showing me how to refinish the case.”
Shrugging, Tara disengaged the kitten from the front of her shirt and smiled. “It’s been fun.”
“I brought the surprise,” Chad said to Tara as he removed his gloves and tucked them into his back pocket.
Nearly jumping up and down, Tara hurried to return the kitten to the bedroom, then practically pushed Julia out the front door. “Come see what I found for you!”
Tara danced around Julia as they all walked out to the truck. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. I had to get it for you,” she chattered excitedly while Ringo ran circles around them, barking cheerfully.
At the back of the truck, Julia peered into the dark interior. “Lumber?” she asked in confusion.
Tara jerked her gaze from Julia’s face to the back of the truck. “No, silly, not that, over there.” She pointed at the other side of the truck to a lump covered in a tarp.
Bobby jumped up into the truck and carefully lifted the tarp to reveal a large, black, antique cash register, with gold-gilded number keys and a sparkling glass window at the top to display totals.
Julia gasped, her hands covering her cheeks. “Oh, Tara!” Without thinking, she placed one knee on the bumper and scrambled up into the truck to lovingly caress the cash register. When she turned back toward Tara and Chad, her eyes were bright with tears. “You shouldn’t have, you’ve already done so much.” She gulped, swallowing hard.
Tara shrugged and smiled, her hands clasped in front of her chest. Chad offered a hand to help Julia down, then leapt up into the truck to help Bobby lift the cash register. Several seconds of terse instructions from Chad ensued as the men maneuvered the antique machine from the back of the truck. Then they headed toward the porch, each carrying one side.
With stars in her eyes, Julia held open the screen door for the guys, then stepped back to watch as they placed the cash register on the end of the display case.
The intimacy and emotion of the moment nearly overwhelmed Julia, and she dropped to sit on the stairs and soak up the joy radiating through her.
“That’s not all,” Chad said with a grin.
Julia’s head swiveled to him. “What?”
Chad pulled his work gloves on. “That lumber you saw? That is a surprise from me and Bobby.”
Julia stood. “I don’t understand.”
“That’s right, Miss Julia,” Bobby babbled excitedly. “We have a surprise for you too. A flower shop gift!”
Tugging a folded paper from his pocket, Chad smoothed it open and handed it to Julia. “What do you think of this?”
Scrutinizing the detailed sketch on the paper, Julia’s eyebrows flew up. “This is brilliant!” Her surprised gaze flitted between Bobby and Chad. “Who designed this?”
Chad shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”
“I suggested we use two by fours,” Bobby assured her, pushing his glasses up.
“Let’s see,” Tara said, looking over Julia’s shoulder.
Julia placed the drawing on the display case and moved aside so all of them could see.
Chad pointed to the drawing. “It’s a frame to hold eight, five-gallon buckets of cut flowers, and thanks to Bobby’s idea,” he elbowed Bobby who grinned and tugged on his belt buckle, “it’s made of two by fours.”
Tara leaned in for a better look. “Look, Julia, the back row is taller than the front, and they’re sloped to display the flowers. You will be able to lift the buckets in and out each day so you can bring the flowers in and place t
he whole bucket in the cooler at night.” Her gaze lifted. “Very nice, Chad.”
Shrugging with pleasure and embarrassment, Chad held Julia’s gaze. “It’s my pleasure.” Then tearing his attention away from Julia and to Tara, “We have enough lumber to make two, and if we get moving, we can have them done today.”
“You guys are all amazing,” Julia whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
“Well, let’s get going then,” Bobby prompted, brushing his hands together.
Tara and Julia chatted happily about details for opening day of the flower shop as Bobby and Chad constructed the display stands in the front yard.
At one point, Bobby picked up a board and turned, slamming it into the back of Chad’s head, Three Stooges’ style, but the rest of the afternoon wound down quickly and happily as the friends planned for the shop.
* * *
The next few days flew past as Julia prepared for the shop opening. Tara had helped paint the stands Chad built, but with her wedding only a week away, the spa still under construction, and guests filling the inn, she had very little time to be involved further.
Winnie came and brought Becky, when Becky’s schedule at the boutique would allow, and together, they were at Julia’s disposal to help with setup.
To Julia’s surprise and pleasure, local women began to show up at her door, a few at a time, each carrying handmade items. One brought a small basket of fragrant soaps, one came with homemade jewelry on an antique stand, one with tiny jars of homemade jelly, and one with a stack of brightly colored, vintage-style aprons she’d sewn. All the women offered their goods for sale, explaining that Winnie had told them about the shop. Becky set up a spreadsheet on the tablet to help Julia coordinate the ladies and their goods.
One woman came by with a box of vintage-style, handmade greeting cards. She knocked on the door, biting one side of her lip. Becky turned from setting up the tea table to smile toward the open screen door.
“Hi, come on in,” she encouraged over her shoulder. “Look around and make yourself at home. I’ll grab Julia.” She smoothed her hands down her hips as she bustled toward the kitchen. The girl perched on the pink window-seat cushion, her eyes darting around the room.
Hometown Series Box Set Page 50