by Barbara Lohr
“I don’t think my parents ever went to a ball in their lives.”
“They were lucky. Delia’s parents, the Strattons, were really into it.” His hand tightened and loosened on hers with the rhythm of the glider until Trevor noticed. The look on his face was priceless. Slipping her hand away, she fussed with her hair.
They came from different backgrounds. When she was growing up, she’d been so humiliated the day Georgina Russell’s mother showed up at school offering her cast-off clothing. Bryn’s mother worked so hard to make her dresses and made sure that they were clean and pressed every day. Delia’s mother no doubt bought her clothes in fancy stores. “It must have been hard keeping up with the Strattons.”
“Yes, but that was partly my mother’s fault too. Delia’s parents and my mother quickly included us in their activities.”
“Suitable activities,” Bryn supplied.
Trevor’s eyes dropped. “Yes. The Strattons were very suitable.” Then his expression darkened. “I think I told you that they wanted to spend time with the girls this summer.”
“Have you made any decisions about that?” She took another sip of tea.
He gave his head a slow shake. “They're too little. I don't mind if Delia’s parents come to the house. I want the girls to know their grandparents. But they never watched what Delia was doing so how can I expect them to do better with the girls?”
How she wished she could ease that worry from his brow. “You're in a terrible situation, aren't you?”
Trevor blew out a breath. “It's just something I have to deal with. Delia is over in France. If I let them have the girls, the Strattons might take them over there. I wouldn’t put it past them. I have to have a lot more trust in them.”
“I’m so sorry you have to deal with this, Trevor.”
Trevor gave her a troubled smile. “You’re good to listen to my problems.”
She dropped her gaze. “We always shared secrets remember?”
“Sure do.” For a second or two they basked in each other's smiles. Was anything as sweet as this?
Then Trevor glanced at his watch and jumped up. The glider swayed with the sudden movement. “I should get going.”
With that he stepped off the glider and kicked over the pitcher of tea. The sticky sweetness splashed over her legs. “Sorry. I'm such a clod.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Running over to the hose wound up under the deck, she turned on the water, warm from the hose being coiled in the sun. She splashed her legs and held out her feet, wiggling her toes. When she looked up, Trevor was smiling at her with a dazed look on his face.
Oh my. She felt those eyes clear to her toes. Reaching over, she turned off the water.
“I guess I should be going.” He set the empty pitcher and glasses on the stairs going up to the deck.
Quiet together, they walked around the house to the truck. It was Sunday and the street felt peaceful. How she hated to see him go. “I wish you didn’t live so far away.” The words were out before she had a chance to think. “I mean, I wish I could see the girls more often.”
And save them from the Wicked Witch of the West. After hearing what a bad influence Mrs. Daniels had been on Trevor’s marriage, Bryn had a fierce desire to shelter his daughters from her poisonous influence.
“A half an hour drive is nothing.” He turned and smiled. “Not for a friend.”
She should have discouraged him right then. Hadn’t she made that decision after listening to his mother’s description of his goals and his grand future?
“Hey, I could use a hug.” And he beckoned with his hands.
Maybe she’d draw the line with him another time. Trevor’s arms felt familiar and welcoming. She breathed in the smell of his shirt and relished the brush of the stubble on his cheeks. Was that his lips in her hair? After that talk with his mother the day before, this felt all wrong.
Well, she’d blown it. Instead of telling him she couldn’t see him anymore, she’d completely caved. She should be stronger.
After squeezing his shoulders, she backed away. Watched him leave. Waved good-bye.
Every cell in her body wanted to run after him.
And another hug wasn't all that she wanted.
Chapter 12
The morning sun slanted through the trees over the square as Bryn, Josie and Emily started their brisk walk Monday. As they passed Coralee's, of course their conversation turned to the wedding. August wasn’t that far away. Bryn’s dress was tucked in her closet.
Pushing off, they kept walking. “You're looking tired.” Josie glanced over at Bryn.
“Tired?” She swatted at her hair. “I just woke up.”
“You must be excited about Malcolm coming home tomorrow,” Josie said casually while she pressed ahead.
Ah, there it was. The M word. “He didn’t come home yesterday?”
Josie gave her a look, like Bryn had just dropped from another planet. But she couldn’t get Sunday morning out of her mind. That time with Trevor was on instant replay in her head. Bryn’s sleeplessness was becoming a bad habit.
“Of course he didn’t come home Sunday. Not after what happened.”
She had no clue what Josie was talking about. For a second all Bryn could hear was their walking shoes slapping the cobblestones.
“You’ve heard from Malcolm, right?” Emily chose that moment to focus. Great, now she’d have them both on her case.
“Of course.” But she hadn’t checked her messages. They’d reached Victoria’s Pantry. “But not lately.”
“He had a fall crossing a creek after rescuing the baby bear,” Josie informed her. “The mother took after him. He’s lucky to be alive.”
Bryn felt the blood drain from her face. “Oh my word.”
Josie grinned. “Just kidding. He did break his arm but a bear wasn’t involved.”
“Why do you do this to me?”
Josie and Emily were both laughing.
“You look as if you need some food.” Josie came to a halt. Victoria had all kinds of wonderful things in her window. Baskets of scones were book-ended by slices of frosted gingerbread and baked hazelnut meringues.
Bryn dragged her away from the window. “Sugar is not what I need. Trust me.”
“What did you do this weekend?” Josie asked.
“Friday I told you that I had trouble with my turtles. Well, actually with the animals who want my turtles.” A sob escaped her. She still felt very emotional about those broken eggs. And Sheldon hadn’t poked his head out yet.
“So Trevor made me a nesting box to keep the eggs safe.”
“Okay.” Emily brought them to a halt. The warm day curled around them. “I’d like to see the turtle thing that he made for you.”
So they took off and did a quickstep with Josie soon outpacing Bryn and Emily. They reached Bryn’s house in three minutes.
“I've always loved this little house,” Emily said, pausing in the shade of the oak trees in front. “The yellow siding and the white shutters look so cozy.”
“That's what Trevor told me.” Too late. Josie cut her a searing look.
Leaving the stone walkway, she led them around to the back. “Nanny wasn’t feeling well when my turtle eggs were ravaged. She was my main lookout. But I don’t store the eggs on my deck anymore. Not since this nesting box arrived.”
She hated to even say Trevor’s name. No way did she want to invite another questioning look from Josie.
The morning dew seeped into her walking shoes as they approached the screened enclosure. Bryn felt proud of the dated popsicle sticks arranged in prim rows.
“You’ve really got a system here,” Josie said, scanning the dates. Then she straightened. A light went on in her eyes. “Or is this Trevor’s system?”
“Of course not. I’ve been doing it this way for the past couple of years.” Her eyes lifted to the marsh where water lapped the reeds. “This is kind of like my maternity ward.”
Emily’s eyebrows went up. “W
hat did Trevor say about that?”
“Nothing. He just helped me. You know, after I came home and found the mess.”
“I still think you could have called me,” Josie said pointedly. “After all, I live here in town.”
Bryn eased out a sigh. “We’d had such a good time picking out our dresses for the wedding. It didn’t seem right to drag you into this.”
“That’s sweet of you, Bryn.” Emily threw Josie a warning glance.
“I was a mess that night. Being a scientist and everything, Trevor knew how I was feeling.” Bryn circled the box. She loved looking at his handiwork. “He brought it over yesterday.”
The muscles in her calves twitched from the fast pace. Suddenly, Bryn felt weary. “Want to sit on the glider?”
“Sure. Glider it is.” Emily was already walking toward the wooden structure sitting in the shade of the liveoak. Emily and Bryn got on one side of the glider while Josie balanced them on the other. They set the swing in motion.
“Have you ever napped out here?” Josie rested her head on the tall back.
“More times than I can count. Daddy made it for me, you know.”
“He did a great job.” Josie ran a hand down the wooden seat. Her folks had moved to Florida, and she didn’t say much about their relationship. In high school, Josie’s parents had been very active. President of Rotary and head of the Parents Cheering Squad.
“Does Trevor know about Malcolm?” Josie prodded gently.
This was so maddening. “Of course I told him. Well, I mentioned it in passing.”
“Do you think you'll be going to the beach with his little girls again?” Josie wasn’t going to stop.
“They live in Asheboro. That’s a long ride for children.”
“Whoa. You sound like you're becoming an expert.” Emily gave her a teasing look.
“I’m far from an expert,” Bryn said with a small laugh. “But I do like Annabelle and Daisy. They’re sweet little girls and they deserve…more.”
No way would she mention the visit from Mrs. Daniels. Time to move on. “Emily have you thought about what kind of flowers you want for the wedding?”
Leaving the glider, the three of them drifted over to Bryn’s flower garden. They talked about calla lilies, roses, baby’s breath and begonias. The flowers would be Bryn’s wedding gift for Emily and Jackson. In addition to the reception tent, Bryn would also decorate the gazebo in the town square, where the ceremony would take place.
“I want your wedding to be like a fairytale,” she told Emily after they tossed around some ideas.
Emily gave her a tight hug. “You’ll have this too one day.”
Josie had been staring out at the creek. Now she turned. “Guess I’d better get to the library. I've got work to do, but I have to shower first.”
Emily looked at her watch. “Me too. I’m trying to work ahead on my blog posts so that after the wedding I can take time off.”
“Any plans for the honeymoon?” Bryn walked them out to the curb.
“We’re thinking of going to the Biltmore for a few days. The ads play on TV all the time.”
Bryn had seen them too. “It looks so romantic. Perfect for a honeymoon.”
“We’ll have to move my stuff over to Jackson’s before the wedding. So I have to start packing up.”
“I’ll be glad to help,” Bryn offered
“I might hold you to that.” Emily trotted off to catch up with Josie, who’d walked on down the road. Now what was up with her? “Hey! Wait up, Josie.”
Bryn drifted back to the yard, pinching off the spent hibiscus as she walked. Climbing into the glider, she tried to get it going. Made for two or more, the glider wasn’t budging. Maybe she was too tired, although her mind kept busy. The time sitting here with Trevor had been so special.
She’d come to some decisions. Just then the phone vibrated in her back pocket. She took it out. Malcolm.
***
That night Bryn waited on her back deck for Malcolm to show up. She’d arranged some deck chairs out here now that the pots were all stacked in one corner. He’d texted her earlier saying that he was back and asking if he could come over. Of course she said yes.
Still, this was not something she wanted to do. Josie was a good friend of Malcolm’s. Maybe she should have given her a heads-up this morning. Her friend was not going to like this and Bryn dreaded telling her.
Dusk was falling and the heat seemed to lift a bit. She hadn’t noticed any mama turtles prowling about today and there were no new babies in Trevor’s enclosure. The mourning doves were cooing, a peaceful sound. How she wished she felt that contentment right now.
The sound of Malcolm’s pickup carried on the quiet street. Bryn pushed herself up from her chair. Head down, she slid open the screen door and walked through the house to the front. Through the sheer curtain over the glass pane, she could see Malcolm’s tall frame.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open. “Hello, stranger. Look at you. You're so tan.” Even with a cast on one arm, Malcolm was a sight to behold.
When he smiled, his teeth gleamed against tan cheeks. “We only had one rainy day.”
“Come on in.” Malcolm walked inside and they managed a quick hug, laughing about the cast. Dressed in khaki shorts and Birkenstock sandals with an Army green T-shirt, he looked muscular and fit. A man any other woman could love. “How about some sweet tea out on the deck?”
“Sounds good.” Malcolm followed her to the kitchen. Leaning back against the counter, he tapped his fingers on the edge of the sink. “So what have you been doing lately?”
“Nothing much. Turtle stuff, you know.”
“Oh, right.” He peeked at the green bucket sitting on one side of the sink. “What’s this?”
“That’s Sheldon. A turtle we rescued.” She pulled the pitcher from the refrigerator and gave the tea a quick stir.
“We?” He peered down at the delicate shell.
“Me.” This felt so awkward. “Some animal ransacked my pots of eggs one night. That little guy was all that was left.”
“Hmm. But it’s not moving.”
“Not yet.” After pouring the tea, she handed him a glass. Sliding her pitcher back into the refrigerator, she opened the sliding glass door to the deck. They stepped out. “Oh, look. Lightning bugs.”
“As a kid, did you chase them around the yard?” Malcolm folded his long frame into one of the deck chairs.
Sitting down, she fluffed her skirt around her legs. “Yeah. Sure.” Annabelle and Daisy would probably love to go chasing after those lightning bugs. She could fix up two peanut butter jars with holes in the top, the way Daddy did for her.
But there’d be none of that. She couldn’t let that happen. The closer she got to Trevor and his children, the more painful it would be to give all that up.
Getting up, Malcolm stared out toward the creek. “What’s that thing in your yard?”
“Oh, that's for the turtle eggs. After that terrible night, a friend made that for me.”
“Mind if I have a look?” He glanced back.
Bryn nodded. “Of course not.” Setting down his drink, Malcolm went to the stairs and started down into the yard.
Heart thumping in her chest, she followed him. How would she handle this? No way did she want what she was about to say to be linked to Trevor. Circling the new addition to her yard, Malcolm took it in. “Quite a system. You've always been so careful with your turtles.”
“Yes, I know. Like a mother in waiting.”
Glancing up, Malcolm smiled. “You’ll make a good mother some day, Bryn.”
The distance in his words wasn’t lost on her. Bryn’s heart just about stopped beating. Whether it was from relief or shock, she didn't know.
He glanced over at the glider. “Want to have a seat?”
But she couldn’t. The glider now held precious memories. She pictured Trevor sitting there.
“Why don't we go back and sit on the deck?”
“Well, okay.” Malcolm threw her a curious look.
Sitting on the glider with Malcolm didn’t seem right. Not anymore.
With lightning bugs sparking in the shadows of the tall trees, she walked across the lawn. The only sound was the tread of their sandals up the wooden steps. She took a seat in her chair and he sat across from her.
“Malcolm, I want to talk to you about something.”
“Bryn, I think we have to talk.”
Their words collided and she gave a nervous giggle. “Well, you go first,” she said, ready for anything he might say. If he told her how much he’d missed her, she didn’t know what she’d do. Bryn slid deep into the chair until the wood was firm against her back.
Elbows on his knees, Malcolm seemed to take a breath before swinging his eyes up to meet hers. “Bryn, we haven't been on the same track for quite a while.”
“You're right,” she said quickly. “Yep, that’s true.”
He nodded, his jaw flexing. Suddenly she realized what was coming, the way you hear a train long before you see it. If he was about to kick her to the curb, bring it on.
“I think we each deserve someone who shares our goals, someone we enjoy doing things with together.” The words had cost him. She could see that in his face. Could he detect the relief leaving her body limp?
“You’re so right.” Maybe she sounded too enthusiastic. “The camping trip made that pretty clear, didn’t it?”
“Kind of.” Malcolm dropped his eyes. “This is bigger than one incident, don't you think?”
She looked back over the past few months. “We haven’t been moving forward, have we?”
His jaw shifted and her heart went out to him. She wanted to tell him it was okay. That she knew just how he felt. Instead, she waited. “We’re not meant for each other, Bryn. Sometimes it takes a while to realize that.”
All she could do was nod. A brief nostalgia swept over her. Maybe a parting always felt like this, even when you welcomed it. “You’re a good man.”