by T. K. Chapin
Joseph came over to Jill’s table and took a seat, pulling her out of her thoughts. “It was nice hearing Dad preach again today.”
“Yeah. It was enjoyable for me, too.”
Joseph leaned in across the table and asked in a whisper, “Was that guy you were staring at a minute ago as he passed the Jake guy?”
“I was staring?” Jill asked.
“Hardcore.” Joseph laughed a little. “That was him, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” she replied, blushing.
“You’re totally into him, Sis.” Joseph said with a smile. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s a good thing. It makes me happy to see you interested in someone again.”
“It might be good. But his interests aren’t with me,” Jill said, slightly glancing over her shoulder the direction of Rose and Jake.
Joseph looked over at the table behind Jill and said, “That girl he’s with, he’s not into at all.”
“How can you tell that?” Jill asked, leaning in.
“He keeps looking over at you. You don’t do that when you’re trying to show interest to the girl right in front of you.”
“Hmmm . . . ”
“Anyway, something to think about. It was sure nice seeing you and all the family again. I really need to find a different job so I can get out here more.”
“You should,” Jill replied, smiling. “It was nice having us all together again.”
“I agree,” he replied.
“When do you fly out?”
“Tonight. I have to be at the airport by six.”
“So sad to see you leave,” Jill replied. She sighed and continued, “But I’m glad you came out.”
“Me too.”
After everybody left the commons area, Jill helped her mother clean up the leftover cookies and put away the coffee. As she was cleaning out a coffee pot in the kitchen sink, Jill’s father walked in.
“Hey, Kiddo. Glad you came today,” he said, coming over to the sink.
“It was nice,” she replied, smiling as she rinsed the pot out.
“I noticed who Jake was today. Didn’t know it was Ricky’s Jacob you were talking about.”
“You know him?”
“Oh, yes. He’s been coming to church off and on for a while. Especially toward the end of Ricky’s life. He’s a good kid.”
Jill couldn’t help but reject that notion, and it must have been written all over her face because her father said, “Jill. You don’t know what’s going on with Jake. He’s dealing with a lot right now with Ricky’s estate.”
“Yeah,” she replied, setting the coffee pot in the dish rack.
Adam patted her shoulder and said, “I love you, and thanks for coming to church today. It warmed a lot of hearts today to see you here again, including your mother’s and mine.”
As Adam left the kitchen, Jill smiled. Before church that day, she feared coming back through those doors and into the same church she had so many connected memories to Bradley with, but it turned out to be more than okay. The peace of God filled her and helped her with each step she took. Jill realized He had always been there for her, helping, healing and carrying her through life’s difficulties. The only thing that had ever held her back was herself.
CHAPTER 6
Two weeks later, after finishing another grueling holiday shift at Franklin’s, Jill decided to return a skirt she had purchased at Wamek’s Fashion Boutique, a high-class fashion store that was down by all the ritzy stores in the Northtown mall.
On her way down to that part of the mall, she passed the restaurant, Percy’s. It was a fine dining restaurant and was directly connected to the mall. Out of a habit of looking around as she walked, she glanced into the restaurant as she walked by. She thought she spotted a familiar face at one of the tables. Stopping, she squinted to get a better look and it turned out to be Jake.
What’s he doing here? She curiously approached the entrance from the side to hide behind a pillar. Getting closer, she was able to see he was sitting with a different woman than Rose. Sure likes taking ladies out for food . . . Is he some kind of player?
Just as Jill was about to turn to leave, Jake held up a glass to his date. To Jill’s horror, she saw a ring on his ring finger. He’s married! Now it all makes sense! I should go in there and just cut right into him! What nerve!
Jill was fuming as she glared into the restaurant at him. A bottle of champagne and laughter flowed between Jake and this mysterious woman who appeared to be his wife. I thought he was different. Jill then reminded herself that she didn’t really know the guy all that well at all.
“Ma’am?” a young hostess said, pulling her away from thoughts.
“Sorry,” Jill said, relaxing and standing up straight.
“Did you have a reservation?” the woman asked.
“No,” Jill replied. Holding up her bag with the skirt in it, she said, “I’m just returning these.”
“Okay, Ma’am.” Her eyes fell down the way where Wamek’s boutique was. Jill wasn’t naïve; she knew the young lady was trying to get rid of her.
Jill nodded to the woman and left the entrance of Percy’s. She continued on her way to exchange the skirt. Every few steps, she’d turn back and look at Percy’s, shaking her head. He sure pulled a number on me.
**
Still agitated over Jake when she came out of Wamek’s, Jill decided to give Christina a call.
“What’s up, girl?” Christina answered the phone.
“You’ll never guess who I just saw at Percy’s.”
“Who?”
“Jake!”
“What? Really?” Christina sounded as surprised as I did about it. “When?”
“Just before I went into Wamek’s to return a skirt. Maybe twenty minutes ago?”
“Is he still there?”
“I don’t know . . . I’m going back near the entrance and I’ll glance in.”
Christina stayed quiet as Jill walked past the entrance and looked in. She saw him, still there and still with the mysterious woman. “Still there.”
“Go in there, Jill!” Christina insisted.
“No,” Jill retorted. “I think he’s married.”
“What?!” Christina shouted into the phone.
“I saw a ring on his finger.”
“Now the flaking all makes sense.” Christina sighed and then said, “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have to put up with someone like that. He did you a favor by creating distance between you two. Be done with him.”
Jill laughed as she made eye contact with the same young hostess that shooed her away earlier. She turned and kept walking as she stayed on the phone with Christina. “Yeah. I’m glad it wasn’t this drawn out thing with him. This makes it easier . . . Kind of. Ya know? Jake helped me get freedom from Bradley, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the one.”
“Exactly,” Christina replied. “Hey girl, hate to cut it short, but my other line is beeping.”
Jill laughed as she said, “Okay. Byyyyyee.”
Continuing through the mall, Jill couldn’t help but see couples everywhere. She was finally coming to grips with Bradley being gone, but she still wondered if she’d ever be able to love again.
CHAPTER 7
The following day, Jill was working the cash register at her makeup counter to help with the overflow of people in the store. Franklin’s was packed with people like a can of sardines, well beyond the capacity limit it should hold, and it was all due to the last-minute sale the store decided to sneak in just shy of two weeks before Christmas.
Jill was keeping up a steady pace, ringing up merchandise and getting people on their way out the door, until a striking gentleman stepped up to the register. She couldn’t help but smile when she glanced at him. He was gorgeous.
“It’s not mine,” he said as Jill took the lingerie off the hook.
“I’d hope not,” she replied, smiling as she put it into the sack. “I don’t think it’d fit.”
He laughed. “This might s
ound crazy, but do you want to get dinner with me sometime?”
Now she started laughing. “That is crazy. Are you serious right now, dude?” She pointed to the bag. “You’re buying lingerie for a woman and asking me out all at one time?” There really is no hope for me when it comes to finding a decent man.
He stopped smiling. “It’s for my brother. He is crippled and couldn’t walk into your store to buy it for his wife . . . ”
Jill flushed with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry.”
Suddenly, someone from the back of the growing line shouted, “Move along! We all need get on with our lives.”
The dashing gentleman Jill was speaking with turned around and shouted down the line to the man. “I’m sorry for the wait. But I have some bad news for everybody here. I’m not going to be able to leave this line until this beautiful woman agrees to go out on a date with me.” He turned back around to face Jill with raised eyebrows.
“Way to put the pressure on,” Jill laughed.
He gave Jill a short nod. “What do you say?”
“Okay. I’ll go out on one date with you,” Jill replied, smiling. He has a sense of humor and is quite convincing, holding my line hostage.
The woman behind the gentleman started clapping. “That’s great. Can you finish his purchase so I can buy my stuff? And the rest of the people in the line?”
Jill nodded as she collected her thoughts and read the total to the gentleman. She couldn’t stop from smiling as she took the money and gave him the change. He stepped out of line and waited next to her register.
As she continued ringing up orders, the gentleman leaned on her counter.
“What time are you off, Jill?”
“How’d you know my name?” she asked as she paused at the register to look over at him.
He pointed to his chest.
Jill looked down at her name tag on her chest. “Duh,” she said with a laugh. Looking up, she continued with the transaction as she said, “I’m out of here at seven o’clock.”
“Okay. I’ll have my driver pick you up in front of Franklin’s main entrance around seven.”
“Driver?” she asked, turning to look at him again. He was gone.
Who was that guy? Jill continued on with ringing up customers. She couldn’t keep herself from being a bit curious about what the night would entail with a man who had his own driver.
**
When seven finally came around, Jill was ecstatic to clock out and go on her mystery date. The gentleman had come into the store around eleven thirty in the morning, so she had all day to think about him.
As she pushed open the glass doors that led out to the parking lot, she could see a limo and the driver standing by the back, ready to help her in.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said, stepping outside with a smile on her face.
“Ms. Jill, I presume?” the driver said as she came up to him.
“Yes,” she said, smiling. Jill hadn’t ridden in a limo except for one other time, when Rodney Finks took her to prom. And that limo ride was with seven other teenagers, and the parents had split the bill.
The driver opened the door for Jill, and she climbed into the back seat. As the smell of the leather filled her nose, the song Glamorous came to her mind. She ran her fingers across the grooves of the leather seats and smiled as she spotted a mini fridge. She opened it and pulled out a bottle of water. She admired the classiness of the limo as she took a drink of water. Jill was by no means a gold-digger or a snob, but she enjoyed the finer things when she came across them in life.
Relaxing into her seat, she glanced out the window and watched as the city lights flickered on the other side of the tinted windows.
A short drive later, the limo pulled into one of the several Percy’s restaurants in the city of Spokane.
The driver came around to her door and opened it. As Jill stepped out, the driver said, “Have a lovely evening, Ma’am. I’ll be out here waiting.”
“Thank you,” Jill replied, handing him the bottle of water.
“You can take it in if you wish, Ma’am. You’re Mr. Percy’s date. There’s not a creature stirring in this town that would tell you otherwise.”
Jill’s eyes widened. “The Mr. Percy?” she asked.
He nodded.
“I’ll leave the water,” she replied with a short laugh.
Her thoughts raced in her mind as she walked up the sidewalk and to the front doors of the restaurant. She suddenly became nervous, knowing it was the owner of the Percy’s restaurants.
A beautiful brunette opened the dark oak door and ushered her inside the restaurant. Jill hadn’t ever been to a Percy’s restaurant before; she’d only seen it from the outside looking in at the mall. The atmosphere inside immediately set her at ease. Low lighting and a warm but quiet air. Another woman came up to her and took her coat, and yet another woman came over to greet her.
“We’ve been expecting you,” the woman said, smiling as she spoke softly. “Come with me.”
She led Jill through the restaurant and over to a table with a candle at the center and the mysterious Mr. Percy on the other side of it. He stood up to greet her.
“Nice of you to come,” he said, smiling as he took a seat. “My name is Tim.”
“Percy,” Jill added.
He smiled. “Yeah. I hope Ben wasn’t too harsh with you.”
“Who?” Jill asked, taking a seat.
“The driver,” he replied. “He didn’t introduce himself?”
Jill shook her head. “It’s not a big deal.”
He nodded. “I suppose they prefer to not be known and kind of blend in with the whole experience.”
Jill shrugged as she was confused how to respond. There was a bit of awkward silence that followed for a moment, and Jill scrambled to say something. “How’d your brother like it?”
“What?” Tim replied with a confused look on his face.
“The lingerie,” Jill replied, shaking her head slightly. “Remember? That’s the whole reason we met?”
Tim laughed and shook his head. “I’m sorry. You’ll have to forgive me. I have a bit of a bad memory at moments.” He nodded. “He loved it. Said that Liv’s going to love it, too.” He smiled.
“Well that’s good,” Jill replied.
Tim’s eyes fell behind Jill’s shoulder and he lifted his eyebrows. Turning, Jill saw he was looking at a waiter. When the waiter turned toward us, Tim motioned him over with a hand.
“Yes, Mr. Percy?” the waiter said, arriving at the table.
“What’s your name?” Tim asked, looking up at the man.
“Ken.”
“Ken. Good. You must be new here, because I don’t recognize you. Hope you enjoy the gig. Now, Ken, do you see this woman right here?”
The waiter glanced over at Jill for a moment and then back at him. “Yes, Mr. Percy.”
“This is my date for the evening. I’d like a bottle of the 2001 Corison Kronos Vineyard.”
“A great choice, Mr. Percy.”
“You know it?” Tim replied with an impressed look on his face.
“Of course, Mr. Percy. It was one of the finest wines available here.”
“Good man,” Tim replied with a solid grin.
The waiter nodded and vanished for a moment before returning with wine glasses and the bottle of wine. He began to pour wine into Tim’s glass first.
Between the wine being poured and the flicker of the candlelight on the table, Jill had a perfect view of Tim. He was quite dashing and seemed to have a power over the people around him. Jill hadn’t seen that before; it was appealing to her for a man to be so in control.
Tim smiled as his eyes once again left the table. “Isn’t that beautiful?” he asked as the waiter moved to begin pouring Jill’s glass of wine.
Jill turned and looked. She could see snow falling through the lights outside the large windows that lined the restaurant. Is this some kind of guy obsession? “What? The snow?” she aske
d, turning back to him as the waiter left the table.
“Huh? Snow? No, that table over there with the couple.”
Jill turned again in her seat to see an elderly couple sitting at a small round table, sharing a meal. They had to be at least in their seventies, if not their eighties. Her heart warmed at Tim’s ability to spot love in the world. Turning back around to him with a smile on her face, she said, “They’re pretty cute.”
“What?” he asked, perplexed.
“The old couple. They’re cute,” she replied, beaming.
“Ew, gross. No. I’m speaking of the world-class service going on between that waitress and the customer. It’s absolutely breathtaking.”
“Oh.” Jill adjusted in her seat and took a drink of her wine. “Pretty cool.” Obsessed with work much, dude? Well, I guess he could just be dedicated to his work.
The waiter returned to their table and brought out two plates: two ribeye house specials.
“I didn’t get to order,” Jill said over to Tim.
“No need. You’re going to love this,” he replied, picking up his fork and knife.
“What if I don’t eat meat?” she asked.
He paused and set his hands down on the table. Looking at Jill, he asked, “Do you eat meat?”
“Yeah. But what if I didn’t?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Who cares? You do, so enjoy it.” He began cutting into his meat.
Jill picked up her silverware and began to push a few raisins and pine nuts from the top of her ribeye. She carefully cut a piece of the meat away from the rest and put it into her mouth. The piece of meat was so delicious that it almost melted on her tongue. She didn’t want to tell him right then how much she loved it for fear his head would explode from his ego. Instead, she continued to eat it slowly and remain outwardly neutral about it.
After dinner came dessert. Jill was so full from the ribeye, she couldn’t imagine being able to eat another morsel. As the waiter set down two plates of chocolate cake, Tim said, “Hot Chocolate Galettes are the best dessert in all of Spokane.”
Skeptical to try it, she picked up a fork and slid the corner of it through the slice of cake. As she did, a warm liquid chocolate poured out from the center and onto the plate. Placing the bite into her mouth, her taste buds leaped for joy as it was even better than the ribeye.