“A guy who offers to take a girl shopping is one of a kind.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You trying to bribe me or something?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say no to a pan of your famous chocolate-and-peanut butter brownies.”
“We’ll see if you deserve them. It all depends on how much you rush me in the bookstore.”
The banter between them made him grin down at her. Maybe she liked him just a little. “Bookstore?”
“I like to buy books as gifts. There’s the perfect book for everyone.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “And what book would be perfect for me?”
Her perfectly shaped dark brows lifted, and she looked him over. “Hmm. You’re a man’s man. You’d charge hell with a water pistol, but you have a softer side you don’t like to show. I didn’t quite see it myself until you offered to go shopping. I mean, what man does that?” Her laughter rang out, and her eyes sparkled. “So I’ll have to think about that book for you.”
“Does that mean I’m invited for Christmas dinner?” He navigated the traffic as he watched for mile marker six.
“Aren’t you always?” She turned away to look out the window. “There’s the café. I can almost taste that Morning Glory Muffin.”
His elation burst like an overfilled water balloon. Maybe her banter was because she viewed him as one of the family. He needed to be careful or he’d get hurt.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Doggone it, no. Protecting himself was his usual reaction. Delilah was special and he’d always known it. He was going for broke on this, and he’d let the chips fall where they may. If she ended up trampling his heart, at least he would go down knowing he’d given it his all.
This was the fourth florist, and Tom was beginning to think no one would be able to help them. Once again they were told that the lilies of the valley Elin wanted were hard to find even in season, let alone at Christmastime. Several offered white baby’s breath instead, but they thanked them and continued the search.
They exited the shop, and Tom blinked in the sunshine and stepped to Delilah’s side so his bulk shielded her from the worst of the wind. “We’re beginning to run out of florists. We could go on up to Richmond maybe.”
Delilah nibbled on her lip, a trait he found endearing. “I’m beginning to think I need to tell Elin what’s going on.”
“You’re Wonder Woman, but there’s a limit to even what you can do. You can’t fabricate flowers out of thin air.”
“I would if I could. I so hate to disappoint Elin.” She sighed and pulled out her phone. “I’m going to call her.”
Tom listened to her side of the conversation and saw her shoulders relax. When she ended the call, he took her arm and steered her toward the street. “She’s okay with baby’s breath?”
“Yes, thank goodness. Elin is not a bridezilla in any way. She was a lot less stressed about it than I am.” She stepped off the curb and into the parking lot to cross to the truck, parked on the far side of the lot.
The hair on the back of Tom’s neck prickled, and he looked around at the people hurrying to and from the shops in the small strip mall. His intuition told him they were being watched, but no one appeared to be taking undue note of them. In an apartment above a card shop, a curtain twitched, and he shaded his eyes to stare at the window.
“Something wrong?” Delilah’s voice held alarm.
“A goose walked over my grave, I guess.” He never dialed down his situational awareness, not even during social occasions. No sense in worrying her though.
He guided her to the truck and opened her door. A white envelope lay on the passenger seat with her name scrawled across it in bold lettering. “Hold on.”
She craned her neck to look around him. “A card?”
“Looks like it. I had a feeling someone might be watching us, but I’d hoped it was my imagination. Guess not.” He pulled latex gloves out of his pocket and put them on before picking up the envelope by one corner.
It wasn’t sealed, so he opened the flap and pulled out the card. The handmade card cover was a picture of Tidewater Inn taken by the shore. His gut tightened, and he flipped it open to read the message inside.
I’ll be here when you least expect me.
Delilah gasped. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “He’s just trying to scare you.”
“He’s doing a good job.” Her voice shook and she bit her lip. “I wish I knew who was doing this and why. I don’t have a single enemy. It makes no sense.”
“There are a lot of disturbed people out there. I want you to continue to go through every relationship you’ve ever had, every exchange in the grocery store or parking lot. Maybe something will come to mind that will help us figure this out.”
“Okay.” She blew out a shaky breath. “I think I need sustenance. The smell of those enchiladas is making me hungry. And I need more coffee if I’m going to face any more rejections by florists.”
He grinned at the way she was able to push away her fear and soldier on. “Bad Bean Baja Grill it is! They make the best mahimahi tacos on the planet.”
“And their Baja salad has jicama in it. I love it.”
They walked toward the street, and he found himself taking her hand. She didn’t pull away but, instead, curled her fingers around his in a companionable way as if they’d done it a million times. Once they were seated side by side in a booth inside the brightly decorated restaurant, he smoothed the card again and looked it over.
Her shoulder brushed his. “The guy made it himself out of card stock.”
“Yeah.” He studied the bold lettering. “Clearly a man’s handwriting.”
“Something about it seems familiar. When I get back to the inn, I think I’ll go over the guest registry and see if anyone’s signature looks like this guy’s lettering.”
“Good idea. And I’ll hang on to this for evidence.”
The server took their orders and brought their drinks, iced tea for both of them. “I thought you wanted coffee,” he said when the server departed.
She wrinkled her nose. “Not restaurant coffee, coffee shop coffee. I’m picky.”
“I used to be, before I worked in law enforcement. Now I’ll even take day-old coffee if I have to.”
She shuddered. “You’re my hero.”
He plucked her hand off the table. “I’d like to be.” Staring into her blue eyes, he felt something shift between them. Awareness sparked in her eyes, but she didn’t look away. Since she probably wasn’t going to answer his statement, he felt the need to fill the silence somehow and cleared his throat.
“I’m going to court you, Delilah. That’s an old-fashioned word, but I’m an old-fashioned guy. If nothing else, this situation you’ve found yourself in has shown me clearly I have feelings for you. Feelings I’ve buried for the past couple of years, but I won’t do it anymore. You can tell me to go away if you want, but I’ll keep knocking on your door until you give us a chance.”
She caught her breath, and her fingers tightened on his. “What if one of us gets hurt?”
He put on his best Westley impression. “ ‘Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.’”
She burst into a giggle and covered her mouth. “Mr. He-Man Sheriff has watched The Princess Bride? Color me shocked.”
Tom shrugged. “I have a sister, and she forced it on me.”
“I like a guy who listens to his sister.”
She still hadn’t taken her hand away from his, and he took hope from that.
SIX
“I’M GOI NG TO COURT YOU.”
As Delilah browsed through Island Books and picked out Christmas gifts for the people she cared about, she kept catching sight of Tom’s dark head over the top of a bookshelf. Had he really meant it? It had taken real courage to just up and declare himself to her that way, and she didn’t know
what to make of it.
With her purchases bagged while he browsed the children’s books to find something for Libby and Alec’s son, Noah, she settled onto a love seat to wait for him.
“Delilah Carter, I never expected to see you here.”
That energetic voice could only belong to Pearl Chilton, Hope Island’s postmistress. She was Libby and Vanessa’s aunt, and Delilah adored her, along with everyone else in town. Barely topping five feet and nearly as round as she was tall, Pearl was past retirement age, but it would take an act of God to get her out of the run-down post office. Her green eyes were inquisitive as she tugged her purse strap over her shoulder.
Delilah put her bags onto the floor to make room for Pearl. “Just doing some Christmas shopping, same as you.”
Pearl sank onto the cushion beside Delilah. “Is Libby around too?”
“Nope.” There was no way in the world Delilah could hide the fact she was here with Tom. He was bound to show up before Pearl left. “I-I came over with Sheriff Bourne. I had a glitch in the flowers for Elin’s wedding, so he offered to run me over on his boat.”
Pearl tipped her head to one side. “You’re getting flowers at a bookstore?”
“Well, no. I arranged for the flowers, then we both decided to grab some Christmas presents here.”
“Dinner later at The Black Pelican, no doubt.”
She’d never fool those wise old eyes. “There was some mention of that, yes.”
Pearl sat back with a satisfied smile. “I’m glad to see you having some fun, Delilah. You work too hard and you never take time for yourself, and Tom has been alone too long.”
“His wife died, but that’s about all I know.”
Pearl nodded. “A sad story. She was a schoolteacher and caught meningitis, which isn’t common in an adult. She was prone to migraines, and she refused to go to the doctor until the infection was pretty far gone. The Coast Guard airlifted her to Richmond, but it was too late. Poor Tom was just a deputy back then, and it hit him hard. She was pregnant, too, so it was a double blow.”
Delilah sucked in a breath. “That’s terrible.”
“It was indeed. I’ve never known him to show any interest in another woman before now. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it. He’s a good man.”
“Yes, yes, he is.” How did she go about changing the subject? This whole idea of any kind of relationship was too new for Delilah.
Pearl pushed a salt-and-pepper lock out of her eyes. “You look like you want to run.”
“I don’t have any business dating anyone,” Delilah blurted out. “I sure can’t compete with a memory like that.”
“Compete? Is that how you view letting someone care about you, honey? Is that why you do so much for everyone else? You feel you have to prove yourself? People love you for who you are. You don’t have to work so hard at it.”
Delilah bit back the gasp that gathered in her throat. “I-I need to run to the restroom. Be right back.” Her cheeks burned as she rushed away.
Thankfully, the bathroom was empty, and she locked the door behind her, then splashed cold water on her face. Pearl’s observation had been like an arrow to the heart. She patted a paper towel on her dripping face and stared in the mirror.
A thirty-three-year-old woman with haunted eyes stared back at her. Any carefree spirit she’d once possessed had been knocked out of her after being shuttled around from home to home. Then Pete had come along, and she’d walked on eggshells when she was with him because he was so volatile. After failing her mother, then failing every other relationship from that of a foster kid to her romance with Pete, she’d been afraid to try to do more than be the friend in the background.
Was it time to go for more, to actually want something for herself? And was that even okay with God? Since she’d failed so miserably, she poured everything into being the best person, the best Christian she could be. Any other desire she’d called selfish and had tried to bury.
Was this an invitation from God to walk through an unknown door? A tiny sprout unfurled inside and reached for the sunshine of hope. Maybe it was, and she wasn’t going to pull it up by the roots, not this time.
Delilah checked everything off her list as she looked around. The large greenhouse on the Tidewater Inn property had been transformed to a winter wonderland with fake snow, evergreen trees decked out in white lights, and wreaths in all the right places. More lights hung around the greenhouse, and it would be spectacular at dark. A red carpet runner would lead from the entrance to the other side. And the temperature had reached a balmy sixty today. By dark, another hour, it would still be fifty-five.
Her gaze cut to the flowers. There were no lilies of the valley in the sprays, but the baby’s breath was a sweet contrast with the poinsettias. Though it wasn’t what Elin had wanted, she’d been quick to reassure Delilah that the substitution wasn’t going to ruin the wedding for her.
A shadow moved across the floor, and she turned to see what had caused it. Her heart rate sped up when she spotted Tom’s bulky form at the door. True to his word, the past four days he’d called her to meet him for coffee and texted her funny quotes at all hours. If this was what courting was all about, she intended to enjoy every minute of it.
Her smile faltered at his somber expression as she waved him inside and hurried to meet him. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He glanced around. “Looks great. I saw Marc pacing in the backyard. Looked nice in his tux, but he’s as white as sea foam. How’s Elin holding up?”
“No tears, at least not yet. The dress fits so she’s happy. I left Libby in charge of the final details with hair and makeup and came to check on the decorations. Everything looks pretty perfect. I think we’re good to go.” She consulted her watch. “Guests will be arriving any minute.” Her gaze searched his face, and he still hadn’t smiled. “Is something wrong? I’m getting an odd vibe from you.”
“Someone tried to burn down Vanessa’s house.”
Delilah grabbed his arm to steady herself. “Is she all right?”
“She got out in time. The doctor is checking her out for some smoke inhalation, but I don’t think he’s sending her to the hospital. It was clearly arson.”
Her knees felt shaky. First the attack on her, and now, one on Vanessa. “You think it’s related to the attack on me?”
He put his hand over hers on his arm. “I had to wonder. Two single women being targeted is a little too coincidental for my taste. I’ve been going through all the visitor records I can find, but I haven’t come up with anything. I’ve already warned Josh and Alec to be on the lookout today. I’ll be at your elbow every minute, but just in case, I want you on your guard too.”
“I’ll be careful. I checked the guest registry, too, and didn’t find a match for the handwriting on the card. What a day for this to happen. I don’t want anything to overshadow Elin and Marc’s day.”
“I’ll try not to let it.” He reached out and brushed the hair away from her face, then cupped her cheek in his big hand.
The thrill that jolted her was all out of proportion to the simple caress. What was happening to her? All her defenses around him were coming down, brick by brick.
Tom dropped his hand when the back door opened. The first of the guests were arriving with the sunset. Delilah reached over and flipped on the lights. The myriad of tiny bulbs sprang to life in a dizzying array of lights that sparkled around the large space like fireflies. It was so beautiful she caught her breath.
Alec was Marc’s best man and he entered with Marc. Some of their Coast Guard friends had offered to usher, so she and Tom moved aside to let them begin to seat the guests. Tom saved her a seat near the front while she went to get Elin.
The night air cooled her skin just a bit as she hurried across the dark yard to the house. Headlights swept the grass as she approached the house, and she recognized Vanessa’s car. When her friend stepped out of
the car, Delilah rushed to meet her.
Vanessa had evidently come straight from the clinic. Soot still smudged her face, and Delilah caught a whiff of smoke as she embraced Vanessa. “Are you all right?”
Vanessa clung to her a moment, then released her. “Just shaken. Have I missed the wedding?”
“No, no. I was just getting Elin. If you hurry, you can change and wash your face. You’re my size. Take your pick from my closet.” She linked arms with Vanessa and turned her toward the house. “The wedding starts in fifteen minutes.”
“Yikes, I’ll hurry.” Vanessa mounted the steps with her.
The door opened as they reached it, and Elin stepped onto the porch in a wash of bright light. Her maid of honor, Sara Kavanagh, was right behind her. Sara was engaged to Josh Holman, and they’d planned to get married earlier in the year. Sara’s forced smile made Delilah wonder if Josh was still having cold feet.
“You look gorgeous!” Delilah reached out to straighten Elin’s veil.
Elin’s hair was in a sophisticated updo, and tiny jewels sparkled in the dark-red strands. Her eyes were as bright as she smiled back at her friends.
Delilah gave a warning squeeze on Vanessa’s arm, but she didn’t have to worry. Elin was too focused on the wedding to notice as Vanessa went inside and left them on the porch together.
“Marc is going to be bowled over.”
Elin smoothed the mermaid skirt over her hips. “You think so?”
“I know so. Let’s get you whisked off and ready for your entrance.” Delilah steadied Elin with her hand under her forearm as they walked the rough ground to the greenhouse. Sara hurried along behind them. As they neared, the strains from the keyboard playing “Remember When” filtered out the door.
“Is he in there?” Elin’s voice was breathy.
“He’s right up front waiting.” Delilah patted her forearm, then waved over Vanessa who had just exited the house.
All Is Bright Page 4