by JoAnn Durgin
“Am I? Sorry. And no, it wasn’t boring. Not at all. A chair rail sounds like the perfect solution to break up the monotony of the walls.” The way he felt right now, Serenity could tell him he needed a snake with ten heads mounted on the long wall behind his desk and he’d think it was the mark of genius. She was the decorator and knew best, after all. Stretching out his legs, Jackson chewed the inside of his cheek not to reveal the sharp pain in his bum knee when he lowered the book to the floor beside him. The bulk of its weight was too heavy and he shouldn’t have left it there so long. “What colors do you suggest for above the chair rail?”
“Probably a solid but pale yellow, unless that’s too cheery or nauseating for you. It’s like sunshine. It’s happy, light, and a great color for kids. What’s the average age of your clients?”
“Generally seven to ten.” Justin came into his mind. “Sometimes younger. Any older than ten and you get into a whole different dynamic with raging hormones and even more emotional upheaval. I leave it to the heavy hitters to handle the older clients.”
“They might look at you as the heavy hitter since they’re perhaps more vulnerable when they’re so young,” she said. Interesting observation and he appreciated her perspective. “Why do you prefer working with the younger kids?”
Jackson considered her question. “They’re perhaps more open to change, more likely to take what I say to heart. And, as a general rule, they’re more in tune to the ways the Lord can work in their lives.”
Tilting her head, watching him, Serenity’s blonde hair tumbled to one side and an entrancing smile played about her lips. Beautiful. “So, are you saying when they’re younger, they’re more pliable—for lack of a better word—but when they’re older, they can be more jaded and resistant to change?”
“It depends, but that’s usually the case, yes. Another thing I find interesting? For whatever reason, the majority of my patients are boys.” Serenity shot him a curious glance, and he raised a hand in the air. “I don’t personally ascribe to the theory that girls are more vulnerable or in any way the weaker sex. Not at all. If anything, what I just said proves it.” He paused, waiting until she met his eyes. “Even young girls can be uncommonly strong. Women never cease to amaze me with their resourcefulness and resilience. I’m looking at one right now, as a matter of fact.”
She surprised him when she laughed, warm and genuine with a hint of huskiness. “Right. You’re only saying that to get on my good side.” Serenity nodded her head in the direction of a terrarium in one corner of his office. “So, who’s the creature over there?”
Jackson chuckled. “That, my friend, is Señor Igor the iguana. Having animals in the office brings out nurturing qualities, helps form a bond and makes kids more inclined to talk. If this partnership is going to work, please tell me you can appreciate the aesthetic and esoteric qualities of Igor.” He gave her what he hoped was his most winning smile.
“Oh, I can,” she said, “but cute as Igor is, he’ll forever be a reptile. Not all youngsters are fond of them, especially little girls. It could work against what you’re trying to accomplish. That, and using words like aesthetic and esoteric. Please don’t tell me you say things like that to your patients. They’d probably run away screaming.”
He liked her sense of humor. Her sass. Her intelligence. Liked the slight curl of her lips. “I’ll keep that in mind. Besides,” he said with a shrug, “I only tossed those in there to impress you since they seemed like words you’d use, being a decorator and all.” He returned his attention to the sample book on the floor beside him.
Leaning forward, Serenity captured his eye contact. “Okay, here’s what you do. Get a fluffy white cat and a cute puppy dog—not real, of course—with big, irresistible eyes and give them cute names. That’ll counteract the reptile effect.”
“I’ll concede on that point, and I’d like a few animals to keep the giraffe company. Some of the stuffed persuasion, yes, but I’d also like to add some more of the breathing but non-threatening variety,” Jackson said. “At the very least, some exotic fish. But no piranhas since no self-respecting insurance company would carry my practice, and rightly so. And definitely no parrot.” He laughed at her raised brow. “Parrots repeat everything. Trust me, it’s not a good idea, especially when I’m often in the company of impressionable young minds.”
“Is this a confession?”
“No.”
“Make you a deal,” she said. “I’ll pick out some cute, furry friends as long as you realize you’re responsible for the general care and feeding of these living, breathing animals. And, please, nothing that’ll make your office smell bad.” She wrinkled her nose.
“Are you saying Igor stinks?” He fought to keep a straight face. “Come on, these kids live near the ocean. They’re used to ocean smells, good and bad.”
“We’re getting off topic here.”
“Ah, and just when I was going to offer to let you hold Igor.”
“Going to have to pass on that dubious honor, but there’s one other important thing we need to discuss.” Rising to her feet, she walked across the room and retrieved some kind of weird ruler from her tote bag.
“What’s that thing?”
She tossed him a look. “Don’t get excited. I need to take some measurements for the chair rail.”
“Oh, right. When you’re done, you can tell me about your not-really-a-date with the quarterback.”
Serenity’s eyes lit. She shook her head, but continued measuring. “Spying on me, are you?”
“Hardly.”
“Then how’d you know?”
“Welcome to small town living, my friend.”
“Right,” she said. “Nothing like throwing my words back in my face.” She didn’t bat an eyelash as she continued her work. “I suppose I could ask you the same thing.”
“How so?”
“How was your date with the prom queen?”
“Excuse me?”
The corners of her mouth quirked. “Word on the street is you’ve been keeping company with Hayley Foster.” Why did spending time with a woman—whether five minutes or five hours—start the rumor mill? Jealousy didn’t seem to be on Serenity’s radar, but he liked that she cared enough to pay attention. That was a start.
“Hayley’s a nice woman and we’re friends,” he said. “She’s a social worker and we met through work. So we’re clear, Hayley’s not my girlfriend. Matter of fact, she’s not even my type.” Now that he thought of it, he’d noticed Hayley’s tendency to touch his arm, lean into him, laugh at something dumb he’d said like it was the most profound thing she’d ever heard. Yeah, no wonder people had gotten the wrong idea. He needed to be more careful.
“Oh.” The tiniest frown creased her forehead.
“Go ahead. Ask.”
“Judging by recent behavior, I’d have to say the borderline neurotic, micro-organizer type might be right up your alley.”
He laughed. “Sorry, but with you standing there holding that ruler thing, that statement strikes me as highly ironic. For the record, I prefer blondes. So, my turn. Are you going to tell me about your date with the stud?”
Serenity stared, appearing unsure whether to throw something at him or give in to her laughter. “Spencer’s not a stud. He just thinks he is. And it wasn’t a date. Spencer played me for a fool in high school and thought he’d make it up to me now, but he’s ten years too late,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, he can’t go back to Hilton Head and his fascination with himself fast enough.”
That was the best news he’d heard since he’d moved to Croisette Shores. “Not to change the subject, but I haven’t been to The Summer Palace yet,” he said. “I understand it’s the residence of one of the royals who founded our fair village.”
Her eyes widened. “Well, it’s definitely something worth seeing,” she said, clearing her throat. “Especially if you plan on sticking around.” Tossing her hair over one shoulder, she avoided looking at him and finished her task
while he watched.
“I think I will. Stick around that is,” he said slowly, hoping that might be Serenity’s way of asking-without-really-asking a question. “Need any help over there?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks. You could find something to do. All your staring is...well, it’s distracting me.”
“Good.”
“Not good,” she said as she continued with her work. The way she twisted her lips sure looked like she was trying not to grin. He’d thrown her off-kilter as evidenced by the pretty pink flush in her cheeks. If he wasn’t mistaken, she liked his dimple, so he wanted her to catch a glimpse of it as often as possible. “What I meant is, I need to know the focal point of your office.”
“Okay, tell me something.” Stretching his arms behind him, he leaned on his hands. “Why exactly does my office need a focal point?”
“Because all spaces should have one. It’s not mandatory, of course, but again, it makes them more interesting.” He couldn’t miss the relief in her voice as they got back to business. “It’s something you build around. Like a conversation starter. In your case, it’d be good if it’s something connected with the specifics of what you do and tie it in with kids. Igor could be one, but it’d be good if you had something behind your desk, mounted on the wall.” Her eyes darted to the terrarium. “Hey, you could—”
He sat up straighter and held up one hand. “Don’t even think of suggesting anything to do with taxidermy, but I get your point. A dentist has a chair and the rinse-and-spit thing, a pediatrician has an examining table. That sort of thing. For the record, I don’t have a miniature shrink couch for little people. I prefer to shrink my patients with them sitting upright, but I have a kid-sized chair. But, always, gummi worms are included as enticement.” The corners of his mouth twitched in spite of his best efforts. “They’re indigenous to my practice.”
“Cherry’s the best flavor, of course, but gummi worms aren’t a focal point.”
“Right,” he said. “Let me think on it a few days. How about you meet me—and Charlie—at The Summer Palace—tomorrow morning, and I’ll have the answer for a focal point.” He already knew the perfect focal point for his office, but why not parlay it into another opportunity to see her? He could almost read her indecision. “If it entices you to come, I’ll bring along a personal supply of cherry gummis.”
“Tell you what,” she said, “I haven’t been to The Summer Palace in years. It might be fun, and we can discuss more decorating ideas while we’re there. As I recall, there’s a huge library and home office there. You can tell me what you like and don’t like amidst all the opulence.”
“Serenity, you do realize I’m not inviting you to actually discuss wallpaper or room design?” What possessed him to say that? Because it was the truth, screaming to be said.
“I know, and as long as you understand it’s not a date.” She shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
Jackson couldn’t help his wry grin. “I heard you the first time. You don’t date. Not really. If it’s better for you, we can consider Charlie our chaperone.”
“Why are you inviting me, Jackson? Be honest.” She pushed her hair behind her shoulder with an annoyed frown. “Do you have a rubber band?”
Shooting her a curious glance, he moved over to his desk and fished around in the middle drawer. Locating a medium-sized band, he tossed it to her. “Will this work?” He couldn’t wait to see how she’d use it to measure a wall. Putting the ruler on the floor, she quickly secured her hair in a high ponytail. He liked her hair down but this look was...cute and playful and showed off her long neck and enticing curve of her jaw to full advantage.
“You’re staring at me again.”
“Hazard of being around you.” That comment brought the lovely flush to her cheeks again. “I want you to come along because you’re my friend who happens to be my decorator. I’ll give you my opinion of the moldings and the layout of the sitting room or something. They might even have a chair rail or two, so we can call it an educational tour. Oh, and don’t forget the playground renovation meeting is at Town Hall at three tomorrow. If you want, we can tour The Summer Palace and then go to lunch before the meeting. Make a day of it.”
There was a lot more he’d like to say to her, but if he voiced his thoughts aloud, he knew she’d run screaming. As it was, he wondered about his growing feelings for Serenity. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and wanted to know more about her story. He’d picked up on all the little hints the townspeople had dropped. Then they’d bring up another subject, and for that, he was thankful. Sure, he wanted to know everything about Serenity, but he wanted to hear it from her and no one else. The irony? She was the first woman he’d wanted to date in a long time, but she kept herself so far off-limits he might as well forget hoping for anything more. This was a woman who had deep issues from her past to resolve before she could move forward in any kind of relationship. The way she kept him at a safe distance, he suspected she wouldn’t let anyone close.
“Okay,” she said. “As you would say, it sounds like a plan. What time shall I meet you at The Summer Palace?”
“You won’t because I’m picking you up at your office.”
At first, she looked as though she might resist, but then the slightest hint of a smile emerged. As he watched, her lips curved even more. Patience was reward enough as Serenity’s smile found a whole new place inside him.
~CHAPTER 14~
After meeting with another new client late in the afternoon, Serenity dropped by the realty office in the hope she’d find Deidre there. “Is she in?” she asked the receptionist. The young woman was on the phone but nodded and motioned down the hall. Swinging around the corner, Serenity breezed into Deidre’s office. As recently as six months ago, she couldn’t have done it, and she’d have waited to be announced. Far be it from her to know where this new confidence was coming from, but she liked it. She’d ponder the possible reasons why another time.
“Don’t you ever knock?” Deidre said, glancing up at her from beneath the tortoiseshell rim of her glasses. The woman even made wearing eyeglasses the height of sophistication.
“As your best friend, I have inherent liberties. I didn’t know you wore glasses.”
“They’re readers and my concession to getting older. I don’t allow many to see them, you know, so you should feel special.” She removed them and placed them on the desk.
“You’re like fine wine, Deidre. I was in the area and thought I’d stop by and say hi.”
“Glad you did. Tell me about your non-date with Spencer last night. Subconsciously, I’m sure that’s probably why you’re here.” Deidre inspected a nail and reached into her desk drawer, pulling out a scary-looking metal file. “Did the big man on campus behave himself? For starters, I’m sure he told you all about his incredibly successful business empire.”
“Yes, I heard all about the sporting goods store in Hilton Head,” Serenity said, taking the seat across from her friend’s desk. “He talked about it incessantly during dinner, but I tuned out the drone after a while. I think he’s expanding into other cities, but don’t quote me on that.”
Straightening in her chair, Deidre pointed the nail file at her and looked ready to dispense more advice.
“Please don’t point that thing at me. People have done time for less,” Serenity said.
“Sorry.” Opening the drawer again, Deidre dropped it inside. “Tell me what Spencer asked about you. Surely he didn’t talk about himself the entire evening?” When Serenity didn’t answer, her friend slapped one hand on the desk. “Are you kidding me? That guy must be an even bigger jerk than before!”
“Spencer tries too hard to earn friends the wrong way. From what I remember, he’s always been that way. It’s nothing new.”
“You’re being too generous, and don’t be naïve. At least you got a decent meal out of it, but did he try to weasel his way into your house under the guise of a cup of coffee?” Deidre’s blue eyes widened. “Don’t even tell me
you offered him one?”
“I’m not completely clueless. Of course not. I didn’t even get to that point.”
“I take it Spencer got a little too friendly?”
Deidre knew her as well as anyone. She blew out the breath she’d been holding. “He thinks because his grandparents helped me financially when I first moved to Atlanta, it’d give him an advantage and I might be inclined to grant him...special favors.”
“Listen to me,” Deidre said. “Since I’m feeling a little generous, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he might have a tiny sliver of sensitivity running through that quarterback body of his, but his brain’s clearly stuck in neutral. In high school, he was impressed with himself because of his athletic ability, but now he’s impressed with his success in the business world. Let me tell you something. His little brother Brody’s the brains behind those stores. Spencer’s only the pretty front man.” She shrugged. “They should call it Brawn & Brains—Athletic Goods for the Thinking Man.”
“I always liked Brody,” Serenity said. “I didn’t know he was part of the business, but it makes perfect sense now that I think about it.” She’d always been impressed by Brody’s self-confidence. Physically smaller and less self-aggrandizing than his older brother, he’d been the quiet, studious one who’d shocked them all with his sharp debating skills in high school. She’d heard he’d won a full scholarship to the prestigious Wharton School. Well, good for him.
The corners of Deidre’s mouth upturned. “Brody also married a gorgeous girl a few years ago. Some heiress from a Jersey manufacturing company or something. If you ask me, Spencer’s jealous as all get out and that’s a real thorn in his side. At the rate he’s going, he’ll be driving into the twilight with no one in the passenger seat of that Mercedes.”
Spencer’s pointed comment about spending the rest of her life alone—his last parting gift—nagged at her, and Serenity couldn’t shake it. “In a way, I feel sorry for Spencer,” she said. “I guess the best thing we can do is pray for him. He was in church, after all, so perhaps there’s hope.”