“Colin was certainly in a hurry,” her mom commented. She refilled her coffee and pushed the tray of buttered banana bread toward Sidney. Sidney chose a slice with a thick slather of butter and transferred it to her plate.
“He went to some seminar yesterday. It’s why he missed the race. Now he’s all geeked about the opportunities. I haven’t been able to find out what it’s about.”
“It wasn’t that Rough Diamond thing, was it? It’s been all over the radio.”
Sidney shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t get back until late last night, so I didn’t get a chance to get all the details when he called to say good night.” She took a big bite of the bread and savored the buttery taste. “I thought it was related to his work, but it’s something totally new.”
Sidney’s mom helped herself to a slice of bread. “If it is the Rough Diamond scheme, tell him to run. It sounds like bad news to me.”
“Why’s that?”
“I think it’s a multi-level marketing scheme. One of those things where you don’t make a lot of money unless you recruit everyone and their brother. Somewhere along the line it collapses, and all the little people lose their shirts.”
Sidney grimaced. “I’m sure it’s not. He would know if it’s a scam. He could hardly breathe in his excitement on the phone. I know he isn’t happy at the call center, so it’s nice to see him passionate about something.” If only he’d get this exuberant about anything with the wedding and help with the plans. Maybe that was her irritation with the whole business. Colin was more enthralled with it than he was with her.
“The call center is good work and a good company, but Colin is so skilled at schmoozing people he could do well just about anywhere.” Her mom wiped some crumbs off the table into her palm with her napkin.
Sidney considered his charm. Colin could make anyone feel like the sun set on their shoulders and convince them to do what he wanted or persuade them to his position. She had suggested he go to law school, but he dismissed the idea, refusing to get student loans requiring years to pay off.
“Maybe this is the break he needs.” She shrugged and stamped her own crumbs with her fingertips. “To set the world on fire.”
He’d said that often enough regarding her shop. This or that marketing idea would set Pine Bottom on fire. People would flood her shop. She liked her shop, In a Stitch, but he encouraged her to want more from it.
The idea was bittersweet. Shouldn’t she be ecstatic he wanted something better for them? Not that she begrudged him the chance to pursue something that interested him. She didn’t. But this opportunity clashed with every plan they had made for their future. They’d talked about finding a small house they could fix up together. Neither of them made a lot of money, but it would be enough. She liked to think about how they’d solve problems together and how that would make them a stronger couple. Like the canoe race series, it was a challenge, but it made them a team. What if they didn’t have to depend on each other so much? How would they strengthen their relationship?
“You both work so hard. Perhaps this is your chance to have something come easily. So many marriages fail because of money stresses. If this is the windfall he claims, it could save you a pound of struggle.” Her mom flipped everything she had been contemplating on its ear. Their marriage counselor had encouraged them to be open about finances, citing it as one of the top causes for divorce. Following this opportunity could up their chances of a successful marriage.
“Make sure you read everything carefully before you sign it.”
Sidney sighed. The wedding was enough to worry about without Colin embarking on a new business adventure. “How’s Bailey doing? Found any new bugs for her collection?”
Her sister had qualified for an internship with a prestigious entomologist from her university to study insects in Upper Michigan.
“You know her. The last time we video chatted with her, she went on and on about a species she’d found. Rattled off some Latin name for it. I still don’t know how she can stand to touch all those creepy crawlies.” Her mom shivered.
“Sounds like the internship is perfect for her.” Bailey had always known exactly what she wanted to do, but Sidney had never understood her fascination with insects. “Will she be home at all this summer?”
“I’ll ask her next time she calls. She said her cell coverage is spotty at their campsite. Have you picked out a bridesmaid dress for her yet?” her mother asked.
Sidney shook her head. The wedding attire was another headache she hadn’t attacked. “Next week.”
“Speaking of wedding plans, I was talking to Penny about the cake, and she suggested you check out a bakery in Spring Arbor. She said their decorating person is fantastic.” From there, the discussion revolved around plans for the wedding, currently scheduled for October.
Chapter Four
It was the top of the eighth, and the home team was up four to three, when the doorbell rang. Joshua checked his dad, hoping he would venture over to the door, but his dad’s head lolled against the pillow of his recliner. His mouth hung open, and a snore erupted.
Joshua sighed and braced himself for the tearing pain of standing up. He rolled his shoulders and shuffled over to answer the door. He swung it open and blinked at the sunlight haloing Sidney’s face. The soft curls glowed about her shoulders. His gaze drifted to the smile on her luscious lips. ‘She’s a sweet girl’ echoed in his head, but the angel on his shoulder tugged his ear and whispered, “She’s engaged.”
“I baked a pie,” she said.
It was still warm. He could smell the cinnamon apple aroma, and his mouth watered. She held it up and presented it to him. “I wanted to say thank you for jumping in the canoe. Penny can be pretty persuasive.”
“That’s an understatement.” Joshua grimaced as he reached for the pie, calculating how much of it he would have to share with his dad. His arms screamed at the movement. “No problem. C’mon in.” He stepped to the side, and she breezed by. “Dad fell asleep in front of the game.”
“Baseball? My dad probably did the same thing this afternoon. My cable’s out, so I didn’t get to watch today.”
Joshua placed the pie on the kitchen counter. Sidney lingered in the doorway to the living room where the murmur of the sportscasters emanated. They weren’t Ernie Harwell, but they did the job.
“You a fan?” He searched the drawers for a pie slicer or some other utensil to move the yummy pie from the dish to his stomach. If he didn’t find something soon, he’d dive in with his hands.
“Not rabid. I mean, I change my underwear during the playoffs, but I do enjoy the games. I miss Ernie Harwell though. What’s the score?”
“It was four-three when you rang—” but Sidney cut him off. “Catch it! Catch it! Oh, that’s a triple, easy.”
Joshua darted over to the doorway as fast as his aching muscles would carry him. He made it in time to see the home team’s third basemen catch the ball and stop the runner from advancing to home.
“That was close.” He cast a longing look at the pie. “You want to stay and watch the end of the game?”
“I’d love to.” Then she hesitated. “If you don’t mind? I’d hate to interrupt a boys’ afternoon.”
“Not at all. Dad’s been socked out since the third inning. It’d be nice to have someone cheer with me. I will be eating a piece of that pie though.” He returned to the kitchen counter.
“No. No. I’ll get it.” Sidney shooed him back to the couch. “It’s the least I can do after you battled Missy with me.” She slipped into the kitchen and extracted plates, silverware, and ice cream from the cabinets and refrigerator without hesitation. Sidney moved around his dad’s kitchen more easily than he did. It should have felt weird, but Sidney prepared their desserts as if she belonged there. If only he could keep her here. He cursed the evil, unknown Colin who had stolen her away before their paths had crossed.
The pie appeared on the plates with hefty dollops of cream, and the plate was in h
is hand before he had a chance to protest. Not that he planned to protest. His stomach growled instead, demanding the pie as payment.
He jabbed his fork into the pie and slipped it into his mouth. The crispy crust melted like honey on his tongue. Much better than his cooking, any day of the week.
“You seem pretty comfortable around here,” he said as he shifted on the couch.
“I’ve been bringing your dad meals every now and then. He’s been on the prayer list at church. It’s easier to cook for two, so I bring him the extras. We yell at the baseball games together. It’s a good time.” She sat on the couch next to him. The cinnamony scent of the pie wafted over him. He regretted the inches between them.
“Thank you. It’s nice to know people are keeping an eye out for him.”
The television switched to a commercial twice as loud as the game had been. Joshua scrambled for the remote and jabbed the mute button. The roaring about detergent disappeared. Joshua took another bite of pie, forcing himself not to wolf the whole piece down in three giant bites.
“How are you holding up after yesterday?” Sidney asked.
Joshua winced. If moving his fork didn’t feel like curling a fifty pounder, he’d have shrugged it off. “I’ve been better.”
“Sorry Penny roped you into the race.”
“No problem. It was fun. I usually avoid water sports.” He finished off the last bite of pie and steeled himself against licking the plate. He and Sidney both reached for the remote at the same time, and their fingers brushed. Electricity shot through his hand. He shoved the feeling away, reminding himself Sidney was off limits and wondering how she had shaken his confirmed bachelor status so deftly.
Sidney laughed and dropped the remote in his hand. Joshua toggled the mute button. The announcers were discussing the pitcher’s stats in extra-inning games.
His dad grunted and blinked his eyes. “What’s the score?”
“Four-three. We’re holding a man on third.”
“What’s that smell?” He rubbed his eyes.
“Sidney brought some apple pie over. Would you like some?”
His dad’s eyes popped open, and he grabbed for the release on the recliner. “Sounds mighty good.”
Joshua leaned forward to put his plate on the coffee table and lever himself off the couch. He took a deep breath in preparation for the screaming pain, but Sidney grabbed the dish from him and leapt off the couch. Joshua would have sputtered. But his muscles screamed louder, and he gave in.
“I’ll get it. You need anything else, Buck?” she asked as she slipped by Joshua and into the kitchen.
“A glass of water would be great,” his dad called after her as if she’d been there a hundred times.
She returned a minute later with a slice of pie with a perfect dollop of ice cream on top and a clinking glass of ice water. As she handed them both to his dad, she said, “What’s happening with the game?”
Joshua tore his attention away from his new favorite distraction and back to the television. He hadn’t been watching the game because his thoughts were focused on how much he liked having Sidney around. Somehow the inning had ended, and the home team was at bat.
“We scored again,” Sidney cheered as the replay of the home run filled the screen. “The team is having a great year.”
Joshua nodded. “If they keep playing like this, they’ll clinch the division.”
“Delicious as always.” His dad waved his fork at Sidney. “How’s Colin? He wasn’t sick yesterday, was he?”
If Joshua hadn’t been studying Sidney, he wouldn’t have noticed the slight tightening of her lips before she replied, “He had a meeting.”
“On a Saturday? That stinks,” Joshua said.
“He’s trying to move up at work, so he does all these training things.” She closed her mouth before she could say more, but instinct told him she could fill a novel.
He also knew the rest of the story wasn’t any of his business. It didn’t prevent him from forming an opinion of Colin. What guy doesn’t call his fiancée when he can’t make it somewhere? Not a guy that deserved Sidney, but, he reminded himself, it was none of his business.
Yes, he should probably keep his nose out of it, but he still asked, “So how did you two meet?” Understanding more about their relationship would settle his frustration and the little voice nudging him away from the comfort of his bachelor status.
Sidney glanced at the television, then faced him. “We were at a marketing seminar together. The techy stuff goes over my head, but Colin helped me sort it out and apply the strategies to my shop.”
“You have a shop?” He couldn’t put a finger on what he pictured her doing, but running a store seemed too straightforward. She needed something more than cheap knick knacks on a dusty shelf.
“It’s in downtown. It’s called In a Stitch. I do clothing alterations and sell a few of my own designs. Mostly things I repurposed from other garments.”
“Now I’m really confused.”
“Wedding dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses, men’s suits…”
“I meant about the repurposing.”
“Oh!” Sidney’s face brightened. She tugged on the shoulders of the navy T-shirt she wore. Joshua took a moment to study it.
“It’s an old baseball team shirt, but I’ve made it more feminine.” The navy shirt had a slanty neckline with a ruffle. A narrow strap went over the other shoulder, and the logo was still front and center. “There was a stain on this side.” Sidney indicated the mostly bare shoulder. “So I cut it off and used the long sleeves to make the ruffle. They’ve been pretty popular in the store, and each one is unique.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed it was anything but official merchandise.”
“Thanks. Projects like this make the mundane things like hemming pants worth it.”
“I wouldn’t think you’d need any help marketing products like this.”
“Colin helped me set up a newsletter, so I could let previous customers know about new designs. I’ve got over a thousand people on it, and it helps keep people coming back. Colin also suggested business cards and a website and helped design them. I would have been completely lost.”
Joshua wanted to say ‘you’re marrying him for that?’ He nodded instead.
Sidney continued, “We ended up spending so much time together, and we worked well together. It seemed natural to start dating. We had the same dreams, a family, a business, simple things. When he proposed…” Sidney had turned to face the game, so he couldn’t see her expression. “I couldn’t think of a reason to say no.”
Joshua’s heart clenched. He’d found a hundred reasons to admire Sidney in slightly less than twenty-four hours. She should be bubbling with excitement about her fiancé. If Joshua were engaged to her, he would be. But maybe she was more perturbed with Colin than she let on.
Her expression had tightened into a stony facade that somehow took a chisel to his walls. There was too much to lose when one put down the roots Sidney talked about.
“You sound about as excited as I am about getting married,” Joshua mumbled. He hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, but the shock forced them out before he could catch them.
Sidney jerked to face him. “I’m thrilled. Really. It’s just been a busy weekend.” She paused, studying his features, and he wondered what she saw there. Then he wondered whether she liked it. What was wrong with him? One piece of apple pie and he’d follow her into another canoe race.
Her question caught him off guard. “What’s your problem with marriage anyway?”
Looking into her eyes, he couldn’t think of a single thing to disparage the institution he’d dodged his entire adult life. Then he pictured the families destroyed by storms, clinging to scraps of paper while their homes were little more than toothpicks and kindling. “People invest so much into building a home, and it can be ripped apart with little more than a gust of wind. I see it every day. The house is destroyed, and the people are destroyed. Why put you
rself through the torment?”
Sidney’s mouth narrowed, and she stared at him for a long moment. “No wonder Penny says you’re a confirmed bachelor. That’s harsh.”
“It’s life.”
Sidney’s expression was sad. Like she felt sorry for him. “No matter the risks, I wouldn’t want to spend my life alone.”
Alone no longer sounded as appealing to him either. The only possessions he’d ever wanted had been on wheels—his truck and his travel trailer.
His breath caught, and he covered it with a cough. The chance he hadn’t wanted with Sidney was gone. She didn’t want someone as cold-hearted as himself. And that hurt more than a piece of straw in an eighty-mile-an-hour wind.
Chapter Five
Sidney flipped the closed sign on the door Monday evening and locked the deadbolt, relieved to hear it thunk into place. Customers had streamed in and out of her alterations shop all day. Every time she’d sit down to hem a pair of pants, the bell on the door would jangle with another customer dropping off an item of clothing or six. Three sets of bridesmaids’ dresses were dropped off today with promises of matching tuxedo alterations. Her to-do rack sagged.
Speaking of which, she needed to decide on dresses for her own wedding. Originally, she had planned to sew hers and her sister Bailey’s, her only attendant. But October was only two months away, and she hadn’t chosen a pattern or style yet. With the amount of alterations filling up her shop, she’d be sewing her own stuff the night before the wedding. It’d be the only time she’d have left, and she didn’t want to be under last minute pressure. Besides, Bailey, who refused to sew a button, would want to try on her dress a dozen times and determine if every angle was perfectly flattering. She probably had a pattern already picked out.
Whereas Sidney couldn’t settle on a fabric, silhouette, or shade of white. Each time she attempted to study the options, her brain would stick on some other wedding detail, forcing or allowing her—she couldn’t say which—to delay the decisions. Why couldn’t she muster more enthusiasm for her own dress? Her planner advised picking it out six months to a year before the wedding, but she kept putting it off. Everyone in town asked about her design plans, expecting her to have some grand creation like she’d sewn for others in her acquaintance, but she had nothing. No shape, no color, no beading or lace, no satin or silk. Nothing.
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