Falling for the Single Mom

by Mia Ross

  Giving him a chiding look, she rolled those gorgeous baby blues. “Duly noted. Now close your eyes.”

  When he did, she took his hands and put them back in place, shaking his right one slightly. “Just let your fingers open up. It’s ballroom dancing, not football.”

  He laughed, and she guided him through a few exercises that had him feeling much more flexible than he had at the beginning of their lesson.

  “That’s great,” she said proudly. “Keep going, but open your eyes.”

  He did as she’d asked and realized that they were following the music. Slowly, but smoothly and without inflicting bodily injury on either of them. Grinning down at her, he asked, “Is it my imagination, or are we dancing?”

  “Waltzing, actually. Very well, I might add. Once you relax, you’re an excellent student.”

  “Well, I have a great teacher.”

  She thanked him, but he couldn’t help noticing that there was more than appreciation twinkling in those beautiful eyes. Inspired, he reeled her in a bit, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted to.

  She didn’t, and before he knew what he was doing, he’d leaned in to brush his lips over hers. They curved into a smile, and he lingered for a much longer kiss. He relished the sensation of holding her in his arms, her soft curves melting against him with a trusting sweetness that made him feel humble and amazing all at once.

  Reluctantly, he broke the connection with her and took her hands as he stepped away. “I should get going.”

  “What? Why?”

  “This is a real small town,” he explained patiently, brushing a stray curl back from her cheek. “Folks saw us together at dinner, and they saw me come in here with you. If I stay much longer, they’re gonna assume the worst. Then they’ll start talking, and you might not like what they have to say about you. And I don’t think you’d want Bailey hearing it, either.”

  “But it won’t be true.”

  “In my experience, gossips aren’t big on checking their facts before passing them along.”

  “You’re totally serious about this, aren’t you?” When he nodded, she blew out an aggravated breath. “Maybe small-town life isn’t for me, after all.”

  “Aw, it’s not so bad. Folks also know when you’re in trouble and come to help you out, just like you’d do for them if they needed you.”

  “You’ve got a point there. I lived in my Detroit apartment for three years and didn’t even know my neighbors’ names,” she conceded in a gentler voice.

  Her quick turnaround sparked a flare of hope inside him. Was it possible that this city girl might find a way to be happy in his hometown? Much as he hated to admit it, the thought of her moving away to take one of those other, higher-paying jobs really bothered him. Having been left behind by an ambitious woman before, he wasn’t keen on setting himself up for a repeat performance.

  Heather was so committed to building a solid foundation for Bailey, he suspected that once the girl started kindergarten, the lovely Fitzgerald ladies would be staying put until she graduated from high school. He could only hope that they chose to put down those roots in Oaks Crossing.

  And if they did, he’d be there. Every day, in every way that he could manage. Because somewhere along the line, he’d started falling for this beautiful, challenging woman and her adorable niece. They’d make some man a wonderful family.

  Despite his efforts to keep his distance, he could no longer deny that the more time he spent with them, the more he wanted that man to be him.

  * * *

  Sunday morning dawned sunny and warm.

  In the tree outside Heather’s bedroom window, birds were calling to each other from the branches. Their bright chirping was a perfect accompaniment to the scent of fresh gourmet coffee wafting in from the new programmable coffeemaker her parents had sent her as a housewarming gift. Moving carefully to avoid waking Annabelle, she padded down the hall in her bare feet to pour herself a cup of rich, genuine French coffee.

  Quiet mornings were rare for her, and she wandered over to the bay window to see what was going on outside. Two elderly couples had just met on the sidewalk in front of the building, exchanging handshakes and hugs before going into the Oaks Café for breakfast. Other people were scattered around, walking dogs in the park or driving down Main Street on their way somewhere.

  It was as if the town itself was yawning and slowly waking up to face the day. The comment she’d made last night about small-town life not being for her echoed in her memory, and she reconsidered that while she sipped her coffee. Granted, there wasn’t much going on here after dinnertime, but that gave people a chance to spend time with their families or hang out with their friends.

  Like Josh Kinley.

  Just the thought of him made her smile. Somehow, the tall country boy managed to be easygoing and charming, all while making her feel like the most fascinating woman he’d ever met. Registrations for the bachelor dance auction had come in at a snail’s pace until word had gotten around that a dance with him was up for grabs, and sign-ups had doubled. Clearly, he could spend his precious spare time with any woman who lived within ten miles of Oaks Crossing.

  But for some reason, he’d chosen to devote an entire evening to her. Recalling their first kiss, she couldn’t hold back a romantic sigh. The feeling of those strong arms wrapped around her had stayed with her long after he’d left, following her into her dreams. That kind of thing never happened to her, and while she didn’t understand what was going on between them, one thing was obvious.

  There was something more between Josh and her than the simple friendship she’d planned on. The question was: Did she want that?

  Curling up in the window seat, she rested her head against the glass and let her mind wander back through the eventful weeks since her arrival in Oaks Crossing. Ever since that first day when he’d stepped forward to help a total stranger, he’d been there for her when she needed him. And Bailey, too. The little girl adored him, looking up to him in a way Heather could never have anticipated.

  Kind and generous, ready to stand between her and disaster, he was the sort of guy she’d always assumed lived only between the covers of a sappy romance novel. That someone like Josh Kinley existed in the real world was amazing enough. That she’d found him here in this sleepy Bluegrass town was almost more than her logical mind could accept.

  Her cell phone rang from its stand, and she glanced over to see Joanna Simon’s name on the caller ID. Immediately jumping to the assumption that it was bad news, her heart leaped into her throat and she took a breath to steady her voice before answering. “Good morning. How are things going over there?”

  “Couldn’t be better,” her new friend assured her. “The girls are having a wonderful time, and they asked if Bailey could stay longer. I was wondering if you’d allow her to come to church with us.”

  Now that she knew nothing was wrong, Heather couldn’t help feeling that some divine influence was at work here, nudging her back to the faith that she’d abandoned in favor of sleeping in on Sundays. Deciding that it could do them both good to attend a church service, she said, “I think she’d really enjoy that. In fact, I’m planning on going myself.”

  “Wonderful! We’ll bring Bailey’s things with us and hand her back to you afterward.”

  “I’ll see you later, then.”

  “We’re looking forward to it. Goodbye.”

  After they hung up, Heather showered and dressed in record time. In the back of her closet she found a dress that she hadn’t worn in forever but had held on to because it was too pretty to give up. Covered in tiny multicolored flowers with a narrow line of lace at the modest neckline, it seemed appropriate for the occasion. After drying her hair, she smoothed it back with a velvet headband and stepped into ballet flats, then pirouetted in front of the mirror to assess her reflection.

>   Totally country, she decided with a smile. Perfect.

  Feeling lighter than she had in months, she all but skipped down the stairs and out the front door. On the sidewalk, she was surprised to find plenty of other people wearing nice clothes and headed in the same direction she was. Several of them recognized her and greeted her warmly, introducing her to their companions. By the time she reached the old-fashioned white chapel at the end of the street, she felt like one of the locals.

  She’d been to the building many times, but always when she was shuttling Bailey to the temporary day care that had been set up in the basement. Her first visit to the main area had been during the storm, and she’d been so terrified, she hadn’t noticed much about it. It was sturdily built, and the timbers inside were aged oak, probably from some of the trees that had given the town its picturesque name. She paused in the entryway, peering through the open doors to see if there was a place for her to sit near the back.

  “Morning, sunshine.” A familiar voice drawled from behind her.

  Angling a look over her shoulder, she smiled up at Josh. “Good morning to you, too. What did I do to earn such a nice greeting?”

  “Showed up in that dress.”

  “It’s a lot different from what I usually wear.”

  “Yeah.” He gave her a quick once-over, admiration twinkling in his eyes. “I like it better.”

  “Really? I’ll have to remember that.” What on earth was wrong with her? she groaned silently. She was in a church, and here she was flirting with him like a love-struck teenager. Hoping to regain some of her dignity, she said, “I guess we should go in and find a place to sit.”

  “Ladies first,” he said, motioning her ahead of him.

  “You know,” she commented as they walked in, “your Southern gentleman routine is starting to grow on me.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Aunt Heather!”

  She turned at the sound of Bailey’s voice and saw her niece waving from her seat on the aisle. She was wearing a blue dress that she must have borrowed from Cara and a big, delighted smile. It struck Heather that she hadn’t seen it since the last time she’d visited them before Craig died. Grateful tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away as she leaned down to hug her niece. “Hey there, bean. I heard you had fun with the Simons last night.”

  “It was awesome.” Sliding over, she patted the bench beside her. “Cara and I saw you come in, so we saved seats for you and Josh.”

  You and Josh? Heather echoed silently. Bailey couldn’t possibly know about their cozy dance lesson, and Heather wondered where the girl had gotten the idea that she and Josh were now a pair. Hoping to sound nonchalant, she said, “That was thoughtful of you, but I think Josh would probably rather sit with his own family.”

  She glanced up at him, and he met her concern with a grin. “Looks like there’s room for two on the end here, long as Bailey doesn’t mind sharing her hymnal with us.”

  In response, the girl held up her book and handed it to him. Outfoxed by a preschooler, Heather groused silently as she took her seat.

  The congregation’s singing was enthusiastic and remarkably in tune, led by Mrs. Wheaton on the organ and a small but robust chorus up front. When the last chord faded, Cara stood up and whispered, “Please excuse us. It’s time for Sunday school.”

  To Heather’s surprise, Bailey followed Cara without hesitation, mixing in with the line of children following Lily Kinley and another young woman out of the chapel and downstairs.

  “She’ll be fine,” Josh murmured without looking at her. “Lily and Abby will keep an eye on her for you.”

  His assurance eased her concern, and Heather realized that it hadn’t taken her long to feel comfortable relying on her boss’s family for the kind of support she’d been missing before coming to Oaks Crossing. She was accustomed to counting on herself for everything, and the difference was a welcome change from the nearly anonymous existence she’d known in Michigan. It was her home state, and she couldn’t help feeling that she should have more of an attachment to it. But with her parents traveling full-time and her brother gone, there had been nothing keeping her in Detroit other than a job and her memories. The first she’d replaced easily enough, and the other she would always carry with her, no matter where she might find herself living in the future.

  When it occurred to her that the pastor was speaking, she jerked her mind out of the past and turned her attention to the sermon. Middle-aged and modestly dressed, Pastor Wheaton could have passed for anyone’s mellow grandfather as he surveyed the gathering with eyes that crinkled when he smiled. Which, judging by the lines at the corners, he did quite a bit.

  Unhurried and filled with genuine emotion, his sermon about the importance of family was pleasant but unremarkable. For Heather, the bigger impact of it came from sneaking glimpses of the congregation’s reactions to his words. People nodded in agreement or frowned when they apparently recognized themselves in the story. And then, one line snared her, and she stared at him in amazement.

  “Family encompasses more than just the clan we’re born into,” he said in a gentle tone laced with understanding. “For many of us, it includes the people we come across who reach out to us and make a place for us in their hearts. Their generosity of spirit and selfless desire to help us reach our full potential make them a huge part of who we strive to become. Related or not, it’s these gracious souls who lead us to where God wants us to go, so that we can become all He intends for us to be.”

  The preacher couldn’t have summed up Heather’s earlier thoughts any better if he’d tried. Impressed by his knack for connecting with his flock in such a personal way, she leaned toward Josh and whispered, “He’s really good.”

  “You should hear him sing karaoke.”

  She smothered a laugh, and Josh winked at her as if they were two kids sharing a secret in church, rather than adults who should have known better. She’d been so serious for so long, the mischievous country boy was like a breath of fresh air to her. One she didn’t even realize she needed until he blew into her life and showed her that there was so much more to enjoy.

  “And now,” Pastor Wheaton announced, holding his arms out like the showman he obviously was, “our Sunday-schoolers have a treat for us.”

  The kids who had left earlier trouped back into the sanctuary, and Heather was astonished to hear the worshippers applauding. As if that weren’t enough, people were calling out to their children as they went past, waving and snapping photos. Once they’d assembled in front of the congregation, Lily waited for them to settle. As a kindergarten teacher, she’d clearly learned a great deal about handling children, and she didn’t have to do anything more than fold her hands and look at them to quiet them down.

  Heather made a mental note to ask Lily how she managed to command respect from such an unruly bunch, then sat back to listen. Delivered in fragile voices that wandered through the soprano range, it was the most adorable version of “Jesus Loves Me” that she’d ever heard. Even more important to her, though, was the joy illuminating Bailey’s face while she sang. Standing beside her new friend, she no longer had the look of someone whose entire world had come crashing in on her a few months ago.

  The pastor’s words about finding family along your path came back to her, and she sent up a silent prayer of thanks for Erin and all the Kinleys. They’d made a place for her and Bailey in the raucous circle of their family, and she knew there was no way she could ever thank them enough for their kindness.

  But she could certainly try.

  When the service was over, people hung back to talk with each other, many of them making plans together for the rest of the day. Several men were discussing the work to be done at the playground, and one of them got Josh’s attention to ask if he and his brothers were coming.

  “We wouldn’t miss it,”
he assured them.

  “Mostly ’cause the Reds aren’t playing till tonight, right?”

  Josh grinned, and they all laughed as they got back to hammering out the details for their work crew.

  “Do you ever take an afternoon off?” Heather asked him.

  “Sure. When it rains.”

  “Any other time?” she prodded as they blended into the crowd heading for the exit.

  Looking up at the beamed ceiling, he made a show of considering her question before shaking his head. “I get bored if I don’t have anything to do. It took me a few years to get that old cottage up to speed, and now that it’s done I’m always looking for a project. I’m not crazy about the reason for it, but working on the playground will actually be a nice distraction from driving a tractor up one row and down the other.”

  “Did you ever think of doing something else? Besides farming, I mean,” she clarified when he gave her a quizzical look.

  “Why?”

  Blunt and to the point, the response was so Josh, she couldn’t help laughing. “That’s my answer, I guess. I can’t recall ever meeting someone so content with where they are and what they do.”

  “Well, now you have,” he replied, adding a slow grin for good measure. They stopped near the Simons’ car so Bailey could get her overnight things from the trunk. “Were you and Bailey planning to come out to the farm for lunch today?”

  “Were we invited?”

  “Always.”

  For some reason, the way he said it made her smile. He was tough to resist, this laid-back farmer with the big heart and the devastating grin. “Then we’ll be there.”

  “Awesome. See you then.”

  After flashing her another warm smile, he flipped Bailey’s ponytail before sauntering over to his truck.

  “He likes you, Aunt Heather,” Bailey commented innocently, gazing up at her with hope shining in her blue eyes. “Do you like him, too?”

  Who wouldn’t? Heather nearly blurted before she caught herself. Feeling the Simons’ curious eyes on her, she knew her cheeks were starting to pink with embarrassment. To cover her reaction, she slung the backpack onto her shoulder. “Thanks again for having Bailey over last night, Joanna. I can see she had a wonderful time.”