“First, I think you should gather your references but also ask them for some. How do we know they aren’t looking for someone because they’re negligent on paying their bills?”
Again, why isn’t he running a big company instead of a mom-and-pop business? Caroline nodded her understanding.
“Second, we need to know what ‘steady’ means to them. Third, we can provide a schedule of flat fees that seems fair to you per type of service.” Rodney held up a finger with each numeric suggestion.
There was no way Caroline would remember all of this. She reached for her purse to pull out her trusty notepad and realized she’d downsized for their date, which seemed to be turning into a business meeting, something that wasn’t supposed to happen according to the list of conditions set forth by Rodney this morning. How would they ever get to know each other better if all they talked about was business? It was his condition, so why had he let the date slip back into business?
“You could write our thoughts on a napkin.”
“Or”—Caroline cleared her throat—“we could adhere to your earlier idea and not discuss business on our date. You will remember all your suggestions tomorrow, won’t you?”
A wide smile broke across Rodney’s face. “That’s right. We’re on a real date.” Rodney’s brown eyes grew wide, and his smile faded.
Did Rodney’s solemn expression mean he wished they weren’t on a real date? At first, Caroline thought he’d seemed pleased at the reminder. Had she misread his interest in her? After all, they’d almost kissed. Maybe he just liked the business part of their relationship. She sucked the bottom corner of her lip under, not caring if it was a telltale sign of her inner worry. She was worried. She liked Rodney. A lot.
“Caroline.” Rodney took her hand and laced his fingers in hers. “I need to apologize.”
For misleading me? Then why are you holding my hand? Caroline’s first urge was to pull her hand from his, but his warmth made her feel…connected. Not just to him but the world.
“You deserve a better first date than all-you-can-eat spaghetti, sipping herbal tea, and sitting in front of a jigsaw puzzle.”
Her concern was released with her laughter, but hurt replaced the sincerity on Rodney’s face. She reached up with her free hand and touched the dimple in his chin with her fingers. “Rodney, I’m having a wonderful time. It’s just perfect. Had you planned a big, splashy, get-all-dressed-up date, I’d have been very…” She paused.
“Worried?”
“No, well…maybe.” Caroline laughed. “Nervous is what I was going to say. But this is comfortable. I prefer comfortable.”
“Well, then…” Rodney scooted his chair closer to the table. “Let’s liven this date up and see if we can add any pieces to the puzzle.”
Caroline picked up a piece and tried it in several places close to her. When it didn’t fit, she laid it back down.
“What did you think of the pastor’s sermon on Sunday?” Rodney studied the puzzle pieces, chose one, and inserted it into an empty space. The corner of a building took shape.
“Well, um…” I didn’t really listen. “Interesting.” That was a safe word choice, wasn’t it? Absently, Caroline lifted another piece and tried to push it into several gaps in the picture, with no luck.
“I like that he preaches on verses from the Old Testament.” Rodney moved some shapes around, lifted one he liked, and placed it in the puzzle.
“Most people find the messages in the Old Testament less pertinent to our modern lives.” What text had he preached about? Caroline racked her brain for an inkling of a memory of that sermon. She glanced at the pieces around the puzzle, then chose one whose color matched the area in front of her. But no matter how hard she pushed, the shape didn’t fit into the selected area.
Rodney picked up another piece and placed it into the space Caroline had tried to fill.
“Then they aren’t listening. After all, there were many blended or nontraditional families like Joseph and his stepbrothers who sold him into slavery. And King David, look what he did with Bathsheba. But they repented and trusted in the Lord and their lives turned out all right. Actually better than all right—blessed.”
“How true.” She could take a lesson from those Bible stories. If the Lord helped Joseph turn his slavery into a blessing with his dreams, could He help her get her life back on track, too?
She tried a puzzle piece in various openings to no avail. Rodney worked along one edge of the puzzle, expanding the picture toward the middle. Several more piece choices for Caroline fared the same results—no match. She shrugged. She sure couldn’t put this puzzle together, but she was getting good at picking up the pieces.
Caroline marveled at the comparison of putting together the puzzle and her life. She’d started a business, agreed to teach classes, and gone on a date. Those three pieces were starting to form the picture of her future. And yet… Her pleasant thought was interrupted. Gaping holes remained in her life, like her relationship with Jason, her financial security, and her involvement with Rodney.
Caroline took a sip of her herbal tea. “ ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.’ ” She reflected on the Bible verse that had mingled with her thoughts since starting the restoration of Rodney’s Lily of the Field quilt. Peace filled her soul. If she gave God the pieces of her life, could He restore it just as she was doing to Rodney’s quilt?
Chapter 7
Caroline vowed to herself and God that she’d make a concentrated effort to pay attention in church this morning. Even with the distraction of Rodney sitting beside her, she’d managed to pull it off. The sermon left her refreshed and inspired. She skipped the singles breakfast so she could get ready for a customer appointment that afternoon.
Her original business plan didn’t include hours on Sunday, but since it was the day Michelle visited Rodney, she agreed to an exception to save Michelle a trip.
She’d straightened her house yesterday and placed pictures of important moments in her life throughout the rooms. Joy replaced the dread as she remembered the moments in her life the pictures represented. Ted, handsome in their wedding portrait; Jason, a tiny newborn in Ted’s arms; the snapshot a stranger took for them on their trip to the Black Hills. These pictures, back out in their proper spots, should ease Jason’s concern that she was angry with Ted because he died.
She stuffed remnant pieces of fabric in a drawer to neaten her workshop before she sat down to work on Rodney’s quilt.
“What’s your story”—she ran her hands over the top of the quilt—“other than reminding me to stop worrying because God’s in control?”
She’d separated the top from the back, thrown out the old cotton batting, and cut the worn hemline from the quilt back. The back fabric, now ready for reassembly, lay folded on the corner of her worktable.
The time had come to remove the damaged block from the quilt top. She could rip it all apart and straighten the blocks and seams, but that wasn’t what restoration was all about. To her it was about preserving the quilt in most of its original form, and as it was, she had to alter it quite a bit. The thread was intact in most areas of the damaged block; the large, choppy hand stitches were easy to see and cut with the seam ripper.
She found a pattern for the Lily of the Field online, an exact match to this one in size. She’d feared that she’d have to use the old tattered blocks as the pattern for the replacement block. Not that it couldn’t be done, but getting the seam measurement right could be tricky. By using the new pattern, she would have straight lines to cut around and sew.
Since the quilt was old, she didn’t want to rip or stretch the fabric by pulling the loosened block free. Instead, with the last thread snipped, she plucked at the broken threads until they were free of the fabric; then she gently removed the block from the top.
Engrossed in her tedious process, she jumped when Jason hollered, “Mom, where are you?”
She went to the door by the stairway. �
��Down here.”
Angela poked her head around the landing. “Is it safe to come down there, or will I see something I shouldn’t?”
Caroline smiled. “It’s safe. What would make you think there was anything down here for you?”
Angela patted her belly and giggled. “I don’t know.”
Caroline waited at the bottom of the steps as her daughter-in-law held the handrail and descended at a step-by-step pace.
“Sorry, not taking any chances.” Angela rubbed her protruding belly.
Caroline wrapped her arm around Angela’s shoulders and gave her a hug; then she guided Angela to a chair. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. Do you mind if I finish up? I’m expecting a customer.”
Angela eased into Caroline’s sewing chair. “Not at all.”
While Caroline pinned Rodney’s quilt top to her project board, she caught the inconspicuous glances Angela made at quilts or fabric lying around the workshop. She’d be surprised to find out that the two baby quilts posted on the website were made with Caroline’s new grandchild in mind. But the grandma-to-be had found a different pattern she liked and was now working on a new one, tucked safely away in a drawer.
“Mom!” Jason’s shout, followed by thunderous thudding down the stairs, caused Caroline to straighten from her work. Now what was it? Feet firmly planted and her shoulders braced back for confrontation, she exchanged a look with Angela. Caroline really didn’t need this just before a customer appointment.
Jason raced into the room, neck turning until he spotted his mother. “What’s this?” He raised a family picture in front of her face. Jason held a picture taken by Angela on the day of his college graduation.
“It’s a picture of our family, Jason.” Caroline remained calm.
“I know that.” He spat out the words. “Why is the picture back out?”
“Because, contrary to what you think, I’m not mad at your father.” Nor God any longer, for that matter. Caroline frowned. That was an odd thought at a time like this.
“They’re all over the house, like”—Jason paused and readjusted his ball cap—“like he was still alive.”
“Well, he’s not still alive, but you were right. He was a part of our lives, and we shouldn’t forget it.”
“You can still be mad at him dying with pictures out. Did you just put them back out to shut me up?”
“Jason, I am not mad at him,” she said firmly. “This is not the reaction I thought you’d have.” Caroline turned back to pinning the quilt top to the project board.
“Well…what did you expect me to do?”
Her hands shook, and she dropped a straight pin. She remained focused on the board and decided she’d already pushed in enough pins to hold the quilt top. “I thought you’d be happy.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw Angela stand and take the frame from Jason. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Jason shrugged, then turned to Caroline. “I am happy you put the pictures out. Sorry for my outburst.”
Caroline caught a glimpse of the real Jason in his sincere expression.
“I guess it just took me by surprise.”
I’m guessing it’ll be the first of two surprises today. Rodney and Michelle, due to arrive any minute, will be the second. Would Jason be polite when meeting Rodney?
As if on cue, Caroline heard a knock on the door before it creaked open. “Anyone home?”
“Down here!” Caroline hollered, comfortable enough with their relationship to let Rodney find his own way down the stairs.
Caroline stepped in front of Jason and in a firm whisper said, “This is Rodney and his sister.”
Jason bristled at the mention of Rodney’s name.
Caroline continued. “Please be polite. Both of these people are my friends, not to mention customers.”
Rodney entered the room first, carrying a large shopping bag in one hand and a plastic fabric store sack in the other.
“She’s been to see Mark.” He held up the plastic bag with Granny Bea’s logo on it. “You should get a kickback for all the business you send his way.”
“I think we’re even on that.” Caroline smiled at Rodney, then looked past him at Michelle.
“Hi, Caroline.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Michelle. Come in.” She motioned with her hands. “I’d like you both to meet my son and daughter-in-law.”
Rodney set the bags on Caroline’s worktable and removed his gloves.
“Jason and Angela, this is Rodney Harris and Michelle Combs.” Caroline made the appropriate hand gestures while stating their names.
“Nice to finally meet you both.” Rodney held his hand out to Jason. “Your mom talks a lot about you.”
Jason shook the hand Rodney offered. “She talks about you often, too. Seems you’re a jack-of-all-trades.” His raised eyebrow spoke the sarcasm not reflected in his voice. Since his tone was civil, Caroline chose to ignore the innuendoes in his comment and gesture.
Rodney shook Angela’s hand. “She’s quite excited about becoming a grandma. You should see what she’s been working—”
“Rodney!” Caroline stopped him before he spoiled the surprise.
“I wasn’t going to tell; I was just trying to build suspense.” Rodney flashed a sheepish smile at Caroline.
Michelle rolled her eyes. “Nice save, big brother.”
“I’ve made coffee.” Caroline pointed to the card table. “It’s decaf if anyone would like some.” She turned her attention to Michelle. “I’m anxious to see what you chose for fabric.”
“Well, I have one very sports-minded son.” Michelle pulled a stack of folded T-shirts out of the shopping bag and laid them on the table. “So I went with this.” She pulled out black fabric with all types of sports equipment printed on it. “It pretty much covers all the sports on his T-shirts.”
A quick flip through the shirts showed hockey, baseball, basketball, and football teams. “Good choice, not just for the symbols in the fabric, but the colors all coordinate, too. Did you decide on what style you want?”
“Yes, I want…what do you call the connecting rows on the front?”
“Sashing.”
Michelle smiled. “I want this fabric as the sashing and the backing.”
“Got it. What’s the other quilt’s fabric like?”
“This son collects T-shirts from our vacations.” Michelle pulled out turquoise material with postcards, stamps, and postmarks featuring tourist attractions weaved into it.
“Perfect!”
The same broad smile that Rodney wore when pleased appeared on Michelle’s face. “Instead of this fabric as the sashing, I bought white. I wasn’t sure that the turquoise would look so good right next to some of the T-shirts.”
Caroline removed that bundle of T-shirts and saw a vast array of colors—orange, navy, red, olive green, white, and black. “I think you’re right. I’ll bind the edge with white, too, and that will help deflect some of the non-contrasting colors.”
“Whatever you think is best. I’d like the quilts to be their Easter gifts, or would that be rushing you?”
Caroline considered the other paying projects and the dates she’d committed to being finished. Then with Angela’s fast-approaching due date, the baby quilt needed to be completed. It might be a tight deadline. She started to pull her lip under.
Rodney glanced her way. “Don’t worry about mine.”
She unfurled her lip.
He stood by the project board, sipping coffee, and resumed looking at the gaping hole in his quilt top. “Mark’s ordered the retro fabric but doesn’t expect it in until the end of February.” He traced the open area with his finger before looking back at the group.
“And”—Angela gave Rodney a conspiratorial wink—“since I’m due in April, your grandchild won’t need a quilt for at least six months.”
“Okay, then.” Caroline flopped her arms in the air. “I know when I’m beaten.”
Everyone lau
ghed except Jason. Caroline cleared her throat. She put Michelle’s items back in the bags. “Speaking of your quilt, did you find out any information yet?”
“Well, I found out that no one has contact information for the cousin who moved to California. Aunt Jenny found the picture and promises to get it in the mail. She says her eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, but if she has a picture of it, I’m doubtful the cousin in California had anything to do with it, because they’re on opposite sides of the family. So we should be able to compare the picture to the quilt sometime soon.”
“I look forward to it.”
Jason snorted. Caroline cleared her throat again and shot him her best not-now-young-man look. Michelle joined Rodney in looking at the quilt and slipped her arm around his waist. “And,” Rodney continued, “how are the negotiations going? Did you get a flat-rate pricing sheet finished?” Rodney turned his head to look at Caroline. His affection for her sparkled in his eyes.
Caroline’s heart fluttered, which brought an immediate heat to her cheeks since Jason stood just to her side. She didn’t want her son to see something stronger than a friendship between her and Rodney until she had a chance to talk to Jason about it.
“Soooooo…” Jason pulled out the syllables, increasing the tension in the room. “You’re dating my mother.”
Too late. Jason had picked up on their shared look.
Michelle’s arm dropped from around Rodney’s waist.
“I am, I guess.” Rodney walked over and stood eye to eye with Jason.
The desire to push in between the men flared in Caroline, yet her feet stayed firmly planted.
“You guess?” A sarcastic chuckle followed the question. “Either you are or you aren’t.”
Caroline opened her mouth to intercede, but Rodney held a hand up to stop her.
“It means”—Rodney enunciated each word—“that we’ve spent time together as friends but only had one date. Although I’m open to many more if it’s agreeable with your mother.”
Caroline’s heart fluttered at Rodney’s admission.
Both men turned to face Caroline. Had the anger in Jason’s eyes been daggers, she’d have been pinned to the wall like the quilts to her project board.
Dakota Love Page 10