by Jillian Hart
“We’re talking about men, not Mom.”
“Okay.” Aubrey’s heart was showing. “Don’t you think the crazy accusations would have scared him off if he was going to be?”
“I can’t believe he helped me babysit. He said my family is important to me, so it’s important to him.”
“See? How many signs do you need?”
“I don’t know if there could be enough.”
Aubrey traced the pattern of the tiny intricate roses carved into the trim of the gleaming, perfect case. “I really think his heart is true. I think he’s the right man for you. Why don’t you grab hold of this blessing the Lord is placing before you? Brice might be the happily-ever-after I’ve been praying for, for you. Just believe that God is in charge and embrace this chance.”
“I’m scared I’m going to mess this up. That he’s going to get a good look at me and see that I don’t fit into the right image. That’s what Brice is looking for. He wants someone from the same background and compatible lifestyle. Look at me, I’m not exactly mink-wearing, symphony-going material. You heard him talk about his fiancée.”
“His ex-fiancée. Didn’t you listen to him at all?”
“It’s hard to hear really well with all this panic racing around inside my head.”
“You’re a nut.” Aubrey rolled her eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Not much. You’re stuck with me.”
“That’s just my good luck.” Aubrey smiled. “Call him. Take a deep breath and do it. Take the next step forward.”
“Sure, what do I have to lose? It’s only my heart at stake.”
“Do you know what I think?” Aubrey knelt and began unpacking the box. “I think you’re more scared this is going to work out.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Go in the kitchen and call him. I’ll watch the front. Oh, and I’ll put up all this stuff I brought.”
“Okey dokey. You’re wonderful, you know that?”
“I do. Now go.”
“Thanks, Aub.”
Her cell was ringing as she streaked into the kitchen. Her heart jumped with jubilation when she saw Brice’s name and number on her screen. Talk about perfect timing. Okay, she was scared, but this had to be a sign. She hit the talk button. “I love the flowers. Thank you.”
“I know red roses are expected, but when I saw these in the florist’s case, I thought of you. Bright yellow like the sunshine you are.”
If he kept talking like that, he was going to scare her even more.
“What are you up to this morning?” he asked.
“No good, as usual. I just finished making a ballet shoe cake, it’s for one of the construction dude’s daughters.”
“That was really nice of you, including certificates for a free birthday cake for everyone.”
“It’s the least I could do. My new kitchen is wonderful to work in. The question is, have you recovered from the trauma of babysitting?”
“No trauma to recover from. I’m made of tougher stuff than that. Remember how I said I had plans in place that we postponed?”
“You know I do.” She heard a slight tinkle of chimes and peered through the open doorway. There was Aubrey hanging a beautiful ceramic bell over the door.
“I’ve been able to push those plans back a few weeks. I wanted to give you plenty of notice this time. I thought we could combine it with celebrations for the Fourth of July. You wouldn’t be interested in spending that weekend with me would you?”
“Uh, did I hear you right? The entire weekend?”
“Now, before you start jumping to conclusions and questioning my morals, let me explain.”
He was laughing, remembering their unforgettable first meeting when she’d told him to get some morals. At least he thought it was funny. That was a good sign, right?
“Okay, I’ll wait for the explanation before I start firing insults.”
“I have some property near Glacier National Park, and we won’t be alone. I plan to invite my sister and her husband. My grandparents will be there, too. I was going to suggest that you invite Aubrey. We’ll have a big cookout and watch fireworks over the lake. It’ll be fun—and well chaperoned. What do you think?”
“Do you mean like going camping, or something? Because I try not to go too far out into the wilderness.”
“Why? You’re not a backcountry kind of girl?”
“If I tell you, then you’ll stop dating me. Years from now you’ll tell your friends it was a good thing you dumped me when you did.”
“Not a chance, gorgeous.”
She was in big trouble because her high hopes were rising higher than the galaxy. She was in bigger trouble because the logical part of her was drowned out by those rising hopes.
“Tell me about this story of yours, Ava. I gotta know.”
“My dad loved to camp and he’d haul us all up to one of the national forests and we’d do the tent thing and the catch trout for supper thing and cook over an open campfire thing.”
“Uh oh. I’m starting to see what might have been the problem here.”
“I accidentally started a forest fire. It wasn’t my fault. And it was only a little grass fire, but I never lived it down. Over the years the story has grown to gargantuan proportion and when Dad tells it now, you’d think I burned down half the western forests in the United States.”
“And you started it how?”
“My marshmallow caught on fire. I was seven. I was afraid of flame, mostly, so I was sitting farther back than everyone else from the campfire. And Aubrey leaned over to say something to me and I forgot to watch the stick. It was sort of top heavy because I was holding the very end of it and it just sort of dipped into the fire.
“When I noticed that my marshmallow was turning black and spewing flame, I screamed and gave it a big shake. Blazing marshmallow fluff flew off the stick and onto Mom and Dad’s tent. It caught fire, of course. It was a total disaster. Luckily, Dad followed the forestry rules of having so many buckets of water and dirt handy, whatever, and he got it put out with hardly any damage to anything but a piece of scorched earth where the tent had been.”
“I’m beginning to see why your family calls you a disaster magnet.”
“To this day, Spence will not let me be in charge of any fire-related thing. No barbecuing, no campfire, no lighting the Yule log in the hearth on Christmas Eve. It’s embarrassing.”
“You are a disaster.”
“Don’t I know it. You’re going to hang up now, aren’t you? You’ve changed your mind about me, about spending time with a big dope like me.”
“Hey now, I don’t think you’re a dope.”
It was his kindness that got her. His unending, constant kindness, even when he should be agreeing with her. Then it hit her. Duh. Could it be any more obvious? “Oh, no. I can’t believe this. You have it, too.”
“What do I have?”
“The flaw-blindness. Otherwise, you could see it.”
“See what?”
He didn’t know? That was only further proof. He was as fault-blind as she was. Unbelievable. “My faults? You can’t see them, can you? All six hundred thousand of them.”
“Nope. You look perfect to me.”
“Then we’re doomed. This is only a matter of time.” She rolled her eyes, trying to make light of things. But that wasn’t how she was feeling. Not at all. Suddenly it was so clear. His devotion, his kindness, his affection and his romantic gestures would last only as long as it took for him to realize the truth about her. “We might as well accept it now. One day you’ll look at me and decide you can’t take it anymore. Then the more-than-friends aspect of our relationship will be done. A great big crash and burn. Ka-blew-y.”
“No crashing and burning. No ka-blew-y. I like you exactly the way you are, Ava. I like who you are. Or I wouldn’t be inviting you to my birthday party either.”
“What?”
“You know I’m turning thirty-one on Tuesday. I’ve finally ta
lked my mom into just having a small family dinner at home. My grandparents are coming. I want you there, too.”
This was such dangerous ground. This was like the camping trip. Everything was great and happy. Everything finally looked promising, like it really was going to work out. And when you stopped expecting it, when you were sure it was smooth sailing ahead, that’s when disaster struck. Like a category five tornado touching down right where you’re the most vulnerable.
But what did she say? This sounded like the next step—a serious step. “Did I hear you right? You want me to come to your birthday dinner?”
“I’m asking you, right?” Brice adjusted his Bluetooth headset before he slowed his truck to pull into the left hand turn lane at the red light. Rex was in the backseat, panting extra loud, as if he were in agreement. See how Ava improved their lives? Just talking to her lifted their spirits. “You’ll come?”
“As long as I get to bring the cake.”
“I’d love the dump truck cake.”
“Anything else you want with it?”
“Nope. As long as you’re there, what else could I want in this world?”
“Oh, you are totally Mr. Irresistible, aren’t you? You keep saying things like that, and I’m going to have to start liking you.”
“Start liking me?” Brice chuckled. “I thought you were already in that pond with both feet.”
“You must be mistaken. I hardly like you at all.”
He could just imagine her rolling her eyes, looking so sweet and sparkling, the way she did when she smiled. In his opinion, they were right in that pond with both feet together. It was scary, but nice. “I’ll pick you up Tuesday at six-thirty—” His call waiting beeped. His mom. “Can I put you on hold for a few minutes?”
“Okey dokey.”
Ava. She put a smile into his heart and made everything better. The sun in his eyes was brighter than he’d ever noticed. The greens of the lawns and trees in his neighborhood more vibrant. Greener than he’d ever remembered.
He hit the garage door opener and switched over to answer the call. “Hi, Mom.”
“Brice? Is that really you, or just my imagination. I can’t believe I’m not getting your voice mail. Again.”
Uh-oh. She didn’t sound happy. He racked his brain but he couldn’t think of a thing he’d done. “I’ve been busy finishing up a project.”
“Yes, your father mentioned that. For that baker. That friend of Chloe’s.”
He pulled his truck into the garage, not missing the disapproving tone in his mother’s voice. “Ava McKaslin is a friend of mine, too.”
“I know Chloe did her a favor by letting us overpay her for that wedding cake.”
“Mom, you can’t fool me.” He cut the truck’s engine and swung open the door. “Ava didn’t charge Chloe—or you—for that cake.”
“And how do you know this?”
He opened the door and waited while Rex leaped out. “I’m bringing Ava to my birthday dinner, and she’s bringing the cake. You’re going to be nice to her, right?”
There was silence. Frosty silence.
This was actually going better than he’d expected. That had to be a good sign, right? He unlocked the inside door and held it for Rex, who was yawning hugely and lumbered lazily inside. “Mom?”
“I’m carefully weighing my words and there doesn’t appear to be anything I can say that you would deem appropriate.”
“You have until Tuesday to work on that.” He stepped around Rex who had collapsed in front of the nearest floor vent and opened the refrigerator. “I’m going to expect you to be on your best behavior.”
“She’s all wrong for you, you know that.”
“It’s not your decision who I date, Mom. Ava’s important to me, and I want your word you’ll be nice to her.”
“I suppose I can try.”
“Thank you. I’ll call you and Dad later, okay? I’ve got her on the other line, so I need to go.” He said goodbye, and he couldn’t say exactly why there was a terrible sense of foreboding that settled dead center in his gut. He switched over to the waiting call. “Ava?”
“Yo. Danielle just walked in. She’s taking the measurements for the shades she’s making me. Hold on just a sec.” There was a lot of cheerful talk in the background that grew fainter. “Brice? I’ve got a full house here. Spence just pulled up with the tables Aubrey refinished for me.”
“Sounds exciting. I bet the place is looking more like you imagined.”
“It is. I’m going to be officially open for business this weekend. There’s a ton of stuff I still have do, and I’m totally excited and scared.”
“I can understand that.” Did he. “What can I do to help?”
“As if you haven’t done enough with the woodwork. It still takes my breath away.”
“Good. That’s the idea.”
Ava nearly stumbled at his words. Oh, she was so overwhelmed. So out of her realm of experience. Tender feelings for him just kept lifting through her, rising up until all she could feel was joy. Was it illusion? Could this possibly work out between them?
“I’ll give you a call tomorrow,” he said in that dependable, easy-going way of his. “See if you need any help hauling anything or helping with the set up. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Ava leaned her forehead against the heel of her hand, listening to the click as he disconnected. Could this man be any more perfect?
It took her a second to realize that all the chatter in the front room had stopped. Her sisters were staring at her. Katherine’s eyes were hopeful and sparkling. Aubrey looked as if she were going to start jumping up and down with glee.
This was another problem with a big family. A girl had no privacy. Ever. Even when you were grown and gone from the nest, you could not get away from nosy sisters, bless them.
Danielle shifted little Madison on to her other hip. “Did we hear that correctly? Are you going to a family birthday party?”
“Oh, this is big. Huge,” Katherine added. “He’s taking you home to meet his parents.”
“See? What did I say?” Aubrey steepled her hands, as if in prayer. “This is the next step.”
“Don’t psych me out, I’m trying to cope here.” Ava spotted Spence and his big gray pickup parked against the curb. He was glaring in at them. “He obviously needs help. I’d better get out there—”
“Was it my imagination or did you tell Brice about the camping trip?” Katherine asked, using the box Aubrey brought to prop open the door. “And he still asked you out?”
“The story just popped out. It wasn’t intentional.” Ava shrugged. “I guess that old family stuff has been on my mind lately.”
“I know how that goes, but you don’t have to let the past affect your future. Good things happen to good people, and this is one of those times.” Katherine grabbed a pair of sunglasses from the counter. “Take my advice. Leave the past behind where it belongs, and go live your future. You can do that, right?”
“Sure.” Easier said than done. She didn’t dare let herself believe it. Being with Brice was too important. She hoped that as long as she stayed right here, in this more-than-friends-only stage, then it wouldn’t get serious. She wouldn’t lose any more of her heart.
Chapter Thirteen
On Tuesday evening, as they headed up to Brice’s parents’ house in his red sports car, she felt as if they were driving heavenward. The foothills of the Bridger Mountains offered breathless views of the higher Rocky Mountain peaks and the deep, divine blue of the summer sky. As gorgeous as the view was, where were her eyes glued? On Brice, looking amazing in a black sports coat, shirt, tie and trousers.
Dazzled? Yeah, you could say that.
“We’re almost there.” Brice drove with confidence on the smooth, S-curving road that skirted private developments more upscale than the one he lived in. “You look a little pale. Are you okay?”
Okay? If she could survive the panic attack, she’d be just fine, thanks. There w
as a perfectly rational explanation for the panic. This couldn’t be real. It was too nice to be real. Too wonderful. She tried to relax. Tried to pretend she wasn’t terrified. She’d never felt like this, so vulnerable and so close to him.
Careful, Ava, she warned herself. Don’t start to believe in the dream.
Brice pulled into a grand driveway that rivaled anything she’d seen on TV and that’s when the nerves hit her. What had she been thinking? It was way too early in their relationship for her to meet his parents. Besides, she’d already met his mom. She’d been very dismissive of Chloe’s choice of wedding cake designs.
“I don’t suppose your mom is expecting a more fancy cake design?” She looked at the bakery box sitting on her lap.
“Does it matter?” He shrugged as if he couldn’t imagine how she might even think it would.
Okay, maybe not. But as he pulled in front of a lavish Shakespearean-looking brick home with a turret and those diamond panel windows, she couldn’t fight the strong feeling that her nifty dump truck cake might seem a little hokey by comparison. “You’re sure about the cake?”
“Yep.” He didn’t look like he had a doubt in the world.
Okey dokey. Maybe it wasn’t the cake she was worried about. Maybe Brice’s family would take one look at her and think, not right for him. She smoothed the linen skirt of the dress she’d borrowed from Aubrey.
Okay, really, it was just her old insecurities flaring up like a big case of emotional warts.
He smoothly parked the car in front of a four-car garage and cut the engine. “You haven’t changed your mind about coming in with me, have you?”
“Let me get back to you on that.” Her voice wobbled.
“Don’t be nervous. My family is going to love you.”
“And if they don’t?”
“They will learn to love you.” He cupped her chin in his palm.
She focused her violet-blue gaze on his, her whole heart showing.
He got out of the car, noticing his grandparent’s Land Rover was parked in the shade. Anticipation uplifted him as he circled around to open Ava’s door. He couldn’t wait for his grandparents to meet Ava. He knew they would love her. His parents might take more time to accept someone new, but he knew they would come to adore her, too. How could anyone not fall in love with Ava?