Knowing Emma’s past, Maddie regretted stirring up any memories. “I didn’t mean to—”
Emma patted her hand. “With solid people like you and J.C., Chrissy’s on the right road. I can see the Lord’s hand in bringing you together.”
“I pray you’re right.” Maddie knew her own contribution hadn’t been much, but she was overjoyed that Emma saw a visible difference in Chrissy. “And you can understand why the party is so important, why I want her life to be as normal as possible.”
“Of course.” Emma set her cup back in the saucer. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Maddie traced the outline of the sugar bowl with her fingers. “I had planned to add costumes either a few at a time or later on….”
“Would an installment plan help?”
Leaning forward, Maddie’s anxiety spilled out. “I know it’s a huge thing to ask. I can make a deposit. I just didn’t know if payments would be something a costume shop offered.”
Emma lifted her shoulders. “In special circumstances. That’s how I sold the business to Tina. She makes payments. I’ll speak to her and we’ll work out something.”
Maddie suddenly realized she didn’t even have a bid on how much everything would cost. It could be far more than her budget would handle.
But Emma anticipated the request. “I’ll make some sketches, get Tina’s input and ask her to put together a bid.” She pursed her lips. “I have some vintage hats, too. Some are at the shop, some at home. The top hats will be easy to make. They don’t have to be wedding-quality, especially because the boys will no doubt be pulling them off and jamming them back on. A crushable thick felt fabric might be just the thing.”
“I can sew,” Maddie inserted, thinking she might be able to hold down the cost.
“In all your copious spare time?” Emma shook her head. “That’s about as practical as having high tea in the costume shop. Buttons in the pastries wouldn’t be that appetizing.”
Chuckling, Maddie was awfully glad she knew Emma. “You’re right. Oh, and in the bid … I want Chrissy’s dress and hat to be extra special.”
“Favorite color?”
“Purple. We painted her room lavender and she really likes it.”
“Hmm. Accented with red it’s festive, with gold it’s glamorous or royal, like a princess. For a ten-year-old girl …” Clearly, Emma’s wheels were spinning.
Maddie suddenly remembered Emma’s children. “I don’t expect you to take time away from your kids to work on this.”
“I design costumes for their school plays, anything I get a chance to. The shop’s truly Tina’s now, so when I can get my hands on a pencil to sketch, watch out!”
Maddie’s grateful smile crinkled her entire face. “Wonderful!”
“I’ll talk to Tina after I leave here.” She reached for another apple tartlet. “But I’m not going until we finish our experiment down to the last crumb.”
Maddie thought Tina’s bid was very reasonable so she paid fifteen percent down on the order. Emma insisted on designing Chrissy’s dress and she consulted with Maddie on the details. The end result was a swirl of multilayered lavender chiffon. The puffy sleeves were accented with cutouts edged in dainty lines of gold. She used the same effect on the high collar. It was at once age-appropriate, yet magical.
They assembled different gift bags for the girls and boys. Afterward, Maddie took Chrissy to Barton’s shoe store. The owner had special ordered gold Mary Janes to go with Chrissy’s party dress. Maddie wouldn’t reveal the final dress design, but told Chrissy the shoes would be perfect for her outfit. Intrigued by the shiny shoes and new white tights, Chrissy was appeased.
With Tina’s encouragement, they decided that choosing and putting on the costumes would be the first portion of the party. And to make this first, most important party extra special, they would gather at the Tea Cart, then walk down Main Street to the costume shop and change into their outfits. That way, if there were any fitting difficulties, Tina would have all her supplies at hand. Both Maddie and Tina thought the kids would be intrigued by a tour of the costume shop with all its nooks and crannies filled with everything from Little Red Riding Hood to dinosaurs.
Even though Chrissy was trying to play it cool, she was excited about her party. Maddie was pleased with almost every thing. Except J.C.
He politely listened to her suggestions. But he didn’t share anything or encourage any discussion. She knew it wasn’t just her imagination. J.C. had become distant and she didn’t know why.
Saturday afternoon, the children swarmed the costume shop, all clamoring to get into their party outfits. The boys were enthralled with the dinosaur costumes Tina had shown them, but the girls were more interested in princess and fairy gowns. Controlled chaos was the best way to describe their time at Try It On.
Chrissy had gotten ready at home, delighted when Maddie and Lillian presented the frothy lavender chiffon dress. The final touch was the hat Emma made. She had pleated the same lavender chiffon on the base, then added deep purple ribbon and delicate gold edging. For whimsy, she attached two jaunty feathers which she had dyed deep purple. Chrissy positively glowed when she looked in the mirror at the complete effect. As the guests arrived, the girls oohed and aahed seeing the magical dress.
For the first time, Chrissy had left the building without her backpack. She didn’t even seem to notice she had. It took a while, but once all the kids had their costumes and accessories, they headed back to the Tea Cart. Crossing her fingers, Maddie hoped J.C. would be pleased. And maybe, just maybe, he would let down at least part of the barrier he had put between them.
J.C. practically flew to the Tea Cart. He had been called to the hospital in the middle of the night for an emergency that had him operating for hours. His patient now stabilized, J.C. was finally able to get back home for the party.
He dashed upstairs for a fast shower, then changed into a fresh shirt and jeans. Taking time only to shave and run a comb through his hair, he was back downstairs in ten minutes. One thing about being a doctor, his internship and then residency had prepared him to get ready in record time.
Exhaling, he saw that the kids hadn’t returned yet from getting their costumes. Samantha manned the counter and Lillian sat in her special spot. The children’s nook was decorated with tiny white fairy lights along with banners and balloons in Chrissy’s favorite colors. A bouquet of lavender, purple and acrylic gold balloons were tied to the chair he guessed would be the birthday girl’s. He hadn’t pictured anything so festive.
“Looks great, doesn’t it?” Samantha asked. The shop was quiet with customers at only three tables.
“Amazing.”
“Wait until you see what else Maddie has whipped up.”
“What can I do?”
“Light the grill,” she replied. “When the kids get here, we’ll be too busy to even think.”
He thought she was exaggerating. “Little girls aren’t all that rowdy. Boys probably won’t even show up.”
“Oh, you are a dreamer, J.C.”
“You think they will?”
“They met here at the shop, remember? They all came.”
Frowning, J.C. glanced over at the children’s area. “Then we need more space for the party.”
She waved her hand in dismissal. “Nope. Maddie thought out every detail. She had an exact count, then planned for a few extras. She’s been planning, decorating, cooking and baking ever since Chrissy decided where she wanted her party. She wants it to be extra special.”
Because this was Chrissy’s first birthday without her parents. “I’ll get the grill going, then round up the ketchup and mustard.”
“Just the grill. Maddie already fixed a condiment bar for the hot dogs.”
He frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m wondering when she had time to sleep,” he muttered. “Running the shop, taking care of Lillian and Chrissy …”
“She wants to do this,” Samantha replied i
n a quiet voice. “Surely you know by now that Maddie’s happiest when she’s giving and caring for others. It’s rare … she’s rare, and special.”
He knew that. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only man with that information.
The bell jangled over the door as two women entered.
“I’d better get back to work,” Samantha told him, turning to greet the customers.
It didn’t take long for J.C. to light the grill. A cooler sat on top of the picnic table. He flipped it open—the hot dogs. Maddie hadn’t left anything to chance. He went back inside just in time to see the shop door fly open. Kids crowded inside, all dressed up. Looking closer, he saw they all looked like little ladies and gentlemen, outfitted for a formal event. Grinning, he wondered how the boys liked that. Then Chrissy stepped forward. J.C.’s breath caught.
His little Pinker Belle looked so pretty. Dressed in what he guessed was any young girl’s fantasy dress, there wasn’t a trace of sadness in her face.
“Uncle James!” She twirled around. “Do you like it?”
“It’s very pretty …” He felt a lump in his throat. “You’re very pretty.”
Chrissy glanced down, looking shy, then tapped her shoes. “I never had gold shoes before.”
Or a small but perfect hat. It was obvious everything she wore had been carefully designed. “Perfect for the birthday girl.”
She grinned. “Maddie fixed everything. Isn’t it cool?”
“Yep.” He remembered his feeble effort of simply lighting the grill and suppressed a grimace. Good thing Maddie had picked up the ball, then scored touchdown after touchdown.
As though his thoughts had produced her, he spotted Maddie in the crowd, shepherding the kids inside. He stepped to one side so they could pass. She looked a little flushed but completely in control. Not harried or overwhelmed as he would have been. Glancing up, she met his gaze, then prodded the boy in front of her toward the small tables. J.C. would have liked to read what was in her eyes, but her gaze had darted away too quickly.
“Come on, Chance, there’s plenty of room.” Keeping her attention on the children, Maddie didn’t look at J.C. again.
He wanted to tell her how terrific everything looked, how great she’d been organizing all of this, how grateful he was that she had put a bright smile on Chrissy’s face. Instead, he watched as she herded the children to the tables.
“You probably want to get the hot dogs going,” Samantha reminded him, nodding toward the back.
“Right.” It didn’t take long to grill the handmade hot dogs that Maddie had purchased from the local sausage maker. He found bratwurst at the bottom of the cooler, his favorite.
The kids had begun on the homemade pizzas when he brought up the plump, fresh hot dogs. As predicted, the boys dove in. The girls remained fascinated by the tiny sandwiches in the shapes of hearts, diamonds and shamrocks.
J.C. glanced at the condiment bar. As he did, the sketch on the wall above the dispensers caught his attention. Peering closer, he realized the subject was Maddie when she was probably around Chrissy’s age. She was sitting at a child-size table. Dolls and a teddy bear sat in the other chairs. Miniature dishes were set on the table. A tea party? It must be. The young Maddie was holding a cup midair. Apparently, little tea parties had been part of her childhood. And her father had captured the scene brilliantly.
“Excuse me,” Maddie said in a quiet voice.
J.C. realized he was blocking the aisle and moved aside. Before she could escape, he caught her elbow. “Tell me what to do.”
Her eyes flickered in astonishment.
“I want to help with the party,” he explained.
The emotion in her eyes flitted away. “Um, collect dirty dishes, um, yes, that would help.”
Now she seemed plenty distracted. Before he could voice the thought … or anything else, Maddie scurried away, disappearing in the back.
He bused the table, listening to the children’s chatter. It was easy to see they were having fun. No doubt the novel type of party would catch on.
Carrying the dishes he’d collected into the kitchen, J.C. paused when he saw the birthday cake. It was a beauty. Lavender and purple around the woven sides, with pink lettering and gold candles. “Wow.”
Maddie turned from the sink where she was washing her hands. “So it looks okay?”
“It looks fantastic. How did you get it all smooth on top like that?”
“Fondant over the butter cream frosting,” she explained.
“Looks like it came from a fancy bakery.”
“Fingers crossed, it tastes good.”
J.C. scrunched his forehead in surprise. “You’ve never made anything that didn’t taste good.”
Maddie blushed. “I hope the public agrees with you.”
“Have you had any complaints?”
She shook her head.
“I think I made a good investment.”
Her eyes, now a soft blue, widened. “Investment?”
“As a silent partner.”
She blinked, then turned back to the sink. “Good.”
Frowning, J.C. wondered what he’d said wrong.
“You can take that stack of dessert plates out to the party if you’d like,” she continued, still not turning around.
“Sure.” Each little plate was topped with a scalloped paper doily, like the ones she used for her pastries. She had seen to every minuscule detail.
“There’s a tray on the counter with forks. You can stack the plates on it and save a trip.”
And get out of her way? J.C. followed her instructions, leaving the kitchen. He set the tray on the counter while he collected more dirty dishes from the party nook. He couldn’t very well leave the mess in the shop, J.C. rationalized as he returned to the kitchen. Maddie was checking the candles and it occurred to him that the tiered cake was probably heavy.
After depositing the dishes in the sink, he crossed the room to stand beside her. “I’ll carry the cake.”
“I’m used to—”
“It’s too heavy for you.” Surprising her, he lifted it off the counter. Before she could recover, he headed out front, pausing at the counter. “Where do you plan to light the candles?”
“Here is good.” She rummaged in a drawer and produced a fireplace lighter, one long enough to reach all the candles without getting singed. Once they were all lit, J.C. headed to the table, Maddie and Sam trailing just behind him.
“Maddie! It’s so pretty!” Chrissy exclaimed.
The kids and handful of adults erupted in applause. Maddie’s face flushed, then she smiled. The women beamed. They all began singing “Happy Birthday,” prodding Chrissy’s shy grin.
“Make a wish!” Lillian called out.
Chrissy looked up.
J.C. nodded, then winked.
Maddie smiled. “Yes, make a wish!”
Chrissy closed her eyes for several moments, took a deep breath and blew out her candles.
“Yea!” Clapping her hands, Maddie left J.C.’s side to help serve the cake.
Once all the kids had some cake, she slipped an arm around Chrissy, giving her an affectionate hug before tugging her ponytail.
The curling in his stomach had nothing to do with all the delicious aromas in the shop. It had everything to do with Maddie. The way her eyes crinkled when she grinned, the laughter that was as natural to her as breathing. She had brought joy into their lives when he had thought it was impossible. Was it possible there was even more ahead? Even more to fill his heart?
Chapter Thirteen
The backyard didn’t have much of a garden. But in the late spring, scents of neighboring gardens stirred in the mild breeze. The building blocked almost all of the noise from Main Street. In the evening, most people were home, reducing even that small bit of noise. Closing her eyes, Maddie could imagine that she was back at the house she had grown up in, nestled in its serenity. Amazing how much had changed in such a relatively short time. When the year began, she couldn’
t have imagined she would be running the Tea Cart, living in the Wagner Hill building. She certainly couldn’t have imagined the way J.C. had tumbled her feelings, totally uprooted her emotions.
She pushed the wooden swing with her foot, allowing the slow motion to ease her mind. It had been some day. Chrissy’s party had been all she had hoped for and more. Seeing her truly smile was such a blessing. Remembering the curt, fractious child she had first met, Maddie pondered the change. She couldn’t take the credit. Actually her mother had been the one to breach the child’s defenses.
Leaning her head back, Maddie studied the blanket of stars above. She had heard people scoff about the legend of the Texas skies. Although her travels had been limited, she had always studied the night skies, seeing how different the heavens looked. Maybe she was just a Rosewood girl to the bone. The thought made her chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
Startled, she sat up straight, stopping the swing’s motion. “J.C., you nearly made me jump out of my skin.”
“I seem to have that effect on you.”
More than he knew. Certainly more than the rush of fear from running into him in an empty apartment. Far more.
“Can I sit down?”
Scooting farther over to one side, Maddie nodded.
“It’s quiet out here at night,” J.C. commented as he sat down.
Maddie tried not to think of his proximity, the length of his leg pressed next to her, the muscled arm that met hers.
He didn’t say anything for minutes, the creaking of the swing the only discernable sound in the secluded garden. Maddie swiped nervous hands against her skirt as she tried to think of something neutral to say, something that wouldn’t make him aloof.
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