Destiny also didn’t want to spend any time analyzing why that possibility hurt so much.
* * *
Troy typically wasn’t nervous about dates, but that changed today. He wanted to do this right, treat Haley to an evening that would leave a great first-date impression and lead to a second date. But his plans were hindered by the realization that he actually wanted a second date this time. He was tired of his “player” status and ready to settle down. And he honestly felt God had put it on his heart this week to give a relationship more time, let it develop and see if God was giving him the opportunity to finally meet the woman he’d been writing to all of these years.
But today, when he should have been thinking about his date with Haley, he found himself remembering last night, about the way Destiny had joined in with his energized family to gather parade loot, the way her cheeks had flushed when he took her melted cone and their hands touched, and about the surge of emotion that overpowered him when he wiped her tearstains away.
He’d wanted to kiss her; he nearly had, in fact. And today, at lunch, he’d fought the urge to drive to Nelson’s for a cheeseburger. No doubt he wouldn’t have been going for the meal; he’d have been going for a chance to see the pretty writer.
But tonight, when he picked up Haley for their date, he’d promised himself to keep his mind focused on the here and now instead of on whatever had occurred between him and Destiny last night. Yet through dinner, even his small talk with Haley had been a little stilted. He’d taken her to Messina’s, a charming Italian restaurant about ten minutes out from town and clearly the nicest place to eat around Claremont. The food had been terrific. But he hadn’t felt the closeness he’d hoped for, and he suspected it was because he kept wondering what Destiny Porter was doing this evening.
Maybe he was a player.
“And then Dr. Graham brought his little girl Autumn in with a baby dove that had fallen out of the nest. The little girl was so concerned for the bird. It was precious.” Haley chatted as they drove away from the restaurant. She’d talked about her job and her faith the majority of the date so far, and Troy could tell how much she loved her work. He admired it, in fact. She was obviously the kind of caring, compassionate woman he’d always wanted, so it didn’t make sense that he wasn’t hanging on to every word.
I should be feeling something here, Lord. Help me out. She seems perfect. Beautiful, intelligent, caring, and she’s talked about You and her love of You. This is what I prayed for, the type of person I’ve been writing to.
“I love it when a child tries to help like that, don’t you?” Her green eyes were alive with excitement. “We’re going to be able to save that little bird because of Autumn and her sweet heart. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Yes, it is.” He glanced at her. With the passenger window halfway down, her hair blew gently around her face and her happiness about the saved bird made her look even prettier. Beautiful, in fact. She had a look that stood out, silky white-blond hair, almond-shaped green eyes and a heart-shaped mouth. She was petite, probably five-two, a few inches shorter than Destiny.
Now where had that come from?
Haley rested her arm on the back of the seat and smiled. “What’s on your mind?”
You. And Destiny. And the fact that if I keep this up, I’m earning my player credentials.
He cleared his throat and thought about what he’d planned for them to do next. “I thought we could either go to Hydrangea Park and see the botanical gardens or we could go to the First Friday Festival on the square. Your choice.”
“I’ve heard about how they light up the gardens at the park at night, so I know I want to see them sometime, but Dr. Sheridan has been talking all week about how wonderful First Friday is, and I’d really like to do that, if it’s okay with you.”
That’d been his preference, too. They could visit the park anytime, but First Friday only occurred once a month, and Troy rarely missed the event. “First Friday it is. I think you’ll enjoy it, especially since the square will still be decorated from the parade last night.” His mind flashed to catching that piece of candy merely inches from Destiny’s face. He shook the image away. “So you’ll also get a chance to see everything they did for the holiday.”
“I hate that I missed the parade. I got to updating this week’s appointments on the computer, and then I noticed the receipts hadn’t been posted, and then I heard one of the boarded dogs whining and decided to take him for a walk. Then the next thing I knew, I was walking all of them.” She shrugged. “I tend to lose track of time when I’m working.”
“Probably a good sign that you love your job.” And that she was hardworking and committed. Two qualities Troy had always admired and had even written about a time or two in his letters.
“I do love it. Oh, dear, I haven’t checked my phone in a while.” She withdrew her cell from her purse and glanced at the display. “Dr. Sheridan is taking his family to First Friday tonight so I volunteered to handle any emergencies. The phone at the office is forwarded to my cell.”
Troy nodded but wondered whether she’d considered their date when she volunteered to handle all emergencies.
“No messages, so we’re good.” She smiled, and Troy returned the gesture.
He was being too critical, and he’d stop that now. That’d been part of the reason he hadn’t had many repeat dates before; he wasn’t going to let it ruin his interpretation of tonight. So she’d volunteered to take calls during their date; that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Are all of those cars for the festival?”
He looked ahead to see vehicles lining both sides of the street, then pulled his truck in at the end. “Yeah, most everyone in town comes, as well as the majority of folks from the surrounding counties.” He cut off the ignition. “Any kind of a festival is a pretty big deal around here, but First Fridays do tend to be the favorites, especially this one, since it follows the Fourth and will have all of the extra decorations.”
Climbing out, he started around the truck with the intention of opening her door, but by the time he circled the front, she was already out, her hand shielding her eyes from the setting sun as she peered down the sidewalk toward the square.
“This looks incredible.”
“It is.” He held out a hand, trying to be a gentleman in spite of the fact that she seemed content in her independence, and he liked the way she slid her palm into his.
“Where do we start?” she asked.
“The back of Gina Brown’s Art Gallery is up ahead, where all of those lights are hanging from the trees. She has a courtyard that leads inside, and usually she has artists set up painting there for First Friday.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
They walked hand in hand to the courtyard where several artists were indeed painting. Paper lanterns and tiny white lights dotted the huge magnolias that created a canopy over the courtyard. Gina noticed Troy and gracefully maneuvered past a couple of easels to greet them. “Troy, it’s wonderful to see you again.”
“Good to see you, too.” He nodded toward Haley. “This is Haley Calhoun. She’s the new vet, working with Dr. Sheridan.”
“I believe I met you at church last Sunday morning, didn’t I?” Gina asked.
“Yes, you did, but I didn’t realize you are an artist. I’m looking forward to seeing your work.”
Gina smiled. “My pieces are inside, but take a little time to view the art out here first. We have a lot of talent locally, and all of these artists will be offering the paintings from tonight in a wet paint sale.”
“That sounds great,” Haley said, still admiring the scene. “It’s so beautiful out here.”
“I’m glad you think so. I have some refreshments over by the rear entrance. Please help yourself. And we also have a children’s area out front that you’ll want to see. The kids are
really enjoying themselves this evening with the face-painting artist. Oh, Troy, your family was out there the last time I went. Maybe they’re still there.”
“We’ll check when we go out front, but even if we don’t catch them here, I’m sure we’ll see them before the night’s over. They tend to stay at First Friday until everything closes.”
“Thankfully, most folks do. And trust me, the shop owners love it.” She looked to Haley. “This is great for local business, you know.”
“I can see that.” Haley released Troy’s hand and moved closer to a young artist to get a better look at the giraffe he was painting.
Gina stepped nearer to Troy and whispered, “You make a beautiful couple, Troy. Striking enough to paint, I’d say.”
He swallowed past the strange thickness in his throat. “Thanks.” Then without any sort of explanation of their couple status, since he still didn’t know how he’d explain it, he returned to his date, who was chatting with the artist about the realistic quality of his animal paintings.
“These would look amazing in the examination rooms at the animal hospital. I’m going to tell Dr. Sheridan about you. Can I have your card?”
Beaming at Haley, the guy handed her his card. Troy had no doubt he was not only taken by her enthusiasm for his work but also by her beauty. She was a pretty girl, striking, as Gina had said. And Troy should feel honored, thrilled even, that she was spending time with him tonight. He should have all of his focus on her, and he wished he could keep it there, instead of occasionally thinking about the pretty brunette he’d been with last night.
Haley tucked the card into her pocket, said goodbye to the smiling guy and looked back to Troy. “I’m loving this. Let’s go inside and see what else she has.”
They spent a few moments browsing Gina’s personal paintings, the majority of them scenes from Claremont, and admiring her talent.
“We had a few galleries in Ocala but none that showcased local artists. This is so unique, especially for a town the size of Claremont.”
“We’re really blessed to have so much to offer for a city of less than five thousand.”
“I agree.” She walked a little ahead of him as they moved toward the front of the store and the noise that emphasized the festival on the square. Laughter overpowered the profusion of sounds, with one giggle claiming dominion over the rest.
Troy recognized Lily’s laugh immediately. “I think my family is still out front,” he said as they walked through the doorway and, sure enough, found the majority of them on the sidewalk in the area Gina had termed the Children’s Paint Zone.
“Uncle Troy!” Lily scrambled off a chair and ran toward him, then planted her feet and turned her face. “Do you like my butterfly?” Purple, pink and white glitter covered her right cheek in one of the most elaborate face-painting decorations he’d ever seen.
“It’s beautiful, Lily.” He picked her up and squeezed her while she emitted more giggles.
“Hey, are you Uncle Troy’s friend, too?” She peered over his shoulder at Haley.
Haley laughed. “Yes, I am.”
Lily wiggled in Troy’s arms, and he put her on the ground so she could get closer to Haley. “Okay. You want to get a butterfly, too, or do you want something different? Miss Destiny got a butterfly like mine, but you can get something else if you want to.”
Troy caught the reference and looked around to spot the woman he’d been thinking of throughout the day. “Miss Destiny got one?”
Lily nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah. She saw me at the toy store and helped me play with the dollhouses there, and then she came here to get her face painted, too, but then she went to talk to Miss Hannah, you know, my teacher from Sunday school.” Her pigtails bobbed as she returned her attention to Haley. “You want to get a butterfly or something else? He does pretty horses, too, but I like the butterfly the best. What do you want?” She held out her tiny hand and smiled at Haley.
“A butterfly, definitely.” Haley took Lily’s hand and within seconds was perched in a chair next to a talented artist assigned to face painting. The look Haley gave Lily had “this child is so adorable” written all over it and it touched Troy’s heart. But now he knew that Destiny had also spent time with Lily tonight, which meant she spent time with his family, too. He found himself wishing he could’ve seen the interaction. She’d enjoyed the parade so much, he knew that she probably enjoyed First Friday, also. But, scanning the crowd, he saw no sign of her.
“She went to talk to Hannah Graham.” Becca’s words were delivered softly, close to Troy’s left ear. “You are looking for Destiny, aren’t you?”
“Am I that obvious?”
“Only to me, but I’ve spent the entire twenty-five years of my existence around you, big brother. You can’t hide what you’re thinking from me.” She nodded toward Haley, laughing as Lily explained to the painter exactly how she wanted the butterfly to look on her new friend’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Haley didn’t notice a thing.”
Troy shook his head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m with a great girl, one who from all appearances is everything I’ve been looking for―”
“The kind of girl you’ve been writing to, you mean,” Becca interjected.
“Yeah. And yet I find myself continuing to think about one I barely know at all.”
“Well, if you want to get right down to it...” Becca paused as their grandmother passed nearby. Both Becca and Troy knew she had eagle ears and would pick up this entire conversation if they didn’t halt their progress. “Hey, Grandma, having fun?”
Jolaine Bowers nodded, winked at Haley and Lily, then wrapped her arms around Troy and Becca in a hug. “I sure am. I’ve been helping your grandfather at the sporting goods store, but Gina Brown sent word that she had plenty of snacks, so I’m getting us a bite to eat. Do you know where they’re set up?”
“Out back in the courtyard,” Troy said.
“Good deal. I’ll be back in a jiff.” She praised Lily’s butterfly, then headed into the gallery.
“Now, what were you saying?” Troy asked his sister.
“That if you want to get right down to it, you don’t know Haley Calhoun that well either, though I admit she seems wonderful.”
“She’s also living here now, and Destiny will be going back to Atlanta as soon as her writing is done. Wouldn’t make sense to pursue a relationship with someone who’s only here short-term.”
“Yeah, well, love doesn’t always make sense now, does it?”
Troy tried to keep his voice down, which probably wasn’t necessary considering the noise from the crowd. “Love? Who said anything about love?”
She gave him her trademark smirk. “Uh-huh, nice try. You’ve finally decided you’re ready for it, giving your heart, committing for life, the whole nine yards. I can tell.”
“How’s that?”
She shrugged. “You’re acting different, and I think it’s because you think you’ve found the right person.”
“You know that this is my first date with Haley.”
“And you know she isn’t ‘the one’ I’m talking about. The whole time we’ve been standing here, you’ve been scanning the crowd, and you’ve hardly looked at the face-painting table, where your date is getting a beautiful butterfly on her cheek, courtesy of your niece’s instructions.” She let her smirk slide into a smile. “I’m right, aren’t I? You’re looking for Destiny.”
“Yeah.” He shook his head, baffled by his own emotions. “There’s something about her. I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense. I’m out with a great girl, and I’ve got another one on my mind.” He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then said, “Did you know several of the women around town think I’m a player?”
Her laugh bubbled out. “Yes, I heard. Grandma told me, and then RuthElle
n did as well, when she cut my hair yesterday. By the way, everyone in the beauty shop concurred.”
“Super.”
“And since you’re out with one and thinking about another, you’re wondering if they didn’t peg you right with that label, aren’t you?” Becca had always been able to read his thoughts; now, of course, was no exception.
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Let me give you an example that might help you understand what you’re feeling. Think back five years ago. I’d been dating Nolan Tucker for eight months when Joey pulled me over for speeding.”
“And you talked your way out of a ticket.”
She grinned. “Yeah, but that’s not the important part. The important part is that I knew the moment I met him that I could love him for life. I ended everything with Nolan, and a week later, Joey and I had our first date.”
“I recall you broke Nolan’s heart back then.”
“I couldn’t help it. I was smitten from the first time I met Joey, and that’s what I told Nolan. Anything else would have been lying to both of them...and to my heart.”
He glanced at Haley. “If I remember right, Nolan left and took a job in another city.”
She sighed. “He got a better job offer and he took it. I’m not completely positive I had anything to do with it. But in any case, that’s not the point. I think you and I both know you’ve met the right one, and there isn’t any reason in you stalling—or risking hurting another girl’s heart—by not doing anything about it. And like you said, this is your first date with Haley. I doubt she’ll pack up and move to another city if you tell her you’ve fallen for someone else.”
“I haven’t exactly fallen. I’m...interested. That’s all I know, and I can’t even pinpoint exactly why I can’t stop thinking about her. But you realize that Destiny may not even return that interest.” The truth of that hit his chest like a brick. “She may not be interested in me.”
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