Smitten

by Colleen Coble

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Shelby. This is Nick. I hate to do this to you, but Camilla’s attorney has a family emergency today and can’t see me until tomorrow to go over Willow’s trust fund. Could she stay with you until Wednesday?”

  “Absolutely. We’re having a great time together.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” Shelby turned to Willow. “Honey, your dad is on the phone.”

  Willow got up and took the phone from Shelby. “Hi, Dad.”

  Shelby carried her cup of tea into the kitchen to give them some privacy. She couldn’t hear what Willow was saying, but she treasured the sweet little voice that wafted into the kitchen. Her own daughter would have been Willow’s age.

  Oh, she didn’t know for sure she had carried a daughter, but she’d always imagined she had a girl. The doctor didn’t say one way or the other, and she had been afraid to ask.

  How many times had she thought of her precious baby over the years? The precious baby that her father had ordered her to have removed from her body.

  It’s like a wisdom tooth, Shelby. Might not bother you now, but it’ll cause you trouble later on. Best to take care of things while you can.

  She could still see her mother’s tears, hear her pleading with her dad. But he would have none of it. Said he would not pay for her mistake. She had to “remove” the baby or he would kick her out of the house . . . and she had nowhere else to go.

  The truth was, she and her mother had feared her dad.

  He had never hurt them, but sometimes he acted as though he would, and his words did as much damage as any fist she could imagine. Her love and respect for him had died that day, along with her child. Had the Lord not made a difference in her life, she would have walked away from him and never looked back.

  “You okay?” Willow stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

  Shelby jumped. “I didn’t hear you coming, Willow.

  Everything all right with your dad?”

  “Yeah.”

  When Willow offered nothing further, Shelby said, “How about we go shopping today for curtain material for the two windows in your dad’s building? He won’t want to keep them up there, but I figure I could hang them until the school is out of there.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  Willow grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

  They spent the morning looking for fabric in Smitten and nearby Stowe, then they came back home and set to work.

  Shelby worked on the curtains while Willow finger-knitted a cap for her friend back in Boston.

  “I’m so impressed that you know how to do that.”

  “It’s fun,” Willow said. “I love to work with yarn and material.”

  “Do you ever crochet or knit with needles?”

  “I crochet with a hook. My girlfriend’s mom got me started and then fixed me up with YouTube to watch videos on how to do certain stitches. Way cool,” she said. “I only finger-knit, though. I don’t use needles.”

  “Oh my goodness, Willow, we can have such fun making things together. You could even crochet some flowers for my headbands—if you wanted to. Of course, I’d pay you for your efforts.”

  Willow beamed. “Really? That would be great. My very first real job.”

  Shelby laughed. “We’d better get to work.”

  By evening Shelby had finished sewing the chintz curtains with a cream background and bright red flowers. Frilly ruffles curled the edges. Spreading out the curtains on her bed, she looked them over.

  “Oh, those are pretty,” Willow said, entering her room.

  “Yeah? Are you tired, or do you want to go with me tonight to hang them in the building?”

  “I’ll go.”

  “Great. We’ll stop by for some fancy drinks at the coffee shop afterward. How about that?”

  Willow nodded and grinned.

  “Grab your jacket and let’s go.”

  When Nick pulled up to his house Wednesday afternoon, he spotted Willow stepping onto the porch and waved.

  “Hey, how’s it going, kiddo?” He wanted to hug her but wasn’t sure how she would respond. He’d heard Shelby call Willow “honey” when he’d called them the other night, and it still baffled him. How did women bond so easily? Pulling up all the courage he could muster, he went over and put his arms slightly around her. She barely leaned in to him. He dropped his arms and gave her a quick pat on the shoulder. “Good to see you.”

  “Welcome home,” Shelby called, walking out of the building. Her hair was swept up in a ponytail, she wore a ruffled blouse and glitzy belt, and her trim, long legs were eased into tailored navy pants. Sometimes she reminded him of a Barbie doll with brown hair. He wondered who the lucky Ken would be. One thing for certain, the man had better treat Shelby right.

  Nick would stand by her through thick and thin, no matter what.

  “Thanks.”

  “When you get a minute, you’ll have to see how we’ve spruced up your building,” Shelby said.

  He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that.

  “I’ll come now. No hurry to drag my luggage from the truck.” He stepped over the solid ground, hardened by autumn’s chill, and followed her into his building. It was his building, wasn’t it? He looked around at the flowered curtains and the fancy tablecloth on a long table that held a candelabra as the centerpiece. Fancy dishes, lined with sparkling silverware and crystal-looking glasses, had no place in his building.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think this room will never be the same.”

  “Thanks,” she said, obviously misinterpreting his comment for a compliment.

  He held his tongue. He’d get his building back soon enough and turn it back into the Christmas display room for which it was intended.

  “I’d better get my luggage.” He headed toward the door, and that was when he spotted it—the lavender wreath he’d seen hanging on doors all around town. The same lavender wreath he’d said he would never allow on his property.

  Couldn’t these women understand—he appreciated they were trying to save the town, but why did it have to become a girly town to be saved? He did not want flowery wreaths on his doors. Was that too much to ask?

  “Daddy, you have to come see the house.” Willow pulled on his jacket sleeve.

  They’d messed with his house? If Shelby had put so much as a votive candle on one of his stands . . .

  Stay calm, Nick. Stay calm.

  Step, step, step, closer to the house. He’d given the woman use of his outbuilding for her classes. He had not given her permission to take over his house. Step, step, step.

  Willow pushed the front door open and led him through the house.

  Decorations in harvest colors, pumpkins and leaves, cluttered his stands, kitchen table, and one wall. A big pumpkin, carved and smiling, sat perched beside his fireplace. Small vases of flowers sat at the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

  “Well, what do you think?” Shelby asked.

  He turned to her. “Doggone it, Shelby, I gave you permission to use my Christmas shop, not take over my house!”

  “But—”

  “If I wanted this place to look like a girls’ dorm, I would have made it that way myself.”

  “But—”

  “I’m sorry, but I just can’t have this girly stuff all over my house.” His arm gave a long wave, indicating the living room.

  “This is my house. My house. It was just fine the way it was.”

  “But, Daddy—”

  “And another thing—that wreath is coming down. You’re taking advantage of my friendship, Shelby, and that’s just not right. You know how I feel about this whole town-changing thing.”

  “Daddy—”

  “Not now, Willow.”

  Disappointment shadowed Shelby’s expression. “Willow fixed up the house for you,” she said. Without another word, she walked out.

  Nick turned to his daughter, whose eyes were filled with tears. “Willow, I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
/>
  Crying, Willow turned, ran to her bedroom, and slammed her door closed.

  Nick headed after Shelby, who was getting into her car.

  “Oh, just like that you leave?” he said before she could get her door closed.

  “What?”

  “You stir up this whole mess and then just walk away?”

  “I stirred up this whole mess? What are you talking about?”

  “You could have told me Willow did the decorating.”

  “Are you kidding me? You didn’t let us get a word in edgewise.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Look, Nick, I don’t know what your deal is, but you’d better work things out with your daughter.” Shelby closed her car door, started the engine, and pulled out of the drive.

  Nick went back inside and sank into the leather sofa. He leaned his head into his palm. How could he possibly fix this?

  He’d blabbed on and on about how bad the house looked . . . and his daughter had helped with it. She had taken the time to decorate it and looked at him with hopeful eyes, and all he had done was tear it down.

  He released a long sigh. No Father of the Year Award for him. What did he know about women and girls? Obviously, he didn’t know a thing, or his wife wouldn’t have left him.

  One thing he knew. He couldn’t sit around the house and do nothing when he felt this way.

  He walked to Willow’s room and rapped on her door.

  “Willow?”

  No answer.

  “I need to go into town. You want to go with me?”

  No answer.

  “Listen, I know you need some time. If you don’t want to go, I understand. I’ll be gone about an hour. Will you be all right?”

  He waited a minute and finally heard footsteps approach the door. Willow opened it and looked at him through red, puffy eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, honey. I blew off my trap without thinking things through. I thought Shelby had done it all, and I didn’t like her taking control of my home, you know?”

  Willow reluctantly nodded.

  “You forgive me?”

  Another slight nod.

  With hesitation, Nick reached for her, not sure if she would respond, but when Willow stepped into his arms, he pulled her close. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”

  Once Nick was certain Willow was okay, he went to the auto parts store to pick up new windshield wipers for his truck. After that, he stopped by the hardware store to pick up some caulk to fix Shelby’s door, whether she deserved it or not. Griffen and Carson were there.

  “Hey, great to see you, buddy,” Griffen said when Nick stepped into the store.

  Carson looked up from helping a customer and waved.

  “You too. Glad to see you got smart and came back to Smitten.” Nick gave him a playful shove.

  Griffen shook his head. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m not sure I’m staying.”

  “Then why did you come back?”

  “To help with the town revamp.”

  Nick could hardly believe his ears. “You’re going along with all this love mumbo jumbo?”

  “Well, sure. I’m for anything that will save the town.

  Aren’t you?”

  “If you’re all for saving the town, why aren’t you staying?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Nick had known Griffen long enough to know that when he didn’t want to talk about something, he really didn’t.

  “Hey, thanks for recommending me for Shelby’s repair job. I appreciate the work.”

  “Listen, about that . . .”

  “Uh-oh, don’t tell me I’m laid off already.”

  “No, no, nothing like that.”

  “What is it, then?”

  “Oh, nothing. Everything.” Nick explained about his ex-wife, his daughter, and the latest fiasco with Shelby turning his outbuilding into Cinderella’s castle and then encouraging Willow to feminize his house.

  “First off, I’m sorry to hear about your ex-wife, Nick.

  That’s rough.”

  “Yeah. We’ve been over for years, but she was still the mother of my kid, you know?”

  “Yeah.” Griffen looked through the boxes of nails on display and finally picked up a box. He walked over to the hammers, and Nick followed him.

  “As for the Cinderella castle thing, you might be overreacting. All she did was set up the room for her classes, right?”

  “Yeah, I thought of that.”

  “And the house thing, well, I don’t see what the big deal is.”

  Nick frowned, not liking where this was going.

  Griffen held up his hands. “Well, the way I see it, you’re getting onto Shelby and Willow for trying to make your home into something it’s not—but, man, you’re trying to make them into something they’re not. Do you want your friends and your daughter to pretend for you? To walk on eggshells around you?”

  Nick’s jaw cramped. “It would just be better for all of us if she got back into her own work space.” He thought a moment.

  “As a matter of fact, do you need any help with the work at her house? I don’t want any money. It would ease the tension between Shelby and me if we could get things back to normal— meaning, get her back to work at home.”

  “Are you sure you’re not just trying to be around her more?”

  “Now cut that out.”

  Griffen laughed. “All right, all right. You can help me out if you don’t ride me about the safety goggles.”

  Nick frowned. “I need to get home and check on the trees.

  See you at Shelby’s.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Shelby dried her hands on the dish towel and opened the front door. “Nick, what are you doing here?” She glanced at his tool belt.

  “I told Griffen I’d come over and help him today. I’ve got my pager if they need me at the station, and the farm is under control.” He shrugged. “I know you’d like to have things back to normal as soon as possible. So here I am.”

  “Oh, okay. I’ll take you to Griffen.”

  “Wait.” Nick grabbed her arm so that she turned to him. “I’m sorry about what happened last night. I was tired from the drive, and seeing those flowers everywhere, then the wreath—well, it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I shouldn’t have responded like that, and I’m sorry.”

  His comments not only surprised her, they touched her heart. “Thank you, Nick. I’m sorry too. I’ll take the curtains down, and I’ll—”

  Nick shook his head. “No. I told you to do what you needed to do to prepare the building for your classes. You leave everything up. When your classes are over, then you can take it all down.”

  She was going to ask him about the wreath, but decided that since he didn’t mention it, neither would she. That way she could keep it up a few more days until he absolutely forced her to take it down.

  “So we’re good?” he said.

  Shelby smiled. “We’re good.” It warmed her to think that her friendship mattered to him. “I hope you don’t mind my asking, but have you squared things with Willow too?”

  “Yeah.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Boy, I sure messed that up.”

  “From what I hear, all parents make mistakes.” Without a thought, her hand went to her belly.

  “Yeah, I guess.” He paused. “How did it go with you and Willow while I was gone?”

  “We had a wonderful time. She’s such a great kid, Nick.” Shelby had meant to encourage him, but when his expression sagged, she was sorry she’d said it.

  “Yeah, I don’t deserve her.”

  “Like I said, all parents make mistakes.”

  “I’m just so green at this. I have no idea how to be a full-time father. I mean, I can hold a five-minute conversation on the phone, but I’ve never had to do much beyond that. Even when I went there to spend time with her, she always brought a friend along. We were both uncomfortable, I guess.”

  “It just takes time.” Shelby put her hand on his arm and
looked him in the eye. “You’ll get there.”

  “Maybe I’ll buy a couple of books on parenting. That might help.”

  “Great idea.”

  He fingered his tool belt. “So when do your classes start?”

  She breathed easier at the change of subject. “Tuesday, October second. I normally start a little earlier, but with the fire and all, it couldn’t be helped. I’ll be out of your hair before Thanksgiving. Will that give you enough time for what you need to do?”

  “Yeah, that will be fine.”

  “Okay, good. And remember we only meet on Tuesday evenings, so we won’t be there every day.”

  They stood in silence for a moment.

  “Well, I guess I’d better get to work.” He hesitated, then leaned over and hugged her. “Thanks again, Shelby. You’re a good sport.”

  Shelby stood and watched as he walked toward her dining room. Maybe she’d open some windows. She suddenly felt very warm.

  Shelby finished cutting out the pattern for the shirt she was making for her dad for Christmas. She hoped last year’s sizes still worked. Carefully lifting each piece, she placed them in the order in which she would sew them and threaded her machine. She couldn’t get away from the thought that she should call and check on him. It took great effort to reach out to her dad, but she knew the Lord wanted that of her. Still, her obedience might have more of an impact if she did it with a cheerful heart.

  Resentment filled every word she spoke to him, but it seemed the Lord would not let her get away from it. Each time she made excuses and shoved her dad to the back of her mind, God seemed to bring him front and center. She reached for the phone.

  “Hi, Dad. I was beginning to think you’d already moved.”

  “Nope, not yet. But I plan to in three weeks.”

  “Tennessee?”

  “Uh, no. Actually, I’m headed up your way.”

  Her stomach cramped. “My way?”

  “Yeah, about fifty miles north of you.”

  “Really?”

  “You okay with that?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Silence.

  “Do you need help moving?”

  “No, I don’t have much to bring. I’ll get different furniture. The stuff here is getting old. I’m just gonna sell it lock, stock, and barrel.”