For the Love of Pete

by Debby Mayne

  “And you don’t have to.” His dad stood, placed his hands on his hips, and looked down at Pete. “She’s single again, so what’s stopping you?”

  “She’s busy?”

  His dad laughed. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but your mother and Naomi have asked me to have a man-to-man chat with you about women. They think you’ve held back for so long you don’t even know when the love bug has bitten.”

  “Love bug?” Pete joined his dad’s laughter. “That sounds like Mom and Naomi.”

  “Maybe so, but I agree with them. It’s pretty obvious to everyone you and Bethany have deep feelings for each other.” He chuckled. “Even I’ve seen the scorching looks the two of you exchange.”

  Pete felt his face grow hot. “What am I supposed to do? She’s so busy now with the garden club and her friends she doesn’t have time for me.”

  “That’s what you need to learn about women. If they have a void in their lives, they fill it with other things.”

  “Charlie’s death sure did leave a void,” Pete agreed. “And with Ashley gone, I’m sure she’s pretty lonely.”

  “And that’s where you come in. Let her know that not only are you there for her, you’d like her to be there for you.”

  “Isn’t that selfish?” Pete asked.

  His dad gave him a goofy grin and waved his arms around. “No, that’s what you have wrong. Most women like to feel needed. If she thinks you’re only there to console her about Charlie and Ashley, she’ll go where she feels like she can do some good. But if she feels like she can help you, well . . .” His grin widened. “You’ll both have what you want.”

  Pete frowned. “I don’t know. It’s not something I—”

  “You’re right. It’s not something you’d normally do, but that’s all the more reason for you to step up and do what’s right. Your mother and I are fine. The business is fine. Stop worrying about everything and concentrate on your personal life. You’ve done such a good job with the plumbing company, it can run all by itself for a few months. Once you get your romantic life in order, you can find a balance.”

  Pete cleared his throat and stood. “I’ll have to put some thought into this. It’s not easy to change the way I do things.”

  “You’ll do just fine. What’s the worst that can happen?”

  Pete grimaced. “She may never speak to me again.”

  “Trust me, she’ll speak to you. I’m not saying it won’t be awkward, but over time, both of you will be glad you spoke your mind.” His dad gestured around the room. “So what do you think? Did I pick the best spot for a train shop or what?”

  “It’s perfect.” Pete pointed. “And I think Charlie’s train set should go right over there on that ledge.”

  “Good thinking, son. That’s exactly where it’ll go.”

  Bethany had only been up for an hour when she heard her doorbell. When she opened it, she saw her mother standing there, a big basket in her hand, and an expectant look on her face. “Mind if I come in?”

  “Sure.” After she closed the door behind her mother, she glanced down at the basket. “Whatcha got?”

  “Food. Let me go put this in the kitchen.” Naomi scurried off but stopped in her tracks. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay.” Bethany wondered what her mother was up to now. “I’ll be in the living room.”

  After Naomi left, Bethany walked toward the large picture window and looked outside. The bright sunshine cast a cheerful glow on the morning dew, bringing a glistening shine to her yard. She sighed. Naomi bearing food meant one of three things: a bribe, an apology, or a mother-daughter talk.

  Naomi returned a moment later and pointed to the chair in Bethany’s living room. “It’s time for us to have a mother-daughter talk.”

  Bingo. “Haven’t we had enough of those since I’ve been back?”

  “Apparently not.” Naomi put a fist on her hip and rolled her eyes. “So it’s time for another one, like it or not.”

  “But—”

  “Stop. Before you say another word, I want to let you know I love you with all my heart. In fact, I’ve always loved all my kids. That’s why your father and I got so involved in the community. We wanted to make it a better place for our kids and grandkids.” Her voice dropped as she added, “Too bad all of you moved away before you had a chance to enjoy it.” Then her voice boomed. “But you’re back, and I’m not about to let something as important as your future happiness slip away.”

  “What are you talking about?” Bethany said. “I’m happy.”

  “Not happy enough.”

  Bethany tilted her head and gave her mother a “you’re kidding” look. “How happy am I supposed to be?”

  “It’s not a matter of how happy. It’s more of what kind of happy.”

  “Now you’re talking in riddles.” Bethany smiled. “Want to explain?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.” Naomi plopped down on the sofa and turned toward Bethany. “You and Pete are missing the boat. Everyone sees how you two look at each other. What’s holding you back from loving him, girl?”

  “I appreciate your concern, but I’ve told you over and over that Pete and I are just good friends.”

  “That’s not all you are,” her mother said. “There’s a spark. Don’t tell me you don’t know about it because I’m sure you do.”

  “Well . . .” Bethany opened her hands. “Okay, so there’s a spark. But he’s a confirmed bachelor and very busy with his business.”

  “So that’s why you’re too busy for him. It’s a crazy, vicious cycle fueled by silly pride.” Naomi contorted her mouth. “I get it. But you can’t let that stop you. Lots of guys are confirmed bachelors, but that’s only because they don’t know what they want. It’s up to us women to show them.”

  Bethany laughed. It was so like her mother to think she knew what everyone wanted.

  “So here’s what we do.” Naomi spent the next half hour telling Bethany how to ramp up the relationship with Pete. She started to interject, but her mom shushed her every time. Finally, she just sat back and listened. And the amazing thing was she actually agreed with almost everything her mother said. By now she knew she and Pete both felt something, and it probably was time to see what it was or where it could go.

  She only had one concern. “What if I’m assuming something that isn’t there and ruin our friendship?”

  Naomi rolled her eyes. “If your friendship can’t withstand a simple misunderstanding, I’d say it’s not much of one.”

  Bethany thought about it and nodded. “Good point.”

  Pete couldn’t get his dad’s words out of his mind. True, he did feel the burden of success for the family business, and he carried it around from the moment he first stepped foot behind the management desk. Not only did his parents rely on the profit, so did most of the plumbers in Bloomfield. Because of his diligence and determination, he’d been successful, so everyone involved with the business had a good life. He’d never thought about backing down a bit and testing how strong the business was, but he suspected his dad was right. It could run itself for a while—at least long enough to get his personal life in order.

  He hadn’t even tried to kid himself about loving Bethany, but it would be a risk to actively pursue her. After her marriage to someone like Charlie, how could he ever measure up? What if he made his move and Bethany rejected him? Would he ever be able to face her again? Maybe, but it would be a while. Then his dad’s words popped into his head. Over time, both of you will be glad you spoke your mind. Maybe there was some truth in that.

  He decided to take the chance and tell Bethany how he felt about her. Even if she laughed, at least it would be out in the open, and he could quit wishing things could be different. Before he lost his nerve, he pulled out his cell phone and called Bethany. She’d been so busy lately, he fully expect
ed to leave a message, so he was surprised when she answered.

  “Mind if I stop by a little later?” he asked.

  “Um . . . that’s fine.”

  “If it’s not a good day, I understand—” Pete stopped himself, took a deep breath, and started over. “Good. How about after dinner?”

  “Do you have plans for dinner?” she asked. “If not, why don’t we eat together?”

  His call totally wasn’t going how he expected. “Okay. What time?”

  “Will you be able to come over at six thirty?” Was that his imagination, or did she sound as nervous as he felt?

  “Six thirty is perfect. I’ll have time to go home and wash up first. See you then.”

  After he got off the phone, he leaned back in his chair and smiled. His nerves sat awfully close to the top of his skin, but at least he had taken action. Finally.

  Bethany scurried around her house, straightening up for company. It wasn’t like Pete hadn’t seen the house in much worse condition, but she wanted it to look extra spiffy for him when she dropped the bomb and let him know how she felt. She didn’t want him to look around and have to worry about escaping the mess. The very thought of that sent her mind reeling in another direction. What if he freaked out when she admitted her feelings?

  After she vacuumed the carpet and dusted all the now clutter-free surfaces, she showered and changed into something a little softer . . . a little more feminine. Her flowing palazzo pants and gauzy peasant top were a little different for her, but Aunt Mary assured her it brought out her girly side. She finger-combed her hair, added some large hoop earrings, and stood back to see the overall effect. All she needed now was a smidge of mascara and some tinted lip gloss, and she’d be ready for Pete. She’d already made the salad, and the casserole would be ready at seven.

  The big question now was whether Bethany should confess her feelings before or after dinner. She practiced a couple of times in front of the mirror and finally decided it would be best to wait until after dinner, but before the dessert her mother had dropped off right after she found out Pete was coming over.

  She paced for the last few minutes until the doorbell finally rang. One last run of the fingers through her hair, and she went straight for the door, opened it, and motioned for Pete to come in.

  “Can we talk first?” he asked. “Unless dinner is already ready, that is.”

  “No, if you really want to talk now, that’s fine. Dinner won’t be ready for a while.”

  His obvious nervousness made her uneasy as they went into the living room and sat down in adjacent chairs. He smiled, fidgeted, and finally blurted, “Bethany, I’m tired of the way things are between us.”

  “What?” Her heart sank.

  “That didn’t come out right.” He gave her a sheepish look as he stood, walked over next to her, and knelt. “I’ve always liked you.” He cleared his throat. “Quite a bit in fact. And I’d like to . . . um . . .” He looked away and then turned and met her gaze. “The fact is I’m in love with you and have been for a long time. I know saying this is dangerous and might even make you want to tell me to get lost, but I’ve kept it inside for so long.”

  Bethany couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She reached over, placed her hand behind his head, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him right smack on the lips. He looked stunned.

  “Okay,” she said as she leaned back, feeling smug. “So what were you saying?”

  He took her by the hands and pulled her to her feet. “I like what you were saying much better. Come here, you.”

  This time, he put his arms around her and slowly lowered his face to hers, feathering her face with kisses, and finally settling on her lips. When he finally pulled away, he smiled down at her.

  She sighed. “That was nice. Do it again.”

  He laughed. “So all this time I’ve been worried for no reason?”

  “If you were worried about what I’d do if you kissed me, I’m afraid so. I’ve wanted to do that for ages.”

  “Ages?” He pretended to frown.

  “Well, at least several months.” Then she remembered the biggest obstacle. “And I have to admit I’m worried about getting my heart broken since you’ve been so open about not wanting a relationship.”

  He grimaced. “Yes, I suppose I did say that once or twice.”

  “You’ve said it as long as I can remember. Anyway, I understand if you need space, but it sure does feel nice to kiss you.”

  “So you’re saying you’d like to be involved . . . I mean . . . be my girlfriend?” He leaned back and laughed. “This sounds so juvenile, but I have to admit, I feel like a teenager.”

  She giggled. “If it makes you feel any better, I feel like a teenager too, and I’ve been married before, and I have a grown daughter.” She took a step back but never broke their gaze. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t have your space, but I sure did enjoy that kiss.”

  “Space is overrated.” He grinned as he held his hands out toward hers. “I’m ready to be tied down.”

  He kissed her again, leaving her breathless. She opened her mouth but realized she didn’t have anything to say. The kiss pretty much said everything she felt.

  “So what does a guy have to do to get dinner around here?” Pete teased.

  Bethany had lost her appetite for food, but she served dinner anyway. At least it gave them something to do as they talked about their new relationship.

  Bethany awoke Sunday morning and looked around her bedroom. Everything seemed brighter, and when she got up and passed the mirror, she realized she was still smiling. After Pete had left last night, she resisted the urge to call her mother with the news. She and Pete had agreed to go to church together and tell their parents afterward. Together.

  She sighed at the very thought of that word. Together. It had been a long time since she’d been half of together. What had floored her was Pete’s confession that he didn’t know what to do about his feelings for her. She’d always assumed he was in complete control in all situations.

  By the time he picked her up for church, she’d rehashed the entire evening in her mind, and her smile had grown even wider. To her delight he looked as happy as she.

  “I cannot believe this is happening,” she said.

  “Me neither.” He pulled away from the curb. “All the way home last night I kept pinching myself to make sure it wasn’t a dream.”

  Bethany laughed. “You sound like me.”

  As they pulled into the church parking lot, Bethany sighed. “I’m really nervous.”

  “Remember, we’re in this together,” he said.

  There was that word again. She nodded. “I like the sound of that.”

  The second they reached the church steps, out popped Naomi and Gertie, and both of them had the biggest grins ever.

  “It’s about time you two came to your senses,” Naomi said.

  Pete glanced down at Bethany and smiled. “I don’t think we have to say a word.”

  Gertie hugged Bethany. “What we see between the two of you speaks louder than words.” She grinned at Naomi, and they fist-bumped. “Looks like our plan worked.”

  “So when’s the wedding?” Naomi asked.

  “Wedding?” Pete glanced back and forth between the two moms.

  Naomi cackled. “Gertie, that boy of yours—”

  Pete glanced at Bethany, who appeared mortified, so he squeezed her hand. “The wedding will happen when we’re good and ready. Don’t rush us or try to hold us back. This is between Bethany and me.”

  Naomi’s eyebrows shot up. “I reckon you just told us.”

  He nodded. “Yes ma’am, no disrespect intended.” He placed his hand in the small of Bethany’s back. “Let’s go find a seat.”

  She grinned up at him and nodded. As they left their mothers with their mouths hanging open, she
giggled. “I think you just rendered them speechless.”

  “I hope so.” He gestured toward a pew. “How’s this?”

  “Perfect.” She’d barely sat down when she realized he was staring at her. “Do I have something on my face?”

  “The look of love maybe. And speaking of love, how would you like to go look at rings later?”

  Her heart pounded so hard, she was sure he could hear it. And when she opened her mouth, nothing came out, so she just nodded. He grinned and draped his arm around her shoulder.

  “From now on, it’s you and me, sweetie.” He winked.

  “Once you set your mind to something, you don’t waste any time, do you?”

  He shook his head. “No, the way I see it, there’s no point. We’ve both been so slow, we have to make up for lost time.”

  If they hadn’t been sitting in church, Bethany would have given him a big fat kiss. “Yes, I would love to go look at rings.”

  The organist started playing, so they turned to face the front. Throughout the sermon about the vastness of God’s love, Bethany felt as though the pastor was speaking directly to her and Pete. Love . . . the greatest gift of all.

  Dear Reader:

  Thank you so much for choosing For the Love of Pete from the Bloomfield series. I brought back Murray the parrot to keep things interesting as Pete and Bethany’s relationship grew. After all, Naomi and Pamela can’t keep all the fun to themselves.

  All the authors involved in this project have fallen in love with the quaint little town populated by quirky characters and an annoying bird with no filters. If you haven’t had a chance to read some of the other stories, I would like to invite you to do so. My first Bloomfield story Waiting for a View is available in all digital formats. Gail Sattler’s Take the Trophy and Run and When Pigs Fly are sure to elicit a few giggles. You’ll also enjoy reading Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias and Best Laid Plans by Martha Rogers.

  All the best to you and yours and God bless you all,