For some reason Grace couldn’t fathom, Misty gave Pansy a nasty look. “Well, aren’t you helpful Pansy.”
Pansy returned Misty’s look with one that said ‘butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth.’ “I do my best.”
“Here’s your tea,” interrupted Grace, tired of waiting for an opening in the conversation. She set the steaming mug in front of Misty. “Would you like a cookie or some hot chocolate, Joy?”
Her question came out sounding unnaturally harsh and timid Joy shrank from the tone. “No, no. I’m fine.”
Grace choked down her ire. She didn’t mean to intimidate Joy. None of this was her fault. She said in a gentler tone. “I insist. Please take a cookie. Vanessa will bring you some hot chocolate.”
Joy sat down and accepted the cookie. “Thank you, Grace.”
Riley had started to reach for a cookie, but Grace moved on before he could take one.
“Excuse me,” she heard him say behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him cut across the room.
He blocked her path. “Hey Grace, how about a cookie for me?”
“Sure, why not? In fact, take them all.” She thrust the tray at him—hard—and felt a small ripple of satisfaction when the hard metal hit his stomach, making him grunt. He grabbed the tray to keep it from dropping as she whirled around and retreated to the kitchen once again.
She had started to cry and felt completely foolish. “I just need a few minutes to pull myself together.”
But she didn’t get them. Riley barged into the kitchen. Grace quickly turned her back to him so he wouldn’t see her tears. “Employees only, Riley. Get out.”
“Are you going to be mad at me forever?”
“Maybe. Don’t you think you should go back to your date?” The tears were falling faster. If only she weren’t so confused.
“Date? I don’t have a…Do you mean Joy? Gracie, you heard her. I jump-started her car for her.”
“You didn’t have to follow her here.”
“I wanted to make sure she didn’t have any more trouble.”
“Oh, now noble of you, Mr. Fix-It. Now if you don’t mind…”
“Why are you being so unreasonable? Come on Gracie. Turn around and let’s talk this out.”
“No. I have nothing to say to you.”
“Why do you care if I have a date anyway? I thought you weren’t interested, especially since you’re still mad at me over punching Steve.”
“You shouldn’t have done that. It was wrong.”
“What about what Steve did to you?”
“I know, but….Riley just go. Please go now.” If he didn’t leave now, the sobs that she was holding back would break loose.
“Fine Gracie, if that’s the way you want it.”
She didn’t move until she was sure he’d gone. Then she went straight to the employees’ bathroom and locked herself in so she could wash away all signs of her tears.
There was a knock at the door and Vanessa called out, “Grace, we need you. Everyone wants you to read the Christmas story before the next group goes on.”
“I’ll be right there,” she answered.
When Grace appeared on stage a few minutes later, Riley was nowhere to be seen. Pansy and Misty were still sitting together. Misty was smiling like a cat in cream while Pansy was definitely the sour puss.
Grace forced all the turmoil from her mind as she opened her Bible and began to read from the gospel of Luke.
****
On Christmas Eve, Riley couldn’t stand it anymore. He couldn’t enjoy the holiday with things unresolved between him and Gracie. He stopped at her house before church, knowing she’d be home. The Randall family always celebrated after the service.
He went to the front door and rang the bell. He wasn’t sure if he qualified as a back door friend anymore. She opened the door and stared at him. Riley thought she was gorgeous in her burgundy velvet Christmas dress with her hair pulled back, a few wisps framing her face.
He swallowed. “Hi Gracie. Merry Christmas.”
“Hi Riley.” She didn’t invite him in.
“Gracie, the other night at the party I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about what happened at the shop. I was wrong to hit Steve. I’ve apologized to him, and he accepted.”
“I know.” He couldn’t read her expression, and the tone of her voice gave nothing away.
“Heard it through the grapevine?”
She nodded.
It seemed she was unmoved toward him. He sighed and stepped back. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know I’m sorry. I said it so…good night, I guess.”
He turned and started to walk down the path to his car.
“Wait.”
Riley stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.
“Do you…Do you want to go to church together?”
“I’d love to,” he said. Relief swept through him. He was back in her good graces.
It was the best Christmas Eve service he could ever remember. Grace let him hold her hand the whole time. Afterward, he took her home and walked her to the back door.
“I’d invite you in but I’ve got to go over to my folks’ house now,” she explained.
“I know. Your family has always celebrated that way.” Feeling bold, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek in passing.
Her eyes widened. “Thank you for taking me to church.”
“Thank you for forgiving me.”
She dropped her gaze and said, very softly, “Riley, I missed you.”
His heart soared with hope. He stepped closer to her in the doorway. “Gracie, can I kiss you good night?”
“I don’t know. If this doesn’t work out…”
“What does your heart tell you?”
He reached out and cupped her face in his hand. She leaned into his touch and caressed his hand with a breathy sigh. “My heart tells me it doesn’t want to get broken again.”
“Can you guarantee that it won’t get broken again if I don’t kiss you good night?”
“I don’t know.” She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears, anguish filling her voice. “Why did you have to start this? If we date and it doesn’t work out, I’ll lose my best friend.”
“What if it does work out?” He knew he was pushing her, but somehow, after suppressing his feelings for her all these years, he could no longer keep them under lock and key. They had escaped and refused to be caged again.
“I’m sorry, Riley. I can’t do this.” Slowly she moved back into the house and shut the door. He stood on her doorstep, the warmth from her face still making his palm tingle. It took a feat of will to move away from the door and back to his car.
Riley cursed himself for being a fool. It was too soon after Steve’s betrayal. Of course she wasn’t ready.
****
Grace had forgotten her promise to help decorate for the New Year’s Eve dance until Irene Nelson called her. Inwardly she groaned, but somehow she managed to be polite to the woman as she wrote down the day and time.
She was feeling bad enough when she hung up the phone and turned back to her shop, but what she saw next caused her spirits to plummet down to the soles of her sneakers.
Steve was there. She and Steve had pretty much resolved things between them, but it would be a long time before she could really consider him a friend again. Although, that wasn’t the problem now. Steve wasn’t alone.
Vanessa was making two lattes—one for Steve and one for Janice Delong, a clerk at the local grocery store. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this wasn’t a chance encounter. They both had a goofy, infatuated look on their faces. Grace decided it would be a good time to disappear into the kitchen and see how today’s soup was going.
It wasn’t fair that he got to be the first to start a new relationship. Not after the very public humiliation she had endured. It wasn’t that she was jealous. It was just awkward, and this was just going to whip up the gossip about th
e two of them all over again. Would everyone think she was pining over Steve? Grace buried her head in her hands. She wished the floor would open her up and swallow her.
Of course, Steve didn’t have to be the only one dating again. Riley was ready and waiting for her to take the next step, but when it came to him, she felt like she was standing on the edge of a ledge looking over a very steep drop.
Her friendship with him was a treasure. No other friendship she had even came close. Lily was her best girlfriend. They’d met in college and been roommates, and Grace was glad Lily had moved to Orchard Hill to start her life over. Renewing their relationship had been a joy.
But Riley was something else again. Riley had been around for all the important moments of her life. And he’d been around for all the little everyday moments, too. She could trust him with all her secrets, all her fears and all her dreams.
But could she trust him with her heart?
Grace grabbed a tray full of clean mugs and took them up front. There he was, walking through the door, as if her thoughts had conjured him. She watched as Riley noticed Steve and Janice. Then he looked back at her. After a second, he approached Vanessa and placed his order. Grace put the mugs away. Riley’s gaze met hers again.
Vanessa brought him his coffee. He paid for it and left. It was the first time since she’d known him that Riley hadn’t tried to come to her rescue. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
TITLE
Chapter Six
The next day, Pansy Parker walked into The Grace Place. She ordered a cup of coffee—black. “And don’t put any of that flavored stuff in,” she ordered. “Coffee should taste like coffee, in my opinion.”
Grace held back a smile at Pansy’s attitude and turned to get the coffee. When she handed it to her, the older lady said, “Can you spare a moment to talk, Grace?”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“I can’t talk to you here. Come and sit down.”
Grace shrugged at Vanessa and followed Pansy to a table.
“It’s about your friend Lily,” said Pansy after she’d settled herself. “I’m worried about her.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“She never gets out. How will she ever become part of our community if she doesn’t make any effort to get to know people?
“I would like to see Lily get out more, but it’s up to her.”
“Nonsense. What are friends for if not to give you a push when you need it?”
Grace sighed. “What do you suggest I do?”
“Get her to go with you to the New Year’s Eve dance. Let her start off the new year by turning over a new leaf.”
Grace considered this while Pansy sipped her “coffee flavored” coffee. “That’s not a bad idea, but how do I get her to go?”
Pansy glared at her over the rim of her mug. “Do I have to think of everything?”
“Well, it was your idea.”
“Fine. Try this. Tell Lily that you want to get back out there after the disaster with Steve, and if she’s really your friend she’ll go with you.
“Why Pansy,” exclaimed Grace “I never knew you were this devious.”
The older woman drew herself up, bristling with affront. “I am not devious. I’m helpful. This is for her own good.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s not devious.”
“Are you going to do this or not?”
Under the harsh gaze of Pansy Parker, Grace couldn’t stop herself from saying yes. After she agreed, Pansy allowed Grace to go back behind the counter. Pansy finished her coffee and left.
Grace was not looking forward to convincing Lily to go to the dance. Maybe Riley was right, and she did let people take advantage of her. That thought didn’t make her feel any better.
****
“Grace, I’m not going and that’s final,” exclaimed Lily. She and Lily were sharing lunch in a corner booth at The Grace Place.
Convincing Lily was as hard as she thought it would be. “But I’m on the decorating committee, and I don’t want to go alone. Please come with me, Lily.”
“I told you, dances aren’t my thing.”
“That’s not true. We used to go to them all the time in college.”
“That was a long time ago, Grace. I’m different now.”
“I liked the old Lily. I’d really appreciate it if you came.”
It took another fifteen minutes and the promise of a shopping trip for Grace to convince Lily, but in the end Grace won. Lily would be going to the dance. If only Grace actually wanted to go.
“When can we go shopping?”
Grace tried to stir up some enthusiasm. “Meet me here after you close your shop.”
****
Shopping with Lily did turn out to be fun. They both found great outfits and shoes to match at after Christmas sale prices. “It’s must be our lucky day,” she declared when Grace found her shoes at 40% off.
Lily had chosen a dark green wraparound dress that looked good with her darker features. Grace found a royal blue dress in a soft, clinging material that accentuated her figure.
“So who are you dressing up for?” asked Lily later when they stopped for supper in the food court.
“What do you mean?” asked Grace. She spied an empty table and led the way to it.
“We are going to a dance. I assume you were planning on dancing with someone. Anyone in particular or were you just going to check out the whole herd?”
“Um, no one in particular.” Grace and Lily sat down.
“You’re brave, Grace,” said Lily as she poured dressing on her salad. “I wouldn’t want to go to the dance without a date, knowing that your ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend are going to be there.”
The chicken sandwich Grace had ordered suddenly lost its appeal. “What? Steve and Janice are going to the dance? I never thought of that.” How stupid can I be? Everyone was going to be there. What else is there to do in Orchard Hill on New Year’s Eve?
“Do you want to change your mind? We can stay home and watch movies instead,” Lily offered.
Grimly, Grace shook her head. “I already have an outfit. I might as well go.”
****
The next evening, the decorating committee, including Riley and Grace, was supposed to meet to decorate the great room in the community building for the dance. She held firmly to the hope that things between the two of them could get back to normal.
The problem was, now that he’d started this, she couldn’t help wondering. Wondering what it would be like to have Riley for a boyfriend, to have him hold her hand and sit next to her in church every Sunday. To do all the things they normally did together, but not like they normally did them. To kiss her like he had the other night. That kiss was so thoroughly imprinted on her memory that she didn’t think she’d ever forget a second of it.
So of course she couldn’t feel comfortable around Riley, even though he didn’t say a word about the subject when he showed up—with his ladder—to help decorate for the dance. He acted like he always had toward her, but she was going crazy wondering.
“God,” she prayed, “I’m so confused. Help me know what to do.”
Everyone paired off to hang streamers. Grace and Riley got partnered with each other. That was no surprise, since everyone knew what good friends they were—or had been, Grace thought sadly.
They worked together efficiently and with a minimum of conversation, although all around them there was joking and laughter. It took only a couple of hours for the committee to hang streamers and balloons and add a few other touches. Then they set up chairs and few tables around the perimeter of the room.
“I think that’s it.” Grace gathered up the tape and their other supplies. “Want to grab a bite to eat?” she asked Riley.
He looked at her strangely for a moment and then answered. “No. I think I’ll just heat something up at home.”
Disappointment made Grace’s heart heavy but, she smiled. “That’s fine. May
be I’ll do that, too.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll take my ladder and go then.”
He took the ladder out to his truck, and then came back in to walk Grace to her car.
Shrugging into her coat, she told him, “You don’t have to do this, Riley. Orchard Hill isn’t exactly a high crime area.”
Orchard Hill Volume One Page 5