Thickness in her throat made it hard to swallow. But she forced herself to meet his eyes straight-on. “That was just a misunderstanding, Jake.”
“No, I owe you an apology. My comments were out of line. I’m sorry, Coralee.”
Her heart softened at his words. Maybe he wanted to try being friends, too. “I know you were looking out for my reputation and acting at Cecilia’s request. I assure you, Charlie insisted on accompanying me, but there’s nothing between us.”
His arms crossed over his chest. “He’s not courting you? He seems fond of showing up where you are.”
She nudged him teasingly in the arm. “You may not have noticed, but he’s been trying to impress Cat for months.”
The good-natured feeling drained right out of her when he looked away. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Whether he’s interested in you or not, I don’t have any right to question who you spend your time with.”
Heaviness washed over Coralee. He didn’t believe her. She turned away to keep him from seeing the disappointment she felt. How did hope keep sneaking in that he would trust her? She should know better by now.
Louisa and Phillip came running, barreling straight into Jake’s and Coralee’s legs. The tension disappeared and all four of them laughed as Coralee smoothed Louisa’s hair and Jake swung Phillip up high into the air. He lowered the little boy and knelt in front of the children. “Are you having fun at the party?”
Phillip nodded. Louisa bounced on her toes, excitement pouring out of her as she pointed at the dance floor. “Pretty dresses. Dancing.” She finished the statement with a twirl of her own.
“That was beautiful, Miss Louisa. Do you like the dancing?”
She answered without taking her eyes off the moving couples. “They spin. And holding hands.”
“Would you like to dance with me?”
With wide eyes and a huge grin, she nodded. Jake took her hands and led her in a swaying dance, adding a spin now and then to make her laugh.
Standing with her hand on Phillip’s head, Coralee’s heart ached with how lovingly Jake interacted with the twins. Too full of emotion, she let her gaze drift around the yard, watching the guests dancing and socializing. Her traitorous heart refused to listen to her head and remember that the last thing she wanted was to get into a position to be hurt again.
Close by, a throat cleared. She turned to find the dance had ended and the twins had run off again. The musicians were starting up a new tune. And Jake was standing next to her with one hand outstretched. “Would you like to dance with me?”
* * *
Jake’s stomach clenched as he waited. Coralee was staring at his fingers with wide eyes and he could see her biting the inside of her cheek. He had no idea what had made him offer to dance with her. When it came to this woman, he couldn’t get his good sense and his actions on the same page. But there he stood, hand held out to her. After what seemed like forever, she finally placed her hand in his.
Leading her into the midst of the dancers, Jake felt as if every eye in the place was on them. She was by far the most beautiful woman at the ball. The color of her dress was perfect against her skin. And that delicate lace around the neck and hem echoed the loveliness of her features. Even tucked away against the house, she attracted attention. He had been surprised that she wasn’t surrounded by men asking for a dance. But here she was, at his side.
There had been many occasions to practice his dancing while Jake was in St. Louis, but none had been as pleasant as this. The fiddler and banjo player kept up a constant harmony in the background. Everything smelled of summer heat and gunpowder. And a whiff of Coralee’s floral scent reached his nose as they moved with the other couples.
There was little time to speak as they passed through partners, enjoying the quick movement of the dance. But every time Jake caught sight of Coralee, flushed and smiling, his breath caught. And when the steps brought them back together, he lost himself in her glowing blue eyes.
After the dance, Coralee stepped close and rose up on her toes to speak into his ear. “I’d rather not join another dance. Should we go check on the twins?”
His heart dropped even as he nodded and escorted her from among the dancing guests. He had enjoyed the dance with her more than he’d thought possible and had hoped she had, too. Still holding her arm, he led her around the perimeter of the party area, keeping an eye out for Louisa and Phillip. At least she didn’t pull away from him as soon as they were off the dance floor.
“So now that the holiday is nearly past and your medicine seems likely to be a success, maybe you should reconsider taking the Association examination.” As he spoke, Jake turned from scanning the yard for the twins to see Coralee’s face harden. What had made him bring that up again?
“I already told you, I want to focus all my energy on the shop and Papa’s medication. Why are you so convinced I have to do it your way?”
As Coralee spoke, Ma’s words popped into Jake’s head, the story about Pa and how he used to roll right over her. Jake didn’t want to follow in those footsteps. He fought his initial reaction to argue with her. The shop was hers to run the way she saw fit. “I’m not trying to make you do what I want. But in St. Louis, I learned a great deal from meeting with colleagues. I wanted that for you, the camaraderie of connecting with others in your field.”
Coralee folded her arms across her chest. “That’s the case for you. It wouldn’t be the same for me, way out here. Since I finally figured out the medicine, I want to give that a chance to increase our business. I still think that’s the best thing for the shop.”
He took a half step closer to her, well aware that they were in full view of most of the town but unable to help himself. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to encourage her rather than force his opinion on her. “I’m sorry if I made you feel that I wouldn’t approve if you don’t take the examination. The choice is yours and I’ll support whatever you want.”
His words didn’t seem to have the desired effect.
Her lips pressed into a tight line as she drew her shoulders back. “What I want is whatever will make the shop successful again. We’ve gotten along just fine without the Association for all these years. If I can get customers coming back to us, we’ll be fine.”
Jake sucked in a breath. He wasn’t faring well at encouraging her. Even what he thought were the right words seemed to upset her. Not about to take the risk of making her angrier with him, Jake pointed behind her. “There are the twins. Let’s go see what they’re getting into.”
They found the children rolling in the grass, covering their best clothes in dirt and green stains. Their hands and faces were coated with a layer of sticky crumbs. Jake almost started to scold them but then caught a peek at Coralee’s face.
All traces of her frustration with him were gone. One hand had come up to cover her lips. Her cheeks were pink and her shoulders twitched with barely controlled amusement. Taking another look at the twins, Jake couldn’t help it. A loud laugh burst out of him. The amount of filth they had managed to cover themselves with in such a short time was absurd.
Trying to get control of his amusement and appear stern, Jake faced the children. “What have you gotten into?”
Louisa managed an expression of remorse. But Phillip stood before him proudly. “We rolled. And eat cake.”
Coralee knelt in front of the boy with a handkerchief, gently wiping the linen square over his face. “Let’s get you two cleaned up a little.”
Jake joined her and they brushed off the children as well as they could. Then the four of them took a turn around the yard in an effort to keep Louisa and Phillip out of trouble. Jake greeted other guests as necessary, but he preferred to stand back and watch Coralee. She shone in this atmosphere, with people she cared about all around. She asked after health and family members. She remembered small details about
everyone she spoke to. Each person was comfortable in her presence. And Jake loved watching it all play out.
“Why, Dr. Hadley, Mrs. Evans.” Jake turned to see Mrs. Felder approaching. He hadn’t seen her since the last time he’d checked on the recovered cholera patients a few weeks ago. She looked as spritely as ever. “I’m so glad to see you both here. And the darling children. My, aren’t they just fine.”
Coralee greeted the woman with a brief embrace. “Mrs. Felder, you’re looking well.”
“I feel fit as a fiddle. I hope that shop of yours is thriving. I heard an interesting bit of information that a man from back east visited for several days.”
A rueful smile fell over Coralee’s face. “Yes, that’s true. He was with a professional association and stopped to make sure our shop is up to standards. I believe he was pleased with us.”
Mrs. Felder lit up, standing a bit taller. “Oh, my dear, that’s wonderful. Of course, no one who knows you would doubt that at all.”
“They certainly wouldn’t, Mrs. Felder.” Jake shot Coralee a look that he prayed she would understand, filled with his full support and respect. Then he turned back to the older woman. “How are your neighbors recovering? I haven’t made it out that way to check on our cholera patients for some time.”
“As far as I know, they’re all back in fine health. Thanks to you and Mrs. Evans here. I think I can speak for all of us when I say thank you for all your efforts during the outbreak.”
Jake patted the woman’s shoulder, pleased with her report. “I’m just thankful we were able to catch some of the cases in time.”
“Jake. Jake!” Phillip drew his attention away from the conversation. The little boy pointed at the food tables. “Treat?”
“Phillip, judging from the mess on your face earlier, you’ve had plenty of treats. No more tonight.”
A pout formed on the child’s face. Jake scooped him up before he could start to make a scene. He stepped away from the ladies, Louisa following close beside him. “How about this? We’ll see if we can take a couple of cookies with us and you can each have one tomorrow.”
A thoughtful look came over Phillip’s face. Then a grin broke out. “Yes, cookie. ’Morrow.”
Jake set the boy back on the ground, ruffling his blond hair. “That’s a good boy. Now, let’s go have some more fun. We’ll be heading home soon.”
* * *
As Jake walked away with Phillip, Mrs. Felder turned to Coralee. “Mrs. Evans, I must admit, I’ve heard another interesting rumor about your shop.”
“Oh?” Coralee’s heart sank, even as she tried to act nonchalant. Had word gotten out that the shop was on the verge of failure?
“Word has it that a certain doctor has been spending a great deal of time at Holbrook’s. And working rather closely with you.”
A flush started creeping up her neck. “Jake was just helping me with the formula for our new medication. And, of course, my sisters and I have been helping watch the twins some so he can work. There’s nothing going on that’s worth spreading gossip.”
Mrs. Felder had the gall to chuckle and pat Coralee’s arm. “Now, dear, don’t get upset over it. Some women have nothing better to do than worry about what everyone else is or isn’t doing. I wanted to find out for myself if there’s anything romantic happening between you and our handsome doctor.”
Trying to maintain her dignity, Coralee stared out across the spinning couples on the dance floor. Of all the emotions she had felt that day, the one she least wanted at the moment was the longing that washed over her at the older woman’s words. “I can assure you, Mrs. Felder, there is nothing romantic going on between Jake and me.”
“Well, I suppose that’s settled. Although, I had hoped that you two might be striking up a relationship. It’s clear that you care for each other in some way. But sometimes, these things just aren’t meant to be.”
A woman nearby called to Mrs. Felder, insistently waving her over. Coralee blew out a breath as the older woman said a quick goodbye and headed on her way across the yard. Jake returned with the twins flanking him and they went back to greeting all their friends and neighbors. But the whole time, Coralee couldn’t get Mrs. Felder’s words out of her mind.
The idea of people talking about her and Jake, linking them together as if a relationship was inevitable, made her want to run and hide. She couldn’t let herself be hurt again. And anything more than a friendship with Jake would put her right in that position. It wasn’t even about his lack of trust in her, or his tendency to push his own opinion on her. More terrifying than that was the significant chance that he would be taken from her. Just like Alan and Papa. A chill washed over her, leaving her enjoyment of the party dampened.
Once they had made a complete circuit of the party, Jake led her and the twins back to their starting point near Charlie’s house. The dancing was still in full swing, but Coralee didn’t feel the need to join in. At one time in her life, she had lived for dancing. But in the light of where life had taken her, the frivolity wasn’t for her anymore. The dance she had shared with Jake had been enough for this night.
Several chairs nearby happened to be empty, so she sat with the twins while Jake got them all something to drink. It was getting rather late and Louisa and Phillip were finally running out of energy. Louisa leaned over to rest against Coralee’s side while they watched the dancers spinning and stepping. And when Jake returned and took a seat next to Coralee, Phillip immediately climbed out of his chair and up into Jake’s lap, snuggling close.
Shivers raced up Coralee’s arm when Jake’s shoulder brushed against hers, warm and solid. That Mrs. Felder. Her words had put thoughts in Coralee’s mind that she didn’t want to keep having. She turned to find his eyes on her as he broke the silence between them. “You know, Mrs. Felder wasn’t wrong about what she said.”
Coralee’s heart raced. Had he heard the older woman’s assertion about her and Jake caring for each other? That telltale flush washed across her cheeks again. “I, uh, what did she say?”
He chuckled, low and warm, intensifying her shivers. “That no one who knows you would doubt that you run Holbrook’s with the utmost care. I know your medication will make a difference in the amount of business at the shop. Just look at the response this morning. Your success will be good for the entire community.”
Her eyes shifted back to the dance area, where a new tune had just started. She let out a slow breath of relief. He hadn’t heard Mrs. Felder’s last words, after all. “I’ve been afraid for so long. I was so sure Papa’s formula was the key, but I could only see all the ways that I might fail.”
He shifted Phillip to free one hand, reaching out to grasp hers. “There was a time a few weeks ago, after the cholera outbreak, when you dropped everything to pray with me. I’d like to do that now for you.”
Still holding her hand, Jake bent his head and prayed for her. “Father God, there’s a lot riding on this medication for Coralee and her family. I ask You to take away her fear and help her find the confidence to do what she needs to for the shop and for herself. Please bless her business. Amen.”
When he finished, they sat in silence, watching the dancers, her hand still in his. Coralee let the peace of the moment wash over her, a stark difference from the worry that had colored most of her days in the last few months. All too soon, Jake withdrew his hand and stood, Phillip asleep in his arms. “I think it’s far past bedtime for a couple of children.”
She stood with him, lifting Louisa. “I’ll help you carry them out. I’m about ready to head home, myself.”
Jake led the way, stopping here and there to say goodbye to guests they passed. Finally they made it to his wagon and rested the sleeping twins in the back. Jake then insisted on giving her a ride home. In an effort to let the twins sleep, they whispered a quick good-night and Coralee slipped into the empty house.
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Sleep claimed her in little time that night, worn out from the emotional ups and downs of the day.
But in the morning, she didn’t feel as refreshed as she would have expected. The evening had ended with such a beautiful, close moment between her and Jake. That moment, paired with Mrs. Felder’s insinuation that there could be emotions growing in them both, stirred questions in Coralee’s heart. Did Jake feel more for her than she’d thought? Was that why he had responded with such intensity to finding her alone with Charlie?
Coralee was picking at her breakfast when Aunt Lily emerged from her room. Lowering herself stiffly into a chair opposite Coralee, the older woman took a sip of her steaming tea. “Good morning, my dear. You look as tired as I feel today.”
Nodding in response, Coralee poked her fork into the egg on her plate, mashing it to bits. When Aunt Lily didn’t start her usual string of conversation, Coralee looked up to find the older woman watching her with eyebrows raised. “You seem a bit distracted. If you don’t mind me asking, what has you so deep in thought?”
Shoulders slumping, Coralee gave up all pretense of eating and dropped the fork on her plate. “Aunt Lily, to be honest, I’m starting to think that I’ll always be stuck living in fear. I can’t seem to let go of it.”
Leaning back in her chair, Aunt Lily tilted her head. “I thought everything went quite well with the new remedy yesterday. What are you afraid of?”
Coralee’s gaze dropped to the table, taking in the familiar cloth covering the worn wood. How many conversations had she had here with Aunt Lily over the years? Big, small and everything in between. Her aunt had walked Coralee and her sisters through life right in this spot. “The booth was a hit yesterday, for sure. People were thrilled with the medication. Cat and Cecilia are certain business will pick right back up as a result.”
Frustration built in Coralee. It was hard to put into words what was weighing on her heart. “Last night, Jake kept talking about how much this will benefit the town. About how much people need Papa’s formula. But I can’t help thinking that Dr. Jay will just find another way to discredit us when he returns to town. He’ll be back any day now and he won’t be happy to see his patients ignoring his advice. It would be devastating if we finally found what Papa had been searching for, just to see the shop fail, anyway.”
Taking on Twins Page 13