"Terrible, isn't it?"
"Have you two set a date?"
"We have one in mind, but nothing is firmed up, not with his new business. He'll be launching the first products soon."
"That makes sense."
"I'll let you know a little secret." Lena paused and let her words sink in. "I've picked out the dress already."
Melinda let out a squee. "Do you have a picture?"
"You know the boutique two blocks over? I tried it on an hour ago. It was the very first dress."
The two women bent their heads over Lena's phone and discussed the merits of tulle and satin versus lace. Lena was so content and excited. A pang of something like envy left a hollow spot in Melinda's stomach. Where was her happy ending?
She pinched her thigh and banished such a selfish thought.
Lena and Jax were such a loving couple, and they'd fought so hard to be together. Perhaps someday she'd be ready for another romance, but as of now, she had her business and that required her full attention. Men only complicated things, right?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WITH THE SUN just peeping over the mountain tops, Sean unlocked the door to the White Rose and was met by silence. It had been distinctly chilly at the wine bar. Melinda had been present every morning for the first two weeks of the project, but she'd been notably absent for the past five days.
He'd been professional and controlled, but he had tried to catch her eye and share a smile several times without any luck. She'd never once met his gaze, much less acknowledged that they'd been intimate. It was as if their friendship and brief affair had never existed. He had been relegated to ancient history or nonexistent myth. He had to give her credit. She was calm, self-possessed, and reasonable. But he'd actually only seen her for about ten minutes during the one review meeting with Jill.
Sean drew his mouth into a tight line. He supposed he ought to ignore her right back. She was a queen of indifference. He'd even sent in Sven, his number one foreman, to handle some of the cabinet installation just so he could get some breathing space.
He'd been on edge the whole time he was working at the White Rose. At each stray sound, he anticipated Melinda's appearance, but now, the job was winding down. There were only some mirrors to hang, touch up paint around the baseboards and crown moldings, and some racking to assemble.
If he came in Saturday morning, he'd be able to wrap everything up and hand over the finishing touches to Jill. She'd take the beautiful bones that he'd created, and she'd dress them up until they shone like a polished diamond.
He was right on schedule, and yet, it gave him little pleasure. He had to be honest and admit that he missed Melinda. How was he supposed to win her over if she flat out avoided him?
That wounded the old ego. Sean laughed at himself, and the sound echoed off the gleaming hardwood floors and up through the open rafters of the loft. Sean pulled out his phone and pushed the speed dial for Jill.
"Hello, Sean. Good news on the White Rose?"
"You'll be happy, and so will your client. I should be able to finish up by tomorrow or Monday at the latest. Then it will be your turn."
"I love you! I knew I could count on you to finish on time or earlier."
"A week earlier than Steve would have."
"Ha! Probably more. Even his healing time from those breaks are slower than the doctor thought."
"That stinks. I should give him a call and see if he needs help with anything around his place. That's a long time to be laid up."
"I've got Steve, Tina and the twins set up with a meal train, so their freezer is stuffed full of casseroles and chili."
"They should be set for the whole winter if I know you and your friends."
"Perhaps you could buy him a spare freezer?" Jill's voice was extra sugary.
"Touché."
"Now, be nice. You've finished the job ahead of schedule and under budget. You should be happy. I know I am."
"Sorry. It's been a long day and an even longer week." Sean ran his fingers through his hair and decided to fib. "I've had a few problems on one of my projects, and it's cost me some sleep" Hell, that was actually true.
"I hope it wasn't my fault." Sean could almost see Jill's eyebrows scrunch together.
"Not at all. I think I may have misjudged a situation, that's all. Nothing that I can’t fix."
Jill cheerfully rattled on about the fabric and design choices that were getting installed next week, and Sean mostly tuned her out and gathered up his tools.
He stared at the hammer in his hand and hefted its wooden handle. It had been a gift from his parents for his twelfth birthday. His own toolkit.
He tapped the weight of the steelhead against his palm, and he stared out the window, not noticing the steady flow of passersby. Wasn't there some saying that a man with a hammer saw all the world as a nail? Maybe he needed to think outside the box.
"Sean? Are you there?"
"Sorry, I checked out there for a moment."
"I asked how your mom was doing."
"She's about the same. No better, no worse than a few months ago."
"I still can't believe how fast it all happened. Your mom was such a sweetie, and she always had a kind word and a hug for me. I was looking through a trunk in the attic, and I discovered that awesome plaque she made for me when I collected all those knitted baby caps for preemies."
Sean was clueless but made an encouraging sound, but Jill wasn't fooled.
"Of course, you don't remember, but it was a big deal to me. I copied an idea I'd seen on the evening news and went door to door and hit up everyone to start knitting and crocheting baby bonnets."
"Okay."
"And your mom had a framed certificate of achievement made up for me. I felt like a million bucks. She's the best in my books."
Sean smiled and had to agree. His mother had been caring and thoughtful. Jill ended their call with a promise to meet on Monday morning to do a final check on the bar, but Sean's mind had wandered off again.
Maybe there was a way to help Melinda see things through a fresh lens.
* * * *
Melinda slid the screen door shut behind her and settled into the patio chair on her cozy balcony off the dining room. She cocked her head and waited for the sound of a hammer or a muffled curse from her upstairs neighbors.
A few birds twittered from the shrubbery, but no construction racket. She supposed they were finally finished or were mercifully taking a break from their demolition derby. Melinda sent a small prayer heavenward that no fresh disaster would come raining down from the third floor.
Melinda curled her mug of steaming tea close to her chest and let the fragrant mint swirl around her and clear her mind. She kicked out her legs and let them rest on the thick ottoman cushion with legs crossed at the ankles.
She should be showering and making her way to the wine bar to do some last minute preparations, but she had no energy. The grand reopening and party weren't until late tomorrow afternoon, so she might as well steal a little relaxation now.
Funny, she'd been hearing nothing but power tools for the last month, at work and at home. But now, all was quiet.
With the last shelf adjusted and the final mirror hung, Sean had packed up his tools. Yesterday, the shop had been jammed with staff and movers and a myriad of boxes and supplies and wines. But even bustling with unpacking and Jill feverishly making minor adjustments, the place had seemed so empty.
A hollowness echoed around in her chest. Why should it matter that Sean was gone? Or that she'd hurt him? She couldn't forget the pain in his eyes when she'd told him that she didn't care enough for a relationship.
What was wrong with her? Sean was wonderful and funny. He was sexy and reliable. He was kind. He was everything that Diego hadn't been. Diego had been dark and unpredictable, sarcastic and cutting. One minute he was telling her that she was a sex goddess and the next that she was nothing without him. That she was weak and could only survive with the help of a man.
Melinda shook her head and dispelled the echoes of Diego's cold laugh and derisive comments. Why had he been so cruel? A solitary tear escaped the corner of Melinda's eye and crept down her cheek. She caught it with the tip of her tongue and let the salty tang roll across her lips.
He'd been gone for almost two years now. Perhaps it was time that she buried the last of his hateful words.
Sean thought that she was an amazing businesswoman with a real gift for marketing and salesmanship. She'd told him about her business plan and how well everything seemed to be working out, and he'd had nothing but praise for her.
So different than the tide of negativity from her husband. Sean's uplifting words and all the praise from her staff and the community—maybe they had the right of it.
When had she started thinking so poorly of her own skills? Had it been her years with Diego that had buried her self-confidence? Had she ever really believed in herself? In her worth? In her right to be happy and successful?
She'd thought back to her days in school and remembered the sense that she was only one mistake away from failure. Diego had only taken advantage of her self-doubt and beaten her around with it for his own sad needs. He could only be strong and mighty if his wife was weak and dependent. And she had played right into his twisted, pathetic game.
What if she believed in herself and her abilities? Sean genuinely seemed to think she was good at what she did. He was a fair judge, she supposed, since he ran a profitable and well-respected construction firm.
Lena and Esme were always singing her praises to her face and to all the folks around Vail and Wescott Springs. A swell of happiness and hope built in her heart.
She'd come a long way in a short time. With only a small amount of seed money, she'd bought her business and marketed it into a swanky tourist hot spot. She'd owned it for a year and not only made a profit, but she'd saved enough to live a comfortable life and pay for all the renovations out of savings instead of going to the bank for a loan.
Maybe she was worth a damn on her own after all. But what if business tanked or if someone else opened a more popular wine bar and she went out of business?
Anxiety squeezed tightly in her stomach. One wrong move and everything could come crashing around her ears.
She lifted her tea to her lips. It had gone cold, but she sipped it anyway. A brilliant mountain bluebird flitted past and settled daintily on the balcony railing. Melinda stilled, her mug frozen next to her mouth. The exquisite bird blinked once at her with a small, cheerful black eye and puffed out his bright, almost turquoise chest and throat, and let out a series of soft trills and whistles.
The little male twisted his head and neck around and stared at her again for a fleeting moment before continuing his gentle serenade. Almost as if he was looking for her approval.
As he sang, a delicate peace settled over Melinda. It was like a soft, azure glow filling up her heart. Steady and true.
Her petite friend preened his feathers and sang his occasional song as the sun lifted higher and higher in the sky. A trio of bluebirds streaked by, and her companion whistled one last time and then launched after his kind.
Giddiness bubbled up inside Melinda, and she released the feelings in her own whistling song of salute to her bluebird. With a tingle of contentment, Melinda stood and stared across the timber-encircled meadow with its greenish-brownish grasses of early fall.
The shadows in her heart had lifted. The day felt crisp and renewed, and she was more than ready to tackle the long list of to-do's to finish the preparations for the party tonight.
* * * *
Melinda wiggled the mouse, and her computer screen popped to life. She groaned at the thirty unanswered e-mails, but she scrolled through the list to make sure that nothing was urgent. A few from distributors, a few newsletters, and buried in the middle was something from that Denver reporter.
She was tempted to click on it, but the front door bells jingled, and a female voice called out her name. Melinda locked the screen and spun away from her desk.
"I'm back here, I'll be out in a second."
"No rush, I'll put the flowers on the counter."
Melinda knew the voice. "Lena!"
"I had to come see you before the party and have you all to myself for a moment before you're swarmed with well-wishers." Lena plunked a huge vase of flowers on the counter. "See? I even brought an especially grand bouquet. Katelyn helped me pick it out."
Melinda hugged Lena and then stuck her nose in the oversized flower arrangement. The sensual aromas of roses and lilies filled her senses.
"They're gorgeous!"
"They make me think of you, and I fell in love with this crazy shade of tangerine, and they perfectly match the lilies. I figured you'd already have the white rose thing covered." Lena glanced around at all the white roses in the table centerpieces and nodded.
Melinda purred at the ambrosial scents. "They totally have a tropical vibe."
"Don't they? I'm ready for a sprint down to the Caribbean for a splash in the waves."
A pang of homesickness welled up and a sharp yearning for the simplicity of her life when she'd been a teen and before she'd ever met Diego. When all she'd cared about was when the school day was over and she could run down to the sea.
"I see that dreamy island gaze." Lena grinned at her and cocked her head.
"Life was so uncomplicated once upon a time."
"Now look at you. You're a business owner, and you're having a grand party tonight. Rumor has it that there's quite a contingent of folks zipping in from Denver. You'd better put some more bubbles on ice."
"Are you sure?" A giddy feeling settled around Melinda's midriff. Was she really going to make a splash tonight?
"I heard it from Jax, and he was talking to Nick Olin who's just back from Denver."
"Well your fiancé and brother-in-law certainly seem to be in the know about what's going on in Vail and Wescott Springs."
"Yup. They always know."
"I have some more cases upstairs that I'll make sure get put into the chill locker."
"I'm bringing everyone over twenty-one in my family, so you know there will be six of us for sure."
Melinda laughed. "Thanks. At least I won't be drinking alone."
As Lena waved and bustled out the door onto the pedestrian dotted walkway, Melinda buried her face back into the luscious bouquet. Her nerves wavered. Was she making a name for herself and her wine bar?
It seemed like a hollow victory somehow. She wished Sean was here to celebrate. He'd told her so.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JILL DEVLIN WAS the first to arrive at the White Rose in the midst of the hubbub and clatter coming from the shiny new kitchen as the caterers unwrapped their delicious treats and carefully polished up the battalion of flutes and goblets for thirsty guests.
Esme and Roland bustled around and artistically arranged displays of creamy flowers, white tea lights, and alabaster pillar candles.
"I love, love, love the chandeliers." Jill dropped an air kiss near each of Melinda's cheeks and stood back to admire her divine choices.
"You were inspired when you thought to mix rustic antler chandeliers with the elegant, old world crystal ones. It's glamorous, but it screams wild west."
"I know! I surprise myself sometimes."
"Between your ideas and Sean's workmanship, well, it looks stupendous. Thank you."
"He does such a wonderful job. Just between you and me, I think he's the best in town. Steve is good, but nowhere near as high quality as Sean. But, I have to go with a brother-in-law over a mere cousin."
They both admired the lustrous dark stain on the paneling, shelving, and racking and watched the light play off the gold-framed mirrors. The white granite counter top of the bar had the elegant look of marble but was far more durable and resistant to wine spillage. Long, sheer white billows of fabric framed windows, doorways, and provided backdrops for the mirrors. It was chic, it was Colorado, it was feminine but rustic,
and it said White Rose.
Melinda clapped her hands. "It's perfect and precisely what I dreamed of."
"You're welcome. Now, what else is on that list of yours. We have about one hour before guests arrive."
* * * *
The next two hours were a blur of clanking silverware, chattering voices, and rattling nerves. At last, the first guests began arriving and congratulating her on the remodel.
Lena and her fiancé, Jax, arrived and in a few heartbeats, they were surrounded by a throng of bodies. Jax hadn't skied professionally for years, but he was still a superstar, especially in a ski town like Vail.
Melinda sipped from the half-empty glass in her hand and was poised to ask the mayor's husband a question when she saw Sean.
Air caught in her throat. He was sexy as all get out in slate gray slacks and vest with a silver collared shirt and a charcoal tie, and his beard had the whisper of a point at his chin. A flush prickled her neck, and she dropped her gaze to a button in the middle of his shirt.
"Hey." It was a simple greeting, but the slight head lift and the gentle smile on his face sent her emotions soaring.
"Hey yourself." Melinda resisted biting her lip or twisting her fingers like an anxious schoolgirl, but her heart refused to cooperate, ticking erratically under her breasts.
"I've come bearing presents." Sean handed her a small ivory box with an embossed white rose while still holding tight to a large, thin rectangular wrapped object.
Melinda stared fixedly at the leather cube as the seconds ticked by.
"The box is pretty, but you need to open it." Sean chuckled and shifted his weight from one hip to the other. He looked confident and relaxed, but Melinda thought she detected tension around his eyes.
"Do open it," Jill said as she and Lena gathered close.
"Oh, this is much better than the flowers that I brought," Lena said.
Melinda was irritated that her private moment with Sean was interrupted, yet relieved that she didn't have to face him on her own.
With the merest hint of a hand tremble, Melinda popped the box open. It was a delicately wrought golden champagne bottle pendant, studded with glittering champagne-hued diamonds.
Kiss Me at Last (A Wescott Springs Novella) Page 9