Laura walked toward a table in a far corner and sat down against the wall, allowing him to sit with his back to the other customers. He relaxed a bit. At least over here he was protected from the accusing stares. “Do they stare at everyone who comes in or just me?”
“It’s a small-town thing. They look at anyone who comes in. You just warrant a longer look. Don’t let it get to you. They did the same to me when I moved back home. They’ll get over it.”
He picked up the menu. “I thought you might be trying to put me in my place.”
“No. I just thought you might like a good burger. I never meant for this to make you uncomfortable.”
Before he could answer, the waitress arrived. “Good afternoon Laura, Mr. Holbrook. What can I get for you today?”
Adam looked from Laura to the waitress. Her tag said Sally. “You know who I am, Sally?”
“Oh, sure.” She smiled while popping her chewing gum. “We all know who you are. You gonna have that gazebo done for the festival?”
He glanced around the diner, swallowing the lump in his throat. No way was he going to fail. “Count on it.”
Sally pointed her pencil at him, her eyes narrowed ominously. “I’ll hold you to that.”
They placed their order, and Adam felt himself relax a bit. Apparently the fascination over his arrival had waned. “Clever decor in here.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you do this?”
“I had a hand in it.” She smiled. “Mostly I restored the building.”
“Really?”
His simple question opened a floodgate. For the next ten minutes Laura explained with enthusiasm how she saved the old gas station from decay and gave it new life. Adam saw a side to her he’d never suspected. Her eyes sparkled and her face glowed as she described how they’d searched the entire South for the authentic period details. How she’d traveled to Florida to find period tiles to line the walls and how they’d refinished the old metal displays to use as serving stations.
Her passion was overwhelming, born of a deep love of her work. He was envious. He’d never experienced that kind of enthusiasm for anything and now he wondered why.
The food arrived and Adam bit into his burger with gusto, emitting a low groan of appreciation. It had to be the best burger he’d ever eaten. Laura glanced up, her violet eyes sparkling. A flicker of a smile touched her lips and Adam froze. She was lovely.
“I told you they were fantastic.”
“Nothing like a good old American hamburger.”
“So I guess you’ve traveled all over the world, chasing your thrills?”
“Pretty much.”
She shook her head. “That’s not for me. I’m a hometown girl. I like it right here. Surrounded by people I love and a place that’s familiar.”
“No wanderlust, huh?”
“Nope.”
He rested his forearms on the table edge, leaning toward her. “Come on now. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t like to see other parts of the world, or maybe even do a few of the things I do. Everyone longs for some kind of adventure, even small ones.”
Laura toyed with her napkin. “Not really. I’d be too nervous trying to find my way around foreign countries and learn new languages.”
“Name one place you’d like to go. I promise not to tell anyone.”
“That’s easy. Great Britain. I’d love to see all those beautiful old castles.”
“I should have figured that. And what about that adventure? What would you do if you had the chance? If you knew there was no way you could get hurt.”
Laura stared off in the distance awhile. “Well, I think I’d like to try the zip line. It must be amazing to fly among the trees, sailing in the air. But I don’t think I’m brave enough.”
Adam laughed out loud. “Are you kidding me? You manage a successful construction business, climb up on roofs and handle power tools that would make most women faint, and you say you’re not brave? That sounds plenty brave to me.”
“Maybe, but sometimes I think I took the easy way out.”
“How so?”
“I told you I studied architecture in college. I married a man whose father owned a prestigious firm in Houston. We were going to be this great team, designing wonderful buildings. I thought I wanted to live in the big city, away from Dover. But it didn’t work out that way.”
“What happened?”
“My husband didn’t want to actually work in the family business, he only wanted to enjoy the financial benefits. He also decided I was a bit too unsophisticated for his taste. I tried to fit into city life, but I was pretty much a fish out of water. When the marriage ended, I ran home. The rest you know. I haven’t been very adventuresome since.”
He reached over and touched her hand lightly, staring into her lovely violet eyes. “You’re wrong. You are adventurous every time you start a new project.”
She held his gaze a moment, then slipped her hand away. “Those are adventures I understand. The surprises are things I’m pretty sure I can deal with.”
“Maybe you’d feel differently if you could travel with someone who knew how to speak the language and navigate the unknowns. Someone who could hold your hand each time you encountered a new surprise.”
“That might make things easier. I might be braver if I wasn’t alone.”
“Since when do you have time to sit down and eat?”
Adam looked up at the man who had stopped at their table. He smiled down at Laura, nudging his glasses up on his nose.
“Greg, it’s so good to see you.”
Adam glanced from the bright smile on Laura’s face to the matching one on the stranger’s. The man was medium build, medium height, medium all around as far as he could see. Nothing worth causing such a warm reaction.
Laura scooted over, indicating for the man to join them. Adam frowned. He wasn’t sure he wanted to share his lunchtime with anyone.
“Sorry, I can’t.” The man waved off the invitation. “I’m running late as it is. I just wanted to say hello.”
Laura stood and hugged him. Adam listened as they discussed Handy Works and something called Martha’s House. When she finally thought to introduce him, he was unable to even fake a warm greeting, despite the man’s sincere handshake and the obvious way he chose to not comment on Adam’s status as the town villain. He didn’t like Greg.
He watched the man leave, noting with irritation the warm smile that lingered on Laura’s face. He stabbed a French fry. “So who’s the boyfriend?”
“He’s not a boyfriend. Only a good friend, but he’s a remarkable man. He started Martha’s House to help battered women. What he’s been able to accomplish in the past few years is amazing. I really admire him.”
Adam grunted. “What’s so admirable about him? He seems pretty ordinary to me.”
“He has a heart for others. He gives of himself one hundred and fifty percent. You don’t find many people with that kind of dedication and commitment. I doubt you’d understand.”
He killed another fry. “I understand more than you think.” Is that the kind of guy she liked? Nerdy. Altruistic. He stared at her a moment. Did she think he wasn’t giving his all to his sentence? For some reason he didn’t want to examine, he wanted her to praise him the way she had this Greg guy. It was time to show Little Miss Contractor what he could really do.
*
Adam looked out the window as Laura slowed the truck and pulled between two brick pillars holding an intricate iron gate. The Conrad place was an impressive old plantation on the outskirts of Dover. Most of the architecture he’d seen in the small town consisted of Victorian styles and early-twentieth-century homes. Laura had assured him there were newer parts of Dover, but with his electronic leash he’d probably never see those parts of town.
Laura pulled around to the rear of the house and parked. He’d seen a lot of magnificent homes in his life, but this one was impressive with its massive columns on three sides and the intricate iron railing
on the balcony.
He followed Laura across the wide brick sidewalk to a smaller house nestled under the trees. Construction noise filled the air. He glanced back at the plantation. “You’re not working in the mansion?”
“No. The owners have brought in special craftsmen from overseas to handle most of the restoration. This is Catalpa Grove Plantation. It was the largest in the area at one time. Our job is this smaller building. Originally it was the dowager’s house, where the grandmother would live. But the owners want this to be their actual dwelling. They plan on opening the mansion as a bed and breakfast.”
From the moment Adam stepped into the work zone, he felt the tension spike. Three men halted their work as if by command and turned to stare at him. All of them looked to be six feet tall and close to two hundred pounds. It felt a little like facing a hungry shark without a cage.
“Don’t stop on my account, guys.” Laura smiled and motioned them all back to work. “We’re behind schedule, remember?”
The men returned to their work. Adam smiled. One word from Laura and grown men toed the line. One man stepped away from his work and came toward them. He stood an inch or so taller than Adam, with a stern expression and sharp features. He was built like a navy SEAL he’d once gone diving with. Not someone you wanted to rub the wrong way. From the daggers shooting from the man’s dark eyes, Adam figured it was already too late. The man stopped in front of them, placing himself slightly in front of Laura.
“Shaw, this is Adam Holbrook. Adam, my foreman, Shaw McKinney. Those two over there are Jay Barton and Chris Storm.”
The men barely glanced his way. So much for Southern hospitality. Adam offered his hand to McKinney, somewhat surprised when he shook it. Their gazes locked as they sized each other up. Adam had the feeling he’d come out on the short end of the stare-down. The foreman clearly saw himself as guardian to his employer.
He kept out of the way as Laura and Shaw moved about the room. Laura asked questions, for which it appeared Shaw had a ready answer. Adam watched her with fascination. As he’d suspected, she knew how to handle the workmen, somewhere between firm and respectful, but still displaying a no-nonsense attitude that reminded them who was in charge.
Laura moved off with the foreman into another room, leaving Adam to explore on his own. He was careful to keep a safe distance from the burly men working around the room. His carpenter skills were insufficient to tell if the men were doing a good job or not. But he doubted if they’d do less than their best with Laura as their boss. The work he saw here was more detailed and refined than what he was doing on the gazebo. He doubted he’d ever have that kind of ability.
Laura’s laughter preceded her into the room and Adam spun around to see her and the foreman return. Something about the guy set this teeth on edge. He was too tall. Too rugged. And he didn’t like the way the man held Laura’s full attention.
Normally he didn’t care a hoot what women thought of him. So why did he suddenly care what Laura thought? This small town was doing strange things to his head. Being on a short leash didn’t help either.
Adam turned and went outside to wait near the truck. He’d seen enough for today. One thing had impressed him and he wanted to ask her about it. He brought it up as soon as they pulled out onto the street “So how do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Keep those big guys in line? They have a lot of respect for you.”
“I’m good at what I do. That’s the main thing.”
“Is that all?”
“I mastered the mommy stare.”
She grinned over at him, the pretty smile causing him to lose his train of thought. “What?”
“You know that look your mom always gave you when you’d messed up? That stern, ‘You’re standing on my last nerve’ glare that said you’d better shape up or face the consequences? My mom could get us kids to behave with one quick look.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Didn’t your mom ever—” She paled and looked away. “I, uh, just glare at them and they tremble in their boots.”
Adam remained quiet for the rest of the afternoon, content to ride with Laura as she did a few errands. He got a quick peek into her workshop when she went to check on the progress of some custom cabinets, followed by a stop at the drive-through at the bank. Finally a stop at McCarver’s Millwork to see about the gazebo spindles.
He had no idea how complicated woodworking could be and he wanted to learn more. He wanted to learn more about Laura, too. He’d never met anyone like her. And he was growing more and more fascinated with her each day that passed.
*
“How are the repairs going?” Angie Durrant finished wrapping colorful paper around a small container, placing it with the others on the kitchen table.
Laura had invited her mother over to work on decorations for Shelby’s shower. She’d also wanted to talk to her alone. With Adam in her parents’ home she never had the opportunity.
“Good, but not as fast as I would like. Tony rebuilt the foundation, and I already had the oak planks, so we were able to repair the floor joists and the decking. If things go as planned we might actually finish early. But I still need cypress shingles for the roof, and I need some large pieces of oak so new posts can be turned. I’m not having any luck finding that so far.”
“How’s Adam working out?”
“He’s a big help and he’s a quick study. I think if he put his mind to it, he could be an excellent carpenter. Though I don’t see that happening. Woodworking doesn’t have the same thrill as surfing a fifty-foot wave in Waimea.”
“You don’t like him?”
“I do.” She shrugged. “I guess. He’s been polite, helpful.”
“But he reminds you of Ted and that makes you nervous.”
Her defenses went up. “No. Okay, maybe, a little. Every time I think he might be a decent guy, he’ll do or say something that reminds me he’s from a different way of life.” Laura frowned and pushed the colored paper away. “I mean, when I ended a bad relationship, I bought a business. When he does, he goes out and buys an expensive toy car. Who does that?”
“You know, your dad and I never liked Ted. We didn’t think he was right for you or that he treated you with respect. But we didn’t know him as well as you did, so we trusted your judgment.”
“And I was wrong. Believe me, I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Aren’t you? You’re putting Adam into a cubbyhole before you really know him.”
“Mom, he’s a big-city guy, a man who travels the world. He told me in no uncertain terms he could never live in a place like Dover.”
“My point is, don’t let one mistake push you too far in the opposite direction. Your father and I like Adam. I think he’s a good man deep down. But I think he’s been hurt somewhere along the way.”
Laura told her mother what Adam had shared with her about his parents.
“Oh, that breaks my heart. Maybe his time with us, working with his hands, getting to know you, will turn him in a new direction. We’ll pray for him.”
She shrugged off her mother’s concern. Her mom saw only the good in people. Laura had learned to be a little less gullible. While her mother was praying for Adam, she needed to pray for herself. Because she was attracted to Adam Holbrook and she couldn’t be. He was all wrong for her. In a myriad of ways. But letting that attraction for a handsome man go any further was not only stupid, but also dangerous. She had to be careful and guard her heart. Because she didn’t want to get it broken a second time.
Chapter Six
Daylight had faded into deep twilight, leaving a hazy glow over the neighborhood. Adam stood on the back porch of the Durrants’ home watching Laura and Shelby back out of the driveway. They were going to Laura’s to work on wedding details. Matt and the kids had left earlier. This Sunday had been different from the first one he’d experienced with the Durrants. There had still been a hearty meal, but only he and Mr. and
Mrs. Durrant had shared it. Laura, Matt, Shelby and the kids had dropped by later in the afternoon and they’d all visited over a rich apple dessert Mrs. Durrant had made. It had been a more quiet and relaxed time today.
A small part of him was disappointed there’d been no big family gathering, no football game. Which made no sense at all because he’d felt so awkward and out of place last week. Still, he’d found himself looking forward to the commotion. There had been a moment today, as he’d watched the Durrants sitting on the back porch talking, when he’d been overcome by an odd sensation. As if someone had pulled back a curtain and revealed his deepest dreams, his secret longing. Needs so hidden and long denied even he hadn’t realized what they were. But in that instant, he’d known what he’d wanted—a home. A woman to love him. Children.
For the first time in his life he’d found something he couldn’t buy. Something he wanted more than anything he’d ever known. He wanted what Laura had. He wanted a home and a family.
He made a fist and thumped it against the porch post. He had to get control of his emotions. He had to stop thinking about Laura. Because the hard truth was he had nothing whatsoever to offer her. He rubbed his forehead, battling the strange churning in his gut. He needed to get out of this small town. He wasn’t cut out for family dinners and ball games with little kids.
“Adam, I brought you some tea.”
He turned and took the glass from Angie. “Thanks.” She sat down in one of the cushioned patio chairs, motioning for him to join her.
“This is always a bittersweet time on Sunday for me. I love having my family around, but I’m always tired at the end of the visits. Getting older, I guess. But then once they’re gone, I feel the quiet of the house, and the silence is sometimes as loud as the clamor when they’re here.”
Adam studied her a moment. She’d read his mind. Put into words what he’d been feeling.
Restoring His Heart Page 8