by Nan O'Berry
The man’s head turned sideways and his eyes began to twitch.
Carson swallowed and held up his hands. “No offense. Honest.”
The man gave him an ugly smirk.
“No offense,” Carson repeated as he watched his hand draw back. “Honest.”
The large fist connected with his jaw and Carson felt his feet leave the ground.
A woman’s shriek followed as his posterior made contact with the floor and he slid into the table where Jenna was seated.
“Carson!” his name tumbled from her lips.
Then he felt her hands caress his head. How cool her fingers were. How beautiful his name sounded as she called out to him… Suffering a broken jaw would be a minimal price to pay for this lavish attention.He blinked and opened his eyes to see her bending over him.
“Carson, are you all right?” When he didn’t speak, she questioned him again,“Carson, are you hurt?”
He reached up and touched his jaw, wincing as the pain shot through his lower lip. “I think I’ll live.”
“Oh, Carson, I’m so sorry.”
He raised himself up on his elbows to the curious gaze of the people in the Spigot.
“Can you get up?” Jenna moved behind him and helped him to stand.
For a moment, Carson’s body swayed.
“Oh, you are hurt. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Eight
“Here.” Jenna handedhim a bag of ice.
“Thanks,” Carson mumbled and gritted his teeth as he laid the cold plastic sandwich bag against his swelling lip. “Thanks for bringing me home.”
“Turnabout is fair play,” she replied as she pulled out a second chair and joined him. “I seem to remember you taking me home not too long ago.”
He tried to smile but it turned into a groan.
Sympathy rolled across her face and she reached out and touched his arm. “Don’t talk. I’m going to fix you something to drink.”
“How about some aspirin?”
She chuckled. “Sure.”
“They’re on the table over there.”
Bringing a glass of soda and some pain pills to the table, Jenna put a hand on his shoulder. “What a pair of misfits we are.”
He slid two white pills between his swollen lips and gave her a melancholy glance.
“I get left at the altar.” She tried to give him an encouraging smile. “And you are the first person to ever be slugged in Spigots.”
“If you’re trying to lift my spirits, it’s not working.”
“You need to sleep.” She stood and held out her hand to him.
He gave her a questioning look. “You’re staying?”
“Nope.” Jenna shook her head and took hold of his arm. “But I will call you in the morning to check on you.”
“Right.” Carson let her pull him to stand. “I have a soft couch.”
“Nope.”
“You can have my pillow,” he tried again as she pushed him down the hallway.
“Nope. I have a nice soft comfy bed in my own little cottage.”
He opened the bedroom door and turned to face her. “Jenna, this is not how I wanted the night to end.”
She stared at him. “Me either.”
He leaned close hoping to kiss her cheek.
She pulled her head back. “You know it’s going to hurt.”
“I don’t care.” His arms slid around her and instead of his lips meeting hers, the opposite happened. Her lips met his. Soft, warm, and inviting, the kiss seemed to take on a life of its own. When their lips finally parted and their eyes opened, he could see the deep look of desire in her eyes.
“I-I better go,” she stammered.
He should tell her, now. Tell her that he wanted her not some other woman in town. Instead, he watched her turn and walk back down the hall toward the living room. His tongue seemed paralyzed as she reached for her purse, then glanced one last time in his direction. “I’ll call you.” With that, she walked out the door.
“I think I love you,” he muttered as the door shut. Turning, he left the lights off and made his way to the double bed. Easing his sore body down, Carson laid back and listened to the sound of his car starting and moving out of the driveway. He stared at the ceiling. At least, he’d have all night long to come up with the way to express his love to her and when she brought his car back tomorrow, he could finally tell her.
№
Jenna was brushing her teeth when her phone began to ring. Wiping her lips, she cut off the water and hurried to the kitchen table to answer.
“Jenna?” Frankie’s voice held a tinge of panic.
“Hey, Frankie, what’s wrong? I’m about to leave to pick up Carson.”
“Yeah, about Carson,” Frankie hissed.
“Huh?”
“Jenna, go to Nonna and get the newspaper.”
“What?”
“Just do it!” Frankie nearly shouted.
“Okay.” Jenna went out the door and was crossing the lawn, when her grandmother threw open the back door, and hurried out.
Her expression lightened when she saw her granddaughter. “Oh, Jenna,” she said, shaking the newsprint. “I thought he was such a nice young man.”
Jenna’s brow furrowed.
“Look. Oh, look.” Her grandmother opened the front page and the picture caught Jenna’s attention.
She felt the blood drain from her face, a grainy black and white photo of Carson on the floor of Spigots with her bent over, lifting his head from the floor. Her eyes darted from the photo to the headline.
In bold type it read, ‘Is this the mystery woman, Teague Murphy’s been fighting for?’
“Oh, God, no.” The phone fell from her hand. First humiliated by being left at the altar, now, the man she’d been falling in love with had her photo spread across the local newspaper. Her faith in Carson all but shattered. He wasn’t any different from other men. He also was not her friend at all. Her legs grew weak as she trembled and she fell to her knees on the grass.
“Jenna! Jenna!” Frankie’s frantic voice echoed from above her.
№
Carson sat at his kitchen table, another ice bag against his swollen lip. He glanced at the digital clock on his stove and noted the time. She would be here in a minute or two and he still hadn’t decided how to tell her. The idea that he should fall to his knees and declare his love seemed just a little two blasé.
Jenna was a gem. She needed to know just how special he thought she was and just how much he loved her. He now remembered the way she’d looked standing at the altar in the vineyard. The expression she wore, the wisps of her raven hair falling in long curls at her shoulders. He remembered her dignity, her grace, as she’d thought of her guests and friends at that time, and not herself.
Then last night while lying in bed, he got the urge yet again, to get up and find those photos he took of her. He again, pulled them out. Her face looked so serene as the sunset glinted pastel colors behind her. It must have been the saddest day of her life and he’d caught it right there on film. He would never forget how she’d made him feel that night in her cottage when that spark leapt between them.
He also remembered the feelings he had for her that very night. When he hardly even knew her yet. She’d already reached into his soul and he just hadn’t realized it. Well, he had now. He just needed to convince her and he knew it probably wouldn’t be easy. The woman had been hurt badly. He wanted to make her happy, make her smile for the rest of her days.
He took a deep breath. Yeah, he loved her. At first, when the words came to his mind in the middle of the night, he thought maybe the hit on the jaw had done something to his brain. Then the more he thought about it, the more the idea grew on him. He was in love. He was besotted. In fact, as soon as he got through with his shift, he would head down to the jewelry store and buy the perfect diamond to slip on the finger of her left hand. Never again, would she have to worry that she was loved. He planned on telling her every
single minute for the rest of his life.
The sound of a car rolling into the driveway made him rise. She was here. Carson tossed the bag of ice into the sink and made a bee line for the front door. Throwing it open, he expected to see her smiling face, instead, the only thing filling his vision was Nate Deluca’s angry face.
“Jenna?”
“Ain’t coming.” Nate held out the keys to his sedan. “I told you, not to make a fool of her.”
Carson felt totally lost. “I don’t understand?”
Nate whipped out a newspaper and slapped Carson’s middle with it.
Bending, he grasped the paper and waited for his breath to return.
“Front page, at the bottom,” Nate called as he marched toward the truck waiting at the curb.
Carson dampened his lips and watched as Nate opened the door and got in.
“Oh, and you can expect a call from Frankie. If I were you, I’d buy a cup.”
He watched the truck from the winery drive off. In the stillness of the morning, Carson opened the newspaper and stared at the picture. His stomach roiled. “Oh, no. Oh, crap!”
№
Jenna hurried into the St. Helena Hardware and Refurbish Rescue. The big sun hat that her Nonna provided as well as the sunglasses gave her a bit of cover.
The sound of the bell over the door could not be disguised. Walt looked up from the newspaper as she came in.“Morning, Jenna.”
“Walt.” She removed her sunglasses and let her eyes adjust to the shadows.
The newspaper rattled.
Jenna drew her shoulders up and looked over at him.
“Sorry, honey.”
“It’s okay. I suppose it will help with the ratings.”
“Jenna,” Walt began. “I’ve helped Carson do some work on that little house of his. I think you might be misjudging him.”
“Well, we all know what a bad judge of character I am.”
“Honey,” he pleaded.
Jenna shook her head and walked on toward the back. Right now, all she wanted was to immerse herself in work and forget a man like Carson Murphy ever existed. She hung up her hat and put her purse away. Then Jenna grabbed the broom and began to sweep. Dust rose like huge clouds nearly obscuring her vision, however she didn’t stop. She told herself she wouldn’t cry, not over a man ever again.
Out with the old, her Nonna would say and Jenna focused on just doing that.
№
“So you thought it would be smart to hire a photographer to follow us?” Carson snapped at the owner of the radio station seated behind his desk.
Tarkington’s head bent like a scolded child. “I thought it would be good for ratings.”
“You thought.” Carson shook his head. His anger was barely under control. “You better hope she doesn’t hold this against either of us. If I can’t get her to see reason, I won’t be staying at KVINO.”Turning on his heel, Carson strode toward the studio.
Sergio Karakas was still playing soft Latin music when he opened the door. The DJ looked up with surprise.
“You’re session is over.”
Sergio’s face showed his bewilderment.
“Up.” Carson motioned.
Sergio stood and Carson nudged him out the door. With the turn of the lock, he walked over to the microphone and cut the sound. Sliding the headphones over his ears, Carson spoke, “Morning St. Helena, this is Teague Murphy and you’ll have to excuse the interruption. Most of you know me as the DJ for the Country Countdown. I’m sure most of you by now, have seen the paper.” He sighed. “Last night’s incident was not a stunt. I repeat, it was not a stunt. I was with the most wonderful girl in the world. I went to order a beer and there was a misunderstanding.”
He heard the shaking of the door and turned his head to see Tarkington and Karakas at the doorway. They were shouting but the soundproof glass muted their message.
He turned his gaze away and continued on, “I’ve seriously hurt the woman I love. So bear with me, as I do my best to win her back.”
№
Connie watched the door open as another delivery came from the Petal Pusher. “I swear, there can’t be another rose left between here and Sacramento.”
“Where do you want me to put them?” the woman holding the vase asked.
Connie pointed to the counter.
“You better do something.” Walt grimaced as another spot disappeared beneath the perfusion of red and pink.
“I think so.” Pushing up the blue velour of her jacket, Connie marched back to the room where Jenna sat staring at the open back door. “Is that all you’re going to do?”
Jenna slowly turned her head and looked back. “What am I going to do? I’ve been made a fool of not once, but twice.”
“Get up,” Connie ordered.
Jenna’s eyes went wide.
“Get up.” Connie strode over and grabbed Jenna’s forearm, not giving her a chance to refuse.
Tugging and pulling her along, Connie brought her into the front of the store. Jenna’s eyes widened as they beheld all the flowers that literally lined the windows, the counters, and any available space Walt and Connie could find. “What—what’s all this?”
“Flowers,” Connie snapped.
“This place looks like a darnfuneral parlor,” Walt griped.
№
“Who…?” She didn’t have to finish, Jenna knew who.
Walt turned on the radio and Carson’s voice moved across the room, “Jenna, honey, if you’re listening, I love you. My boss hired a photographer. I had no knowledge of what he was doing. Cross my heart. If you’re listening, this song is for you.” His voice paused and the lyrics of Faith Hill’s This Kiss filled the air waves.
“How long has this been going on?” She glanced over at Connie her eyes rounding.
“All morning. I turned on the radio and I heard him talking about how it was love at first sight. He said you were special, that he never in all the world would have hurt you. Jenna, honey, moments like this don’t come often for anyone. It appears that he has hijacked the recording booth too. This is something else, Jenna. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. Seize the moment.”
Jenna listened to the words of the song. Images of their time together filled her mind.His gentle kindness, his friendship, his making her smile when she needed it the most. The kisses he gave her, the way his touch made her feel.Be spontaneous. Seize the moment. No planner, no organized angles. Her hands were shaking. She gazed over at Connie. “I don’t trust myself to drive.”
“Then let me take you.” Connie clapped her hands while looking excited.
Jenna turned to see Frankie standing at the door.
“Any man who will beg for a woman, can’t be all that bad.” Frankie’s expression looked soft as she shrugged her shoulders.
“Just let me get my purse.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “Forget the dang purse. Come on, woman!”
Jenna steps faltered at first, but the closer she got to the door the faster she found she could move. Stepping out onto Main Street, a round of applause erupted. Jenna stopped as all of her friends stood around the front door. Their grins were as wide as hers.
“Go get him, Jenna,” someone shouted.
“He’s a keeper,” another added.
“Come on,” Frankie urged and grabbing her arm, she pushed her into the old broken down truck from the winery. “Better buckle up.” She revved the engine as Jenna slid the seat belt in place.
The truck bucked as it started off. Frankie put the flashers on and gunned the motor. She’d almost made it out of the town limits when red lights and a siren filled the rearview mirror.
“What are we going to do? I don’t have time for a ticket,” Jenna cried.
“Leave it to me.” Frankie rolled the window down and waved the cop around. To her relief, she recognized the face of Jonah Baudouin and pulled to a quick stop.
“Frankie?” he growled as he leaned in the window.
“Hush and lis
ten. I’ve got Jenna in the truck. We need to get over to KVINO.”
“This is highly irregular.”
“Please Jonah, my life has been a perfect mess until Carson came. He says he loves me and I believe him. I can’t let him get away.”
He rolled his eyes. “Well, if I don’t, my wife is gonna kill me.”
Frankie glanced to Jenna and grinned broadly. “This will go down in St. Helena’s history.”
They watched Jonah climb into his car and switch on the red lights and sirens. “See if you can keep up.”
With a police escort, they flew out of town and didn’t stop until they reached the doors of KVINO.
Jenna hit the door running.
Anne at the front desk stood up and grinned then pointed down the hallway.
Jenna rushed toward the studio and the small crowd of people parted as she made her way to the glass. Tears shimmered in her eyes.
Carson stood at the desk, earphones on his head, pushing buttons. Kenny Chesney’s romantic song,Somewhere With You, began to play and he glanced up.
Her heart turned over. This is right. He’s the right one. She watched as he pulled the earphones from his head and walked over to the door. She heard the lock twist and he pulled it open.
“You came.”
Jenna nodded.
His hand reached out and he pulled her into the booth. Carson locked the door again, and they stood staring at one another.
“I’m so sorry, Jenna. I didn’t know.”
“I know you didn’t. I just was so shocked.”
He swallowed and out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the crowd hovering hoping to read his lips. Carson sighed and took her hand leading her over to the board. He handed her a second pair of headphones and gestured that she put them on just as he did.
She watched as his hands moved to the key labeled ‘auto’ and flicked it on.
“Jenna, I want you to know that I have loved you from the first moment I saw you at the vineyard. It’s funny. I’ve never been so glad someone didn’t get married. Your bravery that day won my heart and ever since I brought you home, I’ve been trying to figure out how to get you to see how wonderful you are.”