by LuAnn McLane
“Oh … um …” Reality smacked Susan in the face at the idea of giving Danny Mayfield her number and she swallowed hard. “My schedule is rather full.”
“There will be a lot of sessions to choose from.” He looked at her and waited.
“Well …” What in the world was she doing getting cozy with the one person in Cricket Creek she wanted to avoid? How could she forget the embarrassing circumstances behind their one and only date? Feeling warm, she took off the puffy jacket that made her look like the Michelin tire man. She seriously needed to shop for a cute winter jacket. And then she remembered she was wearing a green sweater embellished with Santa’s sleigh and all eight reindeer, led by Rudolph, who had an actual blinking red nose. Susan’s mother didn’t get the whole ugly Christmas sweater concept and bought Susan a new addition to her growing collection at the beginning of each holiday season. Susan always accepted the new sweater with ohs and ahs, along with an inward groan, but she wouldn’t hurt her mother’s feelings for the world. “I wouldn’t want to be an imposition.” She put her hand over Rudolph’s nose.
“It wouldn’t be an imposition,” Danny insisted and looked at her expectantly.
Susan would bet there weren’t many girls in Cricket Creek who wouldn’t readily give their number to Danny Mayfield. But just like in high school, he was way out of her league and she knew he was just being kind. She had sort of initiated the invitation, even though it hadn’t been her intention. “Well, I appreciate the nice offer but I’m really b-busy with the Christmas season coming up,” she said. “I have a lot of decoration to do before the parade and the Christmas Walk.”
“Okay, I understand.” Danny slipped the slim phone back inside his jeans pocket and his smile faltered. He pointed at the box of mason jars. “Where do you want the box?”
“Up in my …” she began and then stopped herself. “Oh, it’s okay right there. You’ve helped enough.”
Danny gave her a level look and then sighed. “Susan, I know you don’t want that box sitting here in the middle of your shop. Instead of you having to struggle I can take the box wherever you’d like it to go.” He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “Or if you’d prefer I can get out of your hair,” he said with a slight frown. “I get the feeling I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
Susan knew her cheeks must be as rosy as Rudolph’s nose. “I’m sorry, Danny,” she said slowly, struggling not to stutter. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for your help. If you hadn’t appeared out of nowhere I w-would have crashed to the ground.”
“You don’t need to be grateful. I was happy to help.” Danny tilted his head to the side as if about to ask her a question, but then seemed to think better of it. He also appeared confused and maybe a little bit hurt. If there was one thing Susan hated to do, it was hurt someone’s feelings. He was only being polite and it was silly for her not to accept his assistance.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I really need the jars taken up to the kitchen in my apartment above the shop,” she said, even though her pulse fluttered at the thought of having him in her home.
“I don’t mind at all.” Danny gave her a slight smile and nodded. He picked up the heavy box with ease. “Lead the way.”
“Okay, follow me,” Susan said, even though the knowledge that he was watching her walk ahead of him was quite unnerving. Was her sweater clinging to her butt? Was she wiggling her hips too much? She stood up straighter but then felt awkward and tried her best to walk normally down the narrow hallway that led to the staircase to her apartment.
Once she reached the landing, Susan opened the door and flicked on the overhead track lighting. The wide open space and tall ceilings allowed her to decorate in the eclectic shabby chic style she loved. Like in her shop, Susan used old things for new purposes in her home.
The clump of Danny’s work boots sounded manly on the hardwood floor. She rather liked the deep sound. Danny Mayfield is inside my apartment. How had this even happened? Oh yeah, she’d fallen into his arms. And today started out so normal … She shook her head. “Geez.”
“Something wrong?”
Oh damn, she’d said that out loud. Talking to herself was a product of spending so much time alone. “Oh … no.” Embarrassed as to where her train of thought was going, she shook her head harder.
“Where to?” Danny asked, following her inside.
“Over there, in the kitchen.” Susan pointed over to the far corner of the giant room that was sectioned off by a tall counter and three really beautiful bamboo stools she’d found at an estate sale.
“Okay.” He followed her through the main living area, weaving past a wide variety of furniture that changed on a monthly basis. “On the counter?”
“On the floor is fine. I’m going to fill the jars with dry cookie mix, tie festive ribbons around the top, and sell them in the shop.”
“A great Christmas gift idea. I’m sure they’ll sell fast.”
“All you have to do is add eggs and butter and you can make homemade cookies in a flash.” She snapped her fingers and gave him a quick smile. “I’ve already done a few.” She picked up a jar from the counter. “For you,” she said, extending the jar rather awkwardly. When he accepted the gift his fingers brushed against hers and she sucked in a breath. “I appreciate your h-help.”
“Thanks, Susan,” he said, not sounding one bit breathless.
She bit her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded, wishing she wasn’t wearing the silly blinking sweater.
“Your sweater is cute,” Danny said, as if reading her mind.
“Oh!” Susan looked down at Rudolph, suddenly having a change of Christmas sweater heart. “A gift from my mom. She’s crazy about Christmas. I have an endless supply of these, along with various earrings, necklaces, and hats.”
“My family’s big on Christmas too,” Danny said, but Susan noticed he didn’t specify himself. For some reason she wanted to know why.
“How about you?” The thought of anyone not loving Christmas made her sad. “Please don’t tell me you’re a Grinch.”
Danny looked off into the distance. “I enjoy the family gatherings. Now that Mason and Mattie have kids, they’re super into the holidays.” He shrugged and turned his attention back to her.
“It’s a fun time of the year but can be stressful,” Susan said.
“Yeah, I try not to stress too much. Your place is awesome by the way,” he said, changing the subject. “I love the hardwood floors and exposed brick.” He looked up. “The beamed ceiling is really sweet and I really like how the lighting is recessed between the wood.” He turned toward the floor to ceiling windows. “And you have an awesome view of Main Street.”
“Along with a very short commute to work.”
“With no traffic.” Danny chuckled and then continued to walk around. He picked up a ceramic frog and examined it. “The poor guy is missing a foot.”
“I tend to buy broken things that no one else wants. I drive my assistant, Betsy, absolutely nuts when I find something she knows won’t sell and then buy it.”
“You feel sorry for it?”
Susan grinned. “My apartment is like living on the island of misfit toys.”
Danny laughed. “It’s kind of like being in a museum. I wish everything had little cards so I could read the history.”
“If you look closely you’ll see that quite a few pieces on display are actually telephones,” she said, wondering why her mouth kept moving when she should be sending him on his way. It was like her voice had taken on a life of its own while her brain took a holiday. “Something else I can’t resist.”
“Really? Show me one.”
Susan walked over to a shelf and picked up a red car. “See?” She lifted the top to expose the phone. “I collect odd things. Don’t ask me why.”
“You collect cool things,” Danny corrected. “And it’s what you do for a living.”
“Some are items that didn’t sell in the shop and I just couldn’t toss away and some t
hings I buy to sell and then can’t part with them. Good thing I have a lot of space.” She grinned. “Or then again, maybe that’s a bad thing.” She put the car back on the shelf.
“Not at all. You just see beauty or value in things that other people miss.”
“Thank you,” Susan said, even though she suspected he was just being kind. “I suppose part of it comes from growing up on a farm. My mom used everything and wasted nothing.” When Danny smiled she realized that she was starting to feel comfortable with him and her stutter, thank goodness, had vanished. “We were green way before it became popular.” She chuckled. “Or then again, maybe we were just poor but I somehow didn’t know it.”
“Hey, when hard times hit, everybody in Cricket Creek struggled. Our marina sure did. There was a time when we thought we would lose it,” he said with a sigh. “Trying to keep Mayfield Marina afloat nearly put my father in the grave.”
“But you, Mattie, and Mason banded together and saved it, not only for your family but for Cricket Creek. I can’t imagine this town without the marina, Danny.”
“Thanks.” He gave her a warm smile. “Well, we have Noah Falcon to thank for coming home and building the baseball stadium. It was the shot in the arm we needed. His rookie baseball card is one of my prized possessions.”
“Oh I know, for a while Main Street was becoming a ghost town, one store closing after another. It’s so wonderful to see Cricket Creek thriving again. New shops are springing up all over town. The deli next door is ham good,” she said with a grin.
“Are you sure I can’t treat you to lunch?”
A big part of Susan wanted to accept his offer but she suspected he was only being polite and had no real interest in her. She wasn’t about to repeat the mistake she’d made by going to the prom with Danny. She wanted to ask if his mother had put him up to this visit, just like in high school, but she simply shook her head. “I really do have to get to work.”
He hesitated for a fraction of a second, as if he might try to convince her. She sure hoped he didn’t, because her resistance to Danny Mayfield was hanging on by a thread. “Okay. Well, I’ll come back when you’re open to shop for my mother.”
“Great,” Susan said, even though the thought of seeing Danny again made her heart hammer. He was way too good at putting her at ease when she needed to keep her guard up. “I’ll show you out.”
Danny nodded and fell into step beside her, continuing to look here and there. Susan was used to people wandering around in her apartment and picking up items to examine them, almost like they were in her shop.
They were almost to the door when Danny stopped in his tracks. “Where did you get this rocking chair?”
“I bought it at an estate sale a few weeks ago, intending to sell it.” She slid her hand over the smooth wood of the arm. “But I just couldn’t bear to part with it.”
Danny inclined his head. “Really? Why?”
“It’s just so beautiful, obviously handmade. Rocking in it is so soothing after being on my feet all day long.” She sat down in it and sighed. “It’s like whoever crafted it made it just for me.” She looked up at him. “See, it’s proportioned just right. I’m so tall that it’s hard to find a chair that feels this comfortable. I change things around in here all the time but the rocking chair is a keeper,” she said. Danny had a strange look on his face, which made Susan think she was going on way too long about a chair. “Anyway …” Feeling a bit silly she stood up and headed toward the door. He followed her down the steps and through the shop.
“Anything else you need brought out of your car?”
“Nothing I can’t manage, but thank you.”
Nodding, he put his hand on the door to push it open but then hesitated and turned back to her. “It was good to see you, Susan. Funny that we don’t run into each other more often.”
“Literally,” she said, and he chuckled.
“I hope we do more often, even if it’s literally. If you change your mind about sitting in on a Jeff Greenfield session, let me know.” He reached into his wallet and handed her a card. “That’s the office at Mayfield Marina. Just leave a message and I’ll return it.”
“Thanks.” Susan nodded and wondered if he had any idea how hard she worked to avoid him. He stood there for another heartbeat and she suddenly felt shy again. Not knowing what else to say, she nibbled on the inside of her lip.
“Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to work,” Danny said and then walked out the door.
Susan stood there while fighting the oddest urge to run after him. Maybe she’d just head over to the deli and tell him that she was hungry after all. As if on cue, her stomach growled. “No!” Fisting her hands at her sides, she inhaled a deep breath. Danny was just being nice, and accepting another pity date, even if it was just lunch, would just be stupid on her part.
“Just get a grip.” After locking the door, Susan headed upstairs to start working on layering the cookie mix into the jars. But she was feeling a bit unsettled, so she sat down in the rocking chair and tried to sort out her conflicting feelings about her unexpected meeting with Danny Mayfield. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the smooth wood and rocked gently. One thing was for sure: her attraction to Danny was stronger than ever, which meant she needed to avoid him at all costs.
2
Chicken Soup for Susan
Danny opened the door of Ham Good Sandwich Deli and inhaled the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread. His stomach rumbled in anticipation of the mile-high Reuben and crispy potato pancake he planned to order. A chalkboard sign advertised chicken noodle as the homemade soup of the day and while waiting in line Danny wondered if Susan would like a hot cup of soup while she made her Christmas cookie jar mixes. Would she consider chicken noodle soup a nice gesture or think he was being pushy? Danny rubbed his fingers over the stubble on his chin. But honestly, why was he even considering bringing her lunch when she’d made it more than clear that she wasn’t interested in him?
Danny crossed his hands over his chest, debating what to do, but before he could completely decide it was his turn to order. “Oh, hey!” Danny said, surprised that Stephanie Baker smiled at him from behind the counter. She’d been head cheerleader and prom queen, and one of the prettiest girls at Cricket Creek High. While they hadn’t exactly been close friends, they had hung out with the same crowd and she’d spent lots of time at the marina. “How’s it going, Steph?”
“Not too bad,” Stephanie replied with another perky smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“I didn’t know you were back in town.” Danny glanced over his shoulder, making sure he wasn’t holding up the line, but the lunch rush was over.
“Yeah, I got in town a couple of weeks ago.”
“I’m surprised I didn’t hear you were back.”
“I’m still getting settled in.” Stephanie shrugged. “I haven’t gotten out much.”
“So you’re not just in for the holidays, then?”
“Nope.” Stephanie inhaled a deep breath and leaned in a little bit closer. “I’m just working here until I find something in my field,” she added in a lower voice.
“Are you back for good?”
“I think so. Big city life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” She gave him a small, rather sad smile. “At least not for me.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. But I’m sure there are plenty of people glad to have you back. Especially your family.”
“Yeah …” Stephanie nodded slowly. Back in high school all Stephanie could talk about was getting away from small town life. “I’m living with mom and dad until I can find a job in my field. I love my parents but they treat me like I’m ten. Seriously, my dad bought me Captain Crunch cereal because he remembered it was my favorite.”
Danny chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind some Captain Crunch. But I know where you’re coming from. So what’s next?”
“Well, I’m still in transition at the moment.” She rolled her eyes and then gla
nced over her shoulder. “Not that I don’t like working here,” she said, even though it was pretty obvious that she didn’t really want to be taking orders for sandwiches.
“What’s your field? I know a lot of people from working at the marina.”
“Interior design.”
“Oh, cool.” Danny nodded but he didn’t think many people in Cricket Creek would need her services. “I’ll pass it along.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Stephanie gave him another overly bright smile. He remembered she’d gotten married to some rich dude a few years after college. The lack of a wedding ring indicated she must have gotten a divorce. He recalled Mattie mentioning it in passing a while ago.
“So, what can I get for you today?” Stephanie asked.
“Reuben sandwich, potato pancake, and a large sweet tea, no lemon, please.”
“Anything else?”
Danny hesitated and then grinned. “Yeah, a large cup of chicken noodle soup, extra crackers.”
“To go?”
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll put your order in.” Stephanie smiled again but Danny could sense her sadness and he felt badly for her. She’d always been one of those life-of-the-party kind of girls, the ones who seemed to have it all. She walked over to a window to the kitchen and gave the slip to John Clark, the owner of the deli.
“Hey there, Danny.” John grinned at him. “You’re becoming a regular.”
“That’s because you make a damn good sandwich.”
John laughed. “You got that right. Going for my soon-to-be-famous Reuben this time?”
“Yep. I’ve been wanting to give it a try, even though the honey baked ham sandwich is hard to beat.”
“Thanks. Good alternate choice, though. I have my corned beef delivered from New York City. It melts in your mouth. You won’t be sorry.” John kissed his fingertips and turned away to fill the order.
Danny had read an article in the Cricket Creek Courier about John Clark a while ago. The story explained how he decided to open up a deli on Main Street. Originally from Cricket Creek, he’d graduated from Harvard Law School but left his job as a successful, high-powered corporate lawyer up East, wanting to come back to a small town lifestyle. Danny had heard somewhere that John had married a much younger woman and had gone through a messy divorce—a shame since he seemed like such a nice guy. There were more rumors flying around town but Danny tried to tune out gossip.