“What mystery?”
“The one where Shayna found out about our past.”
“Who told her?”
“Just as I thought, it was Ashley’s mom.”
“Oh, yes. The one you said was good friends with Karen.” Suddenly uncomfortable, Amy shifted in her seat.
“That’s right. Hey, I have to take Shayna by there to pick up one of her schoolbooks. And to speak with Ashley’s mom about those boys and the drive-in. I know she’d love to see you again. You want to ride along?”
“No, thank you.” Meet a woman who had been one of Karen’s close friends? Amy didn’t need any more reminders of the woman who had stolen Quentin’s heart. “I have assignments to work on this afternoon.”
Quentin didn’t argue, for which Amy was thankful. She hated feeling jealous of a woman who was no longer alive, but she felt it just the same and an uncomfortable silence developed between her and Quentin.
Did he know what she was thinking?
She was relieved when Shayna returned to the table with a small container of sauce and broke the tension. Shayna lifted the cheese with her fork and poured the sauce onto the dough, then went back for more and proceeded to use it as a dip for the pizza. Quentin fussed about her table manners, but Amy laughed and told him she was used to it. She’d had her share of supervising the lunch room when she taught first grade.
By the time they finished eating, Amy was stuffed and ready for a nap. Though she didn’t relish the thought of the walk home, she turned down Quentin’s offer of a ride.
“I need to walk off this pizza,” she said. “I’m not used to eating so much.”
“So we’ll see you tonight then?” The look in his eyes was hopeful, and Amy glanced away.
“Please, Miss Welsh?” Shayna grabbed her hand. “You’ll enjoy it. I promise.”
“Yes, Miss Welsh.” Quentin’s tone was soft. “You’ll enjoy it. I promise, too.”
She glanced up then, and her gaze collided with his. Feeling her defenses crumble, Amy finally nodded.
“Good. We’ll pick you up at quarter to six.”
“No need. I’ll meet you there.” Amy would drive herself, leave herself, and that would be that. Riding to church together would be too intimate. Something she had to avoid at all costs. It would be much too easy to fall for Quentin Macmillan all over again.
And that was something Amy vowed would never happen.
8
Nerves hammered her stomach as Amy nosed her car into a space in the church parking lot. Really, Amy, you’re acting like an idiot. What do you have to be nervous about?
It had to be the thought of being welcomed by strangers, being expected to tell a little about herself. Either that or being totally ignored. She didn’t know which was worse, but right now she’d rather be ignored than be pressed to make small talk. Yes, that was it. That explained her jitters. This certainly wasn’t about seeing Quentin again. The pizza this afternoon had been a pleasant surprise and had gone a long way toward easing her nerves where he was concerned.
No it hadn’t. She was lying to herself. The thought of sitting nice and cozy beside Quentin on a church bench was far more nerve-wracking than entering a new church building for the first time. Quentin was a danger to her. She was on the brink of falling for him all over again and just as soon as she did...boom. He’d drop her before she knew what hit her. So why had she agreed to come? Because of those eyes. She knew it as well as she knew her birthday. One look into those sparkling blue depths and she managed to turn into a blob of Jell-O. It never failed. She was hopeless.
So...she glanced around the parking lot...where was Quentin anyway? Maybe he’d already rethought this whole thing and wasn’t coming. It was no more than she should have expected from him. He was good at not showing up.
Leaning back in her seat, Amy closed her eyes and prayed for the courage to enter the building full of strangers. A knock at the window startled her and she jumped. Shayna. Quentin had kept his word after all. She felt inexplicably pleased.
“Hi, Shayna.” She rolled down the window. “I didn’t see your dad’s truck, so didn’t think you were here yet.”
“We parked on the other side of the fellowship hall. Dad has to do youth group tonight, after all.”
Youth group. That meant she’d have to go in to worship all alone. She fought down the full-fledged panic that had her wanting to tear out of the parking lot. She could get through this.
“It’s OK, Miss Welsh. Dad said I could skip it to sit with you.”
He’d thought of her. She was touched. He’d actually thought about how nervous she was over facing a group of strangers for the first time. She smiled over at Shayna.
“No, Shayna. I appreciate the thought. But I can manage on my own.”
“Well...my dad did say you could join us in the fellowship hall if you prefer. The youth group leads children’s church during the evening service. It’s kind of fun. You might like it.”
“I guess I have a decision to make, don’t I?” She was more comfortable with kids than adults, and Shayna’s expression was so hopeful, the decision was easy. “Let’s go to children’s church.” Amy could tell by Shayna’s wide smile she’d made the right decision. She rolled up the car window, gathered her things, and together they headed toward the fellowship hall. This would be a good way to ease into the church. Start with the kids, and then gradually feel comfortable with the adults.
“Amy.” Quentin greeted her as she stepped into the large chilly room. He was standing in the center of the room behind a table scattered with papers. Behind him was a puppet stage. The room was filled with kids of all ages. “I’m glad you decided to join us. This was a last-minute thing. Russ couldn’t come tonight. His wife is sick.”
It had only been a few hours ago that she’d eaten pizza with him, but she couldn’t believe the warmth that rushed through her when he smiled at her.
“Have a seat over there. I’m just making last minute preparations.”
“I’ll sit with you, Miss Welsh.”
Amy followed Shayna to the back of the crowd of younger kids. She sat in one of the folding chairs, not far from a group of teenagers, and shivered as her rear made contact with the cold metal.
“I know it’s cold. I’ve sent one of the guys to turn on the furnace. Pretty soon it’ll be so warm in here we’ll have to open the windows. Had I known earlier that I’d be taking over for Russ, I’d have made sure it was done in plenty of time for class.”
“Hey, Macmillan.”
“Shayna!”
The voices came simultaneously. A man and a tiny little girl with curly black ringlets. The man, taller than Quentin by at least five inches, with sandy brown hair, set the toddler on the ground and she ran with outstretched arms toward Shayna with all the might her chubby little legs would allow. Amy noted the pleasure on Shayna’s face as she scooped the child into her arms.
“St. Nick.” Quentin greeted the man with a handshake. “Hey, I’m glad you brought Emily. Shayna was chomping at the bit, waiting for you to show up.”
“And Emily couldn’t wait to get here.” The man walked over to his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. “You have fun, sweetie. Daddy will see you later.” He glanced at Amy with interest.
“Hello.” She smiled, not wanting to appear rude by saying nothing.
“And who is this? Where have you been hiding her, Macmillan?”
“This is Amy Welsh.” Quentin came up behind St. Nick, his tone chilly. “Amy, this is Nick St. James and his daughter, Emily.”
“Hi, Emily.” Amy greeted the toddler with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, Amy.” Nick’s smile lit up his face, and his warm voice sounded sincere. “Are you new in town?”
“Yes. I’m teaching at the high school.”
“She lives down the road from you,” Shayna burst in. Almost as soon as she spoke, a look of regret crossed her face. Amy couldn’t help but wonder how Shayna knew where she lived. More impo
rtantly, why did she now look as if she’d given away some prized secret?
“Nick owns a tree farm beyond the woods that are behind the lagoon on Madrona Cove.”
“Christmas trees?” The lagoon was just down the road from the house Amy rented, and she never noticed a tree farm. “They must be well hidden,” she said.
“Yep. You can see the house and the lagoon, but the tree farm isn’t visible from the road.” Nick’s grin was wide. “So you’re the one renting the Kincaid place. How do you like it?”
“We need to get started.” Quentin herded Nick toward the door. “Shayna will bring Emily to you after class.” In a matter of seconds he’d managed to usher Nick out the door, but not before Nick looked over his shoulder and flashed Amy a huge smile. Quentin practically slammed the door in his face.
He was jealous. She rather liked that.
Quentin avoided her watchful gaze as he made his way to the front of the group.
“All right, you kiddos. Are you ready to sing?”
Noisy shouts went up, and Quentin raised his voice in a husky bass that sent shivers of pleasure dancing up her spine as he led the kids in a song about Noah building the ark.
The hour Amy spent with Quentin and the children was pleasant and passed quickly, an hour she’d gladly live through again. Quentin served as an MC of sorts, often leading the children in song, introducing the puppets and storytellers, and leading a prayer. She was in total awe of his interaction with both the young kids and the teenagers. He was a natural. And to Amy’s delight, while the puppets were doing their thing, Quentin came and sat in the back with her like it was the most natural thing it the world for him to do—like he wanted her there for a reason other than the fact that his daughter had invited her.
The chairs were close enough together that when he first sat down his hard-muscled, denim-clad thigh brushed against hers. The touch, his denims against the thin cotton of her skirt, was so intimate and so deliciously thrilling, she wished she’d had on jeans instead. Perhaps then it would have merely been a thigh brushing a thigh instead of something that caused the pulse in her throat to leap wildly about.
Instead of apologizing as she’d expected, he flashed her a grin that reached his eyes and her heart. He stared at her with mischievous delight, then winked and turned his attention back to the front of the room. Amy was doused with a warm feeling of intimacy, a sense of belonging. Seventeen years seemed to melt away.
When class ended, several of the older kids ran out the door, either in search of their parents or to play on the playground. The spring days were growing longer, so there was plenty of light left. Most of the teenagers gathered in one corner of the room, talking and laughing loudly. Quentin did a great job of making sure the toddlers stayed put until their parents came after them. One parent in particular, Nick St. James, came as a surprise to Amy since Shayna had specifically said she’d take Emily to him. After retrieving his curly-haired daughter from a disappointed Shayna, Nick came over to where Amy stood observing as Quentin bid each child good night and warmly asked them to be sure to come back next week.
“It was nice meeting you, Amy.” Nick held his hand out to her, and she shook it obligingly. “I hope you’ll come back again next week.”
“Yes, well I hope so, too. I’ll have to wait and see.” When he didn’t let go of her hand, she gently tugged on it and added, “It was nice meeting you, too.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Quentin approach. If that fierce scowl was any indication, he was not happy.
“Clear out, St. James. I need to get the rest of these kids off to their parents.” The fact that he called his friend ‘St. James’ instead of ‘St. Nick’ did not escape Amy.
Nick blinked, clearly surprised at Quentin’s rude growl, and shifted baby Emily on his hip. Giving Amy a last sweeping gaze with those perfect green eyes, he left the building.
Beside her, Quentin folded his arms across his chest, pushed out his lower lip, and tapped his right foot.
“What was that all about?”
“He was in the middle of a divorce and an ugly custody hearing when his wife suddenly died. He’s not ready to get involved.”
“Who said anything about getting involved? The man was just being polite.” Amy couldn’t believe the way he was acting. Territorial. Definitely jealous.
“I saw the look in his eyes. Believe me, it was more than polite. He’s not the one for you.”
Amy laughed at his audacity. “Don’t you think you ought to leave that to me to decide?”
Quentin raked his hand through his hair and shifted his stance. “Look, I’m sorry. I overstepped my bounds. I didn’t mean to.”
Skeptical, Amy said nothing.
“Forgive me?” Raising one eyebrow, he stared at her, his crystal blue gaze unwavering. His mouth quirked up in one corner.
That’s when Amy’s heart warmed, and she had to turn away to refrain from stepping into his arms.
Across the room, Shayna was kneeling down laughing with a couple of little boys. Amy saw it as the perfect diversion.
“She’s a good kid, Quentin. You’ve done a great job with her.”
“Thank you.” His eyes brightened and his smile grew wide as he pulled back his shoulders.
Amy could see the pride he felt and that pleased her. Quentin was good with teenagers, good with little kids. He was a great father. It wasn’t hard to imagine him as a young dad swinging his daughter in the air, holding her on his hip much like Nick with Emily. She wondered if he’d been as good a husband as he was a dad.
“Amy?”
Amy blinked and realized Quentin had said something she hadn’t even heard.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Where were you just now?”
“Just thinking,” she murmured.
“I said I was sorry for the way I behaved with Nick. Forgive me?”
Unable to speak, she nodded. By now her heart was so filled with warmth toward him, she was helpless to deny him anything. Still, she had to say something so he didn’t get the wrong idea and think she was putty in his hands.
“Don’t do it again though. My life is my own and I won’t have you interfering. Got it?”
Chagrined, Quentin nodded. Amy looked down at the floor and smiled. He was so easily manipulated by the females in his life. Or was she the one who’d just been manipulated?
Then the import of her previous thought struck her. The females in his life. Is that what she wanted to be? There was a glimmer of emotion that she quashed before it could be identified.
“I have to go now,” she said quickly. “I enjoyed the evening though. You’re a natural with these kids.”
“Amy, before you leave I— the youth group meets for another hour. If you want to hang around we could go for pie and coffee after.”
She wanted to. Honest she did. But clearly this was something she’d be better off avoiding. She glanced around to see what the teenagers made of their leader asking a woman out. To her relief, no one was paying attention—though Shayna appeared to be holding herself unnaturally still.
“I don’t think so, Quentin. Thanks, though.” She wasn’t supposed to want to be around him anymore. She was supposed to get him out of her system, put the past behind her so she could walk away from Goose Bay with no regrets.
“I understand.” Quiet disappointment darkened his eyes. Why? He couldn’t possibly be interested in her again.
Amazingly, she found her voice. “Good night then.”
“Yeah, good night.” He said nothing else, and she turned away. “Amy, wait.”
Hopeful, confused, she turned around. They watched each other in silence before he finally spoke.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“What about your class?”
“They’ll be fine for a few minutes. I mean, look around you. They’re a long way from getting settled.” He was right. The kids were rowdy, laughing, and clowning around, and the last of the little kids had been clai
med by their parents.
“All right. You can walk with me.”
They walked in awkward silence, and Amy was torn between relief and regret when they reached the parking lot. “Thanks again, Quentin.” She opened her car door and stepped in.
“I’ll give you a call.”
“Good night.”
He nodded and walked away, but not before she caught his sense of disappointment. She wanted to call him back, say “OK, I’ll be expecting your call.” But she didn’t. Because she doubted he’d call. She had firsthand knowledge, inner scars to prove Quentin didn’t always keep his word.
To take her mind off Quentin and all the turbulent feelings he inspired, Amy decided an aerobic workout was in order. She changed out of her skirt and sweater and slipped into a pair of sweats.
One of her goals, but not her sole purpose for coming back to Goose Bay, had been to see Quentin again so she could purge him from her thoughts. It was the only way she could move forward in her relationship with Jared. Now that she realized a relationship with Jared was out of the question, it should be simple. Get Quentin out of her system and leave town. Go home to Issaquah, and get on with her life.
She’d seen him, and she profusely thanked God, but Quentin was far from out of her system. What was she supposed to do now? Settling down on the plush champagne colored carpet, she inserted Lonestar’s From There to Here: Greatest Hits into the CD player sitting on the floor in front of an antique cabinet where the TV was stored.
As Amy did her warm-ups and thought about the situation with Quentin, she began to pray, tuning out the sound of “Amazed.”
“I don’t understand, Father. I thought seeing Quentin again was the cure. See him, get over him, and move on. You answered my prayer. You let me see him again. You opened the door so I could come back here and deal with those feelings. Thank you for that. But what am I supposed to do now?
“His smile warms me up inside, watching him interact with the kids tonight was wonderful. I don’t want to leave. I want to see more of him even though I know it’s not the best thing for me.”
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