She didn’t realize they’d been holding them until both men let out loud breaths and removed the rings from the boxes.
Giggling, she said, “Oh, right. Like I could possibly turn the two of you down. Yes! Yes! Of course I’ll bind with you.”
They slid the rings on her left ring finger so they were nestled against her wedding band, looking like they’d belonged there all along.
“Grace is going to be so excited when we tell her,” Charity said as she admired the way the stones shimmered in the light and then looked at her men. Her three men. “I suppose I’ll have to shop for a dress for a binding ceremony when we take Justine shopping for her prom dress later this month.”
Justin squeezed her and said, “Ethan wished you the best when we let him know what we planned. He said he’d be happy to perform the ceremony for us whenever we’d like.”
Smiling, Charity looked up at him and said, “How about on our wedding anniversary in July?”
Justin nodded and kissed her. “Sounds perfect to me.”
Not worrying about jostling her men together, she hugged Val and Ransome to her as she held on to Justin’s arm around her. “I really am so lucky.”
Chapter Eight
Later in March…
Justin put his arm around Charity’s shoulders as they surveyed his “booth” at March’s Divine Market Days. Some of the pieces he’d brought were large and he’d decided to rent twice the normal size space so that people would have room to move around them. He hoped the investment wasn’t a waste of their hard-earned money.
Charity looked up at him with glowing eyes and said, “How does your debut feel so far, Mister Artiste?”
Justin squeezed her as a little heat crept into his cheeks. “I’m wondering what people will think of them.”
“Everyone will love them. I know it.” She came up on tiptoe to kiss him and then looked around at all the sculptures. “They’re all so beautiful. I’m proud of you.”
I hope customers agree, or I’m about to make a total ass of myself. He sighed, thinking of the sculptures Clay Cook displayed at his jewelry shop occasionally, and what he’d seen of his work at a gallery in Morehead. He looked around at the sculptures, created from scrap metal and pieces he’d found over the years and he felt like he would never measure up to someone like that. His work was rougher, literally, and he wondered if anyone would understand what he was reaching for when he worked on them or not.
While Charity went to supervise Beau and Justine as they put the smaller pieces out for display, he turned the bust of a female nude, the outer surface made entirely of stainless steel eating utensils, on its base. He hoped the display allowed enough space so no one caught their clothing on it and decided to move it back a bit. He looked around at the other pieces and prayed that he didn’t wind up packing them all up and taking them home.
The surrounding booths sold much smaller things like handmade quilts, pottery, and stained glass. He’d tagged everything with the bare minimum he could afford to sell them for and would’ve marked them down further, but Charity had stopped him that morning from doing so.
Val and Ransome showed up with the last two large pieces on dollies. One was a stainless steel dragon that he’d made from salvaged stainless steel barrels and stainless flatware he’d found at a Goodwill store in Morehead. Val had bet him that would be the first piece to sell.
The other one was a horse, made from weathered, rusted pieces salvaged from an old 1959 Chevy pickup truck his dad had driven as a teenager, until it had lost an argument with a speeding tree. His dad had held on to it for sentimental reasons all those years but when he’d discovered what Justin was up to on his weekends off, he’d hauled it over to their place for him to salvage the metal and use in his sculptures. It’d meant a lot that his dad had supported his creativity like that.
The early morning crowds began arriving and Beau and Justine excused themselves to go check out the other booths and visit with friends. He was using a soft cloth on the stainless steel bust when he heard a feminine gasp from behind him. He turned and smiled at Summer Webster as she walked up.
After returning her hug and greeting her, he said, “You setting up a booth, too, Summer?”
“No. I decided to be a shopper this time around.” She approached the bust on its pedestal and then looked at him with wide eyes. In a soft voice, she asked, “Did you make this?”
“Sure did.”
She looked around at the other pieces before turning back to the bust and running a fingertip along the upper arm, which was crafted from stainless steel teaspoons and butter knives he’d found at a junk store. He caught sight of Charity getting Val’s attention and whispering to him. Then she gave Justin an enthusiastic thumbs-up before moving away to talk to another man and his wife who were admiring the dragon.
Summer bit her lip and craned her neck, waving at Kemp and Ace as they made their way down the aisles between booths and then she turned to him. “How much?”
He quoted her the price on the tag and added, “But I’d give you a friend’s discount, Sum—”
She shook her head and then put her finger to her lips as Kemp and Ace walked up. Ace’s eyebrows rose as he noticed the piece she had her hand on and he nodded in admiration. Kemp stuck his hands in his pockets, looked at it, and then turned his gaze to Summer. Warmth filled his eyes as he noted her determined expression and then turned to Justin. “You welded this?”
Justin nodded and grinned when Summer winked at him but said nothing as the men looked at it.
Finally, Ace asked, “Where would you put it, kitten?”
Without hesitation, she said, “By the front door at Discretion. Customers will love it.”
Ace surveyed the sculpture once more, looked at her until she smiled and nodded happily and then turned to him and said. “Sold.”
While they were handling the transaction and making arrangements for delivery at her shop, Summer mentioned that she would be sure to tell customers that he’d created it and asked if he had any business cards she could hand out.
“I hadn’t really thought about that, Summer, but I can get you some, if you have room for them.”
“Bring me a stack of them when you get them.”
He added a “Sold” tag to the piece and was grinning ear to ear as they walked away, leaving him with a check in his hand. He looked down at it and chuckled. The money he made from selling his metal art he’d earmarked for use to fix up the house. Up to that point he’d only sold small pieces. This was the first big one.
Looks like we’re getting that house renovation this summer all right.
Just then, Charity danced up to him, giggling and waving a check in her hand. “I sold your dragon!”
Justin took her in his arms and hugged her as he watched the stainless steel dragon being carted up the aisle on a dolly by Val, who looked back and grinned before following the buyers to their vehicle. Justin almost hadn’t brought that piece, thinking it probably wouldn’t sell since it was so fantasy oriented. He’d been wrong.
“I sold a piece, too,” he said, handing her the check.
She crowed with happiness and threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “I’m so proud of you, babe. I knew they would love your work.” She gave him a kiss and her bright smile lit his entire world.
The scent of blooming mountain laurels filled the air as the day warmed up and the morning progressed. More people perused his work and he was kept busy answering questions about the various pieces. He sold several more sculptures, a little blown away by the complimentary things people said to him. Every so often he’d catch Charity watching him as she talked to customers, too, and she’d wink at him before going back to her sales pitch. He grinned, pondering how a blue-collar guy like him could make good money as an artist, wielding the tools of his trade as a welder.
Just then, Charity walked up to him with a friend in tow. “Babe, do you remember my friend, Violet? She owns Violet’s Emp
orium,” she said as she pointed across Central Park to Violet’s place of business located on the square, smack in the middle of Divine’s historical shopping district.
After exchanging greetings he said, “Of course I remember. The bookstore, right?”
Violet nodded, which made her pale blonde ringlets bounce as she handed him a business card. “I’ve been utilizing a small portion of the space as a bookstore, but it’s going to be so much more. I inherited the building from my uncles, which they operated as the True Value hardware store for several decades.”
Justin chuckled and said, “I remember going in there with my dad when I was a kid.”
“I’m expanding the emporium and opening the rest of the space to vendors on consignment and I’m looking for fine antiques, artisan pottery pieces, art, collectibles, and that sort of thing.” She clasped her hands in a hopeful gesture and said “I was wondering, Justin, if you would please consider being my first art vendor. I would provide you with lighting, displays, and a space in the center front portion of the store.”
Charity nodded. “Her place is going to be the place to shop in Divine, babe. Everyone would see your work.”
Violet nodded and said, “If you have any pieces left once today is over with, I’d be happy to display them for you in the bookstore until the rest of the emporium is finished and ready for customer traffic.”
“That won’t crowd you?” he asked, recalling shopping for Charity there during the Christmas season when it had been teeming with customers.
Violet got big eyes and shook her head, making her curls bounce again. “I’ll make room, Justin. It would be a great way to introduce shoppers to the sorts of things the emporium will be offering in the future. The larger space will be available later this summer and you’ll be able to display all your new pieces. I could provide exposure for your work, sell them for you, and add on a little consignment fee for my trouble. They’ll draw attention, no matter where they’re displayed. You could bring me new ones as you finish them. But no pressure. Please say yes,” she added with a big smile and hopeful eyes, and Charity nodded behind her.
If she wasn’t opening the expansion until the summer, that would give him time to get a few more pieces completed. Justin looked down at the card and then smiled. “Absolutely, Violet. I’ll let my manager here work out all the particulars with you.”
Charity squeezed his arm and she and Violet walked off as they talked about the details. He turned to one of the display tables and straightened a couple of pieces as he laughed to himself.
Wow. We’ll see how long this lasts, I guess.
“Mr. Connors?” a deep voice said from behind him.
He turned and made eye contact with a familiar face, and nearly at eye level. Considering he was six foot seven, that was saying a lot. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and squinted at the young man, who removed his baseball cap and held out his hand. Recognition dawned and he smiled as he shook hands with him. “Noah Cassidy, is that you? Damn, son, you grew. What’s your mom feeding you? Seems like I just saw you only a month or two ago.” His dark hair was also longer and he looked like he was shaving regularly.
The young man chuckled and nodded. “I’ve been getting that a lot lately, sir. Dad says the grocery bill is gonna kill him.”
“What can I do for you, Noah?”
Noah’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and he rolled his ball cap in his hands. “Well, sir, I asked Justine to the prom and she told me I needed your permission. I know you’re pretty protective of her, and even Beau told me I’d need to ask you if it was okay.”
Justin had looked forward to moments like this one ever since his little princess was a baby. Noah was right. He was hellaciously protective of Justine. She didn’t date often because his girl had goals, and dating horny boys didn’t figure much in her plans, for which he was grateful. Any boy who wanted to date his daughter had to ask his permission first and that was just the way it was.
Justine had grown up knowing this and had laughed, blushed, and told him it was fine and to have his fun, just to not terrify her dates too badly or she wouldn’t have any. He hadn’t met any boy at the door with a gun yet, but he wasn’t opposed to a little intimidation. They needed to know that he cared, he didn’t mind going to jail for her sake, and he knew all their dads.
As if on cue, Val and Ransome appeared, skewering Noah with dark stares as they flanked Justin, arms crossed over their chests. Noah looked from one to the other. Val held the boy’s gaze and lifted his chin in a minute greeting.
Shit, this is fun.
Justin glanced over Noah’s shoulder and saw Beau and Justine standing nearby watching. Beau was barely containing his laughter, while Justine waited with her arms crossed, too, standing next to her mom. Charity scrunched up her nose and nodded in approval at him and he turned his attention back to Noah.
Noah said, “She told me that I also needed to get…their…approval, too.” He gestured at Val and Ransome, who he very bravely offered a hand to shake with.
Ransome didn’t smile, just stared at Noah while chewing on the toothpick in the corner of his mouth. “Saw you score that touchdown that won the homecoming game last fall. How long you known Justine, son?”
“Practically my whole life, sir.”
“Call me, Ransome, son.”
“Sure, sir—I mean, Ransome, sir.”
“You planning to score with Justine, too?” Ransome asked with a convincing scowl.
With wide eyes, Noah said, “N–No, sir. Not at all. I’d just like to take her to the prom. I have respect for her and for her family.”
Ransome let out a dry chuckle and said, “Kid’s got my approval.”
Val asked, “You got a vehicle, son?”
Noah nodded and gestured to the late model Ford pickup parked down the sidewalk. Not too new. Not too old. “Me and my dad fixed it up.”
Val craned his neck to see it and then said, “Can you observe a curfew and have her home on time?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Val, son. You call him sir,” he added, pointing at Justin.
Sure, Val.”
“Ransome’s right. That was a good catch last fall. Have fun,” he said, then clamped his hand down on Noah’s shoulder. “But not too much fun.” He and Ransome nodded at him and moved off to stand with Justine, hopefully to tease her a little. The girl was too serious sometimes.
Noah let out a breath of relief and looked up at him. “No wild parties or anything planned, sir. Just dinner and the prom, then home afterward.”
Justin raised an eyebrow. “I was young once, Noah. I know what goes on after the prom sometimes. No drinking, no after-prom parties, no hotel rooms.”
“No, sir.”
“I’m curious why you’ve never asked her out before, seeing how long you’ve known each other.”
Noah blushed a little and he squeezed his hat tighter. “I grew up thinking of her as a little sister, sir. And well, I had a girlfriend for a few years, and when I turned around one day, Justine was just…”
“All grown up?” Justin growled with a steely edge to his voice that made Noah squeeze his hat even tighter and Charity rolled her eyes.
“Yes, sir. But I was dating someone.”
“That Maggie-girl, right? How come you aren’t going with her to the prom?” He remembered hearing something about a confrontation between that girl and Justine from Charity but couldn’t recall the details.
Noah nodded and Justin watched as his jaw firmed. “We’ve broken up, sir. Been broke up for a while.”
“Seems like I recall her giving Justine a hard time recently.”
“I heard about that, sir. Maggie had a hard time accepting that we were finished. But she understands now.”
Justin frowned and said, “I don’t have any problem with you dating my daughter, Noah, but I also don’t want Justine catching flak from this other ex-girlfriend while you’re out on your date. I know she can defend herself but
you’ll stay with her and bring her home safely?”
Noah nodded vigorously. “I’ll stick to her like glue, sir. Well, not that close. I won’t let anything happen to her, I promise.”
Justin smiled at Noah. He was a good kid, came from a decent family, and he knew from Jack Warner that he was a hard worker, since he and Beau had been helping out on one of Jack’s framing crews on the weekends. He held out his hand to shake and said, “Treat her right and we won’t have any problem.”
“Yes, sir.”
Charity caught his eye and raised her eyebrows expectantly at him and he said, “Oh, one more thing. Come to the door and ring the bell when you pick her up. If you pull up and just honk, you’ll have to deal with her”—he pointed at Charity—“and her shotgun. She has a pet peeve about boys who do that.”
Noah looked back at Charity, waved, and then turned back to Justin. “No problem, sir. I’d never do that.”
“Well, then, just remember she’s my princess and have fun. Just out of curiosity, what did she tell you about Val and Ransome?”
Noah said, “She said they’re like dads to her and that was how I needed to treat them. Their approval was just as necessary as yours.”
Justin chuckled and said, “Then I guess it’s a good thing you scored that touchdown last fall, huh?”
“Yes, sir. Me and Beau were planning to go check out the food booths and I wanted to invite Justine to come, too. That okay?”
“Sure.”
After he’d moved off with Beau and Justine, Charity came over and gently poked him in the chest. “Enjoy yourself?”
Finally able to laugh, Justin said, “That was fun. You looked like you were enjoying it from over there.”
“Val and Ransome must’ve suddenly developed the daddy radar because they both perked up when Noah approached you. That boy has done some growing lately. Seems like only yesterday he was a short, nerdy middle-schooler.”
“Looks more like a man and less like a boy,” he said, not certain he liked the idea of his daughter dating a guy who looked like he was already in college.
Divine Charity [Divine Creek Ranch 18] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 13