She crinkled her nose. “I am being a brat, aren’t I? I could be lying in the hospital or worse right now, and all I can think of is how frustrated I am that I can’t do more to help.”
His face turned serious. “I wouldn’t say ‘being a brat.’ Just learning to be content in all circumstances, which I know isn’t easy.”
She sighed. “Isn’t that the truth!”
He chuckled and tapped her nose. “Come on, Grumpy. The other dwarfs are waiting for us in the dining room.”
“Har, har.” She clunked after him down the hallway.
Justus pulled out her chair and helped her stow her crutches against the wall behind her, and when she reached for a plate, even commandeered it from her and filled it with the items she pointed out so she wouldn’t have to stand on her one good leg to reach the buffet style food.
He set the plate down in front of her with a steaming cup of coffee next to it and arched a brow as if to ask if it all looked right.
“Thank you.” She gave him a smile, even though she hated not being able to fend for herself. She really ought to be more thankful for all the help he’d given her over the past few days since the storm.
“My pleasure.” He filled his own plate and then sank down next to her.
With her mouth stuffed full, she witnessed him pause to bow his head before he dug into his own fare, and felt a prick of guilt. Bad boy turned good? She logged another mark on the pros side of her imaginary tally sheet.
She swallowed the delicious bite of stuffed green pepper and then followed his example. She hadn’t been grateful for much lately, and she really had a lot to be grateful for.
She and Justus chatted amiably while they ate and others filtered into the room and filled their own plates. Dakota had been honored and a little surprised when Marie had asked her if she would be her maid of honor. She’d figured Taysia would get that distinction, but Marie explained that they had wanted Taysia and her husband Kylen, who was one of the groomsmen, to be able to walk together up the aisle, and Taysia had been perfectly happy with that decision. Riley was also a bridesmaid. Reece had chosen Justus as his best man, and Jalen, whom he had also worked with for years at Deschutes Rejuvenation, as his third groomsman.
By the time everyone gathered around the table, Dakota felt a bit like a sardine. But she loved this. She studied the occupants of the Serenity Shores dining room. Kylen and Taysia were laughing hysterically over something with Reece and Marie. Alyssa, her tongue stuck between her teeth, had her head tilted just so as she attempted to get something right in a drawing she was working on. And beside the little girl Darlene leaned in to see what she was sketching. Across the table from Dakota, Riley remained quiet, but she didn’t seem as withdrawn today as she had been for the past weeks. Next to Riley, Jalen fiddled with the fork on his empty plate, a small frown pinching his brow. He was a riddle she hadn’t quite figured out yet. He would laugh and joke when Riley wasn’t in the room, but the minute she walked in, it was like an emotional blanket dropped over him.
Stuffed too full to finish everything on her plate, Dakota pushed back from the table as an expectant silence finally settled. Dakota turned to look at Reece and Marie along with everyone else, wondering why they’d been called here.
Marie gave Reece an excited little glance and then rubbed her hands together as she scanned them all. Dakota felt the bottom begin to drop out of her stomach. What had Marie schemed up for them?
“Okay, everyone, Reece and I have something we’d like to ask of all of you.” Her attention honed in on Dakota. “We’d wanted to do this, and then when Dakota was injured we weren’t sure we could pull it off, but now that she’s for sure going to be able to walk tomorrow, we’d like to try.”
Try what? Dakota liked the sound of this less and less. Maybe her foot would have a tragic setback tomorrow.
“So what we’d like is for each of you to join us on the dance floor for our first dance, but we want to end the dance with a little bit of a choreographed routine.”
Dakota’s gaze darted to Justus’s, only to find he was already looking at her, brows raised, humor dancing in his eyes. Dakota snapped her lips together to keep her jaw from dropping open.
Marie held up her hands. “I know. I know. It sounds complicated, but I promise it is not going to be too complex. We are going to make it super easy on all of you and we even have time planned to practice today at the rehearsal.”
Dakota swallowed, but there was no moisture in her mouth whatsoever. She snatched up her coffee mug and took a big swig that burned all the way down.
They wanted her to dance? Did they know she’d grown up mostly on the mission field and hadn’t been allowed to dance one day in her life? She didn’t know the difference between a waltz and a disco, for crying in her coffee. Yes, a good cry would be so comforting right about now. No one would fault her for indulging in a nice prescription of tears and caffeine, would they?
Justus leaned over and nudged her. “Come on. It won’t be so bad.”
Her lips thinned over her teeth in what she hoped at least partially resembled a smile of agreement.
She was going to kill Marie.
Justus rubbed his fingers over his upper lip and then stroked down around his chin. So he was going to have to dance with her. Well, that wouldn’t be so bad. He just needed to keep his emotions in check. Remind himself that she only wanted to be friends. Keep things light. He could do that.
But judging by the look on Dakota’s face, she’d rather kiss a toad than spend time dancing with him, which he had to admit rubbed him a little raw. Maybe he should just lay things out on the table? Tell her he was interested in getting to know her better for more than just friendship?
Before he could decide whether to say something to her right now, Marie stood and began directing traffic. “Darlene, thanks so much for making such a delicious brunch for us.”
Darlene smiled and blushed, brushing away their applause and words of gratitude. “It was more than my pleasure. You all head on out to do the decorations, and as soon as I’m done here I’ll be along to help with the final details and for the rehearsal.”
“Great… so”—Marie glanced from Jalen to Riley— “Riley do you mind giving Jalen a ride to the church and stopping at the Wedding Shoppe on the way to pick up the candles and decorations? Then he can help you get all the candelabras and stuff into your back seat?”
Riley’s fist clenched into a white-knuckled ball on the table.
Next to Justus, Dakota squirmed in her seat, a small frown puckering the yellow, bruised skin of her brow. Her blue eyes softened and filled with concern as she studied Riley, who remained quiet despite the fact that everyone was looking at her.
Jalen’s jaw jutted off to one side, and Justus knew that memories of what had happened to his sister were probably at the forefront of his mind whenever he was around Riley.
He turned his attention back to Dakota. He knew she hadn’t been doing this job very long. But it was obvious she cared for the woman across the table with every fiber of her being. How long had it been since he’d felt that way about any of his boys? He used to. Back in the beginning. Back when he had hope that he could make a difference. Now… He just wasn’t sure anymore.
He darted a guilty look toward Jalen. Jalen would tell him he was an idiot to think he wasn’t making a difference. But Jalen hadn’t watched as Helene’s body was zipped into a black bag. He hadn’t stood by and seen the expressions on her parents’ faces when the police had given them the bad news. He hadn’t watched as Trey jumped the fence in his backyard just as a cop, with gun raised, yelled for him to stop…
Justus scrubbed a palm across his forehead and forced his thoughts back to the present.
Was there hope for a woman like Riley? Certainly not without the mercy of God.
Considering the cast on Riley’s arm, her bruised eye, and the fact that she lived at House of Hope, it was obvious she’d suffered some sort of domestic abuse. If he remembe
red right, when he’d first met her last summer he’d had the impression she was expecting too. Based on all that, it was totally understandable that she’d be reluctant to ride alone in a car with a practical stranger – especially a man.
But… he frowned… She’d ridden with Jalen to House of Hope to get her things, and then to the church to help him look over the sound system. Justus darted a glance at Jalen. Had he said something to make her uncomfortable? He knew the man wouldn’t have done anything to hurt her, but she certainly seemed a bit reluctant to go with him today.
Dakota leaned forward. “Maybe I should ride with Riley, and Jalen can ride with Justus?”
“No. It’s okay.” Riley shoved her hands into her lap, but not before Justus noticed they were trembling. “It will be fine.” She tossed a tight little smile in Jalen’s direction without actually meeting his gaze, then focused on a spot on the tablecloth in front of her.
Marie leaned forward to see Riley better. “As long as you’re sure, Riley?”
Riley nodded. “Yes. I’m sure.”
Dakota didn’t say anything more, but there was a distinct sheen of moisture in her eyes that she quickly blinked away.
Justus eased back in his chair and folded his arms, swallowing hard. He hated seeing her hurt and yet loved her heart to help Riley all at the same time.
Dakota Trask was definitely a woman worth risking his heart for.
Decision made.
She might tell him to take his sentiment and go back home, but sometime today he would quit being a coward and just tell her he wanted to get to know her better.
Jalen rose a couple notches in Dakota’s estimation when he held his silence and actually looked like he was happy they were making sure Riley was comfortable riding with him, instead of insulted that they might not trust him. She offered him a smile to let him know they weren’t suspicious about him.
He gave her a nod of understanding and a subtle thumbs-up.
Marie glanced at a list lying in front of her. “Okay, good. So Justus and Dakota, if you don’t mind, could you swing by Connie’s Floral and pick up the swags and all the flowers? Reece and I are supposed to meet Pastor Mark for a few minutes this morning, and we also need to run by the bakery, because she wanted us to give the final okay on the cake before she delivers it tomorrow. Then we can all meet at the church at eleven thirty?”
Everyone agreed to their respective tasks, and Reece dismissed them all with, “Ready? And BREAK!”
Chapter 5
Riley pulled her car keys from her purse and subtly glanced at the guy who’d been saddled with babysitting her. Again.
A familiar roil of anger surged through her as she once again pondered how much she hated where she was in life right now. Nate had stolen so much from her. But not only from her. Also from those who were now putting themselves out to help her. From innocent guys like this one – what was his name again? – who suffered her insecurities without question and seemed fine with it. Why hadn’t he gotten angry when they’d asked her that back there? Nate would have been beside himself if anyone had dared question whether she would be fine if she left with him – and strangely, no one had questioned her when she was with him, when in reality she’d have welcomed a lot of questioning. No one, that is, until Marie. Marie had questioned. Marie had made her question. And it was one of those questions that had raised Nate’s anger to the point that he’d—
Pain shot across her palm and she realized she was squeezing the keys much too tightly. She eased her grip. Glanced again at the guy over the top of her car. How long had they been standing here with her staring into nothing?
He was waiting quietly, studying her with those seemingly all-seeing brown eyes of his. But not saying a word while she’d been spaced out for who knew how long.
Her brow slumped. “I’m sorry.” She glanced down at the keys and then back to him. “Would you mind—” Her brain seemed incapable of creating full sentences.
But he’d apparently understood her because he appeared quietly at her side and reached out one hand, palm up, without touching her. “I’d be happy to drive.”
She looked up into his eyes. And for some reason, the fear she’d expected to bloom instead wilted and slipped away. “I’m sorry about that back there.” She gestured toward the house they’d just left. “My friends…they’re just trying to take care of me. It’s not about you.”
His features softened. “I know. You’re lucky to have friends like that who care about you so much.”
She swallowed. Nodded. “Not everyone cares for others like that.” Why had she said that? It revealed more than she was ready to. She gave her head a little shake to dispel the wave of dismay, and swung her attention to where Dakota was slipping into the passenger seat of a sporty red car while Justus held the door for her.
She could feel the guy studying her. But he remained very still. Like a nature lover afraid of scaring off a flighty animal.
As though he had some sort of magnetic force, her gaze returned to him. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve heard your name…?”
He smiled. “Well, now I am offended.”
She blinked.
But his grin broadened and she realized he was teasing her.
She wished she could will herself to offer him a smile in return. He had a nice smile. A handsome broad face and teeth stark white against his brown skin. Kind chocolate-mocha colored eyes. Dark curly hair just mussed enough to give him a bit of a rakish look. A face so different from Nate’s. Not just because Nate had been a redhead, but because Nate had never invited her scrutiny. He certainly wouldn’t have stood so patiently for it.
Had Nate ever teased her? She chased the trail of history back to the very first time she’d met him and thought maybe he had back then. Back before… But all that had changed. She cradled her cast against her stomach and was surprised to feel her lips tip up at the corners, even if it was only just a bit.
He tilted his head, and his gaze skimmed her face. “It’s good to see you at least try to smile. My name’s Jalen Rivera.” He stuck out one hand, but just held it there, letting her decide if she wanted to make the next move.
She took in his thick muscular palm. It was a shade lighter than the dark skin around it. Broad blunted fingers. A working man’s calluses. Should she shake it? Why did every decision seem to take her forever lately? Just yesterday she’d stood for long minutes in the bread aisle, unable to make a decision on which loaf to buy.
This was silly. Why wouldn’t she shake it? Finally she lifted her hand to his and her focus back to his face. “I’m Riley.” That sounded dumb. Because she’d spent hours with him the other day. He probably thought she was the strangest woman he’d ever met. She probably was the strangest woman he’d ever met.
But he didn’t belittle her. He only said, “Nice to meet you, Riley.” His handshake was firm but gentle. Friendly. And then he released her and swept a gesture for her to move around the car since she’d asked him to drive. “I guess you know the way from here to the candle place, yeah?”
She nodded at him over the roof of her Kia and then slipped into the passenger seat. The smell of cigarette smoke had never been more appalling to her. Maybe because of the contrast between the memories the smell evoked, and her more recent experiences with these new friends. She tucked her thumbnail between her teeth, leaned her elbow against the car door and stared out across the rolling green lawn of Serenity Shores.
Jalen adjusted the seat and mirrors. Started the car. And then just sat there.
She turned to look at him.
He smiled gently. “At the end of the drive…which way do I turn?”
Of course. Directions. “Sorry. Right at the end of the drive.”
“Right. Got it.” His grin broadened. “You’re a woman of few words, Riley. Am I going to turn right and just keep driving until I hit ocean somewhere when you disappear into your own world again?”
She studied him. The words could have been said with rancor. But
there had only been gentle teasing and nothing else. A smile nudged for release for the second time that afternoon. “I’ll try to stay present and remember to tell you where to turn.”
He gave her a wink. “Alright then. Let’s get those candles to the church, aye?”
Jalen hadn’t said a word or even made a face or a noise about the smell of old cigarettes and spilled beer in her car.
And it really was quite nauseating. The smell of all the candles in the backseat was only going to make it worse.
She nibbled on her thumbnail without actually biting it. When she’d gotten pregnant she’d hoped that would make Nate quit smoking – in the car with her at least. But he had neither stopped smoking or drinking and—
A pain twinged through her arm, and she closed her eyes. Stay present. Stay focused. Now was not the time to revisit the nightmare that had been her life.
One day at a time she needed to walk into the future. She just wished it didn’t look so bleak and gray.
“Take a right at the stop sign.” She congratulated herself on the small victory and tried to relax into the seat. She could do this. Today was all she had to worry about now. Only today. Only herself. Only one more breath. Then another. And another after that.
And somehow, for the first time in her life, she’d found herself in the company of people who actually cared. They were kind. Loving.
There was that.
She pulled in another cool lungful of air. “Left here.”
One day, one hour, one moment at a time. She could do this.
Dakota directed Justus to the florist’s shop, and they loaded all the flowers carefully into his trunk so they wouldn’t get smashed.
Justus had seemed a little nervous and jumpy all morning since Marie’s announcement that they would have to dance together, and Dakota couldn’t deny her own apprehension. Especially since he didn’t know just how in jeopardy his toes were going to be yet.
He sank into the driver’s seat and glanced over at her. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but no sound emerged, and after a moment he snapped his jaw shut and thrust the keys into the ignition.
Song of the Surf (Pacific Shores Book 3) Page 5