“I know I can’t get exactly what my grandmother had on the wall, but I’d like to find something close. It was a floral print with tiny flowers in lavender and gray.”
“If you can’t find it here, there are other places we can go.”
“It may come to that. It took me several trips to the paint store before I found the right shade of blue to paint the dining room.”
“You remind me of my mother. She knows exactly what she wants, and she’ll search for weeks or even months until she finds it.”
Before Rosemary could comment, a young woman strolled up behind Jase and threw her arm around his shoulders. The hair piled on top of her head in an untidy bun was bright red.
“Hey, Jase! What’s with the sling?”
“I had a little accident. I didn’t know you were back in town, Shelby.”
“My mom got sick, and Dad needed help. I was going to call you when things settled down.”
Rosemary moved away to let them renew their acquaintance in private. As she listened to the rise and fall of their conversation, conflicting feelings rose up within her. Knowing her time with Jase had a definite endpoint made it difficult to know how to feel about situations like this. On the one hand, she didn’t want to mess up his chances with someone else. On the other, she didn’t want to think about the women he would spend time with after she left. Neither one of these lines of thinking were logical. It was both inevitable and necessary that he move on. It was just as inevitable and sobering to realize that she might not. Why hadn’t she thought of this before?
* * * * *
Until that climactic meeting with Rosemary on the plane, Jase would have said that Shelby was the closest any woman had come to touching his heart. A year ago when she told him of her decision to leave St. Marys, he’d been upset and disappointed. He rationalized her departure with the thought that their separation would be a good test of his feelings. In the weeks that followed, he missed her, but not like a man should miss the woman he loves. The one he can’t live without.
Meeting her now merely put an exclamation point on that. He felt only the momentary pleasure of seeing an old friend. Each one of his senses was focused on the woman standing five feet away.
“I better let you get back to what you came here for,” Shelby was saying.
“I hope your mother feels better soon. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Thanks, Jase. See you around.”
Jase walked over to rejoin Rosemary. “Found anything you like?”
She turned to him with a smile that had him wishing they were alone. “I like this,” she said, pointing to one of the samples. “Do you think it’s too busy for such a small space?”
He reluctantly moved his glance from her lips to the wallpaper. “No. The wainscoting covers half the wall. That will help reduce the effect somewhat.”
“I hadn’t thought about that. I could use a solid curtain at the window.”
“I suggest something like the lighter shade of purple in the petals of the flowers.”
She nodded, her smile growing. “You’re good at this.”
“Always happy to be of service, ma’am.”
Rosemary laughed as she pulled two double rolls of paper out of the bin. “This paper is pre-pasted so all I need is a smoothing brush to get out the wrinkles and seal the seams. They’re over here. I noticed them while you were talking to your friend.”
“Shelby and I dated last year.”
“Given the size of St. Marys and the number of girls you’ve probably gone out with, you’ve got a decent chance of bumping into old girlfriends.”
“You’re right,” he said, slipping his arm through hers. “And I’ve had some interesting results.”
“I haven’t run into Randall yet. I’m not looking forward to it.”
“Your situation is different. Shelby and I broke up because she moved to Tennessee for grad school. When are you planning to do this wallpapering project?”
“Probably tomorrow. I promised to help Mrs. Jenkins paint her kitchen next week. She’s brought me food almost every day since I’ve been here. I want to do something for her.”
“I’m not much use with this cast on my arm, but I could hand you things and provide you with stimulating, thought-provoking conversation.”
She sent him a teasing glance. “Don’t you have something to do on Thursdays?”
“How do you know about…?” He stopped and shook his head sadly. “I saw you through the window last week. It never occurred to me that you’d already seen me. Why didn’t you come say hello?”
Her glance dropped to his chin. “You were busy helping someone.”
“Was that the only reason?”
“No, but can we not talk about the other one? I was being silly.”
“It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who does silly things. Getting back to your original question, I got someone to fill in for me tomorrow. I didn’t want my battered appearance upsetting the kids.”
“In that case, I’ll be happy to have you join me. You’ll be a nice change from Ambrose. He’s good company, but he doesn’t have much to say.”
“I’m trying hard to find a compliment in there.”
She laughed. “Let’s go pay for my stuff and get out of here.”
When they pulled into his driveway, Jase noticed Winnie and Quinn playing basketball. “You better park in the garage. That’ll keep your rental from getting hit with the ball.”
The car had barely come to a stop when Winnie ran up to Jase’s side and spoke to him through the open window. “Dr. Phillips and I are playing Horse. Do you want to play, too?”
Jase cocked his head in Rosemary’s direction. “How about it? You and me against Cutie Pie and the Kobe Bryant wannabe standing under the hoop.”
“I don’t mind, but it’ll probably be a quick game. You’re down to one arm, and I’m about as non-athletic as you can get.”
He turned back to Winnie. “It sounds like we’re playing.”
“Goodie gumdrops!” she squealed.
“We’ve made someone happy,” Rosemary said, laughing.
Jase came around to open her door. “Children are easily made happy. That’s what makes them so irresistible. They ask so little and give so much. Do you know how to play Horse?”
“Isn’t that the game where you have to make the shot the person ahead of you makes?”
“That’s right. If you don’t, you get an ‘H’, and so on. When you get all the letters in the word Horse, you’re out of the game. The last man standing is the winner.”
“Are you two finished discussing strategy?” Quinn called out.
“We’re ready when you are.”
“Great. You can go first.” He bounced the ball in their direction.
Jase caught it with his free hand and held it out to Rosemary. “Shoot from wherever you want.”
She took it from him gingerly. “Here goes nothing.”
“You can do it, Miss Rosemary,” Winnie yelled, clapping her hands together.
She smiled at the little girl and then moved over to stand in front of the basket. Jase saw her take a deep breath, close her eyes, and throw the ball into the air. It hit the backboard and bounced into the grass. As she walked back to where he stood, she said, “I told you I was awful.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her hair. It smelled like the honeysuckle that grew wild in Quinn’s garden. “It was a good shot considering you had your eyes closed.”
She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”
“I can’t help but see it,” he whispered in her ear. “I only take my eyes off you when it’s absolutely necessary.”
The look she sent him took his thoughts to another place entirely. If Quinn hadn’t spoken, Jase would have kissed her right then.
“It’s your turn, Winnie.”
The little girl’s technique had all of the adults laughing. It in
volved holding the ball with two hands and swinging it back and forth between her legs before hoisting it into the air. Her effort missed the basket by a mile.
“Nice try, Winnie,” Quinn told her as he retrieved the ball. He strolled over to Jase. “Get your shots in now, superstar. I’m not going to let you win just because you’ve got a sling on your arm.”
“Have a heart, Quinney. I’m trying to impress Rosemary.”
His brother’s lips twitched at the use of his childhood nickname. “Being gracious in defeat is a good start.”
“After all I’ve done for you; this is the thanks I get.”
“Stop whining and shoot the ball. I’m not getting any younger.”
Jase dribbled over to the basket and made a one-handed layup. “Okay, hotshot, I don’t want to see you use your right hand at all.”
“You do realize that if I make it, Rosemary will have to attempt this shot, too.”
“If you make it is right. You’re not as good with your left hand.” Jase heard a car pull in behind him. This was even better. His brother wasn’t worth anything when Ellen was around.
* * * * *
Rosemary couldn’t help smiling at the change that came over Quinn. He didn’t wait for his wife to get out of the car. He opened her door and leaned down to kiss her with an eagerness that spoke more loudly than any words he might have spoken. When Ellen’s hands framed his face, Rosemary turned away, feeling like that little girl pressed against the railing at the skating rink.
Jase came up beside her. “We might as well take Winnie to the backyard and leave the lovebirds alone. Quinn’s mind won’t be on basketball.”
“I can see that,” she said on a laugh.
“Love is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” He turned to Winnie. “I’ll race you to the swing. First one there gets to pick the next game we play.” Winnie took off before he even finished. He shook his head. “I can’t get her to understand that you have to wait for the signal.”
“I hope you’re not planning to run after her. That can’t be good for a person with a concussion.”
“We’re going to walk fast.”
Winnie was impatiently waiting for their arrival. “Let’s play I Spy,” she called out when they were still some distance away.
“Sounds good to me.” Jase held on to Winnie’s arm while she climbed into the large tire suspended on the end of a thick rope. “Hang on tight.” He gave her a push forward.
“I spy something blue.”
Jase scratched his head. “Hmm. Let me see. Is it the sky?”
“No.”
“Is it Mr. Jase’s jeans?” Rosemary suggested.
Winnie giggled. “No.”
Jase gave the tire another push. “How about the headband in your hair?”
Winnie shook her head vigorously.
“Okay, then, it’s gotta be your bunny socks.”
“It’s not that either. Do you give up?”
“Jase Phillips never gives up.”
“That’s great, but you might run out of daylight,” Rosemary reminded him.
He started to chuckle. “If it’s what I think it is, Miss Winifred Tyler has been very sneaky.”
Winnie laughed. “You said last time we played that anything counts.”
“That’s true. Is it Miss Rosemary’s beautiful eyes?”
She nodded. “You told Dr. Phillips the other day when we were watching Toy Story that you never could resist a girl with blue eyes.”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
Rosemary just shook her head. “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘little pitchers have big ears’?”
“Not until today. I’m gonna have to watch myself in the future.”
“Since you guessed right, you get to go next, Mr. Jase.”
“We’ll have to postpone our game. I see your mom.”
Winnie slid out of the tire and ran toward the woman coming through the side gate of the picket fence separating the two yards. “Mommy! Miss Rosemary is here, the lady with all the earrings in her ear.”
“That’s nice, darling.”
Rosemary met Jase’s eyes, and they both laughed.
The two groups met near the entrance to the garden. Jase performed the introductions.
“Rosemary, this is Isobel Tyler, better known as Winnie’s mom. Isobel, this is Rosemary, a friend of mine.”
The two women exchanged greetings.
“Tell Quinn I appreciate him watching Winnie for me. My babysitter is out of town this week.”
“You know we love having her over. She’s practically family.”
Isobel put her arm around Winnie. “Time for us to go home. I brought pizza for dinner.”
When they were alone again, Jase tucked a loose curl behind Rosemary’s ear. “Have you been bored out of your mind today? This isn’t anything like what you’re used to.”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.”
“You mean in St. Marys?”
“I mean here with you.”
His uninjured arm slid around her waist, drawing her close enough to feel the whisper of his breath on her lips. A swirling excitement began to rise inside her. His lips were warm and firm, teasing hers in ways that sent shivers of excitement down her spine. Her last rational thought was that no kiss from Randall had ever made her feel like this. Was that because Randall had been mailing it in?
* * * * *
Over the thundering of his heart, Jase heard the drone of the garage door. It was a timely if not altogether welcome reminder of his surroundings. He pulled away a few inches and waited for Rosemary’s eyes to open. As her lashes fluttered apart, a soft sigh slipped from her lips as if she regretted the loss of contact as much as he had.
“Your eyes are something else,” he said softly. “I could get lost in them and be content to never be found.”
She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing about yours.”
He felt a shiver go through her. “I’m sorry for keeping you out here. I didn’t realize you might be cold.”
“I was fine until the sun went behind the trees.”
As they made their way back to the house, he said, “I forgot to mention it earlier, but Quinn and Ellen invited us to dinner. You don’t have to worry about them asking you a bunch of questions. They’re not like that. But if you’d rather not, that’s fine, too.”
“I don’t mind eating with them.”
Just as they reached the driveway, Jase saw the back door open and then Ellen appeared.
“Hey, you two,” she called to them. “Quinn just started the grill. Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes.”
“That’ll work out great,” Jase told her. “I can finish what I started in the backyard.”
“I didn’t need to know that, but thanks, anyway.”
After she went back into the house, he steered Rosemary toward the cottage. Leaving her in the living room, he said, “Wait here. I’ll be right back.” A quick search of his closet yielded the item he needed. He came back into the room and held out a shirt. “Quinn and Ellen like to eat on the patio. This will keep you warm.”
“Thank you,” she said as she slid her arms into the long sleeves and rolled up the extra material that hung over her hands.
He pulled her hair free of the shirt and then let his fingers run slowly through the silky strands. “I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you tucking it inside your hat on the plane.”
“I’m sorry I was so rude to you that day.”
Jase swung her around to face him. “You weren’t rude at all. You let me hold your hand, and you smiled at me.” Not able to resist the proximity of her lips, he bent down and kissed her again. His fingers found their way across her cheek and down the side of her neck. Her skin was soft, smooth, and warm to his touch. He felt her hand brush against his chest, and his heart shuddered in response. He reluctantly tore himself away. “We need to go before I forget all about eating.”
* * * * *
She hadn’t factored that into those plans of hers. Mrs. Jenkins words returned to her: love finds you when you least expect it. Did it also find you when you were least prepared to act on it? Her life was too messy right now to fall in love.
Meanwhile Jase was fixing the collar of the shirt, his fingers lingering on her skin. “I like the sound of my own voice, but I also like to hear yours.”
“I’m sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
His adorable smile appeared. “Was it about kissing me again?”
She touched his cheek. “Believe it or not, I do think about other things besides that.”
He stepped away from her to open the door. “Then I must not be doing it right. After dinner, you can give me a few pointers. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it after a while.”
Rosemary tried not to laugh, but the combination of his words and smile were too much. As she passed in front of him, she said, “Time will tell.”
The patio was lit by white lights strung through a series of decorative beams overhead. At the far end, just beyond the pool, Quinn was working away at the grill. Ellen was standing at a square butcher block table, her hands busy tossing salad in a crystal bowl. She looked up as they came through the gate.
“Come sit down. Everything’s almost ready.”
“I love your pineapple dishes,” Rosemary said as Jase pulled out a chair for her. “My grandmother collected pineapples. She even had her furniture covered in a pineapple print.”
“I picked them up at an estate sale. Quinn got me started going, and now I can’t stop. I also found some Bessie Pease Gutmann prints to use in the nursery. She was an artist and illustrator from the early 1900s. Most of her paintings are of children.”
Quinn appeared behind her carrying a large platter. “Here’s the shrimp and lobster.” He sat it in the middle of the table. “What else do we need?”
Love at Last (Finding Love Book 6) Page 10