Backward Blessings

by Rachel A Andersen

  “Logan’s in bed now. He shouldn’t interrupt us again.”

  Jake scraped the last of the onion into its own pile. “You left the beginnings of a decent omelet, and since it’s the night before you make breakfast for the guests, I took a stab that you wanted them diced.”

  He wiped his blade on a dish towel.

  Her heart sank. She should have known it couldn’t be that easy. She busied herself with gathering the plasticware she used to store diced vegetables overnight. “Um, you guessed right. I planned an omelet bar for tomorrow’s breakfast. I figured it would be easy enough to clean up before the parade.”

  He grunted as she coaxed the vegetable hills into their containers.

  “Speaking of the parade, Logan wondered if you’d like to go with us in the morning? It’s just a small-town parade, but it should be fun. The local businesses are generous with the prizes for the Harvest Blessings parade. It starts at ten.”

  Jake’s hand stilled before he could dice up the ham.

  She alternated her gaze between his hand and his eye, wondering what his hesitation meant. Was he angry at Logan? The boy hadn’t known what he was interrupting. If he had, she suspected that he would have taken his time getting home.

  She put a hand on Jake’s arm. The air sizzled between them. “Jake, talk to me.”

  He blew out a breath as he set the knife on the counter. “What are we doing, Teresa?”

  Her throat thickened, making it hard to swallow. “What do you mean?”

  He turned to her, pain etched around his eyes and mouth.

  The sight jarred her, and she caught her breath. She reached out to touch his cheek. “Jake...”

  He pulled away, his gaze avoiding her. “Teresa, I’m here for a week. That’s all. I live in Denver.”

  Tears stung her eyes, but she didn’t think she could blame the onions this time. “I know.”

  He swallowed. “You were right. I’m just here to get my sister off my back. Then, I have a year of judgment-free bachelor life calling. All I need is a date to the Harvest Ball, and then I can stay in my room and watch action movies or whatever else there is to do in this crummy little town. A little turkey sandwich at the cafe on Thursday, and then I can wipe the dust of this place off my shoes.”

  Her pain ebbed away in a moment, replaced by a radiating numbness. Funny how it took this moment to realize this was what she’d known would happen all along. This was why it was easier to yell at him in the parking lot than to welcome him in. This was why she’d erupted at him at the carnival.

  Her eyes rested on the counter. “My thoughts exactly. I assume you figured out how to solve your date dilemma?”

  He hesitated before he bowed his head once.

  Her breath hitched, trapped in her chest. She’d been prepared to give in and ask him to go to the ball with her. It would have been nice to get a sitter, dress up, and go dancing.

  She blinked away the tears she’d kept at bay. “Good. That’s great. I’m happy for you.”

  The numbness lifted just enough for her to get back to storing the vegetables in their containers for breakfast.

  “Teresa, I—”

  She paused. Jake’s voice swelled with regret. That would kill her if she wasn’t careful. So, she turned a bright smile to him. “Jake, if you don’t mind, I still have some work to do before breakfast tomorrow, and I’d like to get to bed early. Good night.”

  She crowded in on him so that he had to move out from in front of the ham steaks and knife.

  He opened his mouth to speak, but then he stopped himself. “Good night, Teresa.”

  As he disappeared up the stairs, she allowed herself to brush away the tear which collected in the corner of her eye. He was just passing through. What happened tonight was a mistake, and ending it now was the best idea for them both. It would only get worse from here on out.

  She tried to make herself believe it, but one thought nagged at the back of her mind. What if this was the mistake?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Jake

  Jake parked in front of the Sunny Acres Long-Term Care Center, the Blessings town nursing home. He removed his shades as he got out of the car. Now, to secure a date for the Harvest Ball...

  “May I help you?”

  Just two steps into the nursing home, Jake turned to his right. A dark-skinned woman quirked her eyebrows in curiosity at him. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Maybe this was a bad idea.

  She extended a hand to him. “I’m Lacrecia Davis. I’m the director here at Sunny Acres.”

  Regret churned in his stomach like a reaction to the powdered eggs he’d picked at this morning to avoid Teresa and Logan. Just the thought of Teresa made his spirits fall again.

  It would have been nice to take her to the dance, to see what she looked like when she let her hair down and wore a nice dress. He could picture her blush when she caught him staring.

  Ms. Davis cleared her throat. Her hand was still extended toward him in friendly introduction.

  The last thing he wanted was for Ms. Davis to take his hesitation as some sign of negative racial bias. He forced the nausea down and faked a smile. Then, he shook her hand. “Jake Littlefield. I was hoping you could help me with something.”

  He explained the deal he’d made with his sister and what he hoped to accomplish here. “Ms. Davis, I need a date to this dance. Is there anyone you can point me toward who would be interested in such an arrangement?”

  She folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Mr. Littlefield, but this isn’t a dating service. I don’t know what you thought you’d find here, but you better turn around.”

  His mouth went dry. “I can only imagine how this looks. A bachelor looking for a date in a nursing home, but I was hoping that I could kill two birds with one stone. Get my sister off my back while making one of your residents feel a little less alone.”

  He handed his phone over to the woman, showcasing the survey his sister had drafted for his date’s feedback.

  She peered at him, her lips pursed in thought. “You think you’ll get high marks from one of our residents because they’re neglected and lonely?”

  He took the phone back and slipped it into his back pocket. Maybe Teresa was right. It was going to be harder to get a date than he’d anticipated. His shoulders sagged. “Honestly? I could care less. I just want to get it all over with.”

  “It’s almost lunch time, so most of our residents will be coming through the dining room.” Lacrecia gestured toward the French doors behind her.

  Jake’s head snapped up. “Excuse me?”

  She shrugged. “I figure you can’t make up a story like that. Besides, Blessings is small enough that it’s like a neighborhood watch group. If anything happens that is out of the ordinary—which this proposed date is—it will get back to me.”

  “That’s comforting.”

  Her eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement as she walked him toward the dining room. “Hopefully, you’ll find someone who’s interested in taking you up on your offer.”

  He tilted his head to the side as he sized her up. “Why are you helping me? I got the impression that this wasn’t going to work out.”

  She raised her hands in surrender. “I’ll admit to a little curiosity. You’re reasonably attractive but without the bravado I would have expected of a pilot. I imagine you could get a date whenever you wanted with anyone you wished, and you’re here.”

  “Careful. Keep talking like that, and I’ll think you’re interested.”

  She wriggled the diamond on her left ring finger. “Sorry. I’m taken.”

  He pantomimed a disappointed finger snap. “All the good ones are.”

  “I know you didn’t ask me, but I would start with Georgie Able. She’s not a resident, but she visits often enough. She checked in at the desk a few minutes ago. She and Lilian should be here for lunch soon. She likes to beat the rush. In fact, there they are.”

  Lacrecia m
otioned to where two white-haired women entered the dining room. One leaned against the back of the other’s wheelchair as if she was trying to push it, but they were making clumsy work of it.

  Without a word to Lacrecia, Jake strode toward the women. “Ladies, I’m Jake Littlefield, and I’ll be your attendant for lunch today. Can I get you a table by the window?”

  Jake took charge of the wheelchair as the woman beside him whistled. “If Greyson had told me I’d have this kind of service, I might not have told him to stuff it when he suggested I stay here.”

  The woman in the wheelchair coughed. “Give it up, Georgie. The minute he said the word help, you would have shut your ears to his suggestion.”

  Georgie set a hand to her breast. “Why, Lilian, hold your tongue! You make it sound like I’m contrary for contrary’s sake.”

  Lilian rolled her eyes for Jake’s benefit. "Georgie, you are contrary for contrary's sake. It's something we've come to love about you."

  Jake stopped the wheelchair at a table by a large picture window, then he pulled Georgie’s chair out for her.

  Georgie took her napkin from the table and set it in her lap. “My grandson has a bad habit of leading with the wrong information. He wouldn’t have said a word about how attractive he is or how this strong young man was giving us personal attention.” She winked at Jake. “I would have signed up in a heartbeat if he’d led with that.”

  Lilian shook her head though her amusement showed in her smile. “Let’s stop talking about him as if he’s not here. You wouldn’t happen to be the guest giving my granddaughter a run for her money at the bed and breakfast, would you?”

  Jake’s smile faltered. “Teresa’s your granddaughter?”

  Lilian nodded.

  And just a moment ago, he’d been so proud of himself for sneaking out while she and Logan were at the parade...

  He looked toward the buffet-style dining room. He’d come straight here after breakfast, but he wondered if it was too early to get another meal. Anything to end this line of questioning. “Is it a good or a bad thing that she told you about me?”

  Georgie grabbed his free hand. “You know what they say in marketing, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

  Jake stared at the woman. “I don’t know whether to be appalled or comforted by that comparison.”

  Lilian’s laugh turned into a cough. “Don’t listen to her. We call her Emma sometimes because she’s always putting some couple or another together. She’ll never admit that she’s wrong as often as she’s right.”

  Georgie raised her hands in surrender. “All I do is create opportunities. What happens next is out of my hands.”

  Jake cleared his throat. He’d been handed the perfect segue, and it was up to him not to blow it. “Speaking of opportunities, I was wondering if one of you ladies would accompany me to the Harvest Ball tonight?”

  When the two women fell into silence, he knew he’d taken a misstep.

  Lilian blinked. “You’re not going to ask Teresa to the dance?”

  Jake stood. “Uh, what can I get you ladies for lunch? My treat. I think I see some mashed potatoes, meatloaf, green beans. Sounds great.”

  Lilian tugged on his hand. “The food can wait. This can’t. Are you going to take Teresa to the dance?”

  Jake sighed as he lowered himself back into the chair. “No. I think it’s for the best. I’m only here for a week.”

  Georgie gasped. “But that’s perfect! What she needs is a no-strings fling. The Harvest Ball is the best way to get over a broken heart.”

  Lilian frowned across the table at her friend. “No, Georgie, Teresa needs time and space. Not a matchmaker.”

  Georgie leaned toward Jake. “The concept of time and space is overrated, and Teresa’s been separated for over a year. I can get her to go with you to the dance.”

  Jake shook his head. “No. It’s best if I ask someone else.”

  Lilian studied him, her green eyes boring holes into his soul. “Who else are you going to ask?”

  “Would either of you ladies be interested in going to the dance with me?”

  Lilian’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “One of us?”

  Georgie bounced in her seat and clapped in delight. “Oh, I’d love to go! It will give me a chance to keep an eye on Hope and Greyson.”

  Jake turned a confused expression to the woman. “Hope and Grey—who?”

  “Her grandson and his date.”

  Understanding dawned, and his mouth formed a silent “oh.”

  Lilian studied him with her lips pursed in concentration. “What was her name?”

  “Whose name?”

  Lilian was calm, but her focus zeroed in on him. “The name of the woman who hurt you.”

  “Now, why would you say—”

  “Because you almost kissed Teresa and you’re not asking her to the dance.”

  Jake snapped his attention back to Georgie who offered him a sympathetic smile. “Who told you that?”

  The woman pointed at Lilian who shrugged. “I already told you that my granddaughter has told me about you.”

  His head throbbed with the beginnings of a headache. While he had no doubt that his restless night of sleep had done him no favors, he was pretty sure he could thank these women for the coming migraine.

  He massaged his right temple with one finger. “What makes you think Teresa isn’t the one putting up the fight?”

  Georgie and Lilian exchanged looks before Lilian took a sip of water. “My granddaughter is cautious by nature. Then, at her most vulnerable moment, she moved back here. While I think it’s done her a lot of favors with her family network, it’s also crippled her. Recovering from the kind of heartache she’s endured in a small town can be tough.”

  Jake raised an eyebrow at her. “I lived in north-central South Dakota. Almost every town up there is a small town. Blessings is the big city in comparison to the town where I grew up.”

  Georgie offered him a look of sympathy. “Been awhile since you got back then?”

  His throat closed. “How would you—why would that have anything to do with this?”

  Georgie cleared her throat. “If Teresa goes to the Harvest Ball with you, there are some people who are going to assume that in a year, you’ll be married. Oh, not me. I understand how these things work, but some people...”

  Lilian’s voice was hoarse. “Teresa’s a strong woman, but even strong women hit their limits sometimes. Ever since she came back, she’s been a bit anti-social. Her biggest fear is that people will talk behind her back.”

  Georgie nodded. “She’s forgotten that in a small town you have two choices: you tell your story or everybody else tells it for you.”

  Jake chewed on her words. One more point proving Melissa right about her assessment of him. Staying away from home had changed him more than he knew. That didn’t set right with him. “It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not fair to spend the next few days getting to know each other if I’m just leaving after Thanksgiving.”

  The table fell into silence, and Jake pushed his chair back away from the table. “Now, ladies, why don’t I get you a couple of meatloaf specials while you decide who’s going to be my date for the Harvest Ball.”

  Lilian slumped in her chair, all of the energy drained from her face. “Go ahead, Georgie. I know how much you like to dance.”

  Georgie squeezed her friend’s hand. “Do you want to have lunch in your room?”

  Lilian shook her head. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

  Jake raised a hand as Georgie moved to stand. “I’ll take her. See you at the dance tonight?”

  Georgie nodded. “I’ll be in the blue dress.”

  He bowed and kissed the back of her hand. “Looking forward to it.”

  He wheeled Lilian down the corridor toward a room with a cottonwood quilt that matched the style of the buffalo quilt in his room at the bed and breakfast. The silence grew uncomfortable as he parked the wheelchair beside the bed. “For w
hat it’s worth, I’m sorry. Teresa and Logan seem pretty special.”

  She wheezed as she drew herself out of the chair, her thin legs shaking under her weight.

  Jake readied himself to assist if necessary.

  Though she stood no taller than five feet to his six-foot three-inch frame, she commanded his attention like a four-star general.

  “I can understand that you’re trying to be noble, trying to protect them from the pain you think is inevitable, but I think there’s a worse fate. I think that if you don’t give yourself a chance to see what could happen with Teresa, you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been.”

  He opened his mouth to defend himself, but she held out a hand to stop him.

  “I told the same thing to Teresa when she called. I’ll admit that I want to see her married again one day, this time to a man who deserves her goodness. I’d love to see Logan with three or four brothers and sisters he can watch over, but I understand that might not be you.”

  A picture of having three kids, including Logan, tackle him in the yard behind the farmhouse made his heart swell. He could imagine Teresa waving from the kitchen window, a smile on her lips as they laughed and played together.

  Just because you can picture it doesn’t mean it’s meant to be.

  His gut clenched. How could he tell the old woman that he wanted to help—he did. Teresa just wasn’t the kind of woman you dated. She was the kind of woman you married. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that kind of commitment.

  Lilian sank onto the edge of the bed, and he squatted down to speak with her face-to-face. “Sometimes, in the face of loss, you have to fight for the moment of joy. That’s all I wanted for both of you. A few minutes where you could remember that no matter what you’ve lost, you’re still alive.”

  Jake wrapped one of his large hands around Lilian’s. Her fingers were bony and cold. He hoped to impart a little warmth to them. “Thanks, Lilian. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  She cupped his cheek in one hand, her watery eyes searching his face for something. “Just be happy, Jake. With Teresa, with someone else, just be happy.”