by Debby Mayne
“I thought you liked my parents. My mom adores you.”
Cindi smiled as she looked back at him. “I think your parents are very nice people. What I don’t understand, though, is why you want to take me to their place.”
He shrugged. “I thought it would be a nice thing for all of us.”
“What have your parents been up to—besides going to church?”
Jeremy could hear the caring tone of her voice. Cindi had never looked down on him or his family, while other kids in school had made him feel bad because he wasn’t as well off as most of them. Cindi treated him and his parents as if she didn’t see any difference at all.
“They’re doing a lot better, now that they’re both working. They sold our old house and bought a nice condo a few years ago.”
Cindi offered a sincere smile. “That’s great. Your parents are good people.”
“Then come have dinner with us. I called my mom and told her I was inviting you, and she was delighted.”
“I could get mad about that,” Cindi said with a throaty chuckle, “but I choose to be flattered instead.” She paused for a moment before adding, “Okay, I’ll go. But I want to bring something.”
“You don’t have to. I got bread and dessert to go with the meal she’s been cooking in the Crock-Pot all day.”
“I’m not going empty-handed.”
“Fine. We can stop at the grocery store on the way. Why don’t you leave your car here, and I can bring you back?”
She bought a basket of fruit to leave with them. “I remember your mother always put an apple in your lunch every day.”
He laughed. “Yeah, she believed that old saying about an apple a day and the doctor.”
“I believe that, too.” Then she grew quiet as he took the last turn onto his parents’ street.
Instinctively, he reached over and placed his hand on hers. She looked at him in surprise, but she didn’t pull her hand out of his. It felt so right, he didn’t ever want to move. Finally, he reluctantly withdrew his hand to maneuver his car into the driveway.
“Ready?” he asked.
She offered a quick nod then opened the door and got out. He ran around and escorted her to the open front door where his mother stood waiting.
“Hi, Mrs. Hayden,” Cindi said. “It’s really nice to see you again.”
His mother opened her arms and pulled Cindi in for a long embrace. “You’ve become quite a beautiful young woman. I’m glad my son got in touch with you so I could see for myself.”
“I brought this for you.” Cindi handed his mother the fruit basket.
Jeremy ushered them all inside as his mother protested that she wasn’t expecting a gift, but Cindi told her she was happy to bring it. Warmth flooded him from his head to his toes as he realized how much it meant to him to have his two favorite women together.
“So this is the girl you should have married.”
All heads turned toward the booming voice at the foot of the stairs. “Now, James, you shouldn’t embarrass them. Cindi’s our guest for dinner.”
“I know,” he continued, “it’s just that—”
“Dad.” Jeremy was angry with his father, but he forced himself to keep his voice low and his temper cool. He didn’t want to make Cindi squirm any more than she was now.
His father darted a glance over at Cindi then looked back at him. “Sorry, son, I guess that was uncalled for.” He looked back at Cindi. “I like your church. The people seem pretty nice, and that preacher is a mighty interesting fella, even if he is young enough to be my son.”
“Yes,” Cindi said as she visibly relaxed. Jeremy was relieved she could recover so quickly. “He’s good at holding our interest without losing the message we all need to hear.”
“I think we just might keep going back.” He rubbed his neck. “What’s for dinner, Donna? I had a rough day, and I’m starving.”
❧
Cindi remembered how kind, spontaneous, and full of life Jeremy’s parents were, and they hadn’t changed a bit. Every occasion in their home was centered around food, something she could tell hadn’t changed. No wonder Jeremy was always thinking about his next meal. His mother had always been very gracious and sweet, while his father was loud but deep down was a softy. They weren’t as well off as most of the people in the area, but they had heart.
And they were still together, unlike her own parents.
After dinner, Cindi joined Jeremy’s mother in the kitchen. “Go sit out there with the guys,” the older woman said.
“What guys?” Jeremy asked as he rolled up his sleeves. “You mean Dad?” He took the stack of plates from his mother. “Why don’t both of you go in there while I take care of the kitchen?”
“But it’s a mess,” his mother argued.
He looked around. “It’s not that bad. Now shoo.”
With a giggle, Mrs. Hayden took Cindi by the hand and led her to the living room where Mr. Hayden sat staring at the TV with the remote control in his lap. Without even glancing up, he bellowed, “Tell me all about college.”
Cindi felt awkward and didn’t know what to say, so she was grateful when Mrs. Hayden piped up, “She’s been out of college for a long time, James.” She glanced at Cindi. “What has it been—something like five years now?”
“Almost seven,” Cindi corrected her.
Mrs. Hayden grinned as she turned back to her husband. “She’s a businesswoman now.”
“Okay,” he said, shaking his head and giving them a silly look. “So tell me about business. I’m tired of talking about stuff that doesn’t matter, but the wife gets mad when I don’t behave at the table.”
Cindi opened her mouth to answer, but again, Mrs. Hayden spoke for her. “She owns a bridal shop. You know that, James. I bet business is always good at that kind of place. Girls are always getting married.”
“So what would you know about a bridal shop?” he asked Cindi. “You ever get married?”
“Um. . .no, sir,” Cindi replied. Now she was more uncomfortable than ever. “I sort of learned the business as I went. I worked for a couple of years in retail after college and learned a little about working with customers. I lived with my parents, then got a roommate after college to save money.” She didn’t tell him about the humongous bank loans her parents cosigned for. She was thankful she’d been able to pay them off quickly.
“Well, I guess that’s okay. So what all do you do at your bridal shop?”
Mrs. Hayden winked at her before turning to her husband. “She sells bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses, silly.”
“I think that’s great. How much is a bridal gown, anyway?”
Cindi knew he was just making conversation, but the questions were starting to sound rude. She gave Mrs. Hayden a look for help. To her relief, the woman came to her rescue.
“That’s not something you need to know, James. It’s part of the bridal mystique.”
He made a grumbling noise. “That just means they’re way too expensive. Otherwise, you’d tell me. If brides had a lick of sense, they’d rent their dresses just like the guys do their tuxes.”
Cindi could have told him there actually were bridal gown rental shops, but she didn’t want to get into all the reasons she wouldn’t recommend them. Instead, she focused her attention on Mrs. Hayden.
“Dinner was delicious. I didn’t know what to expect when Jeremy told me he wanted to take me someplace special.”
Tears instantly formed in Mrs. Hayden’s eyes. “He said that? What a sweet thing to say.”
Jeremy appeared at the door wiping his hands on a dish towel. “Let me know when you’re ready to go, and I’ll take you back to your car.”
Cindi stood. “Since we all have to work tomorrow, I’d better head out now. It was very nice seeing both of y’all again. Stop by the shop sometime.”
Mrs. Hayden’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. “I’d love to!”
Mr. Hayden grumbled, but then he stood and took her hand. “You’re a good girl, Ci
ndi. I’m glad you came over tonight.”
On the way back to the park, Jeremy slipped a CD in the car stereo, and the strains of contemporary Christian music filled the air. Neither of them said anything until they were almost at the Chastain Park parking lot. Cindi was the first to talk.
“Thanks for bringing me to your parents’ house. It was really nice.”
“They love you, ya know. My mother was upset when we. . .” He cleared his throat then shrugged. “Anyway, maybe the two of you can chat after church sometime.”
“I’d like that.” After he stopped beside her car, she opened the door, got out, leaned over, and said, “If you want to come by the shop and see me sometime, well, maybe. . .”
His face lit up. “You can count on it.”
That night she thought about everything that had happened and all Jeremy had said. Could it be possible she was wrong about him? What he’d done made sense in a childish sort of way—and since they were both children when it happened, she could understand. Jeremy seemed sincere in his faith, so that obviously put a different light on things. However, would she ever be able to forgive him for leaving her so brokenhearted?
The next morning when she got to the shop, Elizabeth was in the sewing room deeply immersed in alterations. She glanced up and waved. “How was last night?”
Cindi saw she wasn’t smiling. “It was fun. I met Jeremy, and he took me to dinner at his parents’ house.”
“Oh my. He’s pulling out all the stops, isn’t he?”
“I’ve always liked his parents—especially his mom.”
“So,” Elizabeth said as she lowered the foot behind the sewing machine needle and flipped off the light switch, “what lines did he feed you to try to get you to sell him the shop?”
“No lines. We didn’t talk about him buying the shop.”
“I’m sure he’s just waiting for the right time.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“Please, please don’t fall for his charm again. You were so hurt before, and I’d hate for it to happen again.”
Cindi nodded. “I appreciate your concern more than you know. I just see things differently now, so I’m fine. Even if he’s got a hidden agenda, I can handle it.”
There was nothing Elizabeth could say to that. She hung up the dress she’d been working on and joined Cindi at the desk. By the time the first appointment walked in, they were a cohesive team.
Jeremy showed up at noon. “Want some lunch?” he asked. He’d obviously inherited his mother’s penchant for feeding people.
“Not today,” Cindi replied. “I brought a sandwich I’ll have to eat on the run. Are you trying to make me fat?”
“You look great, Cindi.”
She felt her cheeks heat up. “Thank you.”
“Maybe tomorrow?”
“Maybe.” The phone rang, so she answered it.
He chatted with Elizabeth while she talked to the caller. Elizabeth still didn’t believe him, and Cindi appreciated the fact that she was making an effort for her sake. After Cindi hung up, he said good-bye then left.
“I can say one thing for him,” Elizabeth said once he was gone. “He’s persistent.”
“Which is probably why he’s been so successful in business.”
Jeremy stopped by a few more times that week. Cindi eventually gave in and went out with him. Elizabeth finally quit commenting, which was almost as bad as the interrogation. Cindi knew her friend still didn’t trust him, but she was holding everything inside.
On Thursday morning Jeremy didn’t show up. “This seems strange,” Elizabeth said. “We never know when he’s coming, so it’s like we’re always expecting him.”
“I’ve found if I don’t expect anything, I’m never disappointed,” Cindi replied.
By the end of the day, Cindi was exhausted. Fran arrived just as they were about to leave. “Oh, good,” she said. “You’re still here. I just got a call from someone who’s interested in taking a look at the shop.”
Cindi’s heart fell. “That’s good.” She was too tired to hide her remorse.
Fran frowned. “You do still want to sell, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course. It’s just been a long day, and I’m tired.”
“If it’s okay with you, then, I’ll bring them by tomorrow around noon.”
“Them?” Cindi paused.
“Yes, the prospects are a couple of newlyweds who think this will be the perfect way to work together.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Fancy that. A married couple who want to be together.”
Cindi didn’t miss the sarcasm. “Noon is fine.”
“See you then,” Fran said as she curiously glanced back and forth between Cindi and Elizabeth.
Once she was gone, Cindi stood and stared at the door of her shop. Elizabeth reached out and gently touched her shoulder.
“Having second thoughts about selling?”
“Sort of.” Cindi stuck the key in the lock, turned it, and spun around to face Elizabeth. “But I’m sure that’s normal. Now let’s go home and get some rest. We have to impress some prospective buyers tomorrow.”
The next morning, Cindi got to the shop before Elizabeth arrived. She changed a couple of the mannequins and rearranged the accessories case to give it a fresher look. Then she stepped back and admired her work. She’d miss many things about the business once she sold it, and this was one of them. It truly made her happy to help bring out a woman’s pure beauty on her wedding day. Times like this made her stop and think—maybe she shouldn’t sell. She still loved running her shop.
When the door opened, she expected it to be Elizabeth, but it wasn’t. It was her mother.
“Mom, hi! What are you doing here?”
Her mother looked around and then turned to her. “The place looks really nice, Cindi. I just stopped by to see if you had plans for later. We need to talk.” She gulped and added, “It’s very important.”
Cindi checked the appointment book to make sure she could leave early before replying, “I think Elizabeth will probably be able to stay until closing, and our last scheduled appointment is at three. I think I can be out of here by four.”
Her mother’s lips twitched as she nodded. “That’ll be great. Have you spoken to your father lately?”
Slowly shaking her head, Cindi replied, “Not in several weeks. Why?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Elizabeth walked in and gave Cindi’s mother a hug. “Come by and see us more often, Reba,” Elizabeth said.
“I just might do that. And if you’re ever looking for someone to work part-time, I’m interested.”
“What?” Cindi said.
“Look, Cindi, I’ve got to run. I’ll see you this afternoon. I’ll run by your place. . .four thirty?”
“Sounds good,” Cindi said.
Once she was gone, Elizabeth tilted her head. “What was that all about?”
“I have no idea. I’ll find out at four thirty if you can hang out here and close the shop.”
“Yes, of course.” Elizabeth opened the door to the sewing room then turned to face Cindi. “Looks like it’ll be an eventful day for you.”
“Certainly seems that way.”
“Maybe this couple will be exactly what this shop needs,” Elizabeth said with slow deliberation.
An odd sensation of internal free-falling came over Cindi. She turned away so Elizabeth wouldn’t see her expression.
Ten
Jeremy hesitated before heading toward Cindi’s shop. She’d encouraged him to stop by to see her, something he’d been doing all along. However, he sensed a turning point in their relationship, and he wasn’t sure if it was too soon.
And then there was Elizabeth. Cindi had warmed toward him, but it was painfully obvious Elizabeth didn’t like him. He couldn’t blame her, though—if someone had hurt one of his friends, he would have been just as protective. Perhaps a complete breakup hadn’t been the right move, but he was just a kid, and that was all he kne
w to do at the time. He decided he’d given her enough time to work through things and it was time to talk to her about whatever issues she still had with him.
For nights he’d stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep, wondering what he’d been thinking. He couldn’t erase Cindi from his mind—from the happy moments with her glowing smile to the look of despair when he’d told her he wanted his class ring back. It had taken every ounce of self-restraint to hold himself back when she refused to look at him again.
The army had been good for him. Not only did it provide him with a modest living, but he learned how to be a man. Fortunately for him, his commanding officer saw his need for Christ, which proved nothing was impossible for the Lord.
His candy store job was obviously not a career position, but the Lord had allowed him to be at the right place when the opportunity to make something of himself had come open. After buying it, he learned how to run a business the hard way. When he was twenty-six, he was listed as one of the youngest businessmen to watch in the state of Georgia. And now at twenty-nine, he was ready to settle down and stop trying to prove himself.
He was good at what he did and he enjoyed it, but traveling all over Georgia was wearing on him. It was time to go home to Atlanta and settle down. He’d now sold all of his businesses, with the exception of a men’s shop in Savannah and a tire store in Macon.
An overwhelming urge to see Cindi again gave him the strength to head to her boutique. He’d have to be patient with Elizabeth and prove he’d changed.
As he pulled up in front of the bridal boutique, he saw Elizabeth by the window looking out. She looked his way then disappeared. His heart hammered as he thought about how he still felt toward Cindi.
“Hey, Elizabeth,” he said as he entered the store.
“Hi.” She forced a smile then went back to her paperwork.
“Is Cindi here yet?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Not yet. Is there anything I can help you with?”
At least she was talking to him, but she didn’t bother trying to hide her feelings. He decided to try to make small talk for a few minutes—partly to get a feel for how to win over the best friend of the woman he loved, but mostly to kill time until Cindi arrived. “How long have you been working with Cindi?”