Covered Bridge Charm

by Christner, Dianne;

  Miranda batted her eyes at Jimmy. “Anyway, that was before I met your brother.”

  Auntie’s anger had dissipated, and now she beamed. “Dessert now or later?”

  Jimmy grinned. “How about both?”

  The afternoon was ideal, and Carly couldn’t tell if Jimmy was interested in Miranda or if he was just appeasing Aunt Fannie. But they sure seemed cozy when they started the wood fireplace and cracked hazelnuts. As she watched them, she tried to view Miranda with more acceptance. The girl could use a friendly, steady influence in her life.

  With Cocoa curled beside her, it would have been the perfect afternoon if not for the occasional wild thought that struck Carly at random: Is Adam having dinner with Dale’s family and that other woman? Is he having second thoughts about his promise to me?

  Adam hit the ground working. After his plane landed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dale and Jenny picked him up and drove seventy miles to their home, where Adam put on his tool belt and hopped in Dale’s truck. He’d work all night if need be to get the job done. Nobody would understand if he needed to stay in Indiana longer than the four days he’d scheduled.

  “Makes me feel like an invalid, not being able to drive,” Dale complained as he gave him directions to his woodworking shop.

  Adam glanced at his cousin. He hadn’t changed much since he’d last seen him. A little heavier, and his hairline was receding. Other than that, they could be taken for brothers. “How long until the cast comes off?”

  “The doc said I might get a walking cast in three or four weeks.”

  Grimacing, Adam replied, “Let’s hope for three.”

  When they arrived at the shop, Dale hobbled on his crutches to a side door and handed Adam the keys. What Adam saw inside made his mouth drool. In the center of the room was a table saw on a large wheeled workbench. As his gaze meandered, he saw other saws, tools, and lumber racks. The walls were fixed to hold clamps and various tools, all organized impeccably. “This is amazing.”

  “It’s my life. I love it.” Dale lowered himself to a stool. “Say the word, and it’s yours to share.”

  Adam inhaled the pleasant sawdust smell. “It’s real nice. But you know I’m just here to help.”

  Dale shrugged. “Had to give it a try.”

  They worked until 1:00 a.m. that night. When they returned to the house, they snacked on leftover turkey before retiring. On Friday, they rose at 5:00 a.m. and grabbed lunches that Jenny had prepared and headed back to the shop. The project was a large entertainment center that would be installed in sections. Thankfully, under the circumstances, they were only doing the woodworking. The homeowner wanted her painter to do the finishing. They were done by 5:00 p.m., scheduling the installation for Saturday.

  Jenny had dinner waiting for them when Adam got out of the shower. She laid a hand on her pregnant belly and swept the other through the air, “I suppose Dale hobbled around after you with a broom and dustpan?”

  “No, but he did put the tools away as I finished with them.”

  “Mm-hm. Not too much of a perfectionist. It’s good for you to work with him before you think about moving here. He’s just a tad organized.”

  “She complains because I enjoy using a shop vac.”

  She laughed. “And I’d like to see you manipulate that with your crutches.”

  “The vac system is pretty amazing,” Adam remarked. “At Sweet Life, it’s all done the old-fashioned way. His shop is definitely first class.”

  “Dale misses you,” she said. “I’m sorry it took an injury to get you here, but I’m glad we can spend time with you.”

  “Me, too.” And he meant it. Jenny was not only pretty, but she was upbeat and knew just how to handle Dale. He could imagine himself living here if only he didn’t already have a good life in Oregon. And while he enjoyed woodworking, he couldn’t say he liked it more than tree farming. They were both in his blood.

  Just then the doorbell rang, and Jenny jumped up. “I’ll get it.”

  “No kidding,” Dale teased beneath his breath.

  Adam chuckled.

  When feminine voices filtered into the kitchen, Dale groaned. “Sounds like her friend. I guess Jenny hasn’t given up on her matchmaking scheme. She thinks it’s the best way to convince you to stay.”

  Adam’s heart sank, and his high opinion of Jenny dropped a notch. But he was taken back when a strikingly stunning woman followed her into the kitchen. Cynthia Clark’s hair was smooth ebony, like Miranda’s only longer and shinier, and pulled back in a ponytail. While she wasn’t Conservative Mennonite, she was dressed modestly in jeans and a T-shirt. She smiled. “I was invited for pie. Am I too late?”

  “Of course not,” Jenny replied, moving awkwardly, with her big belly, to bring her a slice. While she was up, she refilled all their coffee mugs.

  “So how’s my entertainment center coming?” Cynthia asked.

  Adam’s mouth went slack, and he jerked his gaze to Dale, who wore a sheepish smile. “Installation’s still on for tomorrow.”

  Instantly Adam’s mind was filled with possible scenarios of what tomorrow held for him. As the evening wore on, he realized that Cynthia was naive about the matchmaking. She couldn’t help it if she was a feast to the eyes and her voice was sweet to the ears. But it miffed him that Dale would go so far as to pull this trick on him. Obviously, the woman was good enough friends with them that this job hadn’t needed to be fulfilled, like Dale had claimed.

  Adam pushed up from the table. “Dinner was great. The pie, too. But I’m still having jet lag and think I’ll retire. See you all tomorrow.”

  In the hall, he heard Dale’s crutches clunking behind him. “Wait up.”

  Adam stepped into the guestroom and Dale closed the door behind them.

  “It was Jenny’s idea. But before you grumble, let me tell you that it really was necessary to finish her job. She has company coming for Christmas. And the income will be handy since I can’t work for a while. If we hadn’t finished her job, it would’ve stalled her remodel and her painter.”

  Adam nodded. “I’m dating Carly.”

  Dale’s eyes narrowed. “So is she going to come between us?”

  “I hope not. You seem happy with Jenny.”

  “I am.” Dale hesitated, looked down at his crutches, and back up again. “You know those rumors about Carly weren’t true.”

  Adam had known, yet it felt good to hear it from Dale. “You want to tell me what happened?”

  “I was hurt. Saying I couldn’t believe she’d dump me after everything between us. One of my friends took it to mean we’d been intimate, and I never set him straight. I should have. I’ve regretted it since.”

  Adam shook his head, appalled. “How could you? It’s followed her, you know.”

  “I’ve a lot of regrets. Not just about her, but about Dad, too.”

  “It’s not too late to make things right.”

  “Maybe, I don’t know.”

  “I can’t force you to make amends with Simon. Though I know he’s lonely and ready. But I probably will ask you to apologize to Carly at some point.”

  Dale sighed. “If the time is right. Sleep good, Cuz.”

  Once Dale was gone, Adam sank onto the edge of his bed. He was glad they’d talked about Carly. It made the trip worthwhile. But he knew Dale wasn’t convinced he’d turned down his offer. He thought about the stunning brunette in the kitchen. He supposed tomorrow they’d tour the house they’d picked out for him, too. If he still needed to get away from Sweet Home, the enticements his cousin offered might be too great for him to resist.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  On Thanksgiving evening, Carly was refrigerating leftovers Auntie had sent home with her when the phone rang. Her heart sped, but it wasn’t Adam.

  “Hi. Jason Irish here.”

  An image formed of a serious, broad-shouldered blond sitting in an expensive condo.

  “I spent the day with Gramps. It didn’t take much nudging to get him talking
about Martha.”

  Carly stepped over Cocoa and perched on the edge of her couch. “Really? What’d he say about them?”

  “Said she was his first love. He taught her how to fish, and she taught him about God.”

  “She didn’t tell me that. I wonder if she was hoping to convert him.”

  “She did actually. Not to her faith. Their beliefs clashed when it came to the military. But God helped him get through the war. When he returned, he looked for her and discovered she’d gotten married.”

  “How romantic.”

  Jason laughed.

  Carly found the deep, pleasant sound hard to associate with the stern face she remembered. “Did you mention the party?”

  “No. I’ll let you handle that.”

  “All right.”

  “I don’t work Saturday. Are you available to meet him then?”

  Carly’s mind scanned her options. “Let me think. Adam’s out of town, but my Aunt might be able to drive me to Portland.”

  “You don’t have a car?”

  “No, I ride a bike.”

  “No kidding? So do I.”

  Remembering his fancy home, Carly tried to imagine his tall, lanky body on a bike. “You ride for sport?”

  “No. To work.”

  “Really?” She stretched her legs out on the couch and plumped a pillow. “Where do you work?”

  “I do a couple of things, but I was talking about the Homeless Shelter I manage.”

  “Seems like we have some things in common.”

  “What kind of bike do you ride?”

  “A pink beachcomber with a wicker basket.”

  He laughed again, and the sound grew on her. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “I do get criticism for my choice, but it’s my one splurge. If I owned a car, I wouldn’t be able to give to the assisted-living facility where I work. Oh, it’s piddling. But it’s the right thing to do. Especially since my family can help with my transportation.”

  “I do it just because I love riding.”

  “Oh, I do, too. What kind of bike do you have?” She imagined a speed bike with all the bells and whistles.

  “An old green clunker. One that’s not so tempting to steal since it’s not a safe area.” In her astonishment that Jason wasn’t the stiff caricature her mind had created, they shared a brief silence.

  Then he offered, “Listen, I don’t mind picking you up.”

  “I don’t know. It’s out of your way.”

  “I’d like to get to know you better. For Gramp’s sake.”

  “Jah. All right.”

  “Adam’s not going to get jealous and come after me with a ball bat is he?”

  She thought about the possibility that he was entertaining his own blind date, and for an instant, she wanted to get even. But she quickly discarded the idea. They needed to trust each other. “No, he understands how much this means to me.”

  On Saturday, Carly stared at the blue BMW convertible and wondered how Jason would fit into it. “You don’t want to see what will happen to my hair in this.”

  “No worries. I’ll keep the top up.” Jason studied her curiously. “How long is your hair?” Carly cringed, suddenly wondering if she should be getting in the car with a man who was little more than a stranger.

  “Sorry. That was out of line. I was just curious if you have to cut it short like nuns or how you get it up in that cap.”

  “You always say whatever pops into your mind?” she asked, getting in and fastening her seatbelt.

  He started the engine, and they pulled onto the road. “No, but my curiosity does sometimes get me in trouble.”

  “I can imagine. But I can also sympathize.”

  “Oh?”

  “My aunt says trouble follows me like bees to honey.”

  He laughed. Laughter that emanated from his wide mouth and extended to his eyes.

  “You have a sense of humor. I didn’t sense that the first time we met.”

  “Protecting Gramps and his fortune is a job I take seriously.”

  “Well nobody’s after his money. I can assure you of that.” She grinned. “Unless you’d like to make a contribution to Sweet Life Assisted Living.”

  “And what would Sweet Life do with it?”

  “Probably get a new roof and repair”—she faltered—“I don’t know because everything there is old.”

  “You must really take an interest in the residents.”

  “Of course. I’ve dedicated my life to them.”

  “So how does Adam fit into that scenario?”

  She shrugged. “He knows me pretty well. It’s just my aunt, my brother, and me. Jimmy goes out of town to work, so he asked his best friend, Adam, to take care of me when he’s gone.”

  “So he’s like a brother figure?”

  “It started that way. He’s continually getting me out of scrapes. Lately, it’s more.”

  “Then you aren’t engaged or anything?”

  She felt heat climbing her neck. “No. We’re trying to work through a few obstacles. Why?”

  “Just getting to know you.”

  She glanced at him but couldn’t read his expression. “Besides your grandpa, what’s your family like?”

  “It’s just me, a sister, and Gramps.”

  “Is your sister married?”

  He flashed perfect teeth. “Yup. I have two little nephews.”

  “My brother isn’t married.”

  “So tell me about your faith. Your church.”

  “We believe like most Protestant faiths when it comes to Jesus, but we have a few differences that set us apart.” His eyes glanced at her head covering. “As you already know, we are peace loving and don’t believe in going to war or taking civil jobs.”

  “You think the world would be better without government?”

  “No. But we can’t do anything that would require carrying arms or making laws that go against our faith.”

  He nodded, glancing back at the road. “All right. What else?”

  “We live a plain lifestyle.”

  “Do you mind describing what that’s like?”

  She tried to compare it to his own lifestyle. “We don’t have televisions, and our cars are plain-looking. We use phones and computers for work but try to refrain from getting involved in technology.”

  “Why?”

  Remaining patient, she replied, “Though we live in the world, we are not to be of the world.”

  “You have a Bible reference for that?”

  “Sure. John 17:16: ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ And Romans 12:2 says, ‘Be not conformed to this world.’”

  “Thanks for explaining it. So your people wouldn’t approve of my car?”

  She smiled. “No, not really.”

  “But you have a pink bike?”

  “Jah. And a bright yellow cottage.”

  “You a rebel?”

  “No.” She considered his remark. “Maybe a bit. I just don’t see why we can’t enjoy beautiful colors.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly.” He smiled. “You think Gramps and Martha had talks like this?”

  Carly grinned, “I suppose they did.”

  “It’s sad, isn’t it?”

  Carly nodded.

  “But romantic.”

  “I was hoping they could at least enjoy a friendship. I imagined your grandpa coming to play bingo with Martha.” She shook her head. “I had no idea they would live this far apart.”

  “It’s not so far. We’re already on the outskirts of the city.”

  Although the streets were filled with lovely estates, Carly gawked as Jason turned into a long winding drive that led to a white, multiple-gabled mansion. Jason pointed past pristine lawns to a smaller house. “That’s where Betty, Bree, and Paul live. Betty’s Grandpa’s caregiver. Bree, the daughter, manages the inside housekeeping, and Paul takes care of the outside property. We’re fortunate to have them.”

  “I’m embarrassed now, t
hinking your grandpa would enjoy playing bingo at Sweet Life.”

  “Nonsense. Don’t make any judgments until you meet him.”

  He led her in a side door, down a long hall with gleaming wood and plush rugs, and into a room where light flooded from a bank of bay windows. “Hey, Gramps. Thought I’d find you in here.”

  “Trying to soak up some sunshine.” James was an older version of Jason. Upon seeing Carly, he struggled to rise from his chair.

  Quickly, she crossed the room. “Please, don’t get up on my account.”

  His bottom plunked back onto his chair. “Just give me another try.”

  She steadied his arm as he rose and leaned on his cane. “See, I can still stand when I see a pretty girl.” He glanced at Jason questioningly.

  Jason stepped forward. “Gramps, this is my friend Carly Blosser. She works at an assisted-living facility.”

  “Heh?”

  Jason raised his voice, “Assisted-living facility.”

  With that, he plopped back in the chair. “Don’t even think about it.”

  She laughed while Jason explained in a loud voice, “I’m not. Now don’t be rude.”

  James shrugged. “My apologies. So are you a long-lost daughter or something?”

  “Gramps!”

  Carly raised her voice. “Hardly at my age.” She poked her finger at his arm. “Now quit sassing me, and I’ll tell you a story you might find interesting.”

  He caught her finger. “You have my interest, little lady.”

  Pulling free, Carly crouched beside him and spoke close to his ear. “An old friend of yours lives at the facility where I work. Her name is Martha.”

  His eyes widened. “When I saw you, I had to think of her. She dressed like you.” Then he motioned with his hand, “Get up. Get up. Jason, bring her a chair. And get me my hearing aids, too.”

  After they were both settled, she explained how she’d been reading a news report about a covered-bridge festival when Martha told her about that summer. James’s eyes took on a faraway gaze that touched Carly’s heart. “She’s a widow now.”

  “Did she have a happy life?”

  “Jah. She married a good man and has children and grandchildren. She loved John, but I can tell she never forgot about you, wished things could have been different.”