Arden set down her load and looked around. The most fabulous mural drew her attention and she crossed the room to get a better look.
“What do you think?” Joni asked, walking up behind her.
“It’s great. Very dynamic.” And that was putting it mildly. It was one of the best pieces of art she’d ever seen. Not that she was an expert by any stretch of the imagination. But she had been dragged to art galleries more times than she cared to remember and had been exposed to top-tier art. This was definitely of that quality. It was not something she expected to see in a small-town youth center.
“Isn’t it? The artist is Carmen Taylor. She grew up here and moved to New York some years ago, where she did quite well. From what I understand, she’s very famous in the art world. She donated this mural and designed the one outside. Volunteers painted that one, but she did this one herself. She’s getting married Saturday.”
“To the chief of police. Trent somebody.”
Joni arched her eyebrows. “My, my. You haven’t been in town twenty-four hours and already you’re in the know.”
“Not really. Kristina Harrison mentioned the wedding yesterday. The bed-and-breakfast is full of wedding guests, which is why I couldn’t stay there.”
“Brandon is catering the rehearsal dinner and the reception. It’s quite the coup. A few bigwigs from New York are coming. This could really help Brandon out.”
“I thought his restaurant was doing well.”
“It is. But he always says that if you aren’t growing and moving up, you’re stagnating and on your way down.”
Arden nodded. She’d heard her father and brothers make similar statements over the years. Even though Wexford Industries was a huge corporation, the principle still applied.
“Come on, let’s grab the rest.”
When they stepped outside, Arden saw Brandon reaching into Joni’s trunk, two boxes near his feet while he hefted out another. His shirt was taut across the muscles of his back as they flexed with his movement. Arden’s mouth watered at the sight, but she managed to keep from drooling.
“What are you doing here?” Joni asked, leaning against the bumper.
“John called. I forgot to get Arden’s number and, as usual, your phone is turned off.”
“Oops.” Joni didn’t sound even the tiniest bit sorry. She shrugged, picked up a couple of bags and carried them inside.
Arden grabbed a box, eager to get away from the gorgeous man before she did something ridiculous like flirt or bat her eyelashes. The weight inside shifted and the box began to slip. Brandon reached out to help her steady the load. His hand brushed against her arm and her knees actually went weak. Her eyes flew to his and time seemed to stop. She found herself swaying closer to him.
Kiss me. The stray thought caught her off guard and she jerked away from temptation, stumbling like a klutz over a box beside him. He grabbed her before she fell. The warmth from his hands sent heat coursing through her body. This was so not good.
“Thanks,” Arden said breathlessly, and took a step toward the youth center, hoping to get away and gather herself.
Brandon raised an eyebrow and stared at her as if he knew what she’d been thinking. “Don’t you want to know what he said?”
“Who?”
“John.” She must have looked as blank as she felt because he spoke the next words very slowly. “The guy who’s fixing your car.”
“Oh, yeah. Right. What did he say?”
“He towed it in, but he needs the keys. Once we get this stuff inside, I’ll drop you off at the garage.”
The thought of their sitting shoulder to shoulder again in the cab of Brandon’s truck, his masculine scent swirling around her, tempted her to forget she was not interested in getting involved with another man. “You don’t have to do that. I’ve caused you enough trouble as it is.”
“It’s not a problem,” Brandon replied as he hoisted a box onto his right shoulder and grabbed another under his left arm. “John’s place is on the way to my restaurant.”
* * *
Brandon glanced at the woman beside him and wondered, not for the first time, what the heck he was doing. Although he’d previously had no problem keeping women at arm’s distance, he was being drawn into Arden’s orbit. Worse, he was doing nothing to resist her pull. He knew Joni would have dropped Arden off at John’s garage, but instead he heard himself offering her a ride. What was it about her that had his mouth running miles ahead of his brain and leading his body in the totally wrong direction?
Sure, she was pretty and liked some of the same things he did. Before Sylvia’s treachery, that would have been a good thing and he would have pursued her. Now... If he knew what was good for him he would stay away from her before she drew him in and made him feel things he didn’t want to feel ever again.
The morning was warm with the promise of becoming a scorcher as the day wore on. The sun was shining in the cloudless sky so he pulled down the visor. Still, the sun was no match for the brilliance of Arden’s smile. It was almost hot enough to melt the ice encasing his heart. Almost. Lucky for him she was leaving soon or he might be in danger of letting her get too close.
She peered out the window. “Sweet Briar has got to be the cutest place I’ve ever seen.”
He bit back a sigh of relief. Talking about impersonal things was safe and easy. Figuring out his attraction to her and how to get control of it was not. “Our town is making a better impression on you today than last night?”
“Oh, yeah. I can’t believe the difference a little sunlight makes. It looks like a picture postcard, advertising the perfect little town. The shops are so pretty with their striped awnings and old-fashioned signs. Best of all there’s not a chain restaurant in sight to ruin the effect. There’s not a stray branch or leaf in sight, either. If I hadn’t lived through it, I wouldn’t believe a storm blew through here only hours ago. It’s like elves or fairies cleaned up everything overnight.”
“Fairies and elves?”
“Okay. Shop owners.” Understanding lit her eyes. “That’s what you were doing this morning. Clearing the street and walkways around your restaurant.”
“Guilty as charged.”
He drove past Wilson’s Hardware and waved at Hank, grandson of the founder. Two doors down, Carlo and Mario Marconi were setting red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, vinyl place mats and napkin-wrapped silverware on the tables in front of their family-owned pizza parlor.
“Ooh.”
“What?”
“Do you see that?” Arden’s reverent whisper made her sound like a kid looking at a pile of presents under the Christmas tree.
“See what?”
“The chocolate fountain in the window of Louanne’s Homemade Candy Shoppe. It was surrounded by strawberries and pretzels and a whole bunch of other goodies. I’m definitely going to visit that store before I leave.”
“You and every other woman in this town.” He glanced at the popular shop and drove another block.
Arden laughed suddenly and pointed out her window. “Fit To Be Dyed Beauty Shop. Is that where little old ladies go to get their hair tinted Easter-egg blue?”
Brandon huffed out a laugh. He couldn’t help it. Her quirky sense of humor appealed to him. He was almost sorry to reach their destination. Howard and Son’s Garage was across the street from the salon. He parked, turned off the engine and opened his door.
Arden placed her hand on his arm and stopped him from getting out. Her skin was warm and soft and awakened feelings in him he’d rather remained dormant. He’d never responded that way to such an innocent touch. “You don’t need to go in with me. You must have a hundred things to do.”
That was true, yet he wanted to insist on accompanying her. But why should he? John was totally trustworthy. Joni had already volunteered to pick her u
p when she was finished. Not only that, Arden wasn’t his responsibility. He wasn’t going to fall back into the habit of rescuing women. Hadn’t he just been thinking he needed to maintain his distance? Becoming more involved in her life and her problems was the total opposite of that.
He nodded and restarted the truck, forcing himself to drive off the minute she stepped onto the sidewalk. He needed to get a grip, and fast.
* * *
Arden stepped into the building and looked around. A black leather couch that had seen better days was pushed against a windowless wall, a glass coffee table covered with magazines inches in front of it. The smell of oil and brake fluid filled the air. Clanging sounds mingled with Bruce Springsteen, and a howling noise that almost sounded like singing came from the back of the shop.
She crossed the empty waiting room to the laminate counter that divided it from the work area. There was a small silver bell on the counter and she gave it a good ring. A few moments later the noise stopped and the volume on the Springsteen song was lowered.
“Hi. How can I help you?”
She glanced up into smiling brown eyes in a round tan face. “Are you John?”
“In the flesh.” He wiped his hands on a stained rag, then shoved the cloth into the pocket of his blue-striped coveralls. He leaned against the counter and swiped a yellow sucker from a bowl. “My wife insisted I give up smoking when she was pregnant with our first child. Now I’m hooked on these.”
Arden laughed. “Brandon sent me.”
“Ah, so you’re Arden.”
She nodded and looked longingly at the candy.
He slid the bowl across the counter. “Help yourself. I buy them by the gross. I haven’t had a chance to get to your car yet. Emma Johnson’s daughter had her baby a month early, so she needs to get to Tennessee as soon as possible to help out. There’s no way I could let her hit the road without checking her car first. It’s a good thing I did. She needed new brakes and a tune-up. I have a couple more cars to get to, so I might not get to yours for a bit.”
“Okay.” Arden was astonished by how easily he spilled another person’s business. She hoped he wouldn’t be as free with her information as he was with this Emma person’s.
“Is my car in the back?”
“Yep.” He chewed his sucker, then tossed the stick into a trash can.
“I need to get some things out.”
“Sure. I need the keys from you anyway.”
He grabbed a couple more suckers before leading her to her car. They passed a small office. A pink dollhouse and large cardboard building blocks were squeezed beside a cluttered desk. “Every once in a while I have to bring my kids with me. Toys keep them out of trouble. If not, there’s always Attica.”
“Attica? Like the prison?”
He nodded toward a folded playpen. “They hate that thing. Can’t much say I blame them.”
Arden grinned and followed him through the work area and out a steel door. Her Beetle was parked in a small paved lot between a late-model Cadillac and a classic Mustang. After retrieving her overnight bag, she dropped the keys into the mechanic’s hand.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”
“Thanks.” She left the garage and paused outside, not sure where to go. Her cell phone rang and she set down her suitcase. Arden glanced at the screen and groaned. Jax. No doubt she was on speakerphone. She knew Jax would do all the talking, but Blake would be listening. Her brothers meant well, but they were smothering her and driving her crazy by being so overprotective.
“Hello.” She sounded calm and mentally patted herself on the back.
“Where are you? You were supposed to call last night. The hotel in Virginia said you checked out yesterday morning.”
“I’m fine, Jackson. There’s no need for you to worry.”
“Of course there is. You finally broke up with that no-good bum. Instead of turning to Blake or me, you go halfway across the country.”
She pulled her suitcase over to a black iron bench and sat. This could take a while, so she might as well be comfortable. “Florida is on the same side of the country.”
“You know what I mean.”
She did. He wanted her to stay in Baltimore where they could wrap her up in cotton balls to keep her from getting hurt. If they could, they’d keep her from having problems, which in essence was keeping her from having a life. Barring that, they wanted to jump in and solve them for her. That was part of the reason she needed to get away. It would be too easy for her to fall back into her old ways and lean on them instead of standing on her own two feet. She’d never gain their respect if she continued to let them bail her out. She was willing to admit she had played a part in their relationship becoming unequal. If it was to change, she knew she had to do things differently.
“Since you haven’t made it to Florida yet, why don’t you just turn around and come home?”
And run the risk of seeing Michael-the-pig? Not for a lifetime supply of chocolate-covered pecans. “No.”
There was a long pause and she could just envision them whispering furiously as they plotted their next move. Heaven help her from meddling brothers. A bird flew down from its perch in the tree and landed on the edge of a flowerpot overflowing with purple, orange, red and yellow blooms. The wind blew and the scent of the flowers filled her nostrils and she sighed. The bird turned at the sound, then hopped into the flower bed where it began digging in the dirt, perhaps looking for a worm.
“We want to help.”
Her brother’s voice pulled her attention away from the bird and back to her situation. “I know you do. And I love you both for it. I just need space.”
“We understand that. But we need to know you’re okay.”
She blew out a breath. Just because she was ready to cut the apron strings didn’t mean they were. But she was willing to take baby steps to help them along. At least for now. “I’ll call you every Sunday.”
“And Wednesday.”
“No way. Once a week is enough.” She had to draw a line somewhere.
There was another long silence, until Jax finally said, “Okay. But you’ll call if you need anything—”
This was becoming ridiculous. “Yeah. Sure. Bye.”
“Bye. We love you, Arden.”
She ended the call and returned her phone to her purse. All things considered, that had gone better than expected. She was finally making strides, no matter how small, in getting her brothers to see her as an adult.
Standing, Arden wheeled the suitcase behind her, curious to see more of the town in the light of day. She’d gone only one block when she came upon Brandon’s restaurant. A redbrick building with large windows and purple-and-yellow flowers in pots on either side of the gold-trimmed glass door, Heaven on Earth had a welcoming look. For a moment Arden hesitated, then tried the knob. It turned under her hand. She didn’t need to check in with Brandon, but she owed him the courtesy of keeping him abreast of the status of her car. After all, she was a guest in his home.
The dining area was empty, but she figured he must be around. Leaving her suitcase inside the main entrance, she walked through the maze of tables until she stood outside his office. Hearing his voice, she realized he was not alone and had turned to go when a woman’s voice stopped her.
“I hate to leave you shorthanded with the rehearsal dinner and reception coming up. I know how important they are to you, Brandon. But I have to go home. My great-aunt raised me and there’s nobody else to care for her after her stroke.”
“Of course you do. Family is important. Don’t worry about work. I’ll handle it.”
“But you’re already short two waitresses. You’ll really be in a mess.”
“We’ll be fine. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No. I’m set. I didn’t have
much to pack.”
Arden heard paper rustling. “Here’s your last check. I’ve also included a reference letter.”
“Thanks. I’ve been so worried, I didn’t even think of that.”
“I want you to know, if you decide to return to Sweet Briar, you’ll always have a job here.”
“I can’t even think that far ahead. I’ll never forget you. Would you please tell everyone bye for me and that I’ll be in touch when I can?”
“Absolutely. And if you need anything, just call.”
“Thanks.”
The young woman left the office and brushed past Arden, wiping tears as she hurried through the restaurant. Arden hesitantly knocked on Brandon’s open door. He was sitting at his desk filling out a form. Pen in hand, he looked up. When he saw her he smiled and leaned back in his chair. Her pulse began to race. What was it about this man that rang her chimes? If she wasn’t careful she’d forget she wasn’t interested in men anymore.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
He shook his head and waved her in. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks. I met with John. He’s not sure he’ll be able to get to my car today. I hate to impose on you and Joni another night, so maybe I should get a room at one of the hotels you mentioned.”
“That’s not necessary. You’re not an imposition. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”
“I appreciate that. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation a minute ago.”
“With Nora?”
“The waitress?” At his nod she continued. “I know you have a couple of important jobs coming up. I’d love to help if I can.”
“You wouldn’t by any chance have experience as a waitress, would you?” He sounded as if he was half-joking.
“Actually, I do. I worked as a waitress in a four-star restaurant my last two years of college.” Although her family was wealthy, her parents wanted Arden and her brothers to know the value of work. They’d seen too many rich kids living off their trust funds, burning through money they hadn’t earned. A perfect waste of a strong back was how her father referred to them. Determined that his kids weren’t going to become spoiled and lazy, Winston Wexford insisted that his children have summer jobs while in high school. They’d also been required to work part-time while in college. He paid tuition, room and board, and other necessities. Arden and her brothers had paid for any extras they wanted.
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