She paused, looking away, gathering her thoughts. “But at the callousness of going after a child by lying. Waving money around. Deceiving me. Addie’s conception was caused by deceit. I couldn’t bear to think that her life revolved around that, too. And so I had you checked out.”
His heart twisted in pain, hearing her words, imagining being alone, betrayed and a single mother.
“I promised myself I’d never let that happen again.”
“Josie, I—”
She stood and crossed through the kitchen to the door. “Time’s up, Jacob. It’s time for both of us to move on to the lives God has laid out for us. My concerns have been put to rest, and I wish you nothing but goodness, all of your days.” She pulled the door open. “Goodbye.”
She left him no choice. He wasn’t there to browbeat her, but to empathize. He’d done that and now... He paused at the door, willing her to look up. Just once.
She didn’t. Chin down, she made no eye contact. He longed to tip that chin up. To promise her things would be okay. Could be okay.
But a tiny thought niggled within, a reminder that actions spoke louder than words. He touched her shoulder softly, gently. “God bless you, Josie.”
He left, and when the soft click of the door separated them, he trudged to his car.
So much hurt. So much heartbreak. A ridiculous amount, in fact. To have two people, bound by love of a child, caring for one another, and driven apart by anger.
A glimmer of his dream returned, but he’d thrown mean, harsh words at an innocent woman. Why would she want to care? And would winning her for Addie’s sake be enough?
He knew it wouldn’t. He wanted Josie Gallagher’s love for his sake. The amazingly wonderful kid was pure bonus.
He went home to the empty apartment, sat down and didn’t dwell.
He acted.
He opened his laptop to scout out real estate opportunities. He messaged his recruiter about the local job he’d passed on.
She messaged back quickly that it was gone, but she’d check for other possibilities.
Never mind, he decided as he messaged a local Realtor. There were other jobs. Maybe not perfect, but he realized now how he’d nearly turned his back on practically perfect, and it had nothing to do with work and everything to do with faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these was love.
That paraphrased line from Corinthians became his new mantra.
He made a list of properties for sale in Grace Haven, and remembered to check their proximity to cows or the amount of acreage needed to have a cow. He had no idea how to take care of a cow, but he could learn. If it gave him the chance to win Josie’s heart, he could learn just about anything.
And if she didn’t fall in love with him? He didn’t want to imagine that outcome, but at least she wouldn’t be denied access to her child. The very idea was unthinkable. They’d have to talk things through, but to leave Grace Haven and separate mother and child was wrong, and Jacob Weatherly had always made a point of not doing wrong. He intended to keep that trend going.
He got up in the morning, showered and shaved, ready for his last day of work with Carrington. He’d had a solid history with them, but the time had come to lay down roots. Roots strong enough to help Addie grow wings. That was his goal now. To lay down roots in Grace Haven, New York.
Chapter Fifteen
Josie put Terry on smoker detail early Friday, and monitored his progress as the day went on.
She didn’t give one thought to Jacob’s gentle gaze. His kind words. His obvious sympathy for what had taken place long ago.
And she absolutely, positively refused to think about his scent when he took a seat next to her, the smell of fading aftershave, minty breath and fresh lake breezes.
And she would not contemplate his touch, that gentle stroke of his big, strong hand to her shoulder, putting her in mind of that heart-stopping kiss shared not long ago.
She refused to think about any of it, but she couldn’t seem to think of anything else. She thought of him as she steamed basmati rice. She pictured him as they filled the big barbecue drum with Cajun-blackened split chickens, a Friday special. And when the fish and seafood order came in, she thought about Lake Ontario, and their beautiful day of sun and sand.
She thought of him as they warmed peppered cheese for nachos.
And she couldn’t help but think about him as she watched the sous chef mix a monster-size vat of coleslaw while she tossed together her own version of hot potato salad alongside. Nothing was a big enough distraction.
He shouldn’t have come.
He could have left town quietly, as planned, but no. He showed up, being kind and good and understanding.
He was kind and good and understanding last night. Last week? Not so much.
She heard the internal warning clearly, and got the gist. He’d turned on her when he thought she’d deceived him for her own purposes.
He could have asked, her conscience prodded when she finally closed the door on the restaurant at nearly ten o’clock that evening.
But a part of Josie was glad he’d leaped to protecting Addie first. That’s what a dad did, right? Her father had been like that, and when he’d died, she’d lost that sense of being safe and protected. Maybe that’s why she’d been foolish in college. Either way, she’d appreciated her father’s strong stance on life and love and family. And she felt the same way about Jacob with Addie.
She walked to her car. The sun had gone down minutes before, the elongated days of summer lingering well past nine. Shadows deepened as she walked, and when she got to the car, there was a note taped to the windshield window. “Dear Miss Josie...”
Her heart melted instantly.
“Will you come on a date with me and my dad on Monday?” Addie had crossed out an f on the word wif and corrected it with a th, indicating someone helped the six-year-old pen the letter in bright red crayon on faded construction paper.
Why was he doing this? She’d cut things off deliberately. Was he feeling some sense of misguided guilt? Or...
And she didn’t even begin to dare hope this.
Was he still interested?
You think?
The voice in her head sounded a little sarcastic. She tucked the note into her purse, shushed the voice and climbed into the car.
She found another note waiting for her at the garage door, on blue paper this time.
“Meet us in your driveway at ten o’clock. Please. XXX OOO.”
And then on the bottom she’d added: “On Monday.”
She should text Jacob and tell him no. Wasn’t it foolish to hang out with Addie, only to lose her all over again? And yet, when would she get another chance?
Perhaps never.
At the top of the stairs she found a third note. “Text YES to 404-555-4101.”
He’d covered the bases. With Addie.
She walked inside the apartment. Cool air met her, and after working in a hot, sweat-inducing kitchen on a hot summer’s day, the air felt good. So good.
She cleaned up and eyed the third note, then picked up her phone and texted one quick word. Yes.
She put down the phone, half-afraid he wouldn’t text back, and just as afraid he would. And when he did, she lifted the phone quickly to see what he said.
We’re so glad.
Just that.
Her heart jittered. So did her breath. She wouldn’t read too much into this, because there were two days to wait, but seeing those notes and that text soothed her heart and her soul. Josie Gallagher got her first good night’s sleep since seeing Addie hop out of that car nearly two months before.
* * *
“Mom. Dad. Addie and I have something to tell you.” Jacob snugged his arm around Addie’s shoulders and faced his parents on Saturday morning. “We’re going to stay in Grace Haven.”
>
“Like forever,” Addie added helpfully when his parents didn’t react.
“I’m looking at houses...”
“And cows,” chimed in Addie. “But we’re not really exactly sure what color cow to get, so I think Farmer Gallagher can help us decide. Maybe.”
He watched his parents exchange a look, then his father rose, crossed the floor and handed him a sheaf of papers. “See what you think.”
What he thought? Jacob examined the top copy, then leafed through the sheets below before shifting his attention back to his father. “You want to franchise the Bayou Barbecue?”
“If Josie will let me, yes.”
“Dad, I—” He clutched the paperwork, dumbfounded.
“It’s an amazing opportunity,” his father went on. “There’s nothing up here that holds a candle to her cooking, and I saw that right off. If we open several different spots, dotting the county, at least this one and the next one, we’ve got the entire Rochester market covered, and it’s a perfect time to jump into New York business. They’re doing tax incentives like crazy for the next decade. No time like the present, Jacob, and I am sick to death of retirement. Are you interested?”
“Interested?”
His father pointed to the papers. “In running the show? I’ll be here to launch with you, but I have no intention of staying up north all year, every year. A man would have to be daft to think such a thing, and Mother and I would still have a few months of calm and quiet along the Gulf Coast. And then I would come back and jump in. It’s in your wheelhouse, son. It’s what you do best. Build things and oversee restaurant quality.”
Addie squealed once she realized what the exchange meant. “Dad, let’s do it! Oh, won’t Josie be pleased!”
“Will she?” He aimed a look of question at his father.
Bob shrugged. “We won’t know until we ask her, so I invited her over tomorrow after her shift. She’s done early, so mother’s planning a four o’clock supper in the gazebo. She wanted to have it catered, but I think Josie’s more the hots and hamburgers type.”
“She said yes?”
“Well, I did my fair share of sweet-talking, so in the end, there was little else to say.”
Addie grabbed hold of Jacob’s arm. “That means I don’t have to wait until Monday to see my mom!”
Sheila’s eyes went wide when Addie slapped a hand over her mouth.
Jacob nodded. “I’m not big on secrets, and I explained that Josie loved her so much that she wanted to find a nice home, the nicest home ever for Addie to be in. But when unexpected things happened, God brought her and me here, right here, to Grace Haven. We didn’t know her mother lived here. But God did. And now we do, too. Now all that’s left is for us to find a place.”
“I’m going to surprise Josie and tell her when I see her, so we have to keep it a big secret. Okay?” Addie grabbed his parents’ hands, imploring.
“It’s very okay.” Bob scooped her up and gave her a big hug. Sheila joined him, her arms wrapped around him and the girl. And when Addie dashed off to make pictures of how she perceived her new life, including a full menagerie of animals, he turned to his parents. “I hope it’s all right that I told her. I didn’t mean to spring it on you guys like that.”
“Better the truth than a lie, Jacob. Always.” His mother looked sad but resolute. “It’s our turn to fix things, and I’m not afraid to do my share.”
“Me, either,” declared Bob. “If I’m going to have a working relationship with that fine young woman, I want it off on the right foot from the get-go. And now, I’m going to stop by Henderson Architectural and see if they can make my thoughts look a little better than these chicken scratches I did on my own. I want Josie to see this the way I picture it. Might help persuade her to my way of thinking.”
“And you and Addie have some errands to run?” Sheila asked.
“We do.” Jacob palmed Addie’s head and grinned. “We’re going to spend the day exploring and seeing if any of the properties Miss Linda wants to show us are just right.”
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow. And Jacob?”
“Yes?” He turned.
“Your dad and I were wondering which church you go to. Just in case we’re up in time and have a mind to go.”
“We like lots of them, but I like Grace Haven Community best, Memaw.” Sincerity marked Addie’s earnest look. “It’s got the best candles.”
“And there you go.” Jacob flashed his mother a smile. “The candles take it, every time. Service begins at nine.”
“Nine?” She didn’t sound delighted about the early hour, but she didn’t wince, either. “Nine it is.”
Chapter Sixteen
Dinner with Jacob’s parents?
Josie left the Bayou in Terry’s capable hands a little after two on Sunday, wishing she hadn’t let Bob Weatherly talk her into coming over.
She went home, showered and slipped into a soft, flowy shirt and midlength thin cotton skirt, the kind that swirled with each breath of wind.
She blow-dried her hair and brought it over her shoulder in a long, simple braid, then fastened hoop earrings to her ears, before finishing the look with a long, beachy shell necklace.
A business deal...
That’s what Bob Weatherly had said when he stopped by the barbecue kitchen on Saturday morning. He didn’t mention Addie, or Jacob, or their unusually convoluted attachment. He simply smiled, complimented her on the food again and asked her to supper.
She’d faced him, squashed her nerves and accepted graciously.
And now she figured she was about to get sick to her stomach with a war of nerves.
She turned onto Sunrise Road, almost directly across the lake from the Eastern Shore Inn.
The road entrance was flanked by woods, but as the road approached the water, the view flared before her. Pretty homes, waterfront tones, shady trees and an amazing view.
She’d grown up in the village, close enough to the beach to be a water baby, but in a much more humble setting than the western shore of Canandaigua Lake.
Their driveway sloped to her left. She parked the car in the shade of wide-trunked maples and slipped out of the seat.
Cool shade softened the thick July air. And a whispered breeze made the leaves dance above, shifting a shimmering pattern of light.
“Beautiful.”
Jacob’s voice, from a few feet away. She deliberately pretended to misunderstand and turned while motioning to the trees, the house, the setting. “It is.”
He smiled.
He didn’t correct her, or tease, he simply smiled, knowing she’d get it. And she did. “Do you know what this is about and should I be forewarned?”
He fell into step beside her. “Only if you’re the sort who ruins Christmas by sneaking a peek ahead of time.”
“I did that once, and ruined the entire day.”
“A lesson learned. Hey, kid.”
Addie flew their way in a brightly patterned sundress. “Look! We’re both wearing dresses! I really, really think we’re so much alike!”
Such sweet words and emotion! Josie sank down to her level. “Except that yours has flowers and my skirt has vines.”
“I really like it.” Addie tipped her gaze up to Josie and studied her with a look of intensity. “It’s so beautiful on you.”
“Well, thank you. And I must say that I’m quite partial to yours.” Addie grabbed Josie’s hand, then Jacob’s with her other hand, linking them as they rounded the lakeside home.
The waterside gazebo was laid out for a casual summer supper. Long, flowing sheers draped the openings, offering shade as needed. A table that would easily fit eight was centered inside, surrounded by built-in benches. “What a lovely setting. Mrs. Weatherly, this is gorgeous.”
Jacob’s mother came forward and clasped Josie’s hands. “J
osie Gallagher, I want to thank you.” She squeezed Josie’s hands lightly, quietly accentuating her meaning. “I cannot begin to tell you what your kind and sacrificial heart has meant to our family. Thank you.” She reached out and hugged Josie. “For blessing us.”
“Now, ladies, this is a business meeting, and I don’t recall drama being listed on the menu.” Bob Weatherly motioned her toward a side table, set up in the shade of another mature tree. “Business first, or food?”
“If I don’t like the business, do I still get the food?”
“Absolutely not.” He smiled, teasing.
“Then let’s eat.” She met Bob Weatherly’s smile and matched it.
“Josie, you wouldn’t believe how many fun things my dad and I do now that he’s not working! It’s totally amazing!”
Two days of amazing. That was the sweet innocence of a child.
Jacob brought a plate of fresh burgers and Zweigle’s hot dogs to the table. “Mom was thinking formal. The rest of us outvoted her, so it’s mac salad, burgers and hot dogs.”
“My favorites,” Josie assured them. “Except for amazing barbecue, that is.”
“Exactly the reason I brought you over,” Bob jumped in, impatient. Clearly waiting until after dinner was too much to ask. “Josie, I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“Dad, I thought you were going to let her eat first?” Jacob pointed to the hot food on the table.
“Food tastes best when we’re happy,” Bob said. He sat down next to Josie and opened a loose-leaf portfolio. “Here’s my plan.”
The simple prospectus was outlined on the face page. And the simple offer was enough to capture Josie’s attention. “You want to franchise the Bayou Barbecue?”
“That’s exactly what I want to do. A partnership. You. Me. Him.” He pointed over his shoulder to Jacob, and Josie had to sip water to keep from choking. “You provide the dive design and recipes, I build, Jacob oversees the entire operation. Easy, right?”
Her Secret Daughter Page 17