Harlequin Heartwarming April 2018 Box Set

by Amy Vastine

  “Ned’s right,” Spence agreed, playing a run on his guitar. “Pop the question why don’t you, so we can get back to work!”

  “What about a necklace?” Whitney wanted to know.

  “Nah,” he repeated, “I’m not much into trinkets.” He tried to focus on the thick gold chain, but what he saw was Lillie, opening the little box, smiling past glittering tears as she handed him the ring and waited for him to put it on her finger.

  “Yes,” she’d said matter-of-factly. Then, more emphatically, “Yes.” And standing on tiptoe, she’d nearly knocked him over with a powerful Lillie hug.

  When he kissed her, a patron yelled, “Atta boy, Jase! Atta boy!” And he’d barely heard the applause because—

  “Have you ever considered wearing an earring?”

  Jase shook his head, hoping to rid himself of those memories.

  “Well? Would you?”

  “Me? A pierced ear? Like a pirate?” He forced a laugh. “Have you met me?”

  Whitney laughed, too, then exhaled a feminine groan. “You are the most difficult man to buy a gift for!”

  “You know I’m not big on gifts.” He pulled her into a light hug. “Besides, a little bird told me I’m getting running boards this year.”

  She blushed prettily and would have kissed him if the clerk hadn’t said “Ms. Hendricks?”

  Whitney went to the counter, and while she and the jeweler discussed the watch, Jase faced Route 40. Cars, trucks and motorcycles bulleted past. Then he noticed that his passenger window was down. Not partway, but all the way. Whitney must have accidentally hit the button while searching for her phone. “Payback,” he murmured, and stepped up beside her.

  “I left the truck window open and it looks like rain. Be right back,” he told her. And without waiting for a reply, Jase palmed his keys and made his way to the parking lot…

  …and crashed into Lillie, crushing a long-stemmed flower between them.

  “Jase?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  He felt like an idiot when he replied, “Lillie…”

  “Dad and I were just picking up a few things for Mom.”

  Liam, standing beside her, said, “Good to see you, son. What brings you all the way to Ellicott City?”

  He transferred the keys from his right hand to his left and resisted the urge to glance into the jewelry store. “Just…just running errands. Sunday’s Mother’s Day…”

  Lillie smiled as Liam chuckled. “Yeah,” he said, showing off his bouquet, “we heard.”

  Jase stepped back, asking Lillie how badly he’d crushed her purchase.

  She gave the orchid a quick once-over. “It’s fine.”

  “Are you sure? Because I’m happy to go right back in there and buy a replace—”

  Lillie silenced him with a tiny smile. “Really. Orchids are tougher than they look, kinda like the daisies Dad bought…” She winked at her father. “Because he thinks they’re Mom’s favorites.”

  While Liam chuckled, Jase remembered that once, they’d been Lillie’s favorites. “They’re tough,” she’d say, “like me.” The proof could be found on anything that would hold ink: envelopes, napkins, cash register receipts… Given enough time, the thing would be covered with doodles of daisies, jagged-edged leaves and curlicue vines swirling between the blossoms. But that had been before the accident.

  Get it together, dude. “When did you get home?”

  “I just picked her up at the Greyhound station. My girl, here, wanted to stop on the way home. Get a little something for her mom.”

  “Ellicott City is hardly on the way home to Fells Point…”

  “I know,” Lillie said, “but this place is owned by the parents of a girl I graduated with. Anyway, you know I like shopping at mom-and-pop stores when I can. Besides, no telling when I’ll get a chance to go shopping, and I wanted to bring something nice to Mom. Dad says she’s been cooking and baking for days to welcome me home, so…”

  She’d never been one to ramble, not even when nervous, but Jase supposed a lot of things about her had changed in the year she’d been gone.

  “Well, I think the flower is real nice. I’ll bet your mom will think so, too.”

  She’d focused on something over his left shoulder, and Jase turned just as Whitney closed the distance between them.

  “Well, it’s all fixed,” she announced, holding up a tiny black bag. Linking her arm through his, she pressed close to his side. “Turns out it was just the battery after all. You were right. I got myself all worried over nothing.”

  She fixed her gaze on Liam. “Mr. Rourke, right?”

  Lillie’s dad extended a hand. “Good to see you again, Whitney. And please, call me Liam.” He drew Lillie into a sideways hug. “I don’t think you’ve met my daughter. Lillie, this is Whitney.”

  Jase felt Whitney stiffen, and from the corner of his eye saw the slight lift of her chin.

  “Lillie? The Lillie?”

  Had Whitney intended to make it sound as though she knew all the gory details of Lillie’s recent past? Because nothing could be further from the truth. Each time Whitney had pressed for information about former relationships, Jase steered the conversation in a different direction. Not to protect her so much as to spare himself the memories. Except once, early in their relationship, when she’d found a framed photo in his desk drawer. “You loved her a lot didn’t you?” Whitney had asked, staring at it. When he didn’t respond, she’d added, “So? What’s her name?” Somehow, he managed to grind out “Lillie.” Things got real quiet between them for the rest of that evening. But thankfully, the subject never came up again.

  A fly buzzed by his head, rousing him from the memory.

  “Yes,” he said, “this is Lillie. We go way back.” The image of the first time he saw her flashed in his mind. As manager of Three-Eyed Joe’s and leader of the Muzikalees, he’d hired her on a probationary basis, thinking a girl singer would encourage a less rowdy crowd. From the instant she’d walked into the pub, Lillie had a positive impact on the place. The guys in the band quit cussing. People on the dance floor didn’t bring their drinks with them. The bartenders and waitresses picked up on her sweet, upbeat demeanor, and served customers, even the surly ones, with smiles.

  “Well, it’s been lovely seeing you again, Liam, and meeting you, Lillie,” Whitney said, “but Jason and I have a few more errands to run before we change for dinner at Sabatino’s.”

  He’d all but forgotten their dinner plans. But the way she’d put it made it sound as if they were living together. And they most definitely were not. Lillie’s eyes widened, exactly as they had when she pressed the engagement ring into his palm that night. Despite their history, he didn’t like seeing her hurt.

  “Sabatino’s, eh?” Liam said. “That’s one of our favorite restaurants in Little Italy.”

  Lillie, Jase noted, said nothing. Their favorite restaurant had always been Chiaparelli’s, because they made great gnocchi.

  “Well, good seeing you two,” he said, shaking Liam’s hand. To Lillie, he said, “See you around, kiddo.”

  If that look on her face was any indicator, Lillie was thinking, Not if I have anything to say about it!

  “Does Dad have your contact information?”

  Jase decided that mind reading wasn’t among his hidden talents.

  “Sure do,” Liam said as Whitney pressed closer to Jase’s side. “Why?”

  When Lillie’s big dark eyes locked on his, Jase had to remind himself to breathe. There had been a time when a look like that would have inspired him to—

  “Good. I’ll be in touch,” she told him. “Is there a best time to call?”

  “No, no, anytime’s fine.”

  And with that, he let Whitney turn him around. Let her lead him across the parking lot, let her take his keys. The quiet beep indicated the doors were
unlocked, effectively snapping him out of his reverie. If she offered to drive, well, he’d just have to draw the line at that.

  She sat quietly for a few minutes, then said, “She’s even prettier in person.”

  As he merged with traffic on Route 40, he silently agreed.

  “How old is she?”

  The question took him by surprise. “I dunno, twenty-seven, twenty-eight?”

  “I should ask her what skincare products she uses. She doesn’t look a day over twenty.”

  Should’ve seen her the night she left, Jase thought. By then, months of abusing her body with drugs and booze had taken a toll, painting dark circles beneath her eyes, turning her normally pink-cheeked, freckled face pale, dulling her once bright eyes. She’d lost some hair, too, and had taken to wearing knit hats and scarves, even in the summertime. And the tremors… She’d needed two hands to return the ring.

  “Why do you suppose she wants to call you?”

  To talk about a repayment plan? “We didn’t exactly part on a good note. I expect she wants to correct that. You know, for closure?”

  He braked for a traffic light. Two more blocks, and they’d turn onto her street so she could dress up for the restaurant. Maybe his luck would continue, and she’d change her mind about eating out…

  “When she calls, will she want to meet in person? To discuss…closure or whatever?”

  “Guess we’ll have to wait until she calls to find out. If she calls.”

  “If?”

  Oh, she’d call, all right. And unless he was mistaken, it would be to discuss the money she owed him. In his mind, the balance was zero. He’d written it off ages ago. But…

  “Anything’s possible,” he told Whitney, quickly adding, “Can we change the subject, please?”

  When he pulled into her driveway, she sat, still and silent, staring through the windshield. It seemed like a full ten minutes before she said, “Would you mind very much if we skipped Sabatino’s tonight?”

  “Why?” As if you don’t know.

  She unbuckled her seat belt. “It’s just… This has been a long week. I just need a good night’s sleep.”

  He could have pointed out that it was only Thursday. That neither of them had worked today. But since she’d said it all without looking in his direction…

  Jase felt like a heel. She was so uncomfortable she couldn’t even make eye contact. He needed to take care from here on out. He didn’t want to hurt her.

  “I didn’t mean for that to come out all mean and grouchy.”

  The look she gave him said “Oh, really.” But she said, “Can you come in for a few minutes?”

  He wanted to say no. That he was tired, too. What if that brief encounter with Lillie had made her add two and two…and come up with three’s a crowd?

  “Sure,” he said, turning off the truck, taking his time while removing the keys from the ignition. “I’d like that.”

  “Leave the front door open,” she said as he stepped into the foyer. “It’s a gorgeous day, and the breeze will feel good.”

  The gray sky and the scent of impending rain didn’t agree.

  Whitney poured two glasses of iced tea and sat at the kitchen table. The instant he was situated, she said, “I guess that was really hard. Seeing her after all this time, I mean.”

  “Not really.”

  “You can be honest with me, Jason. No need to tiptoe around my feelings. I know that what you two had is over.”

  Jason. Again. Would she ever figure out how he felt about that?

  “So you’re okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  She looked at him as though he’d grown a big hairy mole in the middle of his forehead.

  “From what I’ve gathered, the breakup wasn’t easy on you.”

  Jase had intentionally avoided talking about Lillie, as much to spare his feelings as hers. Because yes, the split had been difficult, for him and for Lillie.

  “Who told you that?” he wanted to know.

  “Your mom. And Dora.”

  He found it hard to believe his mother would bring the subject up. And even though Whitney worked at the same firm as his brother, his sister-in-law, too. He suspected Dora hadn’t talked about it either. But why would Whitney make that up?

  He swallowed a gulp of the tea. Concentrated on sounding cool and calm and completely in control. “How’d Lillie’s name come up?”

  Head tilted toward the ceiling and eyes closed, she groaned. “We… It just did, okay? Dora and Drew and I were having lunch one day. Drew admitted he was frustrated at how long it’s taking to make partner, said the board’s lack of commitment to the associates was getting on his last nerve. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, the conversation went from work, to family loyalty, to Drew and Dora’s upcoming anniversary. And all of a sudden, Drew left the room.”

  Jase pretended not to have heard the family loyalty thing. “Seven years this summer.” He was half joking when he added, “Drew isn’t worried about the seven-year itch, I hope.”

  “No, no. At least, I don’t think so. While we were alone, Dora told me that your mom keeps asking why she and Drew hadn’t started a family yet. Dora said she’d grown super tired of answering the question. She said—and I quote—‘I told her that my name isn’t Lillie. Living the white-picket-fence life isn’t for me.’ I asked how your mother reacted. Dora said, ‘Same as always. Colette just shrugged it off, said everything happens for a reason, and how lucky Jase was that Lillie’s problems prevented the picket-fence life.’”

  Whitney sipped her tea. “I think maybe your mother was right.”

  “Really.” Jase stiffened. He didn’t like being the focus of a conversation like that. Didn’t like the way Whitney appeared to enjoy his mother’s feelings toward Lillie either.

  “It’s easy to see why she feels that way. She probably knows how tough it would have been for you, raising a child alone, while Lillie was off…well, you know…”

  Jase did his best to reel in the resentment broiling in his gut. Whitney had no right, making assumptions about her! Yeah, he did know Lillie. Probably better than she knew herself. If they had married and had a baby before the accident, she never would have grown dependent on drugs, no matter how bad the pain got. Devotion to her child would have assured it. It hurt more than he cared to admit that her devotion to him hadn’t been enough to keep Lillie from—

  “When I saw you with her today,” Whitney said, picking at her burlap place mat before turning her gaze to him, “I realized I needed to let you know…I’d never hurt you that way. Never.” Jase bristled slightly under her intense scrutiny. Was she gearing up to say she loved him? He hoped not. They’d been seeing each other for nearly three months, and while he cared for Whitney, he wasn’t anywhere ready to say those words.

  Jase blanketed her hands with his own. “You look really pretty today. Did I tell you that?”

  A myriad of emotions flickered across her face. Confusion. Disappointment. Hurt. To her credit, Whitney got hold of herself quickly.

  “Only four or five times,” she said. “But what girl doesn’t like hearing her guy thinks she looks good!”

  Lillie didn’t. She’d waved off every word of praise that came her way, whether about her good looks or her vocal and artistic talents. “I can’t take credit for any of that,” she’d say. “It’s built into my DNA. My parents and grandparents should be hearing the compliments, not me!”

  “You sure you don’t want to go to Sabatino’s? We still have the reservation.”

  “Yeah, okay,” she said, echoing his earlier words. “I’d like that.”

  He squeezed her hands, then let go as she stood.

  “Just give me a few minutes to freshen up.”

  While she was gone, he walked from the kitchen to the living room, where she’d arranged s
leek, modern furnishings on a white shag rug. Tall narrow black figurines stood on the marble mantel, and heavy swirled-glass bowls decorated the teak coffee table. He could see storm clouds through the sheer white curtains.

  “You about ready, Whit? Looks like we’re in for some rain…”

  “Just two more minutes, hon,” he heard her say from the bathroom doorway.

  Hon. If anyone else had said it, Jase would have chalked it up to a “Baltimore-ism.” But Whitney had never been one to imitate others.

  Unlike Lillie, who loved colloquialisms and spouted them every chance she got.

  He caught himself smiling, and didn’t like it one bit. Jase ground a fist into a palm. He’d worked hard to get her out of his system, to get on with life, without her. And he’d succeeded. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—let her destroy that!

  * * *

  “IT’S ABOUT TIME you got here.” Jase’s sister-in-law leaned in and lowered her voice. “Your mom is looking a mite peaked today.”

  “Is that right.” He hadn’t planned on stopping by to visit his mother this evening, so her snappish comment didn’t make sense. “She looked fine when I was here the day before yesterday.”

  Dora huffed. “Well, she doesn’t look fine now. She’s in her office.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go. I’ll bring you both some iced tea.”

  “Okay, thanks. That sounds great.” He paused in the kitchen doorway. “Where’s Drew?”

  Dora rolled her eyes. “Working. Naturally.”

  Perhaps that explained her surly mood. “You and that brother of mine put in way too many hours.” He would have added, It’s probably a good thing that you two don’t have kids, but his dad had made that mistake once, years back, and immediately regretted it. “He’s joining us for supper though, right?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “He’s nuts if he doesn’t show up. Something smells delicious.”

  “Stuffed shells. My grandmother’s recipe.”

  “Now I’m glad my dinner date was canceled.”

  “Oh? Trouble in paradise, huh?”

  In place of an answer, Jase raised his eyebrows.