by Parin, Sonia
“I’ve actually tried some of your jam at Joyce’s,” he said as he pulled out of the driveway. “I only made the connection when Eddie told me. You have an excellent product, so that’s half the job done.”
“Now I have the scary part to look forward to.” She laughed.
“It’s not so bad. It all depends on what you want and need. You’ve already taken care of the branding. Eden’s Garden sounds good but have you considered using your name?”
“Elizabeth’s Garden?”
“It has a nice ring to it.”
He turned to her and smiled.
He was good looking, she admitted. Tall, like Mitch. And broad shouldered, like Mitch…
It was only when he was parking the car that she happened to glance at his left hand. No wedding ring. It didn’t mean anything. But assuming he was available, she wondered if she’d be interested in him. The other night at the pub, she’d felt a connection with Mitch—a mutual liking. When she’d tried to gauge her interest by casting her attention to all the other good looking men hovering around, she’d felt nothing. But one glance at Mitch had released a swarm of butterflies in her stomach.
Why had she clicked with him? What made him stand out from the crowd? His easy manner? The way he looked at her as if he wanted to brush his hand across her cheek, and gather her in his arms? She had to wonder if her attraction had anything to do with him coming to her rescue that first day when she’d been desperate to make a firm commitment to her new life.
That first day, she hadn’t checked to see if Mitch had worn a wedding ring, but he’d had the two little girls with him, so she’d assumed he was married. And then she’d found out he was single… When had she decided to take the plunge and throw herself at him?
Something had happened the other night at the pub. All those exchanged looks, Joyce’s explanation of Mitch’s ritual. Then she’d found herself alone in the car with him, and there had been stars in the sky and, it had been after midnight…
“Elizabeth.”
Snapping out of her mental rambling, she noticed Tom holding the passenger door open for her. “Sorry, I was miles away.”
“I hope I haven’t put you off your venture with all my talk about projections. It can be a bit daunting at first, but we’ll tailor a plan of action you can handle,” he said and gestured toward Joyce’s Café.
Elizabeth panicked. “Oh, it looks busy.”
“There’s a free table by the corner.”
She had to push her legs into motion. As she followed Tom in, Elizabeth threw a wistful glance toward the pub. Absence wasn’t making her heart grow fonder. It was making it heavier…
* * *
“And then Luke Sterling stopped by Joyce’s for a coffee. Tom introduced us and told him all about my jam making venture. Luke then suggested going back to his place for lunch because the young girl he and Tom are mentoring was baking her pies and they were the best in the area.” And by the time Tom had driven Elizabeth back to Rosewood Cottage, it had been late afternoon. She’d rushed to her car, but when she’d put the key in the ignition, her phone had rung. Hearing Tash Knightly’s chirpy voice, she’d nearly dropped her phone. It had felt like an eternity since she’d left a message for her.
They’d been talking nonstop since then.
Elizabeth plumped up her pillow and glanced at the bedside clock. It was close to nine in the evening and she was exhausted from a day spent tossing around ideas for her business and listening to people who specialized in crunching numbers. She’d give anything to turn and find Mitch by her side…
“It sounds like you’ve settled in. Does that mean you’ll stay in Eden?” Tash asked.
It was what she wanted. “At first I thought the sugar I’d eaten had something to do with my happiness, but this is what I expected to find here. Every day’s been good… great.”
“You went there to be happy?”
“I haven’t put my finger on it yet, but there’s something about this place. You grew up here and you’ve always been happy. Anyway, at first… well, I was wary of the locals. They’re so friendly. After all those years of letting Andrew make all the decisions for me, I felt I needed to take control of my life and not rely on other people. But then I realized that offering help has nothing to do with wanting to take over my life…” she dug her fingers through her hair and sighed. “And then Mitch—”
“Mitch Faydon?”
“Yes. Do you know Mitch?”
“I was at school with all the Faydon brothers. Of course, none of us are the same age so we were all in different classes. Is Markus still frowning?”
Elizabeth laughed. “He is. Although, I’ve noticed there’s a twinkle in his eye when he talks about Hannah Melville. She’s the new chef at The Gloriana.”
“And I just noticed your voice goes all dreamy when you mention Mitch.”
“I better work on that, otherwise people will catch on.”
“What happens if they do? Everyone has a crash on Mitch. It’s almost expected, or at least it was when I lived there.”
“He’s off women,” she said trying to divert Tash’s attention. Elizabeth wasn’t ready to tell anyone what had happened between her and Mitch.
“Flirty Faydon? No way. He’s got a reputation to uphold.”
Elizabeth nibbled the tip of her thumb. “It’s really good to talk to you, Tash. I’ve missed that. And I’m sorry I let so much time—”
“It wasn’t you. I was… going through some sort of transition. I wasn’t getting anywhere with my job. My personal life was nonexistent. I couldn’t stand my own company. I didn’t want to whine and grumble about it. It seemed only fair to spare you. I can’t explain it. I just needed to drift for a bit.”
“Are you okay now?” She heard Tash take a deep breath.
“I’m coming home.”
“To Eden?”
“Yes.”
“That’s great.” Elizabeth could barely contain her excitement.
“I’ve accepted a job in the local high school teaching art and I’ve sunk all my savings in a little house just outside of town. It needs some fixing but that should be half the fun.”
“So when are you coming?”
* * *
Mitch glanced at his watch and swore under his breath. He wouldn’t call Elizabeth. He couldn’t. He’d wait until tomorrow. She was likely to come in for breakfast, or lunch…
He’d expected… he’d hoped she would swing by the pub. She’d had her night with the girls and now a whole day had nearly gone by and she still hadn’t shown up…
“I must apologize for my brother,” Matthew said. “He hasn’t been himself lately. Mitch. Luke’s talking to you.”
Luke Sterling and Tom Ellis had been chatting at the bar for the last half hour. Neither one seemed in any hurry to leave. Probably because they were both still single. If he was with Elizabeth, he knew where he’d rather be.
Mitch took a swig of his water. “Sorry, I missed what you were saying.”
“Elizabeth’s jams. We’re trying to get feedback.”
“We’re about to place an order,” Matthew said.
“Good stuff.” Great. He was back to shoving words out because his head was crammed full of Elizabeth this, Elizabeth that.
“Is it going to be a standing order?”
“The quality is good. If she keeps it up, I don’t see why not. Why do you ask?”
“We’re mentoring her.”
Crap. He didn’t like the sound of that. Luke Sterling was the largest landowner in the area and Tom Ellis was the town lawyer. Elizabeth could have her pick.
“The rhubarb jam will be her cash cow, but everything depends on her supply not drying up.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Matthew said and nudged Mitch.
It took him a moment to remember she was sourcing her supply from his property, the one no one knew he owned. He’d swung by there today to drop off some cans of paint, as well as some bed linen and a duvet he�
�d purchased on-line, and had found the jars of jam Elizabeth had mentioned leaving on the front porch a few days before. There’d been a note attached. Written in a neat and tidy script, she’d introduced herself and had suggested meeting to discuss some sort of arrangement. That meant he’d have to come clean and tell her.
“Like Matthew said, it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s plenty of rhubarb.”
“Are you sure about that?” Tom asked. “She has a lot riding on this.”
Mitch nodded. It looked like he was going to be planting more rhubarb.
Chapter Eleven
Mitch had her phone number. She knew he did because she’d called him the other day to ask if he could look at her new car. So if he’d wanted to speak with her, he could have called.
He should have.
Elizabeth wished he had, then she wouldn’t be biting the edge of her lip raw, worrying that the other night had only been a one-night stand. A meaningless hook-up.
They’d talked about it.
They were going to keep it casual. But regular. To her, that meant having sex as often as possible. She couldn’t go back to being prissy Elizabeth who had sex under the covers. She pressed her hands to her cheeks. She’d never thought about it before, because she hadn’t had any reason to. But now that she knew the difference, now that she knew how sex could really feel… She wanted more.
“Surely he can see that.”
“Is the constant stirring getting to you?” Glenda asked as she walked into the shed carrying a tray of jars.
Elizabeth set her wooden spoon down and wiped her hands clean. “I find it therapeutic. Good time to think.” And to rummage through her mind. If she dug around deep enough, she might find some sense.
“Look at you, hard at it. Another jamming session,” Eddie said striding in with a big smile on her face.
“You brought coffee. Will Joyce mind if I call you my new best friend?”
“We’re not exclusive. Now less than ever with a new person to call our own.”
“Sounds like I belong to you now.”
“I doubt they’ll take you back in Melbourne. You’ve shown your true colors and made quite a splash here. We’ll be telling our grandchildren about it. When Elizabeth Charles first came to Eden…” Eddie laughed.
“Will there be mention of you trying to pin Theo to the wall?”
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear. But this you can believe.” She dug inside her pocket and drew out a piece of paper. “This is The Gloriana’s official order for a regular supply of you rhubarb jam.”
Elizabeth pumped both fists in the air. “I’ve arrived.”
“You’ve hit the big time, kiddo.” Eddie hugged her. “Anyway, I need to get going. Mitch is waiting for me in the car. I opened the window a crack for him but he tends to whine worse than a puppy and I don’t want him teaching Murphy bad habits.”
Mitch was outside in the car? And he hadn’t come in to say hello? Elizabeth tried to hold her smile in place. “Thanks for the coffee and… Say hi to Mitch.” She waved the paper Eddie had given her. “I should get cracking filling this order. I wouldn’t want to lose my VIP customer.”
* * *
“Make yourself at home.”
Mitch followed Eddie into the sitting room and made a beeline for the couch. Sinking into it, he gestured with his hands, “Come on, give it to me.”
“In a hurry, much?”
“Getting a turn at the computer at the pub was bad enough when you lived there, now it’s impossible with Matthew hogging it. He’s turned into a lump.”
“What do you want it for? Under the radar on-line dating?”
He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Okay, I take it back. So how’s life treating you now that you’ve abandoned your wild oats days?”
“It’s like quitting a bad habit. I think people are waiting to see if I fall off the wagon.”
“And have you?”
“I’m too busy.”
She leaned over the couch and rested her chin on his shoulder. “So what are you up to?”
“Trawling the net.” Rhubarb plants were called crowns? Who would have thought…
“Hothouse rhubarb is brighter red, more tender and sweeter-tasting than outdoor rhubarb,” Eddie read.
Crap. He was going to have to build Elizabeth a hothouse.
“That’s interesting.”
“What?”
Eddie pointed to the bottom of the screen. “The first rhubarb of the year is harvested by candlelight in forcing sheds where all other light is excluded, a practice that produces a sweeter, more tender stalk.”
He was definitely going to have to set up a hothouse and stock up on candles. Elizabeth should have tender stalks and the sweetest rhubarb.
He opened another tab and searched for suppliers.
“You’re buying rhubarb? I thought you wanted to get rid of the stuff.”
“Is that why you coerced Elizabeth into stealing it from me?”
She laughed and ruffled his hair. “Fun and games. Remember, it’s not personal.”
“Unless it involves you, of course. Then hell hath no fury like…” he shrugged, “…when Eddie Faydon is stirred into action. And can you teach Murphy my boots are not his personal chew toys.”
“Well, it’s either your boots or Theo’s brogues. And they’re too expensive.”
“And I care because?”
“If Murphy damages Theo’s shoes, I’ll get the blame, anything could happen then, the wedding might be called off and I’ll be back living at the pub.”
Mitch looked down at Murphy. “Would monsieur like some sauce with his boots?”
“That’s the spirit. Although, I don’t see why it should bother you if I moved back to the pub. Your house will be finished soon. Have you given any thought to furnishing it? Elizabeth looks like she has great taste.”
“You do that well.”
“What?”
“Take the long way around to cutting to the chase.”
“You should have seen her when I told her you were sitting in the car.” Eddie strode away.
Mitch gritted his back teeth. Had Elizabeth been relieved? Or disappointed? “You’re fly fishing.”
“Uh? Did you say something?”
“You’re teasing the surface of the water—”
“I know what fly fishing is, I just don’t know why you think I’m fishing for information.”
“Because you’re bored and you can’t help yourself. I know Joyce is taking bets. How much have you staked?”
“Your happiness is not something I would gamble with. But I can still tease you about it.”
He set the laptop down on the coffee table and rose to his feet. “All right, I’m done here.”
“Hey, where are you off to in such a hurry?”
He stopped by the door and turned. “Did you really have car trouble today?”
Eddie shrugged. “It wouldn’t start. The battery’s gone dead, I think. Don’t you want to take a look at it?”
“I’ll come back tomorrow.” Right now, he needed to set his pride aside and touch base with Elizabeth. Half way along the driveway, he doubled back and steered himself toward Eddie’s car. Moments later Eddie strode out of the house.
“I’m surprised your rich fiancé hasn’t bought you a new car.”
“He knows better than to tread on my toes. Betsy has been with me for so long, I can’t bear to part with her.”
“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I think Betsy is ready for retirement. She’s had a good run.” He brushed his hands against his jeans and turned to her. “Please tell me you’re not going to cry.”
She wiped her eyes. “All you boys pitched in to buy her for me.”
“What’s going on, Eddie? You don’t cry.”
“I know, and I’m not crying. I’m teary eyed.”
“Um, do you need a hug?”
She nodded. “I like your hugs. Matthew and Markus need to work on th
eirs.”
He spread his arms out and waited for Eddie to step into his embrace. “So what’s up?”
“I’m so happy.”
“It’s all right to be emotional.”
“You always know what to say.”
Not all the time. And lately, he’d been struggling with not just what to say but also with pushing the words out of his mouth.
She drew away and leaned against her car. “I think some day you’ll make a special woman very happy.”
“I don’t know about that.”
She shook her head. “You can’t have issues. You’re not allowed to.”
He smiled to himself. “Dad did a good job telling us what’s what.” For a man bringing up four kids by himself, he had done an excellent job. None of them had ever felt as if they’d missed out on something because their mother had chosen to walk away from them… only days after giving birth to Eddie.
He cleared his throat and when he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper, “Do you ever resent her for leaving?”
Eddie tipped her head down, and then looked up. “Lately, I’ve been wondering what I’ll tell my children. Grandma had dreams and by the time she woke up to them, she’d had four kids, but that didn’t stop her from leaving. They’re bound to ask why she’s not around. It’s not as if she divorced dad and still keeps in touch. I’m going to have to be creative.”
“Dad always said it was up to us to make the grass as green as the neighbor’s, if not greener. Besides, not everyone with two parents or grandparents grows up without issues.” Elizabeth appeared to be distant with her parents. They certainly didn’t sound like the type who’d rush to her rescue or offer support.
“You were only a year older than me when she left. We never talked about it.”
“I don’t think any of us needed to. We had each other and dad always made us focus on how lucky we were.” He leaned against the car.
“So you don’t have anything against settling down?”
“Are you asking if I’m scarred?”
“Are you?”
“I’m not against marriage. I always figured the right woman would come along, but I don’t wake up in the morning and wonder if today is going to be the day.”