by Bree Cariad
“I always did like Xan,” Dora said and Stephanie looked over at her. “Kathy’s a lucky girl.”
Spluttering, Stephanie shook her head. Dora’s ability to look past insults had always garnered her respect. She wished she could be so offhand about such hateful words. Looking over to see how Cami was doing, she grinned when she saw her standing there with a large pink teddy bear in her arms. She was gesticulating as she talked and it took a second for Stephanie to realize that her friend was talking to the man with green eyes.
“Oh.” She smoothed down her dress and suddenly wondered at it. Would green eyes think she was insane for wearing it?
Dora followed her gaze. “He’s cute. Who is he?”
“Christopher something. I kind of met him a few weeks ago.” In Hyacinth ‘kind of’ meant they hadn’t been officially introduced.
“Well, then, let’s let Cami introduce you.” Dora grasped her arm and marched her over to their friend. As they approached, Christopher turned in their direction and his eyes smiled at Dora before turning to her.
“Dora, Stephie, this is Jerod’s nephew Christopher Triton. He recently moved to Hyacinth. Chris, these are two of my best friends, Dora Lexington and Stephanie Knight.”
Reaching out his hand, Christopher shook Dora’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m afraid I’ve caused several faux pas by talking to women without being introduced. Hopefully that won’t be held against me.”
Dora laughed as he turned to Stephanie. “Oh, it happens all the time. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you officially, Stephanie Knight,” he said, taking her hand. “And now I know your name.” His green eyes twinkled and Stephanie found herself grinning at him.
“You still don’t know anything else about me.”
“Is that an invitation?” he teased back.
“Chris,” Jerod said calmly. “Over bounds.”
Christopher winced. “Sorry,” he said, releasing her hand. “I’m learning.”
She missed the feel of his warm, slightly calloused hand holding hers. “What do you do, Christopher?” she asked quietly, putting her own hands behind her so he wouldn’t see them fidget.
“I’m a chef. Graduated from school a few years ago. I’ve been looking for the right place to live and after Jerod told me about this area, I came to check it out. It took only a week before I didn’t want to leave. I love all the forests and lakes around here.”
“Me too. It’s nice having nature right outside your door.”
He smiled warmly and even more butterflies woke up. “Well, I should probably get going,” he said, taking a step backward. “It was very nice to meet you, Dora and Stephanie. I hope to see you again.” He looked right into her eyes as he spoke the last few words and Stephanie knew she was grinning like an idiot.
As soon as he walked away, Jerod cleared his throat. “I’m going to go say hello to a few people. Why don’t you three hang out over here and I’ll be back.”
“Thanks,” Cami said as he sauntered away. As soon as he was out of earshot, she turned back. “Ooh, Stephie! You didn’t tell me you met Chris.”
“It was the day you asked me to make your wedding dress. It was just a couple words.” Where she had then run away. Her friend didn’t need to know that part. “What’s he like?”
“A little more flirtatious than Jerod, but a really great guy. He’s working at a restaurant in Longdale as that was the only open position he could find.” Cami paused and then added quietly, “You need to know that Chris feels just as strongly as Jerod does about the man being the head of the house and that discipline is a positive thing.”
Wincing, Stephanie nodded. Her friend knew her family wasn’t that way so she appreciated the warning. “I always wondered what that would be like,” she admitted. “You two always seemed happier after…” She drifted off, too embarrassed to mention it.
Dora nodded. “It’s wonderful knowing you’ve been forgiven and more importantly that you have forgiven yourself. Discipline isn’t about abuse, Stephie. It’s about setting things straight. I really miss having that.”
Remembering that Dora’s father had been gone for a year, Stephanie hugged her lightly. “Anyone in the mood for a hotdog?”
“What’s with you and hotdogs?” Cami teased, hefting her pink bear to the side. “Every year… this is the only time that you ever eat them.”
“I don’t know. Somehow the picnic and hotdogs go together.”
The three found a nice patch of grass to sit on and were happily eating and talking when Jerod came back.
Now that she had her friends back, Stephanie desired to be in her cabin less and less. As all three worked, which was a bit of a mind-blowing reality for her as in Hyacinth that wasn’t the norm, she spent all day in her cabin working or delivering items to her clients. Evenings she spent with Dora in Hyacinth and her weekends were spent between putting Cami’s wedding dress together and having meals with either Cami and Jerod or the Covingtons.
In mid-July, she received a bit of a shock.
“Stephanie,” Alex Covington said as dinner was finished and she had risen to help Charlotte clean the table. “Accompany me to my study?” He always left it open to her. If she didn’t want to, he would never press the issue, but she nodded, following him down the hall and into the tiny room. As soon as they both sat down, he smiled. “I wanted you to know that a gentleman in town has expressed interest in getting to know you. I have invited him to dinner next Saturday.”
Her mouth dropped. “But—” Her mind ground to a halt. “Someone wants to get to know me?”
“Yes. His name is Christopher Triton. He’s Jerod Kinsley’s nephew.”
“Oh.” The butterflies took off again and she felt a small blush cover her cheeks.
“As you know, these are just simple dinners so you can get to know one another. There is nothing else required. But I wanted you to know early so it wasn’t thrust on you at the last minute.”
“Thanks, Mr. Covington.”
Christopher truly wanted to get to know her. It seemed crazy and she knew not to get her hopes up. Maybe he would turn out to be a dork and it wouldn’t go any further. But still… he wanted to get to know her. She smiled for the rest of the night.
Until the next morning when she realized he knew nothing of her past. Once he found out he wouldn’t want her. Wanting to end things before she could get her hopes up, she dashed over to Jerod’s office. He was just leaving as she ran up and smiled, his expression turning serious at whatever expression was on her face. “Come on in,” he said without preamble, opening the door and letting her inside. “What’s wrong?”
Breathing hard from her run, Stephanie paced back and forth for a few minutes as she forced herself to calm down. “Christopher asked to have dinner with the Covingtons… well, with me.”
His nod told her that he already knew.
“I have to say no.”
“Why? I got the feeling you were attracted to him.”
“Well, of course I’m attracted,” she said in a rush, keeping up her pacing. “He’s gorgeous and seems sweet, has a good sense of humor… but once he knows about my past that’ll be gone. I’d rather end things before he found out.”
“I never thought of you as a coward,” he said calmly, sitting down.
His words made her freeze even as her head snapped up. “I’m not!”
“And yet you want to run away, not even giving him the chance to prove that your past may not mean anything at all to him?”
“I don’t want to see his look of disappointment,” she murmured. “Plus, he’s into discipline. I’m not.”
“That’s something to consider. My first wife wasn’t either and while I loved her, our relationship was nowhere near as deep as the one I currently share with Cami, which I feel is due to our sharing that particular value.”
Jerod having been married before was a surprise and one she would need to bring up with Cami at one point.
“You were married before?”
“Yes, until she was killed in an auto-accident four years ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Thank you, but I’m extremely happy in my new relationship. As much as I would never have wished for what happened, I feel it was for the best. Even the thought I would never have found Cami is rather painful.”
A small smile crossed her face. “Cami is amazing.”
“Yes, she is. But so are you.”
Pacing again, though much slower, she wrung her hands together. “I spent a year hiding out from the world and now it feels like I’m dived into the deep end. It’s scary,” she admitted.
“Of course it is. But just because it’s scary doesn’t make it bad. What you have to figure out, Stephanie, is if the risks associated with having a possible suitor are worth the possible gain or fallout.”
“How can he be your nephew?”
He chuckled, leaning back. “My elder sister is almost twenty years my senior. If you think about it, Xander and Drake have almost the same age difference. I was only three when Christopher was born. Our parents insisted he call me uncle which we both thought was weird.”
Plopping down into the other armchair in the room, she looked up at him sheepishly. “I’m freaking out for no reason, aren’t I?”
A look of such compassion crossed his face that she had a hard time not sobbing. “Stephanie, there are real reasons for your fear, and you’ll overcome them in time. This is not a decision anyone can make except for you. Are you ready to possibly be courted? If so, dinners are the way that happens in Hyacinth. If not? Nobody will think any worse of you for it.”
Except she probably wouldn’t get another chance with Christopher and that thought bothered her. Breathing out slowly, she nodded. “Thanks, Jerod.”
“You’re welcome. Was there anything else you needed?”
“No. I had best go back. I have an outfit I need to deliver this afternoon.”
“All right, though while you’re here I have something to ask you.” Surprised, she looked up at him. “I want to get Cami something unique, a gift she wouldn’t have asked for, as a wedding gift. You’ve known her forever. What would she want?”
The answer came without a thought. “She’s always wanted a sleigh bed.”
“A sleigh bed?”
She nodded. “In cherry.”
He nodded slowly as if thinking about it and smiled. “Thank you.”
Chapter 4
Saturday came quickly, much quicker than it should have and Stephanie found herself in the passenger seat of Charlotte Covington’s car, being driven to their house. “Thanks for picking me up,” she said quietly.
“Oh, it’s no trouble. I was glad for a little time with you.” After a brief pause, she continued. “If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always come to me, Stephanie. I loved your mother as a sister and you’ve always been a sister to my daughter which makes you another daughter to me. As such, please feel free to come to me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Covington.”
“Oh, please call me Charlotte. We’re both adults now. Well, you are. I’m going through my second childhood or at least my husband seems to think so.”
Giggling a little, Stephanie grinned. “I’ve always looked up to the two of you. So did Mom.”
“I miss Jessica,” she said with a quiet sigh. “But I know she would be proud of how you are recovering from what happened to you. I know I am.”
It was amazing how just a few words could make her feel so good. Cami’s entire family was really good at that.
“So, are you ready to meet Christopher?” she asked as they got close to the house.
“I’ve met him actually. Jerod and Cami introduced him to me at the picnic.”
The Covington household was quiet when they arrived. “Alex and Drake are still out with the cows. They’ll be back an hour before Christopher is to arrive. So, let’s get dinner started.”
“Umm, Charlotte? I still don’t know how to cook.”
Cami’s mother laughed softly. “Well, then it’s about time we taught you how. Come on.”
Thankfully the dinner wasn’t too complex, but Stephanie still managed to burn the vegetables and ruin the cheesecake.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest?” Charlotte suggested when she looked at the sunken mess that was supposed to be light and fluffy. “I can fix that.”
“I don’t know how you do it,” Stephanie said, taking a step backward. “I can make food from a can or a box, but doing anything from scratch seems insurmountable.”
“Maybe you should take a couple of the summer event classes.”
“Oh, no. I had enough of that kind of problem in home economics. All the girls laughed at me constantly because my food never came out right.”
Smiling at her, Charlotte shook her head. “Somehow I don’t think that’s a problem, Stephanie. You just need more faith in yourself.”
“And for my cheesecakes not to sink.”
Laughing, Charlotte shooed her upstairs.
By the time Alex and Drake came in from working outside, Stephanie was setting the table and dressed in a simple halter-dress she made for herself on a whim. It was a bit whimsical with cartoon characters everywhere, but she liked it.
In the time she was upstairs getting ready, somehow Charlotte had saved dinner and there was even a new dessert off to the side.
When the doorbell rang, Stephanie was in the living room with the four of them and she jumped. Alex let him in and when the two walked into the living room, she was struck by how handsome Christopher actually was. He had tamed his hair tonight but his eyes still twinkled. Like most men in Hyacinth he had brought gifts, a bouquet of hyacinths for Charlotte and a small teddy bear with a chef’s hat for her.
“Thanks,” she said, taking the little bear. He wore an apron that read Even chefs make mistakes – they just make up a new name for the dish and everyone applauds. Laughing as the saying seemed very apropos tonight, the tightness she had felt for the last week relaxed.
Dinner was fun. The ham covered in honey tasted wonderful and the vegetables even tasted good. Seated next to Charlotte, Christopher was open and chatted easily with all of them. He sent Stephanie warm smiles every other minute and by the time dessert was delivered, she knew he liked her.
“This is good,” Christopher hummed as he took a bite of the berry and cream-filled dessert. “It tastes like cheesecake. What is it?”
“A secret family recipe,” Charlotte said easily, winking at Stephanie. Drake caught the wink and looked between the two of them, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he looked at Christopher.
“So, do you like Hyacinth?”
“Yes, I do. Tons of stuff to do here. I love nature.”
Drake grinned. “Been fishing on Hins Creek Lake yet?”
“Jerod took me last week. Caught some amazing trout. It was like that when I was a kid. Fresh fish right out of the lake. Nothing better. That’s one thing I miss here. The restaurant I worked at in Maine, we got fresh fish daily. Crab. Lobster. It was fantastic.”
“We need a nice upscale restaurant in town,” Charlotte said quietly. “We have the diner and a couple other small eateries, but a nice sit-down restaurant that served wonderful food would be lovely.”
Alex grunted and nodded. “It would be nice.”
“My gran ran a bed and breakfast,” Christopher said. “I grew up there. In fact, that’s where I fell in love with cooking. We had fresh fish daily there too.” He paused and his eyes rose and locked with Stephanie’s. “What do you want to do, Stephanie?”
Startled, she shrugged. “I don’t know. Right now I’m getting by as a seamstress.”
“Do you enjoy it?”
“I love to sew,” she hedged.
He grinned as if realizing she wasn’t giving him a straight answer. “Where do you get your own clothes?”
She looked down at her crazy halter dress. “Oh, I designe
d and made this.”
“The dress you wore at the picnic too?” She nodded, wondering where he was going with this. “And Jerod says you designed and are making Cami’s wedding dress.”
“Yes?”
“Your sense of style is unique and there are a lot of people clambering for that. Ever thought of mass-producing your designs?”
“I never even graduated high school.” Heat filled her cheeks as she blurted out the words. Surely a clothing designer needed a fancy education.
“So?” Christopher acted as though that was no big deal. “I bet there are home study courses you could take. Most colleges offer online degrees now. You could get a GED, get some business courses behind you, and I bet your designs would sell well.”
Drake beamed at her as though he couldn’t agree more and she looked from him to the man seated opposite him. “Uh, thanks.”
“Sure. If you decide, a friend of mine runs an online shop for unique clothing. I can put you in touch with him.”
Grabbing her towel, Stephanie dried her hair as she stepped out of the shower. The conversation from Saturday night’s dinner still resounded in her head as she got dressed, pulled her hair into a pony tail, and withdrew Cami’s dress from its protective plastic before putting it on the dress form Charlotte had lent her. As it was already sized to Cami’s measurements, it made her job easier.
When she was twelve or thirteen, she had dabbled in dreams of everyone wearing her strange designs but never truly thought seriously about it. But Christopher thought it was a good idea. And he was from outside their tiny little town so he was more likely to know than she would.
A knock on her door let her know Cami was here for her fitting. Tossing a clean cloth over the dress, she walked over to the door and opened it. “Hey!” Cami said, rushing past her. “I brought muffins. How’s the dress going? Was last night fun?” She continued to chatter as she removed muffins from a basket hanging on her arm, placing them on Stephanie’s tiny kitchen counter. When she finally took a breath, she giggled. “I’m not letting you get a word in, am I? I’m just so excited to see my dress.”