Abundantly Blessed

by Rachael Eliker

  “I’m sorry,” Will stumbled. “I just don’t know what to say. It’s kind of a shock to hear you’re now...”

  “An orphan?” Katie said. “Most people tell me they’re sorry for my loss.”

  Putting his hand over hers, he murmured, “I am sorry.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment, but I feel like I’m coping pretty well. Dad died when I was so young that I don’t really remember being sad about it, and I had a good five months with Mom before she passed.”

  Will worked his jaw, kicking himself for bringing up anything that would make her cry, even if it was unwitting on his part. Barely twenty-two and both her parents were already gone. “I’m really sorry. I remember Charlotte mentioning it. I must have forgotten.”

  Patting away the rest of her tears, Katie said, “It’s alright. I’m not upset with you. Sometimes, yes, people’s questions catch me off guard, and the sadness feels like a punch to the gut, but I’m okay. Really.”

  Katie took his hand in hers and gave a squeeze. Looking down, Will swallowed, recognizing his revving heart rate was because of her touch. It’d been quite a while since something so simple from a girl had that effect on him.

  He regretted when she put her hands back in her lap. She took a deep breath and admitted, “That’s probably why I am so smitten with Blessings. Everyone here feels like my family. That’d be difficult to give up.”

  “Understandable.”

  “I imagine that’s why your parents give you such a hard time about leaving. They want to keep you close. Can’t blame them.”

  Will nodded. “I don’t suppose I can. But, I’m only ever a phone call or a couple hours in the car away.”

  “Even then, you’re living totally separate lives. You know what I miss most about my mom? Being able to stop in whenever I felt like seeing her. Or bumping into her around town when she was running errands. Or when she’d pop in to see me at work, just to say hi. That doesn’t happen when you’re a couple hours away.” Katie stared absently out the window at the passing scenery. “Plus, it’s hard to say goodbye.”

  Will nodded, “It is.”

  Heading for the final stop, Katie didn’t turn the radio back on. The mood was pensive, and Will didn’t want to intrude into whatever thoughts she was having. Instead, he took the time to look around as he drove and truly see Blessings for what it was.

  He spotted the playground where he’d jumped off a swing on a dare from a friend when he was ten. That broken arm he’d gotten when he landed wrong had ended playing summer baseball that year, and the only swimming he got to do was dipping his feet into the water. Around the corner, a young couple walked hand-in-hand with their toddler, lifting the boy up every other step while he shrieked with delight. On main street, the Home Again Café was bustling with the dinner crowd and the light shining within warding off the darkening night sky outside made the place look cozy, like it was lit by a crackling fireplace. Blessings might not have been a fast-paced, exciting place to live, but it unexpectedly warmed his heart. He could see himself coming back and settling down. Someone like Katie would certainly make it worth his while.

  Katie’s house came into view. The porch light had turned on, making it appear as equally cheerful as the café. The closer they got, the more Will could feel his foot inadvertently easing off the gas pedal, as if slowing the car to a crawl would make their time together last longer.

  “I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the company,” Katie said after Will had backed into her driveway. Glancing over her shoulder at the heaps of food they’d collected, her whole face beamed. “I think you’re right, too. There’s no way I could have fit that all in my car.”

  “My pleasure,” Will murmured. “Let me help at least get it unloaded.”

  Katie nodded in agreement. “I definitely won’t say no to that. Otherwise, you might have to leave your truck here. It would take me all night to do. I’m blown away by how generous everyone’s been.”

  “I think you underestimate how persuasive you can be.”

  Katie’s smile widened, and her eyes twinkled mischievously. “That could be a dangerous thing. Too much power might go to my head.”

  “You’ll have to wield it wisely.”

  Katie chuckled and tried fruitlessly to let herself out, going as far as attempting to nudge the door open with her hip. “I don’t think this truck wants me to leave.”

  Neither do I, Will thought, catching himself before he said it aloud. Will reached across her and wiggled the door open, feeling Katie’s eyes on him the whole time. As the door swung open, she jumped out and met him at the tailgate. Clapping her hands, she vigorously rubbed them together.

  “Let’s do this,” she said, her voice enthusiastic, like an early morning aerobics instructor trying to wake up her sleepy class.

  “Are you trying to convince yourself or me to get it done?”

  Katie rolled her eyes and smacked Will’s abs. “It’s my inner cheerleader coming out. You know I was captain of the squad my senior year?”

  “I heard,” Will said as he pulled a tray of canned pumpkin from the truck bed.

  Katie’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, really? Keeping tabs on me, even after you were away at college?”

  Will stuttered, making his face flush the more he tried to explain. “Charlotte probably mentioned it to me.” Judging by the teasing smirk on Katie’s face, she knew she’d caught him in his admission.

  As the two got to work, walking back and forth and stacking food in the deep freeze and shelf Katie had in her garage, the conversation picked up where it had left off before Will had admitted he’d kept casual tabs on Katie through his sister after he’d moved away to college. They teased and flirted, watching each other as they alternated passing with armloads of food.

  “Done,” Katie said with satisfaction as she tossed the final two packages of cranberries into the freezer. When her stomach rumbled loudly, she gripped her midsection, trying to hush the noise. Will noticed the adorable way her cheeks pinkened. “Apparently I have an ogre living in my stomach, and it’s angry.”

  “You hungry?” Will asked. He could see an opportunity when it arose.

  “Well, yeah! Aren’t you? I mean, I’ve been thinking about Thanksgiving dinner and what all I’m going to cook the entire time we’ve been lugging the food to my garage.”

  Will laughed. “Me, too. Wanna get a bite to eat?”

  Katie’s smile slipped off her face. “Oh, no. You’ve already done enough today. I don’t want to tie up your entire evening.”

  “Katie,” Will said, putting a hand on his hip and shaking his finger at her in playful scolding, “you helped my mom can I don’t know how many pints of apple jelly. Taking you to dinner is the least I could do to say thank you.”

  “But you helped me pick up all the donations,” Katie said, sticking her chin out in pretend defiance. “That makes us even.”

  Unwilling to lose, knowing it would cost him the chance to spend more time with her, Will thought fast. “And you cleaned the chicken coop. If you hadn’t done that, I would’ve been the one stuck with that chore. So there. I owe you one. Besides, if anyone needs a break from cooking, it’s probably you.”

  Katie scrunched her face up while she considered her offer, a funny expression that, if possible, made her cuter than ever. “Where to?”

  “Not the café,” Will answered. “How about tacos?”

  “Now you’re talking.” Katie beamed at him. “It’s a date then.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It’s a date then?

  Katie chastised herself for being so forward. Sure, he’d offered dinner, but did she have to go calling dinner with Will more than what it was? Katie would’ve classified him as a friend—her very hot, Charlotte’s-older-brother friend—but in reality, they teetered on the edge of being mere acquaintances. In school, they’d run in different circles, with Charlotte being the common denominator, and once he’d left for college, it wasn’t like he’d ever
called to say hello. Then, he was back in Blessings for all of a week, and Katie kept jumping at the chance to spend time with him. She was all about being up front with guys she dated, but there was always some clear expectations from both sides. As ambiguous and uncertain as Will and she were, her behavior was bordering on desperate.

  “Nice night,” she said, just to break the silence that permeated the cab.

  Looking out the window to see the stars in the sky, he agreed, “Other than the thunderstorms that keep dumping water on the fields, this autumn seems to have been pretty mild here.”

  Twisting her fingers in knots, she tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible. Their conversation was bordering on cringeworthy, and she wasn’t helping much by bringing up the weather. “The weather’s been a blessing, that’s for sure.”

  Will’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

  “What?” Katie asked, perplexed.

  “Was that meant to be a play on words? That’s what I think whenever someone says anything about being blessed. Blessed in Blessings,” he said through a rumbling laugh.

  The tension in Katie’s shoulder’s eased, and she relaxed into her seat, joining in on Will’s good humor. “That does sound like a terrible joke, doesn’t it?”

  Katie thought about reaching over to touch his hand but maneuvered instead to run her fingers through her hair, then tucked her hands under her legs so she wouldn’t make that pass again. She’d been openly flirting with him all afternoon, and though it’d been exhilarating, she knew she was treading into dangerous territory. What she’d told Will wasn’t wrong—goodbyes were hard, and after saying goodbye to her mother last year, she wasn’t sure her heart could take another one, especially if she willingly let her heart love another.

  Will’s laughter died down and he asked, “The Tex Mex Oasis still as good as I remember?”

  Katie looked sideways at him with a smirk. “They still have the plate-o-tacos, if that’s what you’re asking. They’ve recently added spiced taco shells and pork al pastor to their menu, too.”

  “Ooo, expanding their menu, huh? They’re going to give Blessings the big town feel if they’re not careful.”

  Katie jabbed him in the arm before she could stop herself. As brief as the touch was, she couldn’t help but notice how firm his biceps were. He must’ve been one of the gym regulars in Des Moines, because there was no way he’d get those kinds of muscles working on his family’s farm for only a week.

  “Oh, quit,” Katie teased. “Nothing wrong with having a good taco place in town.”

  Mumbling about tacos, Will wiped at his lips while Katie caught herself staring at them. He looked over at her, and she quickly averted her eyes, but by the amused smirk on his face, he’d seen her. “Sounds delicious. I think I could eat an entire plate myself.”

  “Good. ‘Cause we’re here,” Katie said with relief.

  “Looks like they’re busy,” Will said as they turned into the parking lot, circling the building in search of a spot.

  “Do you want to try somewhere else? I’m not set on tacos,” Katie offered.

  “You can’t do that to a man, Katie,” Will said.

  “Do what...?” Katie hesitated.

  “Promise him all the tacos his heart desires, only to take them away from him before he’s even had a bite.”

  Laughing, Katie agreed, “That would be unfair of me, depriving you of Mexican food, especially after all the help you’ve been.”

  Finding a parking space at the back of the lot, Will pulled in and put it in park. “Besides, I’m not in any rush. Are you?”

  Catching her lip between her teeth, Katie shook her head. “I’m not. Other than a thirsty philodendron at home, no one is expecting me. Besides, I imagine most of the other restaurants are probably packed, too.”

  “A philo-what?”

  Chuckling, Katie twirled the end of her hair, realizing how lame she’d just made herself sound. “A philodendron. It’s a house plant. The only thing I have at home that would care if I went missing is a house plant.”

  “Well, I’m sure that philodendron loves you very much.”

  Will slid out of the truck, and instead of leaning over to open her door, he walked around the back to her side. With a moment alone, Katie quickly checked her hair and makeup in the mirror. She fixed a feral loose strand that wasn’t lying quite right and slipped on a coat of lip gloss before Will opened the door and offered his hand to help her down. She accepted, coyly placing her fingers in his, relishing the rippling tingles that zipped through her body. When he let go, her hand felt cold, and she acutely missed his touch.

  Will stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans to ward off the biting chill in the air since the sun had set. “I suppose everyone’s eating out to save themselves time, especially if they’re going to be cooking for Thanksgiving.”

  “That and the Harvest Festival is this weekend,” Katie said, going through the front door of the restaurant that Will held open for her. The inviting warm, spicy aroma of Mexican food enveloped them. “Everybody’s getting ready for everything from the parade to the vendor booths.”

  “And the ball?”

  Katie’s mouth felt dry at the mention of the ball. Since determinedly deciding to go on her own, rather than risk embarrassing herself in asking Will, should he say no, she had tried not to think about it. She hadn’t even bothered to pick out a dress. Other than Will and Charlotte knowing she’d said she’d attend, Katie hadn’t breathed a word about it to another soul. It would be just as easy for her to skip out and stay at home. A sweet romantic comedy and homemade cookies sounded a million times more enjoyable than standing awkwardly alone at a party meant for couples.

  “Hey! Katie!”

  Katie and Will looked over to where Charlotte was hurrying toward them, towing Harvey behind her. Katie’s eyes flashed to their intertwined fingers, then up to her friend’s face. Charlotte winked as an unspoken answer. Apparently, things with Harvey were going better than Katie had suspected. She made a mental note to grill her friend about it when she had a chance to ask Charlotte alone. If Katie managed to work up the courage, she might even confess to her friend that she was eyeing her brother.

  “What are you two doing here?” Charlotte asked, snuggling up close to Harvey.

  Charlotte was a tall girl, but Harvey had several inches on her, so when he let go of her hand and reached across her shoulders, he could easily accommodate her under the crook of his arm. Being taller than most of her dates was something Charlotte had always lamented—she could never wear heels with those of her boyfriends who were insecure about their lack of height. It was entirely possible that what had initially attracted Charlotte to Harvey was that her choice of shoes would never come up again. His bashful, polite demeanor and handsome face had most definitely sealed the deal. Judging by the elated smile glued on his mouth, he was more than smitten with Charlotte, too.

  Will snorted. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? We’re going to stuff ourselves with Mexican food.”

  Katie poked her thumb at Will and corrected, “He’s going to stuff himself with Mexican food. I’m going to eat a moderate, sensible amount because, unlike him, I can come back to the Tex Mex Oasis whenever I want.”

  Will’s hazel eyes flashed over to Katie’s. “True. If the food is as good as I’m remembering, that might be enough to make me want to move back, so I can be as blessed as you.”

  Holding in a laugh as long as she could, Katie eventually gave up and burst out giggling. “That was a horrible joke.”

  Will folded his arms across his chest and asked, “Then why are you laughing?”

  “Because it was so awful!”

  Laughter continued to flow, and though she knew she probably looked like a fool, the amusement on Will’s face was enough to keep it going. Charlotte looked equally entertained, though Katie didn’t miss that there was a question in her eye she knew she was going to have to answer.

  Sobering herself, she ap
ologized, “Sorry. Inside joke.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “One I’m not sad I’m missing out on. Will’s jokes have always been lame. Either you caught too many fumes from the chicken house when you were cleaning it, or is there something else going on here?”

  Charlotte moved her eyebrows suggestively, and immediately, the blood flowed to Katie’s cheeks. She stole a glance at Will, wondering if he was equally flustered by his sister’s brazen accusation, even if it was true for Katie.

  Cool and collected, Will answered, “Goodnight, Charlotte.”

  The hostess came to show Will and Katie to their seat, and Katie thanked her lucky stars for her timing. They left Charlotte laughing, before she and Harvey turned and slipped into the crowd mingling at the entrance. The redheaded hostess guided them through the busy restaurant to a booth toward the back. Katie’s mind raced, wondering how much Charlotte actually suspected. Perhaps her crushing on Will was painfully obvious to everyone else, and Katie was only trying to fool herself.

  “Katie,” Will said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his chest.

  The move caught her off guard, and her heart leapt into her throat. Looking up into Will’s hazel eyes, she was sure there was longing there. Though their friendship was still in its infancy, to say nothing of a relationship, Katie’s imagination ran wild. Was he going to kiss her? Right in the middle of the restaurant for everyone to see? Their lips were certainly closer than they’d ever been.

  Tilting her chin up to him, she breathlessly asked, “Yes?”

  Will’s eyes moved to something behind her, and she looked over her shoulder, following his gaze. A waiter straining under the weight of a tray full of sizzling food hurried past. Putting two and two together, the fluttering butterflies in Katie’s stomach crumbled and died. He wasn’t trying to kiss her—he was rescuing her from crashing into the waiter.

  “Didn’t think you wanted to be wearing chips and salsa,” Will said.

  Katie’s smile faltered—had she really been daydreaming that Will had been thinking about kissing her? He certainly had pulled her in close enough that the scent of his spicy aftershave was intoxicating. Recovering quickly, she stepped back, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. “That’s what I’d get for not paying attention. Thanks for saving me from myself.”