Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
The next day, Lila got up, dressed, fed a wailing Ulysses, and headed for Pleasant Beans.
There was equipment to move, coffee to brew, and she had to take stock of whatever pastries and goodies Grandma, Irene, and Mary had come up with.
All three were excellent cooks, and she should snag a few recipes from them while she had the chance.
TJ was already waiting at the shop when she arrived, and her heart fluttered. No, you don’t, she told it. Just behave yourself.
She got out of the car and forced a smile. Good grief, her heart was pounding now. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” He flashed a grin. “Ready for today?”
“I will be once we get everything moved to the booth.” She unlocked the door, and they went inside. Lila focused on gathering what they’d need. By the time Cyrus, Polly, Paddy, and Mary arrived, they were nearly done loading the car.
Lila eyed the little group. “Where are the pies?”
Polly smiled. “Grandma and Irene are bringing them to you.”
Lila frowned. “They aren’t going to carry them to Old Town, are they?” She had to remind herself that none of them drove, at least not that she knew of.
“They talked one of the guests staying at the inn into driving them,” Polly said. “She and her husband are the only guests there right now, so there’s been plenty of time to bake.”
The thought there might be a mishap along the way made Lila nervous. She should have been clearer about wanting to bring them herself.
“Hey,” TJ murmured, lowering his voice. “Everything will be fine.”
Lila pressed a hand to her chest and nodded. “Of course it will. I just get nervous when things don’t go as planned. I’ve always been that way.”
“You sound like my mother,” he said, amusement softening his tone.
“Is that good or bad?”
“Hmm… maybe a little of both?”
She smiled despite the upset. “All right. We’ll see Grandma and Irene a little later. They know to have everything there before nine?”
“Yes,” Cyrus said with a wink. “Don’t worry, they’ll deliver the goods.” He disappeared down the hall.
“You should have let them run the booth,” TJ said. “I bet they’d be good for business. They have been so far. Folks love coming in to hear how they almost wrecked the place with espresso and popcorn.”
Lila cracked up. “Oh, please say it isn’t so!”
“My brothers stop in sometimes when the old folks are on shift. They love their stories.”
“I had no idea they were telling them.” Lila blew out a breath, trying not to think about what went on when she wasn’t there. Working split shifts so she could open and close meant she missed plenty.
They left Pleasant Beans and headed for the festival grounds in Old Town. No sooner had they set up the booth and started brewing coffee than Grandma and Irene arrived, with a young couple in tow, carrying a cooler between them.
“Let me help you,” TJ said, leaving the booth to meet them.
Grandma looked around, eyes wide, and grabbed Irene’s hand. “Isn’t this great? Sort of reminds me of the Clear Creek Pie Festival.”
Lila glanced up. “I’ve never heard of that. Was it something held a long time ago?”
“You could say that,” Irene said, then nudged Grandma.
Grandma followed her gaze down the street. “Oh, well, look at that, there’s the museum.”
Lila didn’t bother looking; she knew it was nearby. “Have you visited the museum since you’ve been back in town?”
They exchanged a look, then Grandma blurted, “We have more pies! Come on, Irene, let’s fetch them.” The two turned on their heels and hurried off toward the parking lot.
TJ laughed at their hasty exit. The young couple chuckled too. “Hello,” the man said. “We’re the Petersons, Jeff and Samantha. We’re passing through and staying at the inn. We love it here.”
“The town grows on you,” TJ said. “Are there more pies to get? Do they need help?”
“No,” Jeff replied. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned staying at the Clear Creek Inn, it’s that the old folks running it don’t need help. You should see them tear up and down those stairs. Must be something in the water.”
Lila lifted pies from the cooler and set them on the front display. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” Samantha said. “They’ve got more energy than we do.” She squeezed her husband’s hand. “Well, we should be going. We have some place we need to be. Grandma and Irene said they don’t need a ride back, they’d rather walk.”
“Thanks for your help,” Lila said. “Enjoy your stay in Clear Creek.”
“We will.” The Petersons waved and left.
Lila spotted Grandma and Irene returning, each carrying a couple of pies.
“Everything’s going to be fine, Lila,” TJ said gently beside her.
Her heart melted at his tone. “I… I know.”
Warm hands settled on her shoulders, turning her toward him. “Relax. You’re fine.”
“It’s just… ever since I started working with Grandma and the others, I’ve felt off-kilter. Now that things are more manageable, I… feel even more off-kilter. It doesn’t make sense…”
“It makes perfect sense,” TJ said. “You’re just getting used to them. They’re a delight, though, you have to admit.”
“I know, but everything still feels… discombobulated.”
“You’re out of your normal routine,” he said. “It’s to be expected. How do you think I feel?”
She smiled. “All right, fair point. Still, I don’t like being unsettled.”
He stepped a little closer. “Can I help in any way?”
“No, I don’t see how.” Of course she couldn’t tell him he was the problem. The fact that he’d soon be leaving, and that she was growing more attached every day was at the heart of everything. But she couldn’t admit that.
“I’ll get a handle on it,” Lila said. “Now let’s finish setting up and get to work. People are starting to pull into the parking lot.”
He looked past her and smiled. “All right, then.”
Together they made a few adjustments to the decorations, fetched the other pies from Grandma and Irene, and put the ladies to work greeting customers. Some recognized them from Pleasant Beans.
“Well, if it isn’t Grandma and her pie-wielding counterpart!” a familiar voice called.
Lila looked up from the cooler she was grabbing pies out of. They’d already sold three. “Dad! What are you doing here?”
Her father sauntered up to the booth, hands in his pockets. “It’s a chilly morning. I need a hot coffee. By Heaven, TJ Jones, is that you?”
TJ stepped forward from the back, where he’d been measuring out coffee. “It is, sir. How are you?”
“I’m just dandy.” Her dad shook his hand. “You should come have dinner with us while you’re here. The rest of the family would love to see you and hear about England. I know Lila’s mother would; she’s always wanted to go there.”
“Dad, TJ doesn’t have time for…”
“Oh yes, he does,” her father cut in.
“Sure, Mr. Comfort, I’d love to.”
“Perfect! We’d love to have you.”
TJ served him his coffee, they exchanged goodbyes, and her father wandered off to another booth.
“Well, that was random,” Lila said. “I didn’t expect to see him here.”
“I like your dad, always have. Practical sort. He’d fit well in English society.” He cocked his head. “What’s the matter?”
She shrugged, surprised when tears stung the backs of her eyes. She didn’t want TJ to go back to England. She wanted to know him better, but what was the point? She’d never see him again unless he came to visit, and when would that be? Another eight years? Good grief, she had to get a grip.
Grandma and Irene continued chatting up passersby and coaxing them into buying coffee or better yet, pie.
It didn’t take long for them to sell almost all of them.
What were Tilly and Jack going to do when they no longer served pie?
Unless they could convince Grandma and her friends to keep supplying Pleasant Beans, the shop would never be the same.
“Land sakes, Irene, you should have baked more pies,” Grandma said.
“I told you about those six chocolate pie recipes, but no, everyone said we had enough.”
“You two don’t have to stay here,” Lila told them kindly. “Maybe you want to go back to the inn and rest before your shift this afternoon.”
“Shift, schmift,” Grandma huffed. “Well, I suppose we could go check out the hotel. We haven’t seen it yet since we’ve been here.”
“And the museum,” TJ added. “In fact, I might wander over there in a minute or two. I haven’t been in that place in years.”
Irene gasped. “You can’t leave your post here. What’s Lila going to do if there’s a rush of customers?”
“I’m sure I can handle it,” Lila said dryly.
“But… but what if you need help?” Grandma sputtered.
“I’ll be fine,” Lila insisted. “If TJ wants to go check out the museum, he can.”
TJ smiled. “You don’t mind?”
“No. Should I?” She brought another pie forward to the display. “We only have two left and it’s only been a few hours. How many more did you bake?”
“We’ve got some back at the inn,” Grandma said. “But we’ll have to bake more.”
“Right,” Irene agreed. “Which means we should get home.” She eyed TJ. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t go see the hotel. You should come too.”
“All right,” he said with a chuckle. “The three of us will go check out the hotel, and then I’ll come back while these lovely ladies go home and start baking more pies.”
He offered each an arm. The two women smiled, winked at one another, and let him escort them down the main aisle between booths.
Lila sighed. “This could take a while.” TJ had wanted to peruse the other booths since they arrived. So had she, but that would have to wait. Things were slow now, but she knew the rush would return soon enough.
“Lila, dear, how are things going?”
She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, her mother stood before her. “Mom… Dad was by earlier.”
“Yes, I know. He wouldn’t wait for me while I was using the restroom in the hotel. The traitor. But that’s all right.” She scanned the booth. “So, is TJ around? I thought he was helping you.”
“He went to look at some of the booths and check out the hotel. He’ll be back.”
“Wonderful.” Margaret Comfort grinned. Always a bad sign. “So, how do you like working with him?”
“He’s simply volunteering, Mother. Nothing more. He’s a big help.”
“He’s handsome.”
“Yeah,” Lila said. “And your point is…?”
“Oh, come now, dear. When was the last time you had a date?”
“A date? Mom, I’m not dating him, and he hasn’t asked. Besides, there are a dozen reasons that would be a bad idea.”
Margaret laughed. “Lila, I’ve heard about the way he looks at you.”
“What?! From who?”
“Why, Cyrus Van Cleet, of course.”
“Cyrus?” Lila rolled her eyes and poured her mother a cup of coffee.
“He told me TJ gives you looks of admiration.”
Lila groaned. “Well, that’s a polite way of putting it. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to ask me out. And even if he did, we’d have one date, and then he’d be back in England. Where would that leave me?”
“Oh, come now. As hard as his mother’s trying to talk him into staying in the States, the least you could do is go on one date. Who knows when she’ll succeed? But mark my words, she will. Eleanor Jones excels at guilt.”
Lila squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. Have you and Eleanor been talking?”
“Well… maybe just a little,” Margaret admitted.
“Oh, come on, Mom!”
Margaret giggled, took a sip of coffee, and deftly changed the subject. “Look at those pies! Don’t they look good? What kinds do you have?”
Lila knew she was changing the subject on purpose and that was just as well. She didn’t want to talk about TJ anymore. With her luck, he’d show up right in the middle of the conversation. Gads, how embarrassing would that be?
She rattled off what pies were left and was surprised when her mother bought two. After paying, she left to return to the hotel and put the pies in her car.
Lila poured herself a cup of coffee, added sugar and cream, and stood smiling at passersby. She thought about the day so far, and how lonely she felt. Was it because TJ wasn’t at the booth, or because she was simply lonely in general?
When TJ returned, he handed her a white paper bag. “Our lunch,” he announced. “Two turkey sandwiches on rye.”
“Thanks. You bought these at the hotel, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I ran into your mother, and she said they were your favorite.”
“I do love a good turkey on rye.” She stepped to the side to reach the bag, and their arms brushed. A tingle went up her spin at the contact.
“This is fun,” he said. After lunch, do you want to look around the other booths? I’ll handle things here. Which reminds me…” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small box. “I saw this at a booth down the way, a woman who makes jewelry. Here.” He handed it to her.
“What is it?”
“Open it.” He smiled as she lifted the lid.
Lila looked inside and gasped. “This is adorable!” She pulled out a necklace with a tiny coffee cup and saucer charm. “You didn’t have to buy me this.”
“I wanted to. Now you’ll have something to remember our time together.”
She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. “Thank you, TJ. That’s very kind of you.” Before she could stop herself, she rose on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. The moment she did, her eyes widened, and she stepped back. “Oh… I’m sorry… I…”
He touched his cheek and smiled before he gazed into her eyes. “I’m not.”