20
“Stop sign.” Wade flinched as his dad raced toward the red octagon without slowing down. When the doctor released Wade to drive, he was definitely taking command of the wheel.
His dad smirked. “I’ve driven this route to work hundreds of times. I had plenty of room to break.”
“Sorry.” Wade needed to ban that word because Emma’s face appeared every time he said it. At least Emma smiled at him when he backseat drove. He missed her pep this Tuesday morning. His dad needed another cup of coffee. Or maybe his dad didn’t like being back on chauffeur duty.
A few minutes later, his dad pulled into the company parking lot.
“I’m going to drop you and head to my first call. I’ll try to beat traffic.”
“Got it.” Wade exited the van. He grabbed his cane almost as an afterthought. In the last week, he had overcome his final hurdles toward recovery. His leg had gotten stronger, and his hand flexed as good as new. Thank You, Lord. Thank you, Emma. He had to stop thinking about her and manage the business. He doubted that she’d ever settle in Nashville. Whispering Creek and Wisconsin were her homes.
Before he shut the van door, he said, “I’ll call the temp service we used last time we needed help. I’m praying I get a driving release tomorrow.” Handling the office work was easy. He needed to get back out on service calls and add to the bottom line.
His dad rested an arm over the steering wheel. “I don’t think we’re going to get as quick a study as Emma. I hated to see her leave with Sam this morning.”
No wonder his dad seemed off. Saying good-bye to Emma had to weigh on his old man since he practically escorted her into the office.
Every time he thought of the collateral damage from Runyard’s scam, he wanted to punch the creep.
“How is Emma doing?” He didn’t want to know, yet he needed to find out as her former boss and friend.
“Pretty good.” Which meant there was some ‘not good’ in his dad’s answer. Dad scratched his jaw. “I’m glad Sam came last night. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. When I left for work, they were talking about recipes with your mom.”
Wade’s throat thickened. “Good.” He nodded like everything was back to normal. Normalcy reflected in his windshield, but not in Emma’s. “I’ll call the temp agency right away. See ya later.” He shut the van door and strode toward the office entrance, making a mental note on what to tackle first.
He unlocked the main door and headed straight to the coffeemaker. He rinsed the carafe and set it on the counter. After filling the water compartment, he added coffee grounds and hit the power switch. The beloved scent of dark roasted beans bolstered his energy level.
A delivery guy hustled through the front door.
“Can I get a signature.” The guy set three boxes on the floor below the acrylic-glass opening and pushed his clipboard through.
Wade grabbed a pen and signed the paperwork.
The guy grabbed his clipboard, tore a receipt for Wade, and backstepped toward the door. “Your coffee is leaking.”
Wade turned to see the carafe on the counter and coffee dripping onto the heating element and onto the floor. Great. The last thing he needed was another slip and fall. He pushed the carafe underneath the coffee stream and grabbed a roll of paper towels.
The phone rang.
“Really?” He slapped paper towels on the floor and lunged for the phone, answering it on the fourth ring. “Donoven and Sons Electric.” He calmed his voice as his heart galloped in his chest.
“This is Donna Clay. Is Emma there?”
“Not at the moment.” Who was he kidding? She wasn’t coming back, but he wasn’t going to confess that he had fired her to a customer.
“Do you know when she’ll return? You’re coming on Friday to install some ceiling fixtures, and I wanted to get the paint colors she recommended. I can call again later.”
Calling in the afternoon wouldn’t solve his problem. He rolled his shoulder trying to release the tension in his muscles from ten minutes of work. Should he tell her that Emma was history? Would the woman be upset? Would she still want to keep her appointment? Maybe so, but what if he couldn’t find the colors? Did Emma note the name of the paint in the customer file? Too many questions circulated in his brain before his second cup of coffee.
“Hang on. Let me get into our computer system and see if Emma made any notes on your conversation. It’s C-l-a-y?”
“Yes. On Sutterfield Road.”
He typed in the woman’s name.
Come on, Emma. If I find one color listed, I will be forever grateful . He mentally kicked himself for asking to see Emma’s flash drive. All he wanted to do was support her after seeing how well she interacted with customers, and everything blew up in his face. He’d lost the best thing that had happened to his business in months. His chest sank. The best thing that had happened to him in months. Now he knew why people didn’t like attorneys.
Donna’s name and address appeared on the screen. Below the phone number were a few sentences about the lighting fixtures and bingo, paint recommendations. If Emma had been sitting beside him, he would have kissed her. If only she was sitting beside him. He wasn’t her favorite person with the way she threw his keys at him like a fast pitch.
“Ma’am, it says here that you discussed Elegant Eggshell and Glory Morning.”
“Oh, fantastic. I should have written them down.” The woman sounded giddy.
He shared in her relief. His decorating tips were non-existent. “There’s also a mention of a Lavender and Lacey?”
“The candle scent. Thank you. I had almost forgotten. I wanted to make an impression on my fiancé when he sees the room for the first time. Please thank Emma, and tell her that I owe her one.”
“Will do. Glad we could help.” His conscience gnawed at him. He didn’t want to tell Donna that Emma was gone, but he couldn’t lie either. He’d have to text Emma a thank you from Donna later. A text wasn’t like an open door that Sam had talked about, but maybe it was a cracked window. He’d even take a doggie door. “Our technician will be there on Friday to get the fixtures swapped out. Have a nice day, Donna.”
He hung up the phone and slouched in the chair. Emma’s chair.
Lord, I’m not understanding any of this. My accident. Emma’s boss and his betrayal. Why You brought her into my life and then took her out of it? I’m confused and need some clarity. Please give me wisdom about the future. Amen.
He stood and trekked over brown-stained paper towels to fill a mug with coffee. Caffeine would definitely help his focus. He doubted he had ever discussed paint colors before eight in the morning. He certainly had never recommended a candle scent. He grinned. Only Emma.
Derek entered the office and plopped a stack of invoices on the counter. “Morning. I’ve got my paperwork and Antonio’s.” He glanced around the office. “Where’s Emma?”
Wade shuffled over to collect the invoices. On top of the pile sat a newspaper folded to reveal the picture of him and Emma at Ms. Johnson’s home. This isn’t funny, Lord.
The phone rang again.
He wrestled a frustrated roar.
If someone else asked for Emma, he was going to put the answering machine on, fill a travel mug with coffee, put his earbuds in, and power walk around the block. Ah! Even the mention of walking had him mentally thanking Emma. Maybe it was for the best that she had left the city because as her boss, he was getting in way too deep. Just the thought of her sauntering up to the counter with her saucy smile had him envisioning lighting a Lavender and Lacey candle and kissing her lips.
His goal of forgetting about Emma today was an epic failure.
~*~
Emma brushed bangs out of her eyes and slung her head against the headrest in Sam’s SUV.
“I have never been so happy to see that wooden Welcome to Whispering Creek sign in my life. After Linda’s tears and another two hours with my attorney, my brain is a bowl of oatmeal with soggy berries on top.”
Sam glanced in her direction. Static electricity from the cloth seat splayed her ponytail.
“Your attorney’s office is quite impressive. He seems pretty intense, too, from what I could tell seeing him through the reception window.”
“I can hear my retainer dollars disappearing by the minute. I sure hope with this new information from the flash drive that Zach can move swiftly and reclaim some money for investors. My bank account could use a windfall.” If she still worked for Wade, she would have had a steady income for a few weeks. She thought she had a new friend, but that vanished the minute Ron’s funds exploded onto Wade’s laptop.
“If you need money, Em, I’ll give you some. You don’t even have to pay it back. Think of it as a hug from Mr. Ted. The inheritance he left me has bought me some time to look for a teaching position.”
“Which you will be getting soon. Whispering Creek ISD should be calling this week to snap you up.” Emma admired her friend who had battled breast cancer and won, but the time away from her classroom left Sam without a renewed teaching contract. Sam lived without one breast. What was a little job turbulence compared to cancer? Unless it led to a courtroom battle and possibly jail time. Emma wouldn’t let her mind go to that disturbing place. She had hoped to plan activities for seniors and keep track of their most important life events. Her fingers didn’t fleece wallets or bank accounts. That crime belonged to Ron and Annette, or whoever the woman claimed to be.
“I’d love to work close to home and teach in my community.” Sam flashed a conspiratorial smile. “I also know a local place that will pick up your spirits.”
An image of a young boy running around A Brew 4 You and huge cinnamon rolls warming a plate had Emma quirking an eyebrow. “Is Daniel out of school for the day because I could use a blast of that kid’s energy.” She checked her phone. “Daniel should be roaring around the restaurant.” If her time was occupied by the owner’s son, then she wouldn’t be thinking about Wade. Her short stint at Donoven and Sons had brought her some cash, boosted her self-esteem, and she had gotten to help Wade get over the hump and return to health. She chastised herself for not being grateful for those blessings and only pondering a future relationship with Wade . I’m sorry, Lord . She grinned. Even her short prayer brought the handsome electrician to mind.
Sam drove down the main street and parked a few spots away from A Brew 4 You. The black iron clock in the hardware store window next door showed two-thirty.
“Sugar and caffeine coming right up.” Sam chewed her lip. “Only if you’re up to it. I could make coffee and hot chocolate at home.”
Emma hopped out of the SUV and straightened her belt. “Are you kidding? No way am I missing Lucinda’s cinnamon rolls. One nice thing about being fired, I don’t have any work to do. I get to hang around with my best friend and wait to see if my attorney gets justice for hundreds of victims. I can even do more tweaking on People Peeps now that I have electrical office experience. I have a file saved on my laptop.”
“That’s the Emma I know. The optimistic entrepreneur.” Sam locked her car. “I should have you read and improve my resume. I’d have a position in no time.” Sam opened the door to Lucinda’s café.
A familiar jingle of bells transported Emma back to her visit over Christmas when her life had been stable and normal. She hadn’t realized then that her job in Milwaukee rested on the roof of a tower of trading cards.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer . God was with her at the top of the teetering structure, and He was with her now at the bottom of the heap of dog-eared cards. Her thoughts needed to be on God, upward, and forward, not on the past. Ron wasn’t coming back, and Annette was in the wind. Emma breathed in the cinnamon and coffee aroma and gave all her cares to God. Help me to remember that You are in control of everything, God .
“Earth to Emma.” Sam nudged her forward. “Why don’t we grab a table against the wall.”
“Works for me.” Emma grasped her backpack and shifted it higher on her shoulder. “We can see who’s coming and going.”
Sam pulled out a chair, sat, and leaned across the shiny wood table. “Did your attorney say to be careful?” she whispered.
“No.” Emma plopped into her chair and let her backpack slide to the floor. “I like to people watch.” If only she would stop the replay of Wade chasing her down and wrapping her in his strong arms. She’d have to restrict the small-town romance channel for a while. “It can’t hurt though. You know what my mom says about being aware of your surroundings.”
Sam laughed. “I remember that talk every time we left your store and went out into the mall to shop.” Sam did her conspiratorial lean. “Have you told your mom about…”—her eyes widened—“finding the drive.”
Shaking her head, Emma squinted at the chalkboard menu above the bakery counter. “I can’t. I’m sworn to silence.” She tugged on her jeans. “I did call this morning and let her know I was heading here to Whispering Creek. I may have inferred that Fran was coming back earlier than expected. I am praying for Fran’s recovery. Jesus could work a miracle.” She slouched and drummed her fingers on the smooth varnish of the table. She couldn’t bring herself to utter the word fired to her parents. To a retail manager, it was like receiving a bold, red F. “Everything is fine at the mall. The reporters and strange shoppers have subsided. That’s a blessing.”
“Look who’s here.” Lucinda rushed toward their table with mugs intertwined in her fingers. “I didn’t think we would see you so soon.” Lucinda set down the mugs with a small clunk.
Emma rose and gave Lucinda a quick hug trying to avoid the woman’s clipped-back hair.
“There’s a homing signal on top of Sam’s house that pulled me here.” Emma winked at Sam. “Plus, you have better winters.”
“We’ll take you anytime.” Lucinda removed a pad from her apron. “Are we doing the usual? Hot chocolate and pecan cinnamon rolls?”
“We must look desperate.” Emma grinned and sat down. Her heart warmed at being among friends who supported her. Being with Sam and Lucinda was easy. She didn’t have to learn a new business lingo or please a boss. She could laugh and dust off the stress of the past two weeks. Life in Whispering Creek had chocolate sprinkles. “Black coffee for both of us today. Cinnamon rolls sound perfect.”
“You’ve got it. I’ll be right back.” Lucinda placed rolled-up silverware on their table from her deep-pocketed apron and hurried toward the counter. A few elderly men chatted as they waited at the register.
The front door opened to a jangle of bells. A woman with gray braids held the hand of Lucinda’s son Daniel. The boy stood inches taller than Emma remembered. “Daniel’s here.”
Sam turned in the direction of Emma’s smile.
Daniel’s dark brown eyes lasered in on Sam. He slipped from the woman’s grasp and chugged toward her friend. Bright lights flashed from his sneakers. That’s how he looked taller. Emma would need to find some blinking heels.
“Sam.” The boy wiggled into Sam’s lap.
“Do you remember my best friend, Emma.” Sam’s face dipped down to engage with Daniel. Sam had the best kid moves. She mesmerized her students.
Daniel nodded, his eyes becoming like mega-cups of coffee. “We’re having a rum sale at school.” He held onto the M, sounding like a tiny motor.
“That’s one way to raise money for the school.” Emma laughed.
Lucinda arrived with a tray of rolls and a carafe of coffee. After she unloaded their food and the much-needed caffeine, she bent to kiss her son.
“The school is having a rummage sale to fund new playground equipment. Daniel and my mom stayed after preschool to help price some of the items. The sale starts on Friday.”
A few round fluorescent stickers decorated the sleeve of Daniel’s navy dinosaur hoodie. Dark blue favored Daniel like it did Wade. Emma picked a pecan off of her cinnamon roll and almost choked on it.
“You ’K,” Daniel asked.
Emma sipped her coffee. “Yes, I am, thank you.” Whispering Creek sure did feel like a second home. Could it be a first-place contender?
Sam ducked her head around Daniel to see Lucinda. “I may have a box or two of Ted’s things. Ernie didn’t take all of the clothes. I’m sure I can round up some books. Ted was a big reader.”
Biting into her pastry, Emma thought of a way to help support the school. “Oh, wait.” She placed a hand in front of her mouth as she finished chewing. “I have candles in the trunk of my car. Might as well put them to good use. The scents are discontinued, but I have pillars, jars, and votive sets.”
“That’s a great idea, Em. Ladies love candles.” Sam sipped carefully from her mug.
Lucinda clasped her hands, the serving tray lodged under her arm. “This is wonderful. We’re expecting a big turnout, and the committee was worried we would run out of items. We’ll take it all.”
Excitement bubbled inside of Emma. With her free time, she could help the school and find out more about Whispering Creek.
“We can price our things and bring them over by Friday morning. I’m happy to help any way I can.” Emma pointed a fork at Sam. “I’m temporarily unemployed, and Sam hasn’t put me to work yet.
Sam chuckled. “I think I just did.”
Daniel hopped off of Sam’s lap and stood next to Emma’s chair. He cocked his head and after glancing at his mom, he inched closer with a small hand cupped around his mouth.
“How do candles vote?” he whispered.
Emma bent eye level with Daniel. She stifled a chuckle at his question. She couldn’t have ordered better medicine today than a visit with Lucinda and Daniel. She even had a part-time job for the weekend even if it didn’t pay.
“A votive is a candle, but it doesn’t vote.” She noticed Sam’s chest heaving as she explained terms to Daniel. “A votive is small and round. You might say it’s a Daniel candle.” She could play teacher, too. “A pillar candle is larger. It’s tall and big like Sam and me. I’ll save one of each for you and your mom.”
Daniel jumped, his shoes blinking under the pressure. “Yes. I want one.”
“You’d like one,” Lucinda corrected. “What do you say to Emma?” Now, who was in teacher mode?
“Thank you.” Daniel placed a hand on the table and wormed his way into Emma’s lap. “I like vote-tives.”
Emma’s heart swelled. What would the last week have been like if she had stayed in Whispering Creek? She enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and helping meet the needs of others. She’d filled a need in Nashville, but she’d been fired by the boss she’d been assisting and crushing on. The bandage healing her self-esteem needed reinforcements for that catastrophe.
The front door opened, bells jingling.
Heads turned as a black-leather-clad man strode into the café. The clomp of his thick-soled boots echoed through the restaurant. The guys dark hair was longer than Sam’s ponytail.
Daniel snuggled into her chest.
The guy scanned the perimeter of the café and waved. Did he need a waitress?
Wait. She had met this guy before. Over Christmas.
Patrons glanced at the man in black as he stomped toward Sam and Lucinda.
“Good afternoon, ladies.”
Sam flashed a lazy day smile. “Hey, neighbor. Jedediah, do you remember my best friend, Emma?”
Jedediah crossed his thick arms over his studded leather vest. “Good to see you again, Emma. Glad you didn’t bring any snow with you.” His gaze was so intense if she had been a steak, she would have been charred. “Are you in town for a while?”
She shrugged. “As long as Sam will have me.”
Daniel mimicked her shrug.
“Well, if you need anything, I’m right next door.” He turned his attention to Lucinda. “Dad would like some cinnamon rolls.”
“Coming right up. Excuse me.” Lucinda hurried toward the front of the café.
“See you around.” Jedediah strode after Lucinda.
Emma shivered careful not to dislodge Daniel who was folding her napkin into triangles. “I still can’t believe that’s Ernie and Gretta’s son. On a dark night, if he popped out of the shadows, he’d give you a heart attack.”
“On a dark night, you wouldn’t even see him in the shadows.” Sam quirked an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” Daniel giggled oblivious to their conversation. His napkin resembled a small airplane or headless bird.
She ruffled the boy’s hair as his giggle vibrations sent a flood of contentment through her body. She understood why Sam liked it here. The simple pleasure of being with her best friend and hearing a child laugh reoriented her on what was important in life. God was her rock, and He had given her a multitude of blessings. She could handle the fallout from the flash drive with friends by her side. Jesus was her best friend, and He taught in the Bible not to worry about tomorrow. Tennessee was growing on her. Her Tennessee tomorrow was looking up.