6. Chapter Six
Three days have passed since my unforgettable evening with Henry, and I can’t stop thinking about how messy my life has become.
It’s early Saturday morning, and the house is quiet. The calm hum of the refrigerator is my only companion when my phone breaks me out of my thoughts. It dances across the countertop with a buzz, and as I reach for it, Jace’s name flashes on the screen. Immediately, I feel my blood run cold. I take a deep breath and slide my finger across the glass. “Hello?”
“Rose,” Jace’s voice comes through, all smooth and buttery, like he’s not the man who just tangled our lives into this mess. “We need to talk about this... extended vacation.”
I prop myself against the counter, feeling the cold seep through my shirt. “Jace, we’ve been over this. I told you I needed space after—“
“Space is a luxury we can’t afford right now.” His interruption grates on me, the way he always assumes he knows what’s best. “It’s been a week. Clients are starting to ask questions, Rose. They want to know when the face of our company will come back and start doing her job.” His words are sharp and calculated.
I stifle a laugh. The face of our company? There’s nothing like a backhanded compliment to ring in the weekend. “Listen, I know customer relations is not your strong suit, but I’ve been on conference calls every day this week with Sarah, and I can assure you the clients will all be taken care of.”
“Rose.” The way he drags out my name makes it feel like he’s trying to rein me back in by tugging on a leash. “This isn’t just about you. It’s about the business. This is both of our reputations on the line, you know.”
“Right, the business.” I can’t keep the bitterness from creeping into my words. “Because that’s what this is about for you, isn’t it, Jace?”
“Of course, it’s about the business!” His voice sharpens, and I imagine his polished veneer cracking at the edges. “You know what’s at stake here.”
“Maybe,” I admit, tracing a droplet of water as it races down the side of the fridge. “But some things are more important than business, Jace. Like trust. Honesty. Wedding vows, maybe? Do any of those ring a bell?”
“Rose, please—“ There’s a plea in his voice, but it’s nothing I haven’t heard before. The charm, the desperation. None of it changes what he did.
I will myself to speak, but the words don’t come.
My phone feels heavy in my hand, like a tiny anchor pulling me back to a life I’m not sure I want anymore. As the refrigerator buzz fills the space, I think about Henry’s laughter, so light and easy, like a cool breeze through an open window. Maybe it’s time to let in some fresh air.
“Jace,” I groan. His name leaves a sour taste in the back of my mouth. “Cheating is bad enough. But you went behind my back with a client. Not only did you betray me, but quite frankly, you embarrassed me.“ My voice feels surprisingly steady, but inside, a storm is raging.
“Rose, stop being so dramatic.” His tone is dismissive. “Our relationship has been on the rocks for months. Now is not the time or the place to start pointing fingers. We need to present a united front. Can you be here by Monday?”
I scoff. “No, Jace. I’m not stepping foot back into that apartment or our office until I’ve had ample time to figure out how I’m going to clean up this mess you made.”
“Fine. Stay there, then. But don’t be surprised when the next call you get is from my lawyers with a request to sign over your half of the company.”
“Just you wait a minute, you can’t—“
Silence. He ended the call.
A surge of tears work their way up, making the corners of my eyes prickle. Can he?
My need for fresh air and the warmth of a mother’s hug trumps the urge to call him back. I will. But not yet. Not until I’ve had time to talk to my dad. And a lawyer.
***
I pull up to Oak Grove Park, and parking for the Sugar Plum Summer Festival is less painful than anticipated. It’s just another perk of being so far away from the big city.
It doesn’t take me long to find my parents’ booth, either. As I wind down the concrete path shaded by big leafy oak trees, I see Mom’s bright smile shine as she carefully wraps jars of her famous apple butter in brown paper and bags them for the line of customers standing around her booth.
Behind her, my dad hovers over a crate of freshly picked apples, probably talking shop with the man in overalls at the booth beside him. Growing up as a Taylor, I learned to spot a farmer at work from a mile away and reconsider interrupting business.
“Do you think your mom needs a taste tester for that apple butter?” A deep, husky voice booms from behind me, and when I turn, I’m met by a pair of deep green eyes that make my heart skip a beat—Henry’s eyes.
His smile is warm and easy, and it’s almost enough to make me forget about the awful phone call I just had with my slimy husband—the key word being almost.
“You come to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl? Rumor has it only eight people have lost their lunch since it opened.”
I smile, then slightly cringe at the thought. “Actually, I’m here to get some fresh air. Need to clear my head.”
“Trouble in paradise?” His eyebrows perk up playfully, but his concern becomes genuine when he reads my face.
“Paradise Lost is more like it,“ I say, no longer caring whether I hold it together. Not in front of Henry, at least.
“Let’s go say hi to your folks, and you can tell me all about it.”
Henry leads the way, and I follow like I’m under his spell. Lord knows, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time.
The buzz of the Summer Fest fills the air with a combination of chatter and laughter, but all I can focus on is the sound of Henry’s boots thudding softly on the concrete.
“Rose, honey, you made it! You and Henry, come get a slice of bread. I just opened a fresh jar of preserves!” Mom’s voice rings out from under an E-Z Up tent, her hands sticky with jam as she offers samples to the passing crowd.
I offer her my most capable smile. “Looks like you’ve got a full house.”
“Always room for our girl,” Dad beams, but his eyes are too busy tracking sales to notice my lack of enthusiasm.
“Maybe later.” I wave, feeling the tightness close in around my chest.
“Okay, but don’t go too far. And Henry, I have a few jars set aside for Asher and Gemma. If you see them, let them know, would you?”
Henry’s grin is wide under the brim of his Stetson, eyes crinkling at the corners. He gives a curt nod and tips his hat. “Sure will, Miss Jane. Might have you set aside a few for me, too, if it’s no trouble.” Mom smiles and nods, and a twinge of relief unfurls inside me. With his easy banter and sweet southern charm, Henry might be just the distraction I need.
He looks down at me as we walk by the fruit and vegetable vendors. “A penny for your thoughts?”
I glance around at all the familiar faces, who have yet to notice how comfortably close I’m walking beside my childhood crush, and suddenly wish I was invisible. “Okay. But maybe somewhere a little less... public.” He nods in understanding with a smile that totally disarms me. Vulnerability is not a sweater I wear often, but it’s a comfortable fit with Henry Carter.
“Lead the way,” he says, stepping aside to let me pass.
When we reach the end of the paved walkway, we find ourselves by an old oak tree at the park’s edge, where noise from the festival is replaced by honking geese and children laughing at the base of the Oak Grove duck pond—our pond—the spot we used to run to as kids when the world got too big and too loud.
Henry and I take the trail that loops around the pond, and neither of us speaks until I’m able to find my nerve.
“Jace wants me back in Dallas on Monday.” My voice is barely a whisper, and Henry slows his pace while I decide how much I want to share.
“Almost sounds like you don’t want to go,” he says, his voice neutral.
“Let’s just say there have been some... creative differences. And I’m not sure how to move forward in the wake of everything that’s been going on. That’s why I’m here, actually. To take some time away. I wanted to clear my mind, you know? And Jace isn’t too happy about it.”
“Well, that’s not good. What doesn’t he like about it?”
“It’s messy. There are... lots of things. But I guess the problems all started about six months ago. When we started Metro eight years ago, he handled all the financial aspects on the backend, and I worked solely with the clients. My job was to build our database and find our clients their perfect match. It was a well-oiled machine, and business was good until Jace started meeting with investors behind my back.”
Henry is quiet… Almost too quiet. But there’s something about his energy and the peaceful rustling of the leaves around us that makes the words spill out like a pipe busted in the area of my brain that controls speech.
“Technically, the company is still ours, but he wants to expand, bring on new partners, and open new offices throughout the region.”
“And you don’t want to expand?”
“It’s not that I’m opposed to bringing on new partners if I could train them to do what I do one day, but that’s not the kind of expansion he wants. These so-called partners don’t care about helping people. Their business model is all about streamlining the process to maximize profits. And they’ll cut corners anywhere they can. They even have Jace convinced that our one-on-one client consults are a waste of time and resources. Almost like the business wouldn’t need me after any kind of merger.”
I bite my bottom lip, and a part of me feels relieved to be able to talk it out. But another part of me can’t help but wonder if this was all part of a grand scheme where Jace worked me out of the business entirely. Maybe his cheating on me should be the least of my concerns.
“I’ve never known you to be one to dance to someone else’s tune unless it’s a tune you like.” There’s a familiar comfort to his words, and I find myself wishing I could tell him the real reason why I came to Sugar Plum.
“Guess I forgot the steps somewhere along the way.” I do a lousy job trying to hide my disdain, but if Henry picks up on it, he doesn’t make it known.
“Then you learn new ones. Or better yet, make up your own.” His suggestion seems so practical. So simple. So... Henry.
“Easier said than done,” I mutter under my breath. We stop along the trail, and I pick up a smooth, flat rock, skipping it across the pond just like Henry taught me in the third grade. Yep. I still got it.
“Not bad.” Henry stares out across the water. “Just remember, nothing worth doing in life should ever come easy. Otherwise, how are we supposed to appreciate it?”
“You’re probably right, but I have no idea what I’m going to do. I didn’t tell you this, but when I talked to him this morning, he told me he wanted me to sign over my half of the business. He even threatened to get lawyers involved. I mean... can you imagine the nerve?”
Henry shakes his head and lets out a chuckle. “I always wondered how you ended up with a guy like that. You deserve so much better, Rose. Always have, always will.”
Better... like you?
The thought sends a shiver down my spine, and I regret it immediately. I still remember how much it hurt when Camille moved to town and stole the heart of the only boy I ever loved. Given my current track record in the relationship department, maybe I should get used to being disappointed.
But shouldn’t that be a reason to fight for my company even more? So what if it’s not in my cards? Everyone deserves a chance at finding true love, and there’s not a matchmaker out there willing to fight harder for their clients than I am.
“That’s sweet of you to say. And I’m sure there’s a way out of this mess. I just can’t afford to lose any more clients while I figure it out.”
Henry’s brow furrows like he’s trying to solve a puzzle. “I have an idea. Why don’t you take your clients online? Keep that personal touch that’s so important to you, but do it remotely. It doesn’t have to be permanent.”
“Online?” The idea percolates in my brain, bubbling up an equal number of possibilities and potential pitfalls, and I’m surprised I didn’t think of it myself. “It’s not a horrible idea. I mean, it could buy me more time, but I’d still have to figure out how to coordinate my mixers. I can’t host a party over a Zoom call.” Can I?
“I know it’s ideal, but anything has to be better than those dating apps everyone talks about.”
I feel my eyes go wide hearing Henry Carter, of all people, talk about a dating app. “Um, excuse me? Back up for a minute. Have you been dipping your toe in the online dating pool?”
“Hey, we’re not talking about me or my dating life. I was just saying.” He lifts a hand and scratches the back of his neck while looking down at his boots.
Is heblushing?
As tempting as it may sound, and seeing how he spent most of our childhood making me blush, I still decide it best not to call him out. Not after he gave up an entire afternoon to listen to my problems.
I pause and look out over the pond, avoiding eye contact. “Thanks, Henry.”
“For what?”
The warmth I feel in my belly spreads into my chest, melting the final slivers of ice around my heart from Jace’s cold demands earlier this morning.
“For always believing in me.”