Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
If Hope had ever worried that the hustle to get enough quilting done before the bazaar would make her grow tired of her new hobby, the weeks after the big event proved her wrong. Instead of feeling worn out by the rush, she felt invigorated.
She didn’t necessarily think that she would ever manage to sell quilts as a full-time job or anything.
It was just a little too time-consuming, given the hours she spent working at Riverstone Kitchen.
If she tried to add on a whole other career, she’d end up burning herself out.
But an older woman at the bazaar had mentioned that there were a few craft fairs in the region where Hope’s wares would be well-received.
The lady had left her contact information, and Hope planned to reach out. It sounded fun.
She folded up her most recent completed project, smiling over the idea. She was really proud of this one. It was her most ambitious pattern yet, and she was thrilled with the way it had turned out.
“Ooh, that one looks beautiful, sweetheart,” Miriam said, coming into the kitchen, grabbing some grapes off the counter where Hope had recently washed them, and popping one into her mouth. “You’ve really been quilting up a storm these past few weeks.”
“It’s your fault, if you really think about it,” Hope said with a teasing wink, grabbing some grapes herself. “You got me sucked into that show of yours, and it’s just so perfect for quilting, tea, and snacks.”
Miriam had gotten Hope into a long-running drama about nurses after the Second World War. Hope was about two episodes in before she started doing her hair up in barrel curls. They just looked too cute.
“Yes, yes, blame the woman who has introduced you to both your beloved hobby and a deeply fascinating look at women in the working world on the cusp of a large feminist movement!”
Hope laughed at the indignant look on her grandmother’s face.
“You’re right. I should be thanking you,” she amended.
“Just as I suspected,” Miriam retorted with a wink. She crossed to Hope’s folded quilt and ran an admiring hand over it. “I will say, though, honey, you’re going to have a real headache shipping all those quilts back home. They’re not exactly ‘light packing.’”
Hope bit her lip, but she was smiling.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that,” she admitted.
The past few weeks had been lovely. She really liked her job at Riverstone Kitchen, and she already felt almost as at home there as she had at Sharp’s, even though she’d only been in the new role for a few weeks and had worked at the old restaurant for years.
She no longer felt like she was just an add-on for her grandmother at book club, and had even had lunch with June and Diana the other day when they’d all been free on a random afternoon.
She’d taken a walk along the beach the other evening, and though the water had been very cold where it had lapped at her toes, she’d had a wonderful time.
She loved this town. She loved that she almost always ran into someone when she was getting coffee, but that they were all kind enough that she didn’t even mind if she looked like she’d just thrown on spare clothes on laundry day…
something that had happened on Thursday.
And she loved quiet evenings with Miriam.
But, if she was being honest, she had to admit that the part she liked the most was getting to see Jared every day.
“What if I… stay for a while?” Hope concluded, scrunching up her nose. “Would you mind if I stayed in your spare room for a little while longer?”
“Oh, honey.” Miriam wrapped her arm around Hope’s shoulders. “You are welcome to stay as long as you want. But I have to ask… is this decision to stick around a little while longer related to a certain handsome chef?”
Hope knew her cheeks were pink.
“It might,” she confessed.
“And… does he know how you feel?” Miriam prodded.
Hope bobbled her head from side to side. “We’ve… kind of sort of danced around the issue of maybe, possibly finding one another… interesting?”
“That’s a no, then,” Miriam concluded. “Anything with that much hedging is a no.”
Hope winced. “Yeah, I probably should be more straightforward with him about it.”
It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered talking to Jared. But every time she’d almost gotten there, something had held her back.
With Miriam raising her eyebrows and staring her down, Hope decided that this ‘something’ was her being a big baby chicken.
“I have to be more straightforward with him,” she said with a resigned sigh.
Her grandmother stroked her hair. “You have one life to live,” she reminded Hope. “You have to reach for your happiness. Grab it with both hands.”
“You’re right,” Hope said.
Miriam looked at her expectantly.
“Oh… did you mean right now?” Hope asked, blinking in surprise.
“No time like the present,” Miriam said.
Hope waited for the spasm of worry that she felt certain would course through her…
but it didn’t arrive. There really wasn’t any sense in stalling.
It wouldn’t change their situation if she waited.
Either he wanted to make something of the flirtatious energy that sparked between them, or he didn’t.
If he didn’t, better to know now. If he did…
well, then waiting would only deny them both happiness for longer.
“Okay,” she said, feeling a rush of confidence. “Okay. I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell him.”
“Proud of you, honey!” Miriam called from behind her as Hope went out the door.
Hope tried not to second-guess herself as she hurried to Riverstone Kitchen.
She quickly waved to a few coworkers as she went to the kitchen window, not letting herself get drawn into any conversations.
She paused when she reached the window, though, and just took a moment to watch Jared in his element.
He wasn’t doing anything fancy, just chopping some herbs. But his hands were so deft with a knife in them, and he was clearly in his element. When he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, however, he put down his knife and turned to her with a broad grin.
“Hey, Hope,” he said. She was struck by just how handsome he was. Chef whites weren’t a super cute outfit, in Hope’s opinion, but Jared really made them look good. Probably it was just… him. His kindness, his ability, his generosity of spirit. And, yeah, his face. He had a really cute face.
“Hey, Jared,” she said. She was probably smiling in a super dopey way.
“I didn’t think you were scheduled today…”
“Oh, I’m not, actually,” she said. She gathered her courage around her like a blanket. “I actually came to talk to you. Do you… have a minute?”
He scrunched his nose, glancing down at the mountain of herbs that he hadn’t yet chopped.
“I’m kind of in the middle of a rush,” he admitted ruefully. “But you’re welcome to come in.”
“Yeah,” she said, feeling a little spasm of nerves. “Yeah, okay, let me just…”
She crossed her eyes at her own awkwardness as she went into the kitchen, then paused and took a breath before letting herself in.
Even though he’d only seen her a minute or two prior, Jared sent her another dazzling smile over his shoulder as she entered.
“Don’t look away from your work,” she chided, approaching him. “That’s how you lose a finger.”
“I’m a professional, Hope,” he teased. “Don’t worry about me. Anyway, what did you need to talk about?”
She took a deep breath… and then it all spilled out of her.
“When I came to Magnolia Shore, I thought it would be temporary. I mean, I was just here to help my grandmother, right? I didn’t even think I would get any kind of job, let alone one that I really like.
No, that I love. I love working here. I love the work, and I love the staff.
And I love this whole town. I love the book club.
I love quilting. I want to stay. I want to stay with the people I love, and that—” She sucked in a breath and took the plunge.
“That includes you. I love you. I want to stay here, I want to work here, and I want us to be together.”
For a moment, Jared kept calmly chopping herbs. Hope didn’t dare look at his face.
“You can definitely keep working here… but I am going to have to cut your hours,” he said.
She couldn’t read his tone, but a frisson of worry went through her.
She’d been talking a big game, mostly to herself, but now that she’d done the brave thing and admitted how she felt… she was definitely having some doubts.
“Oh,” she said quietly. “Uh, okay.”
Inwardly, she was much less calm than she seemed. Was this his way of letting her down easily? Had she not only messed up their newfound friendship by confessing her feelings but also wrecked a job that she loved?
“Uh, can I ask why?” Her voice sounded small even to her own ears.
Jared turned to her, and the smile on his face made her feel a whole lot better.
“Well,” he said, putting down the knife on the table behind him. “I just worry that if you work here full time, it will get in the way of your new quilting business. And I could never forgive myself if I got in the way of your happiness.”
“Oh,” she repeated. She still felt uncertain. Why was he talking about her job? Yes, that was supportive and lovely, but it still wasn’t the most important thing she’d discussed.
“Ask me why I couldn’t bear it,” he told her. He took a step forward.
“Why couldn’t you bear it?” she asked. She didn’t know what she felt. Every emotion was trembling inside her.
He cupped her cheeks in his hands. They smelled pleasantly of basil and thyme.
“Because,” he said, smiling into her eyes, “I love you too much to let anything hold you back from your dreams.”
Happiness surged through her. “You… do?”
He nodded, laughing with pure joy. “I do,” he said.
“And, yes, I’d love for you to still work here part time, because I love seeing you when you’re working.
And goodness knows you’re a great addition to our team.
Plus, I’m not that selfless that I want to give up all the time I get to have you here.
But, Hope.” He dropped his hands to her shoulders, then ran them down her arms until they were holding hands.
It felt right, them touching one another like this.
“I am so glad that you are staying. And I am so happy that you feel the same way about me as I do about you.”
She squeezed his fingers.
“I think we should kiss now,” she said. And for the first time, she didn’t feel bad about her own awkwardness, not in the least.
“I think that’s the best idea you’ve had since you decided to stay in town,” he said.
Then he tugged her forward gently until their lips pressed together.
It was a little awkward, since they were both smiling their heads off, but Hope didn’t care.
That was apparently just how they did things, and she wouldn’t change a moment of it.
They pulled away quickly, since they were both in the place where they worked, but Hope didn’t feel rushed. They had all the time in the world.
“You really think I can make a go of this quilting thing?” she asked, swinging their joined hands between them.
“Are you kidding?” he asked. “I’ve had seven different customers ask about them in the past few weeks. They all want to know when you’re going to set up a website. So, you might want to get on that.”
“Gosh,” she said, overwhelmed with the force of her good fortune.
“I really love you.” She wrapped her arms around him, unable to resist squeezing him tight.
“And I really feel so glad that I got lost when I first arrived in Magnolia Shore. Because you running into me that day… it was when I really got found.”
“I thought I knew where I was going,” he said, “but you found me that day too.”
And there was no other choice after that but to steal just one more kiss, sealing their promises for the future.
There’s much more on the horizon for the book club ladies and their friends in Magnolia Shore! To find out what happens next, pick up An Autumn Affair.