A reason to stay, p.13
A Reason to Stay, page 13
“The schools are great here,” Sharpe was quick to point out. “Most of the teachers have been teaching since I was a kid.”
“That’s great to know, and it’s one of the major questions I’d need answered before I made any kind of permanent decision. But there’s a lot more to it than that, and it would be a huge commitment for me to make. I just don’t see how it can realistically happen, as much as I’d like for it to work out.”
“Like what?”
“A job, for starters.”
He was opening his mouth to offer her a job at Winslow’s Woodlands on the spot until her next words stopped him short.
“I not only need a salary that is at least close to what I’m making in California, but I need a strong benefit package. Everything from health, dental and vision to short-and long-term disability and a 401(k) plan. I’m not sure how many places around here offer those kinds of benefits, but I feel like I need to have those in place for Aidan, if nothing else. It’s possible I could get by on a slightly smaller salary, since the cost of living is lower here, but I can’t compromise on the benefits.”
She was right about that. It would be difficult for her to find a job that had a full range of family benefits, never mind a salary that would even come close to matching what she was making in California. There weren’t that many job openings in Whispering Pines to begin with, and most were small businesses like his and didn’t offer any benefits at all, or at best the very minimum in medical benefits.
There were ways around some of those issues, of course. He’d always bought his own personal insurances, but then again, he was as healthy as a horse and didn’t have anyone dependent on him.
“If you stayed through Christmas, you’d be amazed at the changes here in town,” he said, trying to think of other ways Whispering Pines would make her happy. He gestured up and down the thoroughfare. “The main street’s lamplights will be wrapped in tinsel and twinkling with red and green bulbs, and shopkeepers go all out on decorating their storefronts for the holidays.”
“I do love Christmas lights,” she agreed, though her gaze looked distant.
“We do up Winslow’s Woodlands, as well, since Christmas is our busiest time of year.”
“I can imagine.”
Why didn’t he think he was quite getting through to her?
“There’s something else.” She sounded so serious it made Sharpe’s muscles tense from head to toe.
He reached up to brush a stray lock of auburn hair behind her ear and met her eyes. “What is it?”
“Can we walk?” She turned and held out her gloved hand to him.
“Sure.” He linked his fingers with hers, and they started back down the street.
“Promise you won’t laugh.”
She sounded far too serious for this to be something amusing, but he nodded anyway and gestured for her to speak.
“I’ve always dreamed about starting my own business,” she blurted out. Her pace increased, and she wouldn’t look at him.
“Wait. Wait,” he said, pulling back on her hand. He hadn’t known exactly what she’d been about to say, but that wasn’t it at all. He’d thought it would be something bad, not something wonderful. “I don’t get it. Why do you think I would laugh at you? Starting your own business is a great idea, and you’d be a fantastic business owner.”
“You really think so?” She looked at him then. Her eyes were glowing, and her cheeks were pinker even than they would be given the nip in the air.
“Of course. And let me be the first to tell you Whispering Pines is a great place to own a small business. The town is business-friendly, and we have a local club to support each other.”
She let out a long breath. “I’ve never told anyone this before,” she admitted. “The only friends I have in LA are work friends, and I didn’t want to jeopardize my job with news possibly getting back to my employer of me wanting to run off to chase a dream.”
“You don’t have any friends at church you could talk to?”
“Not really. I was working so hard to advance in my company that I didn’t have time for social activities. Worship on Sunday mornings was about as much as I could manage.”
“That’s tough.”
“So it was just something I fostered in my heart. But then, after I found out about Aidan, it felt more like a pipe dream than ever. I need to have a stable job for his sake. And if I stay here in Whispering Pines, I’ll also be responsible for Nan. Which I don’t mind at all. It would be good for her to have a caretaker living with her, and even better for it to be family. Of course, she’d never agree to that if she had even the slightest suspicion that’s what I was doing.”
Sharpe chuckled. “No, I don’t imagine she would.”
“Anyway…” Emma paused and let out a quiet sigh.
“What kind of business do you want to open? Something in marketing?” His mind spun trying to come up with ideas as to how Emma could use her marketing degree in Whispering Pines. Nothing immediately came to mind, however.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, because I’ll be involved in whatever business I choose 24/7. It has to be something I love and not just business for business’s sake. The job I enjoyed most over the years is when I was a barista at the college café when I was a freshman. It felt like more than just a job. I really enjoyed serving the customers and putting smiles on their faces, not to mention learning how to make good—”
“Coffee!” Sharpe exclaimed, cutting her off. “Of course. You’re the Coffee Lady.”
She chuckled. “Yes, I suppose you could say I am. Or at least the veterans at Mongoose’s shelter seem to think so.”
“It’s perfect, Emma.” He was getting more revved up about the idea by the second. “We don’t have a café in Whispering Pines, but we could definitely use one. And all those small-business people I told you about? They’d all be your customers.”
“Whoa, there. Pull back on the reins, cowboy. All this sounds wonderful, but it isn’t my reality. I had planned to keep working extra hours for another five to ten years and save my money. Now I’ve got to take care of Aidan, and that means time and money.”
“What about taking out a business loan or finding angel investors?” he asked. “I still think it’s a wonderful idea.”
“For a small-town café? Finding investors would be difficult. And after all I’ve done to get through college without debt, I’m not willing to put myself into thousands of dollars of debt now, not even to pursue my dream.”
Sharpe’s energy plummeted. He understood her reasoning, but it was hard for him to hear when he wanted her to stay so badly. Suddenly he had a thought. “You know what? We need to be walking the other way.”
“We do?”
“Yes, we do. Come on. Let’s cross the street.”
Instead of walking toward her nan’s house just outside town limits, he led her the other direction, and they stopped at a four-way stop sign near the middle of town.
“Close your eyes,” he said, putting his palm over her eyelids to make sure she wasn’t peeking. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her around so she was facing an empty storefront.
“Should I be concerned?” she asked with a squeak in her voice.
“I’ve got you,” he assured her. “Ready? Open your eyes!”
Her gaze widened the moment she laid eyes on the glass storefront with a gold-and-white-striped awning draped across the front. She didn’t speak for the longest time, and he worried the shop wasn’t close to what she’d been envisioning.
“This space has been sitting empty for six months,” he said. “So you could probably get a really good deal on it. It used to be a barbershop, but old Mac retired, and the beauty salon down the street took on all his clients.”
She still didn’t say anything, just stepped forward and cupped her hands against the glass so she could peek inside.
“Not quite what you’re looking for?” he asked, feeling extraordinarily disappointed. It wasn’t as if this space would be the only choice if she decided to stay—and the way she was talking, she had no intention of staying—but it had popped into his head so fast he’d just thought maybe it was a God thing.
She turned, leaning her shoulders against the door of the shop, and he could see tears glimmering in her eyes.
Oh, wow.
Okay, so it wasn’t perfect, but he hadn’t meant to make her cry.
“I’m sorry. I just thought—”
She stepped in front of him and put her finger over his lips to stop him from speaking.
“Shh,” she whispered. “Do not even think about apologizing for this. It’s perfect, Sharpe. Better than I could ever have imagined. I only wish it could be real. I need time to think about it and pray about it, but if I were going to make an outrageous leap of faith, this adorable little shop here would be the very first step.”
“To opening the Coffee Lady?”
“I’m crazy to even think about it, aren’t I?”
“I’m crazy about you,” he murmured in response.
She gasped, and he wondered if he maybe should have kept his mouth shut. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d said the wrong thing. But a moment later, she framed his face with her hands, pulling his head down until her soft lips met his.
His heart raced, and his mind whirled. He hadn’t even realized how much he’d wanted this moment to happen until her lips had touched his. Now he couldn’t imagine that there was anything better in this world.
Forget reality. How could she even think about leaving when there was this chemistry between them that he couldn’t even begin to explain?
Could she feel his support, know he’d be right by her side if she took that leap of faith?
“You’re amazing,” he said. “I believe in you, Coffee Lady.”
Chapter Ten
Coffee Lady.
Somehow Sharpe’s words felt perfect—romantic and wonderful and complete.
God was so good. Sharpe believed in her. He believed in her dreams and had, for at least that one moment, helped her make them feel real.
As real as the feel of his kiss and the strength of his arms around her, drawing her near. Any chill she might have felt earlier was gone now, replaced by warmth growing and spreading throughout her with every beat of her heart.
She hadn’t even realized she’d been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, she suddenly wanted to fight for it with all her might. It might be more difficult to stay here and open a business than it would be to return to a job she disliked just because it paid well. Money was going to be an issue, and it scared her to death to consider taking on a loan she had no idea if she’d be able to repay.
On the other hand, she would be doing something she loved, something worth putting her whole heart into. And if their kiss was anything to go by, she would be building her dream with someone she deeply cared for by her side.
Sharpe pulled her into his arms, turning her so her back was against his chest and she could see the store in front of her.
“Start dreaming tonight,” he whispered into her ear. “What kind of logo will you have on the front window? I’m picturing a steaming mug of coffee.”
“This is still too new to me,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to make a dream into reality.”
He pulled her even tighter. “You don’t need to make any decisions tonight, other than knowing that you’d like to stay in Whispering Pines. To stay with me.”
She turned back into his arms and gazed up at him. “That’s the easiest part of imagining my future,” she said, enjoying the sensation of running a palm over the scruff on his cheek. “The best part.”
“For me, too,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her once again.
They embraced for a few more minutes until Emma shivered from the cold. As nice as it was to be in Sharpe’s arms, the temperature was dropping fast.
“Let’s get you home,” he suggested. “I’ll drive you.”
They returned to Sally’s Pizza, and Sharpe revved up the engine. They sat for a few minutes talking quietly as the heater warmed the cab.
He held her hand the entire drive home. She couldn’t stop looking at him. Her heart was singing that she’d finally found a man who was worth taking a risk for. Until they parted tonight, she wasn’t going to let reality have its say.
When they arrived at her house, there was a moment of awkward pause before Sharpe reached across the cab and brushed his lips lightly across hers.
“When are we going to let everyone know they were right about us?” he asked.
His question immediately pulled back the reins on her emotions. They couldn’t just suddenly be a couple, even if they wanted to be. They had to tread carefully.
They were both avoiding the truth, and they knew it. It was one thing to talk about hopes and dreams, but as much as she wanted it, they would only be a couple for as long as she stayed in town.
“If we’re going to be in any kind of relationship, I think we need to sit down with Aidan first and ask him how he feels about it,” she suggested.
He grinned. “You’re right, but I think I already know the answer to that question. After all, he was part of the setup tonight.”
“I know. And I think he’ll be over the moon if you’ll keep mentoring him.”
“Of course I will. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“What about the other thing?” she asked tentatively, her heart doing a little flip.
“The…other thing?”
“He thinks the sun rises and sets because of you, so I have no doubt he will think I’m making a good choice in who I’m dating, but I’m not so sure he’ll think I’m good enough for you.”
“Then he has it backward.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m excited to see where this goes between us. And I’m also pumped at the thought of getting a coffee shop in town. You’ll have lines going around the corner.”
“Please don’t push me, Sharpe. I can’t just make unilateral decisions without praying through it. It’s still not any kind of reality for me.”
He chuckled. “No. I’m the one who makes those kinds of decisions. I see things in black and white, and I just go and do what I think needs to be done. There have definitely been times in my life when it’s hurt me not to think things through better.”
“Like what?”
“I thought I was trapped here at Winslow’s Woodlands, chained in by my responsibilities to my family and the farm. While that was somewhat true, I now recognize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Just because I couldn’t leave doesn’t mean I should have if I’d had the opportunity to do so. And now more than ever, I don’t want to. I’m happy exactly where I am.”
“I’m glad to hear it, because I’m happy you’re here, too. My stay in Whispering Pines wouldn’t have been nearly as interesting without you.”
She didn’t want to say good-night, but they couldn’t linger forever, so she leaned over and gave him one last kiss before exiting the truck and rushing to the front door to get out of the bitter cold.
When she closed the door, she leaned her back against it and pressed a hand over her heart, listening as Sharpe’s truck moved away.
What a night. She couldn’t ever have imagined she would experience the emotions that were now whirling through her. Sharpe was an amazing man, and he was interested in her, and everything should be perfect—except it wasn’t.
She thought about talking to Aidan, but when she peeked in on him, she found he was already asleep.
That was okay. They could talk tomorrow morning. In the meantime, she’d make herself a cup of hot cocoa and read in bed.
Anything to keep her mind from thinking about reality.
She’d only been reading for fifteen minutes when her cell phone buzzed. She reached for the phone so quickly she nearly dropped it, expecting to see Sharpe’s face on the screen.
It was, and her heart started hammering. She couldn’t help the grin that instantly formed on her face. Was he calling to tell her he already missed her as much as she missed him, so much that he couldn’t even wait until tomorrow to talk to her again?
“Hey, there,” she answered, her voice getting choked up over the words. “I was just thinking about you.”
She wasn’t at all used to being flirtatious, but the words just seemed to slip out.
“Emma.” His use of her name sounded as if he’d just dropped a huge rock into a deep gully.
What was wrong?
Had he taken the time to think about what had happened earlier and already realized it was all a big mistake?
“Sharpe?” she shot back when he didn’t continue speaking. “What’s going on? What happened?”
“I just got a call from St. Joseph’s Hospital,” Sharpe said, his voice breaking. “It’s Mongoose. He’s been stabbed.”
*
Sharpe had received the call just after he’d gotten back from taking Emma home. He’d practically been floating on air, he was so happy at the way things had gone. And now there was the possibility that Emma and Aidan would be staying in town for an extended period of time—maybe forever, if he had anything to say about it.
He finally felt as if he could break down the walls that had been so carefully guarding his heart. He could tentatively start thinking with joy toward the future and not just about everything he’d had to miss by staying home and caring for his siblings and the farm.
Emma was amazing, and God was so good!
God was good all the time, he had to remind himself after the hospital called him. That was what Mongoose would say, no matter what situation he found himself in.
Sharpe was Tre’Monte Williams’s emergency contact, and Sharpe’s cell phone had started ringing about a half hour after he’d returned to the farm. He’d thought maybe it was Emma and had been confused and bummed when it was a number he didn’t recognize.
When he’d discovered it was the hospital and his friend had been hurt, he had to forestall the panic rising in him. He couldn’t get much information from the nurse other than that Mongoose had been stabbed in the shoulder but that he was conscious and stable.
