Ready to Wed (24 page)

Soon after breakfast, Jane found herself riding through the Pennsylvania countryside with Clive Fagler. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and it seemed that every green and growing thing had sprung to life.

“I like your SUV,” she said. “Lots of room for carrying plants and things.”

“I’ve been feeling guilty for not scaling down. But this actually gets fairly good gas mileage, and it’s comfortable. I don’t drive to work, so I figure I’m only using it on the open road where I get the best mileage.”

“How do you get to work?”  

“Well, sometimes I work at home. And sometimes I ride my bike or take public transit. Driving in the city is a pain, but being completely without a vehicle is a little scary.
Sometimes I just need to get behind the wheel and get out of town.”

“I can understand that.” She told him where to turn.

“This is nice out here,” he said as he slowed down on the graveled road that led up to the greenhouses.

“You’re going to like Craig’s nursery,” she said as he parked. “He specializes in native plants, and his herbs are spectacular.”

“Uh-oh. That sign says he’s closed, Jane.”

“Oh, don’t mind that. Craig and I have an understanding.” She opened the door. “I help him out here sometimes, and he lets me come out and get flowers for the inn and my garden. Sometimes I pay him and sometimes we do an exchange.”

“Ah, the small-town life.”

She nodded as they walked toward the first greenhouse. “I guess I take it for granted, which is funny considering that I lived in San Francisco all those years and actually thought I was a city girl.”

“You’re not?”

She shook her head as she paused by the open door to inhale the aroma of damp soil and plants. “Isn’t that heavenly?”

“What?”

“The smell.”

He took a sniff, then nodded, but she wasn’t convinced
he liked it as much as she did. “So, how did you find out you weren’t a city girl?” he asked as she led him through the greenhouse.

She showed him various plants of interest and told him about her training as a chef and her city life and subsequent marriage, followed by divorce, and then, deciding that she might as well get it into the open, she told him about Justin’s coming to Acorn Hill.

“Today?” he said incredulously.

“Yes.”

“Do you need to get back to the inn soon?”

“No. I’m not sure what time he’s arriving. My sisters thought a break from the inn might do me good.”

After about an hour, they had found a nice selection of plants that Jane felt would do well in Clive’s terrace garden. “Let’s just gather them together over here,” she suggested as she began clustering the plants together near a wooden bench. “Then I’ll let Craig know that you want these, and he can tally up the cost.”

“I can imagine the garden already,” said Clive as he stood back and admired the collection of plants.

“Now, we’ll go find some interesting pots and get some potting soil and fertilizer, and by the time you head back to the city, you’ll be set.”

Clive seemed genuinely pleased as they went back to
his vehicle. “Now, you’re sure you don’t need to get back to the inn, Jane?”

She firmly shook her head. “No. I don’t even want to think about it right now. I’m having fun.”

“Well, good. So am I.”

On they went, finding pots and even stopping at a flea market just outside of Potterston, where Jane bought a teapot with yellow rosebuds for Alice and then discovered a pair of old Adirondack-style chairs with several layers of peeling paint. “I don’t know if you have room for something like this on your terrace, Clive, but I think they’d be lovely.”

He knelt down to examine them. “I’m not much of a handyman. How would I remove the paint?”

“I actually think the paint layers are charming. There’s a technique I can show you that will smooth out the surface, and then you apply a wax finish that makes it more comfortable for sitting.”

“I like the sound of that.”

She pointed to a small table behind a bookshelf. “Hey, that looks like it might go with the chairs.”

He pulled it out and arranged the items together. “So, how do I go about buying these things?” He lowered his voice. “I noticed how you dickered with that last vendor for the teapot, but this is all new to me.”

She grinned. “Want me to handle it for you?”

He nodded gratefully, and she stepped in and made an offer for all three items. She and the man in the booth went back and forth a couple of times, but by the time Clive paid him, they were all happy.

“It’s a good thing you have your SUV,” she said after a couple of workers lugged the chairs back to the parking lot for them. “We can just move the pots around until everything fits.”

“I think I have just enough room left for the plants.” He closed the hatch.

“For your luggage too?”

“Guess I’ll have to put that in the passenger seat.” He checked his watch. “Do you have time for lunch? I’d like to treat you to show my appreciation for all the help you’re giving me with my garden project.”

“Absolutely.” She directed him to a nearby restaurant with a patio, where they sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

“I suppose I shouldn’t keep trying to delay the inevitable,” she finally said. “Maybe I should get back to the inn now.”

“I’m getting curious to meet this fellow,” said Clive. “He must not be the sharpest knife in the drawer to let you go, Jane.”

She laughed. “You know what they say: It takes two.” As
they walked back to the SUV, Jane admitted how she had canceled Justin’s reservation and temporarily peeved her oldest sister. “Pretty immature of me, huh?”

Clive laughed. “Who could blame you for that?”

“Louise. Although, to her credit, she did get over it. The problem is that Justin doesn’t know he’s been canceled yet. Or maybe he does.” She pointed to the clock in the dash that showed it was nearly three. “Goodness, I had no idea it was this late.”

They both grew quiet as Clive drove back to Acorn Hill. Eventually, he turned on the radio, tuning it to a light classical station, and Jane leaned back in the seat, closed her eyes, and silently prayed that God would give her strength and wisdom for whatever might be waiting at home for her.

Chapter Twenty

T
here you are,” said Louise late Friday afternoon as Jane and Clive entered the inn.

“Sorry, that took longer than I expected,” said Jane.

“It’s my fault,” Clive told Louise. “I enticed Jane into having a late lunch to thank her for all the help she’s given me. We discovered all sorts of treasures for my terrace garden.” He went into detail then, telling her about their various finds.

Louise smiled. “That’s very nice.”

“Now, if you two will excuse me”—Clive smiled at Jane—“I think I’ll see if I can get some writing done.”

“Certainly,” said Louise politely. Then when Clive was going up the stairs, she beckoned to Jane and whispered, “He’s here.”

“Here?”

“Actually, he’s not here at the inn right now.” Louise was guiding Jane back toward the kitchen, seeking a place where they could talk in private.

“Where is he?”

“Belle took him to town.”

Jane tried to imagine this. Belle and Justin, walking through Acorn Hill together. But it was just too weird, like something out of an old
Twilight Zone
episode. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Louise shook her head as if she too found this rather strange. “As soon as he arrived, I explained to Justin about canceling his room reservation, and he was very understanding. I recommended a nice place to stay in Potterston that he said he’d check out.”

“Oh good.” Jane sighed in relief.

“And I told him you’d gone out with a guest and would return soon.”

“Yes?”

“And he seemed happy to wait for you. So I told him to make himself at home and got him a cup of coffee. Then he visited with Alice for a bit before she had to leave for a special ANGELs meeting about the Memorial Day service.”

“What time did he get here?”

“A bit before noon.”

“Oh.”

“I had to excuse myself to give Karly Andrews a piano lesson, and that’s when I assume Belle made his acquaintance. When I finished the lesson, I found the two of them visiting in the library quite congenially.”

“And Justin, uh, he seemed to like her?”

“Well, Jane, you know how Belle can be. She seemed to be carrying most of the conversation. But I suppose Justin appreciated her company.”

“Right.” Jane felt a jab of guilt. “I really did lose track of the time.”

“Indeed.”

“What should I do now?”

Louise held up her hands. “I have no idea, Jane. I imagine that they’ll be back soon … but then I had thought you would be back soon as well.”

“I’m sorry, Louise. I didn’t mean to put you in a tough spot again.”

Louise patted Jane on the shoulder. “It’s all right, dear. But I am tired. I think I’ll go put my feet up and read a bit.”

“Yes,” said Jane eagerly. “Go do that. I’ll mind the inn. You just go have a rest.”

“Thank you.” She paused with her hand on the door. “Oh, by the way, Jane, the newlyweds Garth and Gloria Fairview just checked in. Remember the ones you gave Justin’s room to?”

Jane gave her a mischievous smile.

“Well, they seem to be a very nice couple. I am glad they were able to come. I believe you did the right thing.”

“Oh good,” said Jane.

“And Clara’s greatnephew Calvin should be by anytime now. Clara called, saying that he and his mother have arrived, and she’s going to bring him over here to settle in.”

“Now, you go rest, Louise.” Jane gently nudged her toward the hall. “Everything is under control here.”

After Louise left, Jane began to putter about the already spotless kitchen. It was bad enough knowing that Justin was in town right now, but the idea of Belle and him doing something together—well, it was just too much. Then, as her nerves and imagination began to get the best of her, she wondered what she would do if Justin turned out to be the man of Belle’s dreams. Oh, she knew it was absurd, but how would she react if he actually married Belle, settled here in Acorn Hill, perhaps opened his own restaurant? She was feeling seriously close to a meltdown when she heard the sound of the bell in the reception area. Thank goodness for distractions.

“Hello,” she said when she saw Clara and a clean-cut young man carrying a khaki duffle bag.

“Oh, Jane,” gushed Clara. “I’d like you to meet my nephew Calvin.”

Jane shook his hand, deciding that the tall, blonde man was older than she’d first assumed, but not much more than thirty. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Calvin. Welcome to Grace Chapel Inn.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He tipped his head politely.

“I hear you’re going to raise the flag for our Memorial Day ceremony.”

“Yes. It’ll be an honor.” He smiled shyly.

“Well, it’s an honor for us to have a serviceman at the inn. We appreciate what you have done for our country.”

Calvin actually blushed and tipped his head in acknowledgment of Jane’s words.

“I just took Calvin over to meet Lloyd at town hall,” said Clara. “And Lloyd showed us the pretty flowers you and Craig Tracy planted. They look so nice by the flagpole. It’ll be a real special occasion on Monday.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Now I must be off. I told Janet I’d be right back. She’s babysitting Daisy for me. You get settled, Calvin, then come on over to the house. I’m making meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner.” She patted his arm. “I hope that’s still your favorite.”

“Sounds great, Aunt Clara.”

After Jane showed Calvin to his room and left him to get settled, she returned to the kitchen. She glanced at the clock, wondering when Justin and Belle would return. Once again, she tried to imagine what he might have to say to her. And what she would say to him. She considered dashing up to her room to freshen up a bit but remembered
her promise to mind the inn. She took out a couple of cookbooks, made herself a cup of tea, and sat down at the kitchen table.

“Hello,” said Alice as she came through the back door. Jane had just discovered what looked like an interesting recipe for bread pudding.

“Oh, hi,” said Jane, marking the page and closing the book. “How were the ANGELs?”

“Well, Ashley and Kate got into a small disagreement, but we smoothed it out and managed to get our Memorial Day project completed.” Alice sat down across from Jane with a curious expression. “Have you spoken with him yet?”

Jane shook her head.

Alice looked surprised. “But you’ve seen him, haven’t you?”

“No.”

“What happened?” Jane filled her in.

“Oh dear,” said Alice. “That’s my fault. I’d been chatting with Justin, but I had to go to my meeting. Belle came in and I introduced them.”

“That doesn’t make it your fault.”

“I suppose not.”

“But you said you chatted with him, Alice. What did he say?”

“Not much. He simply told me about his road trip, some of the sights he’d seen.”

“How did he seem to you?”

She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know.” Alice looked uncomfortable. “I’ve never known him very well.”