Stuck in the Middle (18 page)

“Oh, there are.” Joan nodded. “Danville isn’t that small. Some of the bigger churches even have both contemporary and traditional services. I’m sure Ken will be able to find one he likes.” She grinned. “If he wants to drive out in the country, he might even be able to find one with snakes.”

Karen shuddered. “Heaven forbid.” She sobered and caught Joan’s eye in an unblinking gaze. “So what about your church? What do you believe?”

Startled, Joan might have been flash-frozen. Was Karen asking about her church, or about her personal beliefs? Sure, it sounded like a question about her church, but something in that direct gaze of Karen’s made the question seem more personal. This wasn’t your typical small talk. Not, “What do you do for a living?” Or, “Where did you go to school?” Or even, “What toppings do you like on your pizza?” Just a very straightforward “What do you believe?”

Behind Karen, Ken’s front door burst open. Feeling as though the cavalry had just ridden into view, she tore her gaze from Karen as a high-pitched wail pierced the peaceful late afternoon. Ken came through the door at a run, holding a screaming toddler at arm’s length.

“There!” He shouted at the child as he ran across the grass toward them. “Your mama’s right there. See? Quit crying.”

Joan couldn’t help laughing at the panic on his face as he thrust the child into his mother’s arms. The crying slowed to a sniffle.

“He wouldn’t stop,” Ken said as Karen soothed the child. He looked up at Joan and spoke in a defensive tone. “I didn’t do anything to him, honest!”

“There, there,” Karen crooned. “Did mean old Uncle Ken scare you? Don’t worry, Mama will protect you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Ken repeated. An injured expression settled on his face. “He used to like me.”

Karen laughed. “Oh, don’t be silly. He still likes you. He’s just going through a clingy stage right now. He even cries if I leave him with Neal.”

Joan peered at the red face resting on Karen’s shoulder. Brown baby eyes peered back at her as he drew a shuddering breath through a slightly runny nose. “What a cutie. He looks like you, Karen.”

“You should see him when he’s not crying.” Ken chucked a finger under the baby’s chin. “He’s the spitting image of me at that age.”

Karen inhaled through her nose. “I think I detect the problem here. We need a new diaper, don’t we, Jordan?” She turned a smile on Joan as she stepped toward the house. “It was nice meeting you.”

Joan nodded. “You too, Karen. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

She walked away, murmuring in a low voice into the toddler’s ear. Ken watched her disappear into the house, and then turned to Joan. “So you got to meet my sister.”

Joan’s stomach fluttered as she returned his smile. “Yeah. She’s great.”

He exhaled a deep breath. “I knew you’d like her.” He took a backward step. “Well, I guess I’d better get in there. See you later?”

“Sure.”

She walked toward the house, pausing at the front door with her hand on the knob. Ken stood in an identical position on his own porch, watching her. He waved, then disappeared inside.

Funny, Ken seemed relieved that she and Karen had met. What was that all about?

His parents were deceased, and he was obviously very close to his only sibling. Could this have been a sort of “meet the family” test? Her stomach flip-flopped at the thought. If so, did she pass?

Doubt nibbled at her insides. Karen’s last question had thrown her. She must have looked as confused as she felt, and those sharp lawyer eyes wouldn’t have missed that. Thank goodness she’d been saved from answering.

She turned the knob and stepped across the threshold. Ken had been right about one thing. Karen was smart, like Tori. But as far as Joan could see, the similarity ended there. They didn’t look a thing alike. Karen’s tall frame and dark hair were completely opposite from petite, blonde Tori.

A thought caused Joan’s foot to stop midstep.

In the looks department, Karen was more like her than Tori.

Was that good or bad? She had no idea, but for some reason the thought made her smile.

~ 12 ~

“Hi, Miss Joan.” Tiffany shouted a greeting as she ran through the doorway into Abernathy’s showroom Monday morning. “Mrs. Gonzales is sick.”

“Hello, sweetie.” Joan returned the little girl’s enthusiastic hug. “Does that mean you’re staying with us for the day?”

Rosa, following at a slower pace, searched Joan’s face anxiously. “I cannot leave her at home by herself. She will be quiet. She brought books. See?”

Tiffany dropped her backpack to the floor and unzipped it to let Joan peek inside. “And crayons too.”

Though Joan wasn’t aware of any rule that prohibited having the child of an employee on the premises for the day, she doubted an active little girl running around the showroom while they were trying to close a sale would help business. Still, what could she do, send Rosa home? Cover the store alone until the two o’clock shift arrived? Joan didn’t have the heart to do that. Rosa didn’t hold down two jobs just for the joy of working. She needed the money.

But no way books or crayons would keep the active six-year-old entertained for an entire day. She grinned down at the dark-haired child. “Tell you what. Why don’t you and your mom walk down to Video Vern’s before we get busy and rent a couple of movies? You can watch them on the computer in the back office if you get bored.”

“Alright!” Tiffany pumped her little fist into the air.

Joan fished some money out of her purse and pressed it into Rosa’s palm. When the woman protested, she raised her chin. “My treat. I insist.”

The anxiety melted from Rosa’s features. “Thank you, Joan.
Eres muy simpatica
.”

Joan acknowledged the compliment with a hand squeeze. Eyes bright, Rosa spun away, embarrassed by her emotional lapse into her native tongue.

“Come on, Mama.” Tiffany grabbed her mother’s hand and pulled her toward the door, skipping with excitement. “Can I get
Mulan
?”

“Ai, Tiffany,” exclaimed Rosa with a backward grin at Joan, “more
Mulan
? Why not something new?”

In the doorway, they passed someone coming into the store. Joan set her professional smile in place, and then felt her eyes widen when she recognized her customer. Karen Poulson, Ken’s sister. A quick scan of the sidewalk outside the showroom window showed no sign of Ken and the baby.

“Good morning,” she said, crossing the room to meet Karen halfway. “What a nice surprise.”

“I escaped.” Karen grinned. “Jordan got over being bashful and kept Uncle Ken up half the night playing. Worked out great, since Ken’s adjusted to the night shift. I don’t know what time they finally went to bed, but they’re both still sound asleep.” She looked over the furniture displays. “Ken told me he rented his furniture here, so I figured I’d come by and see what you have in the way of entertainment centers. He’s got his television sitting on a dilapidated dining room chair that looks like it might disintegrate if you turn the ceiling fan on too high.”

Karen didn’t meet Joan’s eyes as she spoke, and her smile looked a little tight. She hadn’t come to look at furniture. But why else would she drive across town? Joan sucked in a breath as realization dawned. Karen was scoping her out! Interviewing, so to speak, a possible girlfriend for her brother. A flush of pleasure washed over her, followed by a fit of nerves. How in the world could she, manager of a small town furniture store, measure up to a doctor and a lawyer?

Her professionalism kicked in. She smiled and gestured toward the displays on the left side of the showroom floor. “We don’t have too many to choose from, I’m afraid, but what we do have is over here.”

She led the way, weaving through the furniture and stopping before a light oak piece. Karen examined it closely, then shook her head.

“That’s too wide, I think. It would dwarf his little living room.” Her gaze swept the room. “Hey, what about that corner one over there?”

Joan followed her to it. “The finish is slightly darker than the end table Ken picked out last week, but it’s a nice piece.”

“It is.” Karen opened the double doors and peered inside. “And it’s perfect for that room. It won’t block the front window. I’ll tell him he needs to come look at it.”

She closed the doors carefully, then turned and faced Joan. “Actually, I had another reason for coming by today. I was hoping we could finish the conversation we started yesterday.”

Joan’s mouth went dry. Continuing that conversation was at the very bottom of the list of things she wanted to do today. She had spent all night
not
thinking about Karen’s uncomfortable question, which was practically the same thing as thinking about it. Obsessively.

But the store was empty, so she had no way to gracefully excuse herself. Where were customers when you needed them? She gestured toward a nearby sofa, and then seated herself on the matching love seat.

Karen dropped onto a cushion. She caught Joan in a green gaze that looked very much like her brother’s. “What I really want to know is, do you like my brother?”

Joan gave a startled laugh. “Excuse me?”

“You’ll have to forgive me for being direct.” She gave a slight shrug. “It’s the lawyer in me coming out.”

Maybe that’s why this felt like a cross-examination. Joan shifted on the love seat. “Well, he’s a nice guy.”

“But?”

Joan gazed out the window into the parking lot. Just how honest should she be with this woman? Would everything she said be reported back to Ken? Probably.

Karen leaned forward, forcing Joan to look at her. “I’m sorry if I’m coming off as rude. I don’t mean to be. But I think my brother likes you. Ken and I have always looked out for each other, and I just want to make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”

Ah, Karen was being the protective big sister, just like Allie had always been. A pain in the neck sometimes, but Allie could always be counted on to take up for her kid sisters. Okay, Joan could respect that.

“Ken is a great guy,” Joan began, “but to be honest he’s a little more . . . out there, when it comes to religion than my family is accustomed to. He’s different, not like any other guy I’ve ever met. Obviously church is very important to him, but I’m not sure I’d be comfortable in a service like you described yesterday.”

She nodded. “Our faith is important to us. We were both baptized as teenagers, after our parents died, and our church has been a huge part of our lives ever since.”

Joan remembered the day of her baptism, all dressed up in white and standing at the front of the church with two other girls her age who had also just completed their confirmation classes. The minister dribbled water on their heads, and they repeated their confession of faith after him. Mom and Daddy and Gram and Grandpa sat in the second pew with Allie and Tori, all of them beaming proudly as the minister presented her with a white Bible, her name engraved on the cover in gold letters.

That was about a month before Daddy left. She swallowed against a dry throat and forced that thought out of her mind.

She flashed a brief smile at Karen. “Well, I’m a Christian too, but I don’t talk about it the way Ken does.”

“And he makes you a little nervous by being so outspoken?”

Joan looked away. Actually,
both
of them were more outspoken than she was comfortable with. “A little.”

The shadow of a smile tugged at the edges of Karen’s mouth. Joan felt like a lab specimen being studied. The woman might as well have pulled out a magnifying glass. Finally she gave a single nod. “I think I understand.”

Joan waited, expecting her to explain. In fact, Joan wanted to hear the explanation. Maybe it would help her understand the differences between them too.

Instead, Karen changed the subject. “You have to promise me something.” She leaned against the back cushion. “My brother would die of embarrassment if he knew I said he likes you.” She gave a self-conscious laugh. “Actually, it is kind of high schoolish, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah.” Joan relaxed against the back cushion. At least she acknowledged how strange this conversation was.

“Okay, so here’s a question that’s totally high schoolish. You didn’t answer my question. Do you like him back?”

Suddenly immobile, Joan stared into Ken’s sister’s eyes. Did she like him? She’d nearly pulled her family into World War III over the guy. He was handsome and smart and kind. And over-the-edge or not, there was something fascinating about the way he displayed his religion so openly. No, it was more than religion. It was . . . well, whatever it was, she found herself interested and frightened at the same time. Part of her wanted to sit him down and question him, to find out why religion was so important to him. Another part wanted to run away so she didn’t catch whatever it was.

But to admit that to his sister, who was as weird about religion as he was?

She licked her lips, shifting her glance to the silk plant on the coffee table between them. “He’s a nice guy.”

Karen grinned. “Good enough.” She stood, and Joan did too. “I’ll tell him to come in and look at that entertainment center.”

Joan walked her to the door, as she would have done had Karen been a guest in her home instead of a customer in her store. “When are you heading back to Indiana?”

“Tomorrow. When Ken gets off work at the hospital, we’re going to have breakfast together, and then Jordan and I will leave and he’ll go to bed. I’ll be glad to get home.” She looked at the floor, a pretty blush appearing on her cheeks. “I know it’s only been a day, but I miss my husband.”

They reached the front of the store, and she paused with her hand on the handle. Her teeth caught her lower lip for a moment before she looked up.

“I like you, Joan. And I love my brother. I believe God helps us find the right relationships, so I’m going to ask him to show you and Ken what he wants for you.”

She flashed a quick smile and fled. Joan watched through the glass as she slid behind the wheel of her Lexus. She liked Karen too, in spite of her direct manner and teenagerish questions. What an amazing thing to say, though. Did she honestly believe that God got involved in picking out dates, like some sort of cosmic dating service?