What She'd Do for Love (4 page)

This admission earned him the hint of a smile. “All right. But where can we get coffee this time of night?”

“The Blue Bell stays open late on Thursdays,” Kelly volunteered. “The Lions Club used to meet then, and after they changed their meeting time, Etta Mae just kept the same hours.”

“The Blue Bell it is,” he said. “Should I drive?”

“I’ll meet you there,” she said, and left before he could protest.

CHAPTER THREE

B
EFORE
EXITING
THE
school parking lot, Christa called home to check with her parents. As Kelly had predicted, they were watching TV. “I thought I’d stay and have coffee with a friend,” she said. Though her parents knew Ryder, she didn’t want them jumping to conclusions. This wasn’t a date—they were merely continuing their discussion about the highway project.

“Have a good time,” Dad said. “You have your key to let yourself in.”

“Yes.” Later, she’d give her dad a hard time about not warning her that Ryder was the highway engineer. At least that explained how Ryder knew so many people in town; he’d been schmoozing the locals, winning them over to his side. Her dad had probably thought it was a good joke to play on his daughter.

“All right then. Good night.”

She ended the call, fighting a nervous flutter in her stomach. Maybe agreeing to meet up with Ryder had been a bad idea. He’d been so warm and charming in the meeting, but were those emotions real, or merely a show to get what he wanted?

Ryder was waiting in front of the Blue Bell when she parked a few doors down. It looked as if a good number of people who had attended the highway forum had retired to the café for coffee and pie. “Just sit anywhere,” the waitress said when they entered.

Ryder escorted her to a booth along one wall, his hand resting very lightly against her upper back, guiding her through the crowd. The warmth of his hand through her dress made her heart beat a little faster. What was it about him that affected her so?

Several people greeted him as they passed—more than said hello to Christa, even. “You seem to have made a lot of friends in town,” she said, as she slid into the booth across from him.

“Acquaintances, anyway. You know how people are around here—welcoming.”

“Where are you from?” she asked.

“All over. I’d lived in three different countries by the time I entered first grade. We went wherever the army told my father to go, wherever he was needed.”

She couldn’t imagine what such a nomadic life would be like. She’d been born and raised in Cedar Grove; no matter where she lived from now on, this would always be home. She wouldn’t want to be like Ryder—rootless.

The waitress came to take their order. “Just coffee,” Christa said. “With cream.”

“I’ll have black coffee,” Ryder said. “And do you have any of that blackberry pie left?”

“For you, I might be able to find a couple of slices.” The waitress smiled at him, clearly flirting.

He looked at Christa. “You sure you won’t indulge? It’s homemade.”

Her mouth watered at the memory of Etta Mae’s pies. “All right. Thanks.”

When the waitress left, Christa continued their conversation. “And now you’re in a job where you travel a lot. What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed in one place?”

“I’m hoping this will be it. This is the biggest job I’ve been on and it should take over two years.”

Something about the pride in his voice made her hazard a guess. “Is this your first time overseeing a job this big?” After all, he couldn’t be much older than her.

“Yes. I was only recently promoted. Obviously, I want my bosses to feel they made the right decision to put me in charge.”

“You certainly seem to be winning over people in the meeting tonight.”

“Present company excepted?” The dimples showed on either side of his mouth.

“I don’t dislike you.” She shifted in her seat. The opposite, really. He was a very easy man to like. “But I don’t like what you’re doing. I don’t think it’s right.”

“You don’t like the route chosen for the highway.”

“I think it should be closer to town, so that the town is the focus and not some new development ten miles away.”

“What about the rest of the route, beyond the town?” His expression grew wary, though she couldn’t imagine why.

“I didn’t pay much attention to that,” she admitted. “I’ve never been very good at reading maps or envisioning things in space. I had to take remedial geometry in school.” She was an idea person, not a picture person.

“Paul Raybourn said you worked for a marketing firm.”

“I did.” She hesitated, tempted to gloss over her unemployment, or even outright lie. But she wasn’t a dishonest person and besides, she hadn’t done anything wrong. “My company laid off a bunch of people and I was one of them. It’s why I came home—to regroup and save money while I look for another job.”

“Traveling for my job, I’ve met a lot of people in the same boat, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I hope you find a new job soon.”

“I’m sure I will.” The job hunting seminar she’d attended in Houston had emphasized remaining positive. Of course, finding a new job also meant sending out résumés, putting in applications and networking with contacts in her field—all things she hadn’t gotten around to doing yet. But she’d start the job hunt soon. She’d just wanted a little time to lick her wounds and regain her equilibrium.

“Have you thought of going into business for yourself?” he asked. “That’s an option a few people I know have taken.”

“When I first graduated college, I thought of starting my own business,” she said. “After I’d gained some experience working for others. But I don’t know what I’d do.”

The waitress returned with their coffee and pie. “That looks great.” He admired the pie, and then returned his attention to Christa. “What would you really like to do?”

“Something service oriented, I think.” She added cream to her cup. “I want to help people and solve problems. I’d like to make a difference.” At her old job, she’d had the opportunity to work on a couple of campaigns for nonprofits. She’d enjoyed that work most, though the majority of her time was spent on other, less-satisfying projects.

“Then we’re not so far apart. I want to help folks, too—help them get to jobs and spend less time commuting and more time with their families.”

“People could do that if they stayed here in Cedar Grove.”

“Except there aren’t many jobs here—not that pay what jobs in the city do.”

That was another problem altogether, one neither of them was likely to solve. But she wasn’t going to let him off so easily. “I don’t buy your argument that you had to choose the shortest route,” she said. “A route to the north of Cedar Grove would still be shorter than taking the current road. It would meet your goal of a faster commute and it would be more convenient. Travelers could stop in Cedar Grove and get gas or a bite to eat, or to use the restroom.”

“The new shopping development will have gas stations and restaurants. But a rest area with comfort stations and picnic tables is a good idea. I’ll have to look into that.” He pulled out his smartphone and tapped in a note.

She took a bite of pie. The combination of sweet-tart berries and flaky pastry was better than anything she’d had in the city—the kind of treat tourists would line up to buy, if they only got to town and discovered it. “You talk as if the highway is a done deal,” she said. “As if it’s too late to change anything. But all I’ve seen is drawings. You admitted in the meeting that you don’t even have all of the right of way.”

“We have commitments from everyone we need, but we’re not rushing people. Despite what people like to think, the state doesn’t bully its citizens. We’ll complete the negotiations soon. We’re surveying and expect to break ground on schedule.”

“Until you start pouring concrete, there’s still time to rethink this.”

She focused on her pie, aware of his gaze on her. She couldn’t remember a man looking at her with such intensity. What did he see? He wasn’t hostile—when she glanced up, she was surprised to find only sympathy in his expression. “I know this isn’t what you want,” he said, in the gentle voice that had first attracted her. “But not every change is bad.”

“This one isn’t good.” She tried to keep her attention on the pie, but was aware of him still watching her.

“You’ve had too much change in your life lately, haven’t you?” he said after a moment.

“What do you mean?” Her heart was racing again. She hated that he unsettled her so.

“It can’t be easy, losing your job and moving back home. That’s a lot to adjust to.”

And she wasn’t adjusting well—was it so obvious, even to a stranger? Was he so perceptive, or just making a lucky guess? “I’m looking at this as a much-needed break. A vacation.”

“And this highway project is just one more thing to deal with. One more upheaval.”

“Yes. I guess you could say that.”

“Just remember, this isn’t really that important. Not like your future.”

His words confused her. “You don’t think this highway is important? Then why are you so unwilling to consider altering the plans?”

“The highway is important to me. And it will be important to a lot of other people, some who don’t even live here yet. But it’s a road, not a person. Even cold, logical engineers know the difference.”

Her cheeks grew hot as she remembered what she’d said to Kelly. “I didn’t mean for you to hear that,” she said. “I was frustrated.”

“I’ve been called worse.” He sipped his coffee, still watching her over the rim of his cup. “Have you talked to your parents about the highway project?” he asked.

Why was he asking about her parents? “Not really. We’ve had other things on our minds.”

“Of course. But ask your dad what he thinks. You might be surprised.”

“He said he knew you. He even said you had a good head on your shoulders.”

“I’m flattered. I like him too.”

“He talks as if you two are friends.”

“I like to think we are. Bud was one of the first people I met with when I came to Cedar Grove. One of the best.”

“He hasn’t said much, but he doesn’t seem very upset about the new highway.”

“Talk to him. You might learn some things that surprise you.”

“Neither one of my parents have talked to me all that much since I got here,” she said. “Not about anything important. They seem, I don’t know, distracted.”

“But they’re happy to have you home, I’m sure.”

“I don’t know about that either.” Despite their attempts at enthusiasm this afternoon, dinner had been quiet, conversation strained. Neither parent had asked more about Christa’s job, though she would have thought they would have wanted to know the details of her layoff. “Sometimes I think they’d be happier if I wasn’t here. Mom seemed anxious to get me out of the house this afternoon, and she keeps urging me to get involved with clubs and things in town. She has a whole calendar of activities planned for me, as if she doesn’t want me around the house any more than necessary.” Telling Ryder these things was like letting air out of an over-inflated balloon. Tension eased from her shoulders and she felt better than she had in days.

“It’s a big adjustment for all of you,” he said. “It’s something I’ve never had to deal with.”

“Where do your parents live?” she asked, ready to change the subject.

“My dad is in Wyoming. We lived there when I was small, but I don’t remember much about it. My mom is in Dallas. She teaches at a private school.”

“They’re divorced?”

“It only happened last year. I’m still trying to get used to the idea.”

Maybe he knew more than she’d given him credit for about unsettling changes. “Were you surprised they split up?”

“Very. I thought they had a good marriage.”

“I think divorce is hard on everyone involved, but sometimes people are happier after the split.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, as if trying to massage away a cramp. “I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me wishes they’d found a way to work things out and stay together. But Mom says she was unhappy for years. She wanted to stay in one place—make friends, have a job, join clubs. I thought she could have done all those things and stayed married to my dad, but she says no.”

“What does your dad say?”

“Not much. He’s always been pretty stoic.”

“Your mom must like having you close to her.”

“She does. And she does seem very happy with her new life. So maybe you’re right, and this is for the best.” He waited while the server refilled their coffee. “She’s coming for lunch on Saturday. She says she wants to see where I live. I’m afraid she’s going to be disappointed.”

Christa stiffened. “Does she have something against small towns?”

“No. She’ll love Cedar Grove, I’m sure. But my apartment is just a furnished rental, nothing fancy. I know she’ll expect better, but it doesn’t make sense for me to spend money on a house when I’m not going to be here that long.”

Such logical practicality seemed so cold to her. How could he feel at home when even his furniture wasn’t his own? “Where do you think of as home?” she asked.

“I don’t really think about it.” He pressed the back of his fork into a few stray crumbs on his plate. “I’ve learned to be content wherever I am.”

“Do you think you’ll ever want to settle down? I mean, if you have a family...” She let the words trail away. Maybe she was getting too personal.

“Maybe then I would want to find one place and grow roots,” he said. “Moving so often was tough when I was a little kid. I was always the new guy, always trying to catch up. On the other hand, it taught me to relate to a lot of different kinds of people. I grew used to the moves, even learned to like them.”

He sounded so matter of fact and upbeat. But she remembered his comment about not wanting to go back to an empty apartment. Having no deep connections to other people implied a loneliness she couldn’t begin to imagine.

She didn’t want to feel sorry for Ryder. She didn’t want to empathize with a man who was turning her world—her connections—upside down. But she was drawn to him in spite of wanting to hold back. “We should talk again, after I’ve had a chat with my father,” she said. “Though I don’t think he’s going to change my mind about this project. Or keep me from fighting it.”

“I’m happy to talk with you anytime.” His eyes met hers, and she read a kaleidoscope of emotions in their depths—sadness, determination, sympathy, and maybe even affection. She had to look away, afraid of what he might read in her own eyes. “Just remember, Christa. I’m not out to hurt you or your family or anyone in this town. I really do want to help.”