Page 15

Before arranging the photos on the corkboard wall, they decided to work on the banner since it required painting and drying time.

They spent half an hour stenciling the words onto the banner and then an hour painting each letter.

He had been better with a paintbrush and her crafting paints than she’d expected, so the time seemed to fly by while he told her about his life growing up in a penthouse in Manhattan.

They left the banner spread out on a couple of long tables to dry while they put white tablecloth linens and colorful blue and green table topper linens on all of the tables after hauling them inside from the limo.

“Why blue and green?” he’d asked.

He was right to ask. They hadn’t talked about colors.

“I thought we’d go with the colors of the earth that we see on globes since it’s a mission trip.

Sam added some photos of the Dominican Republic to the envelope with the photos.

We could hang those too.” She bit her lower lip.

“Why? Is it a problem? I didn’t think you would mind about the colors since you didn’t seem enthusiastic about using real linens. ”

“No, your choice in colors is good.” He shrugged and raked a hand through his dark hair. “I’m fine with whatever you want. I was just curious. ”

Had his hair grown kind of cute and messy as they’d worked?

For a moment, she imagined herself running her fingers through his wavy brown hair.

And as they’d worked together to spread each cloth over the tables, their hands must have bumped into each other gobs of times, creating a magnetic pull between them that she couldn’t deny.

Somewhere along the way, she kicked off her shoes to provide relief to her throbbing feet. And was she a mess too, her hair all askew from the ride in his golf cart and all of their work?

After they had the tables arranged and covered with the cloths, including the long rectangular ones that would hold food and auction items, they hung the photographs using some thumb tacks from his office on the second floor.

She’d followed him upstairs to see the floors above since they hadn’t gone that far on the tour.

There were guest rooms on both the second and third floors, he had explained along the way.

Those rooms in the main lodge quadrupled his capacity for guests.

“Some are more like apartment suites, and others are more like hotel rooms.”

He showed her a few of the rooms. They were professionally decorated and filled with top-of-the-line furnishings. Impressive, to say the least.

Downstairs again, when they finished the photo wall, it was time to hang the banner that had dried.

He’d offered to drill some holes and use screws, but she suggested they tie string to the built-in banner ringholes.

Then they could loop the string around the base of two wall sconces on either side of the windows.

He nodded, hands on hips. “Works for me, ‘Blue Eyes.’”

Smiling at her, those gorgeous dimples appeared in his cheeks again. ‘Blue Eyes?’ She was melting at the endearment. Her cheeks warmed and she glanced away so he wouldn’t see her shy smile.

“That way we won’t damage these nice log walls,” she’d managed to point out .

And that’s how she ended up on the ladder, since she had a specific method in mind. But then she lost her balance, teetered, then screamed, and then fell—directly into his muscular arms.

“Are you okay?” His voice sounded husky as he held her close against his chest.

She’d blinked, one arm flailing and the other clinging to his neck. “I am n-now.” Her voice came out in a whisper as she managed to wrap her other arm around his neck too.

He’d held her against his chest for a few seconds. Both of them seemed stunned. Their lips were only inches apart and her gaze locked onto his. The man must work out every day to have muscles like those that held her so easily!

And that’s when he bent his head ever so slightly and kissed her. The kiss continued as he gently lowered her to stand on tiptoe, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

Goodness, what a kiss! Gentle, hungry, and sweet.

He finally pulled himself away, raking a hand through his hair again, both of them breathing heavily. What had just happened between them?

They stood still, inches apart, staring at each other, letting their heartbeats settle.

“I thought I wasn’t your type?” she finally blurted out in a soft voice, taking a step back. But she wore a coy smile. Maybe he wouldn’t take her question the wrong way if she smiled and kept her voice low. But she had to know. She had to ask him, now .

“M-maybe I was wrong,” he managed after a few seconds.

But the question begged to be asked, and her hands flew to her hips. “Why did you think I wasn’t your type?”

“Well, you seem like, um, I don’t know ... a business woman.” His hand waved to one side. “You know, wrapped up in your career as the owner of Hensley’s Wedding Creations. ”

She nodded slowly and then tilted her chin. “That’s true. I am wrapped up in my career. It probably saved me from total despair after Jake moved away, though I would have given it all up for him back then.”

He didn’t respond, but his eyes were locked on hers still, so she continued. “I think it’s the one thing that saved me, in retrospect. I healed as I threw my all into the business I’d inherited from my grandmother. It really began to flourish. And now, I love what I do.”

She paused, tilting her head to one side, waiting for him to speak. When he didn’t, she pushed on, probing him for an answer. “Why does that bother you? Can’t a woman have a career and a family?”

His feet apart, Blake rested his fists on each side of his belt. “I don’t know. I’m not sure. It’s not what I imagined, I guess.”

“It’s something each couple has to work through and talk out together, don’t you think?

I am the owner, after all. I can hire more people if I want to take on less responsibility.

Or if I decide I want to work on a part-time basis instead of full-time.

If I want to take a year off, I’m the boss.

I can make appropriate arrangements. If those are done right, I can take the time off.

You know this better than anyone, being a business owner yourself. ”

Some bit of light or a ray of understanding seemed to flicker through his brown eyes as he gradually nodded. “Yes, you may be right.”

His tone was gentle, contemplative. No apology though. Not an admission that he was wrong. But he was saying that maybe she was right.

At least that was something. A starting point.

She lifted her chin again, hands still on her hips.

“I know I’m right. Lots of women have successful careers and manage to juggle a family and household too.

It can be done. Many families wouldn’t even make it without two incomes.

My parents are one example of an exception to the rule.

My mother has never worked outside of the home, but when my father was between churches as a pastor, they decided to move back to Tennessee and live with my grandmother.

The land and the house are paid for. It’s all to go to my mother when my grandmother passes anyhow.

It’s how my Dad is able to work as a freelance columnist for The Gazette and how my mother is able to remain at home and run the household.

That’s what works for them. So, I’ve seen it work both ways. ”

He offered her a weak smile. “It’s something we could try to work through, I mean, if we were together. I’m not sure where I stand on it all anymore, to tell you the truth.”

Why did it seem as if he was holding something back when he stared at his shoes? Did this have something to do with a former girlfriend or something? The way he’d used the word anymore, as though referring to something from his past ...

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, tell me, Blake Sterling, do all of your girlfriends have no job or career? Are they all completely dependent upon you? Oh, I forgot. You’re from Manhattan.

” She waved a hand. “Maybe they were all Manhattan socialites, dependent on their families and trust funds?”

He winced. “No, but ... I mean, the sort of girls I was introduced to usually didn’t work for a living. One did. Our relationship didn’t last.”

“I see. Well, I’m not like other girls.” She leveled her gaze at him, keeping her voice firm but soft.

He chuckled, sounding relieved. “I’m glad to hear that. I think I’m beginning to understand this about you. I’m willing to talk through those decisions when and if the time comes, uh, I mean, if we were together.”

This seemed to be going a whole lot better. He must’ve been hurt in the past by the relationship he’d mentioned that hadn’t worked out, maybe like Jake had hurt her. She wouldn’t delve into it all now. It was growing late.

They’d done a lot for one evening. The banner was up.

The tables were nearly done and arranged.

They could put dishes on them closer to the event.

The photo wall looked great. But her back ached.

Her feet hurt. For the first time in weeks, she had some answers about Blake’s judgmental words and what he’d meant.

She was drained physically, except for the magnetic attraction that hung in the air between them, which had energized her emotionally.

He stepped closer again, closing the distance she’d put between them.

“Want to go on a real date?” He cleared his throat.

“I mean, would you consider allowing me to take you to a dinner theater to see Pride & Prejudice in Gatlinburg next Friday? I have four tickets. You could bring one of your sisters and I could invite my friend, Bing.”

Her lips curved as a smile spread across her face. “You mean, like a double date? To see a play based on my favorite book?”

He nodded as he fished around in his shirt pocket and produced the tickets, holding them up. “Yep. Tiff gave me the tickets. They include dinner and dessert, plus the show. Oh, and he said to dress up for the photo opportunity.”

That sounded nice. A first date and a couple photo.

That’d be something memorable for couple goals.

Plus, a play based on her favorite novel from the literary world.

Next to the Bible, it was her go-to book of choice and the source of all the silly daydreams her mother said took up too much space in her head.

Her smile widened. “I’d like that very much, especially if it includes another ride in your limo. I’ll ask Jen if she’d like to accompany us as Bing’s date.”

“It’s a date then.” He glanced at his watch. “Let’s get you home before your parents start to panic. I’ll drive you in my pickup since I sent Wickham home a while ago. It’s almost eleven-thirty and I should have you home before midnight.”

She found her purse and shoes, slipping into them. “Thank you. That’s wise. Grandmother will be counting the minutes between snores, and she can be quite the informant. ”

He chuckled and began flipping lights off as he took her by the hand and led her outside of the dining room and down the wide front hall toward the main entrance. “I guess we don’t have to pretend to be dating anymore.”

She couldn’t help but smile at his remark. Evidently, they were sort of officially dating. She could hardly wait to tell Jen. How nice it was to have a gentleman holding her hand again. He held the door open.

As they stepped out onto the deck that led to a wooden walkway and the parking lot, she stole a glance up at him. “So, there isn’t anything wrong with me? You were just concerned about my dedication to my career. I assure you, my career would never take first place over someone I cared about.”

He stopped walking and turned to face her. “No, there’s nothing wrong with you, Hensley. I just have a bad habit of occasionally sticking my foot in my mouth and having everything come out all wrong. I hope you can forgive me.”

Weeks of tension drained from her shoulders.

Speechless and stunned by his profession, she could only nod, a mixture of relief and other questions floating around somewhere deep in the back of her mind.

It was great that nothing was wrong with her.

Nothing was wrong with her! She had an urge to hold her arms out and spin around in a dance under the starry sky, but that would divulge how much it had bothered her.

Her heart was soaring. He didn’t find her unattractive, too petite, too short, too curvy, too fat, or too skinny ... or a myriad of other things that had crossed her mind.

But would he accept her career as a wedding fashion designer and shop owner? Would he curtail her dreams or clip her wings? Would he support her dreams and ambitions as she intended to support his? Only time would tell.

Maybe it’s why Jake had broken up with her.

Maybe he hadn’t intended to impose his career ambitions while making her sacrifice hers.

Jake hadn’t asked her about how they could make it work.

He’d simply broken things off with little explanation other than he didn’t want a long-distance relationship and wasn’t ready to settle down into a marriage.

Maybe it had been his problem and not her all along.

Whatever the case, maybe she and Blake had found solid footing by agreeing to talk about this if their relationship grew into something more serious.

They’d cross that bridge when and if they came to it.

It was a start.