Page 28 of Sweet Deal
A huge smile bloomed and her previously rough movements slowed. “At the Harvest dance when he asked me to dance and told me he liked the new way I’d done my hair.” She blew out a little sigh. “Men never noticed things like that, but your dad, he noticed and remembered everything.”
She nodded. “And how long had you been dating?”
“Oh,” her mom shook her head and reached for the Swiss cheese, “that was the first time he got up the nerve to ask me out.”
Rachel just stood, silently, waiting for her mother to connect the dots.
Her mom waved a finger at her. “You’re sneaky, you know.”
“I’ve got a lot of practice. In my line of work, the trick to getting people to talk is to ask the right questions. You learn more, accomplish more when you let folks tell their story.”
“Never ask a yes or no question.” Her mom smiled. “You’ve said that before.”
“Right. If I ask, are you okay, I’ll get a yes or no answer. On the other hand, if I say, tell me how you’re feeling, we might get somewhere.” Now it was her turn to smile. “And nice to know you listened.”
“To every word.” Turning, her mom went back to assembling sandwiches. “Any news on how Jim is doing this morning?”
“No. I called, but his mom said he was sleeping, and she didn’t want to disturb him.”
“Smart woman. Rest is important when you’re healing.”
She knew that, but she still wanted to see for herself. Glancing up at the wall clock, she debated how annoyed would his mom be if she just showed up at the Henderson home? Before she could steal up the courage to drive over, the front door squeaked open, and she made a mental note to oil the hinges.
“Look who I found shuffling outside.” Garret came in the front door, hung his hat on a nearby hook, and stood waiting for Jim to follow him inside.
“Morning.” Jim waved with his good arm.
“Should you be out?” Rachel blurted.
“Nice to see you too.” Jim started to chuckle, then grimaced, holding his side.
In a flash, she was on her feet and hurrying over to him. “You shouldn’t be out.”
“It’s my ribs that hurt, not the rest of me, and last time I looked, I don’t need my ribs to drive. Though Mom did insist I take the more comfortable Edge instead of the truck.”
“Glad to see you’re okay,” her mom called from the kitchen.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Smiling quickly at her mom, he glanced at Rachel, his gaze softened and she knew what was coming. Very slowly, he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the temple. “I can’t bend any lower, or I’d give you a proper good morning kiss.”
She didn’t have to look over her shoulder to know her mother was watching and probably smiling too. Pushing up on her tippy toes, she gave his lips a gentle peck. “Good morning.”
How Jim wished he could bend over, pull her in close, and give her a real kiss. And not just for her mother’s sake. Last night, the way she’d held his hand in the ER, refused to leave his side, and hovered over him like a mother hen, everything felt so very real and not at all for show.
After spending most of the night on the recliner so he didn’t have to move much, thinking about his life, the directions it had taken, leaving California and the high stress work that had ruled his every day and night, and how he’d wound up back in the one place he swore he never wanted to see again, one thing struck him very acutely. Never in the two years he’d dated Blair, or the months engaged to her, not even when planning their lives together, did he ever feel the way Rachel made him feel. Could it be as simple as the old cliché, there’s no place like home?
“Come on,” Rachel nudged him gently into the living room. “You should sit.”
“My legs are fine.”
She rolled her eyes at him, and then one hand on her hip, gave him a look that should have made any mere mortal whither.
“Okay. I’ll sit.”
“The recliner will be more comfortable.”
“On that,” he nodded, “we can agree.”
He was just easing himself back, trying very hard not to show how damn much it hurt when Rachel’s phone pinged once, twice, and three times, back-to-back.
