Trusting Her Heart, page 5
To Drew, Emily was pretty cool. “Take some advice from me,” he said. “Never try to figure out women.”
When Emily returned with Autumn a few minutes later, her niece frowned at Jack helping Drew.
“I thought we were going into town for lunch,” the teen said.
“This will only take a couple of minutes.” Jack helped Drew lift the desktop onto the frame they’d assembled.
Emily bit her lip. Autumn hadn’t been hungry a half hour ago when she’d asked her if she wanted to go out to eat. She and her niece had hardly had a minute together since Emily had arrived. She shook off the gloom that was threatening to engulf her. Autumn was a teenager. Sure, she’d rather be with her friends than with her aunt. She and Drew had plenty more set-up work to do. After they finished, she could work on the new concepts for her client.
“Go ahead.” She waved Jack off. “I can help Drew finish.”
“You sure?” Jack ducked under the desk to tighten a bolt. If he wanted to stay, maybe she and Autumn could catch that lunch together. She turned to Autumn who glared at Jack’s back.
“I’m sure.”
Jack backed out from under the desk and stood. “Want us to bring you guys anything back?”
“Where are you going?” Emily asked.
Autumn transferred her glare from Jack to her.
“The Hazardtown Diner, probably.”
“And into Glens Falls to catch a movie, so it would be out of our way to come back here,” Autumn said.
Autumn hadn’t said anything to her earlier about a movie and, from the blank expression on Jack’s face, she hadn’t said anything to him, either.
“Uh, right, sure.” He and Autumn left.
“And you were concerned about Jack leading Autumn astray.”
Had she expressed her feelings out loud to Drew? “Well, I’m not comfortable with him letting himself in and heading up to Autumn’s room, among other things.” She’d better start figuring her niece more into her concerns, though.
Drew nodded. “Did he give you any trouble?”
“No, he seemed agreeable enough coming in here to help you while I let Autumn know he was here.”
“But you don’t like him.”
“It’s not that I don’t like him. But he’s older.”
“What, a year?”
Kids who had a year of college seemed so much more mature to Emily than high school seniors did. “Autumn has so much potential. She’s smart, talented and beautiful. She could go anywhere, do anything she wants. Jack will probably take over his father’s auto repair shop.”
Drew’s eyes widened.
“That didn’t come out right. I’m not elitist. I just think Autumn should see more of the world before she ties herself down here.”
“And if she saw more, she wouldn’t come back.” His lips thinned as if he were sealing in the rest of his thoughts. “You know, Autumn wanted to stay here alone. She argued incessantly with your brother about having to have a babysitter.”
Emily felt like she’d been sucker punched. “No, I didn’t.”
“I probably should keep my mouth shut, but I think you need to know what you’re dealing with. I don’t know how much time you’ve spent with Autumn lately, but from what Neal said, they’ve been at loggerheads since your parents went down to Florida.”
Neal hadn’t said anything, except that Autumn wasn’t happy about him having to go overseas.
“But you were her first choice if she had to have someone stay with her.”
“Thanks, I think.” What had she gotten herself into?
He positioned the assembled workstation against the wall. “Here good?”
She stared at the piece of furniture without seeing it. She’d call her mother. Get her take on things.
Drew and the desk came into focus. He looked at her expectantly.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Hey.” He pulled one of the dining set chairs over facing him and leaned his hip against the desktop. “I didn’t mean to throw you like that. I told Neal he needed to fill you in.”
“He had a lot on his mind.”
It sounded like Neal had talked with Drew and not her. Or was Drew speculating? “He talked with you?”
“Some.” Drew tapped the side of the desk with his fingertips. “He kind of asked me to watch out for you guys. Part of the reason your brother answered the coalition’s ad in the Glens Falls paper was because he wanted someone else here at the campground with you and Autumn.” Neal had approached the coalition. Not the other way around? Terrific. Autumn didn’t want her here, and Neal thought she couldn’t handle the job, so he’d brought Drew in to babysit her. She’d show them all that she was Emily Hazard, responsible adult, and not Jinx Hazard, calamity waiting to happen.
CHAPTER 5
Emily sat in her car in the parking lot of the white clapboard church waiting for Autumn, hoping to pick up her niece unnoticed. After dropping Autumn off at the Sunday school annex behind the church 45 minutes earlier, she’d gone back home, rather than hanging around for service. A few peopled had already filed out.
Five minutes passed. Then 10. Then 15. While the parking lot was nearly as full as when she’d pulled in, the trickle of people leaving had stopped. Emily sighed and walked to the annex door. A peek in the windows showed all the lights were out. Her stomach clenched. Autumn wouldn’t have gone to church coffee hour, would she? Emily’s former English teacher Mrs. Donnelly tapped her on the shoulder, and Emily jumped back, almost stomping on the older woman’s toes.
“I saw you from the fellowship hall window. Looking for Autumn,” Mrs. Donnelly asked.
Emily pasted a smile on her face and nodded.
“She’s probably having a snack in the hall with her friends. She and Neal always stay, like your parents.”
Of course they did. Emily contemplated asking Mrs. Donnelly to let Autumn know she was here and going back to the car to wait. The hall and the people there held too many memories of her clumsy youth. She hadn’t meant to trip and knock over the manger scene at the Christmas pageant or make the youth group late to Albany, so they’d miss their train to New York City for the youth rally. Emily shook off her recollections. It was all a long time ago.
“Come on.” Mrs. Donnelly looped her arm through Emily’s. “I know everyone will want to see you.”
Emily trudged the short distance to the main building. To her relief, a compatriot sidelined Mrs. Donnelly as they stepped into the hall. Emily forged ahead alone, skipping the refreshment line and going directly to the coffeepot at the far corner of the room. She poured herself a cup, added a dollop of half-and-half and carried the coffee without mishap—for once—to an empty table at the opposite corner. She scanned the crowd for Autumn. Despite what Mrs. Donnelly had said, none of the teens seemed to be in the hall.
“Hey.” Drew placed a plate full of food and a cup of coffee on the table and sat in the chair next to her.
Her heart tripped. Totally from the surprise of seeing him, of course. And nothing else. But what was Drew doing here? She blinked before facing him. Hazardtown Community Church was probably one of the nonprofits in the coalition he worked for. That made sense for his being here.
“Looking for Autumn so you can make your escape?” he asked.
“What gave me away?”
“Could be the desperate glances around the room before and after you sat down along with your gripping the coffee cup as if you were ready to chug it down in one gulp and run.”
Heat crept up her neck. How long had he been watching her? And why was she so bothered about it? It wasn’t as if she hadn’t given him a good once-over when he wasn’t looking a time or two over the past few days.
His eyes narrowed at her perusal, and she dropped her gaze to her coffee.
“The youth group leader called an impromptu meeting.” He picked up a chocolate brownie that made her stomach growl.
“Autumn said to tell you.” He sunk his teeth into the brownie.
She should have braved the line and gotten something to eat.
“You could go back and get one,” he said as if reading her mind.
She assessed the line. “No, I’ll just have one of yours.” She smiled and lifted a chocolate chip cookie from his plate.
“Hey!”
“You didn’t get this for me?” She broke the cookie in two and popped half in her mouth. “Mmm.”
Drew made a grab for the other half.
She swung her arm back out of his reach and smacked into something hard.
A baby let loose with a wail.
“I’m so sorry.”
Emily turned in her chair.
Becca Norton stood to her left holding a baby carrier the size of a small recliner. “I’m such a klutz these days.”
Emily stilled.
“It’s like I got so used to being pregnant that I can’t move normally anymore.” Becca lifted the carrier to the table.
Her face was placid giving no hint of the taunt Emily had initially read into her words.
“Who’s this big guy?” Drew moved the carrier so that the baby could see both of them.
“Brendon.” Becca’s face beamed with pride.
The baby tilted his head as if contemplating whether she and Drew were worth his acquaintance and gummed his knuckle.
Becca eyed the cookie in Emily’s hand and the goodies on Drew’s plate. “Those look really good. But I shouldn’t. Still losing the baby weight.”
What baby weight? Emily wondered. Becca’s simple fitted sheath dress accented the perfect curves the former cheerleader had had since seventh grade, when Emily was still in her chunky stage. Drew’s admiring gaze said he was thinking along the same line. She would not acknowledge the comparison Drew must be making by looking down at her less ample figure. Nor did she want to contemplate why she cared.
“Do you mind watching Brendon for me for a minute while I go get a brownie and some tea?”
Watch Brendon? It wasn’t as if she and Becca were good friends, and Becca had just met Drew last night. “I was about to—”
“Sure, no problem,” Drew said, chucking Brendon under the chin and eliciting a big baby belly laugh in return.
“Yeah, I have to stick around for Autumn.” The perverse side of her said she was staying if Drew was staying. She didn’t need Becca regaling him with any of the escapades of her high school years. As if they’d have nothing better to talk about than her. She was letting old memories get the best of her.
“Be right back, Button.” Becca tickled Brendon’s belly and took off for the food line.
Once Becca had moved out of Brendon’s sight, he began to fuss.
“Oooo, what’s the matter?” Emily cooed. The fussing soon escalated into an all-out cry. She eyed the harness that strapped the baby in the seat. Should she unfasten it and pick him up? Before she could decide, Drew had the straps unsnapped and was swooping Brendon up and over his head.
“What’s the matter, big guy? Can’t see what’s going on?” He held him up high. “That’s better, isn’t it?”
The howl diminished to a sniffle and, then, to a squeal of delight as Drew swayed him over the table.
Emily’s heart warmed. “You’re pretty good at that.”
“I’m a little out of practice. It’s been a while since Mia and Ethan were this small. But this always worked.”
“Not as out of practice as me. I can’t remember even holding a baby since Autumn.”
He nuzzled Brendon. “So your friends haven’t joined the mommy train yet?”
“No.” Most of the women she worked with didn’t have the slightest inclination to have kids, even the ones whose biological clocks were ringing.
“Seems like all my friends in the city have caught the baby bug. It’s wreaked havoc with my pickup soccer league, not that I’m there to play this season, either.” He laughed, but it wasn’t enough to completely hide a note of wistfulness.
For the soccer league or the kids? From the way he seemed to be enjoying their impromptu babysitting, she was hard-pressed to decide. Either way he’d fit right in here. Emily couldn’t ignore the twinge of jealousy that pricked her. She’d lived here practically her whole life. He’d been here a month.
“I don’t imagine Wall Street with a family leaves much time for anything else.” She jiggled Brendon’s foot and was rewarded with a drooly smile.
“Wall Street without a family doesn’t leave time for anything else.”
Sometimes Emily felt the same about advertising, but the feeling usually went away as quickly as it came. Before she could commiserate, Becca returned with a plate full of cookies. A cupcake perched precariously on top.
“Everything looked so good, I got one of each. Feel free.”
The cupcake tumbled off as she placed the plate on the table. It rolled frosting side down onto Drew’s lap. Emily pressed her lips together to suppress an uncharitable giggle.
“I’m so sorry.” Becca handed Drew a napkin. “Like I said, a klutz. It reminds me of the homecoming game senior year. You remember, Em.”
Emily’s stomach sank as she rolled back time, trying to remember what memorable act she’d committed at homecoming.
“You don’t remember? I thought everyone did.”
She avoided Drew’s curious gaze.
“The squad was doing our pyramid cheer.”
She’d done something to disrupt a cheer? That she should have remembered. She’d rarely gone to any high school games for any sport.
“Matt and Ed Romer. You remember him? He played fullback.”
Emily nodded. She’d had a crush on him in seventh grade and made a complete fool of herself over him.
“Well, they were supposed to boost me up to the top to finish the pyramid. I stepped into their joined hands and they boosted me up all right. Up and over the top. I accidentally kicked one of the other girls as I flew over. The whole formation collapsed, and I landed on my butt on the other side of the human pile.”
Becca was talking about herself? Emily shook her head. “I never heard a word about it.”
“You must have been the only one in the student body that didn’t.”
Emily wanted to feel compassion for Becca. She really did. But that had been one incident for Becca, not a daily occurrence as it had been for Emily.
“I never thought I’d live it down.” Becca bit into a brownie as if that might assuage her embarrassment and Emily caught a glimpse of Matt behind her, making a beeline for their table.
She closed her eyes for a quick second, mustering the fortitude to survive this conversation if Matt got over here before Becca finished and she could change the subject.
“Mmm. These are as good as they looked, which reminds me. We need to get together for lunch.” Becca wiped a speck of frosting off her face and laughed. “All I seem to think about these days is food. How about Friday?”
Emily had hoped Becca was making polite conversation when she’d suggested lunch at the VFW party.
“Friday’s fine.”
“Noon at the diner? I’ll have to bring Brendon. They’re set up for kids there.”
The baby gurgled at the sound of his name and Drew tickled his belly again. He really seemed to like kids.
“The diner is fine.”
“Hey, babe, ready?” Matt reached their table and picked up Brendon and the baby carrier. “Jinx, Drew.” He nodded to them. “How’s it going?” His smile was so genuine that Emily didn’t even cringe much at the use of her nickname. “I’ll go ahead and get him settled in the car. We’re supposed to be at Mom’s for dinner at two, and this guy needs a nap first.”
“More food. Great.” Becca grinned.
Matt shook his head at Becca. “Later.” He nodded at Emily and Drew.
“I’ll see you Friday,” Becca said.
“I’ve got to get going, too,” Drew said. “I’ve got a load of materials being delivered.”
“On Sunday?”
“Yep. I usually try to take one day a week off, but we’re behind on some of the outdoor work because of all the rain we’ve had the past couple of weeks. Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll swing by the diner and pick up a pizza for the three of us if that’s okay.”
“Sure.” She’d planned to catch up on her campaign work and hadn’t given a thought to Sunday dinner. Guilt pricked her as she watched Drew stand and make his way across the hall. Her mother had always liked them all there for Sunday dinner. Autumn was probably expecting a family dinner, too.
Emily picked up her plate and napkin and started toward the trash bin. Drew now stood in the doorway across the hall talking with her elementary school principal. Two women she didn’t know were smiling in his direction and talking to each other. She crushed the plate and continued her trek.
“Here you are.” Autumn headed her off at the bin. “I thought you’d be outside waiting for me.”
A tap on the shoulder turned Emily’s attention away from her niece. Another of her mother’s friends said how good it was to see her, warming her heart. For someone who never fit in, she sure seemed to be getting a warm welcome back.
“If you’re done socializing, I’d like to go.” Autumn stood, hands on hips.
As if her likes and dislikes reigned supreme. Emily was very tempted to go get another coffee. But that would be as childish as Autumn was acting. And Autumn was the child.
“I’ve got to get home and finish the research for my economics paper.”
Emily dropped her trash in the bin. “I thought you and Jack were going to study together this afternoon.” She hadn’t questioned how that was going to work, with Autumn still in high school and Jack at community college.
“So did I. But one of his friends’ car broke down and he’s going over to help him fix it. Who knows how long that will take.” She rolled her eyes as if it were all too much to take.
That explained the foul mood. “So, what’s your paper about?”
Autumn made a face. “An analysis of economic policy in the U.S. leading up to the Great Depression. We didn’t even get to choose our own topic. The teacher gave us a choice of five. For a class of twenty-five. I told you he was lame.”
