Not This Time Page 11

  Chapter Fourteen

  What in the world happened back there? Drew combed a hand through his hair, trying to figure out what went wrong. He grabbed the ax from the tree stump and continued chopping firewood. At the rate he was going, he’d be set for the next two winters. Log by log, he worked his way down the felled tree until it was stacked in pieces of itself.

  This wasn’t how he’d planned his afternoon. Had Amie not lashed out at him, they’d have had a romantic lunch, and he would have asked her to stay in Jasper Lake. He would have shown her the office and the extra room for her.

  But no. Amie claimed to love him, but she didn’t trust him. Even compensating for her experience with Tim, a relationship couldn’t survive, let alone thrive if she doubted him at every turn. Had she stopped for a minute to think he’d had a good reason for not telling her? He’d wanted to surprise her. During their argument, he’d intimated as such, but she refused to listen.

  Her lack of faith hurt. Deep down, punch-to-the-ego, rip-his-heart-in-half hurt. What was he supposed to do now? Maybe he shouldn’t have left her earlier. He had walked her to the door and told her they’d talk later, but their fight was far from settled. Had more damage been done by walking away? Perhaps, but he also didn’t want to explain everything while they were mad at each other. It was to be a pivotal moment in their relationship, and he didn’t want it muddied by the negative emotions bantering between them.

  He stopped chopping long enough to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his shirttail. The action did little good since his clothes were already soaked. Midafternoon burned hot with the high sun. Taking inventory of the firewood stacks, he decided to stop. All the physical activity in the world wouldn’t solve his problem with Amie.

  After he had moved the splintered logs to the woodshed, he took a shower and cleaned up. At some point during the process, his anger faded and only the hurt remained. He wanted Amie to trust him unequivocally. Was that too much to ask?

  At the same time, he’d never come clean about his past relationship. How could he expect her to grant him trust when he’d kept a secret from her? He needed to tell her, and soon, but seeing the scars left by Tim, Drew didn’t know if she’d understand.

  First things first, he had to make things right between them and resolve their current argument. He accepted he could have been more understanding, should have realized that although he’d had only the best of intentions, Amie would only see that she hadn’t been consulted.

  He loved her, unconditionally, and he hadn’t done a proper job of demonstrating that. Reaching for his phone, he meant to call her, then decided going to her would be more meaningful. He slipped on a pair of shoes, grabbed his keys and headed out the door. Despite the short distance, he opted to drive, not only to get there sooner, but he didn’t want to show up sweaty and gross. Plus, if all went well, he’d take her to the office.

  Relieved to see her car in the driveway, he got out and went to the door. Knocked. Waited. Knocked again. No answer. She wasn’t in the house, or she would have answered. Amie didn’t have the personality to ignore somebody out of spite. Had she taken a walk, or was she outside?

  Instinctively he knew where to find her. He walked around the house, to the backyard. There she was, sitting in a chair by the lake. An empty chair sat beside her, the one Aunt Sally would occupy, or more frequently of late, the one he would often claim.

  Strolling to her, he prayed silently they’d work out the glitch in their relationship and move ahead, stronger than before. He stopped at the empty chair. “May I sit?”

  She jerked her head, a weary expression on her face. Her eyes were red, her face blotchy—it killed him to know she’d been crying that hard. “Have a seat.”

  “Is Aunt Sally home yet?” He knew the answer but asked anyway to make small talk.

  “No.” Her gaze drifted to the lake. “At least someone’s apparently having a good afternoon.”

  The resignation in her tone ate at him. “Can we talk about earlier?”

  As she nodded, her bottom lip trembled. Moisture puddled around her eyes. “Are you still mad?”

  He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have left without talking it out.”

  “To be fair, I wasn't very reasonable.” She swiped a fallen tear with the back of her hand.

  “Still, I take responsibility for not listening—only hearing what I wanted.”

  “I did the same thing. And I’m sorry for comparing you to Tim. When it comes to the measure of a man, you tip the scales.” Another tear fell, streaking mascara down her cheek.

  Raising his hand, he wiped it. “I’m sorry, too.”

  “Did we survive our first fight?” A nervous, shaky giggle followed.

  “The first of many, I’m sure.” Taking hold of her hand, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Are you up for a ride?”

  “Where to?”

  “The old Willis place. There’s something there I want to show you.”

  She flinched but replaced it with a smile. “All right.”

  After she collected her purse and phone from the house, they got into the car and made the short trip into town. The building was located on Main Street and boasted the title of oldest business structure in Jasper Lake. It had been sitting vacant for two years and displayed early signs of disrepair, which gave Drew bargaining power for a lower rent.

  Instead of parking along the street, he drove to the rear of the building where there was an asphalt lot, only large enough for four cars.

  As they approached the building, Amie’s eyes wandered with interest and dismay. Her gaze landed on the rotted wood of the doorframe. “It’s not how I remembered it.”

  “It needs some work for sure, but that’s part of what I wanted to tell you.” He singled out the key from his others and unlocked the back door. “I can do most of the repairs myself in exchange for lower rent. If, at the end of the first year's lease, I want to buy the building, all the money I paid in rent will go towards the purchase price.”

  “That’s a nice deal.”

  Anticipating bringing her, he’d come earlier in the week and cleaned the rooms, removing years’ worth of dust, cobwebs, and grime. The previous tenant had left two desks, three office chairs, and a file cabinet. One desk and two chairs weren’t in usable condition, but he’d arranged them in the offices for visual effect. Closer to opening, he would purchase more functional equipment and furniture.

  “So this is your new office.” Amie surveyed the inside, keeping her face neutral.

  “Want the grand tour?”

  “Sure.” Forced optimism tinged her voice.

  Tamping down his disappointment at her lack of enthusiasm, he hoped that would change when he explained. “To your left will be my office.” He pushed the door open and showed her the room. “It’s not much to look at now, but picture it with an executive desk and bookcases full.”

  “Maybe a plant or two to make it more inviting?” She broke out in excitement. “And you need brown leather chairs.”

  Thank You, Lord, for letting her catch the spirit. “I can make that happen.”

  “What will the other rooms be?”

  “Eventually, I’d like to make the one across the hall a legal library and conference room when needed. Right now, it’s empty.” He pulled her to the next room. “In time, I’ll have to hire a legal assistant and this office will belong to that person.”

  “Sounds like you have everything worked out. I’m really happy for you.”

  “The tour’s not over yet.” Next, he showed her the open front area. He pointed to the far right corner. “The receptionist's desk will go there, and several chairs on the opposite side. I’d also like to turn one corner into a children’s play area. Going into general practice, I’ll have a lot of clients with kids, and I want them to feel welcomed here.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea.” She squeezed his hand. “I think your talents were wasted in the city.”

  “I’ve prayed a
lot about this decision, and I know this is where God wants me to be.”

  “Then this is where you belong.”

  Here goes. “Is it where you belong, too?”

  Her chest rose with heavy breaths. “I’ve been praying.”

  And? “Have you received an answer?”

  “I…I think so.”

  Why won’t she just say? Is it possible the Lord gave us each different responses? “Before you answer, I want to show you the final office.”

  “What’s it for?”

  He exhaled on a prayer. “You.”

  “Me?”

  “I’ve wracked my brain for ways you could still have a career here. Then it came to me—many companies allow telecommuting. Most of your work can be completed from here, and you can fly to Charlotte as needed. Who knows if they’ll go for it, but isn’t it worth a try?” Enveloping her hands in his, he held her close to him. “I love you, Amie. I know you have a career in Charlotte, and that if I asked you to move here, the scales would be off-balance, that you’d be giving up much more than I would. But I have to ask because if I let you go without a fight, I’d regret it the rest of my life.”

  “You do want me to stay?” Doubt and hope merged into a single breath.

  Did she really not know? He thought back to early June when they’d finally confessed they’d both loved each other as teens. Nine years later, here they were, still lacking vital communication. That changed now.

  “Yes, I do.” Freeing one hand, he turned the brass doorknob and opened her office. “The furniture won’t stay—we’ll get you whatever you want—but I wanted you to see the possibilities.”

  Amie wandered into the room, strolled along each wall, and stopped at the desk. Picked up the name plate he’d had specially made for the moment.

  He drew in a deep breath, held it, waiting.

  Her gaze locked on the engraved name. “Amie Sullivan? Drew…”

  Taking two steps to reach her, he pulled a small box from his pocket. Dropped to one knee. “I’ve loved you from the time we were teenagers. Years ago, I made a horrible decision to let you go, and I don’t want to repeat that mistake. We’ve been granted a rare second chance. I love you and want to spend my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  She held out an unsteady hand. “Yes.”

  His own hand shook as he removed the solitaire from the box. He rose to his feet and slid the band on her finger. A perfect fit.

  Chapter Fifteen

  She couldn’t stop staring at the ring. Not because of its brilliance—which was breathtakingly beautiful—but because of what it symbolized. God’s timing was always perfect. If anyone had told her ten weeks ago, the day her wedding hadn’t happened, that she’d be happily engaged to another man, she would have had that person committed.

  Yet, here she was, promised to marry Drew, her first love. Tim seemed a distant memory, and she’d be forever grateful he’d run off to study that tribe. Marrying him would have been a miserable disaster, and she wouldn’t have known until it was too late.

  After Drew’s proposal, they’d come to the lake, sitting on the dock in Drew’s backyard. They hadn’t shared their news with anyone yet, choosing to celebrate privately for a few hours before making the announcement.

  Her feet skimmed the water, occasionally tapping Drew’s. “Do you think we’ll get sick of working in the same building?”

  “No,” he answered, not missing a beat. Kicking the water, he splashed a spray on her toes.

  “Good, because I had the same idea as you. I actually called my office last week to discuss options, and we worked out a tentative plan for me to work from here.” She didn’t mention the intense negotiating skills it had required, but Drew would be proud of her if she ever told him. “I’ll still have to travel, and sometimes go to Charlotte for a week at a time, but eighty-five percent of the time I’ll be here.”

  “That’s fantastic. Why didn’t you mention anything?”

  She arched both brows. “As if you have room to talk? You had your secret, I had mine.”

  A hearty laugh escaped. “True, true.”

  “I knew I couldn’t leave here, but I was scared to initiate the topic. It could have been the anxiety talking, or remnants of Tim jilting me, but I felt too vulnerable to bring it up.”

  Drew’s arm slid around her, massaged her shoulder. “You can tell me anything. I’ll be your husband. No matter what it is, trivial or serious, I’m your partner in life.”

  “I know, but you might have to remind me at times.”

  His massage turned into drawing circles with his index finger. “Today’s been a roller coaster.”

  “I can’t believe what a brat I was.” Her cheeks warmed when she thought about it. She essentially threw a tantrum about him not telling her when all he’d wanted was to surprise her with a proposal. “How long did you have this planned?”

  “Two weeks, since Aunt Sally spent the night in the hospital.” His phone rang, and he hit ignore without checking to see the caller. “That’s when I knew I couldn’t let you go, and had fallen irrevocably in love with you—a deeper, more meaningful love than when we were teens.”

  “I’m sorry again for how I acted earlier. I should have trusted you.” She bit her cheek, then amended her statement. “No, I do trust you, though I showed it poorly.”

  “All was forgiven hours ago.” His phone rang again, and he silenced it. “I’m about to throw it into the lake.”

  “You should answer if it rings again. Someone might need to get in touch with you.”

  “Probably Grant, my boss from the firm in Manhattan. He’s the only person who would continually bug me on a Sunday afternoon.” Drew sobered, and his features went taut. “Amie, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  His phone rang again.

  She lifted it from the wooden planks and handed it to him. “Answer it, then we can be in peace.”

  He scowled but took the phone. “It’s Dena.” Worry creased his forehead. “Hi, sis, what’s up?” His eyes spread wide. “What? How long have they been there?” He twisted his lips, listening. “Sorry, I was out with Amie. My phone never rang until a few minutes ago.”

  Covering the mic, he leaned over and whispered to her, “My parents came in early. Apparently they stopped by the house, but went to Dena’s when they saw no one was home.”

  “Should we go?” Butterflies broke free from their cocoons. She hadn’t seen Drew’s parents in years, and now she and Drew would be announcing their engagement to them. Would they think they’d rushed their relationship?

  “Soon.” He returned to the conversation with Dena. “No, keep them at your house for now. Amie and I will be there within a half hour.” He rolled his eyes. “Okay, see you soon.”

  “There goes our solitude.” She removed her feet from the water, put on her sandals.

  “We don’t have to go if you’d rather stay here.” Drew leaned backward, releasing a contented sigh. “I won’t argue.”

  “We have to face the world, eventually.”

  “I know, but sitting here, watching the sunset with you holds a greater appeal.” He leaned in to kiss her.

  “So tempting.” Reluctantly, she pulled away. “Can we stop by Aunt Sally’s first? If she’s home, I don’t want her to worry.”

  “I figured you’d want to, which is why I told them a half hour.”

  “Do you think your parents will approve of our engagement?” Anxiety kicked in. She wished she didn’t have to deal with it. Any issue that could cause normal worry would stress her out tenfold. Stress was stress—good or bad situations. And telling his family their news was somewhere way above normal.

  “They adored you when we were younger, and they know how I feel about you.” He stood then helped her to her feet. “I doubt our news will come as a surprise and don’t worry about them calling it too soon. They married only five months after they met for the first time.” He winked. “We’ve got years on them.”

  “Are yo
u serious?”

  Drew grinned as he slid his feet into dock shoes. “Well, I didn’t witness their meeting and engagement firsthand, but that’s what they’ve always told me.”

  A weight lifted from her chest. “That’s a little reassuring.”

  “Trust me, there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to my parents.”

  Ambling to the car, they were in no rush to leave. They lingered by the car, then in the driveway at Aunt Sally’s. Lights shone through several windows of the house, indicating she’d come home from her date with Mr. Zumbrum.

  “Ready to make our first announcement?”

  She nodded. Aunt Sally was the natural first choice with whom to share their news. From the time Amie had told her about running into Drew at the store, Aunt Sally had hinted, not so subtly at times, she’d love to welcome him to the family.

  The unlocked front door opened with a twist of the knob. “Aunt Sally, I’m home.”

  “In the kitchen, dear.”

  Amie exchanged a smile with Drew. “Think she had fun today?”

  “Considering she practically sang her greeting, I’d say so.”

  Aunt Sally stood at the counter, steeping a bag of tea. “Did you kids have a good day?”

  Another smile shared between them. “Yes. How was yours?”

  “Wonderful.” Looking up, Aunt Sally had a sparkle in her eye. She smiled, cast her gaze down, bashful all of a sudden. “We’re meeting for breakfast tomorrow.”

  Excitement for her aunt drove her across the room to hug Aunt Sally. “That’s fantastic.”

  When she released Aunt Sally and backed away, the overhead light caught the diamond in her ring.

  An ear-to-ear smile burst on Aunt Sally’s face. “Seems I’m not the only one who had a great day.”

  “We’re engaged.” She held up her hand for Aunt Sally to examine the ring.

  “Well done, son,” Aunt Sally pulled them together for a group hug. “I always knew you’d become part of the family one day. I just didn’t know I’d have to wait so long.”