A Valentine's Wish (6 page)

And no one knew Lori better than he did.

Andy drew a deep breath and lobbed the basketball toward the net.
Swish.

Maybe he still had a chance after all.

“I’
m never dating again.”

“Don’t give up. It’s only been a few days—we’ll figure out who your mystery man is. Be patient. I’ll come up with something.” Summer looked up from rummaging through a bargain bin of purses. “And here I thought I was negative.”

Lori checked the price on the bottom of a pink high-heeled pump and winced before setting it back on the shelf. “I’m not negative. I’m realistic. And while we’re waiting to figure it out, Monny’s avoiding me like I have Ebola or something.”

“He’s probably trying not to give you the wrong idea again.” Summer brushed her fingers against a purple feather boa that was part of a display.

“Maybe I should talk to Monny.” Lori sighed. “I don’t want work to be awkward because of a silly misunderstanding.”

“When does he go back to Italy?”

“Not for a few months.”

“Bummer.” Summer scowled at a pair of boots. “Why did you bring me here again? This place is too girlie. Nothing but shoes and purses.”

“Exactly. You need some color in your life.” Lori handed her
a pink purse. “Here. Valentine’s Day is in two weeks. This would be great.”

Summer ducked away from the bag as if it were going to consume her. “No way! I don’t do pink. And I definitely don’t do Valentine’s Day.”

“You need to do something other than black. You come across so hard and unapproachable.”

“Thanks, Boss.”

“You know what I mean.” Lori dropped the pink tote and snagged a gold purse with blue stitching from the same bin. “What about this one?”

Summer’s eyebrows knitted together, but she didn’t run away. “Better.” She looped the purse over her shoulder and stood beside the store’s full-length mirror. “What do you think?”

“Perfect. Picks up the glint in your eyebrow ring.”

Summer laughed and threw the purse at Lori. “Forget it.”

“Maybe this isn’t your kind of store after all.” A pair of black-and-white polka-dot stilettos caught Lori’s eye across the store. “But it’s definitely mine.”

“You could easily run a shop like this.”

Lori picked up the polka-dotted sandal on display and searched the pile of boxes for her size. “I used to want to.”

“Used to? Has working at the Chocolate Gator changed your mind?”

Lori tugged a size-nine box free from the stack and sat down to try them on. “It’s made me realize I’m not cut out for managing.”

Summer leaned against the shelf of shoes and scoffed. “Whatever. You figured out the coffee machine finally.”

“Most days, anyway.” Lori blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes and held up her foot to admire the sandal. “But it’s more than the coffee machine. The customers haven’t warmed up to me yet. I can’t bake, and I don’t know how many things I burned or messed up in the last two weeks.”

“So baking isn’t your forte. Big whoop.” Summer planted one hand against her jeans-clad hip, her black fingernails standing out against the bleach-washed denim. “Who says you have to open a bakery? You’re a shoe girl anyway.”

“How’d you know?”

“Besides the fact that you’ve worn uncomfortable heels every day to work and currently are up to your elbows in shoe boxes?”

“Yeah, besides that.”

“And the fact that your purse has matched your shoes in some form every day?”

“Maybe it
is
a little obvious.”

“And—”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Lori slid the sandal off her foot and stuck it back inside its cardboard home. “But wearing shoes doesn’t make me qualified to open a shoe store. Besides, I’d never have the money to do that.”

Summer rolled her eyes. “It’s called going to a bank.”

“Banks like a little thing called good credit. Of which I have very little due to maxed-out credit cards and a few late payments.” Lori pressed her lips together. It was her own fault. She’d done well enough at the aquarium the last few years but had grown bored. She wanted something new and exciting, an adventure. She wanted to be spontaneous and see what the world had to offer. So she got wind of a receptionist opening at a big law firm uptown, had a successful interview, gave two weeks’ notice, and voilà—unemployed. She’d been living off her credit card before going to work for Andy’s aunt, and even now, she still didn’t have a permanent job. Once Bella returned from Shreveport, she’d take over, and Lori would be back to searching the classifieds.

While her dreams of opening her own boutique dwindled faster than her savings account.

“I’m just saying I think you could do it.” Summer held up a pair of red ballet flats and grimaced. “Even if you did sell stuff like this.”

Lori slid her feet into her own shoes and put the red flats and the polka-dotted heels back on the shelf. “Well, thanks for your vote of confidence, but I can’t even begin to think about opening my own store if I can’t handle running the Chocolate Gator.”

They headed toward the shop doors. Why was everything going wrong at Bella’s store? Lori had successfully managed the gift shop at the Aquarium of the Americas and never had any trouble. In hindsight, she should have stayed there. But there was no advancement in that position, no career-ladder climbing. Just stocking and ordering and standing behind a counter all day.

If she was destined to be alone all her life, she wanted to at least have a successful, enjoyable career.

Summer pushed open the glass door, and Lori followed, casting one last look over her shoulder at the shoes she left behind. She wasn’t about to waste her first paycheck on more footwear—even if they were on sale. Food came first.

“Can we swing back by the shop before you go home?” Summer squinted against the fading winter sun and shaded her eyes with her hand.

“Sure. Did you forget something?”

“My jacket. Since the shop is closed tomorrow, I might need it.”

“No problem.”

The store was shut up tight for the coming weekend. Lori was glad Bella kept the shop closed on Sunday. She’d hate to miss church tomorrow because of work. She slid her key into the lock and flipped the light switch.

Summer edged past Lori and snagged her jacket from behind the counter. “Wow, it’s cold back here.” She shivered.

“It feels fine by the door.” Lori stepped farther into the shop with a frown. “That’s weird. The heater should have been on all day.”

Summer backed toward the kitchen. “It’s even worse over
here.” She slipped her arms into her jacket sleeves and pushed open the swinging kitchen door. “Uh-oh.”

Lori’s heart fell into her stomach. “What now?” She rushed after Summer and stopped short in the doorway to the kitchen. The commercial-sized freezer door hung wide open—exactly what it had probably done for the last several hours that they’d been gone to dinner and shopping.

Summer winced. “Guess there goes our next run of supplies.”

Lori couldn’t look away from the melting mess inside the freezer.
Guess there goes my job.

Andy caught Lori’s sleeve as she exited the pew in front of him. “Hey, there.”

Lori looked up in surprise, then smiled. Andy’s stomach flickered at the response, until he noticed her puffy eyes. His own smile faded. “You okay?”

“Didn’t get much sleep last night, that’s all.” Her soft words were almost swallowed by the organ’s closing chords.

“Too much chocolate before bed?” Andy crossed his arms over his chest, hoping to hide the fact that his heart threatened to leap from his button-down and go hopping across the pew into Lori’s arms.

She groaned. “Don’t even mention chocolate.”

He pressed his hand to Lori’s forehead. “You
are
sick, aren’t you?”

She ducked away with a short laugh. “Just a little mishap at the store. Everything’s fine.”

Andy braced himself for the bad news he’d have to pass on to Bella. “What happened?” He really wanted Lori to succeed at this job, not only because he had referred her, but because Lori needed this. She’d been down since leaving the aquarium, and a career pick-me-up was definitely in order. Whatever had happened, it must have been pretty bad to keep her up all night. No wonder her head had kept drooping during the church service.

Lori’s expression stiffened along with her shoulders. “Nothing happened. I mean, nothing I can’t handle.”

“I never doubted that.” Andy’s grin did little to ease the tension lines in her face, and his stomach flickered again, this time out of concern. “Come on, tell me.”

She averted her eyes. “I found out the other day that Monny wasn’t my secret admirer after all.”

Andy’s breath whooshed from his body in one triumphant release. “You did?” He struggled to keep his exuberant grin toned to a more natural response. Forget whatever happened at the store—this was great news. One less obstacle between him and Lori. Then reality slammed Andy with a cross-punch. Was the reason behind her lack of pep today disappointment over Monny instead of whatever had gone wrong at the shop? If so, then even with the truth revealed, Andy might still have some competition from the Italian chef. He instantly sobered. It looked as if Lori’s ban on dating had been lifted—but not to Andy’s advantage if she was interested in some other guy.

“Yeah, I did.” Lori still wouldn’t look at him, and she seemed ready to bolt from the pew at any minute. She’d had that same distant look last time he stopped by the store.

Andy’s mouth dried. Somehow, he had to keep her here. “Do you want to grab some lunch and talk?” Not that he wanted her to cry on his shoulder about Monny, but being with Lori in any regard was better than not being with her. Besides, he might be able to pry out of her the details of what happened at the store that was so bad. Bella would need to know.

“No. I told you, everything is fine.” Lori stepped aside to let an elderly gentleman exit the pew, then cradled her Bible in her arms. She stared down at the floor.

Andy lowered his head, trying to catch her gaze. “I feel like we haven’t talked in forever. Are you sure you’re not hungry?”

“It’s not personal. The store is keeping me really busy,
that’s all.” She blew a wisp of her hair out of her face. Her smile looked tired and forced. “I’m just going to go home and take a nap.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. Pushing would probably make things worse. He stepped out of the aisle so she could move past him. “Are we still on for movie night this Friday?”

Lori hesitated.

“I know Carter and Gracie are gone this month and can’t join us as usual, but come on. It’s tradition.” He smiled, hoping his plea didn’t sound as pathetic to her as it did to him.

After an eternity, Lori nodded. “Sure. I’ll bring the chocolate.”

“I’ll bring the popcorn.”

“Sounds good.” She edged another step toward the door, obviously wanting to leave.

Andy held up his hand in a wave, fighting the urge to reach for her and try to hug away her problems. “See you Friday, then.”

He hesitated before following Lori up the aisle, not wanting to crowd her space. A firm grip on his arm stopped Andy mid-stride, and he turned to see Pastor Mike wearing a tense smile.

“Mornin’, Pastor. Great sermon today.” Andy smiled back, but Mike’s expression didn’t change.

“Thank you. It seemed to be received well.” The pastor’s eyes were directed over Andy’s shoulder, and he had yet to release Andy’s arm. “Listen, son, I’m not trying to pry, but have you considered my request any further?”

“Of course.” Andy nodded respectfully, even though a thousand knots tied simultaneously in his stomach. A second talk already? The pressure on the church must be worse than Andy first imagined if Pastor Mike was stooping to this level of confrontation. Andy swallowed. It wasn’t his fault Lori had yet to notice his intentions. He was trying all he knew to try. If he blurted his feelings spontaneously, Lori would bolt—much like she’d just done.

“I know this marriage business is tricky, but son, if you don’t get serious about finding a bride, I’m not sure how much longer I can hold off the board.” Pastor’s Mike’s voice lowered. “They’re on me constantly with phone calls from parents. Our recent drop in youth-group numbers is partially because of this. Families are concerned for their kids ever since that scandal across town.”

Andy’s mind whirled. He knew he’d seen a drop in attendance lately, but he’d chalked it up to a winter slump. Summer was always a busier time of year, as there were more events offered. “Are you sure they aren’t paranoid, Pastor? We have the spring retreat coming up, and it’s always a hit. I’m sure attendance will—”

“I’m just telling you what I know,” Pastor Mike interrupted with a firm clap on Andy’s shoulder. “Keep up that effort, all right? Even an engagement would hold them awhile.”

Andy nearly choked at the idea of proposing to Lori this soon. She’d probably laugh in his face and assume it was yet another one of his many jokes. Andy’s throat tightened, and he sputtered a dispute.

Pastor Mike stopped his effort with a raised hand. “I realize you’re doing all you can and that this kind of thing takes time. I know that. Others, however…” Pastor Mike’s voice trailed off, and the meaning of the unspoken words struck Andy with numbing clarity.

He managed to pat Pastor Mike’s back in return. “Yes, sir.”

The pastor slipped up the aisle. Andy followed slowly, nodding at parishioners crowding the front doors in their exit and hoping his inner turmoil didn’t show on his face. Which of the congregation members had complained to the senior staff about his single status? Which smiling face had gone behind his back out of fear instead of trusting his heart?

More importantly, which one started this snowball with Lori that was rapidly turning into an avalanche?

Lori tucked the afghan over her shoulders and nestled her plate in her lap. Her ignored stomach started growling as soon as she arrived home. No wonder—she’d skipped dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Emotionally beating herself up tended to distract her from food. How could she have left the freezer door open so carelessly when she’d left for the day? There was no telling yet how much money she had cost the shop in supplies. She’d have to reorder first thing in the morning and hope they could do a rush delivery. That’d be an additional fee.