Catching Serenity (24 page)

Her
assistant pushed her shoulder-length dark, wavy hair behind one ear and gave her a skeptical glance, as if she suspected she wasn’t being entirely forthcoming. “No, he didn’t give me a name or a card. He was overdressed for Croisette Shores, but he looked sharp. Dark suit and fancy silk tie. Nice looking, shorter than Jackson, but then, most men are. Brown, straight hair. I couldn’t see the color of his eyes. His voice was masculine, but not as deep as Jackson’s.”

S
erenity moved a hand to her hip. “Must you compare every man to Jackson?”

“
Yeah, I kinda do,” Kelsie said. “He’s more or less the measure of a man around Croisette Shores. Your doctor friend’s caused quite a stir among the womenfolk in the village.”

“
That’s really none of my business. While I admire your powers of observation, Kelsie, I really can’t think of anyone I know who matches the description of this man. Let me know if you see him or if he comes into the office again.” Shaking her head, Serenity dropped the junk mail in her trash can and dumped the rest on her desk, feeling a sense of relief when Kelsie departed without another word. Although she appreciated her assistant’s sunny disposition, she wasn’t in the mood today. After making a few phone calls to her father’s health care provider and confirming the ongoing arrangements for his care during the upcoming week, she pushed away from the desk and walked back to the outer office.

“
Kelsie?”

Her assistant sw
iveled in her chair. “I knew it! You’re going out with
two
guys, aren’t you? Not a big surprise, really. If I looked like you, boss, I’d never need to buy groceries.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“
For the record, I’m not even going out with one,” Serenity said. “And you’re a lovely girl. You’ll meet the right guy when the time comes.”

Skepticism was written all over
the younger girl’s pretty face. “Thanks, but don’t change the subject.” She laughed when Serenity waved her hand. “The way I see it, you might not think you’re going out with Jackson, but
he
believes you are.”

Crossing her arms, Serenity frowned.
“Yes, we do things together, but only as friends and business acquaintances.”

“
Denial is a sin, boss.”

“
So is idol worship, but I’m not engaging in either one.” Dumb comment, but Serenity couldn’t come up with anything better. She headed back into her office then thought of something else and turned around again. “So, this other man came into the office? When was that?”

Kelsie smirked.
“I thought you weren’t interested.”

Serenity blew out a sigh.
“I sign your paycheck. Give it up, Kelsie.”

“
He came in right before lunch and asked when you’d be in. I asked if he had an appointment and he said no. I gave him your business card.” Her eyes widened. “That was okay, right?”

“
Sure. That’s why they’re on your desk. Did he mention needing an interior decorator?” Serenity tried to control the rapid acceleration of her pulse, but it wasn’t working. Why was some man in a suit at her place of business and asking about her? “Did he say anything else?”

Kelsie thought about it a moment before snapping her fingers.
“No, but he did something I thought was kind of odd, now that I think of it.”

S
erenity was almost afraid to ask. “What was that?”

“
He walked over to that photo on the wall. He didn’t ask any questions but stood there, staring at it like he was trying to take a mental picture or something.” Serenity didn’t need to follow the direction of Kelsie’s finger. She knew very well which photo. The one she debated whether to mount on the wall, a constant reminder of her past. But it was also part of her heritage, so there it was, on the side wall, not visible to everyone unless they walked closer to her office. She moved her gaze across the room and landed squarely on the smiling but immovable eyes of her mother.

~
CHAPTER 24~

Serenity watched with interest as
Jackson and Deidre’s husband, Weston, hit it off like old pals at Melvin’s on Saturday night. The two men kept up a steady stream of conversation punctuated with frequent laughter. You’d think they’d known each other for years. Of course, Wes peppered Jackson with questions about his car. All Serenity could think about was how gorgeous Jackson looked in his dark suit, white pin-striped shirt and red silk tie. The man cleaned up extremely well.

“
What are you two frat boys yakking about now?” Deidre teased. “You’d better calm down or they’ll send the waiter over here to shush you up. Melvin’s is a sophisticated, upscale joint and you’re embarrassing us.”

“
Why send a waiter over when
you
do it quite well? The shushing, that is,” Wes said. “You’re never embarrassing.” He planted a kiss on his wife’s cheek. “You ladies will be happy to know we’ve come to an agreement on the landscaping of the playground,” Wes said, pride lacing his announcement. “I’m donating my professional services in exchange for some free shrinking for our kids.”

Serenity shot a grin at Jackson. So much for gathering bids. Wes had this one wrapped up in less than an hour. He
was
good. No wonder he and Deidre were an unstoppable team in their business endeavors.

“
Shrinking?” Deidre laughed. “Is that what the Freudian set is calling it these days, Jackson?”

“
It’s an unofficial term,” Jackson said, smiling, “but contrary to what Wes says, I imagine your kids are very well-adjusted. Of course, I reserve the right to change that assessment once I meet them.”

Deidre winked at Serenity.
“That’s debatable in light of recent events. Stephanie’s threatened to chop off her gorgeous long hair in support of some new environmental cause and Paul’s decided to collect coats for the homeless.”

“
Both worthy causes, especially for kids so young,” Serenity said, sipping her water with lime and meeting Jackson’s admiring gaze over the rim of her glass. The pale blue silk sheath  she’d found on her Thursday excursion to Clara’s with Deidre was the perfect fit, color and price. When he’d picked her up at her door, Jackson kissed her cheek and told her how lovely she was. The compliment meant more than he could know. She hadn’t
felt
lovely in a long time, either inside or out.

“
You think so?” Deidre asked, startling her from her daydreaming. “Tell me how my well-intentioned but misguided daughter chopping off her long, beautiful hair is going to further the cause of some endangered spider in the rain forests because their webs can be used as a cure for some rare, tropical disease. What?” Deidre said as Serenity nudged her arm. “Okay, I know there’s no such thing, but I said it to prove the ridiculousness of it all.” She raised her hands in a helpless gesture as the others hid their grins.

“
Donating her hair to cancer patients would be a good solution,” Serenity said.

“
Now, there you go!” Deidre sat back with a satisfied smile. “I can get behind
that
idea.”

“
Honey bunny, you know our kids.” Wes’s voice was soothing as he covered Deidre’s hand on the tabletop and squeezed. “By next week, they’ll be focused on some new pet project. We can take heart in the fact they’re thinking outside the box and expressing a desire to help someone other than themselves. Like our friends Jackson and Serenity here with the playground.”

Deidre leaned her head on her husband
’s shoulder. “Are you saying we actually did something right?”

“
I’d say I did the right thing by marrying you,” Wes said. “Still, we should keep the free shrinking offer on the table. Once Steph and Paul get to college, anything’s possible. Now, let’s talk some more about the landscaping for the playground.”

“
Sounds like a plan,” Jackson said, raising his glass in a toast, winking when he touched his glass to hers.

“
So, honey bunny, that was a fun evening.” Jackson sat beside her on the top step outside her front door three hours later. It was a gorgeous night, balmy but not too humid. The stars winked at them in the clear night sky. With him sitting so close, his elbow resting lightly against hers, Serenity’s breathing grew shallow with the exhilaration of heightened awareness. The musky scent of his aftershave was heady and masculine. He’d removed his suit jacket and tie, his sleeves were rolled and he’d unbuttoned the top of his shirt.

“
Jackson, tell me something.” She stretched out her legs, crossing one ankle over the other, fully aware Jackson watched every move. The sparks flying between them tonight were palpable.

“
Anything.”

“
Have you ever called a woman a pet nickname?”

His eyes met hers.
“I called someone sweetheart once. Not very original, but she wasn’t really a
honey bunny
kind of gal.”

“
What happened?”

“
She decided she’d rather be someone else’s sweetheart.”

“
How old were you at the time?”

“
Twenty-one and still in college. I had stars in my eyes. We both did.”

“
Did you date long?”

“
A little over a year. Long enough to put a ring on her finger and ask her to join me in marital bliss.”

“
I’m sorry.”

He shrugged.
“Don’t be. We both had some growing up to do and the relationship taught me a lot. Breaking it off was the right thing to do, although it took a while to get over it. I’m thankful Laura had the foresight to see it wouldn’t work out between us for the long haul before we made a colossal mistake. Neither one of us was a Christian, either, and I think in some ways, it was the Lord’s protection, saving us both from future heartache. After that, I dated a lot, but nothing serious. I pretty much concentrated on my career and establishing my practice.”

S
erenity reached for his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder as they sat and talked. Time lost all importance as they shared childhood memories and traded fun stories of school antics and accomplishments. At one point, Serenity heard Mrs. Marciano calling for Mr. Darcy to come inside. From the corner of her eye, she knew her neighbor watched them.

“
That you over there, Doc Jack? Keeping Miss Serenity company on such a fine night?”

Jackson chuckled and they both waved.
“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Marciano.” He turned to her when the elderly woman went back inside her house. “Have I told you how great you look tonight?” he said.

“
A few times, yes. If nothing else, you’re very good for my ego.”

“
I want to make sure you know I’m thinking of you when you go to bed tonight. And ditto when you wake tomorrow morning.” They were venturing into dangerous territory. Jackson brought out emotions and feelings she’d believed long buried.

When
Jackson stood up and held out one hand, Serenity allowed him to pull her to her feet. Her gaze fell on the large Tuscarora Crape in the front yard. With its coral-colored blooms, majestic and beautiful, the tree served as a protector of sorts, giving her privacy in her little house and shielding her from the rest of the world.

“
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding
,” he whispered, his warm breath against her skin, his lips brushing against her temple. “
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
” Jackson moved his lips to her brow where he planted a light kiss. Even as she leaned into it, Serenity sensed he wanted to say more, desired more than a soft kiss on the forehead. Such a gentleman, this man. “Thanks for tonight. I had a great time meeting your friends, and being with you.”

“
Wes and Deidre are quite the pair, aren’t they?”

“I
’m glad you have them in your life.” He angled his head toward Mrs. Marciano’s house. “Not to mention your sworn protector next door.”

“Be glad Mrs. Marciano likes you. She wields a mean cast iron skillet.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll try to be good. Good night.” He released her. Draping his jacket over his shoulder, he started down the front steps.

“Jackson?”

He turned around slowly. The way she felt in this moment, she’d be content simply looking at him the rest of her life. “Yes?”

“Am I…honey bunny material?”

That sexy, slow grin surfaced. “Oh, yeah. Good night, sweet Serenity.” In the moonlight, his eyes caressed hers.

Warmth enveloped her as she watched Jackson climb into that fabulous car. It suited him well. Looking down at her hand, she marveled over how she missed Jackson
’s hand around hers. It suited her well, too. Climbing into bed a short time later, she understood Jackson waited on her cue to take their relationship to the next level. More importantly, he waited on the Lord’s timing.

Reaching for her Bible, Serenity opened it, fingering the pages as if they were spun gold. This book was precious, yes, but sh
e needed to read it. Absorb it.

She wanted the pages to be turned so often they became well-worn. Reading verses of scripture would help heal the frayed edges of her heart like nothing else. But first, she
’d pray. Falling to her knees by the side of her bed, Serenity burrowed her head in the bedspread.

I want to be worthy, Father. Help me be worthy of Your love. I
’ve done so many things wrong in my life, but I’ve tried to be a good person. I love how You see my heart and who I am inside and not on the outside. You’ve taken on all my faults and made me clean again. I don’t deserve it, but I guess that’s what mercy and grace is all about it. And, if it’s not too much to ask, please help me be worthy of Jackson’s love. He’s a good man, and I only want the best for him. I never thought I’d be anybody’s best. I’m willing to try, but I’m going to need You beside me
.