Chocolate for Two (20 page)

I got home around seven thirty, which gave me a half hour before Jake came over. I hopped in the shower. As the hot water ran over me, I closed my eyes and made a mental list of all the things I had to accomplish over the next few days. The burden of finding a replacement for Paige was gone, thank God, but the list was still pretty long. One looming item was to come up with a list of topics for future
Honey on Your Mind
segments.

A list within a list, great.

After I was done showering, I wrapped my hair in a towel and sat down on the couch to call Courtney. I had one voice mail, from just before I left for my run.

6:41 p.m.:
Bryson, it’s Dave. Are we still on for a drink tonight? Say seven thirty? I don’t want to get stood up again, so I thought I’d call to confirm this time…ha. Let me know.

I pressed my free palm over my eyes.

Oh no.

I hadn’t stood Davey up again, had I? I knew I’d asked to reschedule for Monday, but he’d never replied, so I figured that meant he couldn’t make it. It had seemed like a logical conclusion—until now.

We had our wires completely crossed.

I called him back right away but got his voice mail.

“Davey, hi, I just heard your message and am soooo sorry. I didn’t think we had plans for tonight because I didn’t get a return text from you. Or maybe I just didn’t see it? Who knows, because apparently I’m losing my mind. Please call me back so we can try again. Again, I’m so sorry. By the way, um, this is Waverly. Thanks, bye.”

I set the phone down and shook my head.

You are pathetic.

I decided to get dressed and dry my hair before calling Courtney. That would give me time to compose myself and put on a professional face, or voice. How could I have screwed up meeting with Davey
twice
?

It was almost eight when I finally sat down to make the call. I’d just dialed her number when the sound of a knock on my
door startled me. It had to be Jake. With the sound of Courtney’s phone ringing in my ear, I trotted to the front door and opened it.

Jake was standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers.

I wanted to hug him, but instead I pointed to my phone and put a finger over my lips. Then I mouthed the words
I’m sorry
.

He smiled and gestured to the kitchen, then mouthed the word
vase
? I nodded and hurried to the couch just as Courtney answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Courtney, is that you?”

“Yes.”

“Hi, it’s Waverly Bryson, um, from Waverly’s Honey Shop?” I pressed my hand against my forehead.
Get it together.

“Waverly, hi. How are you?” Her voice was soothing and kind, which helped me relax a little. I could hear Jake turn on the faucet in the kitchen.

“I’m good, thanks. I heard you met the rest of our little team today.”

“Yes, Tasha and Beth. They were lovely.”

“Well they loved
you
, that’s for sure.”

“Really? I’m glad to hear it.”

“Paige too. Actually all of us. We all loved you, um,
love
you.” For a moment I wondered if professing your love to a prospective employee was wildly inappropriate, but I quickly moved on. “So, um, well, we’ve all discussed it, and we’d love to offer you the position.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if you’d like to take it. We think you’d be perfect.” I sat up straighter in an effort to project more authority into my voice.

She didn’t reply for a moment, so I kept talking.

“I know Paige is going to be hard to replace, but she and I are both convinced that if anyone can do it, you can.”

“Thanks, Waverly. I can tell Paige is great, so I appreciate that.”

“So…what do you think?” I bit my lip.

She hesitated for a moment, and I held my breath.

“I’m sorry, Waverly, but I accepted another offer this afternoon.”

My heart sank.

No!

“Oh,” I said, my professional demeanor melting away. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jake lingering in the kitchen, giving me space. “Did I wait too long to call you?”

“No, it’s not that at all. I think you guys are great, but the other position is with a larger company that can offer me better benefits, more vacation, on-site child care, things that I just couldn’t turn down.”

“Oh,” I said softly.

“I’m sorry, Waverly.”

“It’s okay, I understand.” I felt like I’d just been turned down by a boy I’d asked to the Sadie Hawkins dance. In all the time that we’d been searching for the right person, it had never occurred to me that the candidate I wanted wouldn’t want me back.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone great,” she said.

I smiled weakly into the phone.
If you only knew how hard it was to find you.

Neither of us spoke for a moment, and then she mercifully pulled the plug.

“Well, thanks again for calling, Waverly. You take care, okay?”

“You too. Bye, Courtney.”

I hung up the phone, then looked over at Jake without speaking.

“I’m sorry,” he said with a sympathetic smile.

I put my face in my hands, and before I even realized it, I was crying.

“There has to be someone in New York City who could do what Paige does,” Jake said.

I picked up a piece of pizza. “I wish I believed that.”

He looked around the restaurant. “Cheer up. You’ve been talking about this place for months, and now we’re finally eating here together. Small victories, right?” We’d finally made it to Grimaldi’s.

I half laughed. “I guess so.”

“And speaking of small victories, that hill you’ve been running looks like a great workout.”

I took a bite and raised my eyebrows. “For
you
, probably not. For me, definitely.”

“Come on, give yourself a little credit.”

I sighed and set the pizza down. “I’m sorry, I’m just feeling…sorry for myself. Two hours ago I was on top of the world, and now I’m in the gutter.” I picked up a napkin and slowly tore it into little pieces. “Now I know what people mean when they describe something as being an emotional roller coaster.”

“A roller coaster would be pretty boring if it never went downhill, right?”

I looked up at him. “What?”

He pointed out the window. “What would be the point of running up that hill if it weren’t hard?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about
life
, Waverly. This is what happens in life. Sometimes things don’t go the way you thought they would, and it’s not fun, but you just have to keep going anyway.”

I sighed and kept making napkin bits. “I know.”

“Do you?”

I raised my gaze again. “Do I?”

“Yes,
do
you know? It’s hard watching you beat yourself up for things that you have no control over.”

I looked at his beautiful blue eyes, and for a moment I saw myself through them. Whiny, weak, defeated.

It wasn’t a pretty sight.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Jake. I need to snap out of it.”

“Don’t apologize to me, Waverly. But you
do
need to snap out of it.” He smiled and reached a hand over mine. “It’s just a bump in the road. A very long road.”

I interlaced my hand with his. “You’re right. You’re
always
right, damn you.”

“Of course I’m not
always
right, but trust me—this is just a tiny speed bump. You’ll be past it in no time.”

I pulled my hand away and picked up a piece of pizza. “I haven’t even told you everything yet. I also flaked on Davey again tonight.”

“Again? Why?”

“Total communication breakdown. He thought we were getting together for a drink because I’d suggested tonight, and I thought we weren’t getting together because he hadn’t confirmed. But however you slice it, I look like a flake.”

“So what’s he doing in New York anyway?”

“His wife’s in school.”

“I remember you mentioned that, but what about him? Where’s he working?”

I shrugged and swallowed a bite of pizza. “I have no idea, because I still haven’t seen him. I imagine he’s looking for a jo—”

The word was halfway out of my mouth before the lightbulb in my head went off.

“Oh my God! I should see if Davey can help me out until I find someone. He’d be amazing!”

Jake tapped a finger to his temple. “There’s the girl I love.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait a minute. How long have you been thinking that?”

“Not long. Longer than
you
, but not long.”

I laughed. “Damn you, Jake McIntyre.”

“Maybe those casablancas I brought you tonight will be appropriate after all.”

“Is that what they were?” I’d been too distracted by the Courtney situation to ask what the flowers were called, much less if they stood for anything.

He nodded. “Casablancas mean celebration.”

“I have no idea how you know that, but I like it.”

He reached across the table and wiped a bit of pizza sauce off my chin. “Me too. I was thinking we could use them in our wedding, if you like that idea.”

“You’re declaring a preference for something that has to do with our wedding? What’s gotten into you?”

He coughed. “I must be coming down with something.”

After dinner, I left Davey a message on the walk home.

“Hey, it’s me again, um, Waverly. I’m so sorry for messing up tonight, I’m sort of a bit scattered these days, but what’s new, right? Anyhow, um, I’d love to get together with you as soon as possible. And, um, I actually have something important to talk
to you about, so please let me know when you’re free. Okay, then, well, thanks, okay, bye.”

I hung up and looked at Jake. “Do you think I’ll ever get better at leaving voice mails?”

He pointed up the hill. “I’m not answering that. Want a piggyback ride?”

I grinned and prepared to jump on his back. “What a perfect way to change the subject.”

Davey didn’t call me back all week.

By Friday I’d left him two more voice mails and sent him a couple of texts. Nothing.

Where is he?

Is he really that annoyed with me?

I was beginning to feel like a stalker.

Paige’s baby was inching closer to the oven door, and I was getting desperate.

I’d just finished taping a segment for
Honey on Your Mind
on the steps of the New York Public Library in Midtown when I felt my phone buzz inside my purse. I rushed to answer it, hoping it would be Davey. No luck.

I stiffened, then forced a smile into the phone.

“Hi, Mrs. McIntyre.”

“Waverly, hello. How are you today?”

I figured there was no reason to get into my overwhelmed state of mind, so I lied.

“I’m doing well, thanks. Um, what’s up?”

“I’m calling because I’d like to throw you a bridal shower.”

I stopped walking.

“Really?”
How nice of her.

“Of course, dear. You’re going to be my daughter-in-law soon. The least I can do is throw you a proper shower.” I knew that “proper” was a euphemism for “fancy.”

You mean in addition to throwing me a fancy wedding, buying me a fancy dress, and paying for a fancy honeymoon?

I was…touched.

“Wow, um, that’s really nice of you, Mrs. McIntyre. Thanks.”

“My friends have already been asking about it, so I’d like to get it on the calendar soon. I was thinking the second weekend in October. Would that work for you?”

I flinched. That was my birthday weekend.

I hesitated, not sure what to say.

“Waverly?”

Just say no, Waverly.

You can do it!

“Waverly, dear, are you there?”

I swallowed and finally answered. “Um, well, um, that’s actually my birthday weekend.” I could barely get the words out but was proud that I had.
Why am I so afraid of her?

“Oh gosh, then, even more reason to celebrate.”

Huh?

My subtle approach was clearly not working.

Just tell her you can’t do it, Waverly!

Say you already have plans that weekend!

I hesitated.

Just say it!

I bit my lip.

“Um, okay, sure, that weekend should work,” I heard myself say.

Caved again
.

“Wonderful. We’ll do it that Saturday afternoon. Where are you registered?”

As if we had even thought about registering.

I pressed a palm against my forehead. “Um, we haven’t done that yet.”

“You haven’t registered?” She sounded horrified.

“Not yet. I’ve…I’ve been really busy…at work.”

“Oh…”

I winced. Even though her friends watched
Love, Wendy
, I knew it bothered her that my career was so important to me.

“But we’ll do it right away. I promise, Mrs. McIntyre.”

“Yes, yes, please do so I can include it in the invitation. And please let me know when you’ve booked your flight. I’ll pick you up at the airport, of course.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“It will be lovely, just lovely. While you’re down here, we can also pick out the dresses for the attendants. Have you decided how many you plan to have yet?”