Operation: Married by Christmas (17 page)

“Haley.”

Holding the can of paint like a shield, she swung around to find Will standing just inside the door. He didn't look happy to see her. And she knew she wasn't happy to see him, despite the ruckus her insides kicked up the instant he said her name.

Despite the peace she'd just felt, she wasn't ready to face him.

“Will,” she managed to say, trying to hide her shock. “What are you doing here?”

He looked uncomfortable, too. “I needed to make some adjustments to the tracks. I didn't see your car.”

Haley wiped a strand of hair out of her face with the back of her hand. “I rode with Applegate. He's down at the manger scene.”

“Oh, yeah, I saw him down there.”

Haley could tell he was uneasy. He'd come to avoid her and she'd messed up his plans.

“Look, this is silly. Don't let me stop you. I'm just doing a little last-minute work on the trees.” She waved the can of paint—as if the man couldn't see the massive can already.

Will hooked the thumb of his left hand through a belt loop. “Nate struck again. Those definitely needed some help.”

“That's what they're getting,” she quipped, shooting him a tight smile.
Uncomfortable
was not even close to expressing the vibe passing between them. “So, I guess you heard?”

He rocked on his boot heel. “Yeah. Got a call a few hours ago.”

“It made Applegate really happy.”

“I'm sure it did. Look, I hope you're making the right decision. I hope I didn't influence you to do something you're going to regret.”

Regret.
“Will, believe it or not, we may have our differences, but you helped me make the right choice.”

They stared at each other for a moment. “Look, I'm going to come back later to do this.”

He turned to go, and Haley realized he was leaving. “Will, this is ridiculous. I'm not going to be bothered by you working over there.”

He hesitated before striding to the stage. Haley's fingers tightened around the can as she spun away to stare unseeingly at the painting. She would get used to this.

Eventually, she and Will would be able to be around each other and not feel totally and utterly at odds. They would.

But it would take time. Time to forget the kiss—okay, so she hadn't meant to think about that kiss. But after all, it had only been roughly twenty-four hours since it had happened.

Twenty-four hours—was that all? Haley hesitated, caught up in the thought of the kiss. Oh yes, no way around it. It would positively take more than a mere twenty-four hours to forget Will's kiss.

But she could do it.

Would do it.

All she had to do was refocus on her plan. Which she had, and that was a good thing. She'd focus on moving, picking the property she wanted to purchase for renovating and selling, and on spending plenty of time with Applegate while adjusting to a better quality of life. Everything else would fall into place. She was certain that with plenty of prayer to keep her focused, she could handle being around Will. Just as long as they had limited alone time and no more wild berry chases or gator hunts.

Kisses were most assuredly out of the question.

But she knew the truth now. She paused with her brush hanging on the edge of the paint can and glanced at Will as he worked with his back to her. The truth was that no matter how many times her thoughts went back to the feel of Will's arms around her and the touch of his lips on hers, no matter how much she'd longed for him to love her despite the effect he had on her, she couldn't shake his betrayal and the grudge that remained because of it. The knowledge shook her and made her incredibly sad.

They'd been young and both made mistakes. She knew it was the truth. Still, she was having trouble accepting this. Prayer was a starting place. She had to trust that God would work everything out. She also had to take a long hard look at herself. Was she to blame? Had she been young and selfish? Remembering things like she'd wanted to remember them?

W
ill stayed away for the three days after running into Haley in the community center. He hadn't meant for that to happen.

Three long days where he woke at daybreak and fell into bed well after it grew dark. The work was the only thing that kept him from going into town and making a fool of himself, but thankfully he had a deadline to meet and that was his saving grace.

When he'd gone to Applegate's to talk to Haley, he hadn't told her all of it. He'd almost told her that he still loved her. But he'd realized it wasn't time. That she wasn't ready to hear it from him.

But he knew it.

He loved her. He'd never stopped loving her.

He wanted her to be his. He'd always wanted it, and though he'd been angry at her for years, despite everything, he still loved her. Even before realizing he'd been to blame for driving her away.

Now he'd been given the time he needed to convince her she loved him, too.

He just had to go about it patiently.

During the last three days, it hadn't been hard to keep up with what she was doing. His normally quiet workshop, where usually he could work without much interruption, had suddenly become Grand Central Station. The first day, Norma Sue, Esther Mae and Adela had stopped in. They'd come to thank him for his help with the production and to make certain that he planned to attend. While they'd been inviting him, they'd just
happened
to mention that Haley was keeping busy and would be helping with the dress rehearsal on Thursday night…and that he was on the props committee and though they knew he was busy, everyone, absolutely everyone was needed on the night of dress rehearsal and the two performance nights.

He thought they were very cute, and he was on to them one hundred percent. The little matchmakers were as busy as bees making honey trying to figure a way to get him and Haley together. He smiled thinking about it; he was happy to let them do their thing, as long as it was harmless. But he had to admit that so far they were right on target with all the couples they'd gotten together with their matchmaking.

But none of the couples had the kind of history that he and Haley shared, so he still wanted to be cautious.

The following day he had a visit from Applegate and Stanley. They came to tell him that whatever he'd done to keep Haley in town had worked. Applegate gave him one of his rare smiles that were starting to be seen more often than not, and it did Will's heart good to see it. It also reinforced what he'd felt was true—that Haley needed to be here, in Mule Hollow near Applegate.

Seeing App's happiness once more strengthened Will's resolve to keep his promise. If it took him staying out of Haley's way in order for her to come home and make her granddad happy, he would.

Even if it killed him.

And one day, when the time was right, and God was smiling on him, Will would get the desire of his heart.

Until then, he thought about her while he worked. Saw her smile up at him from the swing on Thanksgiving Day. Saw her looking up at him in bewilderment from behind the bars of the pig trap. Saw her madder than a hornet, covered in mud, glaring at him after he'd kissed her. And he saw her standing above him in the hayloft, pitchfork in hand, the sweet morning sun illuminating her from the open door. He saw it all, but what stood out to him was her spirit in all the situations. She was vulnerable, yet she was strong. She'd fought against the odds to become the woman she was today. And he admired her and loved her more because of it.

He'd been such a fool, but now he knew there was no other woman for him. And if it took a lifetime, he'd prove to Haley that they were meant to be together. He may have let her down once, but he would find a way to prove to her that he would never do it again.

On Thursday afternoon he watched the freight truck pull away with his shipment, and he had never been so happy to see an order go out as he was to see that one leave. He was bone-weary from all the late nights and early mornings, but there was something to be said for not being able to sleep. It got things accomplished. Tonight he had the dress rehearsal…and he had to be there.

It was required. Glory, glory. Promise or no promise, he had a free pass for the next three nights.

Turning toward his house he practically Texas two-stepped his way up the walk.

It was time to see Haley.

 

When Haley walked out of her bedroom ready to head to town for dinner at Sam's, then on to the dress rehearsal, she'd expected her impatient grandfather to herd her out the door to the truck as he usually did. She wasn't expecting to find him holding out a chair for her at the kitchen table.

“What's going on, Grandpa?” she asked as she sank into the chair and watched him start to pace. He looked so fierce and pensive at the same time.

“Haley Bell, it's time fer me to come clean. You know, with you and Will's anniversary comin' up and all, time is running out.”

She looked at him sharply. “We don't have an anniversary—”

He frowned. “Yep, darlin', you do. It ain't the one you should be havin' but the fact remains that you two share an anniversary whether ya want to admit it or not. And I gotta be straight, youngin, I still believe in my heart that when you ran off from y' all's wedding ten years ago come tomorrow, you made the mistake of yor life.”

“Grandpa—”

His lifted eyebrow halted her denial. “I said then that you run off from the man you was s' posed to marry. And you been running ever since. Nope, don't deny it. You've been running ever since. That's what I said then and it bears repeating. Especially now after proving it by standin' up these other two fellas. And I figure that it's about time you stopped. That's why I come up with this here plan, this covert operation…. Only I didn't figure you to be so hard-headed.”

“I'm hardheaded for reasons, Granddad,” she said, feeling defensive despite the fact that she'd started to have a change of heart.

“Not none that make a bit a sense to me. Just because a man wanted to take care of you, cherish you, and try ta keep you safe like the good Lord instructs him to…it just ain't right that ya hold that against him fer the rest of his life.”

His lips drooped deeper, his eyes narrowing. Haley crossed her arms defensively, even though she'd been at war with herself over these very thoughts.

“That boy ain't never told you why he decided to live here, has he?”

Not completely. Haley shook her head. She was getting a headache and she lifted her fingers to massage her temple. She'd never asked him and he'd never offered any explanation.

Applegate hung his head in disgust. “I tell ya. For two smart people, a body lookin' in who didn't know any better would thank the two of you were a few pegs short of a book—”

Haley stood and hushed him with an impulsive hug as much for him as for her. She knew he only wanted what was best for her. But he couldn't help her on this. Couldn't he see that? Still, the fact that he'd come up with a covert operation to get her and Will together again touched her. It was just so Applegate…at least the Applegate she'd started seeing for the first time since arriving home. The newly romantic-at-heart Applegate—the man her grandma Birdie must have always seen.

Squeezing him hard, she kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Grandpa. But, wrong or right, you can't do this for me. No one can. I have to fuddle my way through all of this on my own. No,” she amended. “I take that back. You can pray that God will lead me.”

 

An hour later she walked out of Sam's. Still fuddled and feeling restless, she'd excused herself ahead of the crowd. Outside, bowing her head against a blast of cold air, she'd only walked a few steps when she heard someone call Will's name. She looked up to see Ashby Templeton, the owner of the dress store, waving at Will as he stepped from his truck.

Irrationally panicked, Haley practically dove off the sidewalk to hide behind a truck so that Will wouldn't see her. It was the silliest thing in the world for her to do. But after not seeing him for three days and suddenly to be confronted with him like this, she reacted all…Haley Bell-ish!

She enhanced the image further when she peeked around the edge of the truck cab to watch him.

“Will,” Ashby called. “Could you help me for a minute?”

The smile he gave Ashby curled Haley's toes, and as he strode purposefully across the street toward the willowy brunette, Haley felt a stab of jealousy slash through her. When he laughed at something she said as he stepped up onto the sidewalk beside her, Haley felt sick. It was worse when they disappeared into the dress store, and Haley wanted to follow them.

Jealousy—the very idea irked Haley. Will Sutton could help every single woman who lived or came to visit Mule Hollow, and it shouldn't matter to her. Not in the least. After all, they were done. Weren't they?

The sound of an approaching truck reminded Haley that she needed to move on. She certainly didn't want anyone to see her hiding between trucks and start a new Haley Bell story, so she stepped back onto the sidewalk and hurried toward the community center. Berating herself all the way. Really, what did it matter to her if Will had been beaming like a lantern when Ashby had called his name? If there was no future for them, then she should be prepared for someone else to make a play for Will's heart. The idea didn't sit well with her. Still, as she let herself into the building, she reluctantly glanced back across the street. He was still inside the store. What could he be doing?

Pushing the question away, she went to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Since everyone would be working late, she knew coffee would be needed. She needed it. She saw that Dottie or one of the ladies from the Sweet Shop had dropped off a pan of brownies and some fudge as a treat for everyone. Haley thought that was really nice since they were working overtime trying to get enough stock made up to sell over the next two days. Haley opened the cabinet and pulled out the coffee canister and filter. Within moments she had the coffee brewing, but her attempt to distract herself with the task didn't do the job. The tickle at the back of her mind was hard to ignore. What was he doing over there at Ashby's?

Unable to stand it any longer, she stomped to the large front window and peered out like a nosy neighbor. She saw immediately that dinner was over at Sam's and there was a stampede of people coming down the sidewalk to report for dress rehearsal.

She also noted that neither Ashby nor Will were part of the group.

Seized by an irrational wave of guilt, despite no one knowing she'd been spying on Will, she spun from the window. Searching for something to do, she grabbed up a tablecloth and unfurled it over a table just as the doors flew open. People flooded inside in a rush of laughter and jokes.

It was a loud few moments of hustle and flow as people separated into their places for the night. All those with parts headed to the back of the building to the dressing rooms where they would change into their costumes for the first time. Adela went with the cast, since she was in charge of fitting and altering costumes. To Haley's dismay, Esther Mae hurried over to help her.

“I thought you were helping with costumes?” Haley said, trying not to sound too hopeful. Her head was too full of the sudden idea that if she wasn't careful, she might lose Will forever.

Esther shook her head. “Adela will call me if she needs me.”

Haley nodded, her attention snagged on Molly as her dark-headed husband, Bob, gave her a quick kiss. Haley watched the way they looked at each other before he headed to the back to change. As if not wanting to be away from her too long, he teasingly tugged on one of her dark curls before striding toward the dressing rooms. It was a sweet, endearing exchange that suddenly caused a lump to form in Haley's throat. Overwhelmed with sentiment, she busied herself with smoothing out the tablecloth, her thoughts swinging to Will. She was filled with a sense of urgency that she didn't want to feel. She'd been praying and asking the Lord to guide her,
calmly.
She didn't want to fall into her old pattern of making overly emotional decisions. Easier said than done when thoughts of the man hounded her. Again.

Everything made her think of him. As if he'd heard her, he slipped into the building a moment later, tall, breathtakingly handsome and smiling down at Ashby. He was carrying a box, and they looked so much like one of the other couples that Haley lost her breath.

“They are the cutest couple,” Esther Mae sighed. “They remind me of me and my Hank twenty years ago.”

Haley shot a glare at the older woman, only then realizing Esther Mae was watching Molly and Bob, referring to them, not Will and Ashby. Haley should have felt relieved—well, technically she shouldn't have been feeling anything. But that was moot at this point because she was startled by the sheer force of emotion raging through her. Even her hands trembled.

Thank goodness no one beside her seemed to notice her dilemma. Norma Sue's appearance that instant was a blessing.

“Everything reminds you of you and Hank,” she said in a hushed whisper coming down the aisle from the dressing room. “Now, what's up, Haley? We figure things must be going pretty good between you and Will, you know with you moving back and all,” she said, looking at Haley expectantly.