Oregon Outback (4 page)

“Sure, why do you ask?”

A knowing grin edged Julie’s lips. “You’ve been distracted today. I’m here to listen, if you want to talk. I’m not looking for gossip, don’t worry.”

Darcy laughed. Maybe it would be good to unload her burdens. Whether she said anything or not, people talked. They made up stories if they needed to. “What is it you want to know?”

Hands behind her back, Julie’s gaze traveled through the curios, gifts, and art, to peer through the glass storefront. “I know you and Jonas were an item once. What happened?”

Darcy sighed. “I thought everyone knew that story by now.”

“I know a story, but I want to hear the truth from you.”

Darcy admired Julie for asking for the truth instead of listening to the tales. How could she deny her? “All right. But I warn you, it’s not terribly interesting.”

“The whole town seems to be holding its breath. Like yours was the romance of the century.”

Then the whole town is going to pass out
. “Or maybe just the decade. I’m not that old.” Darcy hoped she could give the
Reader’s Digest
version.

“Jonas and I liked each other early on. I was thirteen when I first had a crush on him. By the time I was seventeen and he was eighteen, I was head over heels in love with the guy. And he returned it, I thought. But my father didn’t like the Love family, especially the brothers, who he thought were wild hooligans.”

“That never helps when a girl’s daddy doesn’t approve.” Frowning, Julie stared at the counter.

Was Julie going through something similar?

“Jonas proposed—well, not officially. He asked me to wait, and I think maybe I’m the one who messed everything up because I went to my father and asked for permission.”

Darcy shook her head. “Jonas was right about waiting until the right time. I think my father had been too busy shepherding his flock and didn’t realize how serious we’d grown. He wasn’t prepared to hear that Jonas and I wanted to get married. My father forbade me to see him again.”

“So what did you do?”

The doorbell rang, and a man pushed through the door. He appeared to change his mind and left before he’d even browsed.

Glancing at her watch, Darcy noted they only had fifteen more minutes until closing time. Thank goodness. “What did I do? I suffered behind the closed door in my room, praying my father would change his mind. Hoping that Jonas would wait for me. I dreamed about running away with him and propositioned him.”

If only God had answered her prayers for direction then.

“Obviously, that didn’t happen. But did you try to elope?”

“Jonas turned me down. I think he’d been sitting under my father’s counsel. At least that’s what I heard much later. In the end, Jonas left town.”

Julie gasped. “Without even saying good-bye?”

“That hurt me the most.” Darcy saw that clearly now, despite Mrs. Olson’s suggestion that God had given them a second chance.

“But, you still love him, don’t you?”

Finally, it was five o’clock. “Some people you never get over.”

“That’s too bad.”

Darcy sighed, her last words ringing in her ears. Was that how she really felt about Jonas? “I think you’re good to go, Julie. I’ll close out the register and clean up.”

Though Julie’s eyes remained concerned, her smile brightened. “You sure?”

“I’m sure. Have you got a date tonight?”

“Yes. I appreciate you sharing your story with me. I’m sorry that you’ve had to endure the town gossip. That has to be tough.”

After Julie left, Darcy opened a few boxes, a shipment she’d received earlier that week. She hadn’t told Julie the rest of the story. Over time she’d fallen back into the routine of life. She’d forgiven her father, but felt like he owed her something. Last week’s funeral brought her full circle. She’d given up the love of her life to do the right thing because she loved her father. Yet, he’d not given her the one thing she needed—his approval.

Though she was in the back, she heard the doorbell, the telltale signal she had another customer. With her distracted thoughts, she’d forgotten to lock the front door after Julie left. Darcy made her way through the back room and into the main shop. “I’m sorry, but we’re—”

The subject of her thoughts today, and her conversation with Julie, stood in the center of the store amid the art and junk. Lean, rugged, and tougher than when she’d known him before, the expression on his gorgeous face was hard, except for the torment behind his eyes.

The walls closed in around her.

Escape was impossible.

“What are you doing here?”

Did she really have to ask?

Dark and accusing, her hazel eyes stared at him like he’d committed a crime. Her thick hair was pulled behind her head again, a few strands hanging free, framing her pretty face and accenting her healthy complexion.

She looked good. But he already knew that.

Memories of running his fingers through her lush mane clawed at him. A decade ago and he could still remember. He scraped his hand across his freshly shaven jaw.

He’d wanted her to be his wife, he should be able to talk to her. But he’d been young then. Too young.

“Well?” She stepped over to the cash register.

How did she scramble his brains in less than fifteen seconds? He couldn’t think to answer. Nor was she going to make this easy on him.

All he wanted was to make progress.

She opened the register and started the process of closing it out, counting the cash, as though Jonas didn’t mean a thing to her. Never had. They’d spent a decade apart—could he still read her?

Yes. With the realization, he grinned.

In her eyes he recognized what he’d been looking for.

I need you to know why I left. That I’ve changed
. “I’m sorry for disturbing you. I just …”

Lucas had coached him to approach her as an old friend. Start at the bottom. But with their history, would that work? “I wanted to know how you’re doing.”

“I’m doing well. As you can see, I’ve got my own business here.” She barely glanced his way.

“I was sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. Thought we could talk.” He was floundering.

Darcy slammed the register drawer and yelped, yanking her fingers back.

Jonas rushed around the counter. “Let me see that.”

He took her hand in his and examined her red finger. He resisted the urge to kiss it. Like that would make it feel better.

Her soft skin sent his mind reeling back to years gone by, to what they had together. To what he’d lost in submitting to her father’s counseling—but he’d gained so much as well. Her father had helped him make sense out of his life.

Did she know that?
Lord, please give me the chance to explain
.

Darcy eased her hand from him. “Why are you here? Really?”

I thought we could be friends
. Too little, it wasn’t the truth.

I still love you
. Too much, it was too soon.

“I rehearsed a thousand times what I’d say to you once I saw you again.” He’d taken Lucas’s advice.

Ignoring her swollen finger and Jonas, she zipped the vinyl money bag stuffed with cash, then laid it on the counter. She looked up at him, her gaze expectant.

Much better.

“I don’t think it helped.” A cute little grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.

He loved that. To see her smile at him like she used to would be a good next goal. But was it reasonable? He pushed both hands through his hair.

“I think you’re right. Let me start over.” He cleared his throat. “I know it’s been a long time, but there are a lot of things left unsaid between us.”

Darcy thrust her hand up to stop him. “I prefer to leave the past where it belongs.”

She shoved from the counter and went into the back room. Jonas followed and watched her grab her purse and keys, holding the money bag under her arm. Did she realize that was dangerous? Or was Carnegie still safe compared to the rest of the world?

“Can you do that, Darcy?” Jonas stepped closer. “Can you leave unfinished business between us?”

She didn’t resist as he removed the keys and purse from her hands, the bag from under her arm, and placed all the items on the table.

He took both her hands in his, and though he was being presumptuous, he stepped into her personal space. Her nearness ignited the full force of his love for her. An explosive force, knocking him over, sending questions like shrapnel to pierce him.

Why hadn’t he returned sooner? How could he explain anything to her when he didn’t have the answers himself?

But she couldn’t handle the full weight of his confessions right now. That much he knew.

“Why don’t you join Lucas and me for a picnic after church Sunday? We’ll go hiking. Do something fun. Anything you want. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be in town and …” He grinned, hoping to disarm her. “I wanted to see you. Can you blame me for that?”

Okay, shut up. Give the girl a chance to speak
.

“I don’t know. Let me think about it.”

What was there to think about? Jonas swallowed his question. Her answer was something. “Okay.”

He couldn’t rush her. Building bridges took time. He’d made progress, and that was all he’d come here for.

T
hought I’d find you here.”

At Emily’s voice, Darcy turned from where she sat. Emily made her way through the sliding glass door at the back of Darcy’s house and crossed the grass in need of mowing, then sat next to her in a wicker lawn chair. “You didn’t answer your phone.”

Darcy pressed her head against the chair back and listened as the birds started up again, the cicadas, too. “Just needed some time alone, that’s all.”

“Oh great, now I’ve invaded your peace and quiet.” A few seconds of silence. Did she expect Darcy to dispute her statement? Then, finally, “Listen. About the other day—”

“You’re forgiven.” Darcy kept her eyes closed, relaxing the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders. They’d been friends long enough, few words were necessary.

“So … any news?”

“Somebody called me tonight. They’re interested in buying the store. I haven’t even listed it yet. Just put up that sign.”

“Wow.” Emily’s chair creaked. “That’s fast. Who wants to buy it?”

“I don’t know them personally. Just someone who happened in the store this week. We were really busy, by the way.”

“Business is good. You sure you want to sell? I mean, then what would you do?”

“Everything is happening so fast my head is spinning. I thought I knew what I wanted when I put that sign up, but I never expected someone to take me up on the business before the idea even settled in my head.”
Or my heart
.

“You haven’t given yourself much time to grieve your father’s death. Making big decisions probably isn’t a good idea yet.”

Darcy opened her eyes and gazed at her best friend. “Thank you for cleaning my kitchen, by the way.”

She’d come home this evening to find the counters empty of the casseroles that had grown rancid.

“I left you a couple in the fridge, in case you didn’t look. That Tater-Tot one looks good, and the lasagna. Maybe we could eat that after church Sunday, that is, if you’re going.”

A new pastor had taken her father’s position months ago, after he’d stepped down to deal with his illness. And now, it was a little difficult to sit there, listening to a man who wasn’t her father—the only preacher she’d ever had.

“Do you want to go on a picnic?” Darcy shut her eyes again.

“That could be fun. What did you have in mind?”

“Jonas invited me to go with him and Lucas.” Even with her eyes closed, she could tell Emily sat up and stared at her.

“Are you kidding me? That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

“I haven’t accepted yet. Still thinking.” Too much, too fast. “Why did he suddenly show up? And at my father’s funeral no less.”

“Well, a picnic is a start. Maybe you can get your answer. I think you need to give him a second chance. Everyone deserves that, don’t they?”

“I had put him behind me.” Darcy paused, finally recognizing the words for what they were. A lie. “Or so I thought. When I saw him on the road the day you decided to run out of gas, and then again, when he stopped by the store this week, I couldn’t get over how handsome he was.” Darcy smiled at her friend. “Better-looking than when we were kids, and that’s what we were. Just kids. There was something different about him. He was confident, sure of himself.”

“See? There you go. Add to that the fact that he contacted you shows he’s still got a thing for you.”

“Except that he mentioned he didn’t know how long he’d be here. What is the point in stirring things up, if he’s going to leave again?”

Emily stood and stretched. “You can’t know what he meant by that. Just get the facts before you make a decision. One picnic doesn’t mean you’re in love and getting engaged or married.”

Darcy wasn’t sure what it meant, other than a fierce battle to protect her heart. “I feel like I’m opening a door and the past is going to rush in. I don’t want that pain again.”

The very last thing she needed to do with the hope of a future in front of her, was set herself up to get crushed again under the weight of the love she’d once had for him.