Where Two Hearts Meet Page 7

  “Allie, it’s me.”

  Recognition flashed through her. She hurried over and unlocked the door.

  Tyler stood in the doorway, wearing jeans and a soft blue shirt and carrying a large black portfolio. He looked at her with a somber, almost haggard expression.

  She greeted him with a tremulous smile. “Hi.”

  He walked in and shut the door.

  She stepped forward and hugged him, but he remained stiff and unyielding in her arms.

  Fear moved through her, tightening her stomach. She stepped back and looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”

  A storm brewed in his brown eyes. “What’s going on, Allie?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve just been through one of the toughest times in my life. I needed you.” His voice sounded hushed and strained. “Where have you been?”

  Shock waves jolted through her. “What do you mean, where have I been? You’re the one who disappeared without a word.”

  “I called you Friday night before I left.”

  “I waited here until after seven. The phone never rang. I went to Tessa and Matt’s for my birthday, but the whole time I was worried about you.”

  A painful, confused look filled his face. “I’m sorry about your birthday. I called your house from the airport. I explained everything.”

  “What were you doing at the airport?”

  “Didn’t you listen to your answering machine?”

  She lifted her hand in exasperation. “There was no message from you, only one that started with a long pause, and I knew—” Too late, realization flashed through her.

  “That was me. I had a hard time getting started. I wanted to talk to you, not leave a message.”

  Allie sank onto the wooden bench. “I thought it was a sales call. I deleted it.” She looked up and noticed the tired lines around his eyes. “Where did you go?”

  “I had to fly to Florida. My dad had a heart attack.”

  She pulled in a sharp breath, regret tightening her throat. “Oh, Tyler. Is he all right?”

  “He had to have surgery, but it looks like he’s going to be okay.” He raked his hand through his hair and sat down on the bench next to her. “My stepmom’s sister, Barbara, came down yesterday. She can stay as long as they need her. So I decided it was time to come home.” He looked at her with a renewed tenderness. “I missed you, Allie.”

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I called your cell phone and your apartment. I left you a message each time. I was so worried about you.”

  “I dropped my phone in the rain on the way to the airport, and I spent almost all weekend at the hospital. I stopped by the office, but I haven’t been home yet.” He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. “Man, I can’t believe this. We both tried to get hold of each other.” He turned to her. “Did you think I’d taken off again?” His intense gaze focused on her, pain in his eyes.

  She reached for his hand. “I was worried about you—and about us. I went over to your apartment on Saturday. When you didn’t answer the door, I let myself in. I felt like a snoop, but I had to be sure you weren’t lying on the floor with a broken leg or something like that.”

  Tyler nodded. “Of course I wasn’t there.”

  “No.” Allison smiled. “But I saw the photo of us on your laptop and the Bible open on your desk. I read the verses you underlined in 1 Corinthians 13. My name was written in the margin.” She smiled. “Do you remember when you wrote that?” He glanced away, looking embarrassed. “I don’t know. Awhile ago, I guess.”

  “You dated it more than a year ago in February. That was before I even opened Sweet Something.”

  His face reddened, and he rose from the bench. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It matters to me. We weren’t even talking back then. Why’d you write that?”

  “When I read those verses, I realized love isn’t just a great feeling, it’s a decision you make every day. When you love someone, you take action. You believe the best about them, and you put their needs ahead of your own.”

  She smiled, warmed by his words. “So you decided to love me back then?”

  His gaze met hers. “I never stopped loving you, Allie. I just decided it was time to do something about it.”

  Her thoughts spun back to that time, the long hours she’d put into preparing to open Sweet Something, the money she and Tessa had scraped together to make it happen. A sudden thought struck, and she focused on Tyler. “Were you the one who sent me those anonymous checks?”

  He glanced off toward the windows, frowning slightly.

  She stood and faced him, certain she was right. “Tyler, please, tell me.”

  “I didn’t want you to know.”

  She reached for his hand. “Why not? That was the sweetest, most generous thing anyone’s ever done for me. How did you know I needed it?”

  “My mom saw the article in the Princeton Packet about you opening your teashop. She cut it out and sent it to me. It arrived the same day I read those verses in 1 Corinthians. I started praying for you, asking the Lord what I should do. And it was one of those times when He put a very clear impression in my mind. He wanted me to send you the money.” He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wanted to help you, Allie, but I didn’t want you to think I was trying to buy my way back into your life.”

  “So you sent them anonymously.” A sense of wonder filled her.

  He nodded. “When I first moved back to Princeton, I used to drive by here and try and see you through the windows. I wanted to come in, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about that. I sent my assistant from work in a couple times. She told me the shop was beautiful, but business looked slow.”

  Allison lifted her brows. “You sent a spy?”

  He smiled. “Yes, but I had good motives.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Allie. I couldn’t stay away. I had to see you again.”

  She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “I’m so glad you came back. Thanks for believing in me and helping me.”

  He held her for a few more seconds; then he looked down into her face. “So, are you ready for your birthday present?”

  She laughed softly. “You brought me a present?”

  He nodded. Then he picked up the portfolio, took her hand, and led her up into the tearoom. “Let’s sit in here.” He chose a cozy corner table with a soft light shining overhead. “Why don’t you have a seat right here?”

  She smiled up at him. “What is it?”

  “Close your eyes, and give me a minute.”

  She shut her eyes, heard him move a chair, and felt him turn the table just a little.

  “Okay. You can open your eyes.”

  She did and gasped. Tyler had propped the open portfolio on a chair to display a large print of one of her paintings. The scene included a round, lace-covered tea table set with blue and white dishes and a large bouquet of pink, yellow, and white roses in a clear glass vase. “How did you . . . when did you?” She laughed. “I didn’t even know you took it out of the closet.”

  The pleasure on his face erased all the earlier strain. “You like it? It’s only the artist’s proof. You need to okay it before they do the final run. And we have to make a decision about how many prints you want.”

  “I love it!” She rose from her chair and stepped into his arms. “It’s the best birthday gift ever. Thank you.” She kissed his cheek and focused on the print once more, her heart overflowing with gratefulness and love.

  “You better sit down for the next one.”

  She turned to him in surprise. “You got me another present?” He nodded and looked at her with a serious yet tender look. “I planned to give this to you last Friday after your special birthday dinner.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small, navy blue velvet box.

  Her breath caught in her throat, and she was glad he’d made her sit down because her legs suddenly felt shaky.

  “We�
��ve been through a lot over the last eight years. Looking back, I can see how everything that’s happened has made me love and appreciate you more. Our faith is stronger now, and I believe with God’s help we can make it through whatever the future holds.” He knelt in front of her and took her hand. “I love you, Allie. Will you marry me?”

  Joy flooded her heart, and happy tears filled her eyes. “Yes! Oh, yes!” She reached for him, and they stood and held each other close for several seconds.

  Finally, he stepped back and opened the box, showing her the sparkling, heart-shaped diamond nestled in a vintage platinum setting.

  She blinked to clear her vision. “Oh, it’s beautiful!”

  “Not as beautiful as you.” With love shining in his eyes, he slipped the ring on her finger. Then he gave her a kiss, achingly sweet and full of promise.

  When he leaned back, he sent her a gentle smile and glanced down at her apron. “Where did you get this?” Amusement twinkled in his eyes.

  She told him the story, and they laughed about the effect it seemed to have on each of the women who’d worn it. “We have to add our names, too,” she said, untying the apron strings at the back.

  “I have just what we need.” Tyler reached in the zippered pocket on the side of the portfolio and pulled out a black permanent marker.

  Allison slipped off the apron and spread it on the table. He handed her the pen, and she signed her name.

  He added his signature with a flourish. “There’s one more thing we need to do.”

  “What’s that?”

  Chuckling, he drew a line through the word COOK and wrote BRIDE. “There, now it’s ready for you to wear.”

  Laughing, they embraced again, but soon lost themselves in another delicious kiss.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked when she’d caught her breath. He growled in her ear, making her laugh.

  “I mean for dinner or dessert,” she said.

  He loosened his embrace so he could look toward the glass bakery cabinet at the back of the tearoom. “Do you have any lemon lush?”

  She smiled and nodded. “I just made some this afternoon.” “That sounds great. And tea for two.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Then she kissed his cheek, tied on the apron, and headed for the kitchen.

  SWEET SOMETHING’S LEMON LUSH

  CRUST:

  1 cup flour

  1/2 cup butter, softened

  1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

  Mix flour, butter, and walnuts together, and press into the bottom of a 9 x 9-inch square pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350° until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

  FIRST LAYER:

  1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (regular or light), softened

  1 cup powdered sugar

  Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Spread over cooled crust.

  SECOND LAYER:

  1 package instant lemon pudding mix

  3 cups cold milk

  Beat pudding mix and cold milk together with a wire whisk for two minutes and pour over first layer.

  TOP LAYER:

  1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

  Spread topping over pudding mixture and form soft peaks. Chill for 30 minutes. Serves 12.

  Wherever Love Takes Us

  By

  Carrie Turansky

  Dedication

  To my husband, Scott, who shows me every day what it means to truly love and serve one another. Thanks for thirty-five wonderful years and for encouraging me to follow my dreams.

  “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16 NIV

  Chapter One

  “Mom! Watch out!”

  Tessa Malone gasped and slammed on the brakes as an eighteen-wheeler slid in front of her van. The truck’s rear red lights flashed, and she pumped the brake pedal, praying that would hold the van back from a collision.

  “What a jerk!” Brianna, Tessa’s sixteen-year-old daughter, scowled at the offending truck as it sprayed the van’s windshield. “He ought to check his mirrors before he changes lanes.”

  The truck pulled ahead, widening the space between them. Tessa bit back a corrective comment. It would only increase the tension she and the children felt as they drove through the storm.

  “This weather is crazy!” She strained to see past the foggy windshield and wiggled the useless temperature and defroster buttons. How many times had she told her husband, Matt, they needed to take the van in to have the defroster repaired? Why didn’t he ever listen to her and follow through on things like that? Didn’t he care about their safety? Did she have to do everything herself? She tried to put a lid on her resentment, but it bubbled like a pot on high.

  Evan, her eleven-year-old son, tapped the back of her seat. “Mom, what time is Brie’s orthodontist appointment?”

  “Four thirty.” Tessa glanced at the dashboard clock and blew out a frustrated huff. They were going to be at least fifteen minutes late.

  Brie moaned. “Mom, you know Dr. Fisher hates it when we’re not on time. He’ll probably make me wait forever.”

  “Well, there’s nothing I can do about that now.”

  “But I told Ryan I’d be home by five fifteen so he could call.”

  “Brie, please, I’m doing the best I can.” Tessa pulled in a deep breath, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. The wipers beat out a furious rhythm, but they couldn’t keep up with the torrent flooding the windshield.

  This wasn’t the best time to be out driving, but she had no other choice. They could only afford one car, so Matt expected her to pick up the kids from school, stop by the dry cleaner, return the overdue library books, and then take Brie to the orthodontist—all before going home to prepare and serve dinner in time for her and Matt to make it to the parent-teacher conference at Evan’s school tonight.

  She loved her family, truly she did, but working full-time and dealing with all their needs often left her feeling out of sorts and weary to the bone. But she couldn’t imagine giving up her job. She loved Sweet Something, the cozy tea and gift shop she and her younger sister, Allison, had opened three years ago in Princeton, New Jersey. The shop was more than a moneymaking endeavor; it gave her a place to shine and use her baking and artistic talents.

  “Mom?” Evan called from the backseat.

  “What?”

  “I think I’ve got a problem.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I forgot my science stuff at school.”

  “Well, you’ll just have to call a friend and get the information from them.”

  “I can’t. I need my papers tonight. The project’s due tomorrow.”

  Tessa gripped the steering wheel. “Honestly, Evan, what do you expect me to do now? Turn around and drive all the way back?” Cornerstone Christian Academy was twenty minutes from their house on a good day with no extra traffic, and this was definitely not a good day!

  “But, Mom, I really need those papers.”

  “I’ll have to get them tonight when I go back to your school.”

  “Okay, but that means we’ll have to stay up really late.”

  Tessa wearily massaged her forehead. Getting to bed before eleven wasn’t happening tonight.

  * * *

  Tessa heard the front door open. She glanced at the clock and then continued stirring the simmering spaghetti sauce.

  “Dad!” Evan thundered through the living room. That set off Chaucer, their golden retriever. His excited barking added to the confusion.

  “Hey, sport. How are you doing?”

  From the sound of things, Tessa knew Matt was wrapping their son in a bear hug and squeezing him tight. For just a moment she wished that hug were for her. The sauce bubbled and splattered. She frowned and wiped the red spot off the stovetop.

  “I’m okay,” Evan said. “Except I’m probably getting a D in science.”

  “Why? You love science.”

 
“Mom won’t take me back to school to get my stuff, and my project’s due tomorrow.”

  “I see. Well, maybe we can work something out. Come on, let’s see what’s cooking.” Matt’s briefcase thumped to the floor, and he walked into the kitchen. Lifting the lid of the largest pot, he sniffed and smiled at her. “Mmm, smells good.”

  It was just plain pasta again. Tessa wiped her hands on a dishtowel, ignoring his comment.

  He replaced the lid and studied her for a moment, his gray eyes soft and welcoming.

  “Did anyone get the mail?” Brie trotted into the kitchen, her dark brown ponytail swinging.

  “I didn’t have time.” Tessa turned away from Matt’s gaze and walked over to the refrigerator. Matt followed her and slipped his arms around her waist. She stiffened.

  “What’s wrong?” He rubbed his rough chin against her cheek. “Have you had a tough day?”

  How about a tough three years? Tessa pressed her lips tighter. She would not say it in front of the children.

  When she didn’t soften or return his hug, he sighed, dropped his arms, and walked out of the kitchen.

  Tessa shook off the wave of guilt. What did he expect? She had run around like a madwoman all afternoon taking care of everything their family needed, and now he was looking for a little romance in the kitchen. No thanks!

  She had to get dinner on the table and then get them back out the door by six thirty. She jerked open the refrigerator and snatched the salad and Italian dressing from the top shelf.

  “How long ’til dinner, Mom?” Evan picked up his basketball from the corner by the garage door.

  “Five minutes. There’s no time for basketball right now.”

  “Aw, Mom, please?”

  “Evan, stop. Dad and I have to leave in a few minutes.” Tessa deposited the salad on the table with a thump. “How about helping?”

  He mumbled something under his breath and shuffled across the kitchen. “How many people?”

  “Just four. Justin has a late class at the college.”

  Scowling, he rummaged around in the silverware drawer. Why did she always come out looking like the bad guy? Evan adored his dad and gladly followed any instruction he gave. But when she asked for a little help, he considered it torture.