Part 17 (1/2)
The other bedroom, the one at the back of the house, was ten by twelve, and the only furniture in the room was an antique four-poster bed, a walnut chifforobe and a lady's writing table. All of the items had once graced the parsonage's small guest room, each item purchased with the money she had earned at Treasures. This was her bedroom. She intended to paint it a pale, creamy yellow. Mark had disliked yellow, which was her favorite color, so she'd never been able to use it in her home or even wear a yellow blouse.
Just as she headed toward the kitchen, intending to unpack the pots and pans and dishes and gla.s.sware, the doorbell rang. When she entered the living room, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror she and Lorie had hung over the sofa. A few stray tendrils of hair had loosened from her ponytail, and perspiration had erased most of her makeup. But she'd been too busy to worry about her appearance.
She peered through the viewfinder in the front door, smiled, opened the door and greeted her visitor.
”Hi there,” Jack said.
”Hi,” Cathy replied. ”Please come in.”
”Are you sure? I know you're moving in today, but when I drove by, I didn't see any other cars here, so I thought I'd stop and offer to help out.”
”In that case, most definitely come on in.” Cathy held open the door for him. As he eased past her, her breath caught in her throat.
He glanced around at the living room, which held a sofa and one chair and more than a dozen unopened boxes.
”Didn't the Wilsons used to live here?” Jack asked.
”The Wilsons? I don't remember them. I'm renting the house from a lady who lives in Chattanooga. Leslie McCaf-ferty.”
”She used to be Leslie Wilson,” Jack said. ”I dated her a couple of times back in high school. Nice girl.”
”As I recall, you dated a lot of girls.” Cathy grinned. ”I knew who you were a long time before you knew I existed.”
”I was a few years ahead of you in school and not into young, innocent girls.” Jack reached out and tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear. ”In case no one has told you recently, you're even prettier now than you were at seventeen.”
A flush of warmth spread through Cathy, a direct result of the compliment he'd paid her. Odd. She didn't remember Jack being the type to flatter a girl. He had been a moody, dark soul back then, and she suspected that in many ways he still was. But she liked seeing this side of him.
”So, did you really stop by to help me?” she asked.
”Absolutely. Point me in the right direction and issue orders.”
”How about helping me unpack the kitchen stuff,” she said. ”I can't reach some of the upper cabinets without a step stool.”
”Lead the way.”
Three hours later, with the kitchen boxes unpacked and the items neatly stored, the bed linens washed, dried and put in place on the four-poster, Cathy led Jack into the small bedroom at the front of the house.
”I'm going to use this as my workroom,” she told him.
He eyed the two large boxes pushed against the wall near the closet. ”Want me to start with those?”
She nodded. ”My portable sewing machine is in the smaller one. If you'll unpack it and set it on that desk”-she pointed to the rectangular pine desk painted white-”I'll take the packing tape off the larger one. My drafting table is in there. I haven't used it in years.”
”Why didn't you go to college the way you'd planned and become an architect?” Jack asked.
Bent over the large box, her back to Jack, Cathy stiffened. She had known that it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions. Not that this question would be difficult to answer, but the reply would invariably lead to more questions. And the answer to those would require either several lies or a major confession.
She took the box cutter in her hand and ripped through the packing tape. Staying focused on the task at hand, she replied casually, ”I got married instead. And I intended to eventually go back to school and get my degree, but Mark and I moved around quite a bit as he went from one church to another. And, of course, Seth kept me pretty busy.”
Holding her breath, she waited for more questions. When Jack didn't say anything else, she glanced at him and found him busy removing her sewing machine from the box. She breathed a sigh of relief.
As he placed the sewing machine on the desk, he asked, ”How about we order something for supper and I stay here and help you until I have to go to work?”
”What time do you have to go in?”
”Eleven,” he replied. ”I'm filling in for Tony Bradley. He's at the hospital with his wife, who went into labor at ten-thirty this morning.”
”Are you sure you don't mind? I'd appreciate the help. Lorie mentioned coming back around six-thirty.”
”We'll order dinner for three, my treat. Can you recommend a place that delivers?”
”Why don't I call Lorie and have her pick up something on her way here? And dinner is on me,” she told him. ”It's the least I can do to pay you back for helping me.”
”Yes, ma'am.” With a c.o.c.ky, boyish grin on his face, he saluted her. ”You call Lorie, and I'll set up your drafting table.”
”Okay.” Feeling relaxed and happy, she returned his smile. ”How about Italian? Frankie's on Market Street has the best lasagna and a tomato pesto to die for.”
”Any Italian cream cake?” Jack asked.
”Oh my G.o.d, yes. You can gain five pounds just smelling it.”
He looked her over from head to toe and then leisurely made his way back up, stopping when their gazes met. ”Why don't you order cake for all three of us? A few extra pounds won't hurt your figure.”
Cathy felt almost giddy and couldn't hold back the laughter bubbling over inside her. After Seth was born and she'd been what some would have called pleasingly plump, Mark had helped her stick to a strict diet until she was at what he considered an acceptable weight. And over the years, he had kept a close eye on her eating habits. He had disapproved of her tendency to turn to food for comfort. And as J.B. had pointed out to her and Mona more than once, gluttony was a sin.
”I'll order two pieces,” she said. ”Lorie and I can split a piece and not feel too guilty for indulging.”
Jack shrugged. ”Suit yourself.” He scanned the limited s.p.a.ce in the small room. ”Where do you want me to put the table?”
”There”-Cathy pointed to the area-”near the windows so that I can get a lot of natural sunlight during the day.”
He nodded. ”Sure thing.”
She hurried out of the room, down the hall and into the bedroom, where she retrieved her phone from her purse. She hit the preprogrammed number for Treasures.
”Hey there. How's the unpacking going?” Lorie asked.
”Quite well,” Cathy replied. ”Especially since Jack showed up several hours ago and has been helping me.”
”He can't seem to stay away from you, can he?”
”I don't know, but if that's the case, then I'm glad, because the feeling is mutual.” She lowered her voice. ”Just being around him makes me happy. I don't know exactly what it is about him, about us being together, but...I don't know how to explain it.”
”You don't have to. Whenever I'm within twenty feet of Mike, all I want to do is reach out and grab him.”
”Look, I didn't mean to get all soft and gooey on you. I'm actually calling to ask for a favor.”
”You don't want me to show up tonight as planned.”