Lakeside Sweethearts

No use in pretending she didn’t know what Josie was talking about. No matter how wide her smile, Josie could always pinpoint when Agnes had something stuck in her craw. She stared at the salad, trying to figure out what to say. “I’m a fool. And a rotten friend.”

“I doubt that.” Josie pulled over a stool and patted the top. “Have a seat and tell me what happened.”

“Men can be so clueless.”

“Uh, yeah, hello—I married one. Nick’s great, but he has his moments. What’s up?”

Agnes recapped her earlier conversation with Ian, including his breakup with Emily.

“Sweetie, you’re hardly a terrible friend. Does Ian know why the house holds such bad memories for you?”

“He knows about Bobby’s cheating and gambling, and the fall, but the rest is too painful to talk about.”

Her ex-husband’s name sent a shudder through her. Permanent gouges scarred her heart, thanks to her ex’s straying.

The first time it had happened, she’d been hoodwinked by his tearful promises that proved to be as empty as his bank account. The second time she left, he managed to lure her home after a week. Again more empty promises. The third...well, that was for good.

His lies and cheating destroyed more than her credit rating and their marriage that night.

“I didn’t mean to bring up a sensitive subject.”

“No worries. Like Ian said—it’s in the past.” Agnes slid off the stool. “Let’s get the food set out so you can get out of here.”

“Just a second.” Josie opened the carton and reached for an egg but made no move to break it. “Now that Ian and Emily aren’t together, what are you going to do?”

“Do?”

“Now’s your chance, Agnes.”

“Chance for what?”

“To let Ian know how you really feel about him.”

“Ian is my best friend. We need to leave it at that.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because I said so...that’s why.”

“Oh, good answer.” Josie cracked the egg on the edge of her mixer bowl. “Life is passing you by, Agnes. You spend your time serving and caring about others. It’s time to knock down those walls around your heart and go after what you truly want.”

“If only it were that simple. Years ago, I let Ian know how I felt before I went off to college in Texas. Ian said he didn’t want me to feel tied down in a long distance relationship. Then, over Christmas break, he mentioned he had started seeing someone at school. Bobby asked me out, and I guess the rest is history.”

“You quit school after your freshman year to get married, right? That was almost twenty years ago. That boy is a man who drools over you like a morning pastry. Maybe working together on Agape House would be a great way to see if there could be more than friendship between you two.”

“Ian deserves the family I can’t give him. Besides, I can’t risk our friendship. Not again. If something destroyed that, then I’d have nothing. My heart couldn’t bear that.”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Agnes. Maybe it’s time you threw caution to the wind and took a chance before someone else snatches him up.”

“Maybe someone should. At least he could have the future he’s always wanted.”

With Josie’s words ringing in her ears, Agnes fixed a smile in place and reached for the salad. She walked into the side dining room and set the bowl of mixed greens on the buffet table. Hannah, bless her heart, brought in pitchers of lemonade. Josie followed with a platter of chicken salad croissants and a glass pedestal bowl of cut fresh fruit.

Nancy, the hostess of the luncheon, arrived. While Josie spoke to her about the food, Agnes retreated to the kitchen.

Hannah poked her head inside the kitchen door. “Mr. Higby’s looking for you.”

“Clarence? My landlord?”

She nodded, then held the door open wide enough for Agnes to see the burly man drumming his fingers on the counter by the register.

Agnes followed Hannah into the main dining room. “Hey, Clarence.”

Clarence Higby ran a finger between the collar of his flannel shirt and his doughy neck. He gripped a white envelope in his other hand. “Agnes, do you have a moment?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

Clarence always reminded her of Papa Bear from Goldilocks—brawny with whiskered jowls...and the red suspenders he wore with his cuffed jeans.

“I planned to come by later this afternoon, but when Eliza mentioned her ladies’ thing was here, I wanted you to hear this from me and not overheard from a bunch of hens.”

Agnes didn’t like the direction this conversation was going.

He thrust the envelope at her.

She took it, noticed her name scrawled on the front, then looked at him. “What’s this?”

“The letter says it so much better. Eliza typed it. She’s the one who’s good with words.” He heaved a sigh, then scraped his sausage fingers through his thinning salt-and-pepper hair. “Eliza and me...well, we’ve decided to move to Arizona.”

“Arizona? You’ve lived in Shelby Lake your entire life.”

“Our daughter Jocelyn is pregnant.” Clarence beamed like a proud grandpa-to-be. “After she lost the first two, she and Aaron wanted to wait until she was out of the danger zone to announce this pregnancy.”

She forced her lips into a smile, hoping to project joy she didn’t feel. “Well, that’s fantastic. When’s the baby due?”

“November—around Thanksgiving.”

“Truly something to be thankful for.”

“Eliza and I don’t want our grandchild to grow up without seeing us but a few times a year, so we’ve decided to move to Arizona before the baby’s born. The air is better for Eliza’s arthritis, too. You know how these damp seasons make her ache so.”

“But...”

Of course she understood they wanted to be with their family, but what about her apartment?

As if reading her thoughts, Clarence laid a beefy hand on her shoulder. “We sold the building. Yesterday. That’s what I wanted you to hear from me.”

His news pushed her stomach into a free fall to her toes. “I didn’t even know it was for sale. How long do I have to look for a new place?”

“Thirty days.”

Air whooshed out of her lungs as if someone had stepped on her ribs. She slumped against the counter, crushing the envelope in her fist.

Thirty days?

Where was she going to find an affordable place in such a short time?

He mentioned selling her apartment building, but what about their cottage?

“Are you planning to rent out your cottage?”

He shook his head. “Nope. We’re listing it with Seaver Realty on Monday.”

She loved the lakefront peach-colored cottage with its white trim and wide front porch. Flower beds skirted the perimeter of the house, and a large backyard meant for barbecues and kickball games overlooked the lake. A white picket fence hemmed it all in.

The kind of place she always dreamed about, complete with rocking chairs on the front porch so she could grow old with someone who found her worth loving.

An image of Ian with silver hair flashed through her mind.

Refusing to give up on owning a place to call home, Agnes continued to put away money. Someday the right house would be available. For now, she’d keep saving her pennies. Unless...

No, that was crazy thinking.

She could barely make her rent each month, thanks to paying off her ex’s gambling debts. The cottage was going to be way out of her price range.

But Ian’s request to help with Agape House came to mind.

If she could push to sell her restored furniture, then maybe, just maybe, she could manage a down payment and get a loan for the mortgage.

Heart hammering against her ribs, she turned to her landlord and blurted, “Clarence, would you and Eliza consider selling the cottage to me?”

He scrubbed a hand over his whiskers. “Now, there’s an idea. You’ve been a great tenant. Let me talk it over with her this afternoon. I’ll give you a call this evening.”

“Sure, that’s fine. I won’t be home for a bit anyway.”

After Clarence left, Agnes checked on the ladies, then hurried to the kitchen. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she stared at the screen saver of her and Ian as teenagers, grinning as they hoisted the Golden Paddle Award in the air.

Good times.

They made a great team. In more ways than one.

Could she do this? Could her heart handle the risk?

No going back if she said yes.

If she wanted to put the past behind her to face a new future, she had to take the first step. And if she wanted to buy the cottage, she needed the extra income to help with the down payment.

Her thumb hovered over the two on her speed dial. She pressed it and held her breath until Ian’s deep voice answered. She released her breath. “Hey, it’s me. I’ll do it.”

No going back now.

Now she needed to find the courage to put the past to rest.

Chapter Two

When she walked out that door over five years ago, Agnes never thought she’d cross the threshold again.

But here she was.

The chipped gray paint and sagging black shutters of the house on the corner lot held nothing but echoes of angry voices and empty promises.

A sold placard nested on top of the sun-bleached for sale sign swinging in the wind, the rusting chain creaking with each movement.

If she focused on the physical attributes of the house, then maybe she could ignore memories that threatened to resurface simply by walking through the door.

“I can’t believe you talked me into coming here today. I haven’t even changed from work.” Agnes marched up the sidewalk behind Ian, her legs fighting not to turn and run with each step closer to the door.

“No time like the present.” Glancing over his shoulder, he flashed a smile that always made her insides twirl.

Dressed in faded jeans with a threadbare hole in the thigh, a gray T-shirt advertising James & Son Insurance and leather deck shoes that had seen better days, Ian inserted the key and unlocked the door, but didn’t push it open. Keeping one hand clenched on the doorknob, he dragged his fingers through his hair, tousling his sandy-brown curls in need of a cut.

His forget-me-not-blue eyes pleaded with her. “Listen, Red, if you’re not ready, then Mom and I will find someone else to help.”

She tightened her hand around her purse strap, praying this morning’s breakfast of tea and toast didn’t cause a revolt.

Why did it have to be this house?

A gentle breeze stirred the curls of her ponytail, brushing them against her jaw. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the warming rays of sunshine.

“Ready?”

She looked at him, pulling energy from the compassion warming his eyes. “Let’s get this over with.”

Ian opened the door and stepped back, ushering her to step inside.

Agnes stepped on the black welcome mat covering the stoop and tried not to scoff at the irony. She hadn’t felt welcome here in a long time. Steeling her spine, she strode inside and sucked in a breath.

A musty smell tinged with the faint odor of stale cigarette smoke tangled with the fresh air coming in through the front door. Pushing her white sunglasses on top of her head, she waited a moment for her eyes to adjust. “How long has this place been empty?”

“I think Alec said a year or so. Cliff Miller died last spring, and the family’s been trying to sell it since then.”

Flat beige walls pocked with nail holes added an air of despair to the barren room. Water stains marked the yellowed ceiling. A ratty calico rug covered a large portion of the parched wooden floor. A wide archway led into a smaller room.

What happened to the cream-colored walls and the gleaming wooden floor?

She had taken pride in making the house cozy and keeping it clean, even with their limited budget.

The thirsty floorboards creaked beneath their feet as they moved from the living room into the dining room.

Memories of a different life drifted up from behind every crack and crevice, threatening to buckle her knees.

Love had been a constant in the beginning months of her marriage to Bobby Levine, but those rose-colored glasses cracked before their second anniversary when she learned about his first affair. The beginning of broken promises, pleas for second chances...and thirds.

She’d spent ten years in this house until... Her eyes skimmed the staircase hugging the left wall.... No, she definitely wasn’t going there. She shifted her gaze and hurried through the archway into the kitchen.

Bracing her hands against the stained porcelain sink, she forced the shudder in her chest to calm. She stared out the cracked window to the backyard at the mangled rosebush and neglected flower beds.

“Red?”

She turned and nearly bumped into Ian.

Agnes ran a trembling hand along the counter dulled by decades of use. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “Sorry, I kind of just took off.”

“No need for apologies.”

The yellowed floral-printed wallpaper curled at the corners. She pressed the brittle paper back in place, but the moment she let go, the edges pulled away from the wall. She knew that feeling of continuing to hold on, wondering if hope had forgotten her.

“If your mama had chosen a different house, I’d have the first coat of paint on the walls already.”

“We can’t deal in ‘if only.’” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, his hand lingering on her hair. “Given the chance, this house—and the women in it—can be redeemed. Sometimes it takes peeling away the layers to find the promise for the future. But if you don’t think you can do it—”

“I said I’d do it.” She stepped away from his touch and waved a hand over the kitchen. “It’s just a little tough being here again. That was a painful time in my life.”

“I know. If I could turn back time, I’d object to you marrying that jerk.” The muscle in his jaw twitched, and his hand balled into a fist.

“You had the chance. Why didn’t you?” The words slipped over her lips before she had time to think about what she had just said.

He turned away. “You chose him. I couldn’t stand in the way of your happiness.”

Angry tears threatened. Her happiness? The only man she had wanted to stand beside her at the altar saw her as a buddy, a pal.

No, she hadn’t chosen. She’d settled.

“I asked you if there was any reason why I shouldn’t marry Bobby. You said no.”

“I was your friend, Red. I couldn’t stand in the way of your future.”

She scoffed and shook her head.

Friend.

Right.

He faced her again, a scowl scrunching his eyebrows. “That creep and this house have drained you emotionally. Now it’s time for healing. Learn to let go and forgive. Leave the past where it belongs and focus on your future, Red.”

“I don’t know what the future holds.” She wrapped her arms around her middle.

“But God does. I’m here for you, too.”

“You’re a good friend, Ian. The best a girl could have.”

He shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Friend. Yes, seems to be my lot in life.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing. I’m proud of you, Red. Just so you know that.... You said you’d never step foot in this house again, and look where you are now.”

“Yeah, well, you were pretty convincing.”

He glanced at his watch. “I have an appointment soon, but first I want to check upstairs.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the kitchen and into the dining room toward the steps.

Agnes tried to pull her hand from his grasp. “Wait, where are you taking me?”

He released her hand and gripped the nicked banister. “Just upstairs.”

Agnes’s eyes studied each step until they reached the top. She lifted a foot onto the first step. Her breath choked in her throat.

Ian scowled and said something, but the roaring in her ears drowned out his words.

Yelling. Accusations. Pleas. Broken promises jostled at a locked door in the back of her mind. Feeling that first step beneath her foot pried that door of memories loose, exposing past aches.

Her heart raced as her breathing quickened. She squeezed her eyes shut. She watched herself reliving the fall—every bone and muscle knocking off the steps—until she landed in a crumbled heap at the bottom, aching for what she had lost.

Those bones healed and the bruises faded, but Bobby’s role in her accidental fall tore away a part of her that could never be put back together.

Agnes wrapped her arms around her stomach. God, please...make it stop.

She shook her head, tears flooding her eyes. “I can’t go up there. I just can’t.”

Turning, she fled to the front door, wrenched it open and stumbled into the sunshine. Without checking to see if Ian followed her, she hurried down the sidewalk past his Ford Escape.

Ian wanted this house to bring his family back together, but how could they find hope when all she felt was pain?

* * *

As long as he lived, he’d never forget the look of torture that contorted Red’s pale face as she stared up at him from the bottom of the steps.

He wanted to gather her to his chest and protect her from her past. But that was impossible. All he could do now was help her to face it in order to heal and have the life God desired for her.

Palming the warm pizza on one hand, Ian rapped his knuckles against Red’s front door, praying she didn’t slam it back in his face.

A moment later, she opened it, giving him a wary smile. “If you’re fixing to change my mind about going upstairs, it’s not going to happen.”

“Of course not.” Ian held out the large red and white box. “Pizza offering?”

“Come in. It’s not polite for a girl to leave a guy standing on her front step.”

“Especially when he’s holding her favorite pizza.”

“Especially then.” She flashed a quick smile, giving him a glimpse of the spunky Red he knew and loved.

The exterior of Red’s brick apartment building lacked character, but her place exploded with color. Cream-colored walls, an orange couch, a bluish-green printed chair with matching ottoman, sheer blue curtains hanging from tree branch curtain rods that had been pushed back to allow the sunshine to spill across the hardwood floor. White daisies in a yellow pitcher sat on a wicker and glass coffee table. And plants in colored pots sat all over the place.

She had exchanged her work clothes for cutoff denim shorts that showcased her bare legs and a blue Lone Star State T-shirt. Red pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair and tossed it in a pottery bowl on the end table. She fluffed her ginger curls around her face, then took the pizza from him.

Ian followed her through the living room into the kitchen.

She set the box on the table and pulled two red stoneware plates from the cupboard. Ian opened the lid, releasing scents of yeast, tomatoes and oregano.

She peeked over his shoulder, her hair brushing against his cheek. “You got pineapple and ham. My favorite.”

“Of course.” He took a step back to keep from winding one of those curls around his finger. Hands off. He was her friend. “You want to tell me why you hightailed it out of there so quickly?”

She set the plates on the table and turned away to open a drawer. Grabbing two forks, she looked at him, her eyes shrouded with pain.

She thrust the utensils sat him, then turned and gripped the edge of the sink. “Even after all this time, the stairs...well, they’re a visual reminder of the fall and what I lost that night. I guess I kind of freaked out. Sorry. Anyway, let’s eat before this pizza gets cold.”

She flashed him another quick smile, but this one did little to extinguish the torment in her eyes. She reached into the box to lift out a slice of pizza. Wrapping the melted cheese strings around her finger, she nodded toward the living room. “Let’s eat in there. Grab us a couple of Cokes, will you?”

Leaning against the sink, he watched her leave and ground his teeth together. He wanted to kick himself for pushing her into going to the house when she wasn’t ready.

Way to go, dude.

He grabbed their drinks, then closed the refrigerator door with his hip. Snatching his plate, he headed for the living room.

Red set her plate on the coffee table and pushed the pitcher out of the way to make room for his before sitting on the couch.

Once Ian settled on the cushion next to her, he reached for her hand. “Let’s pray before I start eating like a heathen.”

They bowed their heads while Ian blessed the food.

She echoed his “amen” and gave his hand a light squeeze, sending a shock of heat up his arm.

He pulled his fingers out of her grasp and reached for his pizza. “So, have you forgiven me yet?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Ian. You didn’t do anything wrong. I was just...overwhelmed, I guess.” She rested her head against the back of the couch, her hair fanning against a multicolored afghan.

He nudged her shoulder with his. “Still, if it’s too much, we can find someone else to paint. You know what the rooms look like. Choosing colors and all that stuff with Mom won’t be too bad, will it? Then volunteers can handle the rest.”

“No, I don’t want you to do that.” She shrugged, rubbing her hands on her thighs. “The Lord and me...we’ll get it figured out.”

“Maybe this is His way of saying it’s time to move on...to something new.”

“We’ll see. Did I see you sneak in a Cuppa Josie’s bag?”

“If I say yes, do you promise to keep me in the loop about how you’re dealing with the house?”

“Depends on what’s in the bag.”

“Josie’s chocolate macadamia nut brownies.”

Agnes closed her eyes and groaned. “Guess I’ll have to stick with one piece of pizza. I can’t afford to buy new jeans.”

“Believe me, Red. There’s nothing wrong with your jeans.” He threw his crust on his plate and wiped his fingers on a paper napkin.

“Ian, I’m in to help with the house. Just let me work at my own pace. I promise to have the job done by your mama’s deadline.”

“You bet. With your talents and my brawn...” He paused to flex his muscles. “We can whip that house into shape in time for Zoe to come home.”

“When are you going to find time to remodel a house in a few short months? Your job keeps you going all over the county. And when you’re not working, you’re harassing me or hauling your nephew to practice.”

“Nice to know you worry about me.” He winked at her.

He liked knowing she cared.

She bumped him with her shoulder. “Well, someone has to.”

“I’ve wanted to fix houses since we took that mission trip over spring break in high school—you remember, when we helped that family fix their house after the hurricane? If I can help others, then I’ll make the time to do it.”

“You talked about my dreams, but when are you going to start living yours?”

“Being a claims adjuster is my job. Pursuing my passion of restoring houses feels a little out of reach. Opening Agape House and bringing Zoe home take priority. My dreams can wait once my family is restored.”

“You’re a good man, Ian, but what about starting your own family?”

“We talked about this, Red.” He scoffed and shook his head. “My life is crazy. I don’t have time right now. I didn’t spend enough time with Emily, remember?”

Dating women who weren’t Red didn’t appeal to him. He needed to focus on convincing her he was the right man for her.

“You need some fun in your life.”

“Yeah, well, that’s going to have to wait.” He stood and reached for his empty plate. “Sorry to eat and run, but I have to pick up Griffin from his buddy’s house.”

Red took his plate and set it on top of hers. “How’s that cute little nephew of yours doing?”

“He’d hate hearing you calling him cute or little. Being eight is a big deal, you know. Counting down the days to when he turns nine, which is around the time Zoe should be home.”

“He sure misses his mama.”

“We all do. If I had taken her call that night, then Zoe would be raising her kid instead of Mom and Dad.”