Glynna Kaye – The Pastor's Christmas Courtship (страница 8)
Would kids that young actually make any lasting memories from a family get-together at the cabin—or was this a front for her sisters’ own nostalgic journey?
Still trying to take in all her sister was saying, Jodi stared blankly down the hallway, then caught movement out of the corner of her eye—Garrett, who’d stepped to the dining room door, his eyes filled with concern.
“Everything okay?” he mouthed.
Oh, sure. Everything was fine. Just fine.
“Thanks again, Garrett, for the loan of the pickup.”
Jodi’s words warmed him as he sat across from her in a cozy corner of his book-lined church office Monday morning, the soft strains of “Joy to the World” wafting from the open door that led to his now-absent assistant’s work area, manned today by Dolly.
The grateful smile of his childhood friend was enough to tempt even the most determined man to rethink his priorities. But being tempted and following through on temptation were two different matters. He’d committed to a plan for his future, and not even Jodi reappearing in his life could stop him now.
Besides, undoubtedly she still thought of him as a big brother. She had no idea how he couldn’t get her out of his mind for months after that amazing kiss he’d recklessly drawn her into. How he’d tried to shrug it off. Joke it off. Run other guys off. He’d never forget, either, the shock in her eyes. Big brothers didn’t kiss little sisters like that. He’d broken a trust.
Did she think, by his asking her to help on the church project, that he still had designs on her? If so, no wonder she’d looked dazed after he’d all but twisted her arm to “volunteer.”
“Rio’s more than happy to lend you her truck since she’s out of town until Christmas.” Having Jodi on foot would have been problematic, but driving her around town and to neighboring communities could only lead to being targets of gossip. So he’d gotten in touch with his cousin Rio—Grady and Luke’s little sister—and found a solution.
Jodi shook her head as if in wonder, the burgundy shade of a cable-knit sweater lending an attractive glow to her fair skin. “It’s so funny to think Rio’s all grown up now. I remember when she was competing at the county fair kids’ barrel-racing division in elementary school.”
“Twenty-one next spring and still barrel racing.”
“Makes me feel old.” A shadow that troubled him flickered momentarily through her eyes as she shifted in the wingback chair to look out the window beside them. Rio’s red pickup, parked in the gravel back lot next to his SUV, already sported a light layer of snow. It looked like the lingering effects of an El Niño weather pattern were going to make themselves known this winter.
She again turned her attention to him, holding up the compact spiral notebook in which she’d been writing as they’d talked. “It sounds as though there’s still a lot to be done.”
In the past hour, they’d gone over the budget and checklist, and brainstormed strategies—over which they had opposing ideas—to meet the looming deadline. Not counting today, there were only eleven days until everything had to be delivered before Christmas Eve. Had his powerhouse office assistant actually thought it could be pulled together in such a short time?
Now he’d unintentionally dumped his own headache on Jodi.
“I apologize for that. Melody’s usually on top of things. One of the most organized people I know, and she keeps me organized, too. But with her mother passing away last spring and then trying to keep tabs on her father’s welfare from a distance, I don’t think her focus was on the project as it usually is much of the year.”
“There’s a lot of solicitation yet to be done for both monetary and physical item donation. Then supplementary purchases to be made. And distribution.”
“That sums it up.” He ran his hand through his hair. “You know, though, Jodi, like I said yesterday when you told me about your family coming, you don’t have to do this. It’s certainly a worthwhile project to help out unwed moms in the area, but Georgia was right. This isn’t your responsibility. Church members need to pick up the ball and run with it.”
Or he’d have to.
He couldn’t risk a dark blot on his performance evaluation right here at the end of the year should the annual Christmas project flop. But he’d do all he could not to call on Sofia. Neither of them needed to encourage the matchmakers.
“Grandma’s friends said they’d help.” Jodi’s chin lifted as she offered a determined smile, reminiscent of childhood days when she’d set her mind to something. “I’ll make getting funding and donation commitments a priority this week, then leave it to the others if it comes down to that.”
He squinted one eye. “From what you shared with me this morning, though, this is the first real vacation you’ve had all year. Maybe in several years.”
“I’m good with it.” She tapped the notebook now on her lap. “I have Melody’s cell number, checklist and contact numbers of past donors. I can take it from here.”
It sounded as if she wanted him to stay out of the way. Why should that disappoint him? Wasn’t that what he wanted—someone else to take over the project and free up his time for other demands?
“Okay, then, if you’re sure.” He stood to look down at her, noticing how her hair glinted softly in the lamplight. “Did you want to take a look at the storeroom? See what has already come in?”
“Good idea.”
She’d just risen to her feet, standing what some might consider a shade too close, when Sofia appeared in the doorway, a plate of cookies clutched in her hands.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Her dark-lashed eyes widened slightly. “I didn’t know you had someone with you. Whoever is covering for Melody today must have stepped away.”
She motioned apologetically to the work area behind her.
“We’re finishing up.” He took a step back, putting more distance between him and Jodi. “I’m going to show Jodi the storeroom where we keep donations for the unwed mothers project. She’s going to manage it while Melody’s away.”
“Oh, really? When I heard yesterday that Melody had to leave town abruptly, I thought for sure I’d hear from you with a plea for assistance.” Sofia thrust the plate of cookies into his hands—pumpkin spice, his favorite—then focused a curious gaze on Jodi. “That’s very...nice of you, especially considering you’re only in town for a short time.”
“Blackmailed,” Jodi whispered in a deliberately audible aside. “Believe me, someone who has known you since you were a first grader has loads of ammunition to work with.”
She cut a playful look at him.
“Come on now, don’t give Sofia the impression I railroaded you into this.”
“You didn’t?”
He had. Sort of. But he’d given her the opportunity to back out, hadn’t he? “You said you could handle it.”
“And I can.” She leaned toward Sofia, mischief still in her eyes. “Garrett and I don’t quite see eye to eye on some of the details, so you’d be doing me a great service if you could keep him out from underfoot.”
“I think that can be arranged.” Sofia’s own gaze now teased as she looked up at him.
“Well, then—” Suddenly feeling compelled to escape the confines of the small office, he set the cookies on his desk, then motioned them both toward the door. “Please join us, Sofia.”
No way did he want anyone stumbling across him alone in a storage room with Jodi. Where was Dolly when he needed her?
Together they made their way to the wing of the church that housed classrooms and a fellowship hall. In a side hallway, he unlocked a door with a smiling paper snowman taped to it. Then, holding it open to reveal a shadowed, eight-by-twelve shelved space, he flipped on the light.
It was all he could do not to gasp aloud.
Viewing the sole package of disposable diapers sitting on the floor, Sofia looked at him doubtfully. “The cupboard looks pretty bare, Garrett.”
Where did everything go?
“Melody took some stuff to the crisis pregnancy center in Canyon Springs earlier in the fall, but it looks as if it hasn’t been replenished.” As pastor of the church, he should have been more attuned, not let it fall through the cracks. But he’d trusted his office assistant. Last December when he’d started here, the room had been overflowing with holiday baby bounty even before the final push for donations.
“We’ll get this room filled,” Jodi said matter-of-factly as she stepped away from the door, but not meeting his likely guilt-filled gaze. She probably wanted to throttle him. But he’d always been able to count on her to come through for him when they were kids. Covering for him. Saving him from the repercussions of his own misdeeds and shortcomings.
Apparently, despite the rough-and-tumble tomboy’s transformation in many other ways, that invaluable attribute hadn’t changed.
He took a relieved breath.
God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay...
* * *
“I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Bealer.”
Jodi stared blankly across the room at the cabin’s stone fireplace, the phone pressed to her ear. Pete Bealer was the seventh person on Melody’s contact list that she’d called following the “enlightening” meeting with Garrett. At the rate things were going, she’d consider herself fortunate to have a single baby rattle to split among the unwed mothers next week. Oh, and that package of disposable diapers sitting in the otherwise empty storage room.