“You’re right,” she whispered. “We shouldn’t be talking about this now. Can you show me more of the garden?”
It was the cowardly way out of a conversation she wished she’d never begun. And for a moment, she thought he might refuse. She braced herself for whatever heartbreak might come next.
But he only reached out to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, a regret she wished she didn’t see in his soft gaze. “Come see how the fountain works.”
20
“Oh, my stars, Jenessa Belville. Your mother would be so proud.”
Mayor Milt’s boisterous words carried across the garden, drawing Jenessa’s gaze from the cottage. Why hadn’t Lucas joined the gala yet? Wasn’t as if he had far to travel.
A cozy warmth permeated the grounds of Belville Park thanks to the half-dozen heaters set up around the space, and a beautiful, burning sunset created the perfect backdrop to this night that should’ve had her awash with energetic anticipation.
Instead, her every cheery smile and round of small talk was hobbled and artificial.
“Mr. Mayor, so good to see you. And I really can’t take credit for any of this. Lucas and his friend Noah did all the yard work and landscaping. Leigh Pierce and her committee handled all the actual event coordination.” She tugged the shimmery green shawl she wore over her black evening gown closer. “I just showed up.”
The mayor ran his palms over his red sweater vest. “You did more than that. You provided the space. You agreed to put off the sale of your house. Speaking of which, I have an invitation for you.”
“Oh?” She waved at Raegan McKinley as she passed. Raegan was a hometown girl, sister to Beckett Walker. Her husband, Bear, was currently up on a small wooden platform providing tonight’s music alongside the oldest Walker sibling, Logan.
Mom always used to hire a stringed quartet for these events, but the choice of soft acoustic guitar was perfect. And the most enthusiasm Jenessa managed to conjure today was when the two brothers-in-law had shown up early for a soundcheck. Having bought the newspaper from Logan, she knew him a little better than Bear, but it was fun to see both of them back in town for the weekend.
Mayor Milt pulled a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
She opened it and felt her forehead wrinkle. “An agenda for next month’s city council meeting? But I’m already at every meeting—or if I can’t be there, Paige covers it.”
Mayor Milt’s grin burst as he said, “You didn’t look closely enough. I’m not asking you to be there as a member of the press, but as a local property owner.” He poked a finger at a line halfway down the page.
Discussion Item 8: Potential purchase of Belville Park
“Oh, uh . . . oh.”
“Surprised?”
“Yes, definitely.”
“I’ve already talked to the city treasurer. If the council approves a proposal and budget amendment, we might actually be able to take Belville Park off your hands.”
Off her hands. Only a month ago, that’s exactly what she’d wanted. Now?
Her gaze wandered over the gardens and the townspeople and friends milling about, then to the back of the house. The sunroom where Colie and Violet always sat with a snack after school, where Cade first stood on his own. The patio with the stone fireplace where Lucas had bared his deepest wounds and secrets.
“You are still planning to sell, aren’t you?”
“To be honest, I don’t know.” But without the kids here, she was back to being a lone woman who couldn’t possibly need or use all that space.
Unless Lucas and I . . .
What? Got married and had a bunch of kids? Why did that feel like such a fuzzy picture in her mind? If there’s such a thing as soul mates, Lucas Danby is mine.
Yet the same dread she’d had in those final days with the kids, desperately wanting to hold on to something she feared was slipping away, simmered in her now. Last night they’d skirted around the topic of the future without any finesse whatsoever. But they couldn’t put it off forever.
The buoyancy in the mayor’s expression gave way to a fatherly kindness. “Well, if you’ve had a change of heart, we’ll all understand. I love the idea of preserving the history of Belville Park, but it was a home first. And if it can be a home again, that’s something to celebrate.” He patted her shoulder. “Now, I need to find that writer from Iowa History. And where’s Lucas? I want to commend his work on this place.”
I wish I knew. She glanced at the cottage again. There was a light on now. “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”
“Hey, Mayor Milt, Jen.”
Jenessa turned. Logan? Since when did he leave the stage? “Bear’s doing a solo act now?”
Logan grinned and tugged his wife to his side. “Amelia just got here, so I granted myself a break. And there’s someone I want to introduce you to.”
She noticed the bundle in Amelia Walker’s arms then. “Oh, my goodness. There’s another Walker in the world?”
Logan fairly beamed. “Adoption was just finalized last week. Meet Sadie Flora Walker.”
“Oh, you guys, she’s beautiful. Where’s big sis?”
Logan laughed. “Running around somewhere, probably convincing her doting grandfather to let her eat way too many appetizers.”
“Last time I talked to you, you were thinking about moving back to Maple Valley. Is that still happening?”
They talked for a few minutes more, though Jenessa cast repeated glances toward the cottage. What could be keeping Lucas all this time? Mayor Milt eventually moved away, though she could hear his booming voice even at a distance as he congratulated Leigh on her event planning.
“How’s everything at the paper?”
She blinked, forcing herself to focus on Logan. “It’s good. I finally hired another reporter this summer.”
Logan looked at her for a moment. “You’re bored with it.”
“What?” It was the same thing Sam had said weeks ago. But she was around Sam nearly every day. She hadn’t seen Logan Walker in months.
“Listen, I was grateful when you bought the paper. For one thing, Amelia would’ve had my head if I’d sold it to a chain.” Amelia elbowed him with a laugh. “But no one says it has to be your baby forever.”
Her baby. It was just a phrase, a saying. It shouldn’t sting her so.
But as she watched Logan and Amelia wander off, join Logan’s dad and their oldest daughter, the frustration simply became too much. Any picture she’d ever had for her future had gone out of focus when the Hollis kids came into her life, replaced with a new image she’d come to love, to so desperately desire.
It’d been ripped away and she was helpless to do anything about it.
But she could do something about Lucas Danby. Mara was right—he was still here. They could make this work. She skirted around a cluster of people and strode past the tent, away from the garden, across the grass, the light in the cottage window drawing her like a beacon.
She lifted one hand and knocked, pulling her shawl tighter now that she was away from the space heaters. “Lucas? It can’t be taking you this long to get ready.” She knocked again. “I hope you’re not shaving. I think I finally decided the five-o’clock shadow look is my favorite.”