Page 48 of Snowed In With the Maverick
“You’re a lifesaver,” Andrea said, opening the top of the container to inspect the newspaper-wrapped bone china dishes that would allow her to host the large group the next day.
Her own set was for eight, and Andrea was putting out lunch for ten, including herself. She’d run into JenniLynn at the Feed and Seed and had asked her where in town she might buy new dishes, and JenniLynn had offered to loan her a set.
“Why don’t you come in for a coffee?” Andrea said.
JenniLynn glanced at her watch. “Sure, why not?” she said. “I’ve got to pick the kids up soon, but I’ve got a few minutes.”
JenniLynn trailed Andrea into the kitchen, where Andrea had just finished organizing serving platters, glassware and flatware for the lunch. A pile of freshly laundered cloth napkins sat waiting to be ironed, and earlier that morning, she’d gone for a walk behind the ranch and trimmed some evergreen boughs to make into a festive table centerpiece.
She’d considered canceling the lunch more than once. She and Seth hadn’t spoken for a week, but the invites had already been sent, and hosting some of the prominent and well-connected community members could only serve to help promote the ranch, if no longer the dinosaur park.
“Looks like this is going to be quite the production,” JenniLynn said. She turned to Andrea, her eyes filled with amusement. “Are you sure you don’t want to just order some takeout?”
“Honestly, yes. I truly do. But given that this will be everyone’s first impression of the place, it needs to be decidedly…coze-viting.” The second the words left her mouth, she felt a pang of longing in her chest, thinking of Seth, and his genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for what she’d done with the ranch.
And, for the millionth time since she’d shut the door to his car on Thanksgiving, she felt a mixture of relief and regret. Relief that she’d figured out what was going on before she’d gotten in too deep. Regret that Seth had failed to meet what she now knew was an impossible image for a man who would never be a part of her life.
But there was no time for regret. She had guests arriving in twenty-four hours, and she needed to execute the menu that was sketched out on loose-leaf on the counter.
Andrea glanced over the paper and chided herself for her ambitious choices. Herb-crusted rack of lamb with red wine reduction. Butternut squash soup with truffle oil drizzle. Wild mushroom risotto. Honey-roasted root vegetables. Pomegranate and arugula salad with maple balsamic vinaigrette, followed by poached pears in vanilla and chai for dessert.
Impressing Seth might have been top of mind when she was planning the menu, back when he was meant to be at the lunch.
“So, if you don’t mind me asking,” JenniLynn said. Andrea winced. She knew exactly what was coming, and in fact, she did mind her asking. “I thought Seth was going to be here. I noticed his name isn’t on any of the place cards.” She nodded toward the tented cards where Andrea had written each guest’s name in gold pen.
Andrea took a long breath in, then looked at JenniLynn. “The dino project is really interesting. But we’re going in different directions with how we’re spending our time.”
JenniLynn raised an eyebrow. “Spoken like a true politician. Takes one to know one. But I can’t read between the lines. What happened with you two? When I saw you at the hoedown, you were practically glowing together.”
A flash of that night played in Andrea’s mind as she struggled for what to say to JenniLynn. Seth’s hands around her waist. The smoky-smooth depth of his voice speaking in her ear. The pride in his eyes sharing his brother’s plans to propose to Mike.
Had she counted him out too quickly? Did it even matter now? She’d made it clear to him that they were done. He’d likely moved on. A man as gorgeous and alluring as Seth Taylor didn’t sulk in corners. They were sought after. They chased ambitions. They took care of themselves. They charged forward. Which is what she needed to do too.
Andrea shook her head. “I’m just…” She paused and looked out the window. “I’m not ready for anything serious.”
“Well, listen,” JenniLynn said. “When you are, you just let me know. There aren’t many men in the area I’d set you up with. To be honest, Seth Taylor would top my list. But if he’s not for you, I know a few guys who would do backflips for a chance at a date with you.”
Tears pricked Andrea’s eyes. “Thank you,” she said. She sniffed and willed away the lump in her throat that was threatening those tears to spill. She cleared her throat, then looked up at JenniLynn. “I really wish you’d been elected as mayor. You’re smart. And you understand people.”
JenniLynn gave her a tight grin. “Well, it wasn’t meant to be this time,” she said. “But I appreciate that. Sometimes, I guess things just happen on their own timeline. Maybe I’ll run again. And maybe,” she said, her expression softening, “whatever happened between you and Seth will happen again when it’s meant to be.”
It took everything in Andrea not to wrap JenniLynn in a big hug, but even though the woman’s words were stoking the small ember that she hadn’t allowed to quite burn out, she knew that her emotions were the driver in a situation that called on her to put her scientist’s hat back on. To look at the observable evidence.
Seth betrayed her. She had a history of trusting too easily. So although she’d had the rug pulled from under her, and she wasn’t a practicing scientist, she’d be wise to grasp onto the lessons she learned from years of searching for the truth through plain evidence right in front of her face.
“You okay, Andrea?” JenniLynn said. “You look like you just traveled to another planet.”
“Sorry,” Andrea said. She smiled and shook her head. “Have you ever thought about a career as a therapist? You know how to get someone thinking.”
JenniLynn put her mug on the counter and held out her arms. Andrea accepted the hug, squeezing JenniLynn and reveling in the natural care and no-nonsense approach. “Doesn’t take a genius to tell that you are fighting a battle that might not be necessary,” she said, looking Andrea square in the eye. “And if what Carol told me yesterday is true…”
“What’s that? And who’s that?”
“Mike’s godmother. Who works the front desk at the Tenacity Inn. She told me that Daniel told her that Seth’s been moping around the Triple T, acting short and giving everyone but the horses attitude. He’s got it bad for you, girl.”
And there it was. The small-town rumor mill in action. Three degrees of separation. While she liked hearing that Seth was suffering too, JenniLynn’s words caused a deep ache in her, and a flash of Seth’s clear blue eyes holding hers the night of their visit to the observatory made her unsteady.
His words echoed in her mind.If you ever find yourself ready, I’m here. Had she actually been more ready than she’d let herself believe? Had that distrust in herself been completely unfounded? Traced by the past hurt of someone so completely unlike Seth it was like the two were from different galaxies?
