Читать книгу A Marriage in Middlebury - Anita Higman - Страница 9

Chapter 2

2

Tea? Oh. I do, of course. Your favorite.” Charlotte glanced away, embarrassed that she had thought he might have meant more than tea. She wished she’d had time to color the gray out of that mousey blonde hair of hers. Or put something else on besides her casual clothes. Or at least freshen her makeup? Too late. She poured the pearls into her pocket and gave him her best welcoming smile, one she hoped would compensate for the deficiencies in an older face and figure.

“It’s good to be back in Middlebury,” he said. “Good to be here too.”

Oh, my. Sam Wilder. There he was, standing before her and heaven, dressed in jeans and tweed and looking like the Sam she’d always loved. Of course, at thirty-seven, he was seasoned: a bit beefier around the middle, a sprinkling of wrinkles here and there, and yet his eyes were still as blue, and he was just as striking as ever—in an earthy kind of way. The intensity in his expression, though, looked new. The boyish twinkle was replaced by an assessing tilt of his head. “I’m so glad to see you, Sam.”

He pulled her into a hug. “I hated living in the city. Too much hurry and noise and fumes. I missed everything about this town.”

“You did?” Sam’s embrace pulled a thousand tiny strings, and they were all attached to her heart. Oh, if they could only go back in time. If only she’d had more courage in her youth, perhaps things would have worked out differently. By now, they would have had a couple of children together; they would have been a family.

If only.

“You smell like mint leaves.” Sam let her go without ceremony, but as he moved away there was mist in his eyes. “I hear you blend your own teas.”

“Yes. Just like I did in high school. The mint comes from my herb garden out back.” Charlotte clasped her hands together to keep them from flailing around. “Would you like some tea? I know your favorite was always China white with a sprinkling of rose petals.”

Sam chuckled. “Guess we’d better not let that news out on any social media sites.”

Charlotte grinned and touched her cheek, the warm spot where his jacket had tickled her skin.

“By the way, that was the tea I loved back then, but I guess my tastes have changed over the years. I love a different kind of tea now.”

“Oh? You do?” Why did that tiny confession sound so forlorn? “What is it?”

“Sweet tea . . . lots of ice.” Sam gazed at her. “You know, except for the shorter hair, you seem just the same to me, Lotty. Even the way you rest your hand over your cheek.”

Sam had been the only one to call her by that endearment. Lotty. How she had missed it.

“This is an incredible place.” His hand lighted across the antique table and the framed needlepoint design. “It’s so you. Homey. Welcoming. Like those cinnamon rolls you used to bake me.”

Charlotte fingered the pearls that tumbled around in her apron pocket. Someday she’d have her necklace mended. Someday. “It means a lot to me to hear you say that.”

“I wished I’d stopped by through the years,” he said, “but as I’m sure you remember, my dad and I weren’t close, so I’ve never really come home much. I just thought it was easier if I—”

“Sam, I understand. There’s no need to explain.”

Sam looked toward the front door.

Was he expecting to meet someone? The customers munched and chatted, but some of them stole glances at him.

Sam shifted his weight from one foot to another. “I guess you heard about my father.”

“Yes. I’m so sorry.” She reached out to his hand but didn’t touch him. “Is his heart any better?”

“I’m afraid not. Nelly called me and told me I’d better come home to see him.” Sam stroked his chin. “I want to talk to you about that but first there’s something else I need to tell you.”

The bell on the front door rang and Sam looked back again. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

“Meet?” While Sam was occupied looking toward the doorway, Charlotte fluffed her short bob, but then feeling silly, she scooped her hair behind her ears.

Sam gestured behind him, motioning for a woman to join him. “Audrey?”

A petite, young woman with bouncy chestnut hair, walked through the tearoom and over to her. “It’s good to finally meet you.” The woman stuck out her hand. “I’m Audrey Anderson.”

Charlotte gave Audrey’s hand a friendly shake. She seemed pleasant enough, and with her amethyst-colored suit and her violet eyes, she looked as pretty as wisteria blossoms in full bloom. It was only natural for Sam to have a girlfriend. Even a pretty one.

Sam patted Audrey’s hand. “Charlotte, what I’ve wanted to tell you is . . . Audrey is my, well, she’s my fiancée.”

Forks clanked, and some of the customers stopped eating. Edith may have coughed. Curiosity was a palatable thing in Middlebury—as potent and heady as her black current tea. But for Charlotte, this was one curiosity that she wished would not have come to visit. “What a surprise. You’re getting married.” Charlotte took a step back, wondering if he noticed the flush on her face. “Congratulations. You should both stay for lunch. It’ll be on the house. To celebrate.” Her beloved Sam was engaged. There would be no going back now.

Sam’s fiancée wiggled her engagement ring in front of Charlotte. The diamond, large and domelike, could have outshined the Enchanted Rock of Texas.

Charlotte remembered to breathe. “Your ring is lovely.”

Audrey circled her arm though Sam’s. “That’s sweet of you to offer us lunch to celebrate. He said you were like this, you know.”

“Like what?” Charlotte drew up her brows, wanting desperately to understand. And wanting desperately to crawl under a table.

“Sam said you were kind and generous to everyone you meet.” Audrey smiled, but there was a flash of some other emotion too vague to recognize. “I hope we can be close. You and me.”

Charlotte sputtered unintelligibly.

“I don’t have many friends in the city,” she said. “And living way out here, well, I’m bound to get lonely.”

You’ll never be lonely with Sam by your side. Charlotte remembered the stone in her pocket and panicked, thinking that God might ask her to befriend Audrey. It would certainly be one of the hard things in life, one of those sanctifying things God might use to make His imprint on her clearer and brighter. If it were up for a vote, though, she would still decline such a generous opportunity from the Divine. Charlotte recovered her voice. “I never miss an opportunity to have a friend. But for now, let me seat you both, and I’ll get you some menus.”

Audrey rubbed her arms. “It’s kind of chilly out there for spring.”

Sam slipped his jacket off and set it around her shoulders.

“I’ll put you where it’s extra warm.” Charlotte seated Sam and his fiancée in the coziest spot and handed them some luncheon menus.

Audrey whipped out an iPhone from her Prada bag. “You know, Sam has been raving about your cooking. He calls you Julia Child with Southern roots.”

Charlotte smiled but didn’t dare look at Sam.

“Sooo, would you cater the reception for our wedding? It’ll be in June.” Audrey held up her iPhone as if she were already keying in some information.

Charlotte tried to smile, but she feared it came off lame. Never had she been so lacking in words, and never had the stone in her pocket felt so heavy.