“I’ll try. It would have been easier if I hadn’t agreed to work with Will on Isabella’s birthday party. And her birthday is, of course, also the date of Delia’s death.”
“You can do it. Just be your normal perky self,” Sammi advised. “When are Cami and Josh arriving?”
“Probably right around the time of the birthday party, I think. I don’t have a definite date.”
“Well, focus on the fun you’ll have when they arrive. I know you’re excited to see them again.”
“Yes, I definitely am,” Amy agreed. “That was one of the reasons I agreed to come help out.”
“Hang in there. And if you need some back-up, let me know. I’d happily trade this heat for a more moderate temperature.”
“I may take you up on that offer. But in the meantime, thanks for the listening ear. I really appreciate it.”
“I just wish you’d told me about this before. Any other secrets I should know?”
“Nope. That was the biggie. I didn’t tell you before because I knew how dumb it sounded, and I really thought it was in the past and wasn’t going to be an issue again. Anyway, tell me what you’ve been up to.”
After chatting for another twenty minutes, Amy ended the call with Sammi and sprawled back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. While it felt good to have shared her turmoil with someone, she still didn’t have any answers. And aside from flat out avoiding Will, she didn’t know how she was going to keep those teen emotions from flaring every time he came around. She kind of wished she hadn’t agreed to help with the party, but for Isabella’s sake, she wouldn’t back out.
Somehow she’d figure out how to get through this without getting hurt again. Even if Sammi thought she should be open to how things might unfold, Amy really didn’t relish getting burned once morewhen the pain had never completely faded from her memory. It would be like when she’d burned herself twice in the same place while making cookies one time. Burn upon burn. Pain upon pain. She had been able to go a long time without feeling it, but now she felt every single stab of agonyshe’d experienced back then.
“Nope. Not going to let that happen again,” Amy murmured to herself. If God truly wanted this to work out with Will, He was going to have to make it very clear. So clear that everyone else, including Will, could see that it was what God wanted. Otherwise...no go.
~*~*~
Uncertain what to make of what had transpired Sunday afternoon, Will had purposefully steered clear of spending any time at the manor. Though he’d had to go by there each day to drop Isabella off, he hadn’t gone in with her. She spent mornings with either Laurel’s or Violet’s kids and afternoonsat the manor with Julia. So even though he hadn’t seen Amy since Sunday, he’d heard plenty about what she’d done with the girls. Isabella was completely smitten with her and that worried Will. He knew her time at the manor was temporary, and he hated the idea of Isabella being upset when she left.
He had emailed back and forth with Amy a couple of times since he’d gotten the list from Violet for the people to invite to Isabella’s party. She hadn’t mentioned anything about him helping again, and he wasn’t sure if she’d changed her mind, forgotten or if it was still pending. Will hadn’t decided yet if he would remind her or not.
Laurel had called him earlier to say they were going out there for supper and invited him to join them. Never one to turn down a meal he didn’t have to cook, Will agreed. That day Julia and Isabella had actually spent the afternoon with their cousins since Laurel and Violet had taken them all to a waterpark. The girls would be arriving with them.
The manor was quiet when he got there Thursday afternoon. Lance had left the office early because the bride and groom who had booked the chapel for their wedding were arriving to prepare for the weekend. He assumed that Lance and Amy had both gone to show them where their ceremony was taking place.
He settled on a stool at the counter and pulled out his phone. He was waiting for a couple of emails in response to some he’d sent earlier in the day. One had been to his parents to see if they’d made a decision yet on coming for Isabella’s birthday. He was pretty sure they were going to say no since they’d just been there to visit them, but he wished they would just make their decision already.
As he sat there reading other things on his social media, he heard the chirp of a text alert. He glanced over and saw a phone sitting on the counter at his elbow. The display was lit up, and before he realized what he was doing, he’d read the short message.
Hey sweetie! Just wondering how you’re doing. <3
It was from someone named SamSam. The phone chirped again, and another message appeared.
Been worried since our convo on Sunday. Hope you’re doing okay. Been praying for you!
Trust God to guide both you and him. Don’t dismiss this without making sure it really isn’t His will.
Will tore his gaze from the phone before another message appeared. It sounded like even though Amy had said she didn’t have a boyfriend, there was someone on the horizon. And why would she have told him that when they’d talked about dating earlier? She didn’t know him from Adam. If she’d found someone to love, more power to her. She seemed like a sweet girl, and he hoped she could find happiness with some guy who treated her like a queen.
It helped him understand Sunday afternoon a bit better. He’d thought maybe being with him—especially after Maura’s comments—had made her a bit uncomfortable, even though she’d been too polite to say anything. Apparently she’d had another guy on her mind the whole time. That made him feel a little better. Or did it? Suddenly he wasn’t sure. At the very least it would be easier to spend time with her knowing she didn’t care at all about the insinuations of Maura’s comments.
He returned his attention to his phone and even though the phone chirped two more times, he didn’t look. When the back door opened a short time later, Will glanced up to see a young couple enter the kitchen followed by Amy and Lance. As he watched the couple, he thought how in love they looked. So much like he and Delia had been. They looked young...and happy. He hoped that they enjoyed their happiness for many years.
As Amy approached the counter, he noticed she also looked young. The light green sleeveless shirt she wore had several buttons open to reveal a white tank top underneath which was tucked intojean capris. Her blonde curls were up in a high ponytail. He didn’t know how old she actually was, but right then she looked about eighteen.
“Hey, Amy,” he said.
“Hi,” she repliedwith a smile as she reached out and picked up her phone.
Out of the corner of his eye Will saw her touch the screen. He was only half-listening to Lance as he talked to the couple. At one point Amy’s head jerked up, and he felt her looking at him. Will kept his gaze on Lance, not wanting her to suspect that he’d read her messages. He felt horrible about having done it, but there was no way he could confess without making it awkward all around.
