Had he blamed her for something that wasn’t even her fault?
Guilt stabbed his gut harder than any bee sting.
Had he been wrong about Nora Paisley? And if so, what was he going to do about it?
Chapter Fifteen
“What a difference a day makes.” Like a spring breeze, April swooped into the farmhouse, her pink checkered skirt twirling around her legs with her graceful movements. She beamed at her friend. “You look so much better! You’ve got a little life back with that rosy glow.”
Nora grinned.
Shefeltbetter, although she wasn’t sure it was possible to feel worse than she had. The only way to describe it was violent. Even today, fever free with a small but growing appetite, she wasn’t sure she could call herself one-hundred percent. But she was getting there. Slowly, but surely.
“J.P. said there’s something going around,” Nora said.
April’s blank gaze was a prompt.
“He came over last night to work on our tasks for the summer festival,” Nora amended.
“Oh, that’s right. I heard you two are partners.” Taking a seat on the soft gray sofa in the front room, April slipped off her strappy sandals and drew her legs up beneath her. “How’s that going?”
“It’s not, because just as we were about to get started, I became horribly ill. Luckily, he was able to get out of here before the worst of it.” Nora found her place beside her friend as she grimaced at the not-so-distant memory. “But I was able to sleep until almost noon, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like a new woman.”
April made a jealous face. “I can’t even think of the last time I slept past eight.”
Nora cocked her head, racking her own brain. She couldn’t either, mostly because J.P. made certain it wasn’t even an option for her. But this morning, there was no music coming from across the two properties like an unwelcome roll of thunder. No sawing or jackhammering. She’d heard some commotion in the late afternoon, but by then, she’d been up for hours.
Had that been intentional on his part?
Her heart gave a little squeeze of unanticipated gratitude. She’d have to ask him about that later, and thank him for it.
“I almost forgot.” Reaching into a shopping bag at her feet, April pulled out the cheery yellow dress Nora had hoped to borrow. “It’s all yours.”
“You’re the best. Thank you so much for letting me borrow it.” Nora took the neatly folded frock and settled it on her lap. “I’ll give it back right after the photo shoot.”
“Not necessary. My gift.”
“I can’t take this dress from you. You could sell it in your store.”
“Would you believe me if I said I made it with you in mind?” April’s bright eyes twinkled mischievously.
“I feel like you said that about the dress you gave me last spring. The one with the rose petals and beautiful embroidering. And the Christmas one with the holly berries all over it.”
“What can I say?” She lifted her shoulders in a little‘you got me’shrug. “My friends are my greatest inspiration.”
Nora smiled at that, and the grin remained fixed on her mouth when her attention moved to the screen door and the figure suddenly behind it. Tilly, the remaining part of their trio, stood on the other side, shuffling an armload of grocery bags in her grip.
“A little help?” Tilly spoke through the wire partition.
April jumped to her feet to come to their friend’s rescue. “What on earth did you bring? The entire aisle six of Harmony Ridge Market?”
“Just the stomach flu recovery essentials.” Tilly hip-bumped the screen door back into place. “Soda crackers. Ginger ale. Applesauce. Maybe a couple of red velvet cupcakes for good measure. You know, the basics.”
Nora’s heart expanded in her chest so fully it almost hurt. “Have I told you two lately that you’re the best friends a girl could ever ask for?”
“You have,” Tilly said smugly. “But it’s always good to hear it again.” Her grip slipped on one of the paper sacks and she recovered it before it had the chance to falter and hit the ground. “I’m going to go get these things put away in the kitchen before they end up all over this floor like scattered marbles.”
“I’ll help,” April added before turning back to Nora, instructing her to stay seated. “Don’t you move a muscle. We’ll be right back.”
