Kenzie hadn’t ruined J.P. for all other relationships the way losing Nora would. Losing Kenzie made J.P. wary of love. That much was true. But losing Nora would make J.P. fearful that no other woman could ever live up to the way she made him feel. She would be the measuring stick for all future relationships. There was a unique passion she brought out of him. Even when they hadn’t seen eye to eye, there had been something almost electric between them. Something strong, drawing them together. Hopefully, something unbreakable.
He cleared his throat with a soft cough and rolled his hand into a clenched grip. With a silent prayer for courage, he lowered his knuckles to the door.
Her light footsteps increased in volume until J.P. knew she stood directly opposite him, the only barrier left in the form of the door between them.
That wasn’t entirely true. Even when she opened the door, they would still have a barrier to overcome.
J.P. needed to come clean about his evasion. It wasn’t like he expected her to pull down on the handle and throw her arms around him excitedly. He was prepared for an uphill battle.
“J.P.,” she mouthed as the door yawned open, his name catching on a sharp intake of breath.
“Nora.”
His brows pinched together, eyes undoubtedly resembling Waylon’s puppy dog ones. She looked beautiful, of course, but defeated all the same. That helpless gaze grew invisible hands and reached right into J.P.’s chest, twisting his heart. He couldn’t talk, couldn’t even get out a whisper. Her overcome expression rooted him in place.
His body protested, about ready to launch himself toward her to gather her into his arms, but something about her countenance served as a stop sign. He halted before he did something she wouldn’t reciprocate.
“J.P., what are you doing here?” Nora took an ever-so-slight step back, but J.P. picked up on it.
“Nora, I need to talk to you.”
Her lips pressed together. “I’ve been needing to talk to you for the last week, but you’ve been too busy for that.”
The hope of an overjoyed reaction withered within him.
“I have something I want to show you,” he said.
She rounded her eyes and dipped her chin as if to indicate that he should go ahead with it.
“It’s not here,” he replied to her gesture.
Nostrils flared, Nora shook her head. “J.P., I don’t have it in me to play games tonight.” She breathed out a sigh laden with exhaustion.
“It’s not a game. It’s more of a surprise.”
She had every right to be suspicious, but J.P. tried to silently will her to trust him.
“Where is it?” She stepped forward to peer around him.
“At the community garden.” He swung his gaze toward his truck parked in her driveway. “I’d like to take you there.”
He could sense she was thinking better of it, but before thenocould leave her mouth, she dipped back into the farmhouse, returning with a small purse crossed over her body and a wary look on her face.
“It won’t take long,” he attempted to justify, but added no more than that, not even during the car ride that felt twice as long with the stilted silence between them.
He was so close. If he could just get her to the garden to unveil the booth, then everything would be right in the end. She would understand the meaning in his motives and—hopefully—forgive him for the sorry excuses he’d dished out.
“Can you do me a favor?” he asked, fully aware that agreeing to get into his truck in the first place was a huge, undeserved favor in and of itself.
She just looked at him.
“Would you mind closing your eyes?”
With a single nod, she lowered her lashes to her cheeks while J.P. came around the truck to guide her down. His hand slipped into hers and his heart slipped right back into place. Right where he knew it belonged, in Nora’s care.
He didn’t want to grip too hard, but directing her over the gravel parking lot proved treacherous with only his hand in hers. Slowly, he released their threaded fingers and moved his hand toward the small of her back, tenderly placing it above her waistband. With the other, he cupped his palm over her eyes.
She trusted him enough to let him lead her through the gate and into the fragrant garden, and when they were just a few steps from the booth setup and the big reveal, J.P. rotated her around to keep her back to his handiwork.
