Page 57 of An Uncertain Road

Including Jensen.

If only he’d said he loved her, this choice would be easy.

But he hadn’t. He’d said sweet, encouraging things. Mr. Harrison seemed to believe he’d faced his fears for her. But now that she was being presented with the very thing she’d wanted for so long—and the independence to finally choose for herself—she found racing wasn’t what would make her happy, after all.

She wanted Jensen’s love.

She’d been willing to give up the dream-fulfilling offer that was within her grasp if it meant he would offer what she wanted more than anything.

It was time to face the reality that he wasn’t going to do so.

Flora pressed one hand to her aching chest. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept the position. I’m grateful for the offer, Mr. Harrison, I truly am. Please excuse me.”

Then she spun and fled the shop. She tried to amble along the sidewalk at a proper pace but soon found her footsteps increasing in speed until she was dashing toward a nearby park. Spotting the corner of a bench that was barely visible behind the huge trunk of an oak tree, she headed straight toward the private sanctuary.

Sinking onto the stone seat, she tried to focus on the yellow blooms of some summer flowers planted in neat clumps nearby. But all she could see was the green-gold depths of Jensen’s eyes. Resting her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands. Everything she’d been longing for had been right in front of her, and she couldn’t bring herself to reach out and claim it. All because she’d let her heart get involved. As Clement had always said, emotions were trouble.

A cold wave stilled her thoughts in their tracks. Now she was agreeing with Clement. What had falling in love with Jensen done to her? Would this pain lead her to become bitter and controlling like her brother?

If Flora had learned anything through this mess with Jensen, it was that focusing on the truth was freeing. So she sat for a few minutes reminding herself of all the ways she was different from Clement. She thought of the ways the Lord had led her through the years of abuse from Clement and then the contentious relationship with Henri. Without a doubt, He would continue to guide her steps.

Even if the journey He took her on didn’t include Jensen, God’s will was still good.

Footsteps on the brick path caught her attention. She froze, trying with all her might to blend into the tree at her back. While she was feeling calmer, she didn’t want to talk to anyone at the moment. Unless it was Jensen coming to declare his love for her.

As if summoned by her thoughts, he appeared around the tree a moment later. Sunlight caught on his features, highlighting the line of his nose, the curve of his lips. A memory of kissing him on the porch of the Mount Washington Hotel flashed through her mind. Would she ever experience that again? Was it worth being at his side every day in hopes she might?

Jensen joined her on the bench without a word. Her heart raced so fast she worried it might overtax itself and stop altogether. What would he say to her running out of the shop?

As it turned out, he didn’t say anything. Jensen took her shoulders in his hands. Slowly, giving her time to refuse, he pulled her toward him. A small part of Flora thought she ought to resist him until he made his feelings clear. But her heart didn’t care. It only wanted to feel his nearness again.

So she let him fit his lips over hers. Heat speared through her, and her eyes drifted shut. If she was about to find he didn’t share her feelings and this was their last kiss, she might as well enjoy it.

Reaching up, she let both hands tangle in his short hair, enjoying the surprising softness of it. Their bodies pressed as close together as possible with the strange angle of sitting side by side.

After several moments that weren’t nearly enough, Jensen pulled back, leaving both of them gasping for air. Flora tried not to meet his gaze, terrified of what she would—or wouldn’t—see in his eyes. But his fingers slid down her arms to grasp her hands, and he said her name with such raw emotion that she immediately looked up.

And she saw everything she’d been praying to find.

* * *

Desperate to keep her from running away again, Jensen prayed Flora would see his heart in his face, that she would hear it in his words. When she’d left the shop in such a rush, he’d been too stunned to stop her. But Mr. Harrison had pointed out the problem before the door even closed behind her. “Jensen, that young woman is in love with you. Didn’t you reveal your feelings last night? We all left you two alone in the dining room to give you the chance.”

Jensen was ashamed to admit that he’d delayed doing so out of fear. “How can you be sure? She refused the job, most likely because she can’t stand the thought of working with me.”

Mr. Harrison had laughed then, actually laughed right at Jensen. “Preposterous. She refused out of concern for you, an attempt to prove that your worries about racing matter to her. Her feelings are obvious to all of us. She’s waiting for you to declare yourself. You better find her and do it before she leaves for good.”

So he’d run out of the shop, hoping he was going the right way when he headed toward the park. It had taken longer than he wanted, but he finally spotted a corner of familiar plaid fabric peeking out from behind a large tree. And when he rounded the trunk, there she was, sitting on a bench with her face in her hands. Jensen’s heart had wrenched. He’d done that. He’d upset her by giving in to his fear and not speaking the words she needed to hear.

Now, sitting next to her and drinking in her beauty, there was one burning question he needed an answer to right away. “Did you refuse the driving job because you don’t want to work with me?”

Her lips parted in surprise. “Of course not. I had no idea you’d agreed to join the team. I refused for you.”

Relief spread through his chest. He searched for the words to convince her of his heart. “Mr. Harrison reminded me that I should have said something more to you last night, something that I hope will change your reaction to his job offer. You’ve helped me rediscover the blessing of the family God gave me, along with a purpose I never thought I’d be able to face again.”

She blinked and stared at him, waiting.

Now was the time to practice what he’d learned during the tour. Avoiding risk might protect him in the short term, but it would only lead to long-term loneliness and emptiness. It was time to lay out everything he’d been feeling. Jensen took a deep breath. “You’re the reason I agreed to take the job as the lead mechanic. You helped me find a passion for working on cars again. You showed me how to face my fear and find healing. I’m not sure how to make it flowery and romantic as you might expect, so I’ll just say it. I love you. And if you love me, too, I can do anything with you at my side.”