Hometown Proposal Page 3

  “Sure.” Barbara lowered the tray. “We’ll serve together.”

  As Barbara carried the tray around the table, Olivia picked up the plates and gave one to each person. When they reached Elise, Olivia stood on her tiptoes and handed the plate to her. “’Lise, for you.”

  “Thank you, Olivia. You’re such a good helper.” Elise smiled as she took the plate.

  Seth took in the smile. Though he wished it were for him, the smile warmed his heart. If she couldn’t smile for him, at least she smiled for his daughter.

  While they ate their cake, conversation floated around Seth. He made an occasional comment, but he mostly listened, taking in the joy. He was glad Elise had found happiness back in her hometown. He wondered whether he could ever be a part of it.

  Ray finished a bite of cake, then glanced at Seth. “I’ll have to introduce you to our future son-in-law, Lukas. He would’ve been here tonight, but he had to attend some kind of management meeting at the medical devices plant he runs.”

  Seth’s heart nearly stopped as a bite of cake went down wrong. Was Elise engaged? He’d never considered the possibility that she might have found a new love since returning home. Having to watch her with someone else would be a cruel turn of events.

  “I’m sure Lukas will try to recruit you for the church softball team,” Juliane said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

  As Seth looked at Juliane, he noticed the sparkling diamond ring on her left hand. Lukas must be Juliane’s fiancé. A cautious relief settled around his heart. Seth checked Elise’s left hand. No ring, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t dating someone. He was every kind of fool for thinking he could waltz into town and find his way into her heart again with no obstacles.

  “I’m sure Seth isn’t interested in being on the church softball team.” Elise didn’t even look at him as she made the statement.

  “But I would. Sounds like fun.” Seth waited for Elise’s reaction, but none came.

  “I’ve got a great idea.” Ray snapped his fingers. “There’s a men’s prayer breakfast before church tomorrow. Would you like to go with me? Since you’re new in town, the gathering would be a good opportunity to meet Lukas and a bunch of the other guys.”

  “Dad, you’re being a little pushy, aren’t you?” Elise’s gaze darted between Seth and her father.

  “Really, Elise, your dad’s right. I’d like to meet some folks from the community.” Seth didn’t miss the surprise in Elise’s eyes. Was she remembering the old Seth—the one who had no use for God or religion?

  “Great. I can pick you up at the hotel,” Ray said.

  Seth glanced at Olivia. “Like I said before, I’d like to join you, but I can’t take Olivia to the men’s prayer breakfast.”

  Barbara looked expectantly at Seth. “Oh…this could be my first chance to babysit. I can watch Olivia while you go to the breakfast.”

  Seth hesitated again. Even though Olivia seemed comfortable with Barbara, he wasn’t sure how Olivia would act for a lengthy time with someone she didn’t know very well. Her sitters in Pittsburgh had always been his mother or his aunt Susan. But he had to face the fact that he’d have to rely on a lot of new people here to help him with his child. Having Barbara watch Olivia was probably a good start.

  “What do you say, Olivia? Would you like to visit with Mrs. Keller in the morning while Daddy goes to a meeting?”

  Olivia shrugged her little shoulders. “’Kay.”

  Seth recognized her uncertainty and tried to reassure her. “You’ll have a good time.”

  Barbara smiled at Olivia. “Do you like pancakes?”

  Olivia nodded.

  “Good. You and I can make pancakes for breakfast. Would you like that?”

  Olivia nodded again.

  Barbara turned her attention to Seth. “You can bring her out here in the morning before you go to the breakfast.”

  “The breakfast starts at eight o’clock at my cousin’s café. Do you remember the one on Main Street where we had lunch with Nathan?” Ray asked. “I do.”

  “Then we’ll see you there. I know you’ll enjoy meeting the other men.”

  Barbara motioned toward the little girl. “When you come in the morning, you can leave Olivia’s car seat with me, and I’ll bring her when I come to church. They have an excellent class for two- and three-year-olds, if you think she’ll go.”

  “We can wait and see on that one,” Seth replied.

  Olivia clamored into Seth’s lap and laid her little head on his chest. He glanced down. Seth’s heart warmed as his daughter snuggled close. He hoped this move would prove to be a good choice for his little girl.

  “I think someone’s sleepy.” Barbara patted the top of Olivia’s head.

  “I think you’re right. If I’m going to get up early for the prayer breakfast, I should head back to the hotel.” Seth smiled down at Olivia, then glanced at Barbara as he stood. “Thanks so much for the wonderful meal. I enjoyed the evening.”

  Everyone joined Seth near the front door as he helped Olivia get into her little jacket.

  “See you in the morning.” Ray waved as he stood on the front porch with his arm around Barbara’s waist.

  Seth waved in return, then buckled Olivia into her car seat. As he backed his car out of the driveway, the Kellers waved again, even Elise. She appeared to be smiling. Had he made a little progress, or was she glad he was leaving?

  He had to quit second-guessing himself. He hoped tomorrow’s appearance at church would help Elise see him as a changed man. He should remember to pray for patience where she was concerned.

  Talk about an emotional roller-coaster ride—tonight had been one!

  “What do you know about Seth’s little girl?” Barbara started clearing the dessert plates from the table as soon as they came inside.

  Elise had expected her mother to ask these questions sooner or later, but she’d hoped they would come later—maybe after she knew more herself. “You should’ve asked Seth.”

  Barbara frowned. “I couldn’t ask him.”

  “Why not? He has the answers.”

  “I couldn’t put him on the spot or embarrass him. He was our guest.”

  Knowing more questions would follow, Elise decided to put the truth out there for the whole family to hear. “The last I knew, he wasn’t willing to marry Olivia’s mother or even acknowledge that the child was his. I don’t know what happened since then or why he has Olivia now.”

  “Oh.” Averting her eyes, Barbara lowered her head.

  Elise surmised that her mother’s loss for words meant she was both shocked and curious at the same time. An uncomfortable silence filled the kitchen.

  Ray cleared his throat. “I’ll make sure to ask Seth at the prayer breakfast.”

  Elise turned to her father. “Dad, please don’t ask any embarrassing questions.”

  “Baby girl, don’t you know I’m only kidding?” Ray chuckled.

  Sighing, Elise tried not to let her dad’s teasing annoy her. “This isn’t a joking matter.”

  Ray nodded. “I know, but I had to break the morbid silence somehow. Besides, I’ve learned that stating the truth is always the best solution. Letting people know about my alcohol problem has been very freeing.”

  “That’s true, but you did that in your own time. Seth will do the same when it comes to Olivia.” Elise sighed heavily. “This whole business with Seth has been upsetting.”

  Ray placed some plates in the dishwasher. “I knew you might not be happy that he was moving here, but I think it’ll do you good to deal with the past so you can finally put it behind you.”

  “You discussed this with Juliane, didn’t you? I’m not happy that you all have been talking about me behind my back.” Elise shot a pointed glance at her dad and her sister, then grabbed a dishrag and started wiping the counters. She wished she could wipe away all this mess with Seth, too.

  “Honey.” Her dad put a hand on her shoulder. “If I’d thought it was a bad thing, I never
would’ve agreed with the committee to hire Seth. In fact, the reason I discussed it with your sister was to get her advice.”

  Elise stopped scrubbing and glared at Juliane. “And you told him to go ahead?”

  “I explained that to you. I thought you needed to get over the past.” Juliane put the last glass in the dishwasher.

  “I have, and I’ve moved on with my life.” Elise resumed washing the counter.

  Juliane put soap in the dispenser, then turned to Elise. “I mean, you need to face the past, not bury it.”

  Pressing her lips together, Elise shook her head. “One thing’s for certain. Nothing stays buried with you around.”

  Juliane frowned. “Elise, please don’t be angry with me.”

  Trying to gain control over her emotions, Elise wrung out the dishrag. “I’m not angry, just… I don’t even know how to describe my feelings.”

  “I love you, little sis.” Juliane gave Elise a hug.

  Elise smiled and hugged her back. “Me, too.”

  Ray chuckled. “I’m glad you girls have grown up. This would not be the way you would’ve handled this situation when you were in high school.”

  “So true. We might have had a little hair pulling.” Barbara laughed out loud. “But, no matter the circumstances, that little Olivia is the cutest thing, and she looks so much like Seth. He seems to be trying to do the right thing now. Give him a chance.”

  “Okay. You’ve all made your points, but there’s a big knot of pain right here.” Elise tapped a fist over her heart. “Seeing Seth again made it worse.”

  Ray put an arm around Elise’s shoulders. “I just want you to be happy, baby girl.”

  Leaning into her father, Elise closed her eyes for a moment, then glanced up at him. “I know, Dad. But please don’t try to fix the situation. I can work through this on my own.”

  “I didn’t mean to bring you any trouble.” Her dad held her close. “I certainly didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “I understand that, but I want you to understand my mind-set.” Elise took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Seth is a tireless worker, a real charmer and a people person, so I can see why you hired him. I’m sure he’s a perfect choice for this job. But that doesn’t mean I have to be involved. So it would be a lot easier in the future if you left me off the guest list for any function where he’ll be in attendance, okay?”

  Ray shook his head. “I’ll do my best, but this is a small town. You can’t expect to avoid him.”

  Elise laughed halfheartedly. “I’m aware of that, but I’d rather keep my distance, if possible.”

  “Is Olivia the reason you ended your relationship with Seth?” Concern knit Barbara’s brow.

  “Partly, but I really don’t want to discuss it. I don’t want my thoughts about Seth to color yours.” Elise searched their faces. “He deserves a fresh start here, so let’s drop the subject, okay?”

  Juliane folded a dish towel and hung it on the nearby rack. “Does this mean you’re not going to be on the softball team if Seth joins?”

  Elise laughed, feeling her tension fade. She hadn’t realized how wired she’d been while Seth was there until now. “Your only concern is the church softball team?”

  “Well, you are the best pitcher we have. You were our ace last year.”

  “Surely you won’t miss me if I don’t play this year.”

  “Lukas is counting on you.”

  “Well, maybe if he’s super, super nice to me.” Elise’s only thought was finding a way to keep Lukas from asking Seth to join the team. She had little hope of that. She had to face facts. As long as Seth lived in Kellerville, she would have to get used to being around him. She’d better start praying now for strength to deal with him.

  Chapter Three

  After saying good-night to her folks, Elise rushed to Juliane’s car. Elise had little doubt that her sister would ply her with all kinds of questions on the way home. Despite her plea not to talk about Seth, Elise knew Juliane wouldn’t quit asking until she got some answers.

  Juliane hurried to keep up with Elise. “I was curious about you and Seth before, but after this evening, you have to explain everything.”

  “I’m surprised you waited this long to ask. I thought you’d corner me in the pantry and twist my arm.”

  “Not possible.” Juliane chuckled. “You’re bigger than I am. So what gives?”

  “I’m not sure I can explain anything. I’m just as confused as you are about Olivia.”

  As Juliane opened the driver’s-side door, she looked over the top of the car at Elise. “What’s confusing about Olivia?”

  “Everything. I don’t know why he has the child he rejected. My explanation isn’t going to help you understand it. So what’s the point?”

  Juliane gave her a stern look as she got into the car. “While I drive home, you’re going to tell me what happened between you and Seth. I won’t take no for an answer. No excuses.”

  Elise plopped onto the bucket seat and yanked the door closed. While Juliane drove down the lane to the main road, Elise tried to gather her thoughts. Where did she start? Maybe with the sordid truth. “Well, here it is in a nutshell. Seth Finley is a womanizer. He had a woman in every port. And the fact that he has a child tells you he wasn’t just talking with them.”

  “If he was so terrible, why were you dating him?”

  “Because he had me fooled—probably like all the other women in his life. Like Olivia’s mother.”

  “You knew Olivia’s mother?”

  “I didn’t know her personally. I saw her once—the day she showed up with Olivia.”

  “And you were there?”

  Nodding, Elise sighed heavily.

  “How did that happen?”

  Elise stared straight ahead into the darkness and let the painful memory float through her mind.

  She glanced at Juliane. “Okay. Here’s what I know. We were docked in Key West and had some free time, so we had lunch on the patio of one of our favorite restaurants.”

  “So what happened?”

  “If you’d quit interrupting, I’d tell you.”

  “Okay, I’ll be quiet.”

  “Anyway, while we were talking, this pretty woman with long black hair and the darkest brown eyes I’ve ever seen walked up to us. She was pushing a stroller containing a child who looked to be about a year old.” Elise swallowed a lump in her throat.

  “Was this Olivia’s mother?” Juliane asked.

  Elise nodded. “Seth tried to ignore her at first, but she wouldn’t let him. She insisted he come out and talk to her.”

  “So did he?”

  “Yeah, because she wasn’t going away until he did. Besides, she was attracting the attention of nearby diners. He was clearly upset when he got up and went to meet her. He guided her halfway down the block. Although I couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying, I could tell by their expressions and raised voices that they were arguing.”

  “What happened then?”

  “Seth reached into his pocket and pulled out some money and gave it to her, then turned and walked away. When she followed him and grabbed his arm, he shook her off and told her to get lost.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I was dying inside while I watched them. I felt so sorry for that woman and wondered whether he would treat me that way someday. I couldn’t believe how he was acting.” Elise pressed a hand to her chest.

  “Did you ask him what was going on?”

  “Of course. He told me he didn’t want to discuss it—that it wasn’t any of my business.” Telling this story brought back the pain. Even though Olivia had obviously been conceived before Elise and Seth had made the move from flirtation to relationship, Elise had still felt betrayed. Seth had clearly known about the baby, and yet he had never even mentioned the child to her before. The man she’d thought of as generous and caring had quite literally turned his back on his daughter, and on the woman who had been his lover, and instead of offering any
explanation for his behavior to Elise, he’d pushed her away.

  “What did you do then?”

  “I got up and left.”

  “Did he come after you?”

  “He did, and he tried to convince me the woman wasn’t anyone I needed to concern myself about, that the baby wasn’t his, anyway.”

  “Did you believe him?”

  “I loved him, Juliane. I’d given him my heart and soul. And more.” Pausing, Elise swallowed hard as she twisted her hands in her lap. “Please don’t think I’m terrible. We were sleeping together. I wanted to believe our relationship was important to him, but how could I when he refused to tell me what was going on, why he’d behaved so horribly? The more I asked, the angrier he got, until finally, he stormed out.”

  As Juliane stopped the car at a traffic light, she reached across the console and patted Elise’s arm. “We’ve all done things in our lives we wish we hadn’t.”

  “Do you understand now why I didn’t want to see him again? The relationship I thought we had was proven false. He wasn’t the man I thought he was, and it still hurts to look at him and remember that.”

  “Do you still love him?”

  Elise didn’t want to answer. Her mind buzzed with conflicting thoughts. No. No. No. Surely she didn’t still love him. She couldn’t love a man who treated women the way he’d treated her and Olivia’s mother. “How could I?”

  “You obviously have some kind of feelings for him.”

  “Conflicting ones. I don’t want him to mess up my life again.”

  “He can’t if you don’t let him.”

  “Well, I plan to steer clear of him as much as possible.”

  Juliane pulled her car into the garage of the little century-old house that she and Elise shared near the heart of town. “Thanks for telling me. Now I understand some of what you’re feeling.”

  “Please don’t mention this to Mom and Dad.” Elise followed Juliane into the house.

  Juliane flipped on the light in the kitchen. “Okay, but don’t you wonder why he has Olivia?”

  “Yeah, but I’m not going there. That’s his business, not mine or yours.”