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Caroline was already shaking her head when Matthew offered a suggestion.
“Jenna should go. She and Dylan are buddies, and they haven’t seen each other in a while.”
Matthew probably thought he was helping his brother out by offering him an escape from their mothers’ matchmaking efforts, but Dylan looked like a man stuck between two unacceptable choices and hoping for a third.
Jenna jumped in before he found one. “That sounds great. I’d love to have the chance to meet the Dentons.”
She knew better than to look at Dylan because his gaze wouldn’t be tossing daisies at her. Dylan probably thought she’d only accepted Matthew’s suggestion to get the chance to spend time with him, but it was more than that. The Denton family’s story had touched her, too, and she wanted to reach out to them.
“That’s fine,” Dylan said finally, but he didn’t look at her. Instead, he grabbed a legal pad out of the drawer in his mother’s roll-top desk.
“We’ll know more tomorrow, but we can divide up the general areas now. Housing, furniture, clothing and food.” He wrote as he spoke. “If we split into teams, we’ll be able to accomplish more.”
“They should be teams of two, one from each family,” Jenna said the moment the idea popped into her head. “I’ll work with Dylan.”
“Wait.” Amy exchanged a glance with Trina before she turned back to Dylan. “I thought it might be nice if you worked with—”
Caroline stood to interrupt. “I’d like to get the chance to spend time with my new brother-in-law.” She turned to Matthew. “Okay with you?”
“Fine with me.”
“I’ll work with Jenna, then.”
Although Dylan’s tone might have been more enthusiastic if he’d just volunteered to clean Porta-Johns, Jenna was pleased to have won the point. He would probably raise eyebrows if he refused to work with her.
Dylan teamed up the remaining family members, pairing his mother with Jenna’s mother, and Logan with Haley. Because the youngest Warren brother and the youngest Scott sister had been like oil and water together ever since they were in diapers, he assigned Lizzie to work with them to keep the peace. That complete, he started dividing the work.
“I had planned to deal with food, but since I’m working with the premier shopper—” Dylan paused, glancing Jenna’s way “—we’ll take clothing, toiletries and Christmas gifts.”
The minister stood and crossed the room to collect his coat. “Well, Dylan, it looks as if you have this under control. I’ll have to remember your organizational skills the next time we need a new committee leader at church.”
Jenna agreed with the minister’s praise and would have said so, but the look Dylan sent her way made her keep her opinion to herself. Her plan of working on a team with him didn’t seem like such a great idea, after all. Did she really think forcing him to be with her would help her to restore their friendship?
No, she’d gone about this the wrong way. Instead of approaching him slowly and letting him remember why they once were close, she’d forced her way into his space, reminding him of how selfish she’d always been. She’d wanted to prove to him she was different, and all she’d done was show him more of the same.
What was she supposed to do now? Once again, she’d messed things up with Dylan, but she would just have to work within the uncomfortable situation she’d created. She’d committed to helping the Dentons, and she intended to follow through with her commitment. Maybe if Dylan saw that, he would eventually be able to forgive her, after all.
Chapter Three
Brad Denton looked as uncomfortable as a cowboy in a tuxedo as he took a seat next to his wife at Home Cooking Café the next morning. Well, Dylan could relate to his discomfort. As if it wasn’t awkward enough meeting the Dentons for the first time, Jenna was sitting next to him. He wished he could ignore her, but the coconut scent of her shampoo invaded his senses every time she turned her head, and the chime of her laughter filtered into his ears. If only his senses hadn’t picked today to become sharp enough to detect a noise in the next room or hear a butterfly fluttering its wings.
He’d counted on her being a no-show this morning—like all the other times—but that hadn’t worked out for him, either. Why she’d picked this morning to come through on one of her commitments, he wasn’t sure. She wasn’t doing anything halfway, either. They’d barely made it to their seats, and she was already playing hostess, chatting with Lila Boggs and Kelly Denton.
“Do you think we should send out a search party for the boys?” Reverend Boggs asked as he opened his menu.
Brad glanced over his shoulder toward the restroom where Connor and Ryan had hurried before the hostess could seat them. He spoke conspiratorially to Dylan. “Two more minutes and we’re going in.”
The men’s room door opened then, and the boys rushed out, saving the adults from that covert mission. The boys hurried across the room, looking like matching wind-up toys, not technically running—their mother had warned them not to—but close to it.
As the twins scrambled into the two remaining seats at the long table, mischievous grins on their faces, Dylan’s thoughts cleared. He remembered why they were all working together in the first place: for the sake of these little boys. He’d only just met them, and already they inspired a fierce protectiveness in him.
Dylan couldn’t get over the fact that Connor and Ryan were laughing and playing as if they’d already forgotten about yesterday’s fire and were ready for their next adventure. Children were definitely resilient. He knew from experience. But he also knew that they scarred just as deeply as anyone else did.
Those boys and their parents deserved the best his family and the Scotts could offer, and nothing—not even Jenna—should distract him from giving it.
“I sure hope after all that time in there that you two washed your hands,” Kelly said to her sons.
“We did, Mommy.” Only one of them answered, but they both held up their hands.
The waitress took their order, and soon the twins were wolfing down their waffles as if they hadn’t eaten in months. Not true, of course, since their parents had already mentioned the pizza they’d eaten in their hotel room late last night.
“Boys, you need to slow down. This isn’t a race,” Kelly admonished them as she set her fork aside.
Dylan shook his head. “Obviously you weren’t a boy who grew up with brothers. In my house, everything was a race or a contest.”
“I can vouch for that,” Jenna told them. “The Warren brothers competed over who could spit the farthest or cross his eyes the longest, even who had the most ear wax.”
Because Dylan couldn’t help smiling at the shared memory, he was glad she wasn’t looking his way. But she would know about those things. She’d been there for many of those contests and other incidents. He remembered clearly just how important it was to him to win when Jenna was around.
“You really do understand our boys, then,” Brad said.
“It sounds as if you’ve known each other a long time.” Kelly looked back and forth between them, searching for a connection.
“Since birth…or a little before,” Jenna said, smiling.
“Our mothers are best friends, so they stuck us kids together a lot.”
He hadn’t intended the comment to sound so harsh, but he failed, and an awkward silence settled over the table. He suddenly felt bad—he didn’t want to hurt Jenna. He just didn’t want to get pulled back into a friendship that had caused him so much pain. But being around her brought back so many memories, most filled with laughter rather than sadness. It confused and frustrated him that though he knew he should steer clear of her for his own good, part of him was willing to be drawn in again. It didn’t do any good for him to wish he could have found an excuse not to work on a team with Jenna. He simply had to work with the situation as it was.
“Anyway…I think we’ve addressed all the details.” Dylan glanced down at the list of tasks in front of him and then to the list of clothing and shoe sizes next to Jenna’s coffee cup. “Can any of you think of anything we haven’t covered?”
“Will Santa miss us this year because he doesn’t know we’re at a hotel, instead of our old, burned-up house?” Ryan asked, suddenly serious.
Dylan swallowed, his heart aching for the child’s distress. The twins’ concerns might not have been as obvious as those of their parents, but they were there.
The adults glanced at one another across the table. The boys wouldn’t fully understand how much they’d lost in the fire for a while—the memories and surety that they would always be safe. The grown-ups already knew.
Connor tilted his head to the side. “Do you think Santa will get it if we leave a note for him at our old house to tell him where we are now?”
“As long as we put a cookie and some milk with it.” Excitement replaced the worried look on Ryan’s face.
“Hey, those are clever ideas, boys.” Kelly managed a reassuring smile for her sons.
The waitress stopped by the table to leave the check, and Dylan nabbed it before anyone could look at it. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and set his credit card with the bill.
Brad glanced at the credit card that represented a free breakfast, and he gripped his hands together. “I don’t know if all this is the best idea. Your church has already done so much with the hotel room and all.”
Kelly leaned her cheek against her husband’s shoulder. All through breakfast, the two of them had been holding hands. “You’ll have to forgive my husband. It’s hard for him to accept help. We’ve always made our own way before, and…” As her voice broke, she glanced away, dabbing her eyes with her napkin.
“Pride. It’s a tough thing.” Brad tried to laugh, but his voice was thick with emotion. “With me out of work and now…this, we’re not in a position to be able to turn down help, for the boys at least. So thank you for everything.”
“Okay, then,” Dylan said. “First we’ll—”
Brad rushed on as if Dylan hadn’t spoken. “But as soon as we’re able, we’ll repay every cent.”
Reverend Boggs held his hands wide. “Now, Brad, there’s no need to worry about that right now. These two families are just trying to do as our Lord directed to feed and clothe those who need it. You would do the same if the situation were reversed. Remember in Matthew 25:40, Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’”
“It’s just hard.” Brad shrugged, not quite on board.
In a surprising move, Jenna reached over and squeezed Brad’s hand. “Think of it as only temporary.” Her smile was warm enough to convince even the most determined person to change his mind. “When you’re back on your feet, you can help out somebody else who’s going through a tough time. That way the help keeps moving.”
When Jenna released his hand, Brad sat straighter in his seat. “Okay. We’ll do that.”
It was all Dylan could do not to stare at her with his mouth gaping open. He’d never seen her like this before, so generous and selfless, so focused on someone else’s need. She was…different.
Don’t go there. You can’t afford to. Not again.
“That’s great.” Jenna pushed back from the table and stood. “Now why don’t you all get back to the hotel? You probably could use a relaxing day after yesterday. We’ll take care of some of these details and have you resettled in no time.”
Reacting to her cue, Dylan came to his feet. The others around him stood, as well.
“In no time,” he repeated, stepping over to shake hands with Brad.
Jenna was less formal, hugging Kelly first and then bending to offer each of the boys a squeeze. They only grimaced a little.
As she moved on to hug Brad and the minister and his wife, Dylan slanted a perplexed look her way.
He couldn’t help but think about how she’d tried to make it easier for the Denton family to accept assistance, seeming to care as much about their feelings as their physical needs. The Jenna he remembered wouldn’t have thought to reach out to anyone else. She’d always been too preoccupied as the epicenter of her own universe. But was it possible that she had changed.
Again, he forced himself not to read too much into her efforts. She was probably just hurrying the process along so they could finish their charity project and get on with their Christmas activities.
Preoccupied, he didn’t see it coming, but Kelly caught up with him, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug.
“God bless you for your kindness.” Kelly squeezed again and then released him. “Let us know what we can do. We’re not afraid of work.”
“We definitely will…after you relax today.”
Dylan had to admit that Jenna’s suggestion was a good one. And he preferred not to have the family present for some of the delicate discussions that might have to take place with additional donors.
He stole another glance at Jenna, who was reassuring the boys about Santa, and his breath caught. Today would be tough. He grimaced. If he was having this much trouble ignoring her with a crowd around them, he couldn’t imagine how hard it would be when the two of them were alone together. Maybe if they kept busy the whole time, it wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he could even send her off shopping for clothes while he took on another part of the project. Independent subcommittees, so to speak. Yes, staying busy and dividing duties, that would help. No time to look into her beautiful eyes. No time for her to bring up the day that forced him to put her out of his life. No time for him to change his mind.
Jenna didn’t have to look Dylan’s way to know he was watching her, instead of the Dentons, as they crossed the parking lot to return to their hotel. The way he’d been studying her the past twenty minutes, she wanted to tell him to turn up the microscope’s magnification and take a good look.
She hated guessing that shock was the reason for his sudden curiosity. Was he really so surprised that she’d been kind to the Dentons? Someone would have to be missing a heart not to want to reach out to that great couple and those sweet little boys. Did he believe she was that type of person? Sure, she’d been a little narcissistic in the past, but she couldn’t have been that bad. At least she hoped not. And even if she had been, she was different now.
He might not realize it, but she wasn’t the only one who’d changed, and from what she’d seen so far, some of his changes hadn’t been for the better. He might be this new assertive-doctor type, but where were his sweetness and vulnerability? The qualities that made him Dylan? He was barely recognizable under all of that authoritarian veneer.
Frustration welled up inside her. Dylan would never give her a chance to restore their friendship. She didn’t know why she’d ever thought he would. Four years had passed. If he’d wanted to reconnect with her, he would have done it by now, and if she’d expected to have the chance to make amends, she should have tried before now.
She didn’t want to believe it was too late. Hadn’t her mother always told her it was never too late to do the right thing? It had to be the right thing for her to at least apologize for hurting him, whether he forgave her or not. And even if he didn’t believe she was the kind of person to think of others, she intended to help the Dentons have the merriest Christmas possible. She had too many blessings in her life not to share them with others.
She would work with Dylan, even if he wasn’t happy about working with her. She would pray through the process that they would somehow reconnect. He wasn’t the same boy she remembered any more than she was the same girl, but Jenna sensed that buried deep inside him—maybe intentionally hidden from her—was the person she’d once been closer to than anyone else. With God’s help, she was determined to find him.
“This is one thing you could have done without me.”
At this newest round of Dylan’s grousing, Jenna looked over her shoulder at him and grinned. “And have you miss all this?”
She gestured toward the rows of sweaters in the discount store’s women’s department. He was bored, but if she had agreed to his suggestion that they divide the list of stores and meet up at the end of the day, she wouldn’t have had the chance to see him all afternoon. So much for not forcing him to work with her. She sighed. This was getting more complicated by the minute.
“Have some mercy, will you?”
Dylan leaned his elbows on the hand grip of the shopping cart and rubbed his eyes, yawning. They’d already found several outfits and coats for Brad and the boys at the charity clothes closets and resale shops she’d marched him through for hours, but they were purchasing a few clothes for Kelly now. Jenna was in her element, and she wanted her purchases to be just right.
“Okay. I’ll be finished here in a minute.” She made her final selections and dropped them in the cart. “How does someone so impatient survive a job where you stare at people’s eyeballs all day?” she teased.
She would have taken the strange sound he made as a laugh if he’d chuckled at any of her other jokes today.
“Believe me, even just asking, ‘Better or worse?’ and ‘Which is clearer, A or B?’ is more interesting than shopping for women’s clothes.”
He did chuckle that time—at least something had brightened his spirits. He checked his watch again.
“You see,” he said, “I was right. At least in this one store we could have gotten more done, faster, if we’d separated and met up at the cash register later.”
Jenna frowned as she gathered several items in her arms. “We also would have gotten half as many things for twice as much if we’d done that. Haven’t you ever heard of comparison shopping? You can’t just march up to the undershirt display and pick the brand with the best commercials. You have to look at price. We only have so much money, and we want to get as much as possible.”
“But I could have handled toiletries.”
“Probably.”
“Probably? How do you think I earned my professional degree? Bid on it on an Internet auction site?”
When she whirled to look at him, Dylan had his arms crossed. Even with his chin tilted up that way, he looked…oddly appealing.
“No. Not the Internet. But can you tell me what kind of shampoo wouldn’t sting a kid’s eyes or would give long hair like Kelly’s a nice shine?”
At first he frowned, but finally he raised his hands in defeat. “Fine. You win.”
With this part of their shopping complete, Dylan wheeled the cart out of the women’s department and hurried with apparent relief toward Health and Beauty. Jenna had to jog to keep up with his longer stride.
“It wasn’t that much of a defeat, was it?” she asked when he finally slowed down in the toothpaste aisle. “What would you know about kids’ or women’s shampoo? Besides, you always hated to shop. You hated malls, too. Your mom used to bring clothes home for you to try on. She had to return the ones that didn’t fit.”
“Guilty.” He picked up the most expensive tube of cinnamon-flavored toothpaste, but when she lifted her brow, he set it back on the shelf and gestured for her to select one. “But in my defense, malls are just consumer prisons where they pipe in music with subliminal shopping messages and where the lights are so bright they convince you that whatever you’re trying on looks good on you.”
Jenna picked up a tube of toothpaste next to a sale sign and moved on to the toothbrush display. “Next you’re going to tell me about conspiracy theories and grassy knolls.”
“A little before my time, don’t you think?”
He had smiled at her comment. Finally. A success. She thought back to all the times he’d regaled her with stories from documentaries about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy or the sinking of the Titanic, realizing now that she’d only half listened. A better friend would have listened more closely as he spoke about his interests. Note to self, she thought.
