Marrying Chrissy (Brides of Clearwater Book 3) Read online

  Chapter Six

  “On second thought, maybe my suggestion of going for a walk wasn’t the best idea.” Wyatt frowned at the cloudless sky. The relentless summer heat they’d been experiencing all week hadn’t eased now that it was the weekend. If anything, the humidity had increased.

  Chrissy moved to stand in the shade of a large tree. “It amazes me every time I sell a cup of hot coffee during the summer.” She raised an eyebrow. “And yes, that includes you, too.”

  Wyatt shifted to stand next to her and welcomed the break from the sun. “So you only drink iced coffee during the summer?”

  “I don’t drink coffee at all. I can’t stand the taste.”

  He watched her face, expecting her to say she was joking, but her expression remained deadpan. “You work at a coffee shop, and you don’t drink coffee.”

  “I’m pretty sure that if I did like coffee, I wouldn’t after smelling it for hours on end.” She chuckled. “Don’t worry. I work for the scones.”

  “Well, I’m glad there’s some incentive.” Wyatt watched as she reached for a leaf on the tree and pulled it off before fiddling with it in her hand. The movement brought his attention to her wrist and the tattoo there. Before he realized what he was doing, he’d reached out and touched one of the heart-shaped rosebuds with the tip of a finger. “Your tattoo is one of the most detailed I’ve seen, especially for one so delicate. Is there meaning behind it?”

  Chrissy dropped the leaf and rubbed her opposite thumb over the vine on her wrist with a shrug. “You know how people plant a tree for loved ones they’ve lost? I guess this is my version of that.”

  Wyatt counted three flowers incorporated into the tattoo, suddenly aware of what they meant. “I think that’s a thoughtful way of remembering them.” He wanted to ask what each one stood for but wasn’t sure if she’d welcome the intrusion into her life.

  She seemed to consider her options before clearing her throat. She touched a pale red bud. “This one is for my dad. He died in a construction accident just after Emma was born. Mom has told me all about him many times, but I wish I had more of my own memories.” Her fingertip moved to brush against the purple bud. “My grandma died when I was twelve, but she had a profound effect on my life. I still hear her voice inside my head, encouraging me to do my best.” Chrissy chuckled. “I have a strong inkling that she and your gran would get along wonderfully.”

  The thought of that made Wyatt smile in return. At the same time, he was saddened by the realization that she was missing out on the relationship he treasured with Gran. Why was it so easy to take for granted what he had in his life? “And this one?” He touched the fully bloomed yellow rose and tried to ignore the electrical charge that traveled from the point of connection straight to his heart, giving it a jolt.

  “That’s to remind me that death isn’t forever. That even though I’m missing my family here on Earth, I know I’ll see them again someday. And that gives me hope.” She gave a little shrug. “It probably sounds really lame, but knowing God’s there and more in control of things than I am is what got me through Emma’s condition and transplant.”

  “I don’t think that sounds lame at all. I think it’s a beautiful reminder.” Memories of holding her hand at Gran’s birthday party flooded his mind, and he resisted the urge to reach for it now. He had a thought and jerked a thumb toward the street. “Do you like snow cones?”

  That brought a smile to Chrissy’s face and seemed to chase away the mixed emotions that were there before. “Absolutely.” She pointed at him. “As long as you promise to not make fun of my flavor choice.”

  He held up both hands, palms out in surrender. “I wouldn’t dare.” Now she had him curious. “Shall we?”

  They walked side by side down the street to the little shack five minutes away. They served two things: hot dogs and snow cones. There were two round tables complete with umbrellas to block the sun’s heat. They only had to wait for one customer before it was their turn to order.

  Wyatt motioned for Chrissy to order first. She tossed him a look that reminded him of his promise, then she turned and ordered a bubble gum snow cone. He wasn’t sure if he thought it was cute, quirky, or both.

  When he ordered orange, she scoffed at him. They both also ordered a hot dog. Only after the person who took their orders went to make the snow cones did she chuckle. “Here I thought you’d be the type to get adventurous and order the red velvet cake or the s’mores flavor.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “You first, and I’ll think about it.”

  Chrissy reached for the pink snow cone and cupped it in both hands. “I’m good, thanks.” She tossed him a saucy look and moved to sit at one of the tables. A moment later, Wyatt joined her. Even if the ambient air was still humid and hot, the shade from the umbrella was a welcome change. He relaxed into the back of his metal chair and scooped up a spoonful of his snow cone. The moment the ice crystals melted in his mouth, he knew this was the right choice. “You know,” he began, pointing to his treat, “I may have to switch up my routine and come here every morning instead. I wonder if they have a coffee flavor…” He twisted in his seat and pretended to look over the menu behind him. When he turned back, she was looking at him, her eyes sparkling.

  “And you thought bubble gum was weird.” She laughed.

  Wyatt wasn’t a fan of bubble gum, though he had a feeling he’d like it a lot better if he tasted it on her lips. His wayward thoughts surprised him, and he fought against the temptation to see if he was right. He jabbed a spoon into his snow cone a little more forcefully than necessary. The last time he’d let himself get close to a woman was Ashley, and she’d stabbed him in the back. He’d sworn he would never put himself in that position again. Yet, here he was. The connection he felt with Chrissy was more than just a passing interest. Not that he ought to do anything about it. He tried to ignore the disappointment that flooded his system and fought desperately for a change in subject.

  “How’s your sister doing?” He regretted the question the moment Chrissy’s smile dipped.

  “She should be resting today. The doctor told her she couldn’t go back to work until Monday.” She paused. “Truthfully, she needs to quit her job at the vet hospital.”

  “Why’s that?” Wyatt ate another spoonful of snow cone and then drank some of the syrup through a straw since it was melting at a fast rate.

  “After her transplant, the doctor warned her that working with the animals was putting her at risk. There are just too many germs and hair, which increases her chance of getting sick. The doctor thinks that’s what aggravated her lungs and turned allergy symptoms into bronchitis.” She stirred her snow cone with the spoon but then left it in the bright pink mixture. “Instead of leaving her job as a vet tech, her boss let her work up front most of the time. It minimizes her contact with the animals. I don’t think it’s enough, though.” Chrissy’s shoulders slumped. “Emma needs something to focus on, and she loves that job. But her health is more important. At the same time, I’m not sure how we’re going to keep on financially if she doesn’t find another job.”

  Wyatt could almost see the concrete weights that were pushing her shoulders down. He’d never had to worry about finances—both a blessing and a curse—but he could certainly imagine the pressures and worries he’d experience if one of his sisters were in such a fragile medical state. “I’m sorry things are so complicated.”

  “Me, too.” She released a long sigh and glanced at him. She visibly tried to push her thoughts behind her and sat up straighter. “Enough about that. So tell me about this family vacation your Gran invited me to.”

  Wyatt rolled his eyes. “It’s three days of more food than anyone could possibly eat, laughter, annoyances, and embarrassments. You know, everything you’d expect from a large family reunion.”

  “And you go every year.”

  “Of course.” He grinned, suddenly wishing that he could ask Chrissy to go with him. If he did, it would only make things worse
with his family when it came to their relationship. Or lack thereof. He loved his family, but there was a certain sister that could make Chrissy’s life miserable, and he didn’t want to subject Chrissy to that. Besides, what was it going to accomplish? He’d promised himself he wouldn’t be put in a position like he was with Ashley.

  Chrissy seemed to take everything in as he shared about some of the family antics. He couldn’t help but drink in the sound of her laughter and bask in her smiles. He may not want to let himself care about Chrissy, but he already felt more for her than he should. If he were an intelligent man, he’d put some space between them.

  “Are your sisters looking forward to the reunion?”

  Her voice reminded Wyatt to simply focus on the conversation. He shrugged. “It depends on who you’re talking about. Lucy loves everything about it. She’s super sentimental and is the one who’s taking pictures of everyone and everything. I think it’s her favorite event of the year.”

  “And she’s the second oldest, right?”

  “Good memory. Now Violet likes it for an entirely different reason.” He never knew where the line was between gossiping about his sister and giving people fair warning. “Violet likes to play people against each other. I know that’s horrible to say of my own sister, but it’s true. Thankfully, nearly everyone knows that. But she still manages to stir some pots year after year.” A small, welcome breeze came through and swept some of his hair into his eyes. He brushed it away. “I think Bonnie is more like I am. We go because we should. We enjoy seeing family that we don’t see otherwise, but we’re really not the big group types.”

  Wyatt drank the last of his melted snow cone, the straw making a slurping sound at the end. “That was good, though I think it melted in record time.”

  Chrissy tipped her paper cup to show him the pink liquid at the bottom. “No kidding.” She plopped her spoon into it. Only then did she turn her focus to her hot dog. Wyatt had devoured his minutes ago. “This place was a great idea. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Here was the part where he could easily dismiss their agreement to eat dinner tonight. He was sure she was worried about Emma, and he probably did need to put some space between them. Then again, he never was great about listening to his own advice. “I do want to take you out somewhere that has more than two tables.” They laughed. “Are we still on for pizza tonight?” He would certainly understand if she felt like she needed to stay home with Emma. The selfish part of him, however, hoped that she’d say yes.

  She looked uncertain as she glanced at her phone, probably checking for texts. “I’m not sure.” When she realized he was watching her, she sat up straighter. “I should probably see how Emma’s doing when I get back from work first, and I don’t want you to have to wait until the last minute. Maybe it would be better if we cancel tonight?”

  Chrissy was probably right, but just the thought disappointed Wyatt. “I completely understand, but I promise last minute doesn’t bother me. Why don’t you check on Emma and then text me either way?”

  “Are you sure?”

  Even as she asked the question, she seemed to relax a little. Was it possible she was looking forward to dinner tonight as much as he was? That thought bolstered Wyatt’s confidence. “I’m sure. And if you feel like you need to stay with Emma, maybe we can reschedule for the next evening or two.”

  “That sounds great. Thank you.”

  The way her happy smile made Wyatt’s heart turn over both amazed and scared him. How could this beautiful woman have gotten under his skin so quickly? The panic he felt at the realization still didn’t overpower how much he was looking forward to their date. Seriously, it was one date. It wasn’t like he was going to ask her to marry him or something. He’d learned his lesson last time.

  So he’d take Chrissy out for pizza, enjoy the conversation, and not worry about the future. Surely there was nothing wrong with that.

  Chapter Seven

  “Uh oh. What happened?” There was no missing the dark expression on Emma’s face the moment Chrissy walked into the house. Instead of responding, Emma held up her inhaler and continued the breathing treatment she was in the middle of. Chrissy patted her knee. “All right. I’m going to go shower and get this coffee smell off me. I’ll be back.”

  Emma nodded as she breathed in the steam. The image of her in pajamas with the breathing treatment didn’t exactly make Chrissy feel confident about leaving again later in the evening. By the time she finished showering, she’d already decided to text and cancel dinner with Wyatt. She just hadn’t actually done it yet.

  With her phone in hand, she wandered back to the living room where Emma had finished her breathing treatment and was perusing the channels on TV—all five of them—with a frown on her face.

  “You look like they just canceled your favorite show.” Chrissy plopped herself down on the couch. “Where’s Mom?”

  “She ran down to the store. She said she’d be back in twenty minutes.”

  They’d already been through the list of channels three times when Chrissy took the remote and set it on the coffee table. “I could’ve stopped on my way back from work.”

  Emma didn’t respond. Instead, she watched the laundry detergent commercial on TV with the attention of her favorite movie.

  Chrissy sighed and turned the TV off entirely. “You’re starting to freak me out. Did the doctor call you or something?” Organ rejection was constantly in the back of Chrissy’s mind. What if the doctor had gotten some tests back and found evidence that things weren’t going as smoothly as they thought? What if this was more than just bronchitis? All those old worries about losing her sister flooded Chrissy.

  Emma looked at her and must’ve seen the emotion in her eyes because she put an arm around Chrissy and pulled her close. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m sorry, I forget that’s the first place you and Mom go to.” She let her head rest against Chrissy’s. “My boss called and asked me to quit my job. He’s paying me for all of my vacation days, plus another week.” She paused. “He said he feels like it’s a liability for me to work there, and he’s worried about my health.”

  “He’s not wrong.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Emma moved her arm to cover a cough and slouched against the back of the couch. “I need to find another job now. How many places are going to hire someone who gets sick all the time?”

  “Well, for one thing, hopefully you won’t be getting sick all the time now that you’re not working at the vet’s office.” Chrissy cringed when Emma flinched. “I’m sorry. Seriously, I know how much you loved that job. It’s what you always wanted to do, and after all you’ve been through, it’s not fair that you have to give that up.” Memories of Emma taking care of the neighborhood pets and bringing home stray after stray came to mind. Emma never had a plan B because becoming a vet tech was always the goal.

  Truthfully, Chrissy had envied Emma and her drive. It would’ve been nice to have a goal like that to shoot for. She never thought she’d be working at a coffee shop long-term.

  The reality of a third of their combined income disappearing hit Chrissy hard. Hopefully Emma would get another job, but she was sick now and needed to take time to rest. Realistically, Chrissy should probably look for a second job. Different options raced through her mind until Emma elbowed her.

  “I thought you had a hot date tonight.”

  Wyatt. Right, she should probably text him and cancel before it got much later. Chrissy ignored the flash of disappointment. “Are you kidding? I thought we’d hang out and watch one of your favorite movies.”

  Emma pinned her down with a knowing look. “We do that nearly every night. You can’t keep putting your life on hold because of me. Go on your date and get out for a while.”

  “I second that.” Mom’s voice snagged their attention as she pushed the front door open the rest of the way and stepped inside. “I’m making a casserole tonight. If it were me, I’d be going somewhere else for dinner.” She winked. “We’v
e got this.”

  Chrissy wanted to protest, but with the two of them looking at her, she knew she wasn’t going to win. Besides, she did want to see Wyatt again. When she was around him, she was somehow able to forget many of the worries that plagued her daily. It was freeing, in a way, even as some guilt pummeled her for feeling that way at all.

  She finally caved under their matching scrutiny. “Fine. I’ll go. But you have to promise me you’ll call if anything comes up and I need to come home. Okay?”

  Only after she’d gotten a verbal promise from them both did Chrissy text Wyatt and let him know that she was still good for pizza. Frankly, even though her mom was a great cook, Chrissy never was a fan of her casseroles.

  ~*~

  Chrissy took a bite of pizza and relished the double cheese melted over pepperoni and black olives. Oh, man, she’d missed this. She didn’t realize how much she was focused on her pizza until Wyatt’s chuckles grounded her. “Sorry. I haven’t had pizza in way too long.”

  “Really?” He looked surprised. “I try to eat it every Friday night. Maybe it’s not the healthiest meal, but it’s worth it. If you don’t like pizza, we could’ve gone somewhere else.”

  “It’s not a matter of not liking it. It’s Emma…She’s got a pretty restrictive diet now, and pizza used to be one of her favorite foods. So Mom and I make a point of not eating it around her, either.” She shrugged. “It’s worth it to keep her healthy.”

  His mood seemed to sober a little. “You and your mom do a lot for Emma.”

  She might have taken offense at his words, except there was admiration in his voice.

  “We do a lot for each other. It’s just the three of us, really. There was a time we thought we were going to lose Emma. It’s nothing short of a miracle that she’s still with us now.” She paused. “God spared her life. Not eating pizza seems like such an incredibly small price to pay.”

  “I’m glad she’s doing a little better tonight.” He paused. “I admit to knowing little about transplants and what happens afterward. Will she be on this medication long term?”