Teacup Novellas 01 - Tea With Emma (10 page)

“Maddie, you won’t believe what has happened. Jeff and I had a horrible fight. I told him I was going to meet Brad for coffee, and he got so upset!
Really
upset. What am I going to do?”

Lanie’s sniffles filled her ear. Maddie looked at her watch. “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be meeting Brad right now?”

“I know. I was just getting ready to leave when Jeff Skyped me. Oh why did I even tell him? I had no idea he would mind. And now I may have lost him forever. Maddie, I can’t see Brad right now. I’m a wreck!”

Lanie blew her nose, causing Maddie to distance the tiny cell phone from her ear. “No! You have to go! Lanie, Brad is probably already there waiting for you. And besides, if Jeff is such a wimp that a little thing like coffee with a friend upsets him, do you really want a relationship with someone like that? Of course not. Now, go wash your face, get in your car and get over to Starbucks. Go!”

Maddie turned off her phone, slipping it back in her pocket. “Oh Lord, what am I going to do with these people? If they’d just listen to me—to You, I mean.”

“Lanie! I was beginning to worry I’d misunderstood when we were to meet. Hey, are you okay?” Brad stood, pulling the bistro chair out for her.

She took a seat, avoiding his eyes. “Um, sure. I just, I think maybe I have a little cold coming on or something. Or maybe allergies. I must look awful.”

“Not at all. I was just about to order a cappuccino. Would you like one?”

“Sure. Whatever you’re having is fine with me.”

Brad placed their order at the counter, smiling back at her a couple of times while waiting for the barista to make their drinks. Lanie used the time to sneak a peek in her compact, applying a dab of powder beneath her eyes to hide the redness. Brad returned a few minutes later, setting their drinks on the table.

“Thank you." She popped the lid off her grande cup. "It smells wonderful.”

“It’ll probably keep us up all night, but who cares, right?”

Lanie tried to laugh. “Right. Who cares?”

Brad took a sip, then wiped the whipped cream from his upper lip with a napkin. “So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Lanie looked into his sable brown eyes, studied his broad smile and strong jaw line, and wondered what he must think of her. He was strikingly handsome.
He’s probably Mr. October on some calendar of hunky
Texas
construction guys. What’s he doing here with someone like me? Maddie, why did you put me up to this?

“Lanie?”

“Oh, sorry. Um, well—wait, didn’t you say you had something to ask me too? You go first. I insist.”
Good thinking. Buy some time.

“All right, if that’s your preference. See, the thing is, I’ve been working for your friend Maddie now for almost two months. And I’ve noticed, no matter what time of day or night I’m there, she never seems to have—well, what I mean is—is Maddie seeing anyone?”

“What?” Lanie blinked.

“Is Maddie dating anyone right now? Because if she’s not, I was thinking about asking her out.”

“Maddie? You want to ask Maddie out?”

His smile vanished. “Why? Is there something wrong with that? Is she married or something?”

“No! Maddie’s not married!” Lanie heard the harsh response leave her lips.
Deep breath. Think. Think! He’s not interested in me. He likes Maddie. How could I have been so blind?

“So . . . is there some reason I shouldn’t ask her out? Do you think she’d go if I did?”

Lanie stared at him. Same beautiful brown eyes. Same masculine jaw line. Same kind smile.
What an idiot I am. To even think he might go for the plain and simple. Oh no! Someone with looks like his? Of course he’d fall for someone beautiful. I’m such an idiot!

Lanie stood up, grabbing her purse from the table. She forced a smile. “Yes, Brad. I think Maddie would
love
to go out with you. In a heartbeat! But I just remembered I, uh, I left a candle burning in my apartment. Don’t want to burn down the building.” She swallowed a sob. “Thank you for the cappuccino. Really.” She dashed for the door, biting her lip to hold back the dam inside.

“But Lanie, wait! What did you want to talk to me about?”

“He WHAT?!”

Maddie jumped to her feet. Lanie’s words slammed into her like a freight train. “You can’t be serious! He asked you about
me
? Oh no, no! This is all wrong!”

Lanie collapsed on the sofa, burying her face in her hands. “This is all your fault. I knew better than to listen to you!” She looked up, her tear-streaked face breaking Maddie’s heart. “All these afternoon teas together, all these coincidental encounters and—” She blew her nose into her tissue.

“Oh Lanie, I feel terrible!”

Lanie honked again into a fresh tissue. “
You
feel terrible? Oh, please. Pardon me if I have no sympathy for you right now.”

Maddie slid beside her on the sofa, wrapping her arm over her shoulder. “No, Lanie, I didn’t mean that. Well, yes, of course I did! This
is
all my fault. I should never have pushed you into something you weren’t ready for.”

Lanie pushed away from her. “Something I wasn’t
ready
for? No, Maddie. I will
never
be ready for someone to manipulate my feelings like that. I came so close to spilling my guts, asking Brad if he’d like to go out some time. Asking him if he would consider dating me. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that would have been for me? I
never
ask guys out! You know that. But because you kept pushing and arranging all these happenstance meetings, and telling me how even a gorgeous man like that ‘can see a good heart’ like mine—wasn’t that how you put it? Because we both know a guy like that could
never
be attracted to a wall flower like me, right?”

“Lanie, no! I never said that. You’ve got it all wrong!” Maddie cried openly, her own tears spilling done her cheeks. “You’re my best friend in the whole world! I would never do anything to hurt you! You must surely know that?”

Lanie stood up and stomped across the room. “Never hurt me? Well, let’s see. If I have my accounting correct tonight, this makes
two
relationships you’ve ruined for me. Not just Brad, who was obviously never interested in me in the first place, but let’s not forget Jeff. Maddie, you may think he’s some computer geek, but the fact is, I care for him. And up until tonight, he cared for me. In fact, I hadn’t told you this because I knew you didn’t want to hear it. But last week, he told me he loved me. Imagine that. Some guy out there—
loves
me!” Lanie sobbed. “At least he did until tonight.

“So excuse me, Madeline Cooper, if I take a permanent pass on your so-called friendship. I’ve had just about all of you I can stand! I am DONE with you!” She slammed the door, rattling the windows and pictures hanging on the wall.

“Good heavens! What happened?”

The whir of Nana’s wheelchair rounded the corner. “Oh Nana, I’ve made such a horrible mess of things. Lanie will never speak to me again as long as she lives.”

The whole miserable story spilled out through Maddie’s tears, her grandmother listening patiently until there was nothing left to say. She reached for Maddie’s hand, brought it to her lips and kissed it gently.

“Madeline, it’s time you and I had a little heart to heart.”

“I’m such a wretch!”

“Yes, you are. We
all
are from time to time. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Will you keep making the same mistakes over and over, or will you learn from them?”

“But all I ever meant to do was help Lanie find happiness. She’s never been in a serious relationship before. Doesn’t she deserve a little happiness?”

“Did she
ask
you to find happiness for her, dear?”

Maddie wiped her eyes with the embroidered handkerchief her grandmother had loaned her. “No, but she never would.”

“And correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t I recall Lanie lighting up like a Christmas tree each time she mentions this fellow she met on her computer? A fellow Jane Austen admirer? Why, they must have so much in common. So many things to talk about.”

“You don’t understand. She’s never
met
him. He’s probably some ugly, wimpy little nerd who can’t find love any other way.”

“Oh, so you’ve met him?’

“No, of course not.”

The silence passed between them until Maddie finally looked up at her grandmother, realizing she was trying to make a point. “What?”

“Sweetheart, the Bible says, ‘Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord’s
purpose that prevails.’”

“But that’s just it! I felt God calling me to this ministry, helping people find love. And I’ve prayed every step of the way. We’ve had a partnership, of sorts, me and God.”

“Have you now.” It wasn’t a question, but a spoken doubt.

Maddie thought back through the past weeks, remembering her talks with the Lord. She quickly realized that’s
all
they were. She talked to God, mostly telling Him what her plans were, rarely asking about His.

Nana reached out to push back the dampened hair from Maddie’s face. “I’ll leave you to think about that awhile. And let me suggest one more thing. Perhaps you need to give Lanie a little credit. She’s a bright girl. She’ll know love when she finds it.
Without
your help.”

Chapter 9

I
an slapped his alarm clock, groaning at the red digits. Six o’clock. Suddenly he remembered why he’d planned to get up so early. He jumped out of bed and dressed quickly in his sweats and running shoes. After a swig of orange juice, he headed for the front door, anxious to stretch out his muscles and commence his long-awaited run.

Just inside the door, a large manila envelope rested on the floor just below the mail slot. Ian clenched his jaw, seeing his name in the familiar script.
Can’t you just leave well enough alone?

He tore open the envelope, dumping its contents onto the table beside the door. Two identical FOB keys on a BMW key ring fell out. “What in the . . . good heavens!” He opened the door, stunned to find the black Beamer he had bought Melissa as a wedding present sitting in the driveway. “Now I know she’s lost her mind.”

Unfolding the letter, his eyes raced through the paragraphs.

Dear Ian,

I had hoped we might find some peace at long last, but I’m afraid I’ve only caused you more unhappiness. Unfortunately, we have unfinished business and I know no other way to handle it.

Once I heard you’d returned to
England
after I called off the wedding, I had no idea how to return the car. When you refused to answer my letters, I finally decided to put the car in storage back in
Nashville
and deal with it later. There it remained until our recent move here. My husband never understood why I didn’t just sell it, but I knew it wasn’t mine to sell.

The enclosed papers make it yours again, along with the keys. If you’ll do nothing else, please accept the car that rightfully belongs to you.

There’s something else I must tell you. Not long ago, I gave my heart to the Lord, Ian. It has made all the difference in my life. But one thing I have learned is that unforgiveness will destroy you. As the saying goes, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

I pray you will find it in your heart to forgive me, Ian, whether we ever speak again or not. God alone can help you let go of the bitterness you hold against me and learn to love again.

 As God is my witness, that is my prayer for you.

Melissa

Ian dropped the letter on the table and stepped outside. Taking a seat on top of the porch stairs, he stared at the pristine automobile. A rush of memories coursed through his mind tugging his emotions along for the ride. The internal battles he’d fought. The mind games. The burning heat of bitterness poisoning his every thought.

So many years. So many wasted years.

And then Melissa’s words repeated themselves.
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
And without a moment’s hesitation, he knew. He just
knew.
The time had finally come.