“Just what I thought.” She yanked open the door and stepped into none other than Hendrick Simmons.
With a gasp, she jerked backward, losing her balance. Hendrick steadied her with a hand to her shoulder, and the touch sent electricity zinging to her toes. No, no, no. It couldn’t be. The time apart was supposed to erase those crazy feelings.
He quickly pulled his hand away, and she retreated a step to recover her senses.
“Miss Meeks,” he said dryly, the tone telling her he was just as unhappy to see her.
She swallowed hard, but the pain wouldn’t go away. “What are you doing here?”
He lifted her valise. “Bringing your luggage.” But instead of handing it to her, he set it down while his gaze drifted to her face.
She gulped when his warm brown eyes met hers. Why did he still affect her so? His commanding height took her breath away. The sculpted features and strong jaw made her heart flutter. His brown hair curled just a bit at the temple, and she had to resist raising a hand to brush that one stray lock off his brow.
“Hendrick.” Gabe ducked around her. “It’s good to see you.”
Hendrick ripped his gaze away from her. “You, too, Pastor.” He pointed to the valise. “Well, I’ve delivered your sister’s bag, so I’ll be going.”
Mariah couldn’t help noticing that Hendrick’s speech was more polished and that he’d worn his Sunday-best shirt and trousers. Odd. Peter said he’d been working on Jack Hunter’s aeroplane engines.
Gabe cornered Hendrick on the edge of the church steps. Though her brother couldn’t drape an arm around the taller man’s shoulders, he didn’t hesitate to leverage Hendrick by the elbow. “I’ve got a project I’d like to discuss with you. Why don’t you come to supper at the parsonage tonight?” He briefly glanced her way. “Bring your sister along.”
“Gabe,” Mariah warned. She knew exactly what he was up to, and it was not going to work. Under no circumstances would she drive to Montana with Hendrick Simmons.
“I, um.” Hendrick looked from Gabe to her with obvious discomfort. “Supper?”
“And your mother, too. Bring everyone,” Gabe added a bit too cheerfully.
The whole Simmons clan? What was her brother up to? He couldn’t suggest that Hendrick travel to Montana with her in front of his mother and sister—not to mention Felicity. There’d be too many questions. But to all appearances, that was exactly what he planned to do. Mariah folded her arms and tapped her foot. She couldn’t be any clearer that this was a bad idea, but Hendrick actually looked like he was considering the invitation. She had to put a stop to this crazy idea right now.
“I don’t think Mr. Simmons would care to dine with us tonight,” she stated. There, she’d given him a way out. Alas, her effort produced the opposite effect.
With a look of defiance, Hendrick turned to Gabe. “I’ll be there.”
Chapter Two
What had he been thinking? Hendrick sure didn’t want to spend the evening with Mariah, but she’d goaded him into accepting the pastor’s invitation when she said he wouldn’t want to come. No one told Hendrick Simmons what he did or didn’t want.
Her jaw had dropped, and that made him feel good for a moment, but then she’d clapped her mouth shut and shot a glare at her brother. She did not want to see him, even for a couple of hours. The realization hurt as much as it had a year and a half ago.
Still, even though he knew it would only hurt more, he couldn’t stop looking at her. That wild mossy scent hung about her, not exactly perfume, just entirely her. The curly dark hair, the way her hazel eyes turned greenish in the sunlight and the determined tilt of her chin still turned him inside out. He couldn’t look away.
“Everything’s settled, then,” said Pastor Gabriel. “I’d better get home to tell Felicity we’re having guests, or there’ll be trouble.”
Mariah didn’t say a thing, but judging by the set of her mouth, she wasn’t pleased.
Gabriel pointed to Mariah’s valise. “That your bag, sis? I’ll take it so you can stay to chat with Hendrick.”
“Why on earth would we need to chat?”
Pastor Gabriel picked up her bag. “Oh, something about your broken car.”
She wrestled the valise from her brother. “I can carry my own luggage.” She added a glare at Hendrick, as if he somehow had finagled this invitation. “How long will it take to fix my car? I have important business that can’t be delayed.”
“Me, too,” Hendrick countered with equal vigor. “It’s not like I don’t have important things to do.” Like a future with Curtiss Aeroplane.
A flicker of worry crossed her face, and her voice softened. “But you can fix it? I—I don’t have much time.”
The hint of vulnerability almost made him feel bad for her. Almost. But any sympathy passed the moment she offered to pay extra for speedy repairs.
She had to bring up money. She knew he could never compete with her there. The Meekses were wealthy New Yorkers at the top of society. They hobnobbed with Astors and Vanderbilts. They attended the opera and ballet. He could afford only one good suit and shirt, a shirt that needed pressing if he was to look respectable tonight.
“I won’t charge one dime more than I’d charge anyone else. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for dinner.” He tipped his cap and retreated down the church steps. His sole consolation was the glint of terror that crossed her face when he mentioned supper. At least this meal was going to be as painful for her as it would be for him.
Mariah was going to kill Gabe.
She sat on the bed in one of the parsonage’s guestrooms and yanked a comb through her knotted hair, trying to get it into a semblance of order. The dust and wind on the drive had left it a mess, and there was no time to wash it. She’d changed her gown, but the hair would have to do.
Why she should care was beyond her. Hendrick Simmons shouldn’t mean anything to her anymore, but the man still somehow sent her calm, stable world spinning out of control. Even though he despised her.
To be honest, she deserved it after the way she’d treated him. She owed him more of an explanation, and she’d give it, but not at dinner. Above all, she couldn’t upset Felicity. Gabe had made that clear.
So why had he invited the Simmons family? The stress of hosting a dinner party couldn’t help Felicity’s nerves, but when Mariah insisted on cooking, Felicity had coyly informed her that Gabe had hired a housekeeper. Mariah never thought she’d see the day when her brother hired help. For years, he’d decried their family’s social status and insisted on living without the trappings of wealth. That’s why he’d accepted the pastorate in small town Pearlman. Hiring help must have wounded his pride. Thankfully Felicity had talked some sense into him.
“Luke’s home,” Felicity called up the stairs.
Mariah smoothed her wrinkled skirt, though the boy wouldn’t care one bit what she looked like. Little Luke had spent the day with the Highbottoms, who had a farm and five very energetic children, including one of the orphans Mariah had brought here. After all that running around, he’d be tired and cranky.
She rose and set the comb on the vanity. Would he remember her? She’d never forget their three months together, but he’d been so young, a terrified little boy who would only speak to Gabe’s dog.
Mariah dabbed away a tear with her handkerchief. This emotion was silly. She had to put on a cheerful face for Luke. He couldn’t suspect that danger lurked in his future.