Sam gestured behind him, motioning for a woman to join him. “Audrey?”
A petite, young woman with bouncy chestnut hair, walked through the tearoom and over to her. “It’s good to finally meet you.” The woman stuck out her hand. “I’m Audrey Anderson.”
Charlotte gave Audrey’s hand a friendly shake. She seemed pleasant enough, and with her amethyst-colored suit and her violet eyes, she looked as pretty as wisteria blossoms in full bloom. It was only natural for Sam to have a girlfriend. Even a pretty one.
Sam patted Audrey’s hand. “Charlotte, what I’ve wanted to tell you is . . . Audrey is my, well, she’s my fiancée.”
Forks clanked, and some of the customers stopped eating. Edith may have coughed. Curiosity was a palatable thing in Middlebury—as potent and heady as her black current tea. But for Charlotte, this was one curiosity that she wished would not have come to visit. “What a surprise. You’re getting married.” Charlotte took a step back, wondering if he noticed the flush on her face. “Congratulations. You should both stay for lunch. It’ll be on the house. To celebrate.” Her beloved Sam was engaged. There would be no going back now.
Sam’s fiancée wiggled her engagement ring in front of Charlotte. The diamond, large and domelike, could have outshined the Enchanted Rock of Texas.
Charlotte remembered to breathe. “Your ring is lovely.”
Audrey circled her arm though Sam’s. “That’s sweet of you to offer us lunch to celebrate. He said you were like this, you know.”
“Like what?” Charlotte drew up her brows, wanting desperately to understand. And wanting desperately to crawl under a table.
“Sam said you were kind and generous to everyone you meet.” Audrey smiled, but there was a flash of some other emotion too vague to recognize. “I hope we can be close. You and me.”
Charlotte sputtered unintelligibly.
“I don’t have many friends in the city,” she said. “And living way out here, well, I’m bound to get lonely.”
You’ll never be lonely with Sam by your side. Charlotte remembered the stone in her pocket and panicked, thinking that God might ask her to befriend Audrey. It would certainly be one of the hard things in life, one of those sanctifying things God might use to make His imprint on her clearer and brighter. If it were up for a vote, though, she would still decline such a generous opportunity from the Divine. Charlotte recovered her voice. “I never miss an opportunity to have a friend. But for now, let me seat you both, and I’ll get you some menus.”
Audrey rubbed her arms. “It’s kind of chilly out there for spring.”
Sam slipped his jacket off and set it around her shoulders.
“I’ll put you where it’s extra warm.” Charlotte seated Sam and his fiancée in the coziest spot and handed them some luncheon menus.
Audrey whipped out an iPhone from her Prada bag. “You know, Sam has been raving about your cooking. He calls you Julia Child with Southern roots.”
Charlotte smiled but didn’t dare look at Sam.
“Sooo, would you cater the reception for our wedding? It’ll be in June.” Audrey held up her iPhone as if she were already keying in some information.
Charlotte tried to smile, but she feared it came off lame. Never had she been so lacking in words, and never had the stone in her pocket felt so heavy.
Chapter 3
3
If life were a hotel, Charlotte thought this would have been a great time to check out. She sifted through a few reasons to refuse Audrey’s request to do her wedding reception, but this time her vocal cords refused to engage. Apparently, though, Sam hadn’t had a problem using that word in his vocabulary or his life—since he was fully engaged! “I don’t have anything booked for June,” Charlotte heard her mouth utter against all good horse sense. “I’ll do the food for your wedding.”
Audrey popped up from her seat and wrapped her arms around her. “Thanks, Charlotte. Now I know it’ll be wonderful.”
Charlotte patted Audrey’s back as if she were burping a baby. Her scent was elegant and expensive. Guess she lived a Chanel kind of life.
Over Audrey’s shoulder, Sam smiled and mouthed the word, “Thanks.” But he suddenly looked itchy rather than delighted. It reminded her of an incident in the twelfth grade when they’d traipsed through a creek full of deep grass to go fishing. Later he’d broken out with the worst case of poison ivy the doctor had ever seen. And now, minus the calamine lotion, Sam squirmed just as he had back then. Perhaps he’d realized that Audrey’s request was preposterously thorny and problematic and quite a few other flamboyant adjectives come to think of it.
“Now,” Audrey whispered in her ear, “We’ve got another favor to ask of you.”
Charlotte swallowed a sigh. Another favor? What was it now? They probably wanted her to bear their children for them too. God help me. She was a much finer Christian woman when she wasn’t being emotionally ravaged. Charlotte eased out of Audrey’s hug and looked at Sam. “What do you need?”
“It’s about my father.” Sam set the menu down. “To be honest, Charlotte, he’s dying. In fact, I’ve taken a leave of absence from work. I don’t think he has much longer to live. We’ve been at the house since yesterday. And now, well, he’s been asking for you.”
Charlotte choked on her saliva.
Audrey patted her on the back.
“Asking for me?” Charlotte gave her head a shake to try to process his news. “But why? I don’t understand.” She had to be the last person on earth Percy Wilder would ever want to see.
“He never told me why. I guess you two didn’t really get along, but the details have always been a mystery to me.” Sam laced his fingers together, and his thumbs wrangled with each other as if they were in a skirmish. “My guess is he wants to make peace with the people he’s slighted over the years. It’s something he needs to do. Something he should do. I hope you’ll give him one last chance to make things right.”
When worded that way, what decent human being could refuse? Charlotte rummaged around in her spirit, hoping for a nugget of courage, but none was found. In the end, she nodded. “Of course, I’ll go and see him.”
Sam tilted his head, gazing at her with his old affection. “I knew you would. In fact, if it’s all right, since Audrey and I ate two hours ago, do you mind if we go now? Can you take a little time off?”
“Right now?” Charlotte slipped her hand into her pocket and squeezed the stone until she could feel her heart pulsing in her fingers.
Audrey grasped her arm. “Sam, look at her. She’s gone all pale. Maybe we should suggest another time. I don’t think this is—”
“No, it’s all right.” Charlotte wiped her sweaty palms on her apron. “I have enough staff today. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Audrey bobbed on her toes. “Maybe we could chat about
