for the reception.”
Scanning the menu, Adrie asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?” Though her own wedding plans had been scrapped, she’d spent months poring over magazines and websites planning her ill-fated wedding. She’d also been a bridesmaid for three of her friends, so she knew all the work and planning involved. This time she wasn’t in the bridal party, but Rachel had asked her to play for their ceremony.
“Tomorrow night we’re working on favors and some of the decorations for the reception, if you’re free.”
“Sure. I can come by after six. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. Thanks.” Rachel studied her menu for a minute, then looked up. “Say, how are things going with Ross Peterson?”
Adrie’s stomach tensed. “Well, he’s only been with us for about three weeks.”
Rachel scrutinized her, then tipped her head. “What are you not telling me?”
“Nothing.” Adrie unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap, avoiding Rachel’s inquisitive gaze. “He’s good with customers and helpful with the technical side of things. My grandma can’t stop singing his praises.”
“But what about you? You’re the one who has to feel confident leaving the store in his hands. What do you think of him?”
She pressed her lips together. Rachel’s fiancé, Cam, was good friends with Ross. She’d need to be careful about her comments, but she owed her friend an honest answer. “He seems to have a good handle on the job, and he can certainly be charming when the mood strikes. But he still wants to pursue photography on the side, and that makes me wonder if I’m going to invest a lot of time and effort training him, then he’ll walk out and leave us stranded.”
Rachel shook her head. “Ross wouldn’t do that. He’s very dependable. Cam thinks the world of him. Did I tell you that he asked Ross to be his best man?”
“I thought Matt Larson was the best man.”
“He is, but Cam asked Ross first. He said he was hoping to be our wedding photographer.” Rachel leaned across the table and lowered her voice. “He’s not even charging us. Can you believe it? That is such a huge gift.”
Adrie leaned forward. “Wow, that’s certainly generous.”
Rachel smiled and nodded. “He’s an awesome photographer. We’re thrilled. Most photographers charge two to three thousand dollars. Of course we told him that we’d pay for developing all the photos. He’s had a rough time since he had to close his studio, so we couldn’t let him pay for that, especially after everything he’s done for us.”
“You mean besides the wedding photography?”
Rachel nodded. “He took our engagement photos and wouldn’t let us pay for those, either. He’s always helping Cam with painting and repair jobs at the house.” Rachel laughed softly. “You should see them. There’s nothing those two like better than swinging a hammer or running a circular saw.”
Adrie frowned slightly. “Sounds like he’s been a good friend.”
“The best,” Rachel said. “I think you’ve finally found someone you can depend on to manage the bookstore. I’m sure he won’t let you down like those other guys you hired.”
The words on the menu blurred before Adrie’s eyes. Was Rachel right? Could she trust Ross? Three weeks didn’t seem long enough to judge a man’s character and integrity or to know if he was going to stick around and do the job.
Troubling questions swirled through her mind. Was Ross the right person to take over her job? Was that what she truly wanted—someone stepping in and filling her shoes, enjoying the life and relationships she’d built for herself in Fairhaven?
If she was going to follow her dream, that was what it would take—giving it all up for the sake of her music. Was she willing to pay that price? And if she did, would it fill that empty void in her heart?
Adrie carried the box of fall decorations up the basement steps and set it on the sales counter. It was time to
Scanning the menu, Adrie asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?” Though her own wedding plans had been scrapped, she’d spent months poring over magazines and websites planning her ill-fated wedding. She’d also been a bridesmaid for three of her friends, so she knew all the work and planning involved. This time she wasn’t in the bridal party, but Rachel had asked her to play for their ceremony.
“Tomorrow night we’re working on favors and some of the decorations for the reception, if you’re free.”
“Sure. I can come by after six. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. Thanks.” Rachel studied her menu for a minute, then looked up. “Say, how are things going with Ross Peterson?”
Adrie’s stomach tensed. “Well, he’s only been with us for about three weeks.”
Rachel scrutinized her, then tipped her head. “What are you not telling me?”
“Nothing.” Adrie unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap, avoiding Rachel’s inquisitive gaze. “He’s good with customers and helpful with the technical side of things. My grandma can’t stop singing his praises.”
“But what about you? You’re the one who has to feel confident leaving the store in his hands. What do you think of him?”
She pressed her lips together. Rachel’s fiancé, Cam, was good friends with Ross. She’d need to be careful about her comments, but she owed her friend an honest answer. “He seems to have a good handle on the job, and he can certainly be charming when the mood strikes. But he still wants to pursue photography on the side, and that makes me wonder if I’m going to invest a lot of time and effort training him, then he’ll walk out and leave us stranded.”
Rachel shook her head. “Ross wouldn’t do that. He’s very dependable. Cam thinks the world of him. Did I tell you that he asked Ross to be his best man?”
“I thought Matt Larson was the best man.”
“He is, but Cam asked Ross first. He said he was hoping to be our wedding photographer.” Rachel leaned across the table and lowered her voice. “He’s not even charging us. Can you believe it? That is such a huge gift.”
Adrie leaned forward. “Wow, that’s certainly generous.”
Rachel smiled and nodded. “He’s an awesome photographer. We’re thrilled. Most photographers charge two to three thousand dollars. Of course we told him that we’d pay for developing all the photos. He’s had a rough time since he had to close his studio, so we couldn’t let him pay for that, especially after everything he’s done for us.”
“You mean besides the wedding photography?”
Rachel nodded. “He took our engagement photos and wouldn’t let us pay for those, either. He’s always helping Cam with painting and repair jobs at the house.” Rachel laughed softly. “You should see them. There’s nothing those two like better than swinging a hammer or running a circular saw.”
Adrie frowned slightly. “Sounds like he’s been a good friend.”
“The best,” Rachel said. “I think you’ve finally found someone you can depend on to manage the bookstore. I’m sure he won’t let you down like those other guys you hired.”
The words on the menu blurred before Adrie’s eyes. Was Rachel right? Could she trust Ross? Three weeks didn’t seem long enough to judge a man’s character and integrity or to know if he was going to stick around and do the job.
Troubling questions swirled through her mind. Was Ross the right person to take over her job? Was that what she truly wanted—someone stepping in and filling her shoes, enjoying the life and relationships she’d built for herself in Fairhaven?
If she was going to follow her dream, that was what it would take—giving it all up for the sake of her music. Was she willing to pay that price? And if she did, would it fill that empty void in her heart?
Adrie carried the box of fall decorations up the basement steps and set it on the sales counter. It was time to
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