A Valentine for Kayla (19 page)

Helen grinned. “Thanks, but I think I'll stay inside.”

“Okay. I should head out now. If Derek calls, will you ask him to touch base with me?”

She nodded.

Kayla stood and took her half-empty teacup to the sink. Helen led her to the front door and pulled it open. “Come visit anytime.”

“Thanks, Helen.” She spun around and marched to the barn. The shop's delivery van was parked right outside the barn door and Jill stood beside it. “Hey there, I didn't hear you drive up. Have you been here long?”

“Five minutes tops.” Jill held a bucket filled with hot-pink carnations that popped against her newly tanned skin. Her friend had spent every day of her vacation lounging on the beach. Relaxing sounded wonderful. Only three more days and then life would go back to normal.

“Are you excited about the grand opening tomorrow?” Jill asked as she led the way into the barn where the float was stored.

“Yes, but I have so much going on—it's stressful. At least all the volunteers I'm in charge of confirmed they will be at their shifts tomorrow.”

“There's something to be thankful for.” Jill hopped onto the float and went directly to the arbor. “I thought we could create a trellis of carnations, but now that I'm here, I don't like the idea.”

“I'd say don't bother with any flowers, but since we are a florist, we should make sure there are plenty. Skip the arbor. I'm thinking Rose Parade–type float.”

Jill laughed. “Not happening.”

“Why?” It wasn't like Jill to not even consider a good idea.

“Do you have any idea how many man-hours it would take to pull that off? Not to mention all the flowers. No way, no how is this going to pass for a Rose Parade float, but it will look fantastic.”

Kayla watched her friend work and jumped in once she figured out what Jill was doing. They created a flower garden all around the arbor where the winner from the contest the high school held would be seated. Jill was right—this was going to look great. It might even win an award.

Kayla hopped off the float. “What we did looks fabulous, but now the rest looks bare.”

“Have faith, my friend. We are only getting started. I hope you are rested up, because this may take most of the night.”

“Shut up. Please tell me you are joking.”

“I'm exaggerating a little, but I was serious. Don't worry. My mom is coming over and bringing several of her friends to help. Actually, considering all the helping hands she's bringing, we might be out of here in under an hour, now that I see what we accomplished in such a short time. Will you grab the vines from the van?”

“Sure.” On her way back inside, she overheard Jill on the phone talking to someone about Derek. Curious, she couldn't help listening in. When Jill spotted her, she ended the call. “What was that about?”

Jill frowned. “I was hoping to spare you from Margie, but she is having a conniption because Derek hasn't been seen in nearly three weeks. She's afraid he's going to be a no-show for the concert Sunday night.”

“Oh.” She'd been fighting the same thoughts and didn't fault Margie for worrying.

Jill stilled. “What is it? Are
you
worried, too?”

She shrugged. “It's just that I haven't heard from him all week. Then with all the rumors on TV about some new album…it's hard not to think the worst.”

Jill sat under the arbor on the bench. “I didn't realize. I thought the two of you were seeing each other. He's perfect for you. And correct me if I'm wrong, but he hits most of the markers on your list.”

“Actually, he hits all of them. But I'm finally realizing that my stupid list doesn't mean anything. It's not going to guarantee the perfect man, because the perfect man doesn't exist.”

“That's true. None of us is perfect. Do you love him?” Jill asked softly.

Kayla pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yes, I do, and it hurts so much that's he's not returning my calls. I don't know what's going on with him. The last time we spoke, everything seemed normal, at least normal for him. Then all of a sudden I see him on television and he stops communicating. I don't know what to do.”

In the back of her mind she wondered if Derek's silence had something to do with Estelle, but she trusted him, even if Estelle could have been faking her newfound faith in the Lord, which was unlikely. Estelle might be a great actress, but her heart said the woman had changed. Estelle couldn't be the reason for Derek's silence. However, the alternatives hurt even worse—either he was no longer interested in
her
, or he was really returning to his old life
.

Jill stood and picked her way to the edge of the float, then jumped off. “I want to pray with you.” Jill grasped her hand. “Lord, I thank You for my friend and for caring so much for us. You understand our hurts and fears and that is so reassuring. Kayla needs Your guidance. She loves You, and she loves Derek. Please show her Your will and give her Your peace. Amen.”

Kayla swallowed the lump in her throat. She always got emotional when someone prayed for her. Her stomach was such a jumble of nerves that she almost felt ill. “Thanks. Are we almost done yet?”

“Help will be here any minute. How about you bring in the rest of the supplies, then call it a night?”

“Are you sure?” Kayla hated leaving her friend with all this work, even if she had help on the way.

“Positive. I'm all rested up from my vacation and you've been towing the load all by yourself. Take the rest of the night for yourself.” Jill looked intently at her. “Are you going to be okay?”

Kayla nodded. Honestly, she was more of a mess now than before. Going home and burying her head in her pillow was all she wanted to do. “I'll bring everything in and then see you bright and early tomorrow. Charlie has the parade under control, right?”

“Yes. We only need to worry about our grand reopening.”

“Good.” At least that was all Jill needed to worry about. Kayla, on the other hand, had more worries than she could handle.

Fifteen minutes later Kayla jogged to her car and started it up. Chilled, she turned the heater to high and headed home. She passed several cars coming up the driveway as she was headed out, which made her feel better about leaving.

Her characteristics-of-a-good-man list kept running through her mind. She'd created it to keep from getting hurt, but it hadn't helped. In fact, she'd trusted that thing with more faith than she'd given anyone or anything.

Where had God been in all of this? Why hadn't He stopped her or told her she was treating that list like an idol? She shuddered. Maybe He had, and she hadn't listened. The list had become her safety net, and the Lord had been squeezed out by her obsession. She'd placed her faith in the wrong source.

Tears clogged her throat as the full impact of her life choices hit her. Somewhere along the way she'd stopped depending on the Lord. “I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.”

She pulled into her driveway and parked. A dim light glowed behind the curtains. Her mom must be home. She composed herself before going inside. A fire burned in the fireplace and her mom sat on the couch. Her eyelids drooped, and a book lay across her stomach.

“Hey, Mom,” she said softly.

Mom's eyelids fluttered open. “Hi, honey.” She yawned and stretched. “I'm beat. Think I'll head to bed.”

“Sleep well.” Kayla grabbed a few cushions and plopped down in front of the crackling flames, staring into the fire. A sudden desire to burn the list hit her and she couldn't shake the idea.

But the list was so much a part of her daily life it hung framed in her bedroom. No, hanging on to that list would be a mistake. She needed to let it go and put her trust completely in the Lord.

The fire crackled and snapped, drawing her attention. It had been ages since they'd built a fire. This couldn't be a coincidence; clearly God had a plan and was in control, as Helen pointed out earlier. She stood and went directly to her bedroom. The framed list hung beside a full-length mirror. She reached up and removed it from the wall. Flipping the frame over, she pried the backing off, then pulled out the aged sheet of paper penned in her teen years.

It hit her then how ridiculous holding on to this was. She marched out to the fireplace, wadded the notebook paper into a ball and tossed it into the flames. Within seconds the fire consumed the paper and with it years of misplaced hope.

Her hope was in the Lord and she would trust
Him
with her future—a future she hoped included Derek, but if it didn't, she'd trust the Lord regardless.

She sat there until the fire turned to coals, then went to bed. Tomorrow would be here all too soon.

* * *

Derek sat on a private jet gazing out the window. A glance at his watch made him cringe. His concert would start in an hour, and in all likelihood he wouldn't be there. To make things worse, he had no way of contacting Kayla. He'd tried before takeoff, but her phone had gone straight to voice mail. He didn't have the heart to tell her in a message what he had to say, so he'd hung up. Now that decision ate at him.

Would she ever be able to forgive him? He'd finally listened to all her messages and how her tone had changed over the course of the past week. By the last one, confusion and hurt filled her voice—he'd caused that and it turned his stomach.

At least his business in California was finished. Jerry had been arrested on multiple charges ranging from blackmail to human trafficking. He'd used his business as a celebrity manager as a front for his underworld dealings. He'd lost most of his clients and started to panic, afraid that if anyone else left, he wouldn't be able to continue hiding his illegal activities behind the cloak of his legitimate business.

When Derek had found out earlier today what had been going on, he'd been shocked. He rarely saw his manager in person and over the past year he'd had less and less contact with Jerry, which explained why he hadn't known, but still he felt as if he should have at least sensed that something was off with the man.

He shook his head. As frustrated as he'd been with the FBI, they had done a great job investigating and subsequently taking out a multistate human-trafficking ring in a coordinated effort earlier today. Jerry was in it up to his eyeballs, and he would spend a long time behind bars. Knowing that helped make up for everything, but he dreaded facing everyone in Oak Knoll. They would
not
be happy with him. He stared out the window and noted a familiar landmark. His pulse accelerated.

M
argie tapped her foot and waved her arms around. Kayla stood behind the counter at Flowers and More tuning out the woman's rant. Derek was a no-show for the sold-out concert.

“Well?” Margie stood with hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

“Well, what?”

“I asked if you'd go onstage and explain to the crowd why DJ Parker is a no-show.”

“Me?” Kayla's voice rose a notch. “The concert is your baby.”

“But the man is yours.” She glared.

“He's not my man. I wish people would stop making assumptions.”

Margie harrumphed.

“Fine. I'll do it.” Kayla's heart pounded in her chest at the idea of an angry mob. People had bought tickets from as far away as Seattle. “I hope we don't have a riot.”

“Just pour on that pageant charm and you'll have them begging
you
to sing.” Margie waved. “I'm out of here.”

Kayla's heart dropped. “Aren't you going to come with me?”

“Not a chance! Good luck.” She fled the store, leaving Kayla to ponder her words.

What if
she
sang? She could sing their duet. Sure, it wouldn't be the same, but she could carry a tune well. Maybe if
someone
sang, the crowd wouldn't turn violent. Or maybe they'd throw food at her and chase her from the stage.

Either way, she'd said she'd deal with the announcement. Her palms sweated as she headed to the workroom. “Ah, Jill. I have to go.”

Jill looked up from an arrangement she was working on and stilled. “What's wrong? You are white as a lily.”

“Derek isn't here, and the concert is set to start in thirty minutes. I've been tasked with delivering the bad news to the crowd.”

“Oh no. You can't go out there alone.”

“I have to. I told Margie I would. Besides, I thought I might be able to appease them with a few DJ Parker songs.”

“Sweetie, they are going to shred you. Those aren't just locals out there waiting in the hot sun. Half of that crowd doesn't know you or care who you are.”

“Then you better have nine-one-one on speed dial, because I'm doing it.”

“Oh, boy. I'm coming, too.” Jill grabbed her keys.

“We need to hurry. I still have to go to Derek's studio and get his equipment.”

“No, you don't. Charlie took care of all of that. They needed to do a sound check this morning, so Charlie stood in for Derek.”

Kayla paused with her hand on the door. “For real? I had no idea. How'd he know to do that?”

“Beats me, but Charlie is a man of many talents. I have no idea why he's working for us other than to be with me.” Jill shot her a cheeky grin.

“Okay, then, let's go. We may as well walk, because we won't be able to find close-up parking.”

Jill pulled the front door shut. “Is that what you're wearing?”

Kayla looked down at the jeans and white sleeveless top she wore. “What's wrong with it? I was supposed to sing a duet with Derek and planned to wear this.” She pulled Jill along beside her as they wove through clusters of people enjoying the festivities.

Jill panted. “Yeah, but that's when you were only singing a duet. I think something flashier would be better.”

Kayla gave her friend an annoyed look. “You're not helping my confidence at all.”