Six months after Nick Holly returned to Willowbrook, Vermont, and reconnected with former high school boyfriend Jolly Whitaker, Jolly wants to take their romance further. He knows Nick isn’t ready for marriage after experiencing a difficult divorce, and it’s too soon anyway, but he wants something more from Nick than a few nights a week.
When he returns from visiting his son, Jolly plans an extravagantly romantic dinner for two with the help of family and friends. He hopes Nick will agree to move in with him. Nick agrees, to Jolly’s delight, but when Nick finds a ring box hidden in Jolly’s house, will Nick get the wrong impression and change his mind?
I went to my house first.
I hoped it would be our house soon. But I was incredibly nervous. Nick had been badly hurt in his marriage to Jasper Trulean. It hadn’t been that easy to get things started with him when he moved back to Willowbrook. And we hadn’t been boyfriends for much longer than four months.
I unpacked, took a shower, dressed in what my mom would have referred to as my Sunday best.
It was then that I put the ring box in the bottom of a drawer, buried beneath a bunch of socks. It had been an impulsive buy when I was in New Hampshire. I hadn’t shown it to anyone, even Dad. After I got the gold bands, for there were matching rings in the box, I had regrets, realizing it was way too soon. Unfortunately, the jewelry store wouldn’t do returns. I hoped to be able to present them to Nick in the future.
Next, I walked over to the Holly house. Nick wouldn’t be there if my instructions had been followed.
Adela Holly opened the door shortly after I knocked.
She smiled broadly. “Jolly! You look gorgeous. Come inside.”
Despite her claims I looked gorgeous, she still reached out and fussed with my shirt collar and suite jacket when I got inside.
“Is Nick here?”
Adela frowned. “Here? But I thought you wanted him to be at Martin’s.”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “I did. I do. I was just making sure.”
In February, deciding he needed a little more cushion money-wise, Nick had taken a job at Martin’s diner in downtown Willowbrook. Martin was a retired Brooklyn detective who’d settled in Willowbrook with his husband and opened the diner shortly after. Sunday mornings after church were crazy busy, but luckily not so much Sunday evenings.
Nick generally was not scheduled to work at this time of the day, but Martin had called him in on an emergency to work. All part of the plan.
Adela joined in with my laughter. “Oh yes. Martin actually called him this morning during the breakfast rush and begged him to come in. He’s been there for hours.”
“Great. All I have to do now is pick up the special dessert and head over to the back of Martin’s so they can get it from me.”
“It’s all going to be great.”
“I hope so.” I sighed. “You don’t think I’m making too big of a deal over asking him to move in with me? Maybe it should be more casual.”
She looked amused. “Like when you’re in bed together.”
My hot face assured me I was blushing. “No!”
“Honestly, Jolly. I’m not some prudish, naïve old lady. But no, I don’t think you’re making too big of a deal. I think the idea for this date is delightful and I’m sure Nick will too.”
“Sure, he might. But I just hope he says yes.”
She patted my arm. “I’m sure he will.”
“Jonathan here?”
“He’s getting that old car of his looked at down at the shop.”
“How does he feel about all of this?”
Adela crossed her arms in front of her. “How should he feel?”
“I just mean he went to all of that trouble fixing up Nick’s apartment.”
“Oh, that.” She waved this off. “He can turn it back easily enough or maybe we’ll put it up for rent, make some money off of it. It’s certainly not going to stand in the way of our boy’s happiness. And yours.”
I blew out a breath. “All right. I guess I can’t delay this any longer. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, Jolly. But you won’t need it.”
