“Are you busy, Rachel?”
She hesitated, dreading packing more bags of clothes. “Not right now. What can I help you with?”
“Brooke has been overworking herself so much lately. I was wondering if you would mind asking your friend Willa if she would bake a cake for Brooke’s and my anniversary next month. Every time I ask, Willa doesn’t have any openings. Since she’s your friend, I was hoping she would be more inclined to make it if you asked.”
“I’ll give her a call, but I can’t make any promises. With King’s restaurant having opened, her time is pretty committed.”
“That will be fine. Just anything she whips up would be great, but chocolate is her favorite.”
“I’ll tell her.”
His beaming smile made Rachel feel small-minded. She might not personally like Brooke, yet she did like her pastor. He was no Dean; nevertheless, he was a good man.
“Let me know so I can make arrangements if she can’t.”
“I will.”
Rachel got busy. Instead of calling, she decided to stop by Willa’s house on the way home. A car was in the driveway when she pulled in. Regretting she hadn’t called ahead, Rachel decided to knock anyway.
Willa answered her knock minutes later, right as she had been about to leave.
Her flushed, upset face had Rachel’s eyes going over her shoulder to see Lewis.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Willa, but I wanted to talk to you about a private matter if you have the time.”
“Come in, Rachel.” Willa’s relief was obvious as she opened the door wider for Rachel to enter.
Lewis’s expression darkened. “Willa, we were talking—”
“And we’re finished talking. I think you should leave.” Willa’s voice trembled.
“I’ll see you later, then.” Rachel heard the threat in his voice and saw the shudder Willa couldn’t hide.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Rachel turned to Willa. “What was he doing here?”
“He thinks he can bully me into marrying him.”
Rachel knew the man had been pestering Willa, but not to that extent.
“Have Knox talk to him, Willa. Don’t let him intimidate you.”
“I’m not. I told him no. I’m actually proud of myself.” The woman couldn’t hide her fear.
If she wouldn’t talk to Knox, then Rachel would.
“Why did you stop by?”
Rachel told her of Pastor Patterson’s request.
“I told him no because Brooke hates my cakes. She tells me so all the time. Give him the bakery in Jamestown’s number.”
Rachel sighed. “It’s an anniversary cake. I think he’s planning a surprise party. Her favorite is chocolate.”
Willa sighed. “Have him text me the size and how he wants it.”
“Okay.” Rachel felt guilty for getting her to change her mind, but she knew she would have been the one he asked to drive to Jamestown to pick it up. She was slowly becoming their errand girl.
She stayed and had dinner with Willa, worried Lewis would come back.
She was tired when she finally let herself into Mag’s house. Taking a quick shower, she fell into bed exhausted, promising to let herself sleep late in the morning. Lily’s day was tomorrow.
Rachel stretched out on the soft mattress, letting her mind go back through her day. She reminded herself to stop by and talk to Knox about Lewis. She didn’t trust Lewis around Willa. She underestimated her attractiveness, and he had been one of the worst bullies in town. If Willa couldn’t get his ass under control, Rachel would see that someone else did.
Chapter 15
Rachel padded barefoot into the kitchen. Yawning, she started the coffee, surprised Mag hadn’t already. She pulled a cup from the cabinet.
“Grab one for me.” Cash slowly walked into the room.
Rachel screamed, nearly dropping her cup. “What are you doing here?”
“This is my grandmother’s house, remember?”
Rachel gritted her teeth at his smartass reply. “I mean, why aren’t you at the clubhouse?”
“I’ve been away from Mag for so long I thought I would stay with her for a few days. I don’t know how long I’m going to last on that broken down mattress, though.”
Rachel poured her coffee. “I believe it was one of her flea market finds.”
Cash grimaced, carefully folding his sore body into a chair at the kitchen table. “Did you forget about mine?”
Stifling the urge to tell him to get it for himself, she got another cup and poured his coffee before setting the cup down in front of him.
She picked her cup up and turned to leave the room.
“You’re not going to stay and keep me company?”
“No. Where’s Mag?”
“She had a doctor’s appointment this morning. Her neighbor took her.”
“Oh, she didn’t mention it yesterday.”
“I guess she forgot.”
Rachel left the room, going to the back room of Mag’s house that had been given to her to take care of the new clippings she had collected. It didn’t have as many windows as the greenhouse at her brothers’ house, but it had the advantage of not being at their house.