Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold #1)(31)

“I’m glad you are. You do a terrific job.”

“You’re kind to say that.”

Charity wanted to ask about Marsha’s daughter, but as she’d never heard her mentioned, she didn’t. She was a little afraid something bad had happened to her, too.

“I have a lot of friends,” Marsha continued. “This has always been my home. So even with John gone, I belonged. I hope you’re getting a sense of that belonging yourself.”

“I’m really enjoying myself, getting to know people.”

“Making friends?”

“I am. I went over to Jo’s the other night to hang out with Pia and her friends. I met Crystal.”

Marsha shook her head. “A lovely girl. So desperately sad. When she lost her husband, I completely understood what she was going through. We were all so excited when she decided to have their embryos implanted. But then they discovered she was sick. It’s just not fair.”

“I know. I was thinking that when Jo told me about her situation. That it would help Crystal to have a child, but if she’s sick…”

“I know what you mean. Losing both parents would be so difficult. I sometimes wonder what God was thinking when He put all this in motion. We all hope she makes a full recovery. It’s just the doctors seem to think that’s unlikely.”

Marsha smiled at her. “And this is the part of small-town life that is difficult. We know each other’s joys, but we also know each other’s sorrows.” She shook her head. “And now let’s talk about something more cheerful. I couldn’t help but notice you had dinner with Robert the other night. Was that fun?”

Charity wasn’t used to discussing her personal life with her boss. She knew that Marsha was just being friendly, but she honestly didn’t know what to say, what with Robert being the town treasurer and all.

“He’s a great guy.”

“Very eligible.”

“It’s a little early to be marrying me off.”

“True, but I can’t help it. I have a matchmaker’s heart. I love watching people fall in love. Robert seems very steady.” She laughed. “Which sounds awful, but you know what I mean. It’s the dependable thing. He’s not flashy.”

Not like Josh, Charity thought, doing her best not to remember the brief but incredible kiss she and Josh had shared. No point in belaboring the impossible, not to mention improbable.

Marsha sipped her tea again. “Although something could be said for a man who will always surprise you.”

Charity blinked. “Excuse me? What happened to steady?”

“I suppose I’m biased. I’ve known Josh a long time. He’s like a son to me. I’d like to see him settle down with someone special.”

Charity would like to see him naked, but she wasn’t going to mention that. “Wasn’t he married before?”

“Yes, but she was all wrong for him. Talk about flashy. I tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen. He was thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy, if you get my meaning.”

Charity grinned. “I do.”

“He’s so much more than people give him credit for. I still remember the first time I saw him. He and his mother had moved here from Arizona. Josh had been in a horrible accident. He’d been hiking with his mother and fallen down the side of a mountain. He was battered and still healing. He could barely walk—his poor legs were so twisted.”

Charity tried to compare that image with the man she knew. It was impossible. “He’s so perfect.”

“Oh, he’s many things, but perfect isn’t one of them. But I know what you mean. He has that face and that body. But when he was a boy, it was a different story. She left him.”

“His mother?”

“Yes. She abandoned him about four months after they moved here. Just walked out one afternoon. Got in her car and drove away. I found Josh standing outside their motel room, waiting for her. At first we all assumed she would come back. But she didn’t. We looked for her, of course, but if a person doesn’t want to be found, hiding isn’t that hard.”

Charity had grown up moving from place to place. She’d hated always having to be the new girl, but she’d never been abandoned. Sandra had been flakey and selfish, but she’d never considered leaving Charity behind. It was one thing to lose a parent through an accident or illness, but to be discarded…. How did anyone recover from that?

“What happened?” she asked.

“No one knew what to do. There was the foster care system, which we weren’t enthused about, but it wasn’t as if the town could adopt a boy. He needed stability. The city council met to make a decision when Denise Hendrix walked in. She already had six children of her own, including triplet girls, if you can imagine. Her oldest, Ethan, was Josh’s age. She said one more child wouldn’t matter. So Josh moved in with them. He and Ethan became good friends. Best friends. They used to ride bikes together.”

“I’ve heard the name. Doesn’t Ethan own a windmill manufacturing company? He’s on my list of people to visit.”

“Yes, that’s him. He also has the construction firm he inherited from his father. You’ll like Ethan.” Marsha’s eyes twinkled. “He’s single, too. A widower.”