Love Calmed the Storm

Chapter 3

   I fumbled with my keys a bit before opening the door. "Ugh, sorry." I said as I finally got the door opened. I never had this much trouble before opening this rigidity door, but I think nerves had something to do with it. Oh God, am I shaking? What's gotten into you Lacey? Get a grip!

  I sat my things down at the counter and flipped on the lights, all the while trying to compose myself. He gave the place another look around.

"Nice place, huh?" I kinda snickered as I wrote on my time sheet. Still had those butterflies.

"Absolutely." He grinned as he kept his eyes locked on mine. He walked a bit closer and rested his one arm on the counter as he laid the gift bag down beside his arm. My stomach was doing flip flops at this point.

"What's this?" I asked, knowing good and well that my fair skin couldn't hide the flushness of my cheeks.

"Well..." He said drawn out. "It's for you. I would have wrote your name on the tag but I think you don't want me to know it." His hazels twinkled as he spoke those words.

"For me?" I exclaimed in a high squeaky voice. Now I officially sound like a love sick middle-schooler.

  I continued on, hoping I could redeem the awkwardness that just come out of my mouth. "No," taking a breath, "I do want you to..." I fumbled over my words. Just spit it out Lacey!

"I'm Lacey. I thought I mentioned it." Okay a little white lie. I've only been freaking out for the last 24 hours about it!

  A slight smile came across his face as if we had made some major milestone in our relationship or something.

"Well Lacey, it is so nice to meet you." He extended his hand out across the counter.

As I reached for his, I noticed he was staring at me. Feeling a little self -conscious, I adjusted my grey cardigan.

  Our hands came together at first as a lighthearted handshake but after a few seconds of neither of us letting go, it ended with his hand resting upon mine on the counter. Gently sliding his hand off mine he reached for the bag.

"I came into town yesterday to be able to set up for the farmer's market." He continued on while lifting up the bag, "This is just a little something for you for helping me in my time of need yesterday." He said with a playful, yet mysterious grin.

Seth continued on, "That rain was something yesterday, seems like we might have to close the farmer's market down early if the rain doesn't let up." He paused for me to jump in, while all I could think about was his touched that still lingered on my skin.

"Oh I hope this wasn't all for nothing, you having to drag all your stuff here and all that set up work." I said as I went to look inside the bag. Still not knowing what kind of business he works for.

"Oh believe me Lacey, it wasn't all for nothing." He said as his chest rose then fell, taking in a deep breath.

  A nervous kind of giggle slipped out again as I lifted the glass mason jar of honey with a black ribbon tied around the rim. Was I reading more into his kind gesture? Honestly, if two days ago someone had told me that I would be standing here behaving like some love sick puppy dog, I would have told them they were crazy.

"Honey." I said as I opened the jar to sneak a taste with my fingertips. Yummy.

"It's a little too early to call each other that, now isn't it? We should at least have coffee first before we give each other pet names." He said teasing. He nervously stroked his beard he was trying to grow in.

  With that first taste of honey memories flooded my mind. The sweet taste brought me back to sweeter times in my life. Those memories will never leave me and the taste of that honey awakened and calmed a part of me that had been unsettled. I thought of those moments of setting on Grandma's front porch sipping her fresh brewed tea sweetened with honey. I can still hear her say that was the secret ingredient. "Honey is good for the soul." She would say swaying on that white wooden swing, as she would tell stories of old.

I realized I had been lost in thought as I glanced to see him have a gentle smile on his face.

  A courage came over me. "Meet me at the coffee shop at 1:30. Claudia comes in to do weekly inventory around that time and I always take my break then."

"I'll be there." He said, sounding overly excited like his evil planned had worked. "I'm guessing the one across from the town square?"

"Yeah you can't miss it, only one in town. It's kinda a legend in this town...Ruthie's Coffee, Tea and Books. Brick building, old red metal sign out front." I said, hoping to eventually explain the family history with the place.

  As he turned to walk away I had a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. That feeling that you get at the pit of your stomach, I had that now. Even just the thought of him sent my stomach whirling. I never would have thought I could feel the same way as I felt when I was with Noah. It had been almost three years since the accident. But unfortunately, that choice for us to be together was ripped away from both of us. I was the only one here to still talk about it, to have that pain always in the back of my mind even on the best of days. Lights and sirens filled my mind as I recalled that night. You can't think about this now! Remember there's nothing you can do to change the past.

  As I watched him walk away I had more questions that needed to be answered about this guy that suddenly appeared in my life, seemly out of nowhere. As I saw Seth through the storefront windows, I smiled. I watched him until I could no longer see his tall form heading back towards the farmer's market. Then what followed was a tinge I felt it deep in my stomach, not butterflies this time, but guilt that I felt that these feeling were for someone other than Noah.

***Let me know what you guys are thinking so far with this chapter. Can Lacey forget about the past and move on? Or will she let the past haunt her future?***

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