Finding His Heart

Mandy knows this trip to Indiana is going to be her last spontaneous vacation, so she wants to make it the best one yet. And when she runs into Thomas, one of her friends from a past vacation, it turns out better than she'd planned. 

Thomas jumps at the chance to be chaperone for the FFA convention, hoping he can make difference for the high school students like his uncle did for him. What he didn't expect to find was the girl he let get away two years before.

Mandy is called back home for work, and it seems that they'll be torn apart yet again. Are they doomed to remain apart, or will her love of spontaneity finally be the thing that helps Mandy find her way back to Thomas?

 Mandy pulled out her phone and tapped on the video chat button to call Laura. Staring out at the cityscape of Indianapolis would have
been a lot more fun if her best friend had been there, but the farmland of
Idaho had ended their summer trips.

Not that Laura hadn’t wanted to come. That had been the plan until she found out she couldn’t travel this late in her pregnancy. Well, she could have. Justin wouldn’t let her out of his sight. It was both cute and annoying.

Mandy sighed and had to perk up instantly when Laura finally answered. “There you are. I figured you were taking a nap.”

Laura laughed. “I wish. I was actually helping Justin get the last of the tomatoes picked before the first frost hits tonight.”

“Now that is a glamorous life.” Mandy leaned against the railing of the building. “I guess it’s my fault for deciding to travel in the fall instead of the summer like we used to.”

“Darn grown-up jobs.” Laura squinted. “Where are you? All I see is sky.”

Mandy turned the phone so it faced the city below. “I’m in the Salesforce Tower. I had to sneak in with a school group.”

She glanced around and realized most of her group had already left. Oh well. She could fit in with the employees, so she was still fine.

“So, what are your plans while you’re there?” Laura’s phone wobbled as she bent over. When she came back into view, she held a glass of lemonade. 

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go to a car race or something.” Mandy grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat. “I think this might be my last time doing this. I’m getting too old.”

Laura raised an eyebrow. “You’re twenty-two.” 

Mandy sighed. “I know. But now I have to actually pay for it myself. And you can’t come with me anymore. After this, you’ll have a baby, and then a toddler, and then another baby—”

“Whoa. Let me stop you there. I need to actually learn to deal with this one first.” Laura slid down on her couch. “Okay, now I think I’ll take a nap. You go out and do something fun. And buy me lots of souvenirs.” 

“Will do.” Mandy waved and hung up. She pulled her coat back on and grabbed a bagel and drink from the small deli before heading for the elevator. This trip would be short because of her job, which meant she had a lot of sightseeing to do and
no time to waste.

Mandy pulled her coat tight to keep out the wind and flagged down a taxi to head to the tracks. There were no races that weekend, but maybe she could still take a tour. She adjusted her scarf and checked her phone for the time. Only a few more hours left of daylight.

“Late for something?” the cab driver asked.

“Nope. I’m just here for fun so I don’t really have to be anywhere.” Mandy grimaced. What was she doing telling the cab driver that? For all she knew, he could be a serial killer looking for her next victim and she just gave him his perfect target.

The driver perked up. “You came to the right place. Indianapolis has all kinds of great tourist spots.”

Mandy smiled. “That’s what I was hoping to hear. Have any suggestions?”

“Now that’s the question of the day. It all depends on what you want. Art, theater, entertainment. You name it, we have it.” The driver turned the corner. “You’re starting in the best place right here. Check out the museum, then I suggest the Italian place right around the corner for dinner.” 

“Thanks. Perfect. Anything else?” Mandy handed him cash.

The driver grinned. “Here. Take my card. Tomorrow give me a call, and I’ll take you on a tour.”

Mandy took the card from him and put it in her purse. “Thanks.”

“See you tomorrow!” The driver waved and pulled away. 

Mandy shook her head and took a picture of the museum to send to Laura. A bus pulled up to the street behind her and kids piled out. That bus was followed by another bus, and then another. All the students wore blue jackets and they spoke excitedly as they poured into the museum. Apparently, this wasn’t the
best time to tour the museum. Italian food was sounding good right now. She could take the tour tomorrow instead.

“I know everyone else ran in, but please, just stay together. I don’t need to lose anyone again.” The man’s voice behind her made Mandy jerk to attention. 

She knew that voice. She hadn’t heard it in a year, but she knew it. Mandy whipped around and searched the crowd of yelling, laughing students. He had to be here. They all blended together. 

“Hey, do you know a Thomas Carter?” Mandy asked a passing student.

The girl pulled an earbud out of her ear. “What?”

“Thomas Carter. Do you know him? Uh, a Mr. Carter.” Mandy knew by the blank look on the girl’s face she had no clue. “Never mind.” 

Maybe a tour would be a good idea after all . . . Mandy followed the group into the museum and kept an eye out for Thomas. Maybe, just maybe, this trip would be interesting after all.

 ***

The tour was almost done, and Mandy still hadn’t run into Thomas. Maybe she missed Laura more than she thought she did, and parts of Idaho were pulling her back.
Or something. Mandy sighed and sent the last picture she’d taken.

She hesitated before sending one more text. You don’t know where Thomas is, do you?

I don’t. He went somewhere with the FFA, why?

Mandy bit her lip. She had to have been imagining things then. What were the odds of them ending up in the same place? She smirked. Probably a million and one. The
gift store was next, so Mandy put her phone in her pocket and went to find a souvenir for Laura. She’d answer her about Thomas later. After she was over her embarrassment.

She hadn’t even thought of Thomas for almost a year. They’d just been friends when she went to visit, which meant that besides a few emails here and there, they hadn’t talked after she went back to New York.

Mandy found a couple of shot glasses and a magnet and went up to the cash register to pay. She glanced out the window while the cashier rang her up and the blue jackets of the students passing by caught her eye. She’d seen that patch before
somewhere.

“Here for the convention?” The cashier handed her the change.

“Convention?” Mandy set the change in her purse. “Is that why all the students are here?”

The man nodded. “The FFA Convention is in town. Sorry, I saw the blue of your coat and just assumed . . .”

Mandy blinked. “The what? Did you just say FFA  . . .?”

She left before the man could answer and pulled out her phone to call Laura. “You didn’t care to mention the fact that the FFA was here this weekend?”

“What are you talking about?” Laura yawned.

“Convention. Here. This weekend. You didn’t tell me they were coming here. I asked where Thomas was. You told me he was with the FFA. You didn’t mention they were here.” Mandy’s heart beat rapidly as she searched the crowd for the hundredth time.

Laura laughed. “Are you kidding me? I just know that Thomas took off and left Justin to do a lot of the harvest himself. Apparently, the regular teacher had to cancel last minute and needed a sub. Justin stayed here to be with me, and Thomas was asked to go instead. I don’t understand why this is a big deal.”