Building Up to Love

by Joanne Jaytanie

  “Frank, meet my good friend, Laura. Laura owns the Victorian on Chestnut Lane; it will soon be Vine Grove’s newest Bed and Breakfast.”

  Fifteen minutes later she and Frank agreed to meet at the park for a brown bag lunch the next day.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Laura balanced her grocery bags, mail, and purse in her arms as she attempted to open the door.

  “Hold on,” came a yell from inside.

  Through the stained glass partition she could see a figure bound down the stairs. An instant later the door swung open.

  “Hi boss,” Travis said. “Let me take those.” He reached out and grabbed the bags before they tumbled to the floor. He headed for the kitchen, set the bags on the island, and started to unpack them.

  “Thank you. And please call me Laura.”

  “How was your date?”

  “What are you talking about? I went to run a couple of errands.”

  “Come on, you can tell me. I ran into town to pick up more framing nails. I saw you and Frank in the park.”

  “I see. You were spying on me. Like I said, it wasn’t a date; he joined me for a bagged lunch is all. He’s got a thing for Chloe. He wanted to know if I would put in a good word for him.” She giggled at the thought. She was going to love sharing this bit of information at their next Love List get-together.

  “Huh, I wouldn’t have guessed. She doesn’t seem his type.”

  “And I do? Do you know Frank assembles model cars? I saw pictures and pictures of them.”

  “Yeah.” Travis chuckled. “He’s kinda obsessed with the whole thing. Did he show you any pictures of his trophies?”

  “Trophies?” Laura hoped the dismay she felt didn’t show on her face.

  “At least two times a month he heads out to a model competition. I didn’t even know there were such things.”

  In mere minutes all of the groceries were put away and the counters cleaned. Laura sighed. Frank hadn’t even offered to pack her groceries up for her. He answered his phone after he ran her card through the register. He continued to ignore her as she packed up all the items she purchased from his store and made two trips out to her car. It was pretty clear that not only was he not interested in her, he didn’t even possess basic manners. On the other hand, Travis relieved her of her burden and even helped unpack her groceries.

  “Thanks for the help,” she said.

  “Any time.”

  * * * *

  The heavenly aroma of cinnamon from the fresh baked Snickerdoodles wafted up the stairway. The woman sure can bake, Travis thought.

  “Yum,” Charlie mumbled through his mouthful of nails.

  “Quiet or you’re apt to swallow one of those,” Dan said.

  “You two better get those last couple boards nailed into place. I know you will be no good as soon as Laura brings our afternoon snack,” Travis said. “You’re like a couple of kindergarten kids: she administers snacks and you need to be put down for a nap.”

  “Ha ha, this is one of the fringe benefits. I’ve had withdrawals since Laura closed her café. What, you think I took this job to look at your pretty face?” Dan asked.

  The two men double-timed it and managed to hammer the last nail in just as Laura appeared on the stairs with a tray full of fresh baked cookies and coffee. Travis reached out and took the tray from her and set it down on the make-shift plywood table.

  “Oh man, are those snickerdoodles?” Dan asked.

  “Yes, they are,” Laura said.

  “I was kinda hoping you would use your fresh blueberries,” Travis said. “But I’ll give them a try.”

  She poured coffee all around and served the still warm cookies.

  “That’ll teach Bill to take the day off. We’ll eat his share,” Charlie said.

  The group reviewed the day’s progress and scarfed the Snickerdoodles. When they finished, Travis stood up and wiped the sawdust from his jeans. “It’s probably too late in the day to start on our wainscoting. Why don’t you two take off for the weekend?”

  The two men’s eyes lit up like a couple of school kids. They smiled, pocketed another couple of Snickerdoodles, and wished their bosses a great weekend as they flew down the stairs.

  “Absolutely no loyalty,” Travis said, in mock disappointment.

  “Don’t worry, they’re good guys. They’ll be back on Monday,” Laura said with a sparkle in her eyes as she started to clean up.

  Travis picked up the tray. “I guess I’m done, too. But if you aren’t busy, there are a few things I would like to go over with you,” he said.

  Travis spread the plans out on the kitchen table. He had his list and files at his elbow.

  “Refill on your coffee?” Laura asked.

  “Think I’m coffeed out for the day. I could use a glass of water though.”

  She took out two huge iced tea glasses, sliced some fresh strawberries, and limes, and plucked a few sprigs of mint. She dropped the strawberries into the glasses, filled them with ice and chilled water, and shoved a sprig of mint into each glass and a slice of lime on the rim. She set a glass in front of Travis and sat in a chair across from him with the other.

  “Thank you,” he said as he smiled at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I was just thinking you will be the perfect host for your B&B.”

  “You really think so? I must admit, I’ve been having second thoughts lately. I wonder if I can really make a go of this.”

  “Of course you can. Your baking is phenomenal. Your business sense is spot on, and your attention to detail is unnatural.”

  “I hope that’s a good thing.” She laughed.

  They spent the next three hours going over changes and plans for the house. Travis felt relaxed and comfortable around Laura. She moved to the chair next to him to see the plans better. His forearm rested on the table and a number of times she pushed her arm into his when they laughed and joked. Each time an electrical current shot up his arm, and tingled at the back of his neck.

  “I think that about does it. We should be ready to jump in first thing Monday morning.” Travis gathered up all his stuff and put it into his briefcase. His stomach growled.

  “Oh my, look at the time,” Laura said. “I’ve kept you late. Let me whip up something quick for dinner.”

  “No, really, you don’t need to make me anything. I don’t want to be a bother. I’ll grab something on the way home.”

  “It’s not a bother. I’m making myself dinner. You are more than welcome to join me.”

  “All right, but only if you let me help.”

  “Deal,” she said.

  Laura pulled out a bottle of gewürztraminer and handed it and a wine pull to Travis. He opened the bottle and walked out into the dining room to retrieve stemless wine glasses. He filled each glass half way, handed one to her and lifted his in a toast.

  “To new friends and old dreams,” he said.

  She looked at him quizzically but just sipped her wine. They spent the next while chatting away like old friends as she prepared their dinner.

  “Wow,” Travis said, as he patted his overfull stomach. “That was no doubt the best chicken piccata I ever ate.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without my sous chef,” she said, as she dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

  “I wouldn’t go that far. However, I will say this has been the most relaxing and enjoyable evening I’ve experienced in a long time.”

  “Yes, it has.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Laura tapped her foot as she waited at the entrance of the restaurant. Two days ago she stopped by the wine shop and told Tegan about her brief date with Frank. What a mistake. Tegan pulled the darn basket out from under her counter and here she stood waiting for
Samuel to show up. She figured this would be a safe date since they were both Chamber of Commerce members and already planned to attend the yearly meet and greet. She smiled and greeted another couple as they entered the restaurant. Now she was getting antsy. She pulled her cell phone out of her clutch and checked the time. He was fifteen minutes late. The door opened again and Samuel strolled in.

  “Hey Laura, I had a late client. Let’s go get this party started.”

  Is that his idea of an apology? she thought, but before she had the chance to ask him, he grabbed her arm and nearly pulled her into the ballroom.

  “I’ll go get us a couple of drinks, what’s your poison?” As he leaned in to talk into her ear, she caught the odor of whiskey. Late client, right. Let me guess, his name is Jim Beam.

  “I’ll have a glass of merlot, please.”

  Twenty minutes later, Laura went on the hunt for Samuel. Somehow he got lost between her and the bar. She saw him shadowed in a far corner with his back to her. She could hear a woman’s giggle. She couldn’t see the woman, but she did see two arms wrapped around Samuel’s waist.

  Someone tapped on her shoulder. “Hey, Laura,” Tegan said, “I thought I saw you.”

  “Tegan. I thought you weren’t coming tonight?”

  “I wasn’t, but I changed my mind. So, how’s your date with attorney Samuel going?”

  “See for yourself.” Laura nodded her head in Samuel’s direction.

  “Ouch. What a snake. No wonder he’s still single. No matter, there are more names in the basket,” Tegan said.

  “I’m beginning to think the basket is cursed.”

  Laura avoided Que Syrah Syrah all week. She knew she couldn’t keep it up, but for now she needed a break from the dating scene. “What scene? I never even really made it to the scene stage.” She shook her head.

  “You say something, Laura?” Travis asked, as he popped his head into the kitchen.

  “Ahhh…just thinking about my next recipe out loud.” That was lame, she thought.

  “The guys are whining. They were wondering if you had any of your iced tea.”

  “Sure, I’ll bring it up.”

  “You don’t need to bring it up to us, I’ll wait. You’re really spoiling them, you know.”

  “We get good work from them.” She went about getting the tea. Of course she couldn’t stop there. She pulled out a plate, went into her pantry, and came out with a plateful of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She put the cookies and the tea on the tray.

  “Thanks. Like I said, you’re spoiling them,” Travis said. “Hey, are you busy tonight? I mean, it is Friday night. You don’t have a hot date, do you? There’s a few items I would like to go over with you.”

  “No hot, or cold date. I’ll be in my office when you’re ready.”

  * * * *

  “Knock, knock.” Travis said, as he leaned in the doorway of Laura’s office. “I ordered a pizza. Figured we could eat while we talk, then I have a few things around the house to show you.” He cut her off with the wave of his hands. “Don’t even start. I know you would’ve been more than happy to make us something to eat, but I have a craving for pizza, and there’s a lot to cover tonight. I didn’t want you spending your time in the kitchen.”

  “Okay. At least let me throw together a salad.”

  “If it will make you happy.” He shook his head.

  They finished their pizza and their list at the same time.

  “What’d I tell ya?” Travis asked. “Perfect timing.” He helped her clear the table and wash the dishes. “Let’s head down to the basement.”

  They walked down the flight of steps to the basement level.

  “This is to be your storage level. Your new storage shelves to hold all your canning, seasonal items, and overflow will work better with a different layout. Over here the floor might need reinforcement.”

  Travis walked over to a section of the floor and bounced up and down to show her the give in the floor. Laura walked over and did the same. Then she put more force into it.

  “It shouldn’t give that much should it? The basement should be at ground level.”

  Without realizing it, she jumped up at the same instant Travis did. As their combined weight hit the aged planks, the floor gave way. She and Travis fell through and landed ten feet below in the dark.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Laura…Laura, are you okay?” Travis asked. He lay sprawled on the hard-packed ground. His back hurt everywhere, but he didn’t think he’d broken any bones. His calf was another story. It felt like someone drove a pitchfork through it. “Laura, wake up.”

  Laura landed a few feet away, but hadn’t moved or made a sound. Travis dragged himself closer to her. Through the gloom he thought he could see that her face was covered with dirt and and she had a cut above her right eye. He pulled the tail of his shirt out and ripped a piece away. Carefully he blotted at the blood and cleaned the dirt from her face.

  “Ouch,” Laura moaned. “What happened?” She cracked open her eyes and looked into Travis’s face.

  Relief flooded through his body. “We fell through the floor. Lie still,” he said, as she attempted to sit up. “You have a good-sized cut on your head. I’d be surprised if you didn’t get a concussion. How do you feel?”

  “Like I just fell through the floor of a creaky old house. I think I’m okay, sore, but okay. How about you?”

  “Pretty banged up. No major injuries though.”

  Laura slowly slid herself up and leaned against the dirt wall. “I guess it’s safe to assume this is not in the original plans.”

  “Not in my set of plans. They show the basement sits on the ground level. This is a total surprise,” Travis said. He started to slide himself up next to Laura but gasped as the throbbing in his calf increased to ten pitchforks. “Damn!”

  “Travis, stop moving. Look at your leg.”

  Time froze in place as Travis and Laura both stared at the piece of floor plank protruding from Travis’s calf.

  “Don’t make another move. I’ll call-9-1-1.” Laura reached into her pocket and gave him a doomed look. “Crap. I left my phone on my desk. Tell me you brought your phone.”

  “Yeah, hold on.” Travis fished into his front pants pocket and pulled out his phone. The screen was shattered. He pushed the power button…nothing happened. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  “What?”

  “It broke in the fall.”

  “So, now what do we do? It’s Friday night. I don’t expect anyone back here until Monday morning. Will your grandparents worry about you?”

  “No. I come and go at all hours. They have no clue what my schedule is.”

  “You lay still. I’ll go find the way out,” Laura said. “Any chance you have anything to use for light? It seems to be getting darker by the minute.”

  Slowly, Travis reached down to the side pocket on his work pants. He pulled out a tiny flashlight. “I hope this didn’t break too.” He pushed a button and a small beam of light appeared. “I know it’s not much. It’s my backup. I left the other flashlight up on my workbench.”

  Travis held Laura’s hand tight as she reached for the flashlight. “Please, be careful. Don’t move anything, and I mean anything. Things could shift and give way.”

  * * * *

  “Scout’s honor.” Laura took the light and cautiously stepped away from him. As she moved farther away from the opening, the darkness wrapped tighter around her. She shone the tiny beam down at her feet to make sure there were no obstacles in her way and then bring it up in front of her. A door came into view and she hurried to it. She turned the knob and pushed. Nothing happened. She remembered Travis’s warning and decided not to try the door a second time. She turned in a slow circle and saw no stairs or other ways to get out. She headed bac
k to Travis.

  “There’s a door back there, but I can’t get it open. I tried, but it’s stuck. I didn’t keep trying because of my promise. I didn’t see any other way out. It’s really dark back there. I think we will have to wait until the morning to do further investigation. We need to get your leg wrapped.”

  “I hate to say this, but you need to pull the piece of wood out.”

  “No. It will bleed,” Laura said.

  “Yes, it will. But the longer the old wood stays in my leg the more likely I will get an infection. Besides, I can’t help you find a way out of here with a piece of wood hanging out of my leg. It’s in the meaty part of my calf; you should be able to pull it out without the risk of an arterial bleed.”

  * * * *

  Laura stared at him for awhile. He could see she was weighing the options. She pulled off the flannel shirt she had thrown on before they started down to the basement. She knelt down next to his calf, took a good long look at it and looked back at him. He nodded. She focused on the wood and wrapped both hands around it. When she placed her hands on the wood, his leg started bleeding once again.

  “Shit!” Sweat covered his brows, but he stayed put.

  “We need to leave it in. I know you want it out, but it’s too dangerous.” She gingerly, yet quickly wrapped the shirt around his calf, leaving the piece of wood framed by flannel.

  “I’m sorry,” Laura said.

  “For what?” Travis asked, through panted breaths and gritted teeth.

  “For causing you so much pain.”

  “Don’t be silly. If you weren’t here I would have yanked the damn thing out and probably bled to death. It’s getting dark. There’s nothing left to be done tonight. Let’s sleep a bit. We can tackle this predicament in the morning. Come on up here.” He motioned with his open arm. She gawked at him. “I’m the only warm, soft spot you are going to find tonight. Take it, or leave it.” Laura shuffled back up and hesitantly snuggled into Travis’s side.