Hope's Garden

by Lyn Cote

  As though reading Cat’s mind, Gage lifted a ham salad canapé and held it to her lips. “Eat this. I bet you’ve been too busy all day to eat.”

  What could she do? She accepted the crisp, salty morsel. Gage’s fingers touched her lips, a tantalizing torment.

  Morgan’s mother observed their exchange, then drifted away, wearing a knowing smile.

  “Hey!” Ryan approached. “Those are real good. My mom made them.”

  Gage kept Cat within the circle of his arm, but he reached over and took one off Ryan’s plate and popped it into his mouth. “Delicious. My compliments to your mother.”

  “Hey! You’ve got your arm around Cat,” Ryan pointed out loudly.

  Cat cringed inside. Couldn’t Ryan talk a bit quieter? Did he think he was the town crier or something?

  Gage chuckled. “I told you this kid was smart.”

  Ryan studied the two of them. “Does that mean you guys are going to start dating or something like that?”

  Cat felt herself turn pink. Around her, friends glanced discreetly at them, smiled and turned away politely.

  “Something like that.” Gage stole another canapé from Ryan’s plate and popped it into Cat’s mouth.

  Cat was dead certain that everyone in the room had picked up on that remark. People were still talking, but more quietly as though not wanting to miss any of Gage’s outrageous words.

  “My mom and dad are coming with me tomorrow to the groundbreaking out at your golf course and then the garden party. Mom’s bringing her camera to shoot pictures of what I did there.” This last information was said rather diffidently. Was Ryan uncertain as to the “coolness” of his mother photographing him in public?

  “That’s wonderful,” Cat spoke up. “Harry bragged about you and Phil. He couldn’t have finished so efficiently without you two.”

  Ryan’s chest lifted with honest pride. “Thanks. I really got into it. Harry knows all that gardening stuff.”

  “Maybe you can work at Hope’s Garden part-time next summer,” Cat offered, trying to focus their conversation on a different topic.

  Ryan hesitated. “Well…I was thinking of trying to get a job as a caddie at the golf course. Phil said caddies get tips.”

  “An excellent idea.” Gage punched the boy playfully on the arm. “Read up on golf over the winter. Watch some tournaments on TV. In the future, I plan to hold a caddie training session. But it will be two years before I open for the first season.”

  “Okay. I’ll be ready by then!” Ryan’s face looked completely happy for the first time. “I’ll go tell Phil. Hey, Phil!” The teen rushed off.

  Gage tugged her a bit closer. “I can’t wait to get you to myself. Why don’t you eat that food, so we can get out of here?” He fed her a bite of creamy-looking deviled egg.

  Cat felt everyone in the room gazing at her. Did Gage realize he was publicly staking his claim on her? This wasn’t something to do lightly in a town Eden’s size.

  “It’s true!” Morgan came over and stared at them. “Ryan said you were hugging Cat.”

  Cat nearly choked on deviled egg.

  “This isn’t hugging,” Gage informed Morgan airily. “I’m saving that for later.”

  Morgan looked startled, then grinned. “Cool. Way cool. Wait till I tell Ginny. She’ll freak.”

  “Gage,” Cat warned him in a hushed undertone.

  He leaned closer. “Did you lead me on last night? As I remember, you kissed me back. So don’t toy with me now.”

  “Hey!” Morgan interrupted. “Harry’s girlfriend made a statue for the Hadley garden. Is it really a naked lady?”

  Gage laughed out loud.

  “Morgan,” Cat scolded, “where did you get such an idea?”

  “That’s what Ryan told me.” Morgan gave them a disgruntled look.

  “Ryan doesn’t know anymore than the rest of us,” Cat said. “The copper sculpture will be put into place tomorrow morning and unveiled at the garden reception in the afternoon.” Jo wouldn’t do a nude for the Hadley garden, would she? This was conservative Eden, not Iowa City!

  “Security will be very tight,” Gage teased. “No one but Harry and Jo have seen it.”

  “Okay.” Morgan nodded.

  Just then, the senior pastor came up and tapped Gage’s shoulder. “Hate to interrupt you two, but I need one more word with you about tomorrow.”

  Gage nodded, then whispered in Cat’s ear, “Finish that food. When I’m done, I’m taking you home.” He kissed her ear, then strode away.

  He’s done it now. Cat sighed. No one could mistake that gesture!

  “Wow,” Morgan breathed.

  Cat echoed this silently. She picked up the rest of the deviled egg from her plate. Gage wouldn’t take her home until she ate.

  “Gage, darling!” A strange woman’s voice carried over the buzz of the crowded room.

  Cat looked at the front door. A tall, brunette in a white linen suit sailed into the room and made a bee-line for Gage.

  “Gage, it’s so good to see you again!” The brunette threw her arms around Gage.

  Cat froze. She recognized Gage’s parents and brother entering the door. The whole room fell silent.

  A huge diamond rock…ring flashed on the brunette’s ring finger.

  Gage said, “Daria?”

  Cat dropped her deviled egg.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next afternoon at 3:00 p.m., the groundbreaking ceremony was about to begin. Gage stood on the portable platform looking out over the crowd that had come to witness the beginning of his new venture, his dream. As a fitting background for the celebration, Iowa was at its zenith. Tawny sunlight shone down on ripe green fields. Brown, white-faced Herefords grazed on hilly pastures overlooking the river. Drops of sunlight glinted and danced on the blue river. The scratchy clamor of grasshoppers filled the air.

  Uncomfortably warm in the August humidity, Gage in his best business suit searched the crowd for the one person whom he wanted to be here most of all— Catherine. She hadn’t shown up yet. Had something come up so she hadn’t been able to close Hope’s Garden early? He couldn’t imagine her not coming. Not even after Daria’s performance last night.

  He’d called her at home twice last night. No answer. Then arguing in heated whispers with his parents in their room at the bed-and-breakfast had kept him busy until too late to drive out to Catherine’s house—especially since she might not be there. She had dozens of friends and relatives she might have spent the night with.

  Besides, what he had to say to Catherine, he wanted to say in person when they both weren’t half-asleep. And with Daria on her way out of town. But why hadn’t Catherine answered her phone? Did she somehow think he’d invited Daria. No, it wasn’t possible.

  He glanced at the front row of flimsy metal-and-plastic folding chairs. His parents sat there. At their side perched Daria, decked out in a striking red suit. Outrage still smoldered inside him. He blamed his mother more than Daria. His mother’s meddling had hurt Catherine last night. That would not happen again.

  But today, he’d been busy every minute greeting and entertaining his out-of-town investors. He had worked for and with all these people in Chicago. They’d all invested in this venture on his word alone. He couldn’t slight them now. But it had left him no time to call Catherine to arrange to meet for a real conversation.

  What’s more he didn’t have the opportunity to remind Daria that she had ended their engagement months before and to ask her to take his ring off. He hadn’t ever expected to see Daria wearing his ring again. He’d realized he should never have proposed to Daria in the first place. He had felt a little guilty over that. He didn’t feel guilty today, and today that ring would be off Daria’s finger once and for all!

  Gage combed the crowd once more, but Catherine’s sun-streaked head was not present. A glance at his watch and Gage approached the microphone on the platform. “Good afternoon, friends. I’m so happy you all have come to share my joy. In a mo
ment, several people who have been instrumental in this project will symbolically break ground for Eden’s first golf and tennis club.

  “It is difficult for me to believe that I have only lived in Eden since April of this year. The challenge of making a place for myself here has been exciting and thought-provoking. Eden is a unique commingling of people—the longtime residents, those associated with Eden College and the new professionals. I believe it will prove to be a successful blend for its future. Now to the groundbreaking.”

  After applause and introductions, Gage, the mayor, Mr. Burton of Venture and the president of Eden college stepped down from the platform. The photographers for the county paper and for the Eastern Iowa Gazette followed them and flashed pictures.

  Harry, also in a suit, one he’d borrowed from Gage, waited beside the platform on the highest knoll of the river property with a brand-new shovel in his hand. First the mayor, then the software entrepreneur, then the college professor took turns digging up a token of soil. As they finished, Gage shook their hands one by one. More applause. More photos.

  Gage took the microphone again. “Thank you all for coming today. Now I’ll turn over the microphone to Pastor Conkling of Eden Community Church.” They shook hands again and Gage sat down.

  The pastor faced his audience. “Don’t worry, everyone, I didn’t prepare a sermon.” Laughter.

  Gage glimpsed a white Hope’s Garden truck parked in the distance. Quickly he scanned the gathering. There she was! Catherine, still in her work clothes, stood to one side. Instantly, Gage’s frustration with the situation his mother and Daria had created evaporated. He could always count on Catherine’s good sense and loyalty. Catherine didn’t sulk! Then he thanked God she arrived in time for the pastor’s announcement. He knew she would be thrilled with it.

  The pastor continued, “It has been my pleasure to get to know Gage Farrell this summer. He immediately became involved in our church’s summer small-group youth program. You all know that two weeks ago he and Catherine Simmons searched for Ginny Claussen on their own and brought her home.

  “That night, even though he could have left the matter to others, Gage took action to help his neighbors. That epitomizes the kind of man Gage Farrell is. He and I have had many conversations recently on how to seek the kingdom of God first in his life. Putting God first in your life is embodied in the two greatest commandments—to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.

  “Gage has demonstrated this already in his service to Eden by planning ways for the whole community to benefit from the golf and tennis club. Today I’d like to thank him also for hiring three of the residents of the new group home to work as part of his grounds crew here.” Applause drowned out the rest of the pastor’s words. Another round of handshaking took place.

  Finally Gage took the microphone again, “Now, everyone, please join us at the garden reception at the Hadley House. The garden restoration is complete and the unveiling of the garden statue will take place promptly at six this evening.” More applause.

  People milled on both sides of Cat. Shading her eyes from the sun with the printed program, she watched her partner shaking hands with the mayor of Eden. She couldn’t take her eyes off Gage still speaking to the three groundbreakers. In a crisp white shirt and dark suit, Gage seemed like another person. Not at all like the man she had spread manure with. Not the man who had sprayed her face with water on the Crenshaws’ patio. Not the man who helped her find Ginny. Today he looked like a man who could be engaged to Daria.

  Gage looked around. Was he looking for her? Catherine knew the instant Gage picked her out of the crowd. Beaming, he started toward her, but was stopped by well-wishers. He waved to Cat and sent her a special smile. Feeling a warm blush go through her all the way down to her toes, she waved back. This was Gage’s day of triumph. Cat tried to get through the crowd to him, but people also stopped her to congratulate her on the garden restoration.

  In the distance, Gage’s parents and Daria claimed Gage and drew him with them to the gold-toned luxury sedan. Still smiling at Cat, he motioned toward town. She nodded and waved back. Then he got in the car. It drove away.

  “Who are those people anyway?” Mrs. McCanliss stood at Cat’s elbow.

  “Those are Gage’s parents,” Cat replied. Her brief elation slipped a fraction as the sedan slid from sight.

  “Who’s the woman with all the makeup?” Mrs. McCanliss stared after the car.

  Thinking of the gossip potential Daria presented, Cat said diplomatically, “That’s a friend of the family.”

  “It’s clear she wants to be family.” Mrs. McCanliss nodded her head and hummed in a gloomy tone.

  Cat didn’t know what to say to this. Daria’s behavior did lack a certain subtlety.

  “She won’t fit in here in Eden. That’s for sure.”

  Cat agreed, but again, what could she say? She shrugged.

  “If I’d known she was part of the deal, I wouldn’t have sold him the land. Doesn’t he have enough sense to marry you?” Mrs. McCanliss demanded.

  Cat stared at the old woman. How could she answer that $64,000 question?

  “You two make a good pair.” Complaining further to herself, Mrs. McCanliss hobbled away.

  The old woman’s words stuck in Cat’s mind. She and Gage did make a good pair. Mulling everything over, she drove home, showered and changed into her new sleeveless, yellow cotton-broadcloth dress. After Daria’s dramatic entrance last night, Cat had driven to the new strip mall to buy a new dress. With the picture of Daria’s chic suit vivid in her mind, Cat had needed a sizable boost to her self-confidence.

  The bodice of the simple tie-back dress Cat had bought was embroidered with a colorful garden and had seemed perfect for today’s garden party. Now alone in her bedroom, Cat gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror. While Daria had looked bold and sophisticated, Cat looked small-town and quaint.

  In her mind, Cat played back last night’s scene. Daria had rushed in and thrown herself into Gage’s arms. The look Gage had sent Cat had been one of complete shock and dismay. Instantly, that had been replaced by acute embarrassment. Obviously, he had realized how Daria’s arrival would look to everyone after the message his behavior toward Cat all evening had been announcing to the community. Then Daria pops in! Poor Gage had immediately hustled Daria and his parents out of the group home. What else could he do?

  Cat had heard her phone ring twice late in the night. She’d guessed it was Gage calling, but she hadn’t wanted to talk to him over the phone. What they had to say to each other was too important for a phone call. Hesitating while her phone rang, she’d realized she’d wanted to discuss Daria face-to-face.

  Still pondering, she drove downtown. Cars already lined the streets near Hadley House. Wanting to see Gage immediately if not sooner, Cat tamped down her frustration, parked and walked the four blocks. In addition to the new dress, the saleswoman the night before had talked her into buying a rolled-brim straw hat with a matching yellow ribbon around the crown and a new pair of stylish sandals.

  As Cat trudged toward the party, the new sandals rubbed a nasty blister on her heel. That’s what I get for trying to compete with Daria. Cat reached the wrought iron fence around the Hadley grounds. Glancing up at the tall, vacant windows, she thought of her great-grandmother. What would you do, Catherine, if a man told you, you were very special, kissed you, then his fiancée popped up wearing a diamond the size of a rutabaga?

  No answer came.

  The dead could answer no questions. But Cat didn’t need one. Daria wouldn’t have daunted great-grandmother. And Cat believed Gage. He hadn’t said he loved her in so many words, but today as he had searched the crowd for her, his eyes had said it plainly.

  He loves me, doesn’t he, Lord? He wouldn’t have invited Daria without telling me. His mother obviously has been meddling again. I can see Daria would be her perfect choice for a daughter-in-law. And Cat could see how a man mi
ght be tempted by an old flame….

  No. Cat shook her head. Gage was not the man he’d been in April. He couldn’t be the same man now who had once proposed to Daria. I’ll just have to face Gage, Daria and his parents and believe Gage loves me. I’ll take another step of faith.

  Gage’s love was a gift from God and Cat wouldn’t doubt it. God loved her and so did Gage whether she wore fancy shoes or not!

  Cat walked through the front gate, slipped off her painful sandals and dropped them neatly in the midst of a group of new shrubs. Daria didn’t belong in Eden. With or without shoes, Cat belonged here and Gage thought her special. Cat strolled in, feeling incredibly free as her bare feet padded over the sun-warmed, stone garden path and cool grass. She chuckled to herself. Gage’s mother thinks I’m a hick anyway. Why disappoint her?

  All around Cat, her design and Harry’s hard work shouted, “Job well done!” The renewed garden flaunted tender new saplings and shrubs, lush green leaves of all textures, shapes and sizes, dozens of varieties of blossoms in a rainbow of reds, pinks, purples, whites, yellows and golds. With Bet’s help, Harry had added antique garden seats and a birdbath, also bird feeders of all kinds. Over the hum of human voices, birds swooped and chirped and chattered. Three squealing children played tag on the front lawn. Great-grandmother would have been pleased. The scene brought a smile to Cat’s heart.

  Most of Eden and the county had shown up. Cat looked around but couldn’t find Gage.

  Aunt Bet greeted her. “Did you feel like going au naturel today?”

  Cat paused and, lifting her midcalf skirt a couple of inches, pointed one toe as if posing for a shoe ad. “You must be referring to my lack of footwear.”

  Bet moved closer and motioned toward the rear of the garden. “Yes, but the question of the day is who is that lady in red hanging all over Gage?”

  Cat followed Bet’s motion and saw Daria clinging to Gage’s arm as he talked to the local state congressman. Gage moved away from Daria. The former fiancée looked irritated and pursued him. She’s certainly persistent.