A Temporary Courtship

by Jenna Mindel

  She smiled up at him. “Thank you for stopping by. And for our talk.”

  He looked like he wanted to say more.

  Bree was glad he didn’t. Her mind was set on leaving, but it wasn’t as if she didn’t have her doubts.

  “See you Tuesday.” He slid into the driver’s seat.

  Her heart broke at the finality in his voice. No more off-the-beaten-path trips or spending time alone. Not if she wanted to stay committed to leaving.

  “See you Tuesday.” She waved as he pulled out.

  She’d say goodbye after class and hope Darren made good on keeping in touch. For now, that’s about all she could do.

  * * *

  When Tuesday’s class came, Bree was a bundle of conflicting emotions. She could hardly wait to get settled in and explore the artsy neighborhood of her residency in Seattle. She’d checked the area out online. It looked so different from where she’d lived and worked in Midtown Detroit. Half the country away, but she looked forward to scouring the eclectic shops and downtown center.

  Darren hadn’t texted her, but then, she’d always been the one to text first. She didn’t have much to say, and that didn’t bode well for staying in touch after she left. After saying goodbye tonight.

  She finished lacing up her trail boots and glanced at her phone again. No texts. Not one. Not even from Philip, which was a welcome relief. She slipped the phone in the back pocket of her jeans and found a restaurant receipt from her lunch with Kate a couple of days ago. Staring at it, Bree sighed. She crumpled it up and threw it in the trash before heading downstairs.

  Bree had sent a plant to Neil and Kate at the hospital. She’d made sure to include a get-well card with her cell phone number in case they needed anything. Kate had called right away to thank her, and they’d met for lunch. Neil was doing well, and Bree had admitted to caring for Darren.

  Kate hadn’t been surprised. She’d encouraged her to go through with her plans, though, stating that if what they’d started was real, they’d make it last. Easy for her to say. Kate spoke from a different place, though. Her husband could have been killed in that motorcycle accident. Time could be cut short when least expected. All the more reason not to leave anything undone or unsaid.

  Bree met her mom in the kitchen. “Are you ready?”

  “You go ahead. I think I’ll drive so I don’t have to climb into that van with a cane.”

  “I can take you.” Her mother drove a sporty little crossover SUV that would do fine on the dirt roads they’d likely take, but Bree didn’t want her mom getting lost.

  Her mother looked away. “You go on ahead to the community building. I’ll be there shortly and then we’ll see.”

  Bree hesitated. “You’re sure? I can wait.”

  Her mother waved her away, agitated. “Go. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  “Okay.” Bree grabbed her edibles basket and headed out the door.

  Another glorious day greeted her, along with newly arrived neighbors waving their hellos. Bay Willows had sprung to life with Memorial Day weekend only a few days away. Traffic had picked up, too, as the summer crowd descended. The image of Darren as a boy defending that raft at the beach flashed through her mind. His place would always be here.

  She quickly walked the couple of blocks to the community building. Sure enough, Darren’s van sat parked in front. Her pulse raced even as her pace slowed. Five days. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in five days. She’d better get used to missing him. Plain and simple.

  Darren stepped out of the building and spotted her. “Hello.”

  “Hi.” She fought the urge to throw herself into his arms. “Need help with anything?”

  “Nothing to do, really, but wait. Did you bring a knife?”

  Bree tipped her head back and groaned. “No. I forgot.”

  He smiled. “I’ve got extras for those of you who don’t check your calendar list.”

  “Good.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say, so she stood next to him, waiting quietly for everyone else to arrive.

  Darren was quiet, too.

  They’d been reduced to inane small talk—as if nothing had happened between them. No kisses, no baring of their souls. Bree had thanked Darren for a good vacation. They’d had many moments that she’d cherish as memories, but like all vacations, they came to an end. Their relationship would too.

  “Great day today.” Ed walked toward them and patted his side. He wore a leather sheath attached to his belt. “Got my knife.”

  “Nice.” That was no knife. More like a small machete. Bree giggled and glanced at Darren.

  He smiled, as well.

  Bree was going to miss this class and the comradery she’d had with the group.

  Be careful chasing ideals and bright lights. Sometimes the simple things are what matter most in life.

  Darren’s words echoed through her mind, taunting her.

  She’d miss him. Maybe more than she expected.

  “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Stella walked toward their little group and gave Bree’s back a comforting touch. “How are you?”

  Bree’s eyes burned. Clearing her throat, she forced a bright smile. “Ready to find wild asparagus.”

  “Me, too.” Stella’s concerned gaze didn’t miss a thing. “I’m here if you need me.”

  Bree looked away. “I know. Thanks.”

  “Let’s load up.” Darren opened the van doors. Once everyone had climbed inside, he took a quick head count like always.

  “Can we wait a couple more minutes for my mother?” Bree pulled out her phone, ready to call her, when a bright blue Cadillac coupe pulled in next to them and honked.

  Bree knew that car.

  Her mother sat in the passenger seat and opened the window. “We’ll follow the van.”

  Bree stared, her stomach turning.

  “Hi, Bree.” Philip’s voice sounded smooth as satin and equally slippery.

  She glared at her mother. Her mother’s bit about driving separately was a ruse. She’d known Philip was coming up north. After she’d asked him not to, Philip had persuaded her mother to give him an invitation.

  “He wanted to surprise you.” Her mother gave her a sheepish smile as if that made everything okay.

  Philip smiled. “Surprised?”

  “Not really.” Bree climbed into the van and stared straight ahead.

  She heard her mother’s gasp. “Bree...”

  Darren approached the Cadillac. “It’s a ways out where we are headed.” He jotted something down on a piece of paper in his tidy little notebook and handed it to her mother. “If we get separated, we’ll meet up at this general store. That’s the address and my cell number.”

  “Okay.” Her mother nodded.

  Bree peeked into the Cadillac, catching Philip giving Darren a once-over. Something about the hard line of Philip’s mouth made her want to spit nails. He had no right to be jealous. No right to be here.

  Darren climbed into the driver’s seat. “Everyone buckled in and ready?”

  Their group chorused agreement.

  He looked at her. “Bree?”

  “Yes?”

  “Your seat belt.”

  She fumbled with her phone and dropped it. She started to pick it up, but Darren got there first.

  He handed it back and touched her hand. “I take it that’s your ex.”

  She nodded.

  “You okay?”

  She grabbed her seat belt and buckled up. “Yes. I’m fine.”

  Darren watched her closely.

  She looked away. “Let’s just go.”

  * * *

  So that was the guy. Philip. Bree’s ex-boyfriend. Darren glanced in the van’s rearview mirror. The flashy blue coupe followed close behin
d. He’d gotten a good look at him before they’d left Bay Willows and Darren didn’t like what he saw. Philip dripped success with his styled blond hair and straight white teeth. There wasn’t the air of wannabe successful ambition that Tony had. This guy was already there.

  If Bree had broken up with a guy like Philip to pursue her dreams of composing, what chance did Darren have?

  None.

  He pulled onto a dirt road that led to the first foraging spot. Dust flew and Darren couldn’t deny the pleasure in knowing that Philip’s expensive car was getting dirty. Nice and dirty.

  Cresting a small hill, Darren pulled over. This was a desolate spot save for the large farm in the distance. All along the roadside and up against old barbed wire fencing grew the wild asparagus.

  Last week, Darren had cut down most of the old fern stalks, but he’d left a few to mark where he’d been. He could see from here where new sprouts had grown up tall. These would be easy pickings for everyone.

  He turned in his seat. “You guys know the drill. Meet me at the back of the van for instructions and whistles. Anyone who forgot a knife, I have extras.”

  He glanced at Bree. She’d been quiet the whole way. Now wasn’t the time to dig about Philip and why he was here. Bree hadn’t looked surprised or too pleased. She’d once said that Philip had tried to talk Bree out of going to Seattle. Honestly, Darren couldn’t blame him. Darren had wanted to do the same thing, but holding a person back never worked.

  Stepping toward the rear of the van, he watched as Philip made a show of turning his Cadillac around before parking it a car length behind them, but faced the way they’d come in. He got out and then helped Joan. The guy leaned against the driver’s side door when Bree went over there.

  Darren could barely hear them, but he thought he heard Philip say something about relocating. To be near Bree. And Darren’s gut twisted. He couldn’t hear Bree’s response or see her expression with her back to him, but those pretty shoulders of hers looked tense.

  The urge to knock the arrogant smirk off that guy’s face burned hot. Darren blew out his breath and opened the dual doors at the back of the van. He grabbed the box containing the red whistles and extra paring knives, then turned to the proper page in their wild edibles pamphlet and held it up. Instruction time.

  “This is going to be pretty easy. Wild asparagus looks pretty much the same as domestic. There will be stalks growing along that fence line. There are pictures of what the mature ferns look like in your booklet, so you can look for them later in the year. To get new sprouts, the old stalks have to be cut down this time of year. I did this about a week ago. Anyone is welcome to come back in a few days and check for more. But do not cross the fence line, as that’s private property. Please be considerate and make sure everyone has cut a few stalks before going back for more. I have another field prepped after this one.”

  Everyone scattered.

  Philip walked toward him. The guy was dressed in khakis and a patterned button-down shirt. Not nearly as tall but slender, Philip approached with a slink to his step and held out a hand. “Joan tells me you’re quite the outdoorsman.”

  Not a compliment. Darren shook the guy’s soft hand anyway. “Yeah.”

  “Can you really eat this stuff?” Philip’s lips curled into a half smile.

  Bree had dated this pompous idiot? Darren caught her gaze.

  She rolled her eyes as if he’d spoken the thought aloud. Then she turned to her mom. “Do you want me to pick for you?”

  Joan limped forward, leaning on her cane. “No. I want to see what it looks like.”

  Darren could easily envision mother and daughter taking a tumble on the incline of the ditch and offered Joan his arm. “The next spot might be better for you since the ground is more level. We won’t be here long.”

  “Oh.” Joan hooked her elbow around his and waved off her daughter as they crossed the uneven dirt road. “You go ahead.”

  Bree hesitated a moment, watching Philip.

  “I’ll hang here and check my messages.” Philip strolled back to his car and climbed in.

  Darren watched Bree. She nearly slid down the ditch, intent on catching up with Stella. The two women spoke softly as they cut stalks side by side and moved on. He could only imagine what Stella said. She’d cast a couple of disgusted looks toward the blue coupe.

  On the other side of the road, Joan let go of his arm. “Philip comes up every year, usually around the Fourth of July, with his folks. Our families have been friends for years. He’s decided to move out west, too. I sure hope they get back together.”

  Not what Darren wanted to hear, but not surprising that Joan would prefer the golden boy over him. Darren wouldn’t ever be on Joan’s list of eligible bachelors for her daughter. His salary, even with the field supervisor promotion to sergeant, wouldn’t come close to what Philip pulled in.

  “Does Bree want that?”

  “They’ve broken up before, so we’ll see. He’s got a good future. Security and all.”

  “Right.” What else could he say? Bree hadn’t mentioned that they’d called it quits only to get back together. She hadn’t been real talkative about this guy or the issues they’d had. But then he hadn’t been a fountain of information about Raleigh either.

  He stopped at the edge of the ditch with Bree’s mom so they could watch everyone cutting spears of wild asparagus. He glanced at the Cadillac and Philip. Darren drove an old pick-up truck.

  “Would you look at that?” Joan exclaimed. “That looks just like real asparagus.”

  “It is real, just not cultivated.” His defenses rose.

  Joan looked through him, catching the hidden meaning he hadn’t meant to make. “You mean planted.”

  Darren glanced at Bree. She was cultivated, groomed for success and with her focus and talent, she’d succeed. He had no doubt about that. Whether fishing for smelt, cleaning them, scouring the woods for morels or playing her cello, Bree gave her all. But not her heart. She didn’t want to make room in there for him. Was that because the golden boy still cornered the market there?

  “I think that’s it.” Stella climbed up from the ditch, her little basket loaded with green spears and even some that trailed wispy branches.

  “How’s it look, Ed?” Darren had gotten used to checking with Ed before wrapping things up. The guy loved it.

  “I think she’s right. We got most all of it.” Ed sheathed the machete knife.

  Several of the other women were climbing up onto the road as well, comparing their finds. A few picked some spindly-looking daisies and pink clusters that grew along the road in clumps. Nothing on the protected list. Common wildflowers.

  Bree came up last after holding on to everyone else’s baskets. At the top, she stumbled. Her basket teetered and a few spears fell out.

  Darren picked them up and offered them back.

  “Thanks.” Bree dragged her fingers across his palm, scooping up the stalks.

  His gaze lingered on her apple-colored lips. He knew the softness there, the sweet taste. How long would it take to forget the feel of her kiss? The warmth of her embrace. “You’re welcome.”

  She stared back, her golden eyes dark and stormy. Was she thinking the same thing?

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yes.” Soft as a whisper, Bree walked past him and climbed into the passenger seat of the van.

  She looked like a woman in turmoil, alright.

  She wasn’t the only one. He might have shown her what lay off the beaten path, but she’d walked right into his heart and made a mess there.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next field wasn’t far away. Bree took in the beauty of a vast meadow dotted with daisies and Lake Michigan shining as a sparkling blue ribbon in the distance. She sighed. The view didn’t matter, not when Philip’s relo
cation announcement stole away her peace. What was he thinking, doing something like that?

  She couldn’t tell Philip where to live and work, but she could draw the line when it came to her. She’d let him edge his way back into her life before because they’d known each other a long time. Because their families were friends and wanted them together. But this time, they were through. She was done.

  Bree glanced at her mother. With Darren’s steadying hand, her mom sliced an asparagus spear and then plunked it in her basket. Bree should have been honest with her parents when it came to Philip, especially her mother.

  “When do you leave?” Philip followed her.

  She swallowed irritation and focused on the ground. “Soon.”

  “I can help you drive out and then fly back. Use it as an office space scouting trip.”

  “I’m good. I don’t need your help.” Bree cut a thick, short stalk of asparagus.

  Philip stepped in front of her. “You can do your thing and I can expand my business. It’ll be perfect.”

  Bree straightened to face him. “Breaking up wasn’t only about the music residency.”

  His brown eyes narrowed. “Sure it was.”

  “I’m not interested in getting back together.” She forced herself not to look away.

  “Is this about him?” Philip gave a nod toward Darren.

  “No.” Bree was firm in her answer. It was none of Philip’s business anyway. “This is about me and what I want for my future. We don’t want the same things.”

  “Playing in that grungy coffee house wasn’t safe—”

  “Yes, it was. But it wasn’t really the location, was it? You were—” Bree stopped.

  He stepped closer. “Suppose you tell me what I was?”

  He was a host of things she shouldn’t put up with. He’d tried to dictate what she did or didn’t do. She’d been perfectly safe in that coffee house, but Philip didn’t like that she went somewhere he didn’t want to go. Nor did he like the young composer she’d tried to help develop.

  She shook her head. He’d never listened before. Why would he now? “I’m not going there. What matters is that I don’t want you in my life.”