“No.”
“Good. I’ll make this brief because Marian’s got dinner waiting for me. We had a heartfelt and fruitful discussion with Susan Stinson this afternoon. Susan gave me permission to share our conversation with you and Jeff. She vowed not to bother either of you again. She confessed to us she’s been trying to cause you to lose interest in Jeff Clarke by defaming his character.”
“Wow.”
“She was humiliated when he didn’t want to date her and chose you instead. Confidentiality issues preclude me from saying anything more about our discussion.”
“She might be upset about my relationship with Jeff, but it doesn’t explain why she’s tormented me for the past decade plus.”
“Only God knows what’s in her heart. Who knows? Susan may gather the courage to apologize to you in person someday soon. I’d better go now; Marian is calling me for dinner for the umpteenth time. Goodnight.”
“Thank you, Pastor,” she shouted into the phone just before he disconnected the call. Unwilling to wait any longer for Jeff to call, she scrolled down to his number and relayed the conversation to him.
“Amazing. I’m grateful you went to the pastor instead of to the sheriff. Thanks for handling this mess. Do you have any questions or qualms about the integrity or trustworthiness of Brownstein & Associates or a certain Jeffrey Clarke?”
“No. I never doubted for a moment you would do anything dishonest or in any way attempt to abuse a client’s trust. I just wish I could trust you completely about our relationship.”
“I’ve been transparent with you since we began dating, Robin.”
“I have trust issues going way back to my father and then with Thomas. It’s not all about you.”
“Well, let me know when I’ve passed your test.”
“Here’s how off base I was. It briefly crossed my mind Thomas was behind the nasty email messages campaign. Now I know Susan was involved and why, I’ll try to move on.” Robin’s voice caught on the last sentence.
“You don’t sound too confident you’ll be able to move on. How can I help?”
“I just don’t trust Susan. What if she starts up again? I guess then I’ll have to get Sheriff Snead involved.”
“Hasn’t Susan been a thorn in your side for a while now?”
“Yes, she’s been a trial and tribulation in my life since I moved to town when I was fourteen. She was the class bully through high school, and she just never stopped hassling and taunting me, Penny, and Jorie. There are probably many others who feel the same way about Susan. Maybe she’ll finally become a friend instead of a rival. How about we talk about something else now?”
“I just realized we’ve survived more than a week apart without taking any desperate measures.”
“Oh, I took desperate measures all right,” joked Robin. “I dyed my hair shocking pink and got a large butterfly tattoo on my left cheek. I wanted to see if another guy would notice me.”
“Did he? I mean, notice you?”
She laughed lightly. “No worries for you, Jeff. I love you.”
~*~
During the next three weeks they each had obstacles and challenges to overcome at their respective jobs. They never took their eyes and hearts off of their love for each other. Jeff initially made plans to return to Bonita Creek for the long Labor Day weekend in September. However, holding to the schedule meant he’d be away from Robin for another grueling seven weeks. He decided it would be impossible for him to stay away from her so long.
It took a few days, but Jeff gathered his courage to speak to his boss. He’d discovered over the years the straightforward approach worked best with the curmudgeonly leader of the firm.
“Sir, I’d like some time off soon. I’m distracted because I’m in love with a woman who lives on the West Coast. I can work straight through on several weekends in exchange for some weekdays.”
He was surprised when Mr. Brownstein laughed and approved the leave request without further discussion.
“I remember what it feels like to be in love, young man. I’m not that old yet.”
Jeff booked his airline flights for early August and sent his itinerary to his favorite librarian. She was ecstatic and let him know through a text and an email she was literally counting the hours until he arrived in Bonita Creek.
~*~
Jeff made the decision to propose to Robin on his visit to Bonita Creek. She hadn’t mentioned his previous dishonesty and secrecy in a couple of weeks. He hoped it meant the wound in their relationship was healed.
After researching the demographics and market viability, he decided to investigate establishing his own financial consulting firm in Bonita Creek. First he wanted to clear this with Mr. Brownstein. His employment contract stated Jeff could not set up a competing accounting firm within one thousand miles of the Brownstein office. Jeff checked a travel website and found that Bonita Creek was over 1,700 miles from Illinois. This meant he was within his legal rights to open an office in Robin’s hometown. However, Jeff didn’t want any issues or negative feelings to arise between his employer and him, so he’d speak with Mr. Brownstein privately about his Bonita Creek business plan.
Next on his ‘to do’ list was locating office space in Bonita Creek. He’d been in contact with a realtor in town who’d identified available space in the old town area near the bank and City Hall. The office was scheduled for extensive renovation with the projected completion date of late February. The realtor sent images of the office’s exterior and interior via email and shipped a copy of the architectural plans to Illinois for Jeff’s scrutiny.
Jeff met with a college buddy who was now a respected architect to check on the integrity of the plans. His friend, Patrick Stahl, offered several suggestions on how they could improve the design to provide more privacy for confidential conversations along with implementing a couple of essential security components such as a concealed fireproof safe and built in locking record cabinets. The world of finance was not paperless. After a brief exchange with the realtor and developer, agreement was reached on the modifications to the original plans.
The rent was reasonable, and Jeff felt he’d be able to pay his first six months’ rent using funds he’d been setting aside for some spectacular destination vacation he’d likely never have time to take. He planned to continue working in Illinois until his contract with Mr. Brownstein terminated on the final day of March so he’d have a steady income until he moved to California.
Once each detail was in place, he called the realtor and requested him to place a deposit on the office space with the landlord under the condition Jeff’s name and business plans remain completely confidential for the moment. The realtor agreed and handled the details immediately. The next afternoon he received a three-word text from the realtor, “It’s all yours!”
~*~
Since stage one of his relocation plan was complete, Jeff began working on stage two—the proposal. He planned to present Robin with an engagement ring when he proposed. He searched all of the local jewelry and antique shops for the perfect symbol of his love. He looked at tray after tray of engagement rings in all shapes and sizes. He found the perfect ring for his, hopefully, bride-to-be in a vintage shop specializing in garden-themed treasures.
He’d been wandering through the store looking at the contents of all of the glass cases when he saw a gold ring on an antique ring holder. The ring appeared to be ordinary at first glance. As he leaned in for a closer inspection, he realized it was exquisite. It was exactly the style of ring he’d hoped to give to Robin.
The wide gold band was sprinkled with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. Her birthstone was an emerald and his was a sapphire. The stones were joined together with intricate engravings of vines, leaves and flowers of all types. In the center was a flower created with a topaz in the center surrounded by oval diamond petals. The hand-lettered sign displayed next to the glass hand read, ‘This one-of-a-kind ring was made in 1906 by local jeweler Hanford Corning for
his wife.’
The sales clerk walked over to join him. Smiling broadly she said, “The artist, Hanford Corning, made the ring especially for his bride, Rose, for an engagement ring. They had no children or heirs, so the ring was sold to us as part of their estate when they both died. Since you became so animated when you saw it, I imagine it may have special significance to you and someone special. Would you like to look at the ring out of the case?”
“Please.” He was delighted to find a hand-engraved inscription on the inside of the band. ‘I’ll love you forever.’ Without hesitation he told the clerk he’d purchase the ring. He added, “Will you place it in a special box tied with a large robin’s egg blue ribbon, please?”
“I’ve got the perfect box. Give me a few moments to pretty it up for you.”
Jeff grinned broadly. “No rush, no rush at all.”
Chapter 26
When Jeff arrived at the airport in Santa Rosa, he’d expected to rent a car to drive up to Bonita Creek. His plans changed when he glimpsed Robin standing in the visitor area. She was holding a hand-lettered sign, ‘I (heart) Jeff Clarke.’
He chuckled and walked briskly toward his lovely lady. Soon to be fiancée, I hope. He dropped his laptop bag and other hand luggage to the floor and drew her into an embrace. He felt her trembling and thought she was laughing. When he leaned back to look at her face he discovered tears flowing down her cheeks.
“I hope these are tears of joy.”
“They are. I, um, I-I’m just so glad you came back to me. I wasn’t sure until this moment if you really would return. I guess I need to work on building up my self-confidence.”
He leaned forward and spoke quietly into her ear. “I promise I will never abandon you, Robin. I love you so much.” Sometimes Jeff wished he could have a heart-to-heart talk with Mr. Thomas Bennett about the pain and damage he’d inflicted on this creature.
He felt Robin’s smile on his cheek as her body relaxed into his. “Let’s get going,” he said firmly. They collected his luggage and headed toward the parking lot.
“If you’re hungry we can stop for a bite to eat on the way to Bonita Creek. Otherwise, I fixed some of your favorite foods and tucked them into the fridge at my cottage.”
His eyes lit up as he said, “Thank you. I’ve definitely missed your delectable cooking. Let’s eat at home. Later on I can check into my room at the motel.”
As they travelled to Bonita Creek, she filled him in on the details of her job and church happenings. “Brian and Cindy from the church announced they’re expecting another baby. That’s four for them!”
Since she’d brought up the subject of children, he decided to ask her outright about her wishes for a family. “I love children, Robin. How do you feel about a large family?”
“Probably because I was an only child, I’ve always hoped the Lord would bless me with three or four children of my own. I thought it was the direction Thomas and I were heading until . . .”
“Hey now, we agreed not to let Thomas’s mistakes come between us. Let’s try not to let him nudge his way into what we’ve got going, agreed?”
“Agreed, and thanks for the reminder. You’ve been more than patient and understanding with me about my first marriage. I guess I need to retrain my mind even after all these years of negative thinking.”
“Let’s change the subject to something more positive. Which of my favorite foods did you cook for me?” he asked with a sly grin.
“You’ll just have to wait for another few minutes to find out, won’t you?” She smiled sweetly at him.
~*~
The time they spent together during Jeff’s visit flew by quickly. They attended church services and events together. They hiked around the lake and went window shopping in the little mountain towns near Bonita Creek. They visited the local museums and art galleries. Jeff grew more confident with each passing moment about proposing to Robin. They’d been getting along well and she hadn’t mentioned the ‘h’ word or doubted him in awhile.
Shortly after his arrival, Jeff decided to contact Jorie without Robin’s knowledge. He remembered about Jorie’s dream of opening her own catering business, so he telephoned Robin’s friend and presented his plan. He told her not to spare any expense. He left a lot of the decisions to Jorie’s discretion, but he shared with her some of the specific details he wanted her to include.
She enthusiastically agreed to do her part to make the plan a success. The two made the necessary arrangements and set a date for the plan’s implementation. Jeff stressed this was a surprise and requested she not mention his plan to anyone, especially Robin. Jorie agreed to keep his secret.
~*~
The next day Jeff invited Robin to go to the Garden at the Coast on the Sunday afternoon before he had to return to Illinois. She enthusiastically agreed and offered to pack up a special picnic lunch for them to share. He playfully waved her off and mentioned casually he’d handle lunch.
Sunday arrived bright and beautiful. They returned to their respective homes to change clothes after church before Robin picked Jeff up and drove west to the coast. When they arrived at the Gardens, the couple hiked straight out to the ocean and sat side by side on a wooden bench. They spent a long time soaking in the magnificent view and the pleasant assault of smells and sounds.
Several seagulls were making a spectacle of themselves while screeching out their lonely call. Jeff inhaled the briny smell of seaweed languishing on the sandy shoreline. The power and rhythm of the waves rolling in and crashing against the rocks entranced him. He’d grown to love this particular spot as much as Robin. She smiled as he shared his thoughts with her. They talked about many things, and then returned to the car to pick up their lunch.
When Jeff removed the large vintage wicker picnic basket from his trunk Robin exclaimed, “You packed our picnic?”
“Not exactly,” he responded vaguely. “Lead the way to your favorite spot in the gardens.”
“The Dahlia Garden, of course. I do love the gazebo. I wonder if they’re having a wedding there today. If they are, we won’t be allowed to go into the garden area . . .”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Jeff said attempting not to sound too suspicious.
When they arrived at the Dahlia Garden’s entrance they found a wide rose-colored satin ribbon blocking the entrance. A hand-painted sign hanging from the ribbon read, “Area Closed for Private Event.”
“Oh, no. I guess we’ll have to find someplace else to eat our picnic. I’m so disappointed. This time of year is my favorite at the Dahlia Garden.”
“Go right on in, please.”
“You saw the sign as well as I did. The garden is closed to the public right now.”
“Actually, I’m the one who reserved the Dahlia Garden for today.”
“But, why? There are so many other places to eat in the garden . . .”
“Yes, but this happens to be your favorite spot, so I reserved it for the afternoon.”
“Oh, how romantic, Jeff. We’ll have the entire Dahlia Garden and the gazebo to ourselves,” she said excitedly.
“That’s the idea . . .” his voice trailed off.
They both stepped under the ribbon and were welcomed by a profusion of vibrant colors. The dahlias blooming on either side of the grassy aisle were a sight to behold. Robin expressed her awe of all of the colors, sizes, and shapes of flowers as they passed the vividly-colored borders. “This is unbelievable! Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life?”
“Yes, and I’m looking at her right now.” He smiled as he winked at Robin.
“Oh, you. What am I going to do with you?”
“You’ll figure it out soon enough,” Jeff said under his breath. Robin didn’t hear him because she was already speed walking toward the gazebo.
When they arrived at the gazebo, they found a lovely table for two set with a robin’s egg blue linen tablecloth and matching cloth napkins. There was a cut crystal vase with an assortment of fresh dahlias graci
ng the center of the small round table.
“Oh, my goodness. Someone really went all out decorating this table. You did this for us?” Robin chattered on. “I’ve never seen a more perfect place for a picnic in all my life.”
Jeff smiled at her affectionately as he set down the picnic basket next to the table and began unpacking Jorie’s handiwork. There were crystal glasses and a bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider. There was silver flatware along with colorful vintage china plates and saucers. Robin’s eyes were wide with wonder as Jeff revealed the treasures packed in the basket one-by-one.
Jorie had done an exceptional job on the meal. There was crusty homemade bread, chilled grilled chicken breasts, jars of home-cured olives and pickles. She had included homemade potato salad, a fresh fruit salad, and a green salad with several small jars of various handmade salad dressings. There were deviled eggs and celery sticks stuffed with pimento and cheese. For dessert, Jorie had included her special homemade apple pie with thick slices of artisanal cheese for a topping. Robin didn’t speak until the basket was completely emptied.
“What a fabulous surprise! I’ll never forget this day in my entire life.”
“Probably not,” Jeff replied. “Let’s say our blessing so we can enjoy our picnic.”
As they ate, Robin commented she’d never seen the dahlias in the garden looking more lovely than today. Their view of the ocean from the gazebo was unsurpassed. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the fluffy white clouds passing overhead appeared surreal. Robin babbled on excitedly about the dahlias and other features of the garden.
Jeff was bursting with love for this woman and was thrilled in anticipation of his proposal. The inner joy he felt at making Robin so happy with the picnic’s setting and food gave him a feeling of satisfaction he’d never experienced before. With a start, he realized he’d never considered Robin would not accept his proposal of marriage. He had faith like a mountain this was the intended path for their lives.
Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) Page 19
