Love With A Stranger

by Taylor, Janelle

  I’m sure I would love almost anything you selected for me. “I suppose this is what could be called a day off for good behavior?”

  “Absolutely, Cass. Doctors always like it when they have cooperative patients who make them look good by obeying their orders and getting well,” Jason responded with a grin. “Consider tonight your reward.”

  “I’m sure it will be; I’m already having a wonderful time. And I have you and Linda to thank for helping me reach this point; I couldn’t have done it without you two or if I had stayed under Doctor Hines’s excessive treatments. I should be the one treating you two to dinner to show my gratitude.”

  “A verbal thanks and a bright smile are all we need. Right, Linda?” Jason asked, and the nurse smiled and nodded agreement.

  “And you need for me to pay my bills on time,” Cass jested.

  “Don’t worry about your account with me; your insurance company will cover most of the charges, and I trust you to take care of the balance at your leisure. Linda’s salary goes through my office.” As Cass and Linda chatted, Jason’s mind added, But I don’t care if you don’t pay me a cent; just being with you is all the compensation I need. I admit it, woman, I love you and want you, and the obstacle that stood in the way of me trying to win you has been removed by fate. Then, Jason realized there could be another obstacle to hurdle. Lord help me if Peter messes up this chance for happiness, because I don’t know what I would do to him this time for screwing up my life again. He wronged me, but there’s no telling what the clever bastard would do or say to exonerate himself in her eyes. He was so damned careful and devious during his affair with Brenda that he made himself look innocent but I know the sorry bastard was just as guilty as she was! I just don’t know how close you two are, or whose story you would believe. But either way, I’m in an unpredictable position because it might appear as if I have an ulterior motive for helping and pursuing you. Please, Cass, trust me.

  When the “special” arrived, it was a mixture of liqueurs and fruit juices in a souvenir glass shaped like a flower pot. Across its side was printed in black letters, “I got potted at…Blanche’s Courtyard.” It also included a drawing of a Victorian lady. Cass eyed it, then looked at Jason. “If I drink all of this, I will be potted. You two will probably have to carry me out on a stretcher.”

  They laughed before Jason lifted his glass of Chivas Regal and said, “A toast, ladies: To good friends and better days ahead for all of us.”

  Cass tapped her “pot” to his glass and to Linda’s one of white wine.

  As they sipped their drinks and ate appetizers, Linda and Jason told her about the restaurant’s appeal as a fun place where the band members often coaxed customers to sing along and dance in the large area near a railed-off music corner with Victorian latticework near the ceiling. Inside the semi-circle was a ragtime piano, drums, and other instruments.

  “They won’t start playing until later,” Linda said, “but I think you’ll enjoy them. I have a good time just watching other people cut up. Sometimes the guys who play here remind me of an old-timey vaudeville act.”

  “Sounds great,” Cass responded. She looked at Jason and asked, “How are your children and grandchildren?” She saw his eyes light up with love and pride, which warmed her heart.

  “They’re doing fine. I talked with both of them yesterday. I’ll be going up to visit them in May. I have to see those grandsons of mine at least every six weeks so they’ll remember who Granddaddy is. I wish Traci and her family lived here so I could see them more often, but at least Savannah isn’t too far away for frequent visits, and Atlanta won’t be either after Stacey finishes medical school and goes into practice there.”

  “I can tell you enjoy them. I’m sure you’re a wonderful father and grandfather.” I wonder if you’d want to start over from scratch…

  “I try to be. Having a family is a real blessing. Joan and I would have liked to have had more children, but it wasn’t in the cards for her.”

  “Do you have pictures of them with you?” Cass asked.

  “Yep. Would you like to see them?” he asked and she nodded.

  As she was looking at the pictures, their meals were brought to the table, and she returned the snapshots to Jason. “Your daughter is beautiful and your son is handsome,” Cass complimented. “Traci’s twins are good-looking boys, too. I bet she adores them.”

  He chuckled before saying, “She does, but they can be more than a handful at times. They surely keep her busy.”

  “I would imagine so…Well, doesn’t this snapper look marvelous?”

  “I’ve ordered it before and it was delicious. I don’t eat that much red meat anymore, but I was in a steak mood tonight. How is your fish, Linda?”

  “Divine, cooked to perfection,” Linda answered before taking another bite. She wished Peter could have joined them tonight. She had seen him going to or returning from work on Thursday and Friday and when he stopped in to check on Cass this morning. Each time he had caused her heart to flutter wildly. She would be ecstatic if she could land a date with him, but there was little chance of that happening since their worlds were so far apart and he could have his choice of women. Still, he had looked at her several times and sent her smiles that enflamed her entire body, so maybe he would ask her out.

  As they dined, Cass, Jason, and Linda conversed about the current dilemma of the Right Whales whose remaining threehundred count was being dwindled by mysterious deaths, and their migration to the New England and Nova Scotia coasts for the summer. Then they chatted about the different types of businesses in the area, with the pulp company Georgia Pacific being the largest employer of residents. The next two were seafood companies, highly successful competitors of Grantham’s: Rich-Sea Pack and King & Prince Seafood.

  Cass was glad when they didn’t linger on the last topic because she didn’t want to spoil her outing with reminders of Thomas Grantham. Later, she would learn more about that subject because of her business interest.

  “We also have the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center located here,” Jason told her, “That’s where Mary’s husband teaches; she’s my housekeeper, the lady I mentioned to you. FLETC provides basic training for law-enforcement personnel in all fields except for the FBI; they have their own training facility elsewhere. FLETC employs over fifteen hundred people and graduates twenty-five thousand students a year. It’s a big boost to the local ecomony. So is tourism, but we’re fortunate this area isn’t overdeveloped and overcommercialized like so many resort locations.”

  “Have you heard or read about the Artrain that’s coming to Brunswick during their May HarborFest?” Linda asked her.

  “No, I haven’t been reading many newspapers or watching much local television lately.”

  Linda told Cass about the Artrain that had three railroad cars altered into a gallery for displaying museum-quality works, and others fashioned into mini-studios for demonstrating the creation of all types of artwork. “The HarborFest will have many varieties of seafood to sample, arts and crafts to purchase, various kinds of music, local history and cultural lessons, and lots of other things to see and do. We should go together.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Cass said, “and my bare social calendar has plenty of room.”

  “I’ll get the dates for next month and call you later to arrange it. We might even persuade Jason to tag along and be our chauffeur and guard.” you would.

  For a while, as excitement coursed through her, Cass forgot she was a recent widow who should be in mourning. She coaxed, “Well, Jason, are you game to be our escort if Linda and I promise not to exhaust you?”

  “Sounds good to me, too,” he told Cass, then said to Linda, “Just give me the date as soon as possible so I won’t schedule an out-of-town trip or put a golf game in that slot.” No matter how casually he accepted to avoid appearing thrilled, Jason knew he would clear that date if it was already taken. He felt his body warm from the heat and power of Cass’s radiant smile and sultry gaze.
Mercy, she had captivating brown eyes; they were as rich and dark and enticing as melted milk chocolate. Her skin was as smooth as costly glass, and just as clear of flaws. She looked ravishing tonight in that navy-and-white outfit; both colors flattered her bisque skin tone. He would be in heaven if he could peel each piece off her body, caress every inch of her, and make slow and rapturous love to her.

  Cass noticed that the restaurant was getting crowded and a little noisy. She saw Jason exchange smiles, nods, or waves with people who caught his eye in passing or from another table. She assumed they were a mixture of friends and patients. Perhaps, she mused, he was a regular patron of Blanche’s. Perhaps he had brought some of his past dates there. At that thought, nibbles of jealousy assailed her. I should be ashamed of myself, Cass admonished herself he isn’t my date, and I’ve just buried my husband!

  Despite that rebuke, Cass couldn’t get Jason Burkman off of her mind. He was so different in looks and personality from Tom or Brad. Jason was easygoing, amusing, down-to-earth, caring; he made those around him feel comfortable and admired. He was well mannered, highly intelligent, and interesting. His suit—Armani, she guessed—fit his tall and virile build as if it were made just for him. A pale-gray shirt and patterned tie were perfect choices.to complete his well-groomed image.

  She noticed that his tawny hair seemed lighter and his tan was darker, as if he had been in lots of sun since Tuesday. Those two changes made his teeth look whiter and his eyes bluer. Without a doubt, she was attracted to him, and that made her a little nervous.

  As Cass glanced about their surroundings, she noticed another man. He seemed to be watching her and averting his gaze every time she looked in his direction. She could not recall ever meeting him. She tensed as she wondered if it was a television or newspaper reporter who would do a story about her painting the town red so soon after her husband’s death. Perhaps it was a detective, as the investigation into Tom’s accident was still in progress as far as she knew. Perhaps he was nothing more than an inquisitive person who had seen hers and Tom’s pictures in the media or seen them together at some past occasion. Or perhaps it was just her imagination running wild again. No, Cass deduced, she was right, because the man’s female companion became aware of his behavior and twice traced his line of vision to see who had captured his attention. Cass told herself to ignore him, or he’d wonder why he was making her so edgy.

  The musicians started to perform on the ragtime piano and assorted Dixieland instruments: drums, horns, tamborine, kazoo. Patrons with birthdays and anniversaries were serenaded. Some diners clapped their hands in time with the music and sang along to tunes of long ago. Others filled the dance area and spilled over into the nearby aisles as they made merry, which blocked the stranger’s view of her; and hers, of him.

  After he finished eating, Jason put aside his fork and said, “I wouldn’t be a good host if I didn’t ask you ladies if one or both of you want to dance.”

  “Not me in that crowd,” Linda responded in haste.

  Cass smiled and said, “Put me on your card for another time, but thanks for the offer.” She would love to discover what it felt like to be held in his arms and to be pressed close to his body, but she didn’t think it would look proper tonight. To distract herself from his potent allure, she said, “I’m thinking about getting involved in some local activities and perhaps starting tennis again when you give the okay, Doctor.”

  “That sounds wonderful, Cass, but you should give yourself another week or so to get fully rested and to take care of any business matters. You don’t want to leap into new things too fast and exhaust yourself.”

  “What about taking a course or two at Brunswick College later?” Linda suggested. “You could audit the classes of your choice. Or you could join some organizations or clubs, like the historical society. You said you wanted to learn more about this area.”

  “You’re right, Linda, and I also need to learn my way around better. I think I’ll stop in at the Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor’s Center and pick up some packets of information.”

  Linda gave directions to both locations, then added, “There are some old cotton and rice plantations you might want to visit; maybe we can do that together one day. I’ve always been a history nut, and there’s certainly plenty to see around here. But you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around the city or islands because they’re small and laid out well. I have a little house on St. Simons; it’s the largest of the Golden Isles, but we only have a population of about thirteen thousand. I take it you’re planning to stay on Sea Island and not return to Augusta or your hometown?” Linda asked for Jason’s benefit.

  “That’s right, Except for a few friends, I don’t have any other ties to either place.”

  That isn’t exactly accurate; Jason thought, you have the business in Augusta. Or maybe Peter inherited it. I wonder what Grantham left to you. If he was as wealthy as I’ve heard, you should be a very rich woman. That means too many hungry men will be chasing after you soon, and I don’t mean for just your money. Lordy, the competition is going to be heavy!

  After their dessert orders were taken and their dinner plates removed, Linda asked, “Did you enjoy your career before you married and do you plan to return to it in the future?”

  Cass reasoned that Linda, as a working woman, must assume that she would want or need to work and hadn’t stopped to think that it was hardly necessary. “I haven’t thought about it, but if I do, it won’t be anytime soon. I am planning to make some changes at home that will take up a lot of my time and energy.”

  “You have a beautiful home, Cass. What changes are you planning?”

  “I’m not sure, just things to make it look and feel different.”

  Linda didn’t press the subject. She was aware that Cass had not removed her wedding rings yet, but perhaps Cass was worried about how that would appear to others if she took them off so soon after becoming a widow.

  As they ate large slices of Key Lime pie, Jason asked, “Would you ladies like to join me for church and lunch tomorrow before my golf game? I attend First Baptist here on St. Simons. We could eat at Chelsea’s on the same road.”

  “That sounds nice. Linda and I can meet you there. What time?”

  “There’s no need to take two cars. Since I live down the street from you, I have to drive by your house, so I can pick you up. It won’t be any bother because I have to return home afterward to change into my golf clothes. What about ten-thirty? That will give us time to drive over, park, and get seated before the eleven o’clock service begins.”

  “Linda, how does that sound to you?” Cass inquired.

  “Perfect, because that’s where I go when I’m not on a case.”

  They chatted for a while longer. After the bill came and was paid, Jason escorted them to the car and drove them to Cass’s home, where he dropped them off and departed.

  As Cass prepared herself for bed, anticipation flowed through her. She decided she was going to start enjoying life and her new freedom. She wasn’t going to bury herself with her deceitful husband, but she would be careful with her conduct so she wouldn’t cause any gossip or annoy Peter.

  Thanks to Jason and Linda, she felt as if she were being reborn, and she mustn’t, she vowed, let anything or anyone trample her down again.

  As Cass settled herself on the pew next to Linda, thinking it unwise to sit beside a distracting and well-groomed Jason, she adjusted the hems of the skirt and jacket to a pale-pink wool crepe suit from Bicci by Florine Wachter. Her fingers checked the bows sewn just above the wrists on the long sleeves of the jacket. A gold clasp connected a double strand of pale-pink pearls that rested at the hollow of her throat, and matching drop earrings dangled from her lobes. Her outfit was completed by Anne Klein scalloped pumps with sling backs and skinny heels in grosgrain and a matching handbag. She was fond of this suit and shoes because she, not Tom for a change, had selected them. Now that Tom was gone, she could part with garments and footwear
he had chosen which she didn’t like, and she had the money—a nice “allowance”—with which to replace them.

  As she glanced around before and after the service began, Cass noticed that the First Baptist Church on Ocean Boulevard was large and lovely. The congregation members smiled and nodded when she caught their eyes; the choir was talented, the music soothing and familiar; the paster was an excellent speaker; and the atmosphere was calming. Her tension faded; her spirits were uplifted, and her past seemed a million miles away.

  Afterward, they lunched at Chelsea’s down the street, a restaurant that seemed nestled in an alcove of live oaks, palms, and other greenery. The building had a quaint Victorian flavor, and looked deceptively smaller from outside. Rattan chairs with turquoise seats were placed beside tables with aqua cloths over white ones, and sat atop a shiny brick floor.

  They dined on Chelsea salad, chilled jumbo shrimps with remoulade and red sauce, and seafood fettuccine alfredo with shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, and scallions piled atop the pasta.

  “You must eat out a lot, Jason, because you know all of the good restaurants. This place is wonderful and the food is delicious.”

  “Thanks, Cass. I suppose dining out frequently is one of the problems of being single. I much prefer quiet meals at home, but I’m not the world’s best chef and I’m usually too tired to cook after I get off work. I surely did enjoy eating with you and Linda those two nights. It was kind of you ladies to take pity on me,” he jested.

  “Then we’ll have to do it again some time soon.” Cass responded. “Eating alone isn’t any fun, nor is cooking for one person.”

  Jason nodded agreement. “Did you enjoy yourself this morning?”

  “Yes, I haven’t been to church in years and it felt good to be there again. During my youth and before I married Tom, I attended regularly, but I got out of that good habit. Tom wasn’t a religious man and we stayed on the road too much during our first two years of marriage to attend one. I should be ashamed of myself for not finding a place of worship since I moved here.”