His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride

by Lois Richer

  “I love you. Tell Dad I want to talk to him, will you?”

  He nodded, rocking back on his heels. “Sure. Soon as I see him. Take care, Piper. The roads will get busy with all the cottagers coming back after the weekend. I don’t want to hear about my sister in an accident.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said. She waved then left, eager to escape now that the confrontation with Baron had been averted. The more she thought about it, the stupider the idea seemed.

  Anyway, the ball was in his court now. If he wanted to talk to her, all he had to do was call.

  The rest was up to God.

  *

  Jason stood inside his marina and watched Piper dock Shalimar.

  Two weeks and nothing had changed. She was still keeping him at arm’s length.

  She laughed and joked with Andy while retrieving her briefcase from the hatch of the boat. On the surface everything was fine. But he didn’t miss the way she tossed a quick glance toward him, as if she knew he was standing there, watching her. Or the quick, hurried walk that got her away from him.

  He prayed endlessly about her, apologized several times, until she’d told him to stop. He’d done everything he could think of but the chasm remained there between them—a widening gap of distrust that had cost him more dearly than he’d ever imagined.

  For once Jason was tired of the endless round of tourists that swarmed the Bay. He was putting in eighteen-hour days just to keep up with things. Higgy was an answer to a prayer. He took on most of the houseboat tours now. But yesterday he’d pulled a muscle in his back, leaving Jason to manage on his own.

  He checked his calendar. Today looked relatively clear, thank goodness. Maybe he’d have time to take a break after lunch.

  But it didn’t happen that way. Piper’s summons had him curious and anxious at the same time. He walked into the town offices at ten after one and found her on the phone.

  “I can make that,” she said, beckoning him inside. “It’s not a problem at all. What information will you need?”

  No cheery smile to warm him. Jason missed that. He closed the door behind him, sat down in front of her desk and waited for the call to finish.

  “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. We’ll count on talking for the full two days. Thank you.” She hung up, leaned back in her chair and rubbed the corner of one eye.

  “Tired?”

  “Not really. Just a little frazzled.”

  Jason kept his lips shut. If she wanted to explain, she would, but he sure wasn’t asking.

  “That was a man from Toronto who develops strip malls. They’ve been looking around Serenity Bay apparently, though no one contacted me until today.”

  A strip mall? He almost let out a yell of excitement. Until he caught the look in her eye and reminded himself that it was just a phone call.

  “Do they need more information?”

  “No. Apparently they’ve almost decided to begin purchasing land.” She rose, moved to a town map. “Here,” she said, indicating a block that would coincide nicely with structures already there. “I’m to meet with them tomorrow to answer more questions about the town’s future plans.”

  “Great!” He kept an eye on her, trying to assess her. It wasn’t easy. Piper had always kept her emotions under wraps, more so now. “Do you want me to come along?”

  She shook her head.

  “It’s not necessary, thanks. I’m assuming that if and when they have something to decide, they’ll approach the town council.”

  His heart sank. He wanted to be included in the discussion, but how could he say that without making her think he was shadowing her?

  “I’d really like to go, Piper. I promise I’ll let you do the talking. I’ll only answer what I’m asked. But I’d like to hear what they have to say.”

  A sad little smile tipped her mouth.

  “Still don’t trust me, eh, Jason?”

  “Of course I trust you.” He leaned in, held her gaze. “Can’t you understand what a shock it was to learn you were a Wainwright and that you’d been married? I thought we were beginning to share our lives.”

  “I never deliberately kept either from you,” she murmured, her face pale. “I assumed you knew my maiden name, but even if you didn’t, I never thought it would matter. I left that behind a long time ago.”

  “Really?” He watched her closely. “I think you’re still carrying it close to your heart. I think that’s why you never came right out and asked me if I knew—because you’re afraid to face the truth.”

  Piper shook her head.

  “I know exactly what I feel for my father,” she told him, her tone icy. “I even thought it was my duty to contact him, to try and repair the rift. I thought that’s what God expected me to do.” She stood in front of the window, peering out.

  “It is.”

  “Is it?” Piper whirled around. “That was two weeks ago, Jason. Since then I’ve heard nothing. My father hasn’t even so much as left a message for me, that’s how little he cares about me.”

  “I don’t believe it.” He frowned as he rose, holding up a hand to stem her protest. “I’m not calling you a liar, but something must be wrong. Have you spoken to Dylan?”

  “This morning, as a matter of fact. Dad is fine. He’s quite capable of picking up a phone. In fact, he’s been working long hours trying to get the London project up to speed. It’s just his daughter he doesn’t have time for.”

  “I’m sorry.” He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, waited for the shower of tears to abate. “I’m so sorry. I thought for sure that if he—”

  “You know a different man than I do, Jason. You know the charismatic businessman who swings the big deals and spreads his charm on everyone around.” She drew back, sniffed. “I know the man who doesn’t have time to waste on the girl who wouldn’t do as he wanted.”

  “But it doesn’t make sense.”

  “Let it go, okay?”

  He nodded, snuggled her head against his chest and let her recover, but his mind couldn’t synthesize the two men. Baron Wainwright had known the name of every single locator at Expectations. If they were married, he knew their spouses’ names and often asked after them. He remembered illnesses, anniversaries and any other information you told him. He’d taken pains to make each encounter warm and personal.

  Could someone just shut that off when it came to his own family?

  “You said you used to work with him,” Piper said, lifting her head to look into his eyes. “How come you didn’t know Dylan?”

  Jason shrugged. “I don’t know. He never came to Boston with your father, I guess. I never made any trips to Wainwright’s offices so I wouldn’t have seen him there. But I’ve gotten to know him better since.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He was here on Saturday. We went for a boat ride, barbecued some steaks, talked. He stayed at my place.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “Dylan has big ideas, Piper. I get the feeling that he never really discusses them with anyone else. He knows Serenity Bay very well. He’s given me a couple of ideas.”

  She tilted her head to one side.

  “Why the funny look?” he asked, tugging one of her curls.

  “I always thought Dylan hated the Bay. He wouldn’t come here much after I left home. Now you’re telling me he knows it? I just find it odd.”

  “I find it odd that you’re in my arms and I’m not…”

  Jason leaned his head down and kissed her gently.

  He hoped he’d convinced her that he loved her, but Jason decided he wasn’t leaving anything to chance. He couldn’t go through another two weeks of agony.

  “Piper?”

  She blinked at him, as if her mind had been elsewhere. “Yes?”

  “Will you forgive me? Will you believe me if I tell you I love you, that I have for a long time? That I want to go back to the way we were?”

  She wore a troubled look.

  “I don�
�t know if we can.” She met his stare. “You didn’t trust me, Jason. Even after all the time we’ve spent together, after all the things I’ve worked on, you actually thought I’d betray you. It’s hard to rebuild.”

  “No, it isn’t. You just trust that I’ve learned my lesson, that I know I was wrong and that I’ll never make the same mistake again. I’d trust my life with you, Piper. That’s how much I believe in you.”

  She wanted to believe him. He could see that. But she was holding back.

  “What can I do to prove I trust you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Would it help if I said I have no intention of going to that strip mall meeting you’re holding?”

  She chuckled. “You can’t. You have town council tonight, remember?”

  “But it’s supposed to last two days. I could go tomorrow.” Her expression changed and he hurried to correct himself. “But I’m not. You’re the person who handles development for the Bay. When you’re ready to talk to me about it, I’ll be here.”

  The phone rang. She answered it, jotted down notes, said she’d call back. Then she looked at Jason, her eyes dancing with excitement.

  “What?”

  “I don’t think you can go tomorrow, either.”

  “Why?” It was something good, he could tell that much.

  “The Freemont Society just phoned to say they want to talk to you about an idea they have. They want a conference call with you tomorrow morning at nine. You’re to call them back at this number to set it up.”

  “Shouldn’t you be in on that?”

  She shook her head. “They’re interested in working with Franklin’s Marina, not Serenity Bay.”

  “The Freemont Society—don’t they run that summer camp for disabled kids?”

  “Yes.”

  “So what do they want with me?”

  “You’ll have to ask them tomorrow. I’ve got to get busy assembling packets for my meeting.” Piper picked up a file from her desk, then turned to look at him over one shoulder. “You’re sure you’re okay with not coming?”

  He forced his head to nod. “You go get ’em.”

  “I will.” She opened the door, paused, then quietly asked, “Do you want to have dinner tonight?”

  Jason shook his head.

  “I’m sorry, I’d love to but I’m hired out for a seniors’ picnic cruise this evening and Higgy is off. His back is still bad.”

  “Okay, well another time then.” She smiled then followed him out of the room.

  Lunch would have been good, too. Any time that they could spend together would have. Jason decided to phone her tonight, after he got back.

  As it turned out Jason did have a dinner partner. Dylan dropped in just as Jason’s pizza delivery guy left.

  “Want to share?” he invited.

  “Yes. I’m starving,” Dylan said.

  They shared the pie, consuming every last bit as Jason told him about the possibility of an outside tour company taking him on.

  “Sounds like you’re going to make some people very happy.”

  “I hope so. It could mean a great deal to the Bay if we had regular tours.”

  “Of course.” Shortly after that Dylan left.

  Jason picked up the phone, glanced at the clock and hung up again. Too late to call Piper now. His questions would have to wait.

  He loved Piper. He’d told her that.

  One of these days he was going to find out if she felt the same way about him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  If the first day of meetings hadn’t gone well, the following morning rated as a major disaster.

  Piper excused herself for the lunch hour, picked up a sandwich and drove to a nearby park to take a break.

  She was putting off calling Jason and she knew it.

  Her cell phone rang. It was him.

  “Hey! How’s it going? I’d hoped to hear from you last night.” He sounded in a good mood.

  “We talked till midnight. I thought it was too late to call.” Suddenly no longer hungry, she put the sandwich back in the bag and sipped her coffee.

  “So?”

  Truth time. “Don’t get your hopes up on this one, Jason.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong,” she said, bristling. “They’re asking too much. They think that because we’re small, we should concede on every point. I’m trying to illustrate the benefits of the first location but now they’re asking for the waterfront. We just can’t do that.”

  “Maybe I should come down.”

  Fury lit a fire in the pit of her stomach. Here we go again.

  “No, Jason, you should not come down. This is my job. This is what I do. Remember? But I don’t expect to win everyone I talk to. We may have to walk away from this, wait until we’re further along.” She drew a calming breath. “What did The Freemont Society want?”

  “They’d like to take some kids on a houseboat cruise tomorrow morning. An all-day thing. If it works out well they’ll book once a week for as long as their camps run. It’s a kind of reward for the ones who push through their rehab.”

  Piper frowned.

  “You don’t sound that excited. It’s quite an opportunity, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, of course. The steady income will be welcome.”

  “But?”

  “But the opportunities from that mall would be even more welcome,” he said quietly.

  Piper gritted her teeth, rose and tossed the uneaten sandwich and half-finished drink in the garbage.

  “You’re doing it again,” she complained. “I leave for one day and you’re right back second-guessing me. When are you going to stop trying to control the world, Jason?”

  “I’m concerned, that’s all. This is a big thing for the Bay. If we lose them we don’t know when the next opportunity will come along. It could be years.”

  “It could be tomorrow.” Inside the car now, Piper closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest. “Look. You’ve been teaching that boys’ class at Sunday school about God’s plan for their lives. Well, don’t you think he’s got one for yours? Do you really believe what you’re telling those kids—enough to follow it in your own life?”

  Silence. He was probably furious.

  Tough. So was she.

  “Trust is a two-way street, Jason. If I can’t trust your faith in me, if it fluctuates with the circumstances, what kind of a relationship are we going to have? You said you care about me.”

  “I do,” he insisted.

  “Prove it. Have some faith that I’ll do the right thing, whatever it is.” She swallowed hard, then gave him the ultimatum. “More than that, have some faith that God didn’t bring you this far to kill your dream because of one strip mall. In fact, I’d say He’s trying to give you your dream.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ll have a heavensent opportunity waiting on your boat dock tomorrow morning. What are you going to do—blow it off to race here and try to persuade a group of men to do something they don’t want to? Or grab what your Father has given you and make it work?”

  Piper waited a moment then closed the phone. It was time to go back to work.

  *

  “They’re all wearing life vests?” Jason waited for Higgy’s nod. “Okay then. Let’s cast off.”

  He left Higgy to steer out of the bay while he made sure everything was secured. Andy waved goodbye and the kids waved back, in high spirits and ready to savor this new adventure.

  “Couldn’t have asked for a better day,” one of the group leaders said.

  “It is gorgeous out here, but I hope you’ve got lots of sunscreen. This sun can be hard on the skin.”

  Assured that each child was protected, he moved into the galley and started preparing the hot dogs they’d roast later on the beach. The atmosphere was stifling hot down here with barely a whisper of air despite the open windows.

  Peals of laughter echoed across the water.

 
Too bad Piper wasn’t here.

  Her call yesterday had caused him a sleepless night of soul-searching. By five he’d admitted the root of the problem—he wanted to tell God how things should go and God wasn’t listening.

  As Higgy said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

  It wasn’t about Jason Franklin, though. It wasn’t his plans that were important. With the dawn’s early light had come the last vestige of surrender. God was in control.

  He heard the engines slow as he finished his prep. That meant they were at The Bowl. The kids would need help with their rods and reels.

  For the next three hours he baited hooks, removed fish and took snapshots. If this continued they’d have enough fish to fry for dinner.

  Complaints of hunger had them moving on toward Carroll’s Cove, a pretty picnic spot easily accessible for the children with wheelchairs and those with locomotion issues. Jason pulled, tugged and lifted while Higgy went ahead and got the fire going. Then there were coolers of supplies to be transported. Everybody was hot and thirsty.

  “I never would have imagined I’d enjoy the day so much,” Higgy murmured later as the supervisors helped those who wanted to swim into the water. He held the soda can against his cheek trying to cool it. “Looking at these kids. It makes me feel shame to know I don’t give thanks enough for my life. Look how hard they work just to get to that water.”

  He was right. Once they’d packed up the food, Jason and Higgy relaxed on the banks under a willow tree and watched the impromptu water volleyball game. Then it was time to push toward Fairview Falls.

  It was four-thirty before Jason thought to check the weather report. The news was not good. He motioned Higgy in.

  “Tornado warnings are out.”

  “Makes sense given the heat and humidity,” Higgy murmured. “But I’ve never heard of the Bay being hit before.”

  “One touched down five miles out last year. Close enough for me. I think it’s time to head back.”

  “Gotcha.”

  They got everyone on board and Higgy steered them back toward Serenity Bay. But they were a long way out when the wind picked up and began tossing waves that pushed them too close to shore.

  Then the motor died.