Redemption at Shadow Lake

by J E Grace

  Samantha heard the front door close. Maybe a walk-in client, so she left her office and headed for the front reception area. A man dressed in blue jeans and a blue short sleeved shirt was standing with his back to her looking at the board of homes for sale.

  “Can I help you,” said Samantha as she narrowed the gap between them. She was pleasantly surprised when the man turned around to greet her. She looked up into the mesmerizing green eyes of Jonathan Williams.

  “Good afternoon Miss. Dunning. I was strolling through some of the shops and saw the sign. I couldn’t resist stopping in,” said Jonathan.

  “Could I get you some coffee or bottled water?” asked Samantha her nerves getting the best of her. Why do I always feel like I can’t think straight when he’s around?

  “A water would be great. Thanks,”

  “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be right back,” said Samantha making her way to the kitchen. As she grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, she wondered what his real reason for stopping by was. Did he want to see me again? Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.

  Samantha walked over and handed him the water. His hand brushed hers as he took the water from her and a tingle shot up her arm. She felt like a giddy school girl with a crush on the new kid.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure? Are you considering buying a new home?” asked Samantha taking a seat at the desk across from him.

  “We met under such strange circumstances, and when I saw the sign out front, I just had to come in and meet you properly. As far as property, I have been thinking of finding another residence closer to the downtown area, but haven’t made any decisions yet,” Jonathan said setting the bottle of water down. “I would need a building with a downstairs area I could use for a photography studio and darkroom and then living quarters upstairs. The place I have now is not in the best area for foot traffic.”

  “I’ll do some checking on our MLS. I can call you if I find something that you might want to take a look at,” said Samantha.

  “Perfect.” Jonathan placed a business card on Samantha’s desk. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

  “Did you get the photos of McClure Mansion you wanted? I would love to see them,” said Samantha getting up to walk him out.

  “My hours are on the card. So, are you a photography buff?” Jonathan asked walking towards the front door.

  “I’ve always had an interest in photography but other than photos for my listings, I haven’t had time lately to do anything else. Maybe I’ll have to make the time,” said Samantha. “It was nice seeing you again. Have a nice day.”

  “You too. I look forward to seeing you at my shop,”

  Well, there was something else going on. There was chemistry between them, she could feel it. What am I thinking? I’m not looking for another relationship. But he sure has gorgeous eyes. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, he must have a beautiful soul. What would it hurt to view his photography?

  Chapter 13

  S amantha sat across the desk from Calvin Benham. A very generous offer had been written on the executive lake house and submitted to the owner. She didn’t anticipate any delay as the amount was more than what the owner had hoped for and they were anxious to close.

  “I’ll give you a call as soon as I hear back. The owners are out of state so it might take a few days before I hear anything. I feel confident though that they will accept your offer,” said Samantha getting up from her desk and shaking Calvin’s hand.

  Calvin held her hand a little longer than Samantha thought he should, and she was beginning to get irritated. She pulled her hand away and walked with him to the front of the reception area.

  “Speak to you soon, Samantha,” said Calvin giving her that smile that seemed to unnerve her.

  Beverly came into the room just as Calvin was leaving and noticed that Samantha seemed irritated by something. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I will be as soon as this contract gets signed and I can wrap up the sale. It seems like Calvin goes out of his way to flirt with me which irritates the heck out of me,” said Samantha walking over to the board to put a “pending” sticker on the executive property on the board.

  “Do you want me to take over the close? I wouldn’t mind having him flirt with me,” said Beverly giving her a wink.

  “No. I’ll be fine. I have a new client I need to concentrate on anyway.”

  “Well, you seem to be on a roll this month. Who’s the lucky person?” said Beverly sitting down at her desk. “Spill it.”

  “His name is Jonathan Williams. He’s a local photographer and is in need of another residence near the downtown area for his studio. Have you seen anything come through MLS today that might work? It has to be a two-story building with living quarters on the second floor,” said Samantha.

  “Why do I get the feeling there is more to this inquiry. You should see the way your face lights up when you mention his name,” said Beverly. “But, I did see something this morning that might work. I’ll print it out for you.”

  “Remember the incident at the McClure Mansion? Well, he was the man whose arms I ended up in when I rushed from the house. He wanted to introduce himself properly, so he stopped in this morning,” said Samantha trying to not let on how much she had been affected by him. But she doubted that she could fool Beverly. Beverly knew her too well.

  “That explains it. I know you, girl. There is something about this man that interests you. Why fight it, take a chance for once. He could be your soul mate,” said Beverly bringing the printout to her. Beverly’s eyes met Samantha’s, and she knew she couldn’t lie to herself. Beverly was right. She did want to know Jonathan better.

  “Let’s drop the subject and stick to work,” said Samantha glancing at the printout. “Well, since it’s vacant I’ll swing by on my way home and take a look.”

  “Have a good evening. I’m going to file some things away and lock up. Anything you need me to check on before you go,” said Beverly headed towards the main file cabinet.

  “Have you been able to find any tax records on the McClure property,” asked Samantha placing some paperwork in her briefcase.

  “Nothing so far. It’s like it never existed,” said Beverly. “I can’t understand how the residence has no address, even though the McClure’s possibly helped found the town. It doesn’t make sense unless he was into some shady dealings.”

  “I know. I think I’ll visit Mayor Riggs. See if he has some archives I can look through. There has to be a paper trail somewhere. I checked online, and there were a lot of articles written about the McClure’s during the 1930’s,” said Samantha. “But then it grows cold. Nothing on the family after that.”

  “We’ll have to track down an owner if we want to get it listed. It would make a terrific investment property depending on the available acreage. What if it has some historical significance? It could be worth a fortune,” said Beverly.

  “I know. I thought about that. If that were the case, an investor might be forced to keep the structure instead of dozing and building something new. It would make a great inn, especially if you kept it as close to the original as possible,” said Samantha. “Well, I’m out of here. See you tomorrow. Call me if you find anything on the property.”

  Chapter 14

  S amantha left the office and walked out to her car. The warm summer air hit her in the face. The sun was lower in the sky and would soon set leaving it in an array of color.

  She got into the car and laid her briefcase on the passenger’s seat. It had been a profitable day, and as soon as she heard back on the executive home, it would be an even better one. She couldn’t wait to get rid of Calvin Benham.

  She had worked with men like him before. Men who had flirted with her to try to get special treatment and then once the transactions were complete, wouldn’t give her the time of day. Her advantage was that Calvin considered her a small town real estate agent but her considerable city experience put her ahead of the game. She w
ould let him think whatever he wanted. Her bottom line was to keep Shadow Lake Realty a profitable business, short of compromising her values. That would never happen.

  She drove along Sleepy Creek Rd, went a few blocks and turned right on Foothill St. At the end of the block she pulled up in front of a two-story Victorian.

  The outside of the house was in excellent condition, and the roof had plenty of life. The house looked inviting with a large front porch with plenty of windows facing the street. Three dormers graced the second story and shutters in a coordinating color made the house appealing.

  She got out of the car and made her way up the walkway to the front porch. She found the lockbox hanging from the rail and retrieved the key, glancing around out of habit to make sure of her surroundings. When she saw no one, she put the key into the lock and entered the house, locking the door behind her.

  Samantha found herself in the entrance hall which opened up into a large central room. The house was void of furniture which gave more of a sense of space. The rooms had high ceilings with chandeliers, wainscoting on the bottom of the walls, period wallpaper, and hardwood flooring.

  There was a rather large bathroom with a clawfoot bathtub and three more rooms which at one time might have been a parlor and two bedrooms. There was a rather large fireplace in the living room, and the room was large enough for gallery space.

  She made her way up the stairway and stood on the landing at the top. She liked the feel of the house. She could imagine it working well for Jonathan but not knowing his business; she wasn’t sure about the downstairs. He would be the best judge of how the available space would work for him. The upstairs had another bathroom and three more bedrooms, as well as a sitting area.

  Samantha made a mental note to call Jonathan and set up a time for a showing. Just thinking about him brought up the memory of the day she had slammed into him at the McClure Mansion.

  She would never forget those strong arms, eyes that bore into her making her feel weak, and his broad, solid chest. Enough. I feel like I’m living in a romance novel. Maybe the encounter left a different impression on him. But what if it didn’t?

  Chapter 15

  J onathan flipped the closed sign over, locked the door, and turned off the lights. The security lights flashed on as he made his way upstairs.

  He headed to the bathroom and took a shower before getting a bite to eat. It was the time of day he dreaded most. The night approached bringing with it loneliness deep inside of him that he couldn’t squash. It crept in and robbed him of his peace.

  Marilyn had been his soul mate, his best friend, and companion. There was a hole in his heart that nothing seemed to be able to fill. He knew he didn’t want to continue to live this way, but until recently, he honestly didn’t see things changing.

  That was until the day a beautiful woman had run into him and almost knocked him off his feet. When he looked into her face and saw the fear, he wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her she was safe, that he would take care of her. Talk about an awkward way to meet. Jonathan still couldn’t understand what had spooked her that day. He had the feeling that there was more to the incident than what she had told him.

  He rustled a pot on the stove and emptied a can of soup into it. Not much of a meal but it would have to do. A quick dinner and then he would lose himself in his work. He needed to frame the photos he took at the McClure Mansion. They had turned out even better than he had hoped. The lighting was perfect.

  The McClure Mansion, now that place had quite the history. He remembered the stories his mother had told him when he was growing up about Robert McClure Sr. and the rumors about some of his dealings with the community. Were they true? He wasn’t sure, and there didn’t seem to be any documentation to back them up either way.

  He finished eating and headed back downstairs to the gallery. He flipped on the lights and went into the back area he had converted to a frame shop. His new photos were lying on the work table along with some matboard and picture frames.

  A couple of hours later his eyes were beginning to get heavy, signaling that it was time to quit for the night. Two photos of the McClure Mansion were now framed and hung on the gallery wall. One a black and white that seemed to bring out the character of the structure and another colored version.

  He turned out the light and padded up the stairs. After a quick stop in the bathroom, he undressed and got into bed pulling the covers in around him.

  The moonlight peaked in between the shades and flooded the room placing a silhouette of the trees across the bedroom wall. Jonathan cracked the window to let a soft breeze into the room and caught a scent of lilacs from the bush Marilyn had planted at the side of the house.

  Jonathan finally got his mind to shut off and drifted off to sleep. It was around three a.m. when he rolled over and reached out. His arms grasped the air and fell empty. When will I quit reaching out to Marilyn?

  A single tear rolled down the side of his cheek, and his heart ached with pain so unbearable that he would have done almost anything to make it stop. God, how long do I have to endure this pain? Please help me. I know I will always love her, but there has to be more to my life than this. I want to feel peace again and be open to a new love. Please guide me, Lord. I feel lost.

  He reached over and closed the window, readjusted his pillow waited for sleep to come. And for God to speak to him. A voice reached him down deep into his soul, and he knew in his heart what the Lord wanted him to do.

  Why did there have to be so many reminders of her? Maybe a move uptown would be for the best. New surroundings with nothing to continually remind him of what he didn’t have. It was time to move on but was his heart ready?

  Chapter 16

  T he sun glistened off the calm water of the lake, and a warm breeze carried along the scent of the flowers that grew along the edge.

  Samantha padded into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee before going out to enjoy it on the deck. Pulling up a chair, she sat relaxing as she read a few verses from Psalms.

  She had just put down her Bible when her cell phone rang. She swiped the screen to answer.

  “Hello, Mom. Are you, all right?”

  “Of course, dear. I just wanted to see how you were doing in your small lake town. Are you bored yet?”

  “No, Mom. Real estate keeps me plenty busy. I wrote two contracts this week so far, and it looks like they both will be accepted. It couldn’t be better,” said Samantha wondering if her mom expected her to fail. Why can’t she just be happy for me?

  “Your sister and I miss you. When are you coming for a visit?”

  “Mom, you know I’m swamped. Why can’t Gabrielle bring you here for a visit? You know the weather is wonderful, and you would enjoy the lake, Mom,” said Samantha leaning on the railing.

  “Samantha, you know your sister is also very busy. She hardly gets a minute to herself. She lives here, but I hardly see her at all. At least I have my art to keep me busy. Did I tell you the gallery commissioned four more pieces for a new show opening the Fourth of July? I can barely keep up,” said her mom.

  “That’s great, Mom. You’ll have to email me photos,” said Samantha opening the sliders.

  “Well, I have to get ready for work. I’ll call you soon. Love You. Bye.”

  “Bye dear.”

  Samantha hung up and went to take her shower. Why did her mother have to question every decision she made? Her mom didn’t want her to move to Shadow Lake and felt she wouldn’t make it in a small town and the break-up with Brett, well that was a mistake too.

  Her sister, Gabrielle, could do no wrong according to her mother. She had the perfect career and the ideal life as far as she was concerned. Well, Samantha wasn’t Gabrielle. When would she understand that?

  Samantha pulled out a pale blue blouse with short sleeves and a pair of white knee-length slacks. Sandals and a hat completed the outfit. So far, no appointments for the day, but with real estate that could change very quickly.

 
She took a look around to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything, grabbed her briefcase and her keys and headed out the door. As she was walking down the front steps, her phone rang.

  It was Beverly letting her know that the offer on the executive home was accepted. Beverly had called Mr. Benham and let him know, and he was meeting an inspector at the house this afternoon and wanted someone to let them in. Beverly agreed to meet them, and Samantha was more than happy to man the office.

  Samantha thanked God for sparing her from having to be in his presence again. She hated shirking her duties, but he got under her skin. It wasn’t so much that she was attracted to him, but he had a charm that made her doubt her ability to resist his advances. The best thing was to have as little contact as possible with him.

  It was around 10 a.m. when Samantha pulled out of the driveway and headed down the lake road into town. She glanced at the lake as she drove along admiring the pine forest that lined the lakefront and the foothills in the distance.

  As she went by the entrance to Abbot’s Cove Marina, she saw that the lot had already begun to fill with daily customers renting boating equipment. Ed, the owner, waved as she passed.

  She followed Sleepy Creek Rd past the boat storage facility, firehouse, and local nursery. The traffic was starting to pick up the closer she got to town. Just as she entered the intersection, the light turned red.

  As she waited, a mother entered the crosswalk pushing a stroller with a young toddler in tow. She smiled at Samantha. At the corner, an older gray-haired man made his way into the ice cream shop with a young boy by his side. Yeah, it was a typical day in Shadow Lake.

  Samantha pulled up in front of the realty office. No customers waited to greet her. She had made it back in time to open.