Coincidences: #3 Diana & Anya

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  Chapter Nine

  Diana dug out her back pack and drawing case, selecting one large drawing pad, several pencils and sharpener. She moved her camera into her pack along with her wallet, two swim suits, extra pair of her new cargo shorts and shirts and a light jacket. She stood at her easel, adding some of the new color she’d mixed to the flowers dotting the meadow. She glanced at the screen of her computer when it pinged, the message popping up telling her nothing was required but their presence.

  She frowned and trotted lightly down the stairs to the lodge. She wore a pair of canvas shoes, perfect for boat decks. Bella understood her request perfectly. It was always polite to bring something when invited, she thought, taking the large box of fresh Danish with a satisfied nod, frowning only when Bella refused payment.

  She had her backpack, drawing case and Danish waiting when Gideon pulled into the parking lot, stopping in front of the gift shop. Diana opened the back door and slid her things inside, slapping at his hand when he moved to lift the lid of the box, the sweet scent filling the inside of the SUV.

  “Hey…the driver should be tipped,” he growled when she raised her palm again as she climbed into the passenger’s seat. “Alright. Fine. Starve me.”

  “It’s eleven AM…I know you ate breakfast. I can smell the coffee,” she looked down at the cup in the holder between them. She pulled her sun glasses from her head and buckled herself into the seat.

  He just smiled. Today she wore crème colored knee length shorts, a bright green tee shirt topped with a sunshine yellow tank top and deck shoes. He noticed she wore little to no makeup and no jewelry except a pair of simple diamonds in her ears.

  “You aren’t a waitress in the lodge, are you, Diana?”

  “No…I never said I was,” she looked at him with a frown. “Where did you….oh, ‘cause I was helping Bella that day you followed me. No…I live above the gift shop for now. And I paint. Bella calls me her resident artist. I’m working on a nice painting of the lodge for Bella. She wants paintings of the local surroundings…I caught some wonderful shots of an eagle the day at the lake that I can’t wait to start on,” she paused. “Does it matter? I mean about where I work or….or what I do?”

  “Not to me, it doesn’t.”

  “I like helping Bella…and I’ve discovered I’m a very good waitress,” she said with a satisfied nod.

  “I can’t help but think you’d be very good at whatever you set your mind to, Diana,” Gideon took her hand in his. He liked holding hands with her. He could smell flowers again.

  “You say sweet things.”

  “It’s part of my country boy training. Difficult to haul a girl off to your farm if you don’t sweet talk her first,” Gideon liked the tinkling sound of her laughter.

  “When does your teaching begin? Are you nervous? Will you have your own text book?” Diana shifted to watch him as he drove, his laughter deep and warm.

  “A short eight week course begins the middle of June. Working on my outline now. No text book, but lots of articles and reading in a short period of time. Lots of examples of American companies using American labor and manufacturing and thriving, both the company, the owners and the employees. I think the sixteen week course in the fall will be more encompassing,” Gideon explained thoughtfully. “I’m hoping it’ll be a combination about financials and maintaining or developing a conscience.”

  “You sound dismayed,” Diana heard his sigh.

  “What the school says they want to present and what students are willing to attend…is the world ready to change?”

  “Maybe not the world, but maybe a little piece of it at a time, Gideon. If I only learned one thing in therapy, it’s that you are not the only person with those thoughts, ideas or beliefs. So if you believe a conscience is key to prospering and for the recovery of the US economy, there must be others,” Diana had been staring out the front window when the SUV came to a stop in the marina parking lot. For a long minute, she thought she had said something wrong, her eyes up and meeting a curious pair of dark amber watching her.

  Until her gaze fell on her dark haired cousin furiously pacing the wooden planks that led to the moored boats.

  “Uh-oh…this can’t be good,” Diana unclipped her seat belt and jumped from the SUV, walking swiftly to Jane and the harried looking Damian. “Problem?”

  “Morning, Diana,” Damian leaned against the heavy railing, watching Jane pace.

  “No, oh no, of course not…my stomach hurts…” Jane said with a growl. “This can only go three ways. They like me a little, they tolerate me…”

  “Jane…”

  “Or they do everything possible to keep me out of your life,” she concluded as if he hadn’t spoken.

  “Jane,” Damian began again, his sigh tired.

  “She’s basically right,” Diana said cautiously. “The key is to be nice, be yourself and see which direction they lean.”

  “My mother is not going to…to…she’s not the sort to interfere with…”

  “You are her son. Her only son,” Jane tried explaining softly. “Mothers are highly protective.”

  “And Jane is the woman stepping into your life,” Diana saw Gideon come up to them, the males exchanging wry looks.

  “There is room in my life for both women…I’m a versatile kinda guy!” Damian was getting dizzy watching her pace. “Will you slow down…you’re making me nuts.” He stepped forward, his hands out to grip her shoulders firmly. “Look at me, honey. I’m thirty-five years old. I’ve spent the last fifteen years living in the San Diego area. She’s my mom, but she’s not my life coach. Don’t you understand how important you are to me?” He groaned when he saw sunlight glinting off the dark eyes filling with moisture. Damian pulled her against him, his head next to her ear.

  “Awww…” one of Diana’s palms went to her lips, waving off the tears she felt forming. “Okay…I’ve got an idea…we proceed with a positive outlook…if things look like they’re…not…they’re going less than…hmm…less than healthy…Damian will say there’s something wrong with the boat and bring us all back to shore, to part ways until things can be ironed out to try again. How’s that?”

  Jane raised her head with a slight nod. “Yes…yes, I like that…”

  “Now wait a minute…” Damian looked from one woman to the other. “And who makes the assessment…”

  “I will. I don’t have a stake in the relationship,” Diana said easily.

  “You are her cousin,” Gideon mentioned carefully.

  “I’m quite capable of being neutral,” Diana assured them with a bright smile. “So…okay?”

  “Alright,” Jane stepped back, her head up with a nod. “Yes…that’s good…I can live with that. C’mon, I’ll show you around the boat…”

  “I…” Damian opened and closed his mouth, Gideon’s palm slapping on his shoulder.

  Gideon chuckled, Damian groaned and Diana and Jane turned and came back to the men. The sound of a car door echoed and mixed with all the other noise of a Friday afternoon.

  “Not to worry,” Diana stepped forward, fingers up in the air at the opening mouths. “Please, gentlemen, allow me. I’ve been trained for this…” Long legs briskly carried her to the parking lot. “Dr. Brandt? My name is Diana May. We’ve been looking forward to your joining us today.” Her palm was up and clasp the older woman’s hand warmly. “I am so happy to finally meet you! Damian has told us so much about you.”

  Three stunned people watched the tableau unfolding in the parking area. It was like watching the reigning Miss America court the dignitaries from another country.

  “Did you bring a bag with you?” Diana gestured to the car, the door opened and a nice gym bag was brought out.

  Gideon chuckled and took off at a trot. “I’ll play bell hop.”

  “Oh, thank you, Gideon Adams, this is Dr. Jennifer Brandt, Damian and Jane are waiting for us on the boat. They were making certain your stateroom was ready for you. It’s a fantastic ship, with privat
e baths and an enormous galley.”

  Gideon shook hands and took the bag from Diana, following behind them. Jennifer Brandt spoke quietly, softly in answer to Diana’s running dialogue.

  “I think we’re going to have the most fantastic weather for the cruise. I’m hoping we can convince Damian to stop on Friday Harbor and Orcas Island not to mention the shopping in Anacortes. If we had our passports, we might have gone on to Victoria. But perhaps next time.”

  Damian watched his mother smile and interact, a sign she was relaxing. Jane, on the other hand, was tense as could be.

  “You never told me you had a yacht, Damian!” She stepped forward, hugging her son tightly. She was a little shorter than he, with hair the color of sparkling champagne. Diana noticed she wore glasses that shifted color with the sun, raising them to reveal bright green eyes a lighter shade than Damian’s.

  “I don’t care for the term, I just call her my sailboat,” Damian stepped back, his arm around Jane. “Mom, this is Jane Foster. Jennifer Brandt.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Dr. Brandt,” Jane said quietly.

  “And we can hit all the shopping ports, Diana…I’m sure Jane and my mother will enjoy the break from the ship.” He watched the women shake hands, each wary of the other.

  “Your parents decided not to come along on the cruise, Dr. Brandt?” Diana asked, remembering how Jane was when she first came to the house.

  “Please, call me Jennifer. I get ‘doctored’ so much all day long. I think I just want to be Damian’s mom this weekend. It’s been a very long time since I was just that,” she reminisced with a smile at her son. It was impossible to miss the affection in his face for the young woman at his side. That made her sigh. He was happy.

  “I imagine he’s changed a great deal since skinned knees and lizards,” Diana laughed softly.

  “He doesn’t bring home lizards any more, to be sure,” Jennifer said with a glance at the quiet Jane. “And no…previous question. My parents decided they were too old to be climbing around on a boat.”

  “Mom, you should have given me a call. I could have sent them a photo and maybe convinced them this was different,” Damian walked slowly up the ramp, leading the way onto the boat.

  “Oh, they’re quite happy to just sit, watch TV and enjoy the patio,” her palm flicked through the air, her gaze slowly taking in all the top deck of the large sailing ship. “Maybe one night this week we could have a cook out at the house…”

  “I start the new job this week,” Damian winced. “I’m not sure when I’ll be free to make it.”

  “Friday?”

  “Oh, we have Diana’s showing this Friday,” Jane finally cleared her throat.

  “Of which you and your parents are more than welcome to attend. Olivia will have a wonderfully catered buffet afterwards for friends and family,” Diana told her with a bright smile.

  “That’s what you do? You’re an artist?” Jennifer finally stopped and appraised the young blonde.

  “I am,” Diana said proudly. “And my first ever showing is next Friday at five.”

  “Amazing paintings,” Gideon said warmly, tugging Diana back against him, he dropped a heated kiss on the bare expanse of her throat.

  “If you don’t think the gallery would be fun, how about coming out to our house on Saturday? I can make dinner and we can enjoy the patio and hot tub,” Jane offered with a smile, slowly, very slowly unwinding the taut nerves.

  “Your house?” She looked from Jane to her son.

  “We bought a house a little while ago,” Damian said easily. “I emailed you the address and home phone number.”

  “What do you do to make a living?” Jennifer looked at Diana and then Jane. “Are you an artist, too?” Her gaze went pointedly to the purple and black rose on Jane’s shoulder cap.

  “I’m a computer programmer. I specialize in security issues for a private company located in Des Moines.”

  “Computers?” Jennifer began walking toward the stairs, her arm looped with Jane’s. “I wish I could smuggle you into my office to look at the idiot unit they set up for my notes. I keep telling them it’s not working right, but they can’t find the time for me. I think they believe I don’t know what I’m talking about,” She said as they walked.

  “I could easily check your office unit for you. Might be something there I can help along,” Jane watched her as they settled at the table.

  “I devised my own work around – I took my laptop and transfer the files through the email system to the receptionist.”

  “That’s a good solution,” Jane complimented with a nod. “The problem with staffing is egos get bent if they think someone is trying to prove there is a problem when they’ve already assured everyone there’s nothing wrong.”

  Jennifer’s sigh was heavy. “Egos. Seriously, I deal with them all day. The hospital is filed with them. I’m thinking of joining that new group that’s formed, health care with gym like memberships. More time doing what I enjoyed.”

  “Seems to be a time of change for a lot of us,” Jane commented with a nod of understanding. “It can’t be enjoyable to be dictated to by bureaucratic insurance people with no idea of how the human in your office actually feels.”

  Chapter Ten

  Damian, Gideon and Diana stood on the deck, half listening.

  “I believe it’s safe to set sail, Captain,” Diana said with a soft chuckle. “No signs of storms on the horizon at all.”

  “Where’d you learn to do all the fast chatter stuff?” Damian moved to the wheel, hands turning the engine key over.

  “Please…I’ve been to so many schools for that crap…not to mention political rallies, charity functions and god knows what else I’ve been dragged to through the years. The gentle art of direction and misdirection,” she said with a brilliant smile.

  “Well, whatever it is, I thank you and owe you, Diana,” Damian said with a firm nod. “Jane was…”

  “I know,” Diana answered softly. “She was like that at the house that first time. It’s not easy meeting new people for some. For others it’s nothing special, just another day, I guess. I’m going to sit out there on the point and draw,” she lifted her case and carefully moved over the solid deck.

  “Gabe tells me you’re accepting the offer,” Damian kept one eye on the women below deck, the other on the open expanse of ocean before him.

  “It’s perfect. Just what I wanted,” Gideon, leaned back, arms crossed over his chest. “I can do what I like with the venture capital portion and check out being an instructor at the local community college.”

  “Then we all get what works…funny how that happens,” he mused, shaking his head with a dark haired beauty headed up the stairs. “You’re smiling. Means I get to live another day.”

  “Ha-ha,” Jane wrinkled her nose at him but wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a long, slow kiss. “She’s nice…funny…smart…and exploring her cabin. Oh…and you’re in trouble for not letting her know you bought a boat.”

  “Nag, nag, nag,” brought laughter from Gideon and Jane.

  “And for not letting her know you were moving north,” Jane added, leaving her shoes by the wheel and draping her shorts on a knob before striding to the back to stretch out in the sunshine. “Oh and for not being more informative about your love life and the house.”

  “I’m sure I don’t have any secrets left,” but Damian was grinning broadly when the music filtered from below.

  “You’re staring,” Diana said after a long couple minutes, one knee bent and camera aimed and scanning the waters. Small colored houses; sailboats, fishing boats and even a few jet skis fit into her lens.

  “You do that to me,” Gideon leaned on the opposite corner of the point, feet up and arms stretched along the rail behind him. “Why did you tell her you were a waitress?”

  “It’s an honorable career,” Diana answered with half a shrug. “And it beats admitting to being a trust fund baby…”

  “That seems to b
other you.”

  “It didn’t used to,” she lowered the camera and slid it into her case. “It was just…just life. My mother and her parents left me a trust fund. I was fortunate that way.”

  “You are a good waitress,” Gideon teased.

  “You were willing to date me, knowing my chosen career,” she slipped her shoes off and set her case on the deck, slender form stretching out on the comfortable cushions.

  “I’m a risk taking kind of guy. Who wants some serious face time,” Gideon announced, sitting upright and swinging her feet to the deck. Before she had time to more than open her mouth and eyes wide, he swung her legs to the deck, and lifted her by the waist to stand up. Guiding her quickly, he placed one knee on either side of his thighs and urged her on his lap. “Much better.”

  “This caveman thing takes some adjusting to,” Diana blinked in the return of sunshine. She held up one palm, thumb and finger half an inch apart. “I was this far…this far…from dozing off…”

  “Good thing I move fast then, huh?” Gideon settled his palms at her waist, assuring the sane male half of him that this was, indeed, a good idea. “I know about the first marriage,” he sighed when the light faded a little from her eyes. “The second?”

  “I was stupid and evidently had not learned a wink from the first excursion,” Diana let her hands fall into the space between them. “The divorce went through very quickly and was final a little over six months ago. And before you hear it from anyone else, I took every single penny of my community property,” she informed him with small bared teeth.

  Gideon heard the hurt and anger in her words, deciding he didn’t want to know right now.

  “So why did you tell Jennifer you were a waitress?”

  “Perhaps to help her realize that we aren’t a couple of females out to scam the young handsome rich guys,” Diana said honestly. “It’s what a mom would think…especially given the cost of this boat.”