Drive and Determination (24 page)

            Elyssa leaned over and whispered to her aunt. “I hope Mr. Fitzpatrick won’t be upset, but even though there isn’t a budget to worry about, I’m not planning to buy from the most expensive stores. I think I can get the same items from a place like this for half the cost and I like the service much better.”
            “If he doesn’t appreciate your financial prudence, I certainly do. No sense in throwing away money just to be able to say the house was furnished by a particular store.”
            They gathered up the fabric samples and Elyssa took them to Mr. Jones. She gave him her driver’s and decorator’s licenses and Emily’s letter and business card so he could complete the check-out form. As she stood at the counter, she looked around her, admiring the eclectic array of both antique and modern furniture and accessories.
            She suddenly had a thought. “Do you have any porch swings here or do you know where I can find some nice ones?”
            “As a matter of fact, we do have one! Follow me!”
            He placed the fabric samples in a bag and handed them to Elyssa, then took them to a back corner of the store. “We picked this up a few days ago at an estate sale. It needs a little sanding and refinishing, which I had planned to do myself, but other than that, it’s in great condition. If you want it, just tell me what you want done and I can have it for you in a couple of days. Refinishing is my specialty! Most of the antiques you see here I have restored.”
            “And I can see that you do an excellent job,” Elyssa commended him.
            Elyssa turned her eyes back on the swing and smiled as she ran her fingers lightly over the wood. I think it will look striking with a dark wooden stain. Can you do that?”
            “That’s what I had planned to do with it. I need to replace the chain and I’ll throw in the fixtures to hang it up. Would Thursday be soon enough for you?”
            “That’s great!” Elyssa said and exchanged a grin with her aunt. She made arrangements to have it delivered directly to the house.
            She liked this store. She was eager to come back and leisurely walk through, looking at the selection of furniture they had in stock and glean any ideas they may have. She appreciated the kindness of Mr. Jones, who told her he could order anything that the larger stores carried. Elyssa was anxious to meet his wife and knew she would be coming back here.
            Despite her disappointment at not being able to see Will earlier that day, and knowing it would be a week before she did, Elyssa couldn’t help but feel elation. The joy and fulfillment she felt in actually doing work that she enjoyed surprised even her.
            She and her aunt talked all the way home about their afternoon. Now that Elyssa was actually “getting her feet wet” in the actual design process, her excitement mounted. When her uncle returned home from work that evening, he graciously and patiently listened to a recap of Elyssa’s first day as a designer.

*~*~*

            Elyssa spent the rest of the week choosing color for the paint, tile and flagstone to finish the living room and fireplace, and went back a couple more times to the little store. With each decision she made, she passed it on to Emily, who in turn, passed it to Richard Fitzpatrick. She always received an OK on it by the next day.
            On Thursday, Elyssa stayed at the house all day, awaiting the arrival of the porch swing. After thoughtful consideration, she decided she would put it at an angle at the corner of the porch so a view of the front and the side of the house could be enjoyed. She was almost as excited about the porch swing as anything.
            Another delivery that Mr. Jones brought along with him was a large area rug that Elyssa had selected from his store. It was one of the finer brands and had all the colors in it that she had chosen to work with. Once he had the rug down on the beautiful hardwood floors and the swing was installed, Elyssa felt as though that was all that was needed to give the house a warm and welcoming look.
            She found herself in new territory, though, ensuring that the sub-contractors were doing everything exactly as she desired, checking each order that arrived to make sure it was accurate, and then having to deal with some difficult people when things didn’t arrive on time or as ordered. By Thursday night she was tired and decided taking the tour of Pemberleo Coffee on Friday would be a diversion she could well justify.

Chapter 23

           
On Friday, Elyssa and Maddy planned to meet Edward in Chicago at the Pemberleo plant for the one o’clock tour. He was working at a job nearby in the city and decided that rather than come all the way home and go back, he would meet up with them there.
            Elyssa was required to be at the house that morning to oversee some work that should have taken only an hour or two to finish. When some mistakes were made, she insisted that it be redone and she called to tell her aunt she wasn’t sure when she’d get back. A quick call to Edward alerted him to the delay and so he decided he would run some errands and then join them for the three o’clock tour.
            It wasn’t until almost one o’clock that Elyssa finally walked through her aunt’s door. She had never been so glad to finally get away. It hadn’t been so much a problem of poor workmanship, but of not fully understanding what she wanted. She hated the fact that she had inconvenienced her uncle, but her aunt assured her he had plenty to keep him busy in the city as he waited their arrival.
            “Don’t worry about it, Elyssa,” her aunt assured her. “He’s used to being flexible. I change my mind so often that he doesn’t put anything on his calendar until after it happens!”
            Elyssa laughed as she considered how different her aunt and uncle were from each other, yet they complimented one another wonderfully. “I have enjoyed being with you so much this past week. I can’t imagine what it would have been like doing this job here without really knowing anyone. It’s nice to come home after a full day’s work and relax and laugh with people you really care about.”
            “I’m glad we were here for you, too, Elyssa. Although if we weren’t,” her aunt gave her a teasing smile, “you know there would always be Mr. Denton.” Maddy chuckled. “He certainly is a handsome man -- he must have
some
redeeming qualities. Perhaps once you have paid your visit and thanked him, you’ll actually find yourself totally smitten with him.”
            Elyssa tried to sound genuine as she joined her aunt in a laugh. “Perhaps,” was all she could mutter as she turned and looked away.
            A crinkle in Maddy’s brow suggested that she had begun to ponder why it was that each time Mr. Denton’s name was mentioned, Elyssa behaved so uncharacteristically. She shook away any conjecture on the subject, though.
            Elyssa and Maddy planned their departure so they would arrive at the plant at two thirty. That would give them plenty of time and allow for any delays. They kept in touch with Edward by cell phone to let him know where they were and when they were close to arriving.
            When they came upon Pemberleo’s manufacturing plant, Elyssa was surprised at how modern and clean it looked. A sign on the door in front instructed those coming for the tour to step in and remain in the waiting room until it was time to begin. Edward was already inside.
            The room was dotted with photographs, and Elyssa recognized several as being from Guatemala. She walked around with her aunt and uncle showing them places she visited and telling them a little bit about them.
            They came to a picture of Lake Atitlan, and Elyssa could tell from the finer buildings around it, that it was taken at Panajachel.
            She laughed as she began to tell her aunt, “This is Panajachel at Lake Atitlan. It’s a beautiful place, but Will and I got caught in a most torrential downpour there.”
            Both Maddy and Edward looked at her and asked simultaneously, “Will?”
            Elyssa’s breath caught as she realized she hadn’t told a soul about his coming down to Guatemala while she was there. Before she could command herself to calm down, her fingers intertwined and she nervously began rubbing her thumbs together.
            An uncharacteristic blush tinted her cheeks as she answered as nonchalantly as she could, “Will… William Denton came down to Guatemala while I was there.”
            Maddy and Edward raised their eyebrows in unison at this news. As they walked on, they came to photographs of the line of Dentons who had held the esteemed position of President of Pemberleo.
            The last picture was of Will, and as Elyssa gazed upon it, she almost felt as though his eyes looked back at her.
            The overprotective side of Edward was aroused and he said, “I certainly hope he behaved himself around you. I can’t say I trust a man around my Elyssa who claims to be one of the top 50 bachelors in the country.”
            A nervous laugh betrayed Elyssa’s composure. “I don’t think he owns up to that claim. I rather believe it’s been more of a nuisance to him.”
            “Elyssa,” her aunt turned to her, “why didn’t you tell us you saw him down in Guatemala? Do you still find him reprehensible?”
            Elyssa let out the breath she found she had been holding. “No, not really.” A remorseful laugh brought a longing look to her eyes. “But he still has the uncanny ability to unsettle me with some of the things he says or does!”
            Maddy was prevented from asking anything further about one William Denton when a tour guide appeared and called the group together. She introduced herself as Patty and told them she had been with the company for over twenty years. She informed them that the tour would take about an hour, concluding with an opportunity to enjoy some Pemberleo coffee and pastry in their visitor’s lounge.
            Before walking out into the plant, the group of about fourteen listened with interest as Patty explained how the coffee beans were grown and harvested by small farmers, some of whom only farmed an acre of land. She shared how these farmers did almost everything themselves, sometimes with only the help of their family. She told how after harvesting, they dried the beans on large slabs of concrete for a few days before they were shipped to America.
            Elyssa couldn’t help but think of Pedro’s family.
            The tour group followed Patty out the door and down a hall. The first area they came upon was a room that they could look into through a large glass window. A handful of people were manually picking out coffee beans from a conveyor belt. In front of the window was a plaque giving a description of what could be seen in the room. Elyssa looked down to read it as Patty began to speak.
            “Most of the farmers sort through the beans before they arrive here, removing the ones of inferior quality, but inevitably some get through. Our employees know exactly what to look for and pick out the bad ones.”
            “Isn’t that terribly boring work?” asked someone on the tour.
            “Yes, and that’s why we rotate that position. We figure about an hour is about all anyone can take at a time before they begin to lose focus. We try to vary the jobs so an employee doesn’t become totally bored. When that happens, you end up with an unhappy employee and a less than superior coffee product.”
            After answering a few more questions, Patty moved the group on. They watched the conveyor belt carry the beans into the next area where they went through the roasters. Patty told everyone how the beans were subject to a variety of temperatures as they were roasted to perfection.
            As the group traversed down a long hallway, one of the women asked, “Is William Denton one of the highlights of the tour?”
            Patty laughed as though she had heard this question many times. “Well, if you had been on the one o’clock tour, you would have had the pleasure of seeing him. He was down in the tasting and packaging room. He rarely comes down to the plant so it was a surprise, but I doubt he is still there now.”
            Upon hearing this, Elyssa inhaled sharply and a look of concern colored her features. Her hand went up to the wall, as if she needed a little added support.
            Maddy looked curiously at Elyssa as several of the ladies expressed their disappointment with a round of regretful sighs.
            As the group walked toward the tasting room, everyone’s curiosity about William Denton was piqued.
            “So what is it like to have him as your boss?” the same woman asked.
            Patty stopped and turned around. “There are some who say that he is difficult to work for and that he is very demanding, but I don’t think there could be a finer boss.”
            “Yeah, and handsome, too!” called out another.
            Patty laughed. “Yes, even a woman my age can appreciate his fine features. But there is more to him than that. He truly cares for the company and its reputation of distinction. The ones who bemoan him usually are the ones who aren’t committed to excellence in their work.” With a shake of her head she continued, “They probably would complain wherever they worked.”
            Patty pointed up ahead. “Now, if there are no further questions about William Denton, let us continue on and we’ll see where samples of the coffee are tasted and packaged.”
            As they walked toward the next room, Elyssa couldn’t help but consider the fact that they had originally planned to be on the one o’clock tour. She wondered what would have happened if Will had seen her there. Obviously he had returned from Guatemala and he would have no idea that she was here.
            The tour group came to a standstill in front of a large glass window that looked out over a group of people who truly seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was very apparent to Elyssa that they were actually sampling cups of coffee.
            “In this room,” explained Patty, “a small pot of coffee is made randomly from a batch of coffee beans and then it is tasted.” She turned to the group with a smile on her face. “This certainly has got to be the toughest part of the whole job!” Everyone laughed.
            Patty continued. “Each batch of coffee is brewed and tested for taste, aroma, and texture. Anything that doesn’t meet our standards is discarded. If it does pass our exacting criterion, the coffee beans are then packaged in those machines in the back, both as full beans and ground.”
            Elyssa noticed a group of people who were gathered in a small circle. One person held a clipboard and was writing down what the others were saying. She then turned her attention to the sign below the window and began reading.
            A door opened in the tasting room and Elyssa’s eyes darted up as a gentleman walked in. Her quickening heart slowed, however, when she saw that it wasn’t Will.
            She shook her head. Obviously he was gone. She could finish the tour in peace, but she didn’t know whether she felt disappointment or relief.
            The door had begun to slowly close when it stopped and began to open again. Elyssa looked up as another person strode through. She took a small step backward into the crowd of people behind her when she realized it was Will.
            He was intently staring at a clipboard and when he lifted his hand to summon someone’s attention, his eyes casually drifted to the glass window. He came to an abrupt halt as he saw Elyssa on the other side.
            The small group of people on the tour pressed in around Elyssa as their tour guide exclaimed, “Oh, look, William Denton
is
still here!”
            Elyssa was too stunned to even move. She couldn’t bring herself to smile, nod, or even mouth a “hello.”
            Will seemed to be taken aback at seeing her, but directed a nominal nod in her direction. He then turned and ripped off the white apron he had over his suit. As he hurriedly walked out of the room, Elyssa closed her eyes as she wondered what he must be thinking about seeing her. Their last meeting had not been the most cordial.
            “Well, that was a treat, wasn’t it? Twice in one day!” Patty said. “He is a very busy man, though, and must have had something urgent come up to make him leave like that.”
            “Oh, I think he is so much more handsome in person!” said a lady who was standing behind Elyssa.
            Patty laughed. “I think he would be positively embarrassed if he heard the remarks about him that I hear from the ladies on the tours.”
            Elyssa was eager to move on and leave the plant. It was apparent that he was not happy to see her there.
            Patty explained about the final steps involved preparing the coffee to be shipped to stores and shops around the country. When she finished, she asked if there were any more questions, and when there were none, she directed the group into the lounge for their coffee and pastry.
            As Elyssa stepped through the door, she couldn’t prevent her eyes from searching for Will, thinking that out of politeness he might join them. When she saw that he was not anywhere to be seen, her heart sank in disappointment.
            “You’re welcome to stay here until five o’clock if you like,” Patty told them. “At that time, the lounge will close for the day. Thank you all for coming on the Pemberleo tour. I hope you enjoyed it. We, at Pemberleo Coffee, hope you will always look for our coffee when you shop, and if your store doesn’t carry it, we hope you will ask for it by name.”
            Elyssa felt numb as she followed the others into the small eating area. She was barely aware that Maddy had gently wrapped her hand through Elyssa’s arm, giving her a little support as they followed Edward to a table.
            When they sat down, a young lady came by with good-sized coffee mugs, plates, and silverware. She asked whether everyone wanted coffee, and when they all answered in the affirmative, she asked whether they preferred regular or decaf. She then told them that she would bring out a pot of coffee for them and a tray of pastries shortly.
            Elyssa was grateful that her uncle knew her tastes and answered for her, for she couldn’t quite concentrate on the conversation. Her attention was drawn to the door in the back of the room. Each time it opened, she turned to see who was coming in or going out.
            “Very interesting tour, don’t you think?” Edward exclaimed when the server left. “Now I know I’ll appreciate each and every good cup of coffee I drink.”
            The door opened again and Elyssa turned her eyes in its direction.
            “Yes, it was, dear,” his wife answered, giving Edward a concerned look as she tilted her head toward Elyssa. He gave his shoulders a small shrug.
            Elyssa pushed down a sense of anger -- whether it was directed at Will or herself she was not sure -- as she realized he was not going to come out to see them. Even though her heart ached, right now anger was easier for her to hide from her aunt and uncle. She decided it would be prudent for her to attend to them and their conversation.