Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (3 page)

“I have a feeling today may be the beginning of a new trend for you,” he said.

He watched the pulse in her neck pick up its pace dramatically as she soaked in the meaning of his words. A few easy, or perhaps
uneasy
, moments passed as he gazed at her.

Chapter Two

As I mentioned before, I always plant a small pumpkin patch in
June so I can decorate my porch in October. Autumn is my favorite season because of all of the lovely colors nature brings forth. It’s an especially beautiful season here in Bonita Creek because of our mountain elevation and the ideal temperature changes we experience. We have many maple, sycamore, sweet gum, gingko, liquid amber, and oak trees that put on quite a show of color throughout the autumn months. Personally, I also like autumn because it isn’t so hot during the day, and the evenings and mornings are cool.”

Abruptly she asked, “Would you care for some more fruit or another muffin, maybe?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks for sharing your garden’s bounty with me. It was nice to meet you.” After a brief awkward silence, he stood and pushed in his chair. “I need to be on my way and let you get back to your gardening.” Thinking with his heart instead of his brain, he heard himself offer, “Would you like me to come back another morning when it’s not so hot to help you dig out the whatever it is over there and move it wherever it is you want it moved?”

Robin laughed. “Hydrangea. It’s a vintage hydrangea bush. And thank you, but no, you don’t need to return to help me move it.”

“It’s no trouble.”

“I’d enjoy having you stop by for a visit, but you won’t be helping me move the hydrangea. I’ve decided I like it perfectly well in the spot where it’s been thriving for the past fifty years. However, can I interest you in helping me spread compost in the back garden?” She laughed.

He bowed and tipped an imaginary top hat, “Jeffrey David Clarke at your service, ma’am.”

“How about next Saturday?”

“Saturday’s good.”

“Why not come early for breakfast before we start working, say eight o’clock?”

“Sounds like a good plan. This time I’ll bring a hat and some work gloves.”

“Thanks for helping me out. I’m happy you stopped by today.”

“Thanks for the delicious snacks.” He gestured toward the remnants of the snacks. “I enjoyed our chat. I’m hoping it’ll be a whole lot cooler next Saturday morning than it is right now.”

“I’m not a fan of the heat either. I can guarantee with almost one hundred percent certainty it
will
be cooler next weekend than it is right now.”

Jeff went down the steps and made his way along the garden walkway through the gate to the sidewalk. He slowed as he approached the street corner and turned briefly to wave to Robin who smiled at him from her porch.

~*~

Robin plopped into her porch chair with a giant sigh and smiled at her unexpected thoughts. Her mind was racing as she realized she was experiencing emotions she hadn’t felt in a long time. There was a mixture of the positive impression of a man along with a smidgen of hope for something more long-term. Her mind meandered along the slippery path of ‘what if’s’ before she shoved the thought away. She barely knew the man, but she most definitely wanted to get to know him a whole lot better.

Wanting to make next weekend’s breakfast memorable, she began concocting a menu. Her guest appeared to have a good appetite from the amount of food he had put away today. People raved about her strawberry French toast and homemade chunky applesauce. She’d serve hot tea and cranberry juice and offer to make her guest an omelet if he wanted one of those. She’d check her cupboards, freezer, and fridge for ingredients in case she needed to make a trip to the market before it closed for the evening.

As she cleared the porch table and walked back into her cottage, her mind jumped to the weather. Since they’d be working in the rear garden, Robin decided to serve breakfast on the wooden picnic table on her brick patio. The table rested under the shade of another giant oak tree and would be a cool place to begin the day.

Her thoughts strayed back to Jeff Clarke as she unloaded the tray. His masculine face and voice permeated her mind. She hesitated as positive thoughts were crowded out by fear. The well-known and uncomfortable anxiety of venturing into unknown territory was alive and well. Her lack of confidence and experience in the area of healthy relationships with men struck her full force and she gripped the counter for support. Apprehension at the prospect of entertaining Jeff again filled her.

She’d been so caught up in the optimistic atmosphere of the afternoon she blindly accepted his offer to help with the yard work. Knowing she’d appear rude and inconsiderate if she withdrew her invitation for breakfast, she decided to forge ahead with her plans for the menu. She took a moment to scold herself for her lifelong practice of speaking impulsively before thinking through things in a calm manner. As a child, her mother had continually warned Robin nothing good ever came from rushing into things.

Her mind was a jumble of thoughts when she suddenly remembered she hadn’t even asked her new acquaintance what type of work he did or how long he’d been living in Bonita Creek. She hadn’t intended to dominate the conversation, but he had steered their chatter away from himself and back to Robin’s life.

After washing her face and throwing on some clean clothes, Robin rushed over to Henry’s Health Food Market. She’d forgotten to pick up some of Miss Praise’s favorite cat food and she was out of eggs and bottled water. After grabbing her items, she got in the checkout line where her best friend and cousin, Penny Ralston, was cashiering.

“Hey, Robbie. I haven’t seen you in ages.” Penny was a sweet, quiet twenty-six year old with waist-length wavy honey blonde hair and expressive green eyes. Their mothers were sisters, and the two cousins had been close since Robin moved to Bonita Creek. Penny was the one and only person who called Robin, ‘Robbie.’

Robin debated whether or not to mention Jeff Clarke to her cousin. Although it might be premature to share details about her new acquaintance with her cousin, she did need to talk about these new feelings she was experiencing. The two had always shared their innermost secrets with each other.

“Hey, there. I’ve been using my ‘spring break’ from the library to get caught up on some gardening chores at home. It seems I never have time to work in my gardens the way I’d like when I’m working full-time.”

“I was going to call you tonight. Would you like to go to lunch and maybe catch a matinee tomorrow?”

“I’ve got plans for tomorrow. I have a million errands and chores to take care of. Can we make a date for Sunday right after church?” Penny gave her a questioning look.

“Call me tomorrow night when you get off work and I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

Penny’s eyes shone with interest. “Sure. I’ll check the movie listings and call to make plans and chat. Any movie you’d like to see?”

“No, anything is fine. I’m looking forward to spending some down time getting caught up on all of your news, Penny.”

Even though Robin knew she appeared unusually scattered and distracted, Penny didn’t pry. She didn’t even wait to receive her change from the twenty-dollar bill she’d used to pay for the groceries before scurrying out of the store. She was halfway home before she remembered.

Robin was relieved Penny hadn’t pumped her for details about her day in front of the market’s staff and other customers. She was certain her conservative, cautious younger cousin would lecture her about inviting strangers into her home.
Perhaps Penny should warn me about letting strangers into my heart!
While she was putting her purchases in the fridge, her overloaded mind drifted again to this afternoon’s chance meeting with Jeff Clarke.

Chapter Three

Robin’s Saturday morning was busy.
Her arms were loaded with shopping bags as she walked through the door of the hardware store. She nearly bumped into Jeff Clarke as he exited the store.

“Excuse me. Oh, hi, Robin,” Jeff said. “Good to see you again so soon.” He noticed her cheeks colored at his remark.

“Hello, Jeff.”

“I stopped in to get some light bulbs and lost track of time. I think I’ve been in here for over an hour. I’ve always been fascinated with hardware,” he laughed.

“Home repairs aren’t my favorite hobby, but I need to pick up a few things. One of the joys of being a homeowner I guess. Nice seeing you again.” Robin continued into the store. Jeff grabbed the door and turned to follow her.

“Hey, Robin. Want to grab a smoothie and go for a walk in the park? You can bring me up to date on all the Bonita Creek news or history or whatever.”

“Uh, sure. A smoothie sounds good. Let me put these bags in my car, and I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll meet you at the Juice Junction in a few.”

“Okay.”

Wonders never cease, do they?
Robin thought as she opened her trunk and stored her bags.
She felt her mood brighten as she walked back to the juice shop to meet with Jeff Clarke for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

~*~

“What’ll you have? My treat.” Jeff grinned at her when she stepped up to the entrance of the Juice Joint.

“I love anything with strawberry in it,” Robin said. “If it has watermelon in it too, well it’s just heavenly. A medium-sized cup is fine.”

“A mid-sized strawberry and watermelon it is then.”

Robin sat at a small round table while Jeff placed their order.

“The lady’ll have a mid-sized strawberry and watermelon. I’ll have an extra large Tropical Delight. Make those to go, please.”

The server whipped up the drinks, put lids on the cups, and placed them in a cardboard tray with straws, spoons, and napkins alongside. Jeff paid cash and thanked the server. As he turned around his eyes caught Robin’s.

“I splurged and got myself an extra large. I ran six miles this morning, and since I’m a growing boy I need my nourishment.”

Robin laughed as she stood.

“To the park and beyond,” Jeff joked.

When she laughed again she realized how long it had been since she had felt as light and carefree as she did right now.

“You okay?” Jeff leaned down and asked quietly.

“Never better,” Robin replied. “Never better.”

~*~

Robin put on her sunglasses as they headed toward the park across the street. “Ready for the official tour now?” she asked.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“This is Veterans Memorial Park. My Grandpa John Chaplin’s name is on the World War II memorial wall here. He was in the Marines and was wounded in Europe. I think it was in France. After he recuperated, he applied to the Army. He worked in intelligence at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. until the war ended. He worked on codes and communications.”

“Sounds like a smart man.”

“He was. He was intelligent, clever, compassionate, and kind. I was blessed to have him as my grandfather.”

“Is this all right?” Jeff gestured to a bench engulfed with shade.

“Yes, it’s nice and cool here.”

They both sat down and then Jeff handed Robin her ice-cold smoothie. She slid the straw through the lid and took her first sip.

“Delicious. Thanks a lot.”

“You’re welcome. Tell me more about your family.” Jeff sat back with his legs stretched in front of him and began sipping his smoothie through his straw.

“My grandparents raised me from the time I was fourteen. My mother had recently died of colon cancer after a lengthy battle. My dad was an emotional wreck after mom died. We appeared on his parents’ doorstep in Bonita Creek one July afternoon about three months after mom’s death. He asked his parents to look after me while he tried to ‘find himself.’

“I wonder what he meant by that?”

“It meant it was the last time any of us ever saw my father. While on the old highway heading toward Oregon, where I guess he thought he would find himself, he was involved in a single car collision. He ran head-on into a huge redwood tree standing next to the roadway.”

“That must have been rough on you and your grandparents.”

Robin nodded. “Although it was never proven to be a suicide, my Grandma Estelle always believed the unexplained accident was her son’s clumsy method of finding himself.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Jeff said.

“Thank you. My Grandpa John firmly believed the Lord had called his only child home to be with his one true love, my mother, Carol. I was too young then to understand what to believe beyond the plain fact that I’d been torn from my comfortable life and was now an orphan.”

“What a sad story,” Jeff interrupted.

Robin looked over at him before continuing. “I felt abandoned. I was placed into a strange small-town life with no friends and nothing familiar besides the loving, kind faces of my grandma and grandpa. I was their only grandchild. With immense patience and unconditional love, they inspired me to possess a strong desire to follow God’s path for my life.”

“What happened to your grandparents?”

“While I was away at college, my grandpa collapsed and died at the age of eighty-eight while tending his vegetable garden. A few years later, Grandma Estelle died unexpectedly in her sleep after a day we spent pouring over seed and plant catalogs together.”

“Now they’re both gone,” he said.

“Yes. I lived with my grandma in her cottage at the time of her passing. It was a shock to find her lifeless body that awful morning. She’d always been such a vibrant person. I miss her every day.” Robin wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Is the house where you live now their home?” Jeff asked.

“Yes. The cottage and gardens became mine through their generosity and planning. You know, I’ll probably never leave the cottage to live anywhere else. I have everything I need or want right here in Bonita Creek.”

“It’s awesome you found your home while you’re so young. I’m still searching for my true home,” Jeff said.

They finished their smoothies, dumped their trash, and walked the trail around the park. When they returned to the bench where they began their walk, Robin turned to Jeff.

“This was a great idea. Thanks for the smoothie and for the walk. It was fun.”

“I had a good time, too,” Jeff grinned.

“Well, I’m off to finish my errands. See you soon.” She waved as she walked toward her car.

“Yeah, thanks for the tour, Robin. Catch you later. I’ll be there bright and early Saturday morning to work in your garden with you.” Jeff watched Robin walk away.
I’m feeling really good about this new friendship with Robin Bennett.
He turned to head back to his rental home and soon heard himself whistling a happy tune.

~*~

As Robin headed back to her car she realized she still didn’t know anything about Jeff Clarke besides his name. He’d managed to keep her talking about her life today. She drove the short distance home and was relaxing after eating a light lunch when her phone rang. The screen displayed ‘Penny’ so she answered it quickly.

“Hey, Robbie. Do you still want to take in a movie tomorrow after church?”

“Hi, Penny. Sounds good. Got any ideas?”

“A romantic comedy just opened up at the BC Theater. It got good reviews, and it’s rated PG-13. Just our style. I could use a few laughs.”

Robin chuckled. “You aren’t the only one, cousin. Let’s see that one. Do you want to meet for lunch beforehand? It’s your turn to choose the restaurant.”

“How about La Reyna? I feel like some super spicy, delicious Mexican food.”

“I’m craving a plate of their huevos rancheros. Meet you there around 11:30 tomorrow?”

“I’ll be there, but I’ll probably catch up with you at church beforehand.” Penny hesitated before continuing, “You seemed really distracted when I saw you at the market yesterday afternoon. Are you all right?”

“I had something weird happen with a man recently.”

“Weird? Weird, how? Did someone hurt you or bother you?” Penny’s rising voice told Robin she was causing her cousin to panic. Her cousin’s imagination tended to run wild with worry and concern. Not wanting to cause her best friend any more distress, Robin decided to divulge her interactions with and feelings about Jeff Clarke.

“No one hurt or bothered me. I didn’t mean to alarm you. Here’s what happened. Yesterday afternoon I was working in my front yard trying to dig out one of Grandma’s hydrangeas so I could move it to the other side of the garden. A guy I’d never met before stopped at the gate and talked to me. I ended up inviting him up to the front porch for refreshments. We had a nice, but brief conversation mostly about my gardens.”

“Was he creepy?”

“No, he was a complete gentleman. His name is Jeff Clarke. He’s attractive and clean-cut. I really liked him. Actually, I liked him more than I’ve liked anyone since Thomas.”

“Amazing. Go on.”

“After we talked for a few minutes he got restless and got up to leave. I guess it was too hot on the porch for him or maybe I was boring him with details about my gardening. He offered to come back next Saturday morning to help me with the backyard. So we agreed he would come over around eight o’clock for breakfast before we began working.”

“Nothing’s wrong with meeting someone new.”

“No, you’re right. But besides his name I don’t know anything about him.”

“Maybe he’s just shy like me.”

“He doesn’t act like he’s shy. Anyways, there’s more.”

“Spill it.”

“Today I ran into him on the way into the hardware store. He was just as friendly as could be and treated me to a smoothie. We took a walk around the park. It was nice.”

“But . . .”

“But I still don’t know anything about him except for his name.”

“Maybe he’s trying really hard to impress you by showing an interest in your life,” Penny offered.

Robin digested that thought and answered, “I guess you could be right. I don’t know; it’s just unusual to meet someone who doesn’t talk about themselves at all. I guess I’m suspicious for no good reason. Maybe I read too many detective novels.”

“Try to enjoy it while it lasts, and don’t read too much into anything he says or does at this point, Miss Marple. Promise?”

Robin laughed. “I promise. See you tomorrow, Penny.”

“Bye.”