Sweet Tomorrows (11 page)

“Nick?”

He shook the thought of her body wrapped around his from his mind. “Wouldn't count on it,” he said, unsure if it was possible to ever return to the inn while she was there.

“Oh, I hoped—”

He cut her off. “I appreciate the thought. That's private property and I shouldn't be there in the first place.”

Right away she smiled, as if discounting his concerns. “I mentioned seeing you and Elvis to Jo Marie this morning and she said she had no problem with it. You're welcome at any time.”

“It's a bad idea.” In more ways than she knew.

She blinked as if his words had wounded her. “Okay…”

They stood only a few feet apart, staring at each other.

“I should probably go.”

He nodded. Nick needed her gone before he did something stupid like pull her into his arms and hold her, let her absorb his pain, free him of the agony he had brought into his life and into his family.

“Yeah, I'm busy.”

She nodded and her eyes grew sad. Without him saying a word, she noted the shift in his mood. “Would you rather I not run on your land?”

“No, go ahead. It isn't a problem.” He reached for a hammer in order to give the impression he had work to do and her chitchat had delayed him.

She grinned then. “Good thing, or I'd ask for my cookies back.”

He smiled, having completely forgotten she'd brought him cookies.

“I appreciate you letting me see the inside of the house. It's really beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Not wanting to continue the conversation, he returned to the kitchen. When he glanced out the window, he saw Emily bending down and talking to Elvis. She looked up then, as if feeling his gaze on her. Their eyes met and she waved.

He didn't wave back.

My first date with Greg couldn't have gone better. The Saturday following the Fourth of July we drove up to Paradise on Mount Rainier in the national park and had lunch at the rustic lodge. The ride took more than two hours as we stopped at a winery along the way. It also gave us a chance to talk and become comfortable with each other.

I liked Greg. In fact, I liked him a lot and his dry wit had me laughing out loud. I don't remember the last time I actually laughed the deep belly kind that makes it hard to breathe. In addition, we seemed to share a lot of common life experiences. We were the same age, born in the same month.

We'd both lost our spouses, Greg's wife to brain cancer. Unless someone has suffered through the death of a spouse, they can't know the depth of that pain. No matter how sympathetic or compassionate one might be, only those who've walked that rut-filled path fully understand. It's like every morning you relive that loss. It never goes away completely. Yes, the world continues on, but it's not the same. Never the same.

Other than a brief conversation about his wife, Julie, and my Paul, we didn't linger over our losses. Neither of us had children, but it was understood that we were both family oriented. God willing, I would have children one day.

Greg worked for Microsoft in their educational division and had been involved in a large project with World Vision, bringing computers into schools in Kenya. The year before, he'd traveled there to deliver and set up the systems. He spoke enthusiastically about his African experiences. He'd gone believing he was helping these kids by bringing them into the twenty-first century. Instead he came away feeling they had blessed him. Working with World Vision, he told me, had helped him deal with his wife's death.

For the first time in a year, since Mark had left Cedar Cove—left me—I felt completely at ease, completely relaxed. It was as if the worries I'd carried with me all these months vanished for those few hours.

We ate an enjoyable lunch at the Paradise Inn, wandered the hiking trails up to the tree line, and then headed back to Cedar Cove. All in all it was a spirit-lifting afternoon.

When Greg dropped me off at the inn, he paused, his gaze holding mine. It almost seemed like he'd forgotten to breathe, because after an awkward moment, he let out a huge sigh and said, “I had a great time.”

“I did, too.” I thought for a minute he was about to kiss me, but then he pulled back as if he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. I wasn't sure, either. I wanted him to, and at the same time I didn't think I was ready for that small intimacy.

“I'd like to see you again.” His eyes remained locked on mine.

This whole dating thing unnerved me. I wasn't good at it and I knew Greg felt the same way.

Before I could answer, Greg chuckled and shook his head.

“What?” I asked.

“It's been so long since I've felt like this I'm getting flustered. I really meant it when I said I had a great time.”

“I really meant it, too,” I told him.

“Then you'd be willing to go out with me again?”

I nodded. “I'd enjoy that, Greg, I really would.”

A smile blossomed across his face. “Great. I'll call you later in the week, if that's all right? I need to check on something, make sure I can get us a reservation.”

“A reservation? Are you suggesting dinner?”

He grinned. “Yes and no. It's a bit more than a dinner date.”

“You aren't going to tell me?”

“Nope. Hope you like surprises.”

“Love them.”

His smile grew even bigger. “All the better. I'll let you know what I find out.”

“Perfect.” He backed away, almost as if it was hard for him to leave me.

I stood on the porch and watched him walk to where he'd parked his car. Emily let Rover out and my dog stepped over to my side and kept his focus squarely on Greg. Rover didn't bark. Instead, he studied Greg as if confused that there might be a man in my life other than Mark.

I hadn't mentioned Mark; I wasn't sure what I would tell Greg about him. I didn't know how to explain that I'd fallen in love after Paul and had lost him, too. When I told Greg that I hadn't dated, it was the truth. Mark's and my relationship hadn't involved dating. He'd never taken me out to dinner or a movie. Our entire relationship revolved around his work at the inn. We'd kissed only a couple times, and while those kisses had rocked my world, they happened just before Mark headed to Iraq.

My life had enough tragedy, enough complications, without piling it on this early in my relationship with Greg. When he left, Mark had insisted that I get on with my life. If he did return, and I desperately prayed that he would, then he couldn't fault me for following his advice. I was moving on, and I hoped to do it with Greg.

Emily was waiting for me when I came into the house, Rover at my heels. “So how was it?” she asked.

“Really great.” A surge of happiness settled over me. It took a moment to identify the feeling, as it was foreign to me. The feeling was euphoric and left me slightly light-headed.

“Wow, it must have been. Look at that huge smile you're wearing.”

I didn't realize it showed or that it was obvious. “Greg is a great guy.”

Having Emily stay at the inn as my boarder had some unexpected bonuses. Two guests had arrived while I was out and she took care of meeting them and escorting them to their rooms. If not for her willingness to fill in for me, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to spend the day with Greg. The inn was booked solid over the weekend. Guests had arrived on Friday and early Saturday. The last couple arrived mid-afternoon.

“How was your day?” I asked once we'd settled on the porch with iced tea.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. I went running this afternoon.”

She'd helped me serve breakfast, which I'd appreciated. Without my ever asking, Emily willingly pitched in to help with breakfast on the days when all the rooms were occupied. “Did you run through the orchard?” I asked.

Emily grimaced and then nodded. “Yes. Elvis was there to greet me.”

“Did you see Nick?” I probably shouldn't have asked, but I was curious.

“No, but the funny thing is,” Emily murmured, clenching her hand around the glass of iced tea, “I know he's watching me.”

“Watching you? Do you mean he comes outside and stands guard over his orchard? What? Is he afraid you're going to pilfer green apples?”

Emily laughed. “No. He looks at me from an upstairs window. I happened to catch sight of him the other morning and he's been there every day since.”

How strange.

“I stop and pet Elvis and then Elvis follows me to the edge of the property. The dog never goes beyond the orchard and then returns to the house.”

“Has Nick made any more late-night appearances at the inn?” I asked, not that Emily would know, unless she purposely set her alarm to check.

“Not that I know of,” she said. “But I doubt that he has. He said he wouldn't come again.”

“That's a shame,” I murmured. I doubted Emily fully understood what drew Nick to the inn. I felt certain it was the solace he felt here, the comfort, the healing Paul had promised and so many others had found as well. After what Dana had told us about the death of his brother, I knew what had drawn Nick to the inn. I didn't mention it because Emily wouldn't understand. The minute Emily told me that Nick walked around the inn's property in the middle of the night and that he found peace here, I understood. Again and again I'd had my guests mention the same thing. If coming to the inn helped Nick deal with the loss of his brother, then I wouldn't begrudge him that.

“A shame?” Emily asked, cocking her head to one side with the question.

“Yes, a shame; he's welcome anytime.”

“I told him that.”

I read the disappointment in her eyes. “I know.”

Emily set her empty glass aside. “I don't think he wants to see me again. I think he might dread inadvertently having to talk to me.” She hesitated. “I have the feeling he figured out that I knew about the death of his brother; he's afraid I'm going to pry and ask questions. I wouldn't, but he doesn't know that.”

I was fairly certain Emily was on to something.

After our short talk, I went into my room and took a hot shower. Because I was still full from our lunch and on an emotional high from my time with Greg, I decided to skip dinner.

It was Emily's turn to cook, so she made herself a chicken-salad sandwich and called it good.

I was in my room reading with Rover at my feet when my phone rang. Caller ID told me it was Greg. A sense of happy anticipation filled me, and my heart instantly zoomed to my throat.

“Hey,” I said, doing my best to hide my eagerness to talk to him.

“Hey,” he returned. “I hope you're available next Saturday evening.”

“I can be,” I told him and was again silently grateful for Emily's presence at the inn. She'd repeatedly assured me she'd be able to look after my guests anytime I needed her to. Her own schedule was flexible, as she didn't have any immediate plans. “You got the reservation?” I asked, wondering if he'd tell me or if he planned to keep it a surprise.

“I did. Ever been to Blake Island and Tillicum Village?”

My heart rate immediately accelerated. “No, but I've always wanted to go. You mean you got tickets?”

“I did.”

Tillicum Village is an Indian cultural experience with traditional songs and dance performed by the tribe along with a Chinook salmon dinner cooked over an alder wood fire. I'd heard about Tillicum Village for years, but it was one of those things I'd put off doing, waiting for the right opportunity.

“Greg, this is something I've always wanted to do but never have.”

“You'll love it. It's the quintessential Northwest experience.”

“So I've heard. What time should I be ready?”

“Six,” he told me. “I'll bring a boat around to pick you up at the Cedar Cove dock. Normally, the boat sails from Seattle, but it will be far more convenient for us to leave from the cove.”

“You have a boat?”

“My brother does. He told me anytime I wanted to use it to give him a heads-up. I've been out with him dozens of times and never found a reason to ask until now. It seems my entire life got better as soon as I met you.”

The things this man said were enough to melt my heart. “Thank you, Greg.”

He paused. “I know it's early in our relationship, Jo Marie, and I don't want to say or do anything that…well, is too much too soon, but I want you to know how much today meant.”

“It did to me, too, Greg.” I hadn't felt like this since I first met Paul, but I didn't tell him that. We'd hit it off for sure, but I wasn't ready to rush into a relationship, especially since I remained in love with Mark.

Greg lowered his voice as if he was about to make a confession. “Since Julie died, I feel like I've been living in a fog.”

“I know what you mean,” I whispered.

“This afternoon for the first time I felt the sun on my face.”

I realized he didn't mean that in the literal sense. I'd felt the warm heat of that sunshine, too, but I'd also experienced that glow with Mark. All too soon, however, I was cast back into the shadows.

“I said too much, didn't I?” Greg said, regret coating his voice.

“No, no, not at all.”

“You went silent there for a moment and I was sure I was coming on too strong.”

“You aren't,” I assured him. If anything, I was flattered. That happy feeling was back in the pit of my stomach—the one I'd felt with Paul and ever so briefly with Mark.

The line went silent and I thought we might have been inadvertently disconnected.

“Greg? Are you still there?”

“I'm here. Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”