47 Destinies: Finding Grace

by Perez, Marlies Schmudlach

  “Thank you, Todd. I knew I could trust you. Please don’t tell anyone. I find it embarrassing to admit this at my age.”

  “I don’t share any intimate details with anyone. Your secret is safe with me,” Todd said, still concerned about his promise. The bulge in his pants would be a huge issue to overcome. Even a jump into the cold river water was not going to quench the desire which was building deep inside.

  “Let’s hike back to the car and drive over to the restaurant. I made reservations for 7:00pm. We have plenty of time to make it there. It is about 15 minutes from here,” Todd announced.

  “Perfect. All that kissing has worked up my appetite,” Grace giggled. She put her hand in Todd’s and they walked back up to the car.

  Todd drove them one mile past the Coloma Valley into the small town of Lotus. Small was a generous word. The only buildings in the town were the fire department, a general store which closed many years prior, an old one room school house, a rafting store and a restaurant called Café Mahjaic.

  “I have eaten here once before when I was passing through the area. The food is delicious and ‘made with love’,” Todd said, accenting the word love.

  “The brick building looks old. It must have been built back during the Gold Rush. I imagine it has been several different things over the years,” Grace surmised as she looked around the area. “I wonder the age of the house in the back. It looks like it is now an inn. Too bad we can’t stay the night,” Grace playfully said, pulling on Todd’s hand.

  “There is no way I would be able to keep my promise if we were staying the night in the same room. It is going to be difficult enough just sitting next to you. Do you have any idea how attractive you are? You smell like a mixture of fresh flowers with a hint of vanilla.”

  “You are remarkably romantic, Todd,” Grace said with her silky Georgia voice.

  “I have a feeling I am going to regret that promise. In fact, I already do. Let’s go inside,” Todd suggested.

  Todd led Grace into the restaurant. They were taken to a corner table facing the window. The restaurant was contained in one large room. The distressed floor was made of old tongue and groove sugar pine wood. The walls were old schoolhouse red brick. Nine to ten small bell-like lights hung down from the expansive ceiling. Each table wore a fancy white cloth, was adorned with a fresh flower and held a small candle. The setting burst forth with the essence of classic romance. Grace couldn’t remember the last time her heart was this full of happiness.

  Grace opened the menu and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of tempting choices. She wanted to sample each item, but knew that wouldn’t be possible. She was happy to see the fixed menu which enabled her to order an appetizer, soup/salad, entrée and dessert. She ordered the Saganaki cheese, ‘moody soup’ which was a Greek chicken rice soup, Niman Ranch coulette steak and the chocolate decadence cake. Todd ordered the grilled prawns, Mahjaic salad, fresh wild salmon and the West Coast cheesecake.

  “Would you like a glass of wine?” the waiter asked after taking their order.

  “Do you carry any local varieties?” Todd asked, aware of a few wineries in the area.

  “We have a full-bodied Cabernet from David Girard Vineyards, which is on the other side of Coloma.”

  “I would like a glass. Grace?”

  “Please,” Grace said, impressed with Todd’s interest in tasting the local variety. The man was a dream.

  After the waiter brought the wine, Todd made a toast. “I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I would like to make a toast to getting to know each other better.”

  “I second that!”

  The waiter came back over to the table. “Is this a special occasion? Perhaps a birthday or wedding anniversary?” he asked, noticing Grace’s wedding ring.

  “No. We are just passing through,” Todd answered quickly in an attempt to avoid Grace any embarrassment.

  “Wonderful. Enjoy your meal,” the waiter replied.

  Grace looked down at her left hand. Her ring shone brightly in the soft lighting.

  “Does it bother you that I still wear my wedding ring?” Grace asked, realizing what it implied.

  Todd reached over and grabbed both of her hands. “Your marriage is a large part of you and not something I would ever want to replace. I am glad Derek brought you so much joy. I wish I had the same experience in my marriage. Unfortunately, I was not as lucky. You should wear your ring until you don’t want to wear it. And, no one can decide that, except you.” Todd squeezed both of her hands.

  Grace stared at Todd and tilted her head to the side. She was genuinely touched by his thoughtfulness. “I don’t know what to say. You are very understanding. Thank you,” Grace said.

  “I know. What can I say?” Todd replied in jest. “If I could date myself, I would!”

  “I wouldn’t blame you, but right now how about I take on that duty?”

  “So, you want to go on another date with me?” Todd said rubbing his thumb across her wrist. He wanted more days like this.

  “I sure do,” Grace admitted.

  Grace and Todd continued their discussion while each scrumptious portion of their dinner arrived. Grace devoured the cheese and stuffed herself full of the fresh made bread. It all tasted delightful. The wine gently eased Grace into a relaxed state and loosened her tongue even more. Todd liked watching her face flush a pink hue around her cheeks as the meal progressed.

  Grace was breaking out of her shell and he relished in every moment. The candlelight flickered softly across her face and reflected in her eyes. She was picture perfect in every way. He was no doubt falling very fast. She, too, seemed caught up in him. Everything went smoothly; he was struck by the connection that had already developed.

  After dinner, they drove back towards the city. The stars were out and the moon was full. They spent part of their drive in silence and part in a full-fledged debate over which tasted better: the cheesecake or the chocolate decadence cake.

  They were almost disappointed when Todd pulled up in front of Grace’s house. It felt like they had been gone for a week, yet it had only been a day.

  “Would you like to come in?” Grace asked, hoping he would say yes.

  “I would love to, but I cannot trust myself alone in your home. I hope you understand.”

  “Unfortunately, I do,” Grace said, kissing him passionately in response. She thought maybe a seductive kiss might change his mind.

  Todd groaned when he felt her long silky leg wrap around his leg. She was quickly weakening his resolve to take things slow. The pent up desire began coursing through his veins again. He wanted her. He needed her. Before he lost control, he backed up and put the car door between them.

  “You are very dangerous, Grace. I knew that the first time we met.”

  Grace smiled and walked around the door.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Todd said, quickly slipping into his car. “A promise is a promise. One thing you will learn about me is that I am a man of my word. I said we would take things slow and that is how it will be!” Todd said this more to himself than to Grace.

  “Have it your way. When you are all alone in your house tonight, think of how I am all alone in my house. If you change your mind, you know where I live,” Grace replied as she sauntered up the walkway into her house. She turned around and blew Todd a kiss. She laughed when she shut the door. What had come over her? She was not a flirt. Well, at least she wasn’t until she met Todd Harcourt. Everything felt possible around the man. She even thought that maybe she could fall in love again. And maybe, just maybe, it would be with him.

  Chapter 5

  It was Sunday afternoon before Grace heard from Todd again. She knew it hadn’t even been 24 hours, but she couldn’t wait to talk to him. Grace checked her email hourly just in case he wrote her a message. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw a message from him after lunch.

  Grace,

  Words cannot express how much I enjoyed our time together yesterday. Thank you
for such a memorable day. I am attaching a few of the pictures I took from our adventure. When can I see you again?

  Mesmerized by you,

  Todd

  Grace re-read it several times before sending her reply.

  Hi Todd,

  Thank you for the message. I am free at lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Do any of these days work for you?

  Waiting to kiss you again,

  Grace

  She really wanted to see him that very second, but didn’t want to seem desperate. Leslie and Robert had dropped off the kids in the morning, so she was back in her motherly routine. In all of their various discussions, Grace realized she forgot to ask Todd how he felt about children. She knew he liked helping them at the Boys and Girls Club, but raising children was a much greater responsibility. What if he didn’t want to be a father? She couldn’t be in any type of relationship with a man who did not want her children. Grace began pacing around the room the more she thought about this issue. Why hadn’t she asked him? Was she setting herself up for a big fall?

  After several minutes, Grace received another email.

  Hi Beautiful,

  I would love to do lunch with you on Wednesday. Let’s meet at the Epic Roasthouse at 11:30am. Will you have Bella with you or will she be at preschool? I cannot wait to meet your children. They are an extension of you. I don’t want to rush you, but please know that I am very excited to spend some time with them as well.

  Till Wednesday,

  Todd

  Grace almost cried when she read the email. How did this man know exactly what to say? He immediately put all of her fears to rest without even knowing it. She replied to his email.

  Hey Handsome,

  Thanks for inviting the kids. Bella and Mattias will both be at their schools. See you then.

  Grace

  She could not believe her luck in meeting such a man. She couldn’t wait to tell Cora. Her matchmaking paid off. Grace quickly called Cora to share the news.

  “Hi Cora. It’s Grace. How are you?” Grace said, purposefully not spilling the beans too quickly.

  “Grace! I’ve wanted to call you all day. Did you have a nice time yesterday on your date with Todd?” Cora asked, dying to know what happened on Grace’s date with Todd.

  “Date with Todd? What makes you think I went on a date with Todd?” Grace replied, coyly pretending not to understand.

  “Didn’t you go on a date? Todd was asking all about your favorite flowers and other details. I’m sorry. He led me to believe that he was going to ask you out,” Cora said, disappointed with herself for jumping to the wrong conclusion.

  “Cora, I am no good at this game. Yes. We went out yesterday and I had the most incredible time! I can’t remember being this happy. Todd is amazing!”

  “Are you messing with me?” Cora said, leery of falling into a trap.

  Grace laughed, “No, I am not. We went up into the Sierra Nevada Foothills for the day. We talked, went hiking, ate dinner and had a wonderful time!”

  “Oh my goodness! I knew you two would hit it off! Tell me everything,” Cora said, making herself comfortable on the couch in her apartment.

  Grace told Cora as much as she could remember. She purposefully left out any intimate details or personal things which Todd told her. It was nice to share the news with Cora. Grace felt like she was back in high school talking to her friend about a crush. It really wasn’t that different. Grace was swept away by the whole experience.

  “Anything else happen?” Cora prodded relentlessly.

  “Cora, a lady never kisses and tells,” Grace said modestly.

  “Ok so you must have kissed then. Come on. I have to know,” Cora said impatiently.

  “Time will tell. All good things come to those who wait,” Grace said, not revealing any more details.

  “Fine. What are you doing this coming Saturday? Do you have any plans?” Cora asked, hatching a plan.

  “No. I will be at home with the kids.”

  “Can you get a babysitter?” Cora asked.

  “Sure. Why?”

  “I would love it if you and Todd would join us on the Wine Train in the Napa Valley on Saturday. Please say you will come. I am sure that Brent would love to get to know Todd a little better.”

  “Cora, I don’t know. I am not sure that Todd would be comfortable going on a double date,” Grace said, not sure how Todd would respond.

  “He keeps talking to me about getting together and catching up. I will talk to Todd myself,” Cora said, resolved to bring Grace and Todd together under her watchful eye.

  “If he wants to go, I will go as well. Are you sure Brent won’t mind?” Grace asked, not wanting to intrude on their special time together.

  “Not at all. Brent loves surprises!” Cora said confidently. Grace was a bit puzzled by Cora’s comment. The Brent she knew was not a man who was a lover of surprises. “I will let you know all the details after I talk to Todd. Bye!” Cora said, full of excitement with her new mission.

  “See you on Saturday. Goodbye.” Grace replied, smiling as she hung up the phone.

  Hours later, Grace received an email from Cora with all of the details for their weekend plans. Apparently, Todd and Brent agreed to go on a double date. Grace called the babysitter and made the arrangements. It was all set.

  On Wednesday, Grace met Todd in downtown San Francisco at the Epic Roasthouse on the Embarcadero. Todd chose the location as it was within walking distance from his office on Hawthorne Street. Grace was familiar with the restaurant. It boasted legendary views of the Bay Bridge and fantastic food.

  She was slightly uncomfortable that he chose another affluent restaurant for their date. She figured that the Director of the Boys and Girls Club did not earn a large salary. Grace didn’t want Todd to feel like he had to spend a lot of money to impress her. While she could easily afford the expense and offer to pay, she did not want to make the situation worse. It was a delicate issue and Grace felt it was too early to talk about money in their relationship. She put her concerns aside and went to the restaurant.

  Even though it was only 11:30am, Grace was glad Todd made a reservation. People were already waiting in line for a table. It was a cool spring day. Businessmen, tourists, friends and seemingly everyone in the city were ready to eat lunch. The restaurant buzzed with energy. Grace felt it and added to it with her own anticipation.

  Grace gave the hostess Todd’s last name. The hostess led Grace to the outside patio. The fog was just burning off to reveal the majestic view of the Bay Bridge. Todd was already seated at a table closest to the bridge. He wore black dress pants with a long sleeve white shirt. He looked incredible. The sun danced in his blond hair. Grace remembered his large hands in her hair and a bolt of desire shot right through her. Todd stood up as Grace approached.

  “It is so nice to see you,” he said, leaning down and placing a delicate kiss on her lips. He pulled out her chair and she sat across from him.

  “I’m glad you could take the time away from work. How far away is your office?” Grace inquired, savoring the warmth left from his kiss.

  “About nine or ten blocks. It was a very pleasant walk. I kept thinking about seeing you again,” Todd said, raising both of his eyebrows as he winked at her.

  “Has anyone ever told you that you are charming?”

  “Not recently,” Todd replied, letting out a hearty laugh.

  “Bella would say you are Prince Charming,” Grace said, smiling as she thought of her little Bella.

  “Really? I like that title. How is Bella? I was hoping to meet her today.”

  “She is in preschool three days a week. Bella loves school. Ever since Mattias went to Kindergarten, Bella has begged me to go to school. She is very social, like her father. I am happy she likes school, but truthfully, it leaves me with a lot of time on my hands,” Grace answered, twisting her hands nervously.

  Todd was continuously amazed at Grace’s strength and honesty. “Have you considered working p
art-time or volunteering?” Todd offered a suggestion.

  “I have considered both. I don’t have enough time to take on a job with both of the kids in school. I would like to volunteer, but I don’t have a lot of career experience,” Grace lamented humbly.

  “Don’t sell yourself short. You have a lot more skills than you realize. It requires many different talents to be a successful stay-at-home mom like you. You have excellent management and communication skills. Most important you have integrity.”

  “Thank you, Todd,” Grace said, smiling again.

  “Not to mention, you are great with kids! There are many organizations in San Francisco that could use someone like you, Grace.”

  “I do love kids,” Grace said, getting excited about the idea of helping kids.

  “I volunteer with Big Brothers and Sisters. I have been a Big Brother to a young boy named Parker for over four years. Parker is in the foster care system. His dad died at a young age and his mom gave him up as a baby due to her addiction to cocaine. I help Parker with his homework, play with him at the park, take him to the movies and simply be a positive male role model in his life. When I was going through my divorce with Melissa, it was my time with Parker that really pulled me through. I gain so much from my time with Parker. The organization often thanks me for giving my time, but I find I benefit a lot myself.”

  “You really are Prince Charming. Have you come to rescue me from my evil stepmother?” Grace teased.

  “Maybe from your outspoken mother-in-law,” Todd offered.

  “Todd, that isn’t nice. Leslie isn’t that bad,” Grace rebutted with a serious tone in her voice.

  “I’m sorry. It was an inappropriate comment. I haven’t even met her. Cora hasn’t given me much to like about her. Nevertheless, I will reserve my judgment until I meet her. Am I forgiven?” Todd asked kindly.

  “Of course. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by Leslie’s kindness,” Grace said. She was indebted to Robert and Leslie.