Simply Being Belle

by Rosemarie Naramore

Belle studied the man, noting he appeared drawn and haggard. She saw a weariness in his eyes; a pain in the silver depths of his irises. She suspected he had a lot on his plate, and she found herself eager to hear what he had to say.

  He turned to her first. “I understand you tried to reach me on several occasions over the past several months. I apologize that you and I didn’t manage to connect. My wife and I traveled extensively during the previous year, and then she became ill at the start of this year…” He paused, glanced away briefly, but turned back to her and resumed speaking, “Mr. Jamison here has informed me you’re both now aware that my son was the developer of the Elm Place project, though he had both my financial and other support.”

  Belle nodded, forcing herself to refrain from speaking. Dare had long ago stopped viewing Biggs as a villain, if he ever had, and she trusted his judgment. She’d come to admire a great deal about him, not the least of which, his willingness to concede there were always two sides to every story.

  When had she lost her ability to recognize that? she wondered. She realized, it was probably somewhere along the road where she had lost herself.

  She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Biggs’ long, haggard sigh. “My son is twenty-seven. Only five years out of college. Why I trusted him with a project of this magnitude, I’ll never…”

  His words trailed off and he raked a hand through his crisp, gray hair. “My boy Jacob graduated top of his class from one of the finest architectural schools in the nation. He spent his first two years out of school interning alongside Peter Creyton, at his architectural firm. Do you know him?”

  Belle nodded, though she didn’t speak. Biggs took her silence as a cue to continue. “Jacob spent his summers working with me on several projects over the years.” He paused, glancing off into the distance briefly, before turning to Dare. “When he approached me with the idea for Elm Place, I can assure you the complex you see today is nothing like the plans he showed me.”

  “What went wrong?” Belle asked softly.

  “When my son broached the subject of a large, low-income complex built on what amounts to some of the most coveted real estate in town, I felt gratified he wanted to assure low income families had access to the amenities of our downtown. I believed the concept was an excellent one. You see, tenants would be within walking distance to jobs, shopping, entertainment…”

  “The concept certainly sounds like a good one,” Dare acknowledged. “But what happened to alter the outcome?”

  Biggs glanced up, wringing his hands nervously on the tabletop. “I … don’t know. I do know my son brought a partner into the project—an idea I had nixed since I didn’t know the man myself. I had suggested he work alongside a close friend and business associate of mine, but…” He sighed heavily. “I never should have left the States either. And then later, when my wife became ill, Elm Place took a back seat to other concerns…” He shook his head. “I had no idea what was happening onsite, but simply trusted my son.”

  “Understandable,” Bells said, her heart going out to the man. “I assume you’ve talked to him…”

  Her words dwindled off when he shook his head. “I have no idea where he is. I do know this—Elm Place isn’t fit for human habitation. Aside from the structural defects, the place is as aesthetically displeasing as the institutional structures built generations ago to house the poor and infirm. It’s … inexcusable—criminal!”

  “What do you plan to do?” Dare asked gently.

  He shook his head and shrugged helplessly. “The place needs considerable attention. Aside from the structural issues, the complex is just plain …” He shook his head, searching for the right word.

  “Ugly,” Dare finished for him.

  Biggs quirked a sad smile. “To put it bluntly.”

  “Do you have the financial wherewithal to make improvements?” Belle asked, equally bluntly.

  He met her gaze full on and shook his head sadly. “No.”

  “If you had the funds, what could be done?” she asked with interest.

  “The structural issues can be dealt with readily enough,” Biggs said, “but it’s the look of the place that disturbs me most. Since the building is essentially three boxes, put together in the form of a “U,” the only positive feature is that a large courtyard could be created in the central open space. I envision a water feature, garden, maybe even a pool.”

  Belle nodded, urging him on.

  “As for the tunnel-like hallways through each building, quite a lot could be done with paint, new carpeting, and creative lighting.”

  “Do you have any idea what the structural and aesthetic improvements might cost?” Dare asked.

  “Six point five,” Biggs said succinctly.

  “Million,” Dare said with a wince.

  He nodded. “That doesn’t, however, cover the cost of a recreation room and a playground for children.”

  “What are you looking at cost wise, inclusive of the rec room and playground?” Belle asked.

  Biggs appeared to do a mental calculation. “Barring any unforeseen problems, and at this point, I can’t be sure of much of anything, I suspect I’m looking at seven and a half million dollars.”

  Dare winced again, shaking his head sadly. “Are you considering legal action…?

  “He’s my son,” Biggs cut in in an agonized voice and then abruptly pushed back from the table. “I have to be going.” He extended a hand to Dare, and then to Belle. “Thank you both for your time.”

  Belle searched his face, noting his eyes had clouded. He appeared to have aged significantly from the pictures of him in the paper only two years before. It was heart-breaking to see a man seeming broken, and at the hand of his own child.

  When he left the room, Belle quickly pushed back from the table. Although she wasn’t sure if the idea forming in her mind was a good one, she felt compelled to pursue it. She hurried after Biggs and met him just outside the door of Legal Aid.

  Dare stepped out of the room and watched her speak to the man briefly. The two shook hands, and then she returned to meet Dare in the conference room doorway. He raised his eyebrows questioningly and she smiled.

  “I have an idea,” she said somewhat mysteriously as she hurried to grab her notes.

  He followed. “What are you up to?”

  She grinned mischievously and fraternization policy or no fraternization policy, kissed him soundly on the lips. He watched after her, stunned, as she dashed out of the room and out of the office. She needed to get home, since she had work to do.

  Chapter Sixteen

  A week passed. It was Friday, and Belle realized she felt tired, but invigorated. She checked the clock above the fireplace mantle. Seven-thirty. She winced. She should have been at the restaurant to meet Dare, Lacey, and Steven fifteen minutes ago. She dashed out the front door of her house and to her car.

  As she drove to the restaurant, her mind revisited the events of her week. She’d spent the bulk of her time with Jacob Biggs. Who would have thought the two would become fast friends, uniting to work toward a common goal?

  At the restaurant, she found her friends already waiting at a booth. The threesome watched her curiously as she approached and slid into the seat beside Dare. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she said sheepishly. “Things have been hectic.”

  Dare surprised her when he leaned toward her and brushed a kiss across her cheek. “It’s safe to fraternize now,” he said with a grin and a wink. “My six weeks are up.”

  Belle smiled into his eyes, while Lacey and Steven chuckled. But Lacey quickly turned serious.

  “Where have you been all week, girl? And what have you been doing? I’ve tried reaching you several times and you don’t seem particularly inclined to return my calls.”

  Belle pulled her gaze away from Dare and grinned widely at her friend. “Well…”

  “Do you finally have a hobby?” Steven interrupted.

  Belle didn’t get a chance to answer, since a waitress appeared to ta
ke their orders. She did a cursory scan of the menu and ordered last, deciding on the house salad. She closed the menu with a snap, and smiled at her friends again.

  “What have you been up to?” Dare asked then, watching her with interest. He noted her eyes sparkled eagerly and her cheeks boasted a healthy glow. “You look … happy.”

  “I am,” she agreed.

  “She’s happy to be starting back to work Monday,” Lacey said knowingly.

  “That has to be it,” Steven concurred.

  Dare continued to watch Belle speculatively. Her eyes shone, and she seemed so alive and energetic. He couldn’t help but wonder what accounted for her good cheer.

  He was thrilled to see her so happy, since in truth, he hadn’t seen much of her at all during the week. She’d begged off their evening walks all but one evening, citing other commitments, and as much as he had wanted to, he hadn’t pressed her for an explanation. Perhaps one was forthcoming.

  “Actually, I won’t be back to work at Legal Aid for two more weeks,” she exclaimed cheerfully.

  “What?” Lacey and Steven cried in unison.

  She turned to Dare, eyes dancing. “I’ve spent the week working alongside Jacob Biggs.”

  He shook his head, his brows furrowing into a frown. “What are you talking about, Belle?”

  A waitress appeared with their beverage orders, and she remained quiet until the woman hurried away. “I’ve taken two more weeks off work,” she repeated, a flush of pleasure spilling across her cheeks, “to help Jacob make Elm Place habitable.”

  “I … don’t get it,” Lacey said, glancing at Steven with a bewildered frown.

  Belle shifted in her seat. Dare still watched her curiously. “I’ve been working with Jacob all week, attempting to assess what improvements need to happen at Elm Place in order for the place to reopen to low-income families.”

  “You’re doing what?” Steven asked, frowning.

  Belle took a deep, calming breath. “Okay,” she began, “I’ll explain. As Jacob explained to Dare and me last Friday, Elm Place needs many, many improvements in order to be habitable for low income families. And, the fact is, Lawton needs just such a complex so close to downtown. Low income families residing there will be close to jobs, shopping, entertainment, including theaters and the sports arena. And … with the new community college currently being built, the location simply meets so many needs.”

  “Okay, where do you come in?” Lacey asked.

  “It’s fairly obvious where a lawyer could be beneficial in such an endeavor,” Steven said reasonably.

  “Well, sure,” Lacey acknowledged. “But why you, Belle?”

  “I thought Biggs lacked the funds to make any improvements,” Dare observed.

  Suddenly, Lacy grinned. “Oh, that’s also where you come in, eh, Belle?”

  “Exactly. The Preston Foundation is designated for just such a purpose. I’m thrilled to donate the funds. I know grandpa would approve.”

  “Preston Foundation?” Dare repeated quizzically.

  “Belle is as rich as Midas,” Lacey informed helpfully. “Aside from establishing a trust fund for her, her granddad established a philanthropic trust to be utilized for the enrichment of Lawton as Belle sees fit, or whomever she enlists to oversee it.”

  Dare watched Belle, mouth agape, and eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t realized she was still so well-to-do. He had assumed her family’s fortunes had changed. Apparently he was wrong.

  “You didn’t realize Belle is an heiress?” Lacey asked him rather loudly. “You remember the Sweet Sixteen party tape, right?”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He motioned with his hands. “Keep it down,” he said fiercely. “Some weirdo is liable to overhear and kidnap her for ransom.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly.” Belle waved off his concerns and returned to the subject at hand. “Jacob and I are hoping we’ll be open for tenants within six months, although we won’t know until we meet with contractors.”

  Dare subsided against the high-backed booth. He watched Belle’s eager face. She was positively beaming—clearly excited about taking on a new project. But hadn’t she told him recently that she’d slowed things down? Hadn’t she seemed to finally understand she couldn’t move through life at such a frenzied pace?

  He wanted her to slow things down, to find a place in her busy life for him. Would she? he wondered. And could she if she was heavily entrenched in another project? And restoring Elm Place definitely qualified as a project.

  Dare shook his head to clear it. “Uh, you’ve already asked Millicent for the time off?”

  “Yes. I’ve actually accumulated twelve weeks vacation over the past years, but even Millicent thought that was a bit too much time to expect me to take off all at once.”

  “I see,” he said, turning his attention to the plate the waitress had just set in front of him.

  Belle sensed Dare had quieted, had withdrawn somewhat, and she couldn’t help but wonder why. She had hoped her enthusiasm for this new project would be contagious—had hoped her friends might offer to contribute to its completion in some way. She had especially hoped Dare would be more encouraging—or at least understanding as to why it was important for her to be involved.

  “The food looks excellent,” Lacey enthused, and Steven concurred.

  Belle glanced at her salad, and then at Dare. He turned and caught her gaze. She saw something in his eyes. Sadness? Regret? She couldn’t be sure, and she lowered her lashes before turning her attention from him and to her meal.

  ***

  Belle checked her voice mail early Thursday and found a message from Dare. He’d told her he intended to eat lunch in the park and asked if she might be able to join him. While she couldn’t really spare the time, since she had a meeting with contractors she suspected might go into the lunch hour, she decided to somehow make the time. She had sensed Monday during their short walk—short because she had arrived late—that he seemed to be growing impatient with her schedule. He had even voiced a question as to where he fit into her life.

  Later, she had thought quite a lot about the question. Where did he fit? She definitely wanted him in her life.

  She placed a quick call to his office, surprised when he picked up on the third ring.

  “It’s good to hear your voice. Did you get my message?” he asked.

  “I did. Lunch in the park sounds great.”

  She heard him groan at the end of the phone line. “I’m so sorry, but I’ve just been told I’m expected at a lunchtime meeting today. I wish I could get out of it,” he added with a weary sigh.

  “Oh, no. I don’t expect you to do that.” She attempted to sound upbeat. “Are we on for our walk tonight?”

  “Are we?” he asked, and Belle was sure she hadn’t imagined the tinge of skepticism in his voice.

  “Why don’t we take a night off from our walk,” she suggested. “Why don’t I pick up takeout and we can have dinner at my place.”

  “Seven?”

  “That sounds great,” she said eagerly.

  “It does. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “Me, too.”

  ***

  Later that afternoon, Belle realized she wouldn’t have made it to a lunchtime meeting at the park, since her consultation with a plumbing contractor had gone much longer than expected. Jacob Biggs had employed the man on several projects in the past, and hoped to enlist his help in completing Elm Place.

  Belle had liked the contractor immediately. He had seemed very knowledgeable and competent as he had led her and Jacob through the complex, discussing a plan of action for the project. When they had finally finished, she and Jacob had eaten lunch in his car, after having gone through a fast food drive thru.

  Currently, they were on their way to his office, which happened to be several blocks away from Preston and Dunne. Belle had left her Prius parked in a lot nearby. After spending a few moments with Jacob in his office, discussing an upcoming meeting with a framing specialist, she hea
ded back to her car.

  She glanced at her watch. It was two-thirty, and she wondered if she should pop in and say hello to Dare. He had sounded somewhat out-of-sorts earlier. She made a quick decision to walk over to the law offices of Preston and Dunne, and once there, hurried through the maze to find him. To her amusement, she found him installed in what had been her office during her time at the firm.

  His secretary glanced up from her desk, and Belle smiled warmly. “How are you, Patricia?” she asked with a broad smile.

  “Belle, it’s so good to see you!” she cried.

  “You too.”

  “How are things going?” the woman asked with interest. She had worked for Belle during her time at the firm, and the two had been friends from the get-go.

  “I’m doing great,” she told her enthusiastically.

  “You’re here to see Mr. Jamison?” she asked, smiling widely.

  Belle nodded. “Could you see if he might have a free moment?”

  Patricia frowned slightly. “He’s heavily booked, but ... for you? Of course.”

  She rose from her desk and knocked lightly on Dare’s door before entering. She returned within seconds. “He’ll see you now, Belle.”

  She smiled her thanks, and then stepped into Dare’s office. He rose from his mahogany desk. “This is a nice surprise.”

  She moved closer, barely registering the man sitting in a nearby chair.

  Dare closed the distance between them, brushing a kiss across her cheek. She smelled his after shave, the masculine scent tantalizing her nose. She resisted the urge to turn her cheek and meet his lips with her own.

  The man who had been sitting, rose suddenly. Belle turned somewhat self-consciously and saw … Paul, her former boyfriend.

  “Belle,” he said smoothly. “It’s been a long time.”

  She forced a smile, though finding him in Dare’s office was as awkward a scenario as she could envision. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, since it had been her idea to end their relationship.

  “How are you, Paul?” she asked, somewhat stiffly. She cast a glance at Dare, whose eyes had narrowed speculatively. She was certain he detected the palpable tension in the room.