They’d checked into their rooms and taken a tour of the hotel. After a light lunch, the travelers were free to shop or tour the island until dinner. Donna chose to rest in their room. “I’ve been here enough times to know I don’t need to go shopping,” the older woman had insisted.
“I-I don’t know. It’s been so long since I’ve visited. The last time Joe and I came here, the boys were small. We rented bicycles and rode around the entire island. The scenery was beautiful. But I don’t think I want to do that now. It’s been way too long since I rode a bike.”
He laughed. “If you like, we could get a tandem bike.”
She perked up and gazed at him, those bright blue eyes sparkling, and he thought he’d drown in their depths. “Really? I’ve always wanted to ride on one of those.”
“Let’s do it.” They walked to one of the many bike centers, and within twenty minutes, they were off on the trail. The path was gentle, the way she remembered. Mike rode in front, doing most of the work, leaving Helen free to pedal with very little effort. They went counter clockwise around the island, so the water was on their right. It was so lovely to be able to just take in the scenery and not worry about two small boys riding along behind her. Occasionally they would have to gravitate to the side to pass a horse drawn carriage or some joggers, but otherwise their path was pretty much unobstructed. The leaves had already finished changing colors, earlier than in the southern part of the state.
The road going around the island was around eight miles. Mike had rented the bike for two hours, so they rode at a leisurely pace. They made a few stops to take pictures of the Mackinaw Bridge and the boats making their way from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. Helen couldn’t resist taking one or two of Mike when he wasn’t looking. She’d just file those for later, when she was alone.
Good grief, I sound like a lovesick teenager! What on earth are you thinking, pining after a younger man?
“Something wrong?” Mike appeared at her side.
“Hmm? No, not at all.” Had she said the words aloud?
“You were wearing a ferocious scowl. I thought maybe we’d overdone it on the bike ride.”
“Oh no, I’m fine.” Seeing a buzzing insect, she swatted at it. “I was just irritated at this… this bug.”
He laughed. “Well, if you’re not too sore, maybe we’d better head back. Maybe we can outrun the bugs.”
They got back on their bike and rode another few miles. Just as they turned a corner, the most stunning sight she’d ever beheld came into view. How had she missed it before?
Mike heard her gasp and brought the bike over to the shoulder. “Is something wrong? Are you okay?”
She smiled to reassure him and pointed. “Isn’t that the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen?”
High on the rocky hills above them, it looked as if someone had bored a hole through the rocky cliff. The setting sun shone through the arch as if threading a needle, and the rays pointed down on them. A sign nearby identified the place as Arch Rock, and they could see several bikers and walkers making their way up a road leading up the hill toward the arch.
“Do you want to ride up there?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Just riding this flat road around the island is enough exercise for me. If you want to go, I’ll wait here.”
Mike unpacked his camera. “I’ll see if I can get some good pictures from here.”
~~~~
Mike took pictures from several angles, climbing up a little way but not wanting to get too far away from Helen. He knew he could always come back later if he wanted close-ups.
“You seem to know your way around a camera,” she observed.
“Comes with the job,” he said. “When I travel, I don’t always have a professional photographer with me. And you can’t have travel articles without pictures.”
“I used to love to travel.” She sighed, her face wreathed in a wistful smile. Mike held tight to his camera to keep from wrapping his arms around her.
“Used to?”
“My husband and I traveled a great deal after the boys left the house. After Joe sold the business we’d start planning our next vacation almost as soon as we got home from the last one. It became a game. First, we had a goal of visiting all four corners of the country. Then, each continent. After that, we were going to dip our feet in each of the oceans.”
“Sounds like a fun way to plan your vacations.” And it sounds like the perfect way to approach a series of articles. The wheels started turning in his head as he packed his camera back in its case.
“It was. We didn’t quite make it to the Indian Ocean. Joe got sick very suddenly and was gone before we could even make plans to go.”
“Well, maybe someday you’ll make it there. And you can dip two toes in — one for you and one for him.”
She laughed, and he couldn’t stop staring at her beauty. How could this woman possibly be a grandmother? Her face was still unlined… and the rest of her wasn’t bad either.
He shook his head, trying to cast away his errant thoughts. He’d wanted to hug her, to reassure her, to promise he’d take her to that last ocean. But it was too soon for that. So he’d cracked a joke and made her laugh.
And now he wanted her more than ever.
He didn’t realize he’d made a conscious decision. Maybe he didn’t. His arms reached out and wrapped around her, enveloping her in a hug. A brotherly hug, he thought. Or maybe not. He squeezed.
Her arms reached around him and squeezed back. “Oh, thank you so much for taking me around the island, Mike. I never would have seen this awesome sight if you hadn’t suggested the tandem bike. I’ve missed this the most, I think. I can live without luxuries and new clothes and furniture, but I miss the adventure. The looking for new things to see and do. Thank you.”
Being with you is an adventure.
But he couldn’t do that. If she was still mourning her husband, she wasn’t ready for a relationship.
Relationship? Where did that come from? He wasn’t looking for a relationship of any kind. They were worlds apart. She’d never fit into the big city life in Chicago. His time in her world was only temporary.
He patted her shoulder and let go. Best to keep things friendly. He still had a job in a different city — hopefully.
They got back on the bike and continued their ride around the island.
But he couldn’t dismiss the vision she’d created with her face tipped upward, her smile shining with happiness and joy, her hair floating in the wind. She could rival any movie star. For the first time, a woman had broken through and created an ache, a longing in him, a part he’d long forgotten. She’d reached his soul.
What am I supposed to do? Could this really work? Is this the real thing? Or has it been too long since I’ve had a… connection with a woman?
Behind him, Helen shouted something and pointed to the right. He looked in the direction she indicated, where two ferry boats cut across the water. They traveled toward each other, one heading south to the island from St. Ignace, and the other going north to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
He pulled over to the shoulder and stopped again. “Are you okay? Or did you want to stop and watch the ferry boats?”
“Oh, I’m fine,” she insisted. “I just thought those two ferries looked like they were going to run into each other!”
“I’m sure it’s just the angle we’re seeing them from. They won’t run into one another. But we can watch for a few minutes.”
Sure enough, the two ferries slipped by each other without incident and continued toward their destinations. He turned to her, intending to tease her about her worries, but he noticed her shiver.
“Are you cold? Would you like my sweater?” She wore a light coat. Maybe she needed another layer.
She shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine if we keep going. When we stop the wind starts to cut through all the layers I’m wearing.” She looked at him with a teasing grin. “But when you’re riding in front, you block all
the wind. So let’s get back on the road.”
He couldn’t help it. He reached out and tweaked her nose. At her shriek of surprise, he turned and started pedaling. He wasn’t sure if he was hurrying back to the hotel or racing away from his feelings.
Chapter Fifteen
Helen dressed carefully, taking special care with her hair and makeup. Tonight the tour group would go ballroom dancing inside the Grand Hotel. She felt like she was getting ready for a high school dance, and for a moment she panicked. High school dances had not been fun. She’d always stood on the side of the room, waiting for someone to ask her to dance. And it had never happened. Would this be the same?
Still, it would be fun to see all the ladies in their fancy dresses and the men in their suits. The Grand Hotel had a strict dress code. Thankfully, Helen was able to fit into the dress she’d worn for Paul’s wedding ten years ago. The midnight blue satin gown was fancier than anything else she owned, and the matching lace jacket added elegance as well as a little warmth.
Would Mike be there? He’d said he’d joined the tour group for everything except the bus ride. She couldn’t wait to see if he would come. Would he dance? More importantly, would he dance with her?
As she and Donna made their way through the halls of the historic hotel toward the Terrace Room, the sounds of the musicians tuning their instruments reached her ears, and her excitement rose. She wanted to move more quickly, but as Donna relied on her cane to move about, they walked at a sedate pace. She slowed her steps to stay with her friend, humming along with the music.
Suddenly, Donna stopped. Helen reached a hand out, ready to catch her friend if she were to fall. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just slow. You don’t need to wait for me. Go on and meet your new boyfriend. I’ll get there when I get there.”
“Oh, he’s not—”
“Maybe not yet, but he will be. You both look like a couple of teenagers when you’re together. I don’t mean that as a criticism. It’s nice to see you happy. And I can see he’s happy to be with you, too. So go on, girl. Go git ’em!”
Helen smiled at her friend’s generosity. “I’m not going to leave you to walk all the way there by yourself. If he wants to see me, he’ll see me when I get there. Come on. There are steps leading up into the Terrace Room, and I don’t want you to fall.” She tamped down her excitement and concentrated on getting her friend there.
As they entered the elegant room, her excitement rose to a fever pitch. Linen-draped tables lined three sides of the room, all around a large wooden dance floor. The dance orchestra was seated on a platform along the large wall in front of an enormous Asian fan.
“Let’s get me settled at a table. Then you can look for your new friend,” Donna suggested.
They chose a seat near the entrance, but close enough to watch the dancing. Almost immediately, a waiter swooped upon them and took their orders. Donna ordered a cocktail, but Helen asked for a glass of water. She needed to keep her wits about her. If she got even a little tipsy, she might do something embarrassing.
Like declare her undying love for someone she’d only known a few weeks.
As if she’d conjured him, he appeared in the wide archway. The light from the hallway framed him in silhouette, and his face was barely visible in the subdued lighting of the room, but she knew immediately it was him. As if he had called her name, she felt the connection and knew he was there.
He must have felt the connection, too, because he zeroed in on her and came toward her table. She stood but didn’t move toward him until Donna tapped her on the arm.
“Don’t just stand there, you ninny. Go over there and get that man on the dance floor before some floozy gets her claws on him.”
Donna’s words got her moving. He held out his hand, tilting his head toward the dance floor with a questioning look. She nodded. And then there was magic.
Helen’s parents had been ballroom dance champions, and she’d learned from them. She loved to dance, but Joe didn’t. He obliged her once in a great while at wedding receptions, but other than that he’d preferred to sit. She stumbled a bit at first, trying to remember the steps, but before long she moved in perfect time. Mike was an excellent lead. They glided and swayed, and her feet barely touched the floor.
Mike let her go, and she shivered at the loss of his warmth. She nearly asked what was wrong but realized the music had stopped.
“Looks like the band is taking a break,” he said. Shall we get something to drink?” It was all she could do to nod. He led them back to the table where Donna sat patiently, a serene smile on her face.
“You’ve got your brother’s handsome face, but you’re far more graceful. Matt’s athletic, but he’s not much of a dancer. We got a kick out of him attempting to do a square dance at the fair last year.”
Mike laughed heartily. “I would have loved to see that.”
It pleased Helen to see her friend get along so well with Mike. He kept the focus on Donna, asking her about her grandkids, her charity work, and her hobbies. Even when she brought out pictures from her voluminous purse, he leaned over, studying her photos, seemingly interested in everything she had to say. That was one of the things she’d loved about Joe, too — he could get along with anyone.
Since Donna had Mike’s attention, Helen watched the dancers flowing about the room. The musicians as they played smooth, romantic melodies. The people sitting all around her. How she’d missed this. Maybe if Howard helped her find out what was going wrong with her budget she’d be able to go on more trips like this.
“What do you think, Helen?” Donna’s question snapped her back to the present.
“I’m sorry. What do I think about what?” Helen asked.
“Do you think my little Wendy would make a great model?”
“Oh, of course! She’s beautiful, and very graceful.” Helen had trouble remembering what Wendy looked like, but she wasn’t about to admit that.
Across the table, Mike grinned. He knows I’m faking it. The man was too perceptive.
~~~~
Mike kept his head inclined toward Donna and his eyes on her pictures, but his attention stayed on the woman across the table from him. Her hair had been styled, and her expressive face was even more vivid with her tastefully applied makeup. He hated having to look at women who looked as if they’d applied the stuff with a pallet knife. Helen’s natural beauty was still evident, though her lips and her eyes seemed… more enhanced, he supposed. She could pass for a gracefully aging actress with her slim form, her unlined face, and everything else. Helen DeGroot was a beautiful woman in casual clothing, but dressed up she was stunning. She seemed as comfortable in a gown and heels as she did in jeans and tennis shoes.
She was a woman he could take anywhere.
He had to smile when Donna caught her not paying attention to the story of her granddaughter and her successes. He was having a rough time of it, too. “She’s a lovely young lady,” he told her. “It’s obvious where she got her looks from.”
The woman blushed. “Oh, go on,” she said. “The musicians are about to start playing again. Take Helen out there and make her forget about her troubles.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He didn’t need anymore urging than that. He stood and extended his hand across the table, and Helen rose to accept it. They made their way to the dance floor just in time for a sultry torch song, sung by the band’s talented female vocalist. The sad words of the song made him cradle Helen tighter against him, as if to reassure her, to protect her from the sadness. Their feet moved in tandem, like they’d been practicing the steps for years.
When she’d first mentioned this trip, he’d thought he needed to come so that he’d have something to write for the magazine. A bus trip to Mackinac Island. Yes, it had been done before, but since this was a seniors-only trip, he could put a fresh spin on it. It wasn’t until they’d met at the ferry that he’d realized it wasn’t the trip he’d needed — it was Helen. He couldn’t bear to be away
from her, not even for three days. The thought was disturbing. When had he become so dependent on one person? Not since he’d been a child dependent on his mother.
“So are you here on this trip to forget about your troubles?” he asked.
“Troubles? Oh, no. Donna was teasing. I’m having a wonderful time.”
He tightened his hold. “So am I.”
She fit so perfectly in his arms. He wanted the night to last forever.
Forever? As in always and forever? Like a real relationship?
His hold loosened, and she shifted a little in his arms. What just happened? Something had happened, all right. He’d been hit by something bigger than he’d ever encountered before.
As quickly as the thought came to him, he fought to tamp it down. He wasn’t a forever kind of person. He’d been devastated when his first love had tossed him aside, but he’d recovered pretty quickly. There had been other women in his life since then, some wanting a permanent arrangement, others just looking for a good time. He’d never felt a strong connection to any of them.
Until now. This woman is different.
That voice in his head wouldn’t leave. Should he listen?
Chapter Sixteen
Helen cast one final glance at the palatial hotel before boarding the ferry. “Well, it looks like our weekend is over. I’m going to miss this place.”
“Me, too. There are a lot of wonderful accommodations, and the murder mystery last night was so much fun. I’m going to be busy writing when I get back. What was your favorite part?” Mike asked.
Helen thought. “The bike ride. I’ve ridden that trail before, but back then I had two little boys to look after, and I really didn’t see the island. This is the first time I’ve been able to ride, and since you were doing most of the work, I got to look. I never realized how beautiful the island is.”
Mike sat back in the seat. “I enjoyed the bike ride too. But I think I enjoyed the dancing more.”
The Patricia Kiyono Christmas Collection Page 21