Because of Lauren: A Love Story

by Vivi Underwood

  She thought of all the stories her mother had told her over the years of growing up here. It had been such a happy time for her, such a carefree childhood and youth. Lauren knew all her mother’s favorite haunts, all about the outdoor activities she and her friends enjoyed and the city’s many amenities. She had heard about violin lessons at the Conservatory of Music, of ballet lessons from a former prima ballerina with the Royal Danish Ballet and one of her mother’s favorites, Dancing School, held weekly in a large ballroom and attended by boys and girls from all over the city. They learned all the popular social dances of the day which made their dance parties especially fun.

  Leaving all that was familiar had been wrenching for her. She had been homesick and unhappy for a long time, missing her friends and all she had left behind. Then one day she was introduced to a young man named Jonathan Hart. And her world became a bright and happy place again.

  Lauren could relate. Being with Jonas made her happier than she had ever been. She knew there would be challenges ahead—you didn’t get through life without them—but she also envisioned a life filled with love, family and unimagined happiness.

  Lauren was putting the finishing touches to her appearance when there was a knock on her door. Getting ready for her date with Jonas had taken a little longer than planned because she wasn’t sure her dress was adequate. But it was the only one she had packed this time. She hadn’t planned for dinner and dancing in an exclusive restaurant.

  Jon poked his head in. “Jonas is here, Lauren, but he said to take your time as he is a few minutes early. Bente and I will entertain him.” He looked at her. She looked lovely. He couldn’t love her more if she were his own daughter. “Jonas is a fine man, Lauren. Enjoy yourself this evening.”

  His words touched her. “Thank you, Jon. I will.”

  She looked critically at the shoes she brought with her, trying to decide between that pair and one of the newly purchased ones. She tried on the pair Jonas had liked so much. They were beautiful and definitely added a little excitement to the very simple dress. Easy decision.

  When Lauren entered the living room, she found them all standing by the large window, talking. She waited until there was a break in the conversation, then said softly from the doorway, “I’m ready. Sorry I took so long.”

  Three heads turned. Lauren saw the look on Jonas’ face and relaxed about the dress. He came to her, leaned down and gave her a light kiss. “Hi!” he whispered. “You look beautiful.”

  She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Hi! So do you.”

  He chuckled softly at her compliment. In a well-cut dark suit, he looked exactly what he was: Successful. And in Lauren’s eyes, very handsome. And incredibly nice! It was his niceness that tipped the scales. Success and looks were fine, but it was his innate goodness and kindness that Lauren had fallen in love with.

  “Have a good time, you two,” called Bente as they turned to leave.

  Bente and Jon remained by the window. They watched the younger couple as they came around the side of the house. They were holding hands and appeared to be in animated conversation.

  “They make a handsome couple, don’t they?”

  “Very,” Jon agreed. “Poor Lasse.”

  “Lauren would never have married Lasse. She loves him like a brother.”

  “As long as she was single, he kept hoping.”

  “She is still single, Jon.”

  Jon shook his head. “But not available, not anymore.” He put an arm around his wife. “I had hoped she would be our daughter-in-law one day.”

  “Yes. I would have loved that. But I have known for years that wouldn’t happen.”

  “It will be interesting to see how they work out the logistics of a transatlantic relationship. I guess we can expect much more frequent visits unless she stays with Jonas when she comes.”

  Bente shook her head. “She won’t stay with Jonas. This is Lauren we are talking about, Jon. She’ll stay with him when they are married, not a day sooner.”

  “You are right, of course, but isn’t it a little soon to talk of marriage?”

  “I don’t think so. If they love each other, they will want to be together. And for Lauren, that means marriage.”

  They stayed by the window and watched the car pull away. After a while, Jon nodded toward the bottom of the hill. “Looks like the crew just pulled up. I guess the boys are going to brave the weather and go sailing as planned.”

  The boys, Per, Marius, and Christian, all in their thirties, expected Lauren to be waiting for them. When Lasse bypassed the house and headed straight for the terrace and the stairs to the dock, Marius asked, “What about Lauren?”

  “She’s not coming.”

  “Why not?”

  “She has a date.”

  “A date?” he protested. “With whom? What single guys other than us does she know here?”

  “Jonas Juul,” replied Lasse darkly.

  The men looked at him in surprise.

  “Jonas Juul?” Marius said in disbelief. There was not a single unattached woman of his acquaintance who didn’t dream of scoring a date with the man. “How’d she pull that off?”

  “Long story.” Lasse felt no inclination to explain how Lauren came to know Jonas. “He had dinner with the family last night.”

  Per, an employee of Juul Enterprises, gaped for a second, then suddenly started chuckling. “Well, I’ll be . . .”

  Three male faces turned toward him.

  “There was a rumor in the building today spreading like wildfire, about the boss having been spotted in town holding hands with a woman. The word was he canceled everything on his schedule yesterday and took the day off to play.”

  Christian, with great skepticism, said, “Jonas Juul? The Jonas Juul whose private life is the best-kept secret in town?” He would take bets the rumors were false.

  Lasse shrugged. “It could be true. He and Lauren talked about their day during dinner. He stayed ‘till around eight-thirty and then asked to be excused as he had work waiting for him.”

  “That’d be true, too,” confirmed Per. “He’s leaving tomorrow for that hotshot conference in Lisbon. He’s a quality guy, Lasse. Lauren is in good hands.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Hearing that didn’t make it easier.

  “And on that note,” exclaimed Marius, “let’s go sailing!”

  Chapter Ten

  Jonas drove them to an old, restored mansion in Kalfaret, an upscale neighborhood dating back to the early 20th Century. As he maneuvered into the tight parking space, Lauren looked at him with anxious eyes. “Are you sure I am dressed appropriately?”

  Jonas squeezed her hand reassuringly as he helped her out of the car. The dress fit her slender body to perfection, he thought. Made of a soft, clingy fabric, it had a simple neckline, slender sleeves that reached almost to her elbows and a skirt that flared slightly just below mid-calf. The only accents were an intriguing, intricately knotted platinum necklace and matching earrings. She wore no rings and only a slender, platinum watch on her wrist. Jonas noticed her shoes and smiled. They were his favorite of all the ones she tried on the day before and added a flirty statement to the dress. The whole look was simple and elegant, and he was proud to be her escort.

  “You look lovely,” he said softly. “Stop worrying. Annie and William will be delighted with you.”

  The restaurant hinted at understated elegance. The hostess appeared to know Jonas and welcomed them both graciously as she brought them to their table, located in a private alcove. Through closed French doors Lauren saw a flagstone courtyard, obviously used for dining in good weather.

  “This is wonderful, Jonas. Annie must be a genius to know how much I would love a place like this.”

  Before they had a chance to take their seats, a laughing voice called out, “I like her already, Jonas!”

  Lauren
turned and saw a tall, slender young woman with fashionably cut, dark blonde hair and laughing blue eyes. She wore a colorful, thigh-high, sleeveless dress with just a hint of cleavage. Although Lauren would never have chosen the dress for herself, she thought Annie carried it off beautifully.

  “Annie?” she said and gave the young woman a warm smile and a hug.

  Before Jonas had a chance to make introductions, a masculine voice chimed in. “Do I get one of those, too?”

  Lauren turned, saw the attractive, fair-haired man standing there and grinned widely. “You think I’m turning down an offer like that?” she said and flew into his arms.

  After a few moments, they heard Jonas say with a chuckle, “All right, you can let go of her now.”

  “Not on your life, Jonas. It isn’t often a girl like this throws herself at me. I’m keeping her.”

  “I hope you are William,” Lauren laughed softly, “or I am going to feel like a complete fool!”

  The man loosened his hold just a fraction and looked her face over carefully. “Lauren?”

  Her face bathed in smiles, she nodded. No one had ever scrutinized her to quite that extent before. “Nice to meet you, William.”

  “You have unbelievably beautiful eyes,” he said with awe. “I am definitely keeping you.”

  “Could you possibly turn me loose long enough for us to have dinner? I’m starving?”

  Jonas burst out laughing. Trust Lauren to find a diplomatic way to get out of an embrace, he thought, as William reluctantly released her.

  Their meal was delicious, the ambiance relaxed formality, and the service excellent. In fact, more than excellent. Dispensing with the usual wine list, the server presented a handsome bottle with a flourish.

  “Today we are introducing a new blend,” he informed them in clipped tones. “A house specialty we hope you’ll enjoy. We’ve named it Lauren’s Choice.”

  As Lauren watched their glasses being filled, she turned and caught a glimpse of Jonas’ expression. Complete poker face.

  Their glasses filled, the server looked directly at Lauren and said. “A special request from Mr. Juul. In future, be assured we will always have Lauren’s Choice on hand when you dine with us.”

  Lauren waited several moments, then looked at Jonas and shook her head. “You are the most extraordinary man.”

  His smile held deep affection. “You should have seen your face.”

  Annie and William watched the little vignette in silence then turned to each other as if to say, ‘What just happened?’

  Jonas took pity on them and explained about the ‘wine’ Lauren had served him Sunday evening.

  Annie took a sip and nodded approvingly. “Very good. Much better than the real stuff. I hope you don’t mind if I steal the idea from you, Lauren.”

  “Be my guest.”

  Lauren enjoyed getting to know her new cousins and learning about their lives. She discovered that Annie was a partner in a travel firm and William worked for Juul Enterprises. He basked in the praise Jonas heaped on him as he referred to William as their resident high tech genius. Lauren hadn’t enjoyed a dinner out this much in a long time. When she heard soft strains of music in the background, she noticed for the first time a small dance floor off to one side.

  “I didn’t know this gem of a restaurant existed,” she confided to Annie during dessert.

  “It’s nice, isn’t it? It is very private, which suits Jonas. And the food is great.”

  Yes, thought Lauren, looking around the charming alcove. The privacy of it would appeal to Jonas. On the other hand, for someone so intent on privacy it didn’t explain yesterday, when the two of them had been together quite openly, laughing and talking and holding hands as they walked across town.

  With Annie’s remark and the thoughtful expression on Lauren’s face, Jonas could guess what she was thinking. Would she understand, he wondered, if he told her that he had felt freer yesterday with her than he had in almost a decade? He wanted the whole world to know how he felt about her! He settled for a bland look, then stood and held out his hand. “Dance with me?”

  Lounging casually in his chair, William watched them take to the floor and said in a speculative voice, “There was a rumor making its way through the building today that Jonas had been spotted in town yesterday, holding hands with a very attractive young woman. It sounded so unlikely that most of us dismissed it out of hand. But now I am wondering. Do you think it’s possible the rumor is true and the woman was Lauren?”

  “I’d say highly likely,” replied Annie as she watched them dance. They moved beautifully together. Lauren had such grace, such elegance of movement and Jonas, who couldn’t take his eyes off her, was the perfect complement to her. Annie was happy for him. He had been alone a long time.

  On the dance floor, Jonas looked into Lauren’s eyes and pulled her a little closer. “You are a beautiful dancer.”

  “You make it easy.”

  Her smile went straight to his heart. “Do you think anyone would mind if I kissed you right here?”

  “Maybe William?”

  He laughed softly. “You are right. We’d better wait.”

  Her eyes turned dark as she looked at him. “I love you,” she mouthed inaudibly.

  “Me too, you,” he whispered softly in her ear. “So much.”

  They danced in silence until she asked, “When did you arrange for the drinks?”

  “I stopped by this afternoon. They agreed to accommodate me. Got a kick out of it, actually.”

  Lauren laughed softly. “Did you write the script?”

  “That was a combined effort. I thought it went well.”

  “I loved it.”

  The music came to an end, and as they drew apart, Lauren’s arms slipped loosely around Jonas’ neck. He smiled into her eyes and, resisting the urge to kiss her, gave her a quick hug before leading her back to the table.

  The music started up again almost immediately. William sprang to his feet and held out a hand to Lauren. “My turn, I think,” he said smoothly.

  Jonas shook his head and winked at Lauren. “Don’t let him get away with anything.” He turned to Annie. ‘Would you like to dance?”

  Annie bit her lip in amusement. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather sit and watch. This is quite fascinating.”

  Jonas frowned. “Watching Lauren and William together is fascinating?”

  “No, the fascinating part is watching you and William fight over Lauren.”

  His brow cleared and he sat down. “Is that what we are doing?”

  Annie’s smile faded. “You like her.”

  “I like her,” Jonas admitted.

  “Do you more than like her?”

  His eyes softened. “Is it that obvious?”

  “It is to me because I know you so well. I am happy for you.”

  “She’s a Latter-day Saint, Annie.” There was quiet wonder in his voice. “And I’m in love with her.”

  Annie looked at him and said softly. “Oh, Jonas, you found her. I didn’t think you ever would.”

  “I had my doubts, too. I am still stunned. I went to church with her Sunday.”

  Annie’s face softened. Of course, he did. Knowing Jonas as she did, that did not surprise her at all. “She knows, doesn’t she? That you love her.”

  Jonas nodded.

  “She’s lovely, Jonas.” Annie smiled as she watched Lauren with William. The color of her dress and the way she moved made Annie think of an elegant black swan.

  Jonas laughed softly when she told him. “She’ll appreciate your approval. She worried about the dress not being suitable because it was so plain, but it was the only one she brought with her. She hadn’t expected dinner and dancing when she packed for her short visit.”

  “She has the style to carry off any dress,” said Annie. “An
d her shoes are gorgeous.”

  His eyes crinkled. “I was with her when she bought them. She refused to let me pay.”

  Annie’s mouth opened in surprise. “She ref…? That must have been a first for you!” Then things clicked. “You were downtown with her yesterday, weren’t you?”

  “Guilty.”

  “Did you know there’s a rumor going around that you were spotted holding hands with a woman yesterday? In broad daylight! And that it was so out of character no one believed it?”

  He chuckled. “No, I missed that one.”

  They looked up as William and Lauren approached the table.

  “That was fun,” Lauren smiled at William, “but you wore me out. I’m going to rest for a while.”

  William held out her chair and said outrageously, “You could sit on my lap if you’d like so we could get better acquainted.”

  Jonas looked at him and shook his head. He’d never seen William make quite such a fool of himself over a woman before.

  Taking her seat, Lauren rolled her eyes comically. “An interesting offer, but I think I’ll pass.”

  “What are the chances of us getting together tomorrow night?” William pressed after taking his own seat. “Jonas tells me you are leaving Thursday, and we should definitely get to know each other better.”

  Jonas’ sharp laugh rang out. It appeared he had a front row seat to watch Lauren turn down a date. At least he hoped she would turn William down.

  She did not disappoint him.

  “As cousins?” she asked with feigned innocence.

  “That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

  Lauren’s eyes gleamed. It had taken her less than a minute on the dance floor to realize William was a seriously accomplished flirt. Still, she saw no reason to be unkind. He was, after all, family. “I didn’t think so. What you have in mind is a little flirtation because I am someone new.”

  By the looks that passed between Annie and Jonas, Lauren knew she had read William correctly. “But I am one of those boring girls who isn’t much good at flirtation and wouldn’t give you a very good time.” Then she gave him a sincere, warm smile. “On the other hand, I make a terrific cousin. If you want to get together on those terms, I’ll reconsider.”