With This Ring

by Lee McKenzie

  As he walked to his truck, a window display in the jewelry store next door caught his eye. Nothing as fancy as the diamonds that had ended up in his plumbing, but still some beautiful pieces. And no doubt they had some staggering price tags to go with them. As he turned away, though, one ring grabbed his attention. It was set with a single pink stone, simple and elegant. He certainly wasn’t in the market for a ring, but somehow that didn’t stop him from going inside for a closer look.

  LESLIE’S TOWN HOUSE was in one of the new complexes, but the neighborhood was a mix of old and new, much like most of the town. Nick’s company had done some restoration work nearby, turning an old warehouse into trendy lofts.

  What would she think of him dropping by like this? What if she didn’t want the dress back? Like, really didn’t want it? Maybe she’d tell him to get lost, and take the dress with him.

  He rang the doorbell before he lost his nerve.

  “Brent, hi. This is a surprise. A good one, though.”

  She looked completely different from the woman who’d spent two days at his place. Her short dark hair was sleek and styled, and she was wearing makeup. Not so much that it was really obvious, but enough to emphasize the soft brown of her eyes and the curve of her cheekbones. She looked more beautiful than ever.

  He held out the dress, realizing too late that he should have put it in something. “You left this at my place.”

  “Thanks.” She took it from him and draped it over her arm. “I remembered it after I got home. I meant to call and make arrangements to get it out of your way, but I’ve been busy.”

  “So I hear. That’s why I thought I’d drop it off.”

  “Thanks, but I was in no rush to get it back.”

  Meaning she saw through his ruse to pay her a visit.

  “Hannah and I are making dinner. Would you like to join us?”

  He couldn’t think of anything he’d like better. Well, maybe one or two things, but those weren’t going to happen. “Dinner would be great.”

  “Then come on in.” She opened the closet door and put the dress on a hanger.

  He’d found something in the jewelry store that he hoped would make up for not replacing the shoes, but he felt awkward about giving it to her. Better to leave it in his pocket and hope that an opportunity presented itself later. He shrugged out of his jacket and she hung that up, too, then he followed her into the kitchen.

  He wasn’t a big fan of this type of new construction, but she’d done an impressive job of decorating the place. The muted colors and understated furniture were as elegant as she was.

  Hannah was in the kitchen, slicing mushrooms.

  “We have a guest for dinner,” Leslie said.

  The woman looked up and beamed at him. “So I see. How are you, young man?”

  “I’m fine, thank you, ma’am. And you?”

  “Since this sweet girl insisted I come to stay with her, I can honestly say I’ve never been better.”

  Leslie crossed the room and hugged her. “And it’s been just like old times, hasn’t it?”

  “Better than old times.”

  Brent watched the exchange and was once again struck by what an amazing person Leslie was. He suspected she’d always been like this, which made him wonder why she was so reluctant to let people see this side of her.

  “Whatever you’re making, it smells great.”

  “It’s boeuf bourguignon. Hannah’s is the best there is.”

  “Sounds as good as it smells.” He’d offer to help, but he had no idea what boeuf bourguignon was. Hell, he couldn’t even pronounce it.

  “What can I do to help?” Leslie asked.

  “Nothing,” Hannah said, sternly shaking a long-handled spoon at her. “You said you needed to talk to Brent about helping out with this big event of yours. The two of you can sit over there and talk, and I’ll eavesdrop while I work. How does that sound?”

  “Sounds good to me,” he said. “As long as you’re sure there’s nothing we can do.”

  Leslie pointed to the glass-topped table in the breakfast nook. “Have a seat. I’ll just run upstairs and get my notes.” She headed for the stairs, then quickly reappeared. “Would you like something to drink? We made iced tea this afternoon.”

  “I’ll look after that,” Hannah said, shooing her out of the room. “She keeps treating me like a visitor and I keep telling her that if I’m going to stay here, I’ll earn my keep. And as soon as I find a place of my own, I won’t have to bother her anymore.”

  Brent got the sense she was talking to herself rather than him. She dumped ice into two tall glasses and filled them from a pitcher of tea in the fridge. “Sugar?” she asked.

  “No, thanks.” He set the glasses on the table and sat down, watching the woman as she went back to work at the granite-topped counter, this time chopping parsley.

  She glanced up and caught him watching her. “I hear you have a knack for being in the right place at the right time.”

  The remark would have caught him off guard if he hadn’t seen the twinkle in her bright blue eyes. “It’s nice when you get something right, isn’t it?”

  If only he’d been the right man, everything would have been perfect.

  Hannah sent him a sly smile. “Take it slow. She’ll come around.”

  It took a few seconds for her words to register. Was she telling him…

  No.

  But it sure sounded like it.

  Her attention was once again on food preparation, and he wondered if maybe he’d imagined hearing something she hadn’t actually said.

  He knew what he’d heard, though. Hannah had been given some kind of inside information, which meant that Leslie must have talked to her about him.

  Take it slow. Interesting advice. That would be a first for him, but after their disastrous make-out session the other night, he’d been worried he wouldn’t have another shot. Taking it slow was infinitely better than having no chance at all. Before he’d figured out how to wheedle a little more information out of Hannah, Leslie came back into the kitchen and set a stack of file folders on the table.

  At his place she had seemed not quite unsure of herself, but definitely a little tentative. Not here. Back on her own turf, she was confident and completely in control. Which meant he really needed to watch his step.

  Take it slow. She’ll come around. He glanced over at Hannah, who was watching him watch Leslie. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

  All right. He needed an ally, and it looked as though he finally had one. He wasn’t sure how that might work to his advantage, but it was worth cultivating.

  However, he still didn’t know how he and Leslie would ever resolve their financial differences. He could have paid for the shoes this afternoon, but he couldn’t afford those kinds of things on a regular basis. He was happy with what he had, but he had no right to expect her to lower her standards to match his. She wasn’t ostentatious, but she deserved the best. That was one thing Bedford had been able to do for her, and it bugged the hell out of Brent.

  “I met with your mother this morning. Have you talked to her?”

  “I have.” Several times. “Sounds like Christmas in Collingwood Station has come a little early this year.”

  “So she told you about the theme for the gala? I didn’t think she was too crazy about the idea, so I wondered if she’d mention it.”

  “Oh, I heard all about it. And about the new laundry equipment that was delivered to the shelter today. That was very generous of you.” And further underscored the differences in their financial situations.

  Her eyebrows knit together slightly. “That’s a donation from CS Appliance Center. I arranged for it, but I didn’t pay for it. The other day you said the shelter needed new washers and dryers, so I called them and they said no problem.”

  “My mother didn’t mention that. I think she thinks it’s from you.” No doubt the Appliance Center’s generous response had a lot to do with the person who was doing the asking, but if
it meant an easier go of it for the shelter, his mother would be all for it.

  “There should have been a letter with it. I’ll check with her the next time I see her. We’ll need to keep a list of donors so we can send thank-you notes after the event.”

  “I’m sure she found the letter once she recovered from the shock.” Judging by the sound of Colleen’s voice on the phone early in the afternoon, that was going to take a while. “She’s used to getting used clothes and day-old bread, but new appliances don’t turn up every day.”

  “Well, I’m glad I could help make it happen today.” She opened a file folder and pulled out a map. “We’re holding the event at my mother’s place.” She showed him the plan of the grounds. “It’ll be perfect, don’t you think?”

  He agreed that it would.

  “I’ve been on the phone all afternoon to businesses around town. Along with the washer and dryer, I think I’ve managed to line up most of the things we need.”

  She took a sheet of paper out of a file folder and laid it on the table so he could read it. “The catering company will provide the food at no cost. We’ll have to pay the serving staff, but that won’t be a huge expense. There’ll be a cash bar, so that will take care of itself. Pretty well everything else is on loan from various companies around town. A sound system, lighting, a couple of those big tents in case it rains. What do you think?”

  That she might be the most amazing person he’d ever met. “I think you should run for president.”

  She had an endearing way of scrunching her nose when she wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and she was doing it now. “President of what?” she asked.

  “The United States.”

  “Running a country is a lot different from throwing a party.”

  “Somebody ought to tell that to the politicians,” Hannah said.

  They all laughed at that.

  Leslie poured some more iced tea into her glass and took a sip. “And you already know the best part.”

  He did? “What’s that?”

  “The Christmas in July theme.”

  Right. That hadn’t sounded like the best idea to him, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Not while he was reminded of a younger Leslie who had been on every school committee that involved decorating the gym or putting up posters in the hallways.

  “You don’t think it sounds crazy, do you?” she asked.

  From over Leslie’s shoulder, he caught a warning glance from Hannah.

  “No. Not crazy at all.” But he had to struggle to find something appropriate to say. “Christmas without snow will be kind of nice for a change.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Oh, there will be snow. It’ll be the best part, and that’s where I need your help.”

  “Really?” He would agree to practically anything if it meant spending more time with Leslie, but snow in the summertime? He didn’t know how he could pull that off.

  “I have a lead on one of those snow-making machines they use on film sets. I haven’t finalized it yet, but it looks like it’ll be a sure thing. I was hoping you and maybe Nick would oversee the set-up and make sure it works properly.”

  “Your wish is my command.”

  “So who’s going to be Santa Claus?” Hannah asked.

  Brent shot her a look, which she returned with one of her own.

  “At first I hadn’t given it any thought, but Colleen asked me the same thing.” Leslie seemed to be looking at him hopefully.

  No. Way. Making it snow was one thing, but showing up at a society function as Santa was a whole other story. “What about your brother? We can call him St. Nick.”

  Hannah and Leslie both laughed.

  “I can imagine how that would go over,” Leslie said. “But I was thinking of something a little different. Santa in a red suit is fine for a children’s party, but I want this to be a grown-up affair. Hors d’oeuvres, waiters circulating with champagne, that sort of thing. And although people will pay quite a bit to attend, I’m hoping they’ll be even more generous once they get there and realize how important this cause is.”

  Brent nodded. It all sounded good to him, as long as it meant he didn’t have to be the one in the red suit.

  “So I’m thinking about having a couple of men in tuxedos and wearing red hats, soliciting donations, reminding people to check out the silent auction, that sort of thing.” She stopped talking and looked more hopeful than ever.

  Was there any way to say no to being Santa in a tux? None that he could think of. “Tell you what,” he said. “If you can convince your brother to do this, I’m in, too.”

  Her smile would have been thanks enough, but the light kiss on his cheek sealed the deal.

  Hannah was smiling, too. “Are you two ready to eat? The table in the dining room is set and this pan is ready to come out of the oven.”

  Leslie jumped up and grabbed a pair of oven mitts off the counter. “Let me get it,” she said. “That pan is too heavy for you to lift.”

  The dinner was amazing. Boeuf bourguignon turned out to be a gourmet beef stew that Hannah served with mashed potatoes and a salad and a loaf of French bread. Leslie poured glasses of red wine for herself and him, and iced tea for Hannah, and they toasted Hannah’s visit and the success of Leslie’s fund-raising event.

  After dinner Leslie insisted that the elderly woman go to her room and rest while they cleared away the dinner dishes. When they finished that, she walked with him to the front door.

  He picked up his jacket and put it on. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “Thanks for bringing the dress.”

  A few seconds ticked by and they were on the verge of an awkward silence when he remembered his gift.

  “I almost forgot. I have something for you.” He pulled the package from his pocket and handed it to her.

  She accepted, a little reluctantly it seemed to him. “What’s this for?”

  “The shoes. I tried to get you another pair but they were all out of your size.”

  “I’m glad. I didn’t want another pair, and…” She hesitated. “They were very expensive. I’m glad you didn’t waste your money on them.”

  He instantly regretted spending anything at all.

  She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid of the little box.

  What if she hated this, or thought it was silly and sentimental?

  “Brent, this is beautiful. It’s like Cinderella’s glass slipper.”

  The dainty high-heeled crystal shoe had been on display in the jewelry-store window. It hadn’t been the only thing he’d bought while he was there, but for now it was all he could give her.

  She put it back in the box and set it on the hall table. “I love it. Thank you.”

  “I should go.”

  “In a minute. I have something for you, too.” She wound her arms around his neck and brushed his mouth with hers, lightly at first and then with more purpose.

  He held her and let her take control of the kiss while he ran his hands down her back, pulling her close. He felt his body respond and he could have sworn hers did, too. But he forced his hands to stop at her waist and reminded himself it was a goodnight kiss, not a let’s-spend-the-night-together kiss.

  He ran his hands up her sides and gently pushed her away from him. Stopping the kiss was a lot harder.

  “That was me saying thank you.”

  “This is me saying good night.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Sleep well.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The next day, after a late lunch, Hannah helped clear away the dishes and Leslie couldn’t help noticing how tired she looked. The woman had been through a lot in the past month. Losing her home, ending up in a shelter.

  “I can take care of this,” Leslie said. “You should sit and put your feet up. Maybe you’d like some tea?”

  “I can’t have you looking after me. It wouldn’t be right.”

  “Of course it would. You looked after me for years.”

  “Looking after your family was my job
.”

  “Yes, but now we’re friends. And friends let friends help each other.”

  “A person might think you were a lawyer, the way you lay out your arguments.”

  “Good. Now you go sit. Better yet, why don’t you go lie down for a while? I’ll bring you a cup of tea and some magazines.”

  “That does sound mighty good.”

  Leslie filled the kettle and turned it on. “Off you go, then. I’ll be right there.”

  She watched Hannah slowly make her way down the hallway. As she laid out a tea tray, Leslie wondered what Hannah’s reaction would be if she suggested making an appointment for her to see her doctor. Since the older woman made a fuss about sitting down and being waited on, Leslie decided this wasn’t the time to broach that subject.

  While she waited for the kettle to boil, she went into the den to look for some magazines. She chose several that she thought Hannah might like. On her way out of the room, she spotted the box of stuff that belonged to Gerald. The negative energy was almost tangible. It was time to get this stuff out of here.

  She took the magazines into the kitchen, set them on the tray, filled the teapot and carried it into the guest room. Hannah had slipped off her shoes and was reclining on the bed, watching Dr. Phil.

  “You look comfortable.” Leslie positioned the tray over Hannah’s lap and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  “I am. And watching this show makes me count my blessings. A lot of people out there are a lot worse off than I am.”

  Leslie smiled. Hannah had always been as solid as a rock and more sensible than anyone she knew. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “No, my dear. You’ve already done enough.”

  “What about a blanket?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, a blanket would be nice.”

  Leslie took a blanket from the closet and covered the woman’s legs. “Rest as long as you like. I need to take care of a few things this afternoon.”

  Hannah patted her hand. “Thank you. Run along and have a good time. Maybe spend some time with that nice young man who was here last night.”