by Nicole Smith
Anna plastered a smile on her face and motioned to Sam. "Mrs. Bidwell, this is Sam Carter. He's new to Sully Point. Sam, this is Mrs. Bidwell. She's the vice-president of the Women's Auxiliary."
Sam set down a tray of cupcakes on the table and turned with his hand out to Mrs. Bidwell. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."
She shook his hand and waved her other with its ever-present lacy handkerchief in front of her face. "Oh my, well aren't you polite?"
"Will you be manning the bakery table today?" Anna asked.
"What, me? No, no, dear. Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Garner will be handling that."
"All right then, Sam and I will wait for them to arrive before we leave." Anna began setting out labels on the various baskets of cookies and trays of cupcakes. Sam lifted the rack out of the van to set up behind the table. Mrs. Bidwell scurried out of the way as he came toward her.
"Yes, well, I suppose I'll leave you two to set up things here. You and--Sam was it?--you have yourselves a wonderful time today at the fair." With that last comment she walked briskly away, already aiming for the first person she could mention this to.
"Oh, man, she is such a gossip. I'm afraid it will be all over the fair before you know it that we're on a date. By the end of the day, they'll have us engaged to be married. Sorry about the gossip, Sam."
He laughed. "Not a problem. I'd expect no less from any self-respecting small town. Unless--do you have any problem being seen with me? Won't ruin your reputation, will it?"
"No, no, of course not. Being seen with you can only enhance it. I never go out with anyone." She stopped talking, appalled at the things coming out of her mouth when she was with him. Being around him relaxed her too much, she guessed.
"You know, the way you were with Mrs. Bidwell was the first time I think I've ever seen you be fake with anyone," Sam said to her thoughtfully. "That smile on your face when she came up--I could tell it wasn't at all how you actually felt. You're usually so direct and honest, it was strange to see."
"I've always had a terrible time when it came lying or pretending to be something I'm not. Who I am is right there for all to see."
"I wouldn't say that, not entirely," Sam said. "There is a depth to you, a hidden depth that isn't obvious at first. And how many people in this town would guess your biggest secret?"
"Shush! Probably nobody, but be careful."
"Don't worry. I'm very happy keeping that particular secret."
"What secret?" Mrs. Garner said as she and Mrs. Simpson arrived.
Anna looked panicked, but Sam replied quickly. "The recipe for the oatmeal-raisin cookies. I know there is a special ingredient, but she won't tell me what it is."
Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Garner both looked from Sam to Anna and back again. Finally Anna remembered to introduce them and ended with saying she had no intention of giving away the family oatmeal-raisin cookie recipe.
"Are you all set here?" Anna asked them as they opened outdoor chairs to sit on behind the table.
"Yes, we're ready to sell lots of goodies," Mrs. Simpson said.
"Okay then, we'll take off. See you later." Anna gave them a little wave and she and Sam got in the van to drive back to the bakery.
Sam asked, "Is there a secret family oatmeal-raisin cookie recipe?"
"There is now!" Anna said heatedly. Then she and Sam burst out laughing.
* * * *
Sam had been to fairs across the country as part of his living in small towns. He'd never looked forward to one as much as the Sully Point fair with Anna. She'd gone home to change into 'fair-going clothes' and he'd decided to change too. He drove to her family's house dressed in drawstring natural linen pants with a sand and pale blue plaid cotton shirt. Brown loafers without socks finished off his look and he was suddenly worried he might be too casual for Anna.
She came out the door of the building before he could get out of the car. He gave a sigh of relief. Her floral gauzy skirt came to mid-calf and swirled around her legs. She had on a sleeveless knit top in pale green and white sandals. As always, out of her bakery uniform and in regular clothing she looked like a different person. She really was incredibly sexy and pretty and yet seemed totally unaware of the fact. He couldn't decide if it was her eyes, green in the sunlight, or her shiny auburn hair that made her pretty. Taken individually, no feature was outstanding on her face. But all together--she was striking. And clearly did not see herself that way. Opening the door for her, he said, "You look lovely, Anna."
She got in the car and said, "You don't have to say that, you know."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked as he started the car.
"I know I'm plain-looking. Always have been, always will be. You're saying that doesn't mean I've suddenly become lovely."
Sam turned off the car. He turned toward her. "Anna, listen to me. You aren't plain-looking, not dressed like this, with your hair down, your eyes sparkling. You really do look lovely. Now that bakery uniform does nothing for you, and when you pull your hair back it's hard to see the beauty of it. But even then, there's something about you, Anna Grainger, that is appealing."
"I--I don't know what to say."
"Just say 'Thank you, Sam' and then we'll talk of something else."
"Thank you, Sam, sincerely."
He smiled at her and skimmed a hand down the back of her hair. "Okay then, let's go."
Once they reached the fair, Sam explained how he was looking for a few items for his house. "A coffee table, a lamp, any odd, different thing to look at. Oh, and a large paperweight to hold down pages I've printed from blowing away in the ocean breeze."
But the fair held more than just hand-made items for the home. There were carnival games, rides, cotton candy and other foods, and even a psychic--a palm reader to be exact. The palm reader was near the entrance to the fair, and Sam suggested they get a reading.
Anna said, "You don't believe in psychic stuff, do you? Even though--"
"I believe we can't know all the mysteries in life and I'm content not to be sure about some things. But let's do it anyway because it will be fun. I think you need more fun in your life."
"I have fun in my life!"
He just looked at her.
"I have some fun in my life. Sometimes. Every now and then." Then she leaned close to him and whispered. "My painting is my fun."
He patted her arm. "I know, as is my writing. But there's more to life and having fun than only your passion. Let's have a different kind of fun today."
She smiled up at him suddenly, making him catch his breath. "Okay, mister, you're on. Lead me to the fun!"
The palm reader read Sam's palm first, predicting he would one day amass a fortune and great fame. Anna couldn't help but giggle. Then it was her turn.
"Yes, you also will achieve fame and fortune...and love. A great love."
Anna frowned. "A great love? Are you sure of that?"
"Yes, yes, it is quite clear here. See this line?"
"What about Sam? You didn't mention any love stuff for him."
The psychic held out her hand for Sam's again and stared at it. Then she looked at Anna's. Finally she chuckled. "Yes, a great love for you and also for him." She continued chuckling as they left.
As they walked away, Anna said, "Well that's good. You'll find love, since you already have fame and fortune, and I'll get all three when I'm looking for none of them."
Sam looked thoughtfully at his hand and glanced back at the psychic's tent. "Yes, well you tend to get things when you least expect them." He took Anna's hand in his and traced the line the psychic had shown them. Then he continued to hold her hand in his as they walked away. "Come on. Let's go play some carnival games and win prizes."
She laughed.
* * * *
Anna felt like she was in some kind of fantasy. She was on a real date with Sam at last! He was totally--well, no other word for it--sexy in those linen pants. His blond hair was getting a bit long and he brushed it back from his face with his hand. While his other hand
held hers. It was mind-blowing to her. He seemed to actually like her. And what he'd said in the car about how she looked...she had been making more of an effort lately, wearing makeup and paying more attention to her looks. Mainly because of the little comments he made, random compliments here and there. But he'd called her 'lovely' and that...changed something inside her, like something shifted her perception of herself.
The games were a hoot, with him winning a very small stuffed teddy bear for her at the ring toss while she won him a goldfish at the fishing game.
"There's no way I'm carrying this fish all over the fair. Let's find a nice bowl for it, and then put it in the car for safekeeping."
They found a set of mixing bowls at the potter's booth Sam thought would go well in his kitchen, as well as a good-sized clear fish bowl. After settling the goldfish in the car, they returned to the fair and wandered through the craft section.
Anna enjoyed watching how he looked at things. It was never about price, but all about quality. He seemed to appreciate the effort put into some of the pieces, but by lunch time he had only found a coffee table for his house and arranged to have it delivered.
"That wood for the table is great and will be perfect in the beach house, but I'm just not crazy about anything else I've seen here," he said while they found seats at a table under a large tent. They both had plates piled high with fish tacos and beer-battered onion rings.
"You could always go to a furniture store. In Boston or even New York."
"I hate to go that far when I only need a few things. Maybe I'll check out the local furniture store for the lamp. Then I would just need something for the wall across from the couch. I hate staring at a blank wall."
He took a big bite of fish taco. Anna nibbled on an onion ring and thought hard. Of course there was a solution to his blank wall. Sitting in her packing crate--and the storage locker--were quite a few paintings. If he found one he liked...but could she let go of any of them? True, she had been thinking of putting them in a gallery if the owner liked them. But this was now, not in the future.
"What's wrong, Anna? Why aren't you eating?" Sam frowned at her.
"I was thinking," she said, deciding in that moment what to do. "I think you should go through my paintings and see if you like one enough to put up on your wall. You could have one of them for your house."
Sam's looked incredulous. "You're kidding...really? I'd pay you well for it, never fear. It would be great to have one."
"Oh, you wouldn't have to pay me. Think of it as payment for helping out at the loft."
"They are your very hard work, work you've poured your soul into unless I miss my guess. Of course I'm going to pay for the painting. That's only right."
Anna was quiet again. Sam went back to eating, glancing at her periodically. Finally she picked up her fork and began to eat some fish out of a taco. He was right about one thing--it was definitely work to paint. Fun, glorious, wonderful work. She'd never gotten any money for doing something she loved.
"All right. You can pay."
Cody sat down beside her and asked, "Pay for what?"
"Um, Sam is going to pay for the ride we're going on."
Cody looked at Sam, "So what ride are you going on, The Bullet?"
"No!" Anna and Sam said together. They laughed and Anna continued. "No, we're going to ride the Merry-Go-Round. I've always loved it."
"Yeah, I remember from when we were kids. You'd ride that thing forever. So, Sis, how long have you and Sam here been dating?"
Anna felt herself blushing. Sam said smoothly, "Today is our first date. Did you come to the fair with a date, Cody?"
Cody frowned and shook his head. Hmm, Anna thought, something's wrong in Cody's dating world. Somehow hearing Sam tell Cody they were on a date made her feel all warm inside.
Cody was talking to Sam about renovating Anna's loft when she next tuned in to the conversation. She'd managed to finish up her fish, and left all but a few onion rings on her plate, which Cody finished off.
"I talked to Dad this morning about appliances. We thought maybe some of those retro style appliances, but they cost too much. So we think we'll just do basic stainless steel."
"Yeah, those vintage appliances can cost a pretty penny, but they're worth it. I installed them in my beach house."
Cody's surprise showed on his face. "You did? Nice one."
Anna said, "Isn't there something called appliance paint?"
Both Cody and Sam nodded.
"Well, how about we just get a white fridge and stove and then I can paint them red? That should liven the place up."
Cody nodded. "Great idea. I'm gonna go find Dad and tell him. See you guys later."
They watched Cody walk off and Sam said, "You're always full of creative ideas, aren't you?"
She shrugged. "It only makes sense. But tell me, what color did you get for your kitchen?"
"Beach-blue. It's an old-fashioned blue. I'll be interested to see what you think of it when you visit."
"Am I going to visit?"
"I want you to...if you want to."
"Then I will," she said with a smile.
* * * *
By the time they left the fair, Sam was sure of one thing. He was falling in love with Anna Grainger.
Chapter 5
Anna had paintings spread out all along the walls of the loft. She'd retrieved some she had in storage as well, so there were more in a corner leaning against each other.
Sam walked slowly around the room. Stopping before each one and looking at it before moving on. Anna watched him for a while, but it made her too nervous, so finally she went into the almost-completed kitchen to make coffee. It seemed strange to have someone look at what she'd painted, even the older paintings, because they all had a piece of her in them. She wondered how it was for him with his books to have millions of people reading his words. No wonder he worked under a pen name and tried so hard to keep his privacy.
Anna hadn't realized just how many paintings she actually had until she'd opened up the storage locker. She'd rented it two years ago and was rather stunned by how much she had when put together with the paintings in the loft. Maybe it was time to make room for new ones.
Sam startled her by coming up behind her and running a hand down her arm. "Whoa, warn a person, I almost spilled the coffee." She carried the tray with cups and a warming carafe filled with coffee to the brass chest she used for a coffee table.
He followed her and said, "I've decided."
Carefully, she set the tray down with suddenly shaking hands. "You have? You like one well enough to have in your home?"
He shook his head. "Anna, what am I going to do with you? I don't like just one well enough--it's taken me all this time because I like too many of them. They're wonderful. Moving and powerful, raw and real, whether you're doing something more realistic or something fantastical or purely abstract--the intensity, the beauty--I don't have words to describe them."
Anna sank down on the couch. "You're doing pretty well, I'd say."
He sat next to her and took her hand in his. "Hey, are you all right? You've gone pale all of a sudden."
"I'm just stunned to hear your reaction. It's more than I ever dreamed would be possible. Wow." She felt as if her heart would burst in that moment and a weight was lifted that she hadn't known she carried. Someone else could see in them what she had meant when creating them! It was a heady feeling.
"Here, it's this one." Sam got up and pointed to a painting he'd propped up on the chair away from the others. It was a painting of a beach and the ocean at night, and at first glance could be taken as a scene from Sully Point--until the eyes noticed three moons hung in the sky.
"I don't know how you did this, the light on dark waves, keeping some of the color even though it's so dark, there is a shining quality to it all, the sparkle of the sand against water, the greenery of the forest looming so close..."
"I remember painting that wasn't easy, but I had fun with it."
/> "Yes! There is a joy in it that I sense and an expansiveness of thought. I think this would be good for me to look at when I'm stumped or blocked because it opens up the mind to possibilities."
Anna felt somewhat uncomfortable as he talked about the painting. Honestly, she didn't remember feeling all these things he described, yet that is what came across to him.
He stopped talking and looked at her face. "Let me guess. You didn't have all this in mind when you painted it, right?"
She gasped. "How did you know that?"
He laughed ruefully. "Tell me something, what do you like about my detective series? I noticed you have quite a few of them on your bookshelves. What makes you keep buying new ones?"
"They're so well-written. You take the reader into each character, you show us how they think and feel without losing sight of the story. You offer hope even when the situation is dire, even when Maurice is at his lowest. It's that hope I think that brings people back time and again."
"Would it surprise you to hear that when I sit down to write my books, I don't think about giving hope to people? That all I think about is telling a good story?"
Her face lit up. "Ah, I get it. So it's not so strange that you see more in my paintings than what I meant to paint."
"That's right. Anna, with art, any kind of art, we put ourselves into it but what comes out is more than the sum of all parts, more than the brushstrokes or words. We put feelings and dreams into motion. We transcend ourselves, if we are lucky. Then we give our art to the world, to another person, and what they see in it, what they bring to it, what meaning they find is a gift. To us and to them. The true artist brings more than himself or herself into the work without even knowing it. The painting, the book, is but a reflection, a tiny part of that magnificence we draw upon."
Anna stared at him. "You are amazing, Sam Carter. I've never heard it said like that before."
He smiled at her. "I've never said it like that before. So, do you approve of my selection?"
"Yes, very much."
"All right, do you have a figure in mind?" When she looked at him questioningly he grinned. "Money, Anna, the paycheck at the end of the rainbow."