by Terri DuLong
I recalled the day that Lucas had first walked into my coffee shop. It wasn’t coffee that he ordered—it was a cup of tea.
“Yes, I think offering tea is a good choice. So you could also display some teapots with an unusual design. On one of your trips back to France, you won’t have any problem finding a few of those.”
“That sounds good.”
“I think maybe you should have a long wooden counter built back there,” I said, pointing to the back of the room. “This is where your patrons will order the coffee. And you’ll need to have some small tables with four chairs. I’d arrange those against the wall, because you also want to have some cushy seating in the middle. A few love seats, maybe some chairs like you have in the bookshop.”
“I like it,” Lucas said. “I can visualize it and, yes, I like it very much. What do you think about decorating? What décor should I use?”
“Well, since you’re French, why not go with black and white for colors? On the walls, maybe you could hang some prints of French scenery or maps?”
“Yes, yes. I like that as well. And equipment? What, exactly, will I need to order?”
“Oh, darn,” I said. “I have catalogs and I meant to bring them with me. I’ll make a note so I don’t forget.”
I reached across the table for the pen and paper at the same time that Lucas did, and our hands touched. I swear I felt an electric jolt travel through my arm. I glanced up to see his dark eyes on my face, and neither one of us released our hands from each other.
Lucas smiled. “Sorry,” he said, slowly pulling his hand away. “Here, you can use the paper and pen. Let me get another one.”
He got up quickly and headed into the bookshop. God, what was that all about? I couldn’t ever recall touching a man’s hand and experiencing a reaction like that.
“Okay,” he said, coming to sit back down. “I’ll also make a few notes.”
I looked at his curly head bent over the paper as he wrote, and this time I was certain we felt a mutual chemistry.
“Very good. I think we’ve accomplished a lot, but I’d really like to see that catalog so I can get the needed equipment ordered. Is there ... is there any chance you might be free this evening for dinner? And you could bring the catalog so we could discuss it?”
Oh. My. God. Was he asking me out on a date? Don’t be foolish, I thought, it’s simply a business meeting.
“Ah, no. I mean, yes, I’m free.... I don’t have any plans this evening.”
“Great,” he said, standing up, and I got the distinct impression that this meeting was over. “Is the Island Room okay? I can call there to reserve a table.”
I also stood up and reached for my bag. “Yes, that would be fine. What time should I meet you there?”
He seemed to hesitate and then said, “How’s seven o’clock sound?”
See, I told myself, it’s not a date. He isn’t picking me up at my home. “Great. Seven is great,” I said, and headed to the door. “I’ll see you then.”
8
What few clothes I had left from the fire lay sprawled across my bed. I really did have to do some serious shopping. Here it was four-thirty and I still couldn’t decide what to wear for dinner with Lucas. Damn. Then I remembered Monica’s generous offer. Time to give her a call and see if she could help me out.
“Of course I can help you,” she said. “Come on over to Monica’s Boutique and choose whatever you’d like.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” I told her. “Be right over.”
I held the mint green sundress in front of me. “What do you think?”
“With that auburn hair of yours, I think that color goes way better on you than me. Try it on and let’s see.”
I came out of the bathroom and twirled around.
Monica nodded her head. “Absolutely! You look really hot in that dress.”
Hot? Did I actually want to look hot? Why not? Hot can be a good thing for dinner with a handsome guy. Never mind that it was only for business.
“You think?” I questioned, looking in the full-length mirror. The cutout on the back was cute, the V-shaped neck in front was just low enough to be appropriate, the length came just to my knee, and Monica was right, the color did go well with my hair. My hair! How would I wear it?
“Love the dress, but what am I going to do with this?” I asked, running my hand through my curls.
“Up. You have to wear it up with that dress. It’ll be cool off your neck, plus just a tad seductive.”
I laughed. “Seductive? I told you, it’s just a business meeting.”
Now it was Monica’s turn to laugh. “Yeah, right. You seem to forget I was there that day Lucas first came into your coffee shop. I saw the way he looked at you.”
“Well, if that look meant anything, then he sure has a strange way of showing it. He’s really made no attempt to get better acquainted on a personal basis.”
“You might think tonight is about business. Trust me, I’d bet anything it’s not.”
I ignored Monica’s comment. “White heels with the dress, do you think?”
“Yup, and I have just the pair,” she said, going to her closet. “Here, try these.”
I took one look at the four-inch heel and smiled. “Really?” Now these were hot. Open toe, open back, and all slim straps.
“Really,” she said, as I slipped my feet into them. They were surprisingly more comfortable than they looked.
“Okay,” I said, twirling around once more and pleased with the reflection I saw in the mirror. “Like I said, you’re a lifesaver, Monica.”
“Glad I could help. Only one thing ... I want all the details tomorrow morning. Got it?”
“Got it,” I promised.
Sitting across from Lucas at the Island Room, I did feel hot. By the look on his face when I walked in, he may have been thinking that exact word. Of course, I could be all wrong, but it seemed like I was able to read his mind from the expressions on his face. And the one he had when I walked in certainly made me feel like a woman. Maybe even a desired woman.
“Bonsoir,” he said, standing up as I approached the table, formally extending his hand.
“Bonsoir,” I repeated, taking his hand, and that electric jolt I’d felt this morning was even stronger. Feeling flustered, I let go of his hand as he pulled out my chair. With a European man, chivalry is never dead.
“You look very nice this evening,” he told me.
I said a silent thank you to Monica before verbally thanking Lucas. I noticed he looked pretty dashing himself with pale blue blazer, open-collared shirt, and gray dress slacks.
The waitress came to take our drink order, and we both ordered a glass of Pinot Noir. When it arrived, he touched his glass to mine and said, “To a great coffee café.”
“Yes, and much success,” I said, before taking a sip. “Oh, I have the catalog.” I reached in my tote bag and passed it across the table.
Lucas opened it and began turning pages. “Do you have any suggestions?” he asked.
“Well, you can never go wrong with a Bunn or Braun coffeemaker. Personally, I feel they’re the best. And will you be serving espresso and cappuccino?”
“Oui,” he said, reverting to his native language as he continued turning pages.
I smiled. “Toward the back of the catalog, you’ll see the machines for those.”
By the time dinner arrived, Lucas had made all of his selections. With my guidance, of course.
“Thank you very much for helping me,” he said. “I’ll be ordering everything on Monday, and I’ve already spoken to the workmen about coming in to build that counter and do a few other things.”
“That’s great. So I’m sure it won’t be long before your coffee café is open and ready for business.”
“Well, there’s still the problem of furniture. Those tables and chairs you mentioned, along with the love seats. I got the ones for the bookshop in Gainesville.”
I took a bite of my pork and nodded. “Right.
You’ll be able to find whatever you need there.”
“Yes, well ... the problem is ... for the coffee café, I’m still not sure exactly what I should purchase.”
“Oh,” was all I could think of to say.
“So ... is there any chance ... I mean, I know how busy you are helping your aunt, but ... do you think possibly you might be able to drive into Gainesville with me and help me make a selection?”
Yes, true, this appeared to be another business-related outing. But I enjoyed Lucas’s company and the thought of spending much of the day with him certainly appealed to me. Besides, I was being neighborly by helping him out, right?
“Actually, I’m not that busy. I’m doing well getting the website set up, and I should have that finished by early next week. When were you thinking of going?”
“I thought perhaps this Friday?”
Damn. The day Chloe was arriving, and I didn’t want to start off on a bad foot with her by not being around when she got here. “Well, uh, that really wouldn’t work for me,” I said, and explained that it was Friday my sister would be arriving.
“Oh, that’s right. You had mentioned she was moving here, and I can certainly understand why you should be home to greet her.” He took a sip of wine. After a few moments he said, “Would Thursday be better for you? Do you think you could go with me then?”
I smiled at him across the table. “Yes, Thursday would be fine, and I’d love to.”
“Wonderful. I will pick you up at your house about nine? How would that be?”
Pick me up? Okay, okay, I know it’s only to go furniture shopping, but still ...
“Yes, nine would be great,” I said, and shot him another smile.
Following dinner, Lucas suggested we have coffee on the outside porch overlooking the water.
I decided to take a chance and ask more about him.
“So,” I questioned. “Do you still have relatives in France?”
“Well, my parents are both gone, but yes, I do have aunts, uncles, and cousins in the south of France. I don’t see them very often, but we do still stay in touch. Computers and e-mails are a wonderful invention, are they not?”
“Yes, they certainly are.” I decided to get a bit more inquisitive. “Have you ever been married?” I asked, jumping right in.
Lucas put his head down and began fingering the spoon. For a minute I didn’t think he was going to answer. I should have known better. The French are not like Americans—telling personal things, like the tabloids in our country were famous for.
“I was,” he said quietly. He looked up and his eyes met mine.
Not only could I read his expressions, I discovered in that moment the pain that was revealed in those eyes, and for one of the few times in my life, I didn’t know what to say.
“Danielle passed away eight years ago.”
Without even thinking, I reached out and touched his hand. “I’m so sorry. She was so young. Was she ill?” I asked, never thinking he could have lost his wife in death.
“No, she was not ill. It was an automobile accident, and Danielle was thirty-five when it happened.”
“I’m sorry,” I said again, and now felt bad for bringing up the subject. I also wondered if possibly Lucas had been driving the car and that accounted for some of the pain I saw in his eyes. That and grief, of course.
“How about you?” he now questioned. “Have you been married?”
I shook my head. “No.” I then surprised myself by mentioning a little about Beau. “But I did have a long-term relationship years ago. I had just graduated college. I was working in our family antique shop in Brunswick. That’s where I met him. He came in to make a purchase. We were together a little over four years.”
“I see. So it was not to be, this relationship?”
“No, I suppose it wasn’t.” I reached up to push a strand of hair away from my face and shrugged. “I was young when we met, only twenty-two. And much younger than he was. Beau was twelve years older than me.”
“This age difference? Do you think that accounted for the problem ?”
“Oh, no. Not at all. It was many other things. By the way,” I asked, now wanting to change the subject, “can I ask your age?”
Lucas laughed. “I am forty-six. Am I an older man to you?”
I smiled. “Not by my standards. I’m thirty-six, and I’ve always felt that age is simply a number. I think Aunt Maude is a good example of that.”
“Indeed she is,” he said, looking out toward the water. “We have a beautiful sunset tonight.”
I followed his glance to the west. “We’re fortunate to have them most nights on the island.”
“I like this island,” he said. “I’m glad I discovered it and will be staying here.” He turned to face me. “And thank you for having dinner with me this evening.”
“I enjoyed it very much.” I glanced at my watch and saw it was a little after nine. Where had two hours gone? I couldn’t believe how the time had flown by.
“Do you need to leave?” Lucas asked.
“I really should get home to let Annie out. I told her to be a good girl while I was gone.”
Lucas stood up and laughed. “I’m driving up to Brunswick on Saturday to bring Duncan to his new home here. Mrs. Beckett has kept him for me while I get settled in, but it’ll be great to have my companion with me again.”
“That’s right. I remember you mentioning that you had a Scottish terrier when we first met.”
“Yes, Duncan is my little companion and a good boy.”
We walked out to the parking lot together.
“May I give you a ride home?” he asked.
“I have my car, but thank you.”
We stood there staring at each other for a brief moment. Lucas seemed reluctant to leave, and suddenly he leaned over, kissing both of my cheeks twice, and said, “Well, I will follow you in my car, just to be sure you arrive safely.”
I smiled. “That would be nice,” I said.
Driving up Second Street, I glanced in my rearview mirror and felt a warm feeling go through me. After so many years of not having a man in my life, it felt reassuring to know that the one following behind was doing so because he was concerned for me. Yes, that was a good feeling.
When I pulled up in front of the house, I got out, hollered thank you, and waved.
Lucas called back, “See you Thursday morning at nine.”
Falling asleep that night, I replayed the entire evening again in my head. All of it was wonderful, but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that I had shared something about Beau with him. Except for Aunt Maude and Suellen, I had never done that with one other person.
9
Friday morning, based on the events of the past week, I felt compelled to do a tarot reading. Annie and I had taken our walk, and I was enjoying my second cup of coffee. Before shuffling the cards, I decided to burn some sage and cedar in the kitchen.
Sitting down at the table, I reached for the deck and allowed my mind to wander.
The revelation from Lucas about the death of his wife dominated my thoughts. I recalled the phone conversation with Suellen.
“So the poor man is probably still grieving over his loss, do you think? Maybe that’s why he’s not actively pursuing a relationship with you?”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” I’d told her.
“Wow, imagine loving so deeply that even eight years later he can’t bring himself to think about loving another woman.”
I had felt a stab of jealousy go through me. “Well, I’m not saying that’s the way it is,” I’d told Suellen. “I’m just thinking it might possibly account for the reason Lucas is keeping what we share on a strictly platonic level. I mean, dinner with him the other night was great, and our shopping spree yesterday was fun, and although I do think we have chemistry together, it’s just a friendship.”
I let out a deep sigh as I continued shuffling the cards.
Was that the reason? Was Lucas
holding back with any romantic overtures because of the wife he’d lost? Could be, and yet I got the distinct feeling he was attracted to me, and there was no doubt that I was attracted to him. And how about our shopping spree? We had talked nonstop on the drive to Gainesville and back. No, not about anything profound, just enjoyable conversation. And over lunch—at that intimate French restaurant he suggested—he had reached out and squeezed my hand, thanking me for accompanying him to make furniture selections. The look in his eyes had been genuine, which led me to think that he cared about me.
I blew out a deep breath. That’s just it, I thought, maybe even though he feels the attraction that I do, he’s not willing to follow through on it. Maybe that deep love he has for his wife won’t allow him to.
“And how do you feel about that, Gracie?” I asked myself out loud.
I’m not sure, I thought, but possibly it’s better to have only a friendship with Lucas than no contact at all?
I had no answers, but maybe the cards did. I stopped shuffling and removed the first one—the Page of Fire/Mastery of action card indicating playfulness. This card could definitely represent me, because the meaning for it was to start seeing the lighter side of life, the playfulness. When this card appears in a reading, something fresh and new is going to enter your life and you are ready for it.
Hmm, well, this certainly made sense. Especially in relation to Lucas.
I removed the next card and was surprised to see the Knight of Clouds. This one shows a knight completely covered in armor. The armor has buttons all over it, and they could detonate if touched.
This card seldom showed up in my spread. Could it represent Lucas? The figure in the card is angry and his face is full of pure rage. This person shows so much anger because beneath this anger is profound pain from something in his past.
Immediately, I recalled the pain I saw in his eyes Tuesday night when he told me about his wife’s death.
The definition of this card also states that his anger is his armor to avoid further pain. This individual can change, but it will take time and a lot of understanding from those around him.