“All good with him, too. Spending more time together and planning a week in St. Kitts in October.”
“Ah. Planning ahead? That’s promising.” CJ was genuinely happy for him. They both needed companionship. She hadn’t realized until recently the importance of a relationship. A romantic one, for sure. “I’m glad you guys are moving forward. You deserve it, Col.”
“So do you, Nancy Drew. Maybe when all of this is over, you’ll be able to find someone who will treat you the way you should be treated.” Colin had hoped for a good companion for CJ for a long time—even before Kick had died. She had been married to her job, and she was hitting her midthirties. If she wanted to have a family, the clock was ticking. She deserved someone kind, generous, and smart. Most of the men she had dated were career climbers or just plain assholes.
Suddenly a sheepish grin crossed her face. “What’s that smile all about?” Colin knew her too well for that to slip past him.
“Oh nothing.” But the grin on her face belied her nonchalance.
“Don’t you tell me ‘nothing,’ missy. I know you too well.” Colin peered deeper into the camera lens so only his eyeball was visible.
“Let’s just say I’ve had a couple of dates with a very nice man.”
“Wow. Boy do you move fast!” Colin was stunned. CJ had rarely showed any interest in dating, and she had only been gone a few weeks.
“Yep! Remember? It’s the new me!” She laughed out loud, and continued, “Let’s not get crazy. It’s just been a few dates.”
“A few? You haven’t had ‘a few’ dates in the past five years. And I’m talkin’ cumulatively!” Colin was joking though the interesting observation was dead-on.
“Don’t rub it in, buster. I’m making up for lost time. Besides, I think by now I know what I don’t want, so that eliminates a vast majority of the male population!” Quickly changing the subject and knowing she would have to hang up soon, she continued, “Did you figure out the George thing with my finances?”
Colin smiled. “Yes. You can do it without risking your portfolio at all. I’ll set up the trust. You’re going to have to sign papers, though.”
Donna unmuted her mic. “Give them to Matt. He’ll forward them to me.”
“Okay. I should have them drawn up in a few days. Thanks.”
Donna motioned for her to wrap it up. “Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’ll find out when we can talk again. Love you!”
“Love you too!” Colin signed off, and the screens went dark.
The next two hours felt like like déjà vu. The same questions were asked in a variety of ways, not necessarily to try to trick CJ but to confirm all the details. A total of five hours of what was in essence an interrogation had been grueling.
“Are we heading back tonight?” CJ longed for the calm of Boothbay Harbor and the comfort of her pooch.
Donna looked at her watch. “If the traffic isn’t too bad, we can make the five-twenty American flight.” She picked up the phone and called for the car. “Let’s hustle. We’ll still have an hour drive once we land. If all goes well we should be back by eight thirty or so. We might have to settle for prepackaged sandwiches for dinner, though.”
“That’s fine with me. All I want to do is take a hot bath and climb into my bed.”
“Interesting. Your bed? Feeling more like home to you?” Donna looked pleased. She was glad CJ had decided to stay on through the summer. They had become good buddies, and Donna could use a girlfriend. In her line of work, it was hard to meet women for companionship. She was surrounded by men. Not that it was a bad thing, but there were a lot of subjects she could never discuss with her colleagues, and her schedule was erratic at best. Having family in Boothbay Harbor was a plus, and for the moment, it looked like she had a new BFF.
They both dozed on the flight back. It had been a whirlwind couple of days. Donna tried to imagine what CJ had been through, recently and over the past few years. She admired CJ for her resolve and her ability to be kind and open considering the dramas in her life. Most people would be cynical, if not absolutely miserable.
The ride home, as the sun started to set, was pleasant. “This is a beautiful part of the country,” CJ said wistfully. “I was so caught up in my job that I never even took a vacation. Not in twelve years.”
“Seriously?” Donna gave her a quick look.
“Yeah. Oh, I would go to Kick’s cabin for a few days, but there was always something going on, even when Congress was in recess.” CJ was thinking back over the years. “Snapper had no family. At least not that anyone knew of, so he was a workaholic. Kick was busy with his business—another workaholic. I guess we gravitated to each other. Is there such a thing as Workaholics Anonymous?”
“As a matter of fact there is. Started in 1983,” Donna was quick to respond.
“You are a wealth of information yourself! Maybe you should try out for Jeopardy!” CJ said, throwing Donna’s own comment about trivia back at her.
“Ha. Not good on camera, either.”
Chapter 29
With the deposition behind her, CJ began making arrangements for leasing the apartment until the end of the summer. The couple who managed the triplex told her it would be cheaper if she signed a year’s lease, but CJ didn’t want to press her luck. What if she decided she didn’t want to stay any longer? What if she and Derek ended up hating each other? What if she couldn’t find another job? Not that she needed one, but she had to do something with her time. Too many “what-ifs.” No, she would pay for the balance of the summer and consider her options in the fall.
The Fourth of July was right around the corner, and in true Boothbay Harbor fashion, there was a lot on the community calendar: spectacular pyrotechnics, concerts, food, and parades. She was most interested in the Horribles Parade—a satire on local politics—which had begun in 1888.
She had only seen Derek once since she got back from DC because he was out on a three-day charter trip. They had gone to dinner and walked through the village. This time, they walked hand in hand. It felt good to have a strong man by her side. It allowed her to relax and get more in touch with her feminine side, her yin energy. He kissed her softly on the lips and bid her good night at her door. She didn’t invite him in, and he didn’t ask. It was better this way.
As the days turned into weeks, CJ developed a routine. She was confident that she could take Lucky for short walks around the building, and Lucky seemed to be able to tell time. At 6:30 A.M., Lucky would be sitting right in front of the door with a “will you hurry up?” look on her face. After Lucky’s jaunt, CJ would go for a short run in the neighborhood. Even though she was becoming more accustomed to the water, she was still a little leery about having people recognize her from the rescue incident. And she was very leery about going out on a boat. She wasn’t ready for that just yet, and thankfully Derek didn’t push her. Much to her delight, Derek was becoming part of her routine. Depending on his schedule, they would meet twice a week for dinner, a concert, or an exhibit. Occasionally, they would stay in and watch a movie, but the physical contact was limited to what they were comfortable with, both of them. There were a few times that she thought she would go over the edge, but Derek had a knack for knowing when to retreat. It was as if he could read her mind. Please. Stop. Don’t. Stop. Don’t stop. He wasn’t being sensible just for her sake. He wanted to be sure for his own as well.
It was now mid-August, and CJ had to decide what she was going to do come end of summer. It was only three weeks away. She was grateful that her landlords hadn’t pressed her for a commitment. She knew she had to go back to DC at some point. Kick’s estate was just sitting there. And there were the beautiful cars in the garage. It was sinful for them to be hidden away and not driven the way they were meant to be. She knew she had to come to some decision. It had been freeing to “just be” for the last two months, but now, as the summer was drawing to an end and she had no place to be, it was time for decision-making.
Only a few days before, Do
nna had delivered the news that CJ would not have to return to DC to testify. Prosecutors had decided that her deposition would be enough for them to link Leonard Franklin to the targets of the FBI investigation. “Just think, in a few months, this crazy year will be behind you, Ms. Jansen . . . or Johnson. As expected, the government has confiscated Snapper’s assets, so there is nothing for you to do in regard to his estate.”
“It’s interesting. A few months ago, I could not wait to get my old life back, but then I realized that I didn’t really have one—a life. Sure, I had my work, but that’s all I had, which really means I didn’t have a life. And when Snapper died, there wasn’t anything left. Before Kick died, I was a shadow in his life. Don’t get me wrong. He didn’t treat me like a shadow, but between him and Snapper, there wasn’t much of me. Being here has been revelatory. And now I have to decide what my next move should be.” CJ was somber.
“I hate to disagree with you, my friend. But I think you’ve already figured it out.” Donna went to the cabinet and poured each of them a glass of wine. “ ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.’ George Bernard Shaw. Here’s to your creation!”
The next day, CJ called the property managers and said she wanted to stay on through the end of the year. Provided that things moved forward with Derek, she wanted to be there for the holiday festivities. She was feeling more confident in their burgeoning relationship, but she was still hesitant about feeling too good. That would take time and maybe some therapy, although she was not convinced her previous experience with therapy had brought her any peace of mind. She did admit she was feeling much more comfortable in her own skin now. But whether therapy had had anything to do with that, who knows.
Later that week, she and Derek were planning on having dinner at the Bistro and attending an outdoor concert. She was going to tell him that evening that she planned on staying through the holidays. She had to make a short trip to DC, but would only be gone for about ten days. She was nervous about letting him know of her decision to stay. Would he be elated or feel like she was cornering him? She resigned herself to, Que sera, sera. I guess I’ll find out one way or the other!
It was a few days before Labor Day weekend and Harbor Fest. All along, CJ and Derek had not discussed her imminent departure. Derek had secretly hoped she would agree to return to Boothbay in the fall, and particularly for the holidays. When he thought about the time with Jennifer, which was infrequently at best, he wondered if he had ever really been in love with her in the first place. He rebuked himself for having been superficial, feeling attracted to her because she was, let’s face it, absolutely gorgeous. He supposed he should send her a thank-you note for having left when she did. Had she hung around longer, he might never have met and fallen in love with Carolyn. The note would be just as simple as hers but with two words instead of one—“Thank you.” He snickered at the thought.
That night, he was going to ask CJ to come back for the Boothbay Harbor Foliage Festival. It was in early October, so their time away from each other would be no more than a month. How the relationship fared after that would be a good barometer as to how strong their bond was.
He arrived around six and suggested they take his Jeep. He wanted to take her for a ride after dinner. They climbed in and headed to the Bistro.
As soon as they sat down, in unison both blurted what was on their mind. CJ said, “Derek, I’m staying through the end of the year.” And Derek said, “Carolyn, please come back for the Fall Foliage Festival.” Suddenly, they both stopped.
“You go first,” Derek prodded.
“I’ve decided to stay on through the holidays. Steve said he can still use the help, and I can always finish my graduate work online.”
Derek was thrilled beyond belief. “Really?”
CJ wasn’t sure if that was a good really or a “you’ve got to be kidding” really? So she asked him. “What do you think?”
“I think I am over the moon with this development.” He put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.
“Oh good! I wasn’t sure how you would react.” CJ was matter-of-fact, not wanting to give away her insecurity.
“Well, I was going to ask you if you would come back in October for the Fall Foliage Festival, so it looks like we’re on the same page.” He was grinning from ear to ear.
“It would be a pleasure to accompany you, sir.” CJ nodded in ladylike fashion.
In hopeful anticipation of her saying yes, Derek had dropped off a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne before he picked her up. The waitress was ready for his nod and brought the French bubbly to the table in an ice bucket.
“What’s this?” CJ looked surprised.
“I was hoping you would say you’d come back. I wanted to be prepared. If you didn’t, then the waitress would have had a nice bottle of Veuve for herself and the staff!” Derek was almost blushing. He felt like a high-school kid who had just been told that the most popular girl in school wanted him to take her to the senior prom. One of the things that made being with Carolyn so alluring was the way it made him feel about himself, as someone on the verge of something extraordinary.
“You’re quite the planner.” CJ was quite impressed with his gallantry and confidence—confidence in their relationship.
“Here’s to another season together.” Derek looked deeply into her eyes as his glass clinked against hers.
“Indeed.” CJ could barely keep her composure. “I do have some unfinished business to attend to, but I’ll wait until after Harbor Fest. I’ll be gone about ten days, give or take.”
“I’ll take whatever time you can spare.” Derek was letting it all out.
“My, Mr. Wellington, I do declare you make me blush.” CJ did her best Scarlett O’Hara impersonation.
“My, Ms. Johnson, you do make me tingle.” Derek realized that could have been misconstrued, and added, “In the most delightful way, of course.”
CJ thought for a moment about how she would tell Derek everything when the time came, but those thoughts could wait.
Chapter 30
A few days after Harbor Fest, CJ headed back to Washington, where she would finally face her past and embrace her future—at least the near future.
Colin had sent the paperwork regarding George’s trust to Donna a few weeks before, so that had been sorted out and finalized. Now the big decision was about the house and the cars. She picked up the phone and dialed Colin’s number.
“Hey! What are you up to?” Colin was sounding chipper.
“We need to talk about Kick’s stuff.”
“As in what kind of stuff?” Colin’s voice quickly changed to apprehension.
“As in all of his stuff. We can’t keep the Kick Museum going forever.”
CJ was determined.
“Museum?” Colin was on the brink of being offended. “CJ, I never wanted it to be a museum. I thought you did. I never said anything because I thought it was what you wanted.”
“Col, I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t want to let go. But he’s gone. It’s been over four years now, and it’s time for me to move on.” CJ was being quite adult about a very emotional tie.
“Sweetie, I agree completely. I loved your brother very much, but you’re right. He’s gone, and we’re still here. I don’t think he would want us to be sitting around just looking at his stuff and memorializing him every day.”
“So what should we do?” CJ was confused but persistent.
“What do you want to do? The house and the cars are worth a small fortune.”
“Can you meet me at the house tomorrow night? We can discuss it over a bottle or two, wine, and cheese. And toast my brother. Okay with you?”
“Very okay with me. What time?” Colin was secretly relieved that CJ was ready to move on. Not that one can put a time line on grief, but those who are still living need to live.
“Six?”
“Sure, see you then. I’ll bring the wine.” Colin clicked off the phone and
let out a big sigh.
CJ did the same. It was time. Time to move on. Time to get on with her life, her new life.
The following evening, Colin arrived with several bottles of wine. “Wow. I didn’t think we’d need that much, but heck . . . start popping those corks!” CJ was taken aback that Colin had brought a half case of a variety of vintages.
“I wanted to give you options.” Colin gave her a peck on the cheek.
“I appreciate it.” CJ pecked him back. “You’re not going to believe this, but I made dinner!”
Colin stopped in his tracks. “You’re kidding, right? The woman who almost blew up the house with the microwave?”
“That would be me. But remember, I am now a different me. I fixed us a stew. Some call it bouillabaisse.”
“You can’t be serious. You can hardly fix toast!” Colin was mocking her in a brotherly way.
“We’ll just see about that.” CJ had taken Ellie’s recipes with her and, for the first time, used the state-of-the-art, high-tech kitchen. “Easy-peasy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Colin was quite skeptical, but he had to admit that the aroma was enticing. “Sure smells good.”
CJ scooped up the shellfish stew, put it into a soup bowl, and topped it with garlic toast.
“Where on earth did you learn how to do this?” Colin was stunned.
“A friend of mine. She caters.”
Colin dipped the garlic toast into the luscious mix. “Wow. What a difference a season makes.”
“Very true. There is a lot I have to tell you, but let’s stick with the task at hand for now. Okay?”
“What do you mean by ‘a lot’?” Colin’s curiosity was growing by the second.
“Focus, bro, focus. How much is the house worth? The cars? Anything else I should know about?”
“Wow, listen to you, Miss Bossy Pants!”
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