"Hansen, Maxine Joy - The Letter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hansen Maxine Joy)

Leave it to his daughter. If she wanted something she could arrange it. In fact, she could wangle practically anything out of him. She'd always had the ability to do that. And so it went. Colt told Jesse that Kathryn was going to enjoy a few days of vacation and he was sure there were a lot of sights she wanted to see, none of them being Clearwater furniture stores. Jesse looked crestfallen until Kathryn said there was nothing she would like more if Colt didn't mind. One look at the beaming smile lighting up his daughter's face and how could he mind. Besides the things Colt knew about buying furniture and decorating could be summed up in one sentence or less. His mother had wanted to join them in Florida through the summer and into September, helping them get established; Jesse in school, Colt at his new job. Perhaps even help find a housekeeper. As much as Colt appreciated her support he knew his father wouldn't like to be away from his wife for three months or more. Besides he and Jesse needed to learn to make it on their own. His mom had been adamant about coming out for three weeks at least, the first two weeks he started his coaching job and the first week or so or so of Jesse's school term. Three weeks was better than three months, his father had decided to tag along, and so the deal was set. He was determined, however, that by the time his parents arrived Jesse and he would be in pretty good shape all around.
And so two days of shopping, decorating and, he admitted, three people having a great time had passed.
Then last night the kiss entered their lives. His gaze wandered back to the bedroom window and he scowled.
Kathryn could still feel the pressure of his lips upon hers. Tentative at first, a mere whispered brush against her own, they lifted slightly only to settle back again with gentle stroking caresses. Her sensitized mouth responded of its own accord, opening slightly, welcoming his answering firmer, more persistent touch. His hands came up to cradle her head and bring her closer as his tongue reached out to mate with hers. The kiss went on for unending minutes until, breathless, shaking, they both parted, barely inches away, facing each other not sure of what to do or say.
"Kathryn, what do you think? Pillows and stuffed animals or just the pillows on the bed?"
Jesse's voice brought her back to the present and she blushed guiltily.
"Well, I think it's just a matter of taste. How about this?" She arranged the pretty pink pillows at the head of the bed and nestled in a gray kitten and a little gray whale amongst them.
"Perfect!" the youngster clapped her hands together then took a step in the middle of the room and twirled, her arms open wide in pleasure. "I love it! Thank you so much, Kathryn." Jesse ran to her and hugged her tightly.
Kathryn beamed with pleasure. Jesse Riverton was a lovely young girl, full of spunk, brimming with adventure and delight at the sheer joy of being alive. If Kathryn had a daughter she would love her to be just like this wonderful treasure. She could see why Jesse was the apple of her father's eye.
Arms entwined, she and Jesse surveyed the room once more. The house had been painted just before Colt and his daughter moved in. He had thoughtfully helped her choose a color she would be happy with for her bedroom walls. Her choice was a very pale champagne pink, which perfectly suited the pretty cool beige gold trimmed furniture that was shipped from California. With a few added touches here and there based on Jesse's favorite color, pink, the room had been transferred into a perfect haven for a young girl about to blossom into her promising and exciting teenage years.
"I can hardly wait to have Holly over to show her. Maybe she can sleep over. We could have a pajama party! Do you think dad would be okay with that?" Jesse questioned Kathryn.
"We'll that's up to your dad. But he seems like a very
fair man to me," she assured Jesse.
"Yeah, he's really a good guy and the best dad in the world. You like him don't you?"
Too much, thought Kathryn. "Yes I do, very much."
"Good!" Jesse wandered over to the bed and sat down, taking the stuffed gray kitten in her arms and absently stroking her soft fur. Kathryn joined her there, taking in with satisfaction the fruits of their labor.
"So, dad says you were born in California. Me, too. But I got to travel a lot when dad was on the road playing baseball. I kind of like seeing new places. How about you?"
"Well, I travel a bit when I can get off work. I enjoy it, too."
"Yeah. Florida is pretty cool don't you think? You have all sorts of things like Disneyland, only bigger, and a Sea World, and the beaches just like California. There's lots of things to do."
"That's right. I think your dad did a great job in finding this place to settle down. This is a perfect home too. And you've already made some good friends next door."
"Yep. So, did you ever think of moving?"
"Moving?" Kathryn asked.
"Sure. There's lots of opportunities in Clearwater. That's what dad said when my grandmom asked him why he chose this place," Jesse fluffed the kitten's fur up then smoothed it down again. "I kind of heard them talking one day. You could open your own decorating store. You're real good at it, Kathryn. I bet lots of people need their houses decorated and their offices. And there's TV and radio stations here in case you wanted to do that, because you do that in California," Jesse smiled and raised hopeful brown eyes to meet Kathryn's.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that Jesse Riverton was shopping and it wasn't for furniture. Kathryn looked into the expressive face that watched her. Colt had told her the story of how Jesse had become his and Pam's. Jesse had always been a bright girl and Colt and Pam made the decision early on to tell her that she was adopted. Whether "the authorities or books" as Colt scathingly referred to them, said so or not, Colt and his wife didn't want Jesse coming home from play or school one day with chance stories they had to explain, or taunts they had to comfort from other children or possibly adults who didn't know better. Nor did they want her to find out she was adopted years later only to feel she had been denied the right and choice to know her background and heritage, maybe even find her birth parents. So when she was seven years old they gently and carefully chose the words to tell Jesse how she had come into their lives and how much she meant to them. They left the door open for her to ask any questions and periodically she would. But Jesse knew more than anything that they both loved her and that's what mattered. When Colt and Pam decided to end their marriage, Colt had been fearful of the pain that Jesse would experience because of the split and resulting upheaval. He was also terrified that he might lose his precious daughter. He wanted what was best for his little girl, but more than anything he wanted her beside him, to nurture her and watch her grow into the lovely young woman he knew she would one day be. While it was true that Colt had pressed for children more than Pam she, too, loved Jesse and always would. She was a good and caring mother. But she also knew herself. Children had never been her priority. She was, when it came right down to it, a career woman in one fashion or another - especially if that career meant helping to shape and forward that of her spouse's. Pam knew Jesse and Colt belonged together. It had always been that way. Maybe it wasn't someone else's version of the ideal scene but Jesse, too, knew she belonged with her father just as Pam knew it. So at the tender age of ten, Jesse and her parents had come to an understanding between the three of them. One that agreeably was difficult, but it did work for them and was certainly better than two people staying together for the sake of a child when they were simply better apart. With their guidance and patience, Jesse had understood and the cocoon of her parents' love softened the blow considerably. Mother and daughter would always be close no matter how far the miles separated them. Wherever she was Pam called Jesse regularly, wrote to her, and visited when she was nearby. Arrangements had been made that Jesse would stay with Pam at certain times of the year. There would be questions and more questions and problems to confront in the future, of course. Pam and Colt knew that, but they would address them as they came up and they would make it as easy for their daughter as possible. Kathryn respected both of them. But whatever the viewpoint, this young girl wanted a female in the house, if not for her then for her father.
"Jesse," Kathryn chose her words carefully, "I can only stay here a few more days. I'm so very glad I met you and your dad. I wouldn't have missed that chance for the world. But I have to go home. I have a job and people depending on me in Los Angeles."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No, no I don't. Not right now. But you know, your dad and I have something in common. Sometimes people have to take a little step back and catch their breath. And then when they've had some time and they've made some changes and fixed things up then they're ready to reach out and let someone else back into their world. You and your dad are starting a whole new adventure. You're fixing things up, like this house, and getting ready for school. And your dad's getting ready to take on a new job. And then when everything is pretty good and settled, I bet you and your dad are going to find someone terrific to share your life with. It's the same for me. I'm making some changes and fixing my world up too. Does that make sense to you?"
"Kinda. Dad says when you fall off a bike or something, if you're not too hurt you should try and get back on right away. In life too. He says you dust yourself off and get on with it. But I guess sometimes it takes a little bit longer before you can get back up."
"That's right," Kathryn agreed.
"Kathryn, when you find your someone, do you think you'll mind if they already have a kid? And what if that
kid is, you know, sort of adopted? Well, really adopted."
Kathryn put her arm around Jesse's slim young shoulders. She knew this answer was very important and she was ready to respond from the heart.
"Jesse, if I had a daughter I would be over the moon if she were just like you."
"But some people don't feel that way," Jesse pressed on.
"Yes, that's true," Kathryn acknowledged. "But I really believe that when your dad finds someone special - and he will - it will be someone who loves you too, with all her heart. You're a beautiful spirit, Jesse, and that's what counts."
Jesse hugged Kathryn close and her eyes grew bright with unshed tears as she held the young girl next to her heart. Somehow she had found her way there just like her father.
"Kathryn, will you give dad and me your address before you go back to California? And will you promise to write me? Maybe dad and I can come and visit you."
"Yes, yes, yes on all counts," Kathryn assured her.
"And will you come visit us again?"
"Just try to keep me away!"
"Good!"
"Now I have a great idea. Let's go sneak up on your dad and surprise him with a push in the pool. I bet he'd like to cool off after all that hard work."
Jesse giggled and the two co-conspirators made their way down the stairway to where their unsuspecting victim lay.
An hour or so later Kathryn was driving her rented car to Tarpon Springs. Colt and Jesse wanted to take her on a tour of the charming Greek-flavored fishing village, but Kathryn had been adamant about going herself. Jesse and her father needed some time together without a third wheel. What she hadn't told them was that she, too, needed some time alone. So after drying off and changing her clothes (Colt had conned her into helping him out of the pool only to surprise her by toppling her into the deep end by his side much to the delight of his laughing daughter) she was off.
The drive was a pleasant one. Lush green foliage greatly contrasted with many a starved-for-water lawn in Los Angeles. Open fields and wide spaces predominated and Kathryn enjoyed that too. Altogether there was a laid back tropical feeling here as opposed to the hectic pace of Southern California. Kathryn found it a welcome change, although she supposed that the big cities like Miami had their frantic schedules too.
Tarpon Springs was an enchanting town founded in part by the fishermen, Greek sponge divers, and their families who settled in the area and made a living off the thriving Florida coast. Scattered here and there were remnants of their trade; an ancient diving suit on display, a fishing boat once proud now desperately in need of refurbishing and a new coat of paint. Newer, modern rigged boats mingled with still active old-timers, lining the docks and water's edge. In the historically preserved town a multitude of brightly decorated stores sold sponges, beautiful sea shells of all shapes and sizes, T-shirts, and tourist gifts. Kathryn purchased an exquisite sea shell she knew Jesse would love. It was enormous with delicate hues of pink edging its lip. True to the store clerk's word you could even hear the sea when you put it to your ear. Browsing through another shop, Kathryn found a terrific T-shirt that almost matched Colt's eyes. Boldly emblazoned on the front with 'Captain of the Household' she thought it would be perfect for him. Not enough to pay him for his many kindnesses, but a start.
For herself she found a small Greek bakery with tables and chairs set outside in the warm sunshine. She treated herself to a delicious pastry and a steaming cup of strong coffee; nothing she could take home to put on her mantle to remind her of this short trip, but she'd certainly carry more than a memory of it with her until she got back on a disciplined exercise program. She smiled wryly as she patted her tummy in utter satisfaction. For good measure she purchased half a dozen other assorted goodies to take back to the troops. Not that they wouldn't be rolling in deserts already, never mind cordon bleu main courses.
Since her arrival on Colt's doorstep a few days ago, a steady stream of fresh rolls, pastries, main courses, and side dishes had paraded through the house always, of course, accompanied by a winsome blonde or a perky brunette, not to mention one annoying redhead who had looked right through Kathryn as if she didn't exist. The entire neighborhood seemed to be riddled with eligible bachelorettes or young divorcees looking for a handsome available hunk like Colt. Even that nice Mrs. Price from across the road two houses down had mentioned a niece who just happened to be coming to visit in a few weeks, Kathryn thought crossly. Then she brought herself up short. What was she doing? This was crazy! She was acting like one of those man-starved creatures herself only instead of slaving over a hot oven, she chose a fancy bakery as her weapon of choice. Kathryn rolled her eyes and groaned inwardly.
An elderly gentleman with a fresh white apron bore down on her table bearing a steaming stainless steel pot of coffee. She took the refill willingly, the smoky steam pouring forth in pretty patterns, the aroma gently caressing her nostrils with its perfectly pitched scent. Annoyed with her own folly, Kathryn took a pastry from her bag of prized possessions. There! One less to bring home! Home. She shook her head. This was not home. Home was three thousand miles away in Los Angeles. Home was a pretty apartment overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Home was waiting patiently to be redecorated by its loving, caring occupant. Home was... empty. It didn't have Colt Riverton's endearing grin or gentle tease. It didn't have Jesse's welcoming laughter.
Kathryn poured some half and half in her coffee, stirred the contents and took a sip. She was just lonely that was all. She was in a strange place, not on a real vacation but more of a mission of sorts, and Colt and Jesse were the only two people she knew. They had taken her in like a stray little puppy, giving her warmth and affection. And like a lost, tired little puppy she went into their arms willingly. That was all, end of story. Once she finished up here and went home she would get right back into the swing of things, fixing her apartment, the hustle and frantic pace of work, friends, family. It would all fit nicely back into place. Jesse was a beautiful young girl. Any woman would be willingly drawn to her bubbly personality, her intelligence and sensitivity. And Colt...all right he was good looking. Very good looking. And he was nice. Okay, more than nice. He was caring, considerate, sweet, romantic, and had fallen right in with her plans with barely a blink of his gorgeous brown eyes. Another man would have sent her packing, reported her to the police, something. Colt was special. That was all. There were a lot of special men, many of them in Los Angeles. Besides she was comfortable on her own. She'd had ten years with a good man, a dear friend still, and it was time she took her own deep breath and took stock of her life. Got stable on her own two feet. One thing at a time. Not a blah, slobber, gluck mess of feelings that didn't present themselves at the right time. Besides, she took another comforting sip of coffee, you didn't fall in love in two minutes. Love! Oh, God what was she thinking! She fished in her wallet for some money, settled her bill, left a generous tip, and headed for her car. That was it! Enough was enough! She had delivered her letter and it was time to fly back to Los Angeles now. She would present her gifts, thank her host and charming hostess, check out of the Riverton house, check into a hotel for one more night and get on the next plane back to sunny, Southern California. She drove determinedly, by rote, back the way she had come. Only too late did she realize she was lost. Hopelessly, utterly lost. At least she was in Clearwater. She knew that and how lost could you get in such a relatively small city. Only it seemed to have grown in the last three hours; new signs, new buildings and stores, new everything. She spied a gas station where she could ask for directions when she flashed on the name of a small side street. Covington Street. Covington, the name registered. Covington Room and Board!