His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride (19 page)

His heart sank. He wanted to be included in the discussion, but how could he say that without making her think he was shadowing her?

“I’d really like to go, Piper. I promise I’ll let you do the talking. I’ll only answer what I’m asked. But I’d like to hear what they have to say.”

A sad little smile tipped her mouth.

“Still don’t trust me, eh, Jason?”

“Of course I trust you.” He leaned in, held her gaze. “Can’t you understand what a shock it was to learn you were a Wainwright and that you’d been married? I thought we were beginning to share our lives.”

“I never deliberately kept either from you,” she murmured, her face pale. “I assumed you knew my maiden name, but even if you didn’t, I never thought it would matter. I left that behind a long time ago.”

“Really?” He watched her closely. “I think you’re still carrying it close to your heart. I think that’s why you never came right out and asked me if I knew—because you’re afraid to face the truth.”

Piper shook her head.

“I know exactly what I feel for my father,” she told him, her tone icy. “I even thought it was my duty to contact him, to try and repair the rift. I thought that’s what God expected me to do.” She stood in front of the window, peering out.

“It is.”

“Is it?” Piper whirled around. “That was two weeks ago, Jason. Since then I’ve heard nothing. My father hasn’t even so much as left a message for me, that’s how little he cares about me.”

“I don’t believe it.” He frowned as he rose, holding up a hand to stem her protest. “I’m not calling you a liar, but something must be wrong. Have you spoken to Dylan?”

“This morning, as a matter of fact. Dad is fine. He’s quite capable of picking up a phone. In fact, he’s been working long hours trying to get the London project up to speed. It’s just his daughter he doesn’t have time for.”

“I’m sorry.” He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, waited for the shower of tears to abate. “I’m so sorry. I thought for sure that if he—”

“You know a different man than I do, Jason. You know the charismatic businessman who swings the big deals and spreads his charm on everyone around.” She drew back, sniffed. “I know the man who doesn’t have time to waste on the girl who wouldn’t do as he wanted.”

“But it doesn’t make sense.”

“Let it go, okay?”

He nodded, snuggled her head against his chest and let her recover, but his mind couldn’t synthesize the two men. Baron Wainwright had known the name of every single locator at Expectations. If they were married, he knew their spouses’ names and often asked after them. He remembered illnesses, anniversaries and any other information you told him. He’d taken pains to make each encounter warm and personal.

Could someone just shut that off when it came to his own family?

“You said you used to work with him,” Piper said, lifting her head to look into his eyes. “How come you didn’t know Dylan?”

Jason shrugged. “I don’t know. He never came to Boston with your father, I guess. I never made any trips to Wainwright’s offices so I wouldn’t have seen him there. But I’ve gotten to know him better since.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was here on Saturday. We went for a boat ride, barbecued some steaks, talked. He stayed at my place.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Dylan has big ideas, Piper. I get the feeling that he never really discusses them with anyone else. He knows Serenity Bay very well. He’s given me a couple of ideas.”

She tilted her head to one side.

“Why the funny look?” he asked, tugging one of her curls.

“I always thought Dylan hated the Bay. He wouldn’t come here much after I left home. Now you’re telling me he knows it? I just find it odd.”

“I find it odd that you’re in my arms and I’m not...”

Jason leaned his head down and kissed her gently.

He hoped he’d convinced her that he loved her, but Jason decided he wasn’t leaving anything to chance. He couldn’t go through another two weeks of agony.

“Piper?”

She blinked at him, as if her mind had been elsewhere. “Yes?”

“Will you forgive me? Will you believe me if I tell you I love you, that I have for a long time? That I want to go back to the way we were?”

She wore a troubled look.

“I don’t know if we can.” She met his stare. “You didn’t trust me, Jason. Even after all the time we’ve spent together, after all the things I’ve worked on, you actually thought I’d betray you. It’s hard to rebuild.”

“No, it isn’t. You just trust that I’ve learned my lesson, that I know I was wrong and that I’ll never make the same mistake again. I’d trust my life with you, Piper. That’s how much I believe in you.”

She wanted to believe him. He could see that. But she was holding back.

“What can I do to prove I trust you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Would it help if I said I have no intention of going to that strip mall meeting you’re holding?”

She chuckled. “You can’t. You have town council tonight, remember?”

“But it’s supposed to last two days. I could go tomorrow.” Her expression changed and he hurried to correct himself. “But I’m not. You’re the person who handles development for the Bay. When you’re ready to talk to me about it, I’ll be here.”

The phone rang. She answered it, jotted down notes, said she’d call back. Then she looked at Jason, her eyes dancing with excitement.

“What?”

“I don’t think you can go tomorrow, either.”

“Why?” It was something good, he could tell that much.

“The Freemont Society just phoned to say they want to talk to you about an idea they have. They want a conference call with you tomorrow morning at nine. You’re to call them back at this number to set it up.”

“Shouldn’t you be in on that?”

She shook her head. “They’re interested in working with Franklin’s Marina, not Serenity Bay.”

“The Freemont Society—don’t they run that summer camp for disabled kids?”

“Yes.”

“So what do they want with me?”

“You’ll have to ask them tomorrow. I’ve got to get busy assembling packets for my meeting.” Piper picked up a file from her desk, then turned to look at him over one shoulder. “You’re sure you’re okay with not coming?”

He forced his head to nod. “You go get ’em.”

“I will.” She opened the door, paused, then quietly asked, “Do you want to have dinner tonight?”

Jason shook his head.

“I’m sorry, I’d love to but I’m hired out for a seniors’ picnic cruise this evening and Higgy is off. His back is still bad.”

“Okay, well another time then.” She smiled then followed him out of the room.

Lunch would have been good, too. Any time that they could spend together would have. Jason decided to phone her tonight, after he got back.

As it turned out Jason did have a dinner partner. Dylan dropped in just as Jason’s pizza delivery guy left.

“Want to share?” he invited.

“Yes. I’m starving,” Dylan said.

They shared the pie, consuming every last bit as Jason told him about the possibility of an outside tour company taking him on.

“Sounds like you’re going to make some people very happy.”

“I hope so. It could mean a great deal to the Bay if we had regular tours.”

“Of course.” Shortly after that Dylan left.

Jason picked up the phone, glanced at the clock and hung up again. Too late to call Piper now. His questions would have to wait.

He loved Piper. He’d told her that.

One of these days he was going to find out if she felt the same way about him.

Chapter Thirteen

I
f the first day of meetings hadn’t gone well, the following morning rated as a major disaster.

Piper excused herself for the lunch hour, picked up a sandwich and drove to a nearby park to take a break.

She was putting off calling Jason and she knew it.

Her cell phone rang. It was him.

“Hey! How’s it going? I’d hoped to hear from you last night.” He sounded in a good mood.

“We talked till midnight. I thought it was too late to call.” Suddenly no longer hungry, she put the sandwich back in the bag and sipped her coffee.

“So?”

Truth time. “Don’t get your hopes up on this one, Jason.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s
wrong,
” she said, bristling. “They’re asking too much. They think that because we’re small, we should concede on every point. I’m trying to illustrate the benefits of the first location but now they’re asking for the waterfront. We just can’t do that.”

“Maybe I should come down.”

Fury lit a fire in the pit of her stomach.
Here we go again
.

“No, Jason, you should
not
come down. This is my job. This is what I do. Remember? But I don’t expect to win everyone I talk to. We may have to walk away from this, wait until we’re further along.” She drew a calming breath. “What did The Freemont Society want?”

“They’d like to take some kids on a houseboat cruise tomorrow morning. An all-day thing. If it works out well they’ll book once a week for as long as their camps run. It’s a kind of reward for the ones who push through their rehab.”

Piper frowned.

“You don’t sound that excited. It’s quite an opportunity, isn’t it?”

“Yes, of course. The steady income will be welcome.”

“But?”

“But the opportunities from that mall would be even more welcome,” he said quietly.

Piper gritted her teeth, rose and tossed the uneaten sandwich and half-finished drink in the garbage.

“You’re doing it again,” she complained. “I leave for one day and you’re right back second-guessing me. When are you going to stop trying to control the world, Jason?”

“I’m concerned, that’s all. This is a big thing for the Bay. If we lose them we don’t know when the next opportunity will come along. It could be years.”

“It could be tomorrow.” Inside the car now, Piper closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest. “Look. You’ve been teaching that boys’ class at Sunday school about God’s plan for their lives. Well, don’t you think he’s got one for yours? Do you really believe what you’re telling those kids—enough to follow it in your own life?”

Silence. He was probably furious.

Tough. So was she.

“Trust is a two-way street, Jason. If I can’t trust your faith in me, if it fluctuates with the circumstances, what kind of a relationship are we going to have? You said you care about me.”

“I do,” he insisted.

“Prove it. Have some faith that I’ll do the right thing, whatever it is.” She swallowed hard, then gave him the ultimatum. “More than that, have some faith that God didn’t bring you this far to kill your dream because of one strip mall. In fact, I’d say He’s trying to give you your dream.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll have a heaven-sent opportunity waiting on your boat dock tomorrow morning. What are you going to do—blow it off to race here and try to persuade a group of men to do something they don’t want to? Or grab what your Father has given you and make it work?”

Piper waited a moment then closed the phone. It was time to go back to work.

* * *

“They’re all wearing life vests?” Jason waited for Higgy’s nod. “Okay then. Let’s cast off.”

He left Higgy to steer out of the bay while he made sure everything was secured. Andy waved goodbye and the kids waved back, in high spirits and ready to savor this new adventure.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better day,” one of the group leaders said.

“It is gorgeous out here, but I hope you’ve got lots of sunscreen. This sun can be hard on the skin.”

Assured that each child was protected, he moved into the galley and started preparing the hot dogs they’d roast later on the beach. The atmosphere was stifling hot down here with barely a whisper of air despite the open windows.

Peals of laughter echoed across the water.

Too bad Piper wasn’t here.

Her call yesterday had caused him a sleepless night of soul-searching. By five he’d admitted the root of the problem—he wanted to tell God how things should go and God wasn’t listening.

As Higgy said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him
your
plans.”

It wasn’t about Jason Franklin, though. It wasn’t his plans that were important. With the dawn’s early light had come the last vestige of surrender. God was in control.

He heard the engines slow as he finished his prep. That meant they were at The Bowl. The kids would need help with their rods and reels.

For the next three hours he baited hooks, removed fish and took snapshots. If this continued they’d have enough fish to fry for dinner.

Complaints of hunger had them moving on toward Carroll’s Cove, a pretty picnic spot easily accessible for the children with wheelchairs and those with locomotion issues. Jason pulled, tugged and lifted while Higgy went ahead and got the fire going. Then there were coolers of supplies to be transported. Everybody was hot and thirsty.

“I never would have imagined I’d enjoy the day so much,” Higgy murmured later as the supervisors helped those who wanted to swim into the water. He held the soda can against his cheek trying to cool it. “Looking at these kids. It makes me feel shame to know I don’t give thanks enough for my life. Look how hard they work just to get to that water.”

He was right. Once they’d packed up the food, Jason and Higgy relaxed on the banks under a willow tree and watched the impromptu water volleyball game. Then it was time to push toward Fairview Falls.

It was four-thirty before Jason thought to check the weather report. The news was not good. He motioned Higgy in.

“Tornado warnings are out.”

“Makes sense given the heat and humidity,” Higgy murmured. “But I’ve never heard of the Bay being hit before.”

“One touched down five miles out last year. Close enough for me. I think it’s time to head back.”

“Gotcha.”

They got everyone on board and Higgy steered them back toward Serenity Bay. But they were a long way out when the wind picked up and began tossing waves that pushed them too close to shore.

Then the motor died.

“What’s wrong?” he asked Higgy.

“I think we’re out of fuel.”

“Impossible. Andy filled her last night. I checked to be sure.” Jason did his own check and couldn’t believe what he saw. “The spare?”

“Empty. I’d say someone doesn’t want us going home.”

They looked at each other for several minutes.

“Find a place along the shore. The waves will push us in and we can dock. Then we’ll get the kids off. We can probably shelter them on board, but I’d feel better if we found a cave or something off the water,” Jason said.

A crack of lightning had Jason reaching for the radio. He issued a distress call while Higgy edged them inward. Suddenly he realized the radio had died.

Reality stung. He was on the water, in the midst of a storm, with a group of kids who would need a lot of help to get off the boat. By the looks of the sky, the houseboat was about to be deluged, perhaps even tossed onto the rocks.

Jason pulled out his cell phone and dialed. No signal.

The distress beacon—they could set it. He opened his mouth to tell Higgins, saw the open panel, the empty space. The beacon had been removed.

They were on their own.

* * *

The weather bulletin ended as Piper parked her car. Her skin prickled with warning. Jason’s houseboat trip was today.

She climbed out and raced for the marina. Her heart hit her toes at the sight of the empty berth. The houseboat was not in its mooring.

Inside the building, Andy was on the phone.

“I’m telling you, I can’t reach him and he’s two hours overdue. There’s no response on his radio and his cell phone isn’t working.”

She pulled out her own phone, called Ida.

“He’s not here, Piper. I’ve already called for help.”

“Good. He’s got that group of disabled kids with him. If they’ve had mechanical problems we’ll have to pray they made it to shore. Who’s searching for them?”

Ida’s silence sent a shiver through her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Water search and rescue was called over to the next county to help there just after lunch. We’ve got a couple of launches out looking but I’m pretty sure Jason intended to take the group a long way down, make it a real tour. If that’s the case—” Ida didn’t finish.

She didn’t have to. Piper understood exactly what she hadn’t said. He’d never make it back in time before the second storm hit.

“Is there a way to get someone up in the air? If they could fly over, spot them, we’d know exactly where to send the boats. The wind is dying down, I think,” she added, studying the wind sock Jason had fastened to the end of the building.

“We don’t have air support up here, Piper. It will take at least three hours to get something from the city. My other phone’s ringing. I have to go.”

Piper hung up as the truth sank in. At best, Jason was stranded. At worst, he could be lying somewhere hurt, unable to protect his passengers.

Have some faith that I’ll do the right thing.

Her angry comment returned with haunting clarity. She’d told him to trust her. Now it was time for her to prove that she was worthy of that trust.

There had to be someone with a plane or a helicopter who could help them.

Like a dream, an old memory of her father landing his helicopter at Cathcart House flew across her mind. He still had one. She knew that. She’d seen a news clip in which he’d climbed down from the powerful beast.

Maybe—

This was no time for hesitation. They needed help and they needed it fast. Piper pulled out her phone and dialed the office. Baron was at home. She dialed the house. Dylan answered.

“Dyl, this is an emergency. I need to talk to Dad.”

“He’s not here, Piper. Did you try his cell?”

“Not yet.”

“What’s wrong?”

She explained the situation as quickly as she could.

“It’s urgent that I talk to him. The winds are down for now but the weather station says they’ll pick up later. The Bay is going to get lashed by a very heavy storm. I’ve got to find Jason and those kids.”

“Okay. Well, if I hear from Dad I’ll get him to call you.”

She nodded, hesitating.

“Anything else, sis?”

“You couldn’t come, could you? Just to be here. I’m so scared.”

A static-filled pause hung between them.

“I would if I could, Piper. You know that. But I’m too far away. I’d never make it there before morning.”

“Of course. I should have thought of that. I’d better go, Dyl. I want to keep the line free.”

He said goodbye and she hung up.

Though Piper kept the line free, her father did not call back and hurt sent a deeper root into her heart. She’d told him it was urgent, explained how badly they needed his help. Why didn’t he answer?

“I tried, God. I tried to forgive him. But this is exactly like before, with Vance.”

She turned her attention to the group of volunteers who’d gathered at the marina to help organize the search effort. Most of them had friends or family on the water, searching. But nobody had reported a sighting.

“Waiting’s the hardest part,” Andy told her as minutes ticked into hours. He handed her another cup of coffee though she hadn’t finished the first one he’d already given her. “We’ve only got a small window of opportunity here, according to the weather forecasts. If we could just get something in the air to search...”

Piper’s cell phone rang.

“Dad?”

“Piper?” The beloved voice sounded faint.

“Jason! Where are you?”

“...help. Boat...ran out of fuel...stranded. Send help.”

“It’s coming,” she promised. “Just hang on. Jason?”

But there was only static, then the line went dead.

She couldn’t lose Jason, too
. She hadn’t even told him that she loved him.

Two more boats chugged toward the marina. The room fell silent as the men walked inside, shaking their heads at the unasked questions.

Piper knew then what she had to do. The past could not be repeated. She wouldn’t let it. The old arguments and bitterness had prevented her from pleading, begging, doing everything possible to get Vance what he needed. She’d caved in, let anger and hurt interfere when she should have demanded help no matter what the cost to her pride.

She clicked open her phone and dialed. When one avenue didn’t work out, she tried another. Dylan was still no help but after seven calls she finally reached Tina.

“Thank goodness! Tina, I need to speak to my father. I’ve been trying his cell, the house. I can’t find him. Do you know where he is?”

“We’ve just come out of a meeting, honey. He’s right here. Hold on.”

“Piper?”

The sound of his voice grabbed her heart and squeezed until tears pooled in her eyes. She loved him. She couldn’t fix the past, couldn’t undo what he’d done. Right now it didn’t matter that he’d hurt her and maybe would do so again. This was her father and she needed his help. No matter what.

“Daddy?” she whispered.

“I’m here.”

“I need help.”

A soft, slow sigh, then the voice came back. “Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.”

Piper quickly poured out her story.

“It’s really bad, Dad. Jason’s got kids on the boat. Disabled kids. We’ve got to rescue them.”

“I have an old friend who lives about an hour from the Bay. He’s got a big chopper he uses to bring his family to their lake home. Let me see if I can reach him.”

“Will you let me know, Dad?” she asked softly.

“As soon as I do. And Piper?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Joy sprang up inside her, a fountain of happiness she couldn’t suppress.