The Single Dad Finds a Wife (18 page)

Like him, Spring had taken the moment to study her food. She cut another bit of chicken from the bone. “Modifications?” she asked before sampling the succulent meat.

“To the renderings. I sent them to you with Jeremy's drawing.”

At the mention of the boy's name, her hand went to his back, where she lightly rested it. David watched as her cheeks flushed, giving her fair complexion a rosy glow.

“What?” he asked.

“I didn't read them,” she said. “Actually, I tossed them. I meant to shred the packet. Except for Jeremy's drawing. I kept that. I think I tossed the rest in the back of the car.”

He stared at her openmouthed for a moment, then caught himself and let out a small sigh. “Well,” he said. “I suppose I should be grateful I didn't send originals.”

Spring gave up on the food and placed her plate on the blanket. “David, this is something we need to get over or beyond for anything between us to work. But I'm not at all sure that it's something I
can
get past. And believe me—I've tried. What you're doing fundamentally changes what my family has worked for and maintained for close to two hundred years. Two centuries, David. That's a long time to maintain a trust. Through the years, we've sold or given away parcels of land, always for a purpose that advanced the city in some way.”

She sighed and looked him directly in the eye. “What you're working on is a commercial development,” she said. “A project that benefits not the city of Cedar Springs or its residents but the profit margin of the entities that will develop the land.”

“Spring—”

“Hear me out, please. This is important to me.”

When he nodded and put his plate next to hers on the blanket, she continued.

“In your presentation, you noted that a nature trail abuts the city-owned acreage. Do you know why that trail is there?”

“A parks and recreation department effort to get people outside to enjoy nature, get some fresh air instead of staying cooped up with video games and flat-screen televisions?”

She smiled. “Something like that.”

“Out with it,” he said. “You're clearly just dying to set me straight on something.”

“Actually, I'm not. Dying to tell you, I mean. I do want you to know, though,” Spring said. “I want you to know and understand so you'll get a better perspective on why it means so much, why people are so passionate.”

“Passionate. That's one word to describe your friend at the meeting.”

“Georgina tends to get a bit carried away,” she said. “Nevertheless, there's a reasoning behind it.”

“You donated the land and built the trail?”

“Not quite. My father did. The city promised a bike and nature trail that had been discussed ad nauseam, voted on and approved. They had good intentions, the city council and staff at the time, but lacked the resources ultimately needed to make it come to fruition. Things deteriorated, and there were some very bad feelings around town. My dad stepped in and made an alternate proposal. What resulted was an eight-mile trail that's used by the Cedar Springs residents who initially called for it, by elementary and middle school science teachers, by master naturalist and master gardener groups, by the running and walking clubs—”

“I get it, Spring.”

“It's not just the Darling land that I'm concerned about,” she said, rushing on before he could say anything else.

David knew she was ramping up for another round of public good versus private profits. The big “however” in the equation was that she didn't have an office of twenty people depending on her to keep a business in operating cash flow.

Carolina Land Associates had plenty of small contracts that were both rewarding to work on professionally and that were profitable for the firm. But not profitable enough to support a full-time staff of twenty, plus interns and part-time contractors. He'd worked hard to build the company. The thought that it could all be taken away wasn't something he wanted to contemplate.

“Spring, I wish you'd have taken a look at those modified plans. They incorporated a lot of what you and your friends told me about the city. And they can scale to any size parcel, including the ones already owned by the city.”

“There'd be no need for a land grab?”

He shook his head and hoped that the denial was true.

Just like the Cedar Springs planning commission, he could only make recommendations. Ultimately, it would be a compromise between and among what the city wanted, what the eventual developer wanted and what residents and landowners would accept. Part of his deal with the city would be that Carolina Land Associates was brought on board with whichever development company or companies were used for each phase of the project. It was how he could ensure future work for the firm and his people.

“We're talking a five-to eight-year build out,” he said. “There would be three or four phases, each taking as much as two years to complete.”

Jeremy stirred and said, “Daddy?”

As one, Spring and David turned to see Jeremy sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“Hey, buddy.”

“I'm hungry. Is it time for fireworks?”

Chapter Fifteen

W
hen Spring arrived home that night, there were several voice messages and texts on her phone, a device she'd put on mute the entire day. After the first two demanding to know what was going on between her and
that man
, she tossed the phone on her dresser and headed to the shower to contemplate just that.

Among the things on her mind: the feeling of rightness she'd experienced the entire day, as if she had the family she'd always thought she'd have by this point in her life. Being mistaken for husband and wife at the Bible trivia game had been embarrassing...and comforting.

She turned the water on and let it and her complicated thoughts tumble around her.

* * *

At their hotel, David got a sleeping Jeremy into bed and made sure Beau the teddy bear was nearby in case he reached for it during the night. He'd made it through the fireworks, and he'd spent the drive to Spring's house chattering the entire time about the pyrotechnic show. He'd finally succumbed to sleep on the way to their hotel.

David stared down at his son and contemplated what the boy had said after they'd seen Spring to her door and safely inside.

“She's the mommy I always wanted, Daddy. Let's marry her.”

Things were so simple when you were four, David thought.

* * *

Things got even more complicated Monday morning.

Spring was doing rounds at the hospital when she received a bizarre text from Cecelia.

911. Call me. 911.

Unlike Gerald Murphy, Cecelia wasn't given to fits of hysteria, and in all the years they'd known each other she'd never communicated a message like that. Spring's heart raced. Something had happened to her mother or to one of her sisters. Nothing else would explain such a message.

Before going to her next patient, she slipped into a staff room and called Cecelia.

“What's wrong? Is Lovie—”

Cecelia got to the point. “Your mother is fine. Your boyfriend isn't. Mayor Howell has a counteroffer from a big DC-area firm. They build tourist malls and hotels and want to bring something the size of Potomac Mills to Cedar Springs.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“But—”

“But get over here as soon as you can.”

Cecelia rang off, and Spring stood there holding her phone.

She'd heard the words, but they made little sense. Potomac Mills was the largest outlet mall in Virginia and was one of the state's biggest tourist attractions. The mall itself had more than two hundred stores, not to mention the dozens of shopping centers and big-box businesses and retailers, hotels and restaurants that sprouted around the complex in a three-hundred-sixty-degree circle. There were brochures and seminars on how to navigate the “neighborhoods” that made up the mall. Bus tour groups dumped shoppers there for day trips. She and her sisters had made the trek north to the literal shop 'til you drop destination for weekend forays on more than one occasion.

Spring's breath caught.

The eight o'clock meeting.
That had to have been the reason it had been called. To tell David that he not only had competition but that the competitor was Goliath.

Suddenly, even his original proposal didn't seem so bad. A few houses, some condos and some walk-to businesses. But this, this was a game changer. The mayor didn't just want to bring development to Cedar Springs. She wanted to change the entire character of the city, to make it a tourist destination instead of a suburban community of commuters, retirees and young professionals.

When she finally arrived at Cecelia's house, she wasn't surprised to find the executive committee of the historical society pacing holes in the professor's floors. She was, however, stunned to find David there.

Cecelia got her up to speed on what had transpired while Spring was at work.

“David's shared with us his plan for Heritage Township. Carol has drafted petitions for city residents and county residents to sign in opposition. Meredith said she's awaiting our word on any legal action we want to take. Gerald is stretched out in the guest room with one of his migraines. Maddie has been finding excuses to take tea to him.”

Spring's head reeled, so she glommed on to just one of the bits of information. “Heritage Township? I thought he said—”

“Had you read, instead of destroying, those plans he sent you, you would have discovered that he'd altered them, considerably.”

Spring turned toward David, who was talking with a couple of historical society members across the room. As if feeling her gaze on him, he looked up at her, lifting a brow in question.

“Tell me about this Heritage Township, CeCe.”

As Cecelia was giving her the details, Cecelia's front-door chimes sounded.

“Someone get that,” she called from the dining room table, where David's plans were spread and the three of them talked.

A moment later, Police Chief Zachary Llewelyn entered the dining room.

“Sorry to interrupt your meeting, folks, but Annette at the antiques store told me I could find all of you here.”

Maddie Powers popped her head into the room. “Wait, Chief. I'll go wake Gerald.”

When everyone was gathered around Cecelia's dining room table, the chief gave them his news.

“We've made a break in the burglary case.”

“You recovered our items?” Gerald said.

Llewelyn nodded. “One of the suspects decided that the heat was getting a little too hot and told us everything. We found the things from Step Back in Time at a house on Elmhurst Street. We've had the property under surveillance for some time now. Our suspect also mentioned the warehouses the crew was using.”

“At the farm?” Spring asked.

“And a couple of other locations,” the police chief said. “I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of the case, but I wanted to personally let you know that we're making arrests and closing in on all of the suspects.”

“When can we claim our pieces?”

“I'm sorry, but it will be a while,” Chief Llewelyn said. “It's evidence at the moment.”

“It's a blessing it was recovered, Gerald,” Maddie Powers said.

The antiques dealer looked at her as if just seeing her for the first time. Then he smiled and patted her hand. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

“What about the things taken from the art gallery?” Spring asked.

“Also recovered,” Llewelyn said.

“This is great news,” Gerald said. “Thank you, Chief.”

The police chief nodded. “Well, if the rumors at city hall are true, you all have quite a situation on your hands. So I'll leave you to your meeting.”

Cecelia offered him some coffee cake, which he took to go. When Cecelia returned to her dining room, Spring and David were alone and facing each other. She smiled and headed to the living room, where the rest of her guests were.

* * *

“I'm sorry I didn't read what you sent,” Spring said.

David shrugged. “That's all right. It may not even matter now.”

“It matters,” she said, touching his arm.

“My company needed this contract,” he said. He told her about the firm's precarious situation. “It's not in danger of going under, but I feel an obligation to provide for my employees. Laying off half of them is untenable.”

“It doesn't have to be that way.”

Spring wasn't sure exactly when and how she'd come to the realization, but she loved this man.

She blinked. Had she really just been stunned and blindsided by her own thoughts?

Loved?

Loved.

She'd tried to fight it. Tried to claim their differences were too great to overcome. But the obstacles had been made of smoke and fears with no basis in reality.

Spring wanted to know where this unlikely relationship was going. She had run hot and cold when it came to David. In the beginning, she thought he was a homeless man just trying to get care for his son. Then she'd discovered he was here in Cedar Springs to destroy the one thing she loved the most.

Over time, she'd come to realize that there was more to David, so much more, including a strong but quiet faith like her own, a value system that put integrity first and, on top of it all, a deep and abiding love for his son.

She didn't think it was possible, but she'd fallen head over heels in love with David Camden. And Jeremy... The little boy had stolen her heart from the first. She was having a hard time envisioning her life without both of them in it.

The thought actually frightened her. She'd given her heart to a man just once before. And he'd returned her unconditional love with a betrayal that still stung fifteen years after the fact. David wasn't anything like Keith Henson, who'd wanted not her heart but her family's money. Comparing them would be like comparing a birthday party to after-school detention.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Spring pulled one of the chairs out and sat, tugging him into its twin.

Instead of answering his question, she asked one of his own. “What happened to Jeremy's mother?”

He mouth curved up in a bittersweet smile. “I wondered when you'd ask that.”

“I've wondered since the first night we met.”

“Katy died,” he said. “Jeremy was barely six months old when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was gone before he turned one.”

“I'm sorry.”

“I didn't think I would ever find a love like the one we had,” he said. “I thought my world had ended. My mother moved in and eventually made me go back to work. She dragged me and Jeremy to church, to meals and into life again. When I met you, it was like storm clouds had dissipated and the sun again shone bright and beautiful. You were that sun, Spring. Jeremy and I love you. I love you. Would you do me the honor of being my wife and Jeremy's mom?”

Spring's mouth opened and closed. “I... You want to marry me?”

“I didn't come here tonight with the thought of proposing.” He glanced around the room. “The dining room table of your friend's house is lovely, but not quite what I would have planned as the setting of a proposal. But, yes, it's a proposal, Spring. Will you marry us?”

She nodded.

They still had a lot to learn about each other, but, yes, she wanted to marry this man.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes,” she said. And then she kissed him to seal the proposal.

* * *

When the Cedar Springs City Council met again, it was the day before the engagement party for Summer Darling Spencer and Cameron Jackson. Council chambers at city hall overflowed with angry residents. Chairs had been brought in from the multipurpose room, and people stood two deep along the walls.

News of an economic development project that could reshape the region drew the attention of media well beyond the
Cedar Springs Gazette
. A couple of the television stations from both Raleigh and Fayetteville were there to report the proceedings, and the business reporters from the
Charlotte Observer
, the
News & Observer
from Raleigh and even the Norfolk, Virginia, newspapers were at the press table along with Mac Scott, the
Gazette
's editor. The police chief had eight officers stationed around the room to quell any potential violence.

But the only truly violent outburst came from Mayor Bernadette Howell when, during the public comment period of the meeting, she was served a petition for impeachment recall.

The vote on development projects of any type or size was unanimously tabled for further study by city council, who then concluded the meeting and scuttled out of chambers under the protective escort of Cedar Springs' men and women in blue before a single reporter could approach.

“It's not over yet,” Spring said as talk from residents about the meeting flowed all around them.

David sat next to her in the front row, right behind the table that had been filled with journalists.

“Nope,” he said.

“For the record, I really like your proposal that incorporates our history and heritage center in it.”

“The grant application you and Cecelia have is very strong.”

She gave him a sidelong smile. “Thanks to the addition of some architectural renderings from a certain Charlotte-based firm that shall remain unnamed.”

* * *

In the back of the city council chambers, Dr. Cecelia Jeffries confronted a man who'd shuffled in and had claimed a standing-room-only spot on the wall to watch the proceedings.

“Sweet Willie,” she said.

He nodded his head toward her. “Dr. Jeffries.”

In deference to the formal ambiance of the city council chambers, he'd shed the hoodie from his head. Cecelia realized it was the first time she'd seen him without the hood covering. His hair was more gray than black and he'd clearly not been associated with a razor in a few days.

“You and your folks got a victory tonight.”

“Not unlike your own,” she said, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him.

“Beg pardon?”

“Why weren't you arrested with the other criminals in that burglary ring?”

“Didn't have nothing to do with it, ma'am.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why don't I believe you?”

He shrugged. “Maybe 'cause you the suspicious type.” He grinned as if he'd made a joke.

Cecelia was not charmed. “There's something going on with you,” she told him. “I don't know what it is, but I don't buy your act and I'm going to keep digging.”

His grin grew broader. “I'm looking forward to it, Dr. Jeffries.”

* * *

As the reporters either typed on laptops at the front table or moved about the council chambers interviewing city residents about the meeting and the seemingly thwarted plans for a giant retail complex in the city, David and Spring continued to talk quietly at their seats.