Lexis choice, p.14
Lexi's Choice, page 14
“And just when I was starting to like lemon scones.”
I slapped his arm. “You hateful thing.”
There was that smile again. Broad with just a slight tug up one side. He gestured to the worktable on other side of the room. “Let’s move over there. I’ve got some numbers for us.”
I set the tray on the table. “Exactly where on the ouch-o-meter is the cost?”
“Somewhere between take me to the ER and intensive care.”
“Uh, oh.” I bit the corner off my pastry. “Old man Fleming will aim at us with both barrels.”
“Well, a project like this isn’t going to be cheap if it is done right. We just need to figure out possible financing before we present. I’ve got a call into several possible investors.”
“How much?” I braced myself.
“Roughly, twenty-two million, give or take.”
“Whoa.”
“Yep.” He leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. “Now on to more pleasant things. You texted to say you had a great idea for the convention center?”
“Well, after hearing those figures, I hate to suggest it.”
“There’s no charge for suggestions.” He propped his feet on the table. “Shoot.”
“Well, while we were in Gulfport, I hit upon an idea. I noticed how Toby was usually great in the mornings. Strong and raring to go, but in the evenings, he was washed out. Even though he attempted to keep it from me, I could tell. I tried to hide my worry, but the nagging in my gut was getting the best of me, you know?”
Sid’s eyebrows drew together. He nodded as he sipped his coffee.
“So, while Toby watched television, I went for a walk on the beach. Sometimes I’d pause and just breathe in and out and focus on the moon’s path along the water and the sound of the waves slapping onto the shore. By the time I got home, I felt at peace.”
He bit into his scone and thought a minute. “Sounds like meditation.”
I pointed my finger at him. “Exactly. I got to thinking about conferences and how tired you get after a long day. And while we can’t bring the ocean in, I was thinking about a meditation room. We could put a huge aquarium in there, play soft music, have comfortable chairs, maybe even large pillows to sit on the floor. What do you think?”
“I like it. And it’s unique, at least, I’ve not seen a room like that in all the centers I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot.” He put his feet back on the floor and stood.
“Here.” He tapped the plans. “This room on the third floor has a great view of the lake and it is pretty secluded away from the bar and patio.”
“Yes, that’s perfect.”
We spent the next couple of hours sketching ideas for the meditation room and made plans for the big meeting where we would joust with old man Fleming. Just as I was leaving, I remembered Toby’s invitation. “Oh, Toby said for you to come to supper tonight. He’s making his famous chicken pot pie soup.”
“Sounds great. Tell him I’ll be there. What time?”
“Six?”
“Six it is. What can I bring?”
“Ummm, how about yourself.”
“That I can do.” He held the door open for me. “See you…y’all… tonight.”
I waved and left. Smiling to myself, I looked forward to an evening of relaxed conversation with both of my favorite men.
****
The aroma of roasting chicken and sage greeted me when I walked into the house. Toby stood by the stove with a dish towel thrown over his left shoulder. A habit I figured he’d picked up from Miss Cladie.
“Mmm, something smells divine.” I gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Thanks, babe.” He laid his spoon down, turned and brought me into a hug. “How did your meeting go.”
I blew air from my cheeks. “Guess what this project is going to cost.”
“I have no idea. In the millions?”
“Twenty-two, give or take.”
“Wow.” He hugged me again and laid his chin on the top of my head. “But if anyone can find a way, you can.”
“I don’t know about that, but thanks.”
He stepped back to the stove. “Hey, did you ask Sid to come?”
“He’ll be here around six.”
After pulling the chicken out of the oven, he strolled back to me.
“I’m going to let the chicken cool before deboning it. Miss Cladie’s making us a pan of biscuits for supper tonight, so I think I’ll stroll on over.” He winked. “I may stay for a chat and,” he gave a grin, “snack on whatever she sets in front of me at her little table, too.”
“Okay. I need to look over this multi-million-dollar price tag and find a way to soften the blow when we present to the council.”
“Will old man Fleming be there?”
“Of course.” I rolled my eyes heavenward. “That man has been on that council since the earth first cooled. Why people keep re-electing him is a mystery to me.”
Toby took the towel from his shoulder and hung it neatly over the stove handle. “I suppose there needs to be a little salt to balance the mix.”
“A little? Hmph. If that’s the case, someone stumped their toe when adding him.”
Toby laughed, gave me a soft kiss, then left for Cladie Mae’s. I went to my office wondering how in the heck I could make a twenty-two-million-dollar budget palatable. I’m usually good at getting people to see things my way, but this was way beyond my pay grade.
While I paced around the room pretending to talk to the council, trying different approaches, my phone rang. Jema’s name appeared on the screen.
“Hey, Jems. Did you get the pics I sent you from our amazing honeymoon?”
“I did. I’m so glad you liked it. That’s why I called. I want to hear all about it.”
“It was beyond amazing. In fact, I got really inspired for this project Sid and I are working on.”
The conversation veered off topic, namely my honeymoon, and went straight to the project.
“Wow, Lex. That sounds fantastic. What a boon that will make to the town.”
“Welll, it may not happen.”
“Why, for heaven’s sakes?”
“What usually kills the best laid plans?”
“Are you talking about that ornery Mr. Fleming?”
“Yep. When he hears the price tag, he’ll go ballistic. He might just have a heart attack.”
“I’m not going to say it…” Jema chuckled.
“I know what you are thinking, you evil person. That could solve one hurdle.” I sighed. “Only, there are also twenty-two million other hurdles.”
Jema gave a low whistle. “He may not be the only one whose heart stops.”
“I know. But there has to be a way and that’s what I’m beating my head against the wall trying to figure out before the council meeting.”
“You’ll figure it out. Have you thought about investors?”
“Yes, I’m going through a list that Sid gave me. And I’m sure Toby will come up with suggestions. Some of his high-ranking patients are still fiercely loyal to him.”
“How is Toby?”
“He is keeping up a good front. But I can tell he is struggling. His breathing is shallower, and he coughs more. In the mornings he feels good, but by the evening he’s spent.”
“Poor fellow.”
“I know. And he feels bad for me. He worries about becoming a burden. So, he works extra hard and exhausts himself. I keep telling him to stop, that we have been given time to enjoy life together, but something in his man DNA just won’t let him.”
“That’s tough on you, isn’t it?”
“Tough isn’t the word. I’m so sad for him—for us.”
“Well, all you can do is let him set the pace.”
“Yeah, lord knows I’m trying.”
“Well, sugar, I’ve kept you too long. Get back to your project.”
“Okay, girlfriend. Thanks for calling. I miss you.”
“Miss you too. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
After we hung up, I thought over my conversation with Jema. It was true. This time around, our relationship was very different. When we remarried, we didn’t just pick up from where we left off. We entered into a whole new relationship. Instead of climbing the ladder of success, we enjoyed being relaxed and easy in each other’s company. We savored the hours together. Physical intimacy was rare but our soul-intimacy was deep and rich.
I walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of chardonnay. Swirling the wine in my goblet, I sorta regretted taking on this project because it occupied too much space in my head. Time was fleeting and Toby had precious little of it. After a deep sip of my drink, I headed back to my office to resume banging my head against anything solid.
An hour had passed, fresh wine poured, and twelve emails to possible investors sent. Nothing. No ideas, epiphanies, or solutions crossed my brain or my computer. In the haze of my frustration, my phone rang. I answered and listened to the person on the other line, then dropped my glass, shattering it to pieces.
****
Toby sat, sipping coffee, and watching Miss Cladie cut the dough with the rim of a juice glass on her breadboard.
“I sure thank you, Miss Cladie, for making biscuits for our dinner tonight. I never seem to be able to get the hang of making them. Can’t make dumplings either.”
“Pshaw, nothing to it.” Cladie grinned at him. “I’d be glad to teach you if you got a mind to.”
“I might just do that.”
She slid two pans of biscuits in the oven, then refilled their cups. “So, how is married, or should I say, remarried life?”
“To be frank, I’m still in awe that Lexi actually married me again.” Toby drew in a breath and let it out. “It is the most amazing gift I’ve ever been given.”
“And you are a gift to her, son. I haven’t seen the true Lexi in years. She’d turned so hard. You’ve brought her back to us.” Cladie sat across from him and laid her hand over his. “How are you feeling these days?”
He studied his cup before answering. “To be honest, I can feel my body changing.” Glancing up he frowned. “But I don’t want to say anything to Lex just yet.”
“Why?”
“This will be our first Christmas together after years of being separated.” He shook his head and let his gaze fall back to his cup. “And our last.” Silence hovered like dense fog over them. Toby sighed. “Anyway, I want to make it special for her.”
“Well, hon, anything I can do, just ask.” She squeezed his hand. “Even though I’ve slowed down on my cooking, I still make way too much, and it’d be a mercy if you’d take some off my hands.”
“That we can do.”
The timer went off and she stood to take the biscuits from the oven. “I guess we’d better try one to see if they are fit’n to eat.”
“By all means.” Toby watched as Miss Cladie set the butter dish and fig preserves on the table. “This may call for two biscuits.”
“Eat the whole pan if you want, sugar. I made extra.”
“No, I’d better just eat a couple. Sid is coming over for dinner. Would you like to join us?”
“Not tonight, dear. I guess you could say I have a routine and us old folks like to stay in our rut.” She slathered butter and jam on a hot biscuit. “How’s Sid doing?”
“Good.” Toby lifted a soft biscuit dripping with butter and fig preserves to his mouth. He bit into the hot, fluffy bread and savored the marriage of creamy and sweet. “Miss Cladie? Speaking of Sid, I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure, hon. I’ll do anything I can.”
The tiny mechanical yellow bird tweeted the hour from the Swiss chalet clock that hung on the wall above them. Toby gathered his thoughts while he waited for it to finish.
“What worries me is that I don’t know how much time I have left.”
“None of us do, sugar. Truth be known, we all live until we die.”
“That’s true, but my time has been put on the clock.” He bent his head and rubbed his forehead. “I’m not afraid to die, but what I dread is leaving Lex again.” When he looked up at Miss Cladie, his vision was distorted by tears. “I’ve been the cause of her suffering before, and I can’t bear causing her to suffer again.”
Miss Cladie’s eyes glittered, and tears slid down her cheeks. “It’s true. Great love leads to great pain and loss.”
“I’ve been thinking about Sid.”
“Sid?”
“Yeah. I have a feeling, well, more than a feeling, that he likes Lex. Really likes her.” He wiped his eyes with his napkin. “I saw it in his face when I told him that Lex and I were getting remarried. Even before that day, I watched her with him while she was dating Nate. There was definitely an attraction, a connection, there.”
“He’s a good man. But what are you getting at?”
“I’ve thought this over a long time. After the new year, I’m going to plant an idea in both of their minds about pursuing a life together after I’m gone. Hopefully, if I’m right about his feelings for her, he will be there for her and hopefully she will develop feelings for him. And if that happens, I don’t want either of them to think they are betraying my memory by loving each other. In fact, the thought of them being together gives me peace.”
Pushing back from the table, Toby put his hands on his knees and looked deep into the old woman’s kind eyes. “I have a favor to ask. After I’m gone, if Lexi ever talks to you about her attraction to Sid and her guilt about me, would you tell her about our conversation today?”
“Yes, honey. I promise.”
Toby stood, relieved. “Thank you. I guess I’d better get back and finish up before Sid gets there.”
Miss Cladie handed him a foil-wrapped pan. “Need some of my fig preserves?”
“Sounds really good.”
She went to the pantry and pulled out a jar. “Here, I put these up last summer.” She handed him the preserves and kissed his cheek. “Bye now.”
“Bye.” He leaned over and kissed her wrinkled cheek. “And thanks.” He turned and walked home feeling stronger in his soul even if not in his body.
****
I guess Toby thought I’d lost my ever-lovin mind when he walked through the door and saw me jumping all over the living room waving my hands and laughing.
“Ooookay?” He set the biscuits on the kitchen counter and ambled over to me. “I give. What’s up?”
“We have the money!” I grabbed him into a big hug.
“Wait. Back up. What money?”
“The twenty-two million for the project!” I sat on the couch and pulled him down beside me. “Levi and Jema are going to be our investors!”
“Whoa. That’s fantastic. Why didn’t you think of asking them in the first place?”
“I just couldn’t. I know I always say it is nice to have rich friends. But there are boundaries, you know? I refuse to think of one of my dearest friends as a bank.”
“I respect that. But they came through anyway, all on their own volition.”
“I know! I can’t wait for Sid to get here.” I put my hand on Toby’s arm. “Let’s not say anything for a while and let him stew about it and then I’ll pull out the champagne and we’ll tell him the news.”
“Yeah, let’s build up the hopelessness of it all. And then bam! Problem solved.” He frowned. “Do we have champagne?”
“No, I’ll run get some.” I jumped up then leaned over and kissed his cheek. “This will be such fun. Be right back.”
I grabbed my purse and ran out the door to the car while imagining the look on Sid’s face when we gave him the news. God love him, his dream for the town was finally coming true and I got to be a part of it.
If I say so myself, we made quite a team.
****
You know what they say about the best laid plans? Toby and I had the whole scenario played out in our minds. All through drinks and dinner we’d discuss possible investors and how to present to the council, especially Mr. Fleming. Then Toby would make it all sound so hopeless. Then I’d say something like, “Hey, enough of this downer talk.” Then play like I was getting dessert. Toby would say something like, “I have the perfect drink to go with it.” Then he’d follow me to the kitchen.
I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to keep from giving the whole thing away by giggling under our breaths. We planned to return with a covered cake plate and champagne and glasses. By then, Sid would be totally confused. We’d tell him to lift the cake lid and underneath would be a note that said, We have an investor!!!! All twenty-two million dollars promised for our project and more if needed! Courtesy of Levi and Jema Abrams!!!!
Yes, we had it planned out to the letter. Just then the doorbell rang and Toby answered. When Sid stepped in, I couldn’t help it. I ran to him, threw my arms around his neck, and shouted, “WE HAVE AN INVESTOR.”
As I said, the best laid plans.
Toby put his hands on his hips and shook his head. But I saw that tiny curve of a smile. “How about a toast? I’ll grab the champagne.”
Sid’s smile couldn’t have gotten any wider. He pumped his fist in the air. “This is fantastic. Unbelievable.”
Toby popped the cork and poured. “You should have seen Lex. She jumped around the house as if every step fell on hot lava.”
“I had to do something with all that excitement.” I raised my glass in a toast. “To the success of the tourism industry of Moonlight, Mississippi.”
Sid added, “And to two of the best friends a man could have.”
We clinked the rims and drank.
Sid set his glass down. “I hope you have a lot of soup. My appetite went from hungry to ravenous. Nothing like good news, right?”
“And for dessert, hot apple pie topped with ice cream.”
Sid rubbed his hands together. “Ambrosia of the gods.”
The soup was unusually good. Sid was right. Good news was a fantastic flavor addition. After dinner I suggested, “How about going to the den for our dessert. Toby’s built a nice fire.”
“Sounds good.” Toby scooped ice cream on each piece of pie. We picked up our plates and I led the way. Toby and Sid talked while we ate. I preferred to indulge in my thoughts. I watched the yellow flames lick the wood and listened to the snaps that propelled glittery sparks against the grate.
