Love Letters

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

 
Publishers Note:

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are the work of the author’s imagination.

 
Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events is coincidental.

Solstice Publishing2011

"A deeply moving story of true love, choices, and the power of memory, LOVE LETTERS reaches deep into in a woman’s heart, to that special place where her own memories of love from long ago might still be lingering. With delicate beauty and wisdom, Geraldine Solon weaves an unforgettable story of the everlasting power of true love."
—
Christine Lemmon, author of Sand in My Eyes and Sanibel Scribbles    

For Arnel, Stefan and Kimberly

Chapter One

As Chloe Rogers put her car in reverse, she couldn’t stop looking at her princess-cut diamond. The sun through her window made the diamond sparkle. She turned on the radio, singing as she drummed her fingers to the beat.

“
I’m engaged!” she squealed out loud, “To the most handsome man in the universe.” She closed her eyes remembering how Richard had knelt down and asked her to marry him earlier that morning at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Half Moon Bay. No sooner had she opened her eyes than she felt a soft bump and heard the sound of scraping metal.

“
Oh no,” she groaned as
she looked through her rearview mirror at a blue Ford Mustang. She pulled over towards the parking lot and saw a tall man with long hair wearing a t-shirt and surfing shorts got out and came across the parking lot toward her. Her heart beat quickly as he approached her.
Why does he look so familiar?

“
I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. I promise my insurance will take care of it,” Chloe said as she got out of her car and followed him to his Mustang.

The man studied his car, his gold-blond hair blowing in the wind. “Hey, no sweat. I don’t have a single scratch on my car.”

Chloe caught her breath, relieved that no serious damage had been done.

“
Let’s check yours.” They walked back to her car. “Just a scratch,” the man said, smiling.

Where have I seen that smile before?

She huffed a sigh. “Nothing to worry about then. I’m really sorry.”

“
It’s nothing. I’m Josh by the way,” he said, extending his hand.

“
Chloe.” She shook his hand.

“
Chloe? Chloe Rogers? Is it you?” Chloe frowned, trying to place him. “I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure. Remember me…Josh Goldman? It’s been ages.”

Chloe’s heart skipped a beat. Of course she remembered him. How could she forget her first love from sixth grade?

She was eleven years old when she developed a crush on Josh. She had scribbled the name Joshua Goldman over and over on her PeeChee folder. When he moved to Oregon she had cried buckets of tears. They had gone down to the beach and made a promise to love each other.
Forever.
He was the first boy to ever kiss her.

“
Josh Goldman?” she asked, pretending not to remember.

“
Yes, my brother and I moved back a week ago from Oregon,” he said, smiling.

A week ago and I never saw him?
She remembered his smile, and how all the girls in school were crazy about him.
“What brings you back to Half Moon Bay?” she asked, trying to stay calm.

“
When we were in Oregon, our parents took Phil and me to Hawaii every summer,” Josh said, his eyes never leaving hers. “That’s where we learned how to surf. Last year, Phil and I decided to open our own surf shop in Half Moon Bay. Phil has qualified to compete in the Maverick this year.”

“
You mean Phil Goldman is
the
professional surfer?” Chloe asked in surprise. “I never put two and two together. Wow, you must be so proud.”

“
Yeah, and that’s why business should be great. Name recognition.” Josh tugged a strand of hair behind his ear.

“
Don’t tell me your surf shop is the one that just opened up at the end of Main Street? Surfing Buddies?”

“
That’s right. That’s our shop,” he said. “Phil and I put all our savings in this business, so it’s a win or lose kind of thing.”

“
Unbelievable. I work at the other end of Main Street. I manage Brides Only.”

“
That wedding store? I never thought to check it out. I mean it’s for –”

“
Brides only,” Chloe grinned.

“
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I totally wouldn’t be caught dead in that store.” He laughed.

He seemed like the same Josh – happy-go-lucky, exciting, adventurous, and never fearful. She remembered how he would knock on her window to give her chocolates at midnight, and would scramble down the ladder when he heard Chloe’s mother screaming at her door. He had taken Chloe for a ride on his bicycle around Half Moon Bay. He played baseball back then, but seemed more interested in car racing. Chloe wasn’t surprised that Josh and Phil got into surfing.

She was still deep in thought reminiscing about the good old days when he said, “Listen, we should get together sometime. I mean, now that I know where you are, I can pop in.”

“
Of course,” she said, then immediately froze.
Why did I say that? I’m getting married in four months. I shouldn’t be meeting Josh.
But then she told herself to relax. He was just an old friend and there was nothing wrong with hanging out with an old friend. “Sorry about your car.”

“
Hey, no sweat,” he said. “Besides, I’m glad it happened. Otherwise, we’d never have met again.”

Chloe’s heart skipped as she said goodbye and drove to work thinking about Josh.

***

She opened the door to Bride’s Only and rushed to the stockroom to try on several gowns. Richard had requested she begin making arrangements for the wedding.
Chloe shrugged into a cream colored Vera Wang wedding gown with a fully beaded A-line cut
.
As she
examined herself in the fitting room mirror she replayed the morning’s events.
I can’t believe Josh is back in town…

After a few minutes she heard a loud voice and pulled back the curtain to see Nicole standing there.
Her best friend was dressed in a black lace top that revealed her toned biceps and skin tight jeans with glimmering four inches high heels.
Should she tell her about Josh first, or about Richard’s proposal?

“
You’re never going to believe it, Nicole,” Chloe squealed. “After two years, I’m finally engaged!”

“
To Richard?” Nicole made a face as she put her purse on the table closest to the fitting room.

Chloe inspected herself in the mirror. For five years, Chloe had managed the shop, and for those same five years she had dreamed of becoming the bride instead of just selling to brides. She turned for a side view of her dress and frowned. Now that her dream was finally coming true, why did Nicole have to spoil it for her? And why did Josh have to show up to confuse the issue?

“
Would you quit giving me that look and let me know if a customer comes in?” Chloe said, peering through the half-open velvet fitting room drapes. “Maureen called in sick and Faye has a dental appointment, so this is the only time I can try on gowns. The shop is going to get busy later.”

Like many twenty-four year olds, Chloe Rogers had dreamed of her wedding day for as long as she could remember. As an only child, she would play make-believe using her mother’s clothes as she walked down the hallway of their ranch-style home. She tugged the clasps of the gown. Nicole should be happy for her. She knew if she told Nicole about Josh now it would only make matters worse. In sixth grade, Nicole had been so certain that they were right for each other. She wondered if Nicole would even remember him now.

“
How long are you going to take?” Nicole asked, shoving back a lock of silky brown hair that framed her wide-set brown eyes. “I have to go to work.”

“
Finding the perfect gown takes time.”

Nicole grinned. “With your legs and that figure? Focus on your assets, Chloe.”

“
I want to look perfect for Richard,” Chloe announced, struggling with the zipper.

Nicole clenched her fists. “I don’t know whether I should be happy for you or worried.”

Nicole had been Chloe’s best friend since second grade and would be her maid of honor; so of all people,
she
should be happy for her.

Chloe put her head through the curtain and frowned at her friend. “Why would you say such a thing?”

“
You know how I feel about Richard,” Nicole said, rolling her eyes as Chloe shrugged out of the latest gown and handed it to Nicole, then put on yet another one. “How many more gowns do you need to try?”

“
Will you stop complaining, Nic? Most of them make me look fat.”

“
How can you say that when all the gowns look perfect on you?” Nicole asked and sighed impatiently. Nicole Simmons was the exact opposite of Chloe, but somehow they had managed to be friends despite their differences. Whereas Chloe had fair skin, long dark curly hair with a widow’s peak, and stood only 5’6” tall, Nicole was six feet tall and a beautiful African American.

“
You’re only saying that because you don’t like Richard and don’t want me to get married,” Chloe said, exiting the fitting room. “Now tell me – what do you think?”

Nicole put her hands to her mouth. “Chloe…”

The Dior gown had long spaghetti straps with a simple lace design in front. The empire waist gave the dress an elegant touch, soft and flattering.

“
This one is perfect,” Chloe breathed.

“
You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Nicole said.

Chloe hugged her friend. “Thanks for being so patient with me. I told Richard that our wedding wouldn’t be complete unless we have it at the Ritz-Carlton hotel that overlooks the ocean. I can already see myself walking down the aisle, smell the fresh air, and hear the sound of the waves. Totally breathtaking.”

Each workday, Chloe met future brides trying on wedding gowns while chattering with their girlfriends. She had never met a bride who wasn’t excited about her wedding day. Chloe looked down at her dress and spun a circle, thrilled that she, too, would fulfill her dream of becoming a bride.

As she came to a stop she looked around at Millie Adams’ shop. Brides Only was known for its simple yet elegant gowns at a reasonable price. Fortunately, Millie trusted Chloe to run her shop, since she had other businesses to attend to.

Brides Only was a cozy and intimate shop that made customers feel at home. It originally sold only ready-to-wear bridal gowns, but with Chloe’s ideas, they had added purses, tiaras, little trinkets, scented candles, and other accessories.

Chloe pampered future brides as they entered the shop, most brought in through referrals. Though Chloe had two associates to assist her with the shop, it was she who the customers looked for each time they entered the shop. Something about her enthusiasm seemed to rub off on the nervous brides, reminding them why they were here.