Love Letters (22 page)

I think I’d make a good wedding planner.
She remembered getting excited when her mother hosted parties at home. As she waited for Darlene to make a decision, she noticed customers looking at accessories. She was glad that Maureen and Faye were assisting them since her cell phone was ringing off the hook. Before she could answer it, Darlene pushed aside the velvet curtain once again.

Chloe gasped when she saw the gown. “You look truly extravagant.”

Darlene stepped out of the fitting room wearing an Oleg Cassini satin gown featuring a beaded illusion tank strap and V-notch bodice with an A-line skirt, and embroidery detailing the empire waist. She pretended she was modeling on the catwalk. Customers stared in admiration. “This is perfect and it will match my jewelry, too.”

Chloe gave a sigh of relief. “You’re going to be a knockout bride.”

“
Thanks so much for your help,” Darlene said, as she changed back into her clothes and exited the fitting room. “You’re very good at what you do, Chloe.”

“
It’s been a pleasure,” Chloe said, hanging up the gowns.

“
Have you ever considered becoming a wedding planner? You have so much potential to do more than what you do now.”

Chloe opened her mouth.
I was just toying with the idea.
“What made you say that?”

“
You have that gift of patience and encouragement,” Darlene said, handing her credit card to Chloe.

Chloe swiped the card and gave her the receipt to sign. “Gee, thanks.”

“
You should definitely give it a thought. Do you own this place?”

“
I manage the shop. My boss has other businesses and is hardly ever around.”

“
Hmmm. You want to know what I think? I think you should buy her out and do the whole wedding package yourself. You could even hire a few wedding planners to help you.”

“
Very interesting.”

“
Here’s my card. If you’re interested I can help you. I’m a consultant for bridal magazines on the West Coast. I can hook you up with a lot of people.”

Chloe looked at Darlene’s business card and lit up. “Are you serious?”

“
Of course I am. My own wedding planner flaked out on me and it’s been a pain with my busy schedule,” Darlene said, putting her card back inside her wallet. “Most brides are nervous and can’t decide for themselves. All they need is reassurance, and my first impression of you is that you have a way with brides.”

This lady was already planning her future. “Thanks, Darlene. Nobody has ever told me that except you.”

“
I have a whole list of friends and acquaintances in my network who you can contact. You can even take out a small business loan if you’re tied up,” Darlene said. “Think about it and I’ll be ready to discuss matters with you after my honeymoon.”

“
I will definitely call you. Thanks again.”

“
It’s been a pleasure,” Darlene said walking towards the door.

I better call Josh.
Chloe looked at the clock. It was one fifteen and the other customers had left before Darlene. Upon looking at her cell phone, she noticed she had three missed calls from Richard who kept apologizing for his behavior at Yosemite. She hadn’t spoken to him since then. After the way he had treated her, he deserved the cold shoulder.

Maybe a two hour lunch would suffice and this would give her a chance to get closer to Josh. She went to the bathroom and sprayed on some light cologne and applied her lip gloss. Then she walked to Casey’s Café to buy two sandwiches and drinks before going to Josh’s shop at the end of Main Street.

Josh was busy explaining to a customer about the different types of surfboards when Chloe walked in. His face turned red, and his eyes opened wide as she waved. He signaled to her that he would be done in a minute and she nodded.

When the customer left, he approached Chloe who was looking at the surfing T-shirts and accessories on display. “So.”

Chloe brushed her hair away from her face. “So, I was hoping you’d be up for lunch.”

He walked towards her and gave her a friendly hug. “I could use some lunch.”

“
Great, I bought a couple of sandwiches from Casey’s Café.”

“
Maybe we can go to the beach,” Josh said.

“
This place is pretty nice,” Chloe said eyeing the display. “I see that business is doing great.”

“
Can’t complain,” Josh said, walking back to the counter to lock the cash register. “We have a target market. How about you? How are things at work?”

“
I have great news to share,” Chloe said, beaming. “I’ll tell you over lunch.”

“
Okay. Justin should be here in a few minutes to watch the shop. We can leave then.”

“
Sounds good.”

When Justin arrived, Chloe and Josh left the shop and walked towards Josh’s Mustang. To Chloe’s delight he opened the car door for her. Then they drove to the beach.

Chloe carried the big blanket, while Josh lugged the food and drinks. Two couples were reading on the other end of the beach as Chloe laid the blanket on the sand. The sun was out along with a gentle breeze.

“
Don’t you think the weather is beautiful?” Josh said, handing Chloe her sandwich.

“
It’s just right, not too cold. I love days like these.”

They ate in silence listening to the waves. Chloe was debating how she would open the subject of Josh’s letter. As she watched Josh, she knew he was thinking the same thing. Yet doing so would force her to make a decision she wasn’t prepared for. She knew she would have to talk to him sooner or later but couldn’t find the courage to conquer her fear.

“
So, what’s this big news of yours?” Josh asked with a smile that revealed a sexy dimple.

Chloe showed him Darlene’s business card and told him what she had said.

“
I agree with her,” Josh said, taking a sip of his lemonade. “I think you should go for it. You have nothing to lose.”

“
It’s ironic because I had been thinking about it a few minutes before she mentioned it.”

“
It’s probably meant to be then.” He paused. “What does Richard think?”

Chloe fixed her eyes on the ocean. “I haven’t told him yet.”

Josh leaned closer to Chloe. “Is everything all right?”

Chloe paused to catch her breath. “Yes, I mean no… I don’t know. These sandwiches are good.”

The wind was blowing Josh’s hair as he faced her and he was giving her that dreamy look again, the one she had fantasized about when she first met him. “Never mind that, tell me what’s wrong?”

She swallowed hard and told Josh everything, about how Richard had been treating her and what Nicole and her mother said. “The last time we spoke was in Yosemite.”

Josh nodded sympathetically.

Chloe whispered, “Richard doesn’t take my interests seriously. He has never even tried to enter my world.”

Josh patted her on the back.

“
I’m sorry for getting carried away,” Chloe said, misty-eyed. “Life isn’t fair sometimes. Look at my mother. She’s still deeply in love after forty years but circumstances have kept them apart, and here is Richard too selfish to offer any real love. Tell me there’s an explanation for that!”

Josh drew closer and rubbed a thumb across Chloe’s lips, then slowly leaned in to kiss her. Chloe closed her eyes and felt the softness of his lips. Her body couldn’t move as she relished in the gentleness of his kiss. She was oblivious to her surroundings and could feel nothing else but his lips against hers. She opened her eyes as soon as he let go.

“
Josh, about your letter…”

“
I’m sorry,” Josh said, shaking. “I mean, I’m not sorry I kissed you. And I’m not sorry I wrote the letter, but I
am
sorry if you feel that I’m pressuring you.”

Chloe touched her lips. He was a true gentleman who would never take advantage of her.
“No, don’t be.”

Josh stared at her and lowered his head to kiss her again. She held his cheek and kissed him longer this time.
I can’t believe what I’m doing. If this is wrong, how can it feel so right
? She had to stop rationalizing. She couldn’t deny her feelings anymore. She loved Josh and this was real.
We belong together.

“
Yes, we do,” Josh said, as though reading her mind.

“
Huh?”

“
You said we belong together.”

“
Can you read my mind now?”

“
Silly, you kept saying it,” Josh said, caressing her cheek and kissing her again. “Seriously, we do belong together. From the minute I saw you again that day when you bumped my car, I knew you were the only one for me, Chloe.”

Chloe’s hair stood on end, remembering that day with Josh. “I have to admit, I felt the same way.”

“
I love you, Chloe. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I have loved you. I’ve never stopped loving you,” Josh said, embracing her tight.

“
I love you too,” Chloe whispered.

They stood in silence, wrapped in each other’s arms, watching the waves.

The tide was starting to rise and the weather was now foggy. Josh looked at his watch. “I hate to leave, but I have to get back to the shop.”

Chloe wiped the sand away from her pants. “Me too.”

After clearing the blanket and picking up their trash, Josh dropped Chloe at the shop. She pulled him towards her and kissed him gently on the lips. He whispered “I love you” again and she told him the same. She was about to leave when he grabbed her and pulled her toward him.

“
Will you marry me, Chloe?”

Chapter Twelve

Chloe lay down on her bed in her pajamas hugging her teddy bear with the lights off. Richard had left two messages apologizing again for his behavior in Yosemite, but she had refused to talk to him. She couldn’t get over the afternoon she’d spent with Josh by the beach. She fingered her lips where he had kissed her. She still felt the warmth of his embrace and the softness of his lips – the genuine love as he stroked her cheek.

From day one, she knew that Josh and she were a match. She always told herself that she wanted to grow old with him. Josh understood her. They were on the same wavelength, unlike Richard who was in a different world.

She rolled over and sighed. Now that Josh had asked her to marry her, what should she do? With the wedding a month and a half away, she knew she had to decide. Was she going to marry Josh or Richard? She held her teddy bear closer as Greta sat and licked her nose. She wished life was simpler – that she didn’t have to choose between two men. She turned off the light and kissed Greta goodnight.
I need to see Mom tomorrow – to find out why she never married Ignacio.
Chloe knew that there was more her mom wasn’t telling her.

She had almost fallen asleep when she heard a tap on her window. Greta barked as Chloe pushed the comforter out of her way. Just as she pulled the curtain to the side she heard another tap. She thought that a branch had fallen on her roof, but the night was clear with no breeze. She covered her mouth when she saw a man standing on the tree branch outside her window.
Josh.

She grabbed her flashlight and opened the window. “Josh…what are you doing here?”

The hood of Josh’s blue jacket covered his head. He was wearing gray sweatpants and rubber shoes. “Hello, princess…I’m here to rescue you.”

Chloe’s face flushed with warmth. Josh knew her too well. “You could have used the front door.”

“
I know, but that wouldn’t be romantic,” Josh said, putting one foot inside the windowsill. “Besides, after today, I couldn’t stop thinking about
you
– about
us
.”

Chloe held his hand as he came in and kissed him on the lips. She too couldn’t get over their afternoon by the beach. “So what’s the surprise?”

He pulled his backpack inside and opened it to remove the telescope. “I thought that a fine night like this would be ideal to watch the stars.”

“
Wow, this is amazing,” Chloe said, turning on the lights to look at the Celestron 21045 Powerseeker Refractor Telescope. “Thank you, Josh.” Her thoughts shifted to her dad who had bought her a telescope when she was a child. Every night before she went to sleep, she and her father would look at the stars together. He had taught her about all the planets in the solar system and showed her how to look for the Big Dipper. It was their father and daughter time. He also bought her glow-in-the-dark stars to stick on the ceiling so she wouldn’t be scared sleeping alone.

She saw Josh looking at her moist eyes. “Is everything all right?”

She looked away and nodded. “Dad gave me a telescope, too. Stargazing was our favorite thing to do together.”

Josh squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, Chloe. We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“
No worries, Josh.” Chloe shook her head then touched his cheek. “I would love to look at the stars with you.”