Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (17 page)

Chapter 21

After Jeff went home, Robin struggled to keep her mind on her gardening project.
She stopped working at four o’clock, allowing herself a full two hours to rest, relax, and get ready for their first official date. She’d wear a full-skirted, sleeveless sundress in a bold floral print in her favorite shades of green. The dress fit like a glove because Penny had designed and sewn it with care.

She’d wear Grandma Estelle’s pearl earrings set in gold with a matching pendant. Penny’s mother, Aunt Ginny, had knit a pale yellow bolero-style shrug as a special surprise when she’d seen the fabric Penny used for the sundress. The shrug would be the perfect finishing touch for tonight’s outfit. She wanted to look her prettiest for this special occasion. It’d been a long time since she’d dressed up for a date. Robin chuckled. Actually, she’d never dressed up for a date unless she counted her modest wedding dress from way back when.

While she was getting dressed, she reviewed the events of the past few days. She shook her head in disbelief, once again.
What a pleasant surprise! A man is actually pursuing the divorced librarian.

“Why shouldn’t Robin Bennett get another chance at love?” she asked her reflection.

Robin felt she was ready to move on in her life. She felt ultra-feminine when she slipped her perky sundress over her head. As she slipped on her sandals and grabbed her clutch purse, she remembered to put on her pearl jewelry set. After running a comb through her curls one last time, she decided she looked acceptable.

She heard a firm knock and opened the cottage door to find an utterly handsome Jeff Clarke standing there wearing a stunned smile on his face.
Boy, oh boy. This man cleans up nicely.
 

After a few quiet moments, he broke the silence by declaring, “Pardon me for saying this, but you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Your dress is stunning.”

She smiled at his heartfelt confession. His assessment of her appearance pleased her more than she would have expected. “You’re pardoned.”

“I meant every word I said. I brought you a little something to mark this special occasion.” He handed her a white florist’s box with a robin’s egg blue ribbon tied around the lid.

“Oh, Jeff. I’ve never received a corsage before.”

“Really? Well, it’s about time you did, beauty. Open it. I hope you like it.”

She opened the box to find a perfect white cymbidium orchid embellished with deep yellow ribbons sitting in a bed of soft florist’s grass. She smiled at him.

“I love it. Thank you.” As he slipped the corsage onto her left wrist he grinned down at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

“It’s a perfect finishing touch. Are you ready to get going? We have a reservation at The Western Saddle Dinner House down in Ukiah.”

“I’ve heard wonderful things about The Western Saddle, but I’ve never been there.”

Jeff held the car door open for her and then walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat. As he slid into the seat and closed the door, his gaze met Robin’s and they both smiled.

“I’ve been so excited since you asked me out last night.”

“Let’s both put bad memories and thoughts of the past behind us and enjoy our first date together,” Jeff said.

“It’s all good.”

~*~

During the twenty-minute drive to Ukiah Jeff told her about the baseball game he’d listened to on the radio while finishing chores. He asked her if she enjoyed sports besides baseball.

“I enjoy watching golf and tennis. Sometimes I’m in the mood to watch ice skating.”

They discovered they both liked to bowl, hike, and occasionally swing a golf club. Jeff tucked away all of this information as ideas for future activities for them to share. When they arrived at The Western Saddle’s parking lot, Jeff offered his hand as she stepped out of the car. He continued holding her hand as they entered the restaurant.

When the waiter greeted them, Jeff mentioned he’d made a reservation. The waiter smiled. “I have a special table set aside for you. Right this way, please.” He led the couple to a table facing a huge picture window. “Will this be acceptable, sir?” the waiter inquired formally.

The view of the hillside from the window was breathtaking. The golden rolling hills covered with magnificent oak trees and manzanita scrub set against a vivid blue sky caused Robin to gasp in pleasure. A smattering of horses and cattle grazing in the distance added to the picturesque setting. The last of the spring wildflowers were blooming haphazardly on the hillside. The scene was reminiscent of an impressionistic painting. Golden poppies, blue and white lupine, and pink monkey flower caught Robin’s gaze as her eyes scanned the landscape.

“The view here is incredible. It takes my breath away.”

Jeff quietly placed a sizeable tip in the waiter’s hand and nodded at the man. “Thank you. This is perfect.”

Jeff waited until Robin was seated before sliding into a matching western-style ladder back chair. The waiter handed out menus and quietly vanished. Robin was so excited, she could barely read the menu. Her eyes soaked in her surroundings. From the starched white linen tablecloth and napkins on the table to the western-style landscape and still life paintings surrounding them on the redwood paneled walls. Everything was perfect. Soft lighting and the glow of a white pillar candle on an ironwork stand set the mood for a special interlude. Soft classical music serenaded them from hidden stereo speakers.

As she scanned the leather bound menu, Robin said, “It all looks so delicious. What’re you going to order?”

“Call me old-fashioned, but I’m a steak and potatoes man. I’m going for the grilled sirloin steak, baked potato, and green salad.”

“I think I’ll have the stuffed filet of sole and rice.”

The waiter took their orders, promising to bring them some warm French bread and their iced tea. While they waited, they looked out at the impressive scenery before them.

“I never thought a summertime hillside in this area could be so beautiful. I mean, we haven’t had any rain in more than two months so I knew it wouldn’t be lush and green. But this view is stunning.”

Jeff entwined his fingers with hers. “I like the view from where I’m sitting tonight, too.”

From the way his eyes rested upon her face, Robin got the feeling he wasn’t referring to the view of the hillside. She tried to ignore the blush she felt creeping its way onto her cheeks.

“Tell me about your hobbies, Jeff. Do you do woodworking or carpentry?”

“My primary hobby is running. I’ve been running since before I was a teen because I enjoy the challenge. I like being out in nature whether I’m walking, hiking, cycling, or running. I love to read about sports history and U.S. history. I like visiting historic sites and museums. In the future, I’d like to travel around the United States and visit all of the presidential libraries and homes along with other historic sites like Williamsburg and Plymouth Plantation. My newest favorite hobby is spending time with a certain lovely librarian.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“What do you do in your spare time besides garden?”

“I enjoy cooking and baking when I have time. I love walking, and I also like to visit historic sites and museums. I’m fascinated with historic homes and enjoy visiting the restored ones.”

“We have a lot in common.”

They quieted when their salads were served. The two bowed their heads in unison and Jeff said a quiet grace before they began savoring the delicious meal the chef had prepared. The waiter didn’t hover, but was nearby if they needed anything. As the sole cook at her cottage, Robin enjoyed the treat of having someone else prepare and serve the meal, wash the dishes, and clean up the kitchen. She shared her train of thought with Jeff and he laughed.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying our first
official
date. I’ve waited a long time to take you out, and it makes me glad you’re happy.”

~*~

The waiter reappeared with their entrees and fussed over them until he was certain everything was just right. After he walked away Robin said, “I’d like to know more about your work.”

“I’ll try to make this as interesting as possible, but we are talking about accounting after all.” He chuckled. “I’m headquartered in northern Illinois with a small firm, Brownstein & Associates. I’ve been working there as a forensic accountant since I finished my master’s of business administration a couple of years ago. The difference between what I do and what your average public accountant does is my job isn’t limited to record keeping and analysis.”

He paused to cut his steak and heap butter and chives on his baked potato. “My job requires me to use a complex combination of several factors to determine whether or not a particular activity is illegal. I use my knowledge of accounting, finance, and the law in my investigations. We work on a lot of embezzlement and bankruptcy cases for individual clients and the local police and sheriff’s departments. I gather evidence and sometimes even appear in court as an expert witness. The duties are varied, and I find it to be far more intriguing and satisfying than the traditional ‘keeping books.’ It satisfies my natural curiosity, I guess.”

“I’ve never heard of forensic accounting before, but it sounds like a great match for someone with your education, intelligence, and natural curiosity.”

Jeff laughed. “Thanks, but sometimes I don’t feel too smart. For instance, was I
‘smart’
the Saturday morning I ran out on you after acting like a total jerk? I should’ve spoken up and told you the truth right then instead of doing what my boss told me to do.”

“I thought we weren’t going to talk of the past tonight.”

“They say the human brain isn’t fully developed until age twenty-five. Since I’m twenty-nine I guess I’m a late bloomer. I did learn a valuable lesson in this situation. I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again, Robin.”

Robin reached across the table to squeeze his hand lightly. “Let’s move onward and upward,” she said as she finished the last few bites of her meal.

Their waiter didn’t waste any time rolling the dessert cart over to their table. He bowed slightly, and with a dramatic wave of his hand said, “May I offer you one of our exquisite hand-crafted desserts, ma’am, sir?”

Robin shook her head slightly, and Jeff told the waiter, “Thank you, but I think we’re finished unless my date would like more tea or perhaps some coffee?”

“I’m fine, thank you, but can we sit here for a little while longer and watch the sunset? The sky looks so awesome right now,” she requested quietly.

Jeff shared a long look with the waiter before the waiter nodded politely and smiled in understanding.

“We can stay here as long as you’d like,” Jeff said.

Their waiter pushed the loaded cart away toward another table. They chatted about the weather and other trivial topics while waiting for the check. When the check arrived with the waiter’s admonition to enjoy the sunset, Jeff wasted no time paying for the meal and tip.

It didn’t take long for the sun to treat them to a delightful sky show before it dipped sleepily behind the hillside for the evening. Robin sighed in satisfaction and smiled brightly.

Outside Robin pulled close to Jeff and said, “Thank you for making tonight so special.”

He kissed her cheek in response, nabbed her hand, and they walked to the car.

“I realize tomorrow is a work day for you, so I thought we’d make it an early evening. How about if I drive us back to Bonita Creek, and we can stroll around the old town square for a while before I take you home? It’s so pretty in the mountains in the evenings.”

“I’d enjoy a stroll.”

~*~

Back in Bonita Creek Jeff parked in the public lot in historic old town. They walked around the park and looped around the deserted streets filled with colorful shops of all kinds. Robin rarely had time to enjoy the decorated shop windows, and this was a real treat for her. As they were heading back to the car Jeff got quiet.

Robin could feel the air thicken with tension. Her self-doubt led her to wonder if the change in his mood was a direct result of something she had said or done. Since she really wanted this new relationship to work, she gathered her courage and gently touched his coat sleeve. “Is something the matter?”