The Apple Tree (13 page)

As soon as Bianca left, Peter stomped to his car. He slid into the leather seat, closed the door and inhaled deep. Every time he was with Bianca, the memories of Clara came flooding back. He’d danced with hundreds of girls over the years and no one else had the same effect. No one else had her eyes or her delicate voice. Even the way they moved and held themselves was similar. He closed his eyes, remembering the day he met Clara.

He’d first seen her at the harvest party, which was held in an open field at the edge of town. A large bonfire burned in the center, providing some extra light as the sun slipped lower in the sky. Long wooden tables had been placed around the edge, covered in food and jugs of ale. The twanging music of fiddles filled the air as several couples spun around the grassy field.

Three sisters, newly arrived to the community, stood in the middle of a group, making introductions and talking casually. His eyes focused on the youngest sister. Her blonde hair fell in ringlets across her delicate shoulders, spotted with freckles. When she looked up, her eyes were a startling honey brown color, surprising for her pale skin tone. Peter pushed his way through the crowd and stood in front of the stunning girl, his heart pounding.

“
G-Good evening, ma’am,” He paused. “My name is Peter Cabrera.” Her simple plaid dress gathered around the neckline, and then tapered down across her slim waist. Although it was similar to what every girl there wore, the way it fit her made her look extraordinary.

She nodded. “Clara Thompson. Pleased to meet you.”

He wanted to ask her to dance, but he couldn’t find the words. Instead, he looked down at his feet, fidgeting as another man engaged her in conversation.

“
Mr. Cabrera, would you like to ask me to dance?” Her voice was high and quiet.

His head shot up and a thrill coursed through his veins at her attention. Although the ladies often giggled about his good looks, he’d never been very good at speaking to them.

When he nodded, she added, “I apologize in advance if I step on your foot, I can be clumsy sometimes.”

He smiled, and led her out to the open area by the fire to join the other swinging couples. His left hand rested lightly on her waist and with the other, he held hers, lifting it level with their ears. Although they were still at least two feet apart, as custom dictated, he was hyper-aware of every movement of her body.

Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed with her smile. Together, they took a step to the side, moving in time with the up-beat fiddle music, another step and another. With each one, they spun around and his eyes never left hers.

When the music ended, he’d already decided he wanted to marry her.

Peter sat in his car with his eyes closed. A tear slid down his cheek and over his jaw. He’d been avoiding these memories for over a hundred years and he wasn’t sure whether he was thankful to Bianca for bringing them back or not. They were too painful. But he knew he wasn’t going to be able to stay away from her.

B
ianca stood at the pizza counter, taking an older woman’s order, when Levi walked into the parlor. Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she hit the wrong button on the cash register and had to start over again.

He stood next to the brick wall, his hands in his jean pockets, and waited for his turn.

“
Ma’am, are you listening? I said no sauce.” The woman pointed a shaky finger at her.

Bianca blinked and tried to make sense of the woman’s words. “Yes, no sauce. Okay.” She nodded and glanced back at Levi. His head pointed down like he was trying not to eavesdrop.

When she finally finished the customer’s order, he approached the counter.

“
Either you really like pizza or you’re stalking me again.” She continued writing on the order pad.

“
I really like pizza.” A small smile lit his face, but it withered and his expression grew serious. “I also like you… although I’m not stalking. But, you know, some women might be flattered. Didn’t Romeo sit underneath Juliet’s window?”

Goosebumps rose on her arm at his admission. Although she’d suspected before, this was the first time he’d flat out said that he liked her.

“
Romeo didn’t search Juliet’s bag the first time they met.” She clutched the pen and held his apologetic gaze. Thick black lashes and strong brows framed his warm gray eyes. This would be a lot easier if he wasn’t so goddamn handsome. “What do you want to order?”

“
Barbeque, please.” He tapped his fingers on the counter in a steady rhythm that soothed rather than irritated. “Do you think you’ll be able to eat with me today?”

Why did her chest jump at the suggestion? She concentrated on writing his order down and then punched buttons on the register. Finally, she answered, “It’s really busy right now. I don’t think I’ll be able to take a break anytime soon.”

He glanced around the restaurant. A family with two small children sat in the far corner; every other table stood empty. He nodded, his shoulders slumped, and sat down in his regular spot by the fireplace.

It shouldn’t hurt her so much to see him disappointed. She had every right not to trust him.

She made his pizza and then carried it out to him while the smoky barbeque aroma teased her stomach. The tray clattered against the formica table as she placed it in front of him without saying a word. When she returned to the kitchen, she kept busy, hoping to forget he was across the room, but her eyes kept darting to where he sat.

Kate raised her eyebrows when she noticed her watching him. “Ignore him, Bianca. He’s creepy.”

“
Yeah, I know.” She opened the oven door to check the pizzas inside and the heat enveloped her skin.

“
Besides, I have big news!” Kate leaned against the counter. “Jeremy and I are officially together now. We talked about it last night, and this morning, he changed his Facebook status to
in a relationship
.”

Bianca smiled, closing the oven. “That’s awesome! You guys will be great together.”

“
Yeah.” Kate sighed. “He’s so fun. I’m laughing constantly when I’m with him.” She took an order ticket off the wheel and reached into the cupboard for dough. “We planned to hang out again tonight, but I really have to get some work done on my Corvallis history project for school. I’m way behind.”

Bianca nodded, grabbed an empty box and tossed it onto the counter for the next pizza. Jeremy annoyed the heck out of her, but he did seem to make Kate happy. She glanced back at Levi.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and kept his head buried in his book, although his eyes kept wandering to the orange flames, dancing in the fire pit.

Turning her attention back to the kitchen, she found Kate watching her with a sympathetic smile. Was she that obvious?

Maybe Levi had a point with all that Romeo talk. Maybe he was harmless. Just a guy with a crush, and she had to admit it was extremely flattering to think he’d go to so much trouble to see her again. But everyone would think she was crazy if she forgave him.

She opened the oven door, and using the huge paddle, scooped a pizza out. In her peripheral vision, Levi walked out of the parlor, pulling his jacket over his head as he strolled into the rain. She set the pizza on the cutting board and leaned against the smooth, warm counter. The restaurant felt empty with him gone.

Peter sat on a barstool, a glass of whiskey in his hand and his elbows propped against the counter. Groups of people gathered around the lounge, chatting and laughing as rock music blared from a corner speaker, an irritating song that had too much screaming for his tastes. He groaned at the music, but also, mostly, at how carefree everyone around him seemed.

An attractive blonde eyed him from across the bar. He gave her a wink and then took a swig from his glass, welcoming the numbing sensation that followed. He’d gone out to forget Bianca, or more specifically to forget the memories of Clara that Bianca always brought and another woman seemed the perfect way to achieve that. So why was he still just sitting there? He swallowed another burning gulp and fiddled with the coaster.

The blonde was a beautiful woman, but her nose flattened at the tip. Bianca’s nose, and Clara’s, came to a cute little point. He inhaled, shutting his eyes and holding his breath a moment before exhaling. The last hundred plus years had been spent living in the moment, focusing on today’s pleasure and forgetting everything else. It was the only way he knew how to get through the never ending procession of time. To avoid thinking about what he’d lost. And it wasn’t working anymore.

Throwing back the last of his whiskey, he stood and walked across the dimly-lit bar to the blonde. She looked away from her friend, smiling as he approached. Her bright blue eyes matched the color of his. They were too bright, too blue.

“
Good evening, ladies.” He gave her his best panty-dropping smile.

“
I was hoping you’d come over and say hello.” She leaned back and her low-cut, black-sequined top stretched across her breasts. Too tight, Bianca never wore clothes like that. Clara most definitely wouldn’t have.

“
I know you were. May I sit with you?” He nodded to the mahogany chair beside her.

She smiled. “Of course. So what’s your name, Hottie?”

This woman was too eager. Normally, he would have gone with it. Ended the night in her bed and then swept her from his mind as soon as he left. Tonight…

“
You know, on second thought, I think I need to be alone.” He turned and walked back to the bar counter before Blondie had a chance to react.

A brief signal to the bartender brought another drink and he swallowed it quickly. He had to see Bianca again. He needed her, completely, and all to himself. He needed her to fill the gaping void she’d reopened.

Slapping a fifty on the counter, he walked out the front door to escape the music and loud voices. Rain splattered, dripping down his forehead. He ran a hand through his hair, pulled the phone from his pocket and dialed Bianca’s number. When she answered, her voice sounded high and sweet, like Clara’s and he flinched.

“
Hi, Bianca. It’s Peter.” Hopefully his voice didn’t sound slurred.

“
Hey, Peter, what’s up?” A smile spread across his face. She sounded happy to talk to him.

“
Do you have plans tomorrow? I’d like to see you.”

“
Well, I always go to the farmer’s market on Saturdays. Would you like to join me?”

Not really what he had in mind. “Won’t it still be raining tomorrow?”

“
The rain doesn’t bother me. This is Oregon. You can bring an umbrella if you want.” He pictured her eyes rolling.

A couple of drunken girls joined him on the sidewalk, smoking and giggling with each other. He walked down the street to avoid them. “Fine, I’ll pick you up at eleven.”

“
But, I always ride my bike,” Bianca said.

“
But, then it wouldn’t be a proper date. I’ll pick you up at eleven.”