03_The Unexpected Gift (17 page)

With a sense of finality, Grant rose, taped the lid shut and carried all of the boxes to the garage. The charity he’d selected would pick them up tomorrow.

Feeling lonelier than he had in a long time, Grant returned to the house, poured himself a cup of coffee, and made his way out to the gazebo in the backyard. He’d built it for Christine on their first anniversary, and it had been one of her favorite spots. Nestled in fir trees, it was a perfect place for contemplation, or reading, or praying…or saying goodbye.

Grant had spent little time there since Christine’s death. It reminded him too much of her—and of all he’d lost. But today he found some comfort sitting in the Adirondack chair she had loved and looking at the view of the sun-filtered woods that she’d always enjoyed. She’d often told him that whenever she needed to think a problem through, she’d come out here. And more often than not, by the time she returned to the house, she had her answer.

Grant could use some answers about now, he thought with a sigh. He still loved Christine. He always would. But he’d also fallen in love with Morgan. How could that be?

As he settled back in his chair, his shoulders drooping, the corner of a magazine peeking out of the drawer in the small side table beside him caught his eye. Curious, he pulled it out, marveling that it had survived three Maine winters. Other than brittle pages, it bore no sign of age or damage. Christine must have left it here, he realized.

The Christian magazine was turned back to an article titled, “Make Today Count” And Christine had highlighted several key sentences.

Setting the magazine aside, Grant stood and wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, his expression pensive. The message in the article must have resonated with Christine. And now, in an odd twist of fate, she’d passed it on to him when he needed it most.

A sudden gust of wind whipped past, and a flutter of yellow caught his attention. Looking down, he saw a single, late-blooming daffodil swaying in the breeze. Daffodils had been Christine’s favorite flower, he recalled with a pang. She’d always thought of them as brave and hopeful, because they were among the first flowers to seek the sun after the long, dark days of winter. She’d surrounded the gazebo with them, and awaited their appearance each spring with eager anticipation. Why this one had bloomed so late, he didn’t know. But somehow it seemed significant.

Grant wasn’t a superstitious person, or someone inclined to believe in signs from above. But finding both the magazine and the daffodil seemed too providential to be mere coincidence.

And with sudden clarity, the direction and guidance that had so long eluded him was revealed.

It was time to move on.

Loving someone else would never diminish what he and Christine had found, Grant realized, his insight sharp and sure. That would always be theirs alone. But there was room in his heart for someone new. Someone who would fill his todays with love and laughter. And his tomorrows, as well, with God’s blessing. But he was only going to count on today.

And he didn’t intend to waste one more of those.

Morgan stared at the message in her e-mail.

She was being asked to interview for a job. Not just any job. A great job. With a major agency. In New York City.

It was the kind of job she’d always dreamed of having.

Morgan read the message again. There was a time when such an opportunity would have thrilled her. But after all that had happened since January, she wasn’t that excited. Or even that interested. In fact, the only emotion she felt was conflict. Because if she pursued this opportunity, and it led to an offer, she’d have to choose between a once-in-a-lifetime job and her life in Seaside, which she had come to love—along with a very special, once-in-a-lifetime man.

And therein lay the crux of the problem. Even though she and Grant were just friends, in her heart she felt that, given time, they could be more. But what if she was wrong? What if she passed up this opportunity and nothing ever developed with Grant? Would she want to stay in Seaside alone?

Morgan didn’t know the answer to those questions.

But it was time to think long and hard about them before she passed up the opportunity that now dangled before her.

Grant pulled to a stop in front of Serenity Point, besieged by sudden doubts as he fingered the small box that was tucked into the pocket of his jeans. For most of the six months they’d known each other, he and Morgan had been mere friends. But the kiss had changed things. For him, anyway, and he hoped for her, too. Considering his abrupt departure the night of the benefit though, and the hurt in her eyes when he’d said he was sorry, maybe she’d just tell him to get lost.

Or maybe not.

In any case, it was time to find out.

Steeling his resolve, Grant climbed out of his truck and strode toward the door. When his first knock went unanswered, he tried again. Her sporty little car was parked beside the cottage, so he knew she was home. Maybe she was on the deck. Or had gone for a walk. It was a beautiful day.

He checked the deck, but it was empty. Frustrated, he lifted a hand to shade his eyes and looked out at the whitecap-dotted sea. Although this view often calmed him, today it didn’t work its typical magic. He doubted anything could quiet the rapid thump of his heart. As he scanned the shore, a glint of copper at the point of Jo’s land caught his eye, and he drew in a sharp breath. Morgan was there. On the secluded bench Jo had loved.

Now that the moment was upon him, Grant was scared. The temptation to turn and run away was strong. But he couldn’t run away from his feelings. And it was time to share them. If he was wrong, if Morgan didn’t return his love, he’d have to deal with it sooner or later. There was no reason to delay the inevitable.

She didn’t hear him until he was almost upon her, and when she turned her eyes widened in surprise.

“Hi,” he said, forcing his stiff lips into the semblance of a smile. “May I?” He inclined his head toward the bench.

“Of course.” She scooted over to make room for him.

He sat beside her, wishing the distant lighthouse would provide him with the same guidance it had given to so many storm-tossed ships. He was in uncharted territory here, and was afraid he was about to flounder.
Please be with me, Lord,
he pleaded.
Help me find the right words.

Gathering up his courage, he turned to her. “I’ve missed you since the night of the benefit.”

She gave him a cautious look, and he noted the lines of tension and strain around her mouth and eyes.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, when she didn’t respond.

“I guess you could say that. I’ve been asked to interview for a job in New York.”

It was Grant’s worst nightmare, and his stomach clenched in a painful knot. In the back of his mind he’d always expected this day to come, had known that sooner or later someone would recognize Morgan’s talent and make her a tempting offer. But why did it have to be now? When he’d decided to take Bill’s advice and give her a reason to stay, make an offer of his own? How could he compete with a glitzy New York job? And, did he even want to? What if she picked him, but later resented all she’d given up to stay in a tiny backwater town like Seaside? He’d been through that once with his mother. He didn’t want to go there again.

He managed to speak in a calm, controlled voice that gave no hint of his inner turmoil. “Are you going to do the interview?”

“Do you think I should?” she countered, searching his face.

He swallowed hard. “That’s your decision.”

It wasn’t the answer she wanted. Disappointed, she looked back at the sea. If Grant had feelings for her, he wasn’t revealing them. And maybe he never would. As she’d told Clare, Grant’s love for Christine had been deep and true. There might not be room in his heart for another woman. Now. Or ever.

Morgan still wasn’t sure she wanted to go back to big-city life. She seemed to have moved past whatever fascination she’d had with the world of high-stakes business meetings, power lunches and ego trips. At the same time, she supposed she owed it to herself to at least explore what she knew was the opportunity of a lifetime. Especially since she didn’t have any better offers.

“I guess I’ll talk to them,” she told Grant.

He nodded, even as his heart began to break. “That probably makes sense.”

Calling on every bit of acting ability she possessed, Morgan summoned up the semblance of a smile. “So what brought you out here on this beautiful day?”

“Just paying a neighborly visit. But I need to get going. I still have to make a delivery this afternoon.” He rose and jammed his hands in his pockets, his fingers tightening around the small box.

“I’ll walk you to your truck.”

“No!” His hand shot to her shoulder to restrain her, and she sank back on the bench with a startled look. “I don’t want to take you away from this beautiful view,” he amended, softening his tone. And then, though the words almost choked him, he added, “Good luck with the job interview.”

There was a wistful, melancholy look in her eyes when she replied. “Thanks.”

He lifted a hand in response, then turned and strode away. And with each step he took away from her, his heart grew heavier. Maybe he should have told her how he felt, asked her to forget about the job in New York and stay. He almost had. But something had held him back. Something he hadn’t been able to define until now.

Fear.

Fear that she’d reject him.

Fear that she’d accept, and later come to resent him for holding her back.

Both possibilities scared him to death.

And he wasn’t sure how to overcome that.

For three long years, even on his darkest days, Grant had found comfort in God’s abiding presence. And so he once again turned to Him for consolation and direction.

Lord, I’m in a quandary,
he prayed.
I can’t imagine letting Morgan walk away, but I don’t want her to end up unhappy because of me. Please guide me. Help me to understand Your will, and give me the courage to follow it.

Grant was open to God’s voice. But in his heart, he hoped that the Lord would help him find a way to convince Morgan to stay, willingly and with no regrets.

Because he didn’t know if he could find the courage to go on without her.

T
he job was hers.

Morgan leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, the steady, even drone of the airplane providing a contrasting backdrop for her turbulent emotions.

It had been an invigorating day. She’d lunched with the vice president of the firm, then spent the afternoon talking with a number of senior-level people. Without missing a beat, she’d slipped back into the fast-paced, rapid-fire mentality of the advertising world, and her adrenaline had been running high all day. She knew she’d aced the interviews, but even so, she’d been taken aback when an offer had been made even before she’d left.

It had been a heady experience, one that left her feeling good—and validated. Hours later, she was still elated and excited. The job was everything she’d ever dreamed of, offering all the things that had once been so important to her—a generous salary, hefty bonus, fabulous perks and far more power and prestige than she’d enjoyed in her previous position.

A year ago, she would have signed on the dotted line with no hesitation.

But now her euphoria was tempered by something she hadn’t had even six months before—perspective. She knew the job would entail more stress, less personal time, sixty-hour weeks. She’d be back in the fast lane and expected to put her work first, with everything else in her life relegated to a distant second place. Those sacrifices would be the trade-off for the power, prestige and perks.

Morgan had lived that life for a long time. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to go back. So she’d asked for a few days to think over the offer.

She opened her eyes, enjoying the view of the billowing clouds as the plane began its descent to Portland. After her hectic day in noisy, crowded New York City, she was looking forward to going home, she realized, as the tension in her shoulders began to ease.

And as she buckled her seatbelt, she realized something else. Something startling about her choice of words.

Seaside had, indeed, become home.

And, with or without Grant, she didn’t want to leave.

Her hands stilled on the buckle as she grappled with that insight. It had been a long time since she’d felt at home anywhere. But she did in Seaside. Because she had found there the same things that had drawn Aunt Jo back year after year—serenity, peace of mind and perspective. And Morgan didn’t want to give them up. She loved the cottage. She enjoyed the work she was doing, which would give her a comfortable, if not luxurious, lifestyle. But she didn’t need the luxury items she’d once thought essential. She preferred the simpler life of rural Maine.

The plane touched down, and as Morgan gathered up her briefcase and jacket, she was filled with a deep sense of contentment and peace of mind, as well as a cathartic feeling of freedom. For she now knew, deep in her heart and with absolute certainty, that she no longer needed the trappings of the high-stakes world she had once held in such high esteem. Her old life no longer had the power to attract her. It had lost its appeal. She’d found something better.

It was time to go home, to where she belonged.

“When does Morgan get back?”

Grant took a sip of his coffee as he watched Kit, who was busy at the stove. “Later tonight. Thanks again for inviting me to dinner.”

“You’re always welcome. You know that. So, are you going to call her?”

So much for trying to distract his one-track-mind sister. “Not tonight. She didn’t expect to get home until after eleven.”

“Do you think they’ll offer her the job?”

“Probably.”

Kit turned from the stove, a frown on her face. “Yeah. I think so, too.”

“I thought of asking her to stay.” He stared into his coffee, his voice subdued.

“And…?”

“She might not be happy here long-term. I don’t want to tie her to Seaside if she has bigger ambitions.”

Kit tossed him a shrewd look. “Are we talking about Morgan or Mom?”

“There are similarities.”

“Only on a superficial level. Morgan’s already experienced the fast lane. I think she’s ready to trade it for a more reasonable life. Which she could have here in Seaside. With you.”

“I just don’t want to hold her back.”

“Why don’t you trust her to make that decision for herself? If she wants to take the job, she’ll take it. But there’s nothing wrong with giving her an incentive to stay here. And love is a pretty good one.”

“I’m not sure it’s good enough.”

Kit reached over and laid her hand over his. “Why don’t you let her decide?”

When he didn’t respond, Kit cut right to the chase. “Don’t let fear hold you back, Grant.” At his startled look, she gave him an impish smile. “You ought to know by now that I have amazing powers of perception. Although it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on here. And I understand why you’re afraid. But I’d hate for you to miss out on your chance for happiness because of fear. Why not put it in God’s hands?”

The twins came in then, laughing and chattering, and Kit transferred her attention to them after giving Grant’s hand one final, encouraging squeeze.

As usual, his sister’s insight was right on target. Fear
was
holding him back. He’d identified it himself, earlier.

But all at once he realized that there was something else that scared him even more than rejection or potential down-the-road resentment.

Namely, spending the rest of his life without Morgan.

So, he was left with only one course of action.

And he resolved to take it first thing tomorrow, after what he knew would be a long, sleepless night.

Morgan read the letter a second time, changed a couple of words, then, with a sense of finality, sent it to the printer. The decision was made.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and wandered out to the deck, lifting her face to the morning sun as she basked in its warmth. If she was in Boston or New York right now, she’d be fighting the commuter crowds and listening to honking horns and the other sounds of big-city life. As it was, her solitude was broken only by an occasional chipmunk or seagull. And except for the sound of the waves lapping at the shore and the whisper of wind in the pine trees, the stillness was absolute. She couldn’t imagine any place she’d rather be, she thought with contentment.

“Good morning.”

Morgan turned in surprise at the sound of Grant’s voice, unable to stop the warm rush of pleasure triggered by his mere presence. “Hi.”

“When you didn’t answer the door, I figured you’d be here or on the bench. So how did it go yesterday?” He came up beside her and propped his hip against the railing, folding his arms across his chest.

“Pretty well, I guess. They offered me the job.”

He fought against the panic that swept over him.

“I’m happy they recognized your talent. And I’m not surprised by the offer. I knew one of these days someone would realize what an asset you’d be and try to lure you back to the big city.”

“I have to admit, it was great for my ego,” she acknowledged with a grin.

Grant shoved his hand into the pocket of his jeans and fingered the small box, praying for the courage to follow his heart. “You didn’t need a job offer to validate your worth, Morgan.”

“I know. But it still felt good.”

“I’m sure it did.” He cleared his throat and drew a steadying breath. “And speaking of jobs, I’d like to make a counter offer.”

“A counter offer?” she repeated, puzzled.

“Well, it’s not a job, exactly. More like a partnership.”

Morgan’s heart stopped, then raced on. Don’t jump to any conclusions, she admonished herself. He might be talking about Serenity Point.

“What did you have in mind?” Her voice cautious, she gripped her mug with both hands to keep it steady.

“Let’s go down to Aunt Jo’s bench and talk about it there, okay?”

Unable to find her voice, she gave a muted nod. When she placed her mug on the railing, Grant reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. With growing excitement, she let him lead her off the deck and down the soft, pine-needle-strewn path to the bench. Once there he sat, tugging her down beside him. But he didn’t relinquish her hand. And when he looked at her, what she saw in his eyes took Morgan’s breath away. Gone were the walls. Gone was the caution. She had a clear view right into his heart. And what she saw was unmistakable.

Love.

In all its absolute, complete, unrestrained glory.

When Grant began to speak, it took every ounce of Morgan’s willpower to focus on his words rather than his eyes.

“I hope this doesn’t come as too much of a shock to you, Morgan, because I know up until now we’ve just been friends. And maybe not even that, at the beginning,” he admitted, one corner of his mouth quirking into a wry grin. “But the fact is, over these past few months I’ve learned a thing or two. About you. And about myself.”

As he spoke he began to stroke the back of her hand gently with his thumb. “First, about you. When we met, I wrote you off as a gung-ho, ambitious career woman whose priorities were way out of whack. To be honest, you reminded me a lot of my mother. And that turned me off. But when you lost your job and came up here, I started to see another side of you. I was impressed by your total commitment to the Good Shepherd project, even though it had been forced on you. I admired the way you dealt with a world that was disintegrating around you. I watched as you found your way back to God, and as you re-evaluated and re-established your priorities. I respected your honesty and your good humor and your talent. I recognized your kindness and intelligence. I appreciated your physical beauty from the beginning, of course. But as I got to know you, I realized that your beauty went a lot deeper. That beneath all the big-city glamour and sophistication, you had a tender and caring heart.”

In a gesture both tentative and sure, Grant reached over and laid a gentle hand against her cheek. When he spoke again, his voice had deepened. “The fact is, somewhere along the way I fell in love with you, Morgan. I didn’t want to. And I felt enormous guilt about it because of Christine. But I couldn’t deny my feelings, even though I tried. And that brings me to what I learned about myself.”

Grant’s vivid, blue eyes held hers captive, and she could discern in their depths the turmoil he’d felt as he’d struggled with his growing feelings for her. “I want you to know that I loved Christine with all my heart. Part of me always will,” he told her with absolute candor. “So I felt disloyal to her when I started to fall in love with you. But as Bill pointed out to me once, Christine has been gone in everything but body for three years. Death just gave her the final release. Still, I struggled with my feelings for a long time, until I finally realized that I had to let go of the past and move on. The only thing we have with any certainty is today. And today is a great gift. One I don’t want to waste.”

He took a deep breath. “I’ll admit that I’m still afraid we may have problems reconciling our lifestyles. But I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I can’t give you glamour or glitz, but I can give you my love. For always. And that brings me to my counter offer.”

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he withdrew a small square box. He lifted the lid, revealing a simple but stunning solitaire nestled against a backdrop of black velvet.

“My offer comes with a salary of unlimited love, and a bonus of companionship and friendship. The perks include a cottage by the sea, lifetime job security and, perhaps, in time and with God’s grace, children at our table.” He took her hand again, and she could feel his trembling. Or was it her own hand that was unsteady, she wondered? “Morgan, I would be honored if you would accept this offer and become my wife.”

As she looked into Grant’s tender eyes, her own filled with tears. Morgan had known joy in her life. But nothing that compared to this. Her heart soared and she smiled, even as a sob caught in her throat.

Instead of answering, she reached up and cupped his face with her hands, reveling in the love she saw there. As she lost herself in his adoring gaze, his eyes darkened, and she leaned toward him. A moment later he lowered his lips to hers, and Morgan knew that this moment was but a taste of the joy to come. That with this man, all of her tomorrows would be filled with a love and devotion that would prove steady and true all the days of her life.

Grant, too, was filled with joy. As he held Morgan in his arms, he knew that he was a man doubly blessed. He’d known heaven on earth once, with Christine. And now he was being given a second chance to experience the joy and fulfillment of a deep, abiding love. Morgan would leave her own unique mark on his life, just as Christine had. Their life as a couple would be different from what he’d known before. But it would be a good one, based on partnership, sharing and commitment.

When at last he pulled back, Morgan continued to cling to him. He smiled and traced the delicate curve of her jaw with a gentle finger.

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

It took her a minute to find her voice. “I think that would be a safe bet.”

“And you won’t have any second thoughts about giving up the job in New York?”

Instead of responding, she stood. At his questioning look, she reached for his hand. “Come with me.”

She led him back to the cottage, onto the deck, and into the dining room, then pointed to the printer. “Take a look.”

Curious, he went over and retrieved the single sheet of paper in the tray. As he scanned it, she saw a slow smile spread over his face. When he finished, he turned back to her. “When did you decide to turn them down?”

“On the plane, coming back. I suddenly realized that I didn’t want that kind of life anymore. That I loved Seaside. And I loved you. I hoped, in time, that you might be ready to move on, that maybe you would be able to open your heart to love again. But even if you never did, I knew that this was where I wanted to be. So you never need to feel guilty about keeping me in Seaside. Because I was planning to stay, with or without you by my side. But I much prefer this option,” she finished with a smile.