Chapter Nine #2
to prove his case. The patent and the appeal filled his life. Some days Lesley wondered why he bothered to phone her. He seemed
to be living in another world, one far removed from her life in Coeur d’Alene.
As Christmas approached, he repeatedly promised to come to Coeur d’Alene for a visit. Every night she prayed fervently that
he would. She was hungry for the sight of him and almost desperate to know that the love between them was as real to Cole
as it was to her.
The Christmas program was scheduled for the Sunday school hour the morning of the twentieth of December. Like typical stage
mothers, Lesley and Terry made sure every detail was as perfect as possible.
Everything ran smoothly, and over dinner at Terry’s afterward they discussed the amusing antics of the cast.
“Did you see Jamie Lowell peek at the audience from inside the camel costume?” Terry asked, laughter dancing in her bright
blue eyes. “I thought I’d scream.”
“You did,” Lesley reminded her. “That’s what made Julie Palmer spill the gold.”
“It was my opinion the three Wise Men were men,” Robert interrupted, sitting beside his wife and looping an arm around her shoulder.
“We ran out of boys,” Terry informed him primly.
“But all in all, everything went very well.”
“Even if we do say so ourselves,” Lesley chimed in. The three had gathered together in the living room after a meal of roast
beef and Yorkshire pudding, or what Terry insisted was Yorkshire pudding. Lesley and Robert remained somewhat skeptical.
“Heard from Cole lately?” The question came with deceptive casualness from Robert.
“Every day,” she replied and focused her attention on the gaily decorated Christmas tree rather than meet her brother-in-law’s
questioning regard.
“He’s still coming for Christmas, isn’t he?” Terry quizzed.
“I hope so.”
“Do I detect a note of doubt?” Robert raised thick brows with the question.
Lesley shook her head lightly. “Cole claims he’s coming, but I don’t know how. His schedule seems impossible. He’s meeting
with his attorney Wednesday morning in Detroit, then flying into Spokane, weather permitting, and renting a car there.”
“Thank goodness he had the common sense not to have you come get him. Not on these roads.”
She’d wanted to meet him, had pleaded with him to let her drive to Spokane, but Cole had refused.
Robert and Terry were having a small Christmas gathering with Robert’s parents. With road conditions so hazardous, it wasn’t
a time to be traveling. Lesley had also been invited to the family gathering, but had declined. She wanted to spend as much
of her time with Cole as possible. He couldn’t stay long and planned to fly out again on the twenty-sixth.
The phone was ringing Wednesday afternoon when Lesley walked in the door.
“Hello,” she answered breathlessly.
“Hi, honey.”
“Cole,” she cried, dismay creeping into her voice. “Where are you?”
“Detroit.”
“Detroit,” she echoed, her heart sinking. She closed her eyes at the painful rush of disappointment. “You can’t make it.”
She made the announcement for him, her voice unbelievably calm.
“Honey, I’m sorry.”
A thick lump was blocking her throat. “This really is a terrible time of the year to plan on any traveling.” Her voice was
soft and quivering. “Jesus did have to pick the coldest month of the year to be born,” she said, attempting a joke. “Did I
tell you it’s snowing again? All the kids in town love it. A white Christmas. Everyone’s dream.” She continued chattering
because if she stopped she’d burst into tears.
“Lesley.” Cole’s voice was husky with appeal. “You know how much I want to be with you.”
“Yes.” Her hand bit into the telephone receiver as a fresh wave of hurt and frustration rippled through her.
“It’s been over a month since we’ve been together—the longest month of my life.”
“Mine, too,” she muttered, and to her horror a sob escaped. “I’ve got to hang up now . . . I’m baking cookies and the timer
just rang.” The lie was outrageous, but she had to get off the phone before she disgraced herself further. Cole’s disappointment
was as keen as her own, so listening to her tears wouldn’t make it any easier on him.
“Lesley, I love you. Don’t ever doubt that, not for a minute.”
“No, of course not. Good-bye, Cole. And merry Christmas.” Her hand covered her mouth as she attempted to hold back the sobs.
The drone continued as she replaced the telephone, her hand gripping the handle until her fingers ached.
The bank closed at noon Christmas Eve. If Terry knew about Cole’s call, she’d insist Lesley come with them to Robert’s parents.
But their plans for the holidays were already set, and Lesley preferred not to intrude on the family gathering.
In the light of Cole’s call she wasn’t in a celebrating mood and decided to spend the time alone.
The soft Christmas music from the record player helped to lighten her mood as she fixed herself a special dinner of chicken
cordon bleu and fresh spinach salad. The small Christmas tree was decorated with a hundred starched snowflakes she had crocheted
in lace. The few presents her parents had mailed, and the one Terry delivered the day before, were stacked under the tree
beside the one she had for Cole.
The inspiring notes of the Messiah filled the small duplex. Lesley hummed as she washed her dinner dishes, then sat with her feet propped up on the coffee table,
her eyes closed. The music satisfied her loneliness.
The pounding on the front door nearly caused her to fall off the couch. Christmas Eve. Who would possibly be out this time
of night? Her eyes flew to her wristwatch. It was after eleven.
“Lesley,” the dear, familiar male voice shouted.
Cole. Her heart somersaulted as she rushed to the front door. “Cole!” Her arms flew around his neck and she spread a multitude
of tiny kisses over his face. “You’re here, you’re here,” she repeated again and again, her joy overflowing. “You must be
freezing,” she murmured and lovingly held his face with her hands. “Come inside.”
He pounded the snow off his boots and followed her into the duplex. She watched him as he removed his thick coat and scarf.
His face was red with the cold, his hair wet from the snow, but he looked marvelous . . . wonderful.
“Sit down, and let me get you something warm to drink. Are you hungry?” She took his coat and hung it where it would dry.
“The only thing I need to warm me is you.” His arm crept around her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
“It’s good to see you, woman.” Smiling, he wiped the moist tears of happiness from her cheek.
For a breathless moment they looked at each other.
It had been almost a month since he’d held her, touched her.
Lesley had often wondered what she’d feel when she saw Cole again.
Everything had happened so fast after he’d heard from Lansky.
His declaration of love, his proposal seemed so distant.
“You really are beautiful, Lesley Brown,” he whispered as his mouth settled hungrily over hers. Boundless joy raced through
her as she gave herself freely to the mastery of his kiss.
Long moments later, her head resting against his broad shoulder, Lesley breathed in the fresh scent of woodsy aftershave and
the tangy hint of spice. “How’d you get here?” Nothing mattered now that he was here and in her arms.
“The airport cleared enough for my flight to take off, but we were forced to land in Salt Lake City because of a new storm
front. I would have phoned, but I didn’t want you worrying and wondering.”
“Cole, I wish you had.”
“Sometime early this morning, we landed in Seattle and I drove from there.”
“Seattle!” she gasped. “That’s a good nine hours’ drive.”
“Twelve. Snoqualmie Pass was closed for two hours because of a snowslide.”
Keeping her arm around his shoulder, she raised her face enough so that they could look at each other. “You went through all
that trouble to get to me?”
“Nothing was more important than making it here for Christmas.”
The warmth of his hold burned through Lesley’s thin sweater. A rawness caught in her throat at the thought of what he had
endured for her. “You do love me, don’t you?”
“Had you begun to doubt it?”
“In some ways I think I had,” she admitted in low tones.
“But not anymore?”
“Never again.” Tenderly her fingertips traced the proud, determined line of his jaw. Cole was like that. When he wanted something,
he was relentless until satisfied. Every day she prayed that the ordeal with the patent would be settled, because she didn’t
know if Cole would rest until it was.
“Are you ready to open your present?” he asked in a husky murmur as his teeth made biting kisses along the lobe of her ear.
“You brought me a gift?” He hadn’t been carrying anything.
“Here.” He reached inside his jacket pocket and handed her a small jeweler’s box. “I didn’t have time to wrap it.”
“Cole, you didn’t?” From the box size it wasn’t difficult to guess what was inside.
“I would have preferred to have us shop for your ring together, but I thought, circumstances being what they are, you’d understand.”
Slowly she opened the lid of the plush black velvet box. A huge solitaire diamond sparkled back at her. Lesley drew in a gasp
of delight. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her breath stuck in her throat. “It’s perfect. I couldn’t have chosen anything
more beautiful.”
“Let’s try it on for size.” He took the ring out of the holder and slipped it onto her finger, the fit as perfect as the diamond.
Holding her left hand out for them both to examine, Lesley felt a sense of awe come over her. Cole’s declaration of love,
the proposal and all it entailed seemed real to her now.
“Since you’re an engaged woman, it’s about time you had a ring to prove it, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes.” Lesley beamed happily. “Yes, I would.”
Cole’s restless hand moved caressingly up and down her spine. “I’d like to set a wedding date, but I want this thing settled with Jennings first.”