Chapter 17 #2
While they waited, Felicity focused on the man’s large Christmas tree that sat dead center in front of one of the large windows.
The lights were twinkling softly around the elegant red and gold ornaments.
Someone had gone through a lot of trouble to pick out ornaments to turn his tree into something spectacular, but it was missing that touch of home, the things that make a tree special to each family.
There weren’t any handmade ornaments or garland.
No pictures. No old class projects. Not even anything that indicated it was a treasured piece that had been handed down through the generations.
No, this tree looked like something out of a high-end department store.
And while it was beautiful, it was missing history, and roots, and that thing that made Christmas special.
Not that she blamed him. She hadn’t been excited about Christmas for years herself, but then if she’d had her way, she wouldn’t have put up a tree at all.
Ernie returned with a wooden tray filled with fancy holiday cookies that looked like they’d come from a bakery and three mugs of hot cocoa. “Help yourself.”
Felicity eyed the snowflake-shaped cookies with their powder blue icing and delicate snowflake pattern and decided she couldn’t do it. At least not until they asked Ernie about the lien. Instead, she picked up one of the mugs and held it in her hands as she turned to the older man.
He smiled kindly at her. “You are the spitting image of Kitty when she was your age. Do you know that?”
“Um, Marilyn tells me that often enough. I figured she was just trying to flatter me.”
Ernie chuckled. “Marilyn, that’s a name I haven’t heard in years.
She and Kitty always were tight. Us older folks sometimes have senior moments, but I can assure you, she’s correct.
It’s like looking back in time. Except Kitty wore her hair differently, and she always wore dresses, even in the winter. ”
He was right. Kitty Hill had great legs, and she’d known it. She wore skirts and dresses practically every day of her life except when she was working out in the orchard. Even in the winter, she just wore tights to keep her knees from getting frostbite.
“How did you know my grandmother?” Felicity asked, curious now. The man obviously had fond memories of her.
“How did I know Kitty?” he repeated as he stared into the fire.
“Well, I guess you could say she’s the one who got away.
” He turned to meet Felicity’s eyes. “You see, I was your grandfather’s best friend back in the day.
Benjamin and I grew up next door to each other outside of Sacramento, and when we met Kitty, we were both smitten.
Needless to say, she chose him. It was the second worst day of my life. ”
There was a ruefulness to his tone, and she wondered what the actual worst day of his life was, but she didn’t ask. She’d just met the man and didn’t want to pry. “But you stayed friends with them?”
“Of course,” he said, sounding surprised.
“Benji and I… Well, we were like brothers. And when he got sick, he made me promise to take care of Kitty for him. I agreed. Back then, I thought that meant that I’d marry her.
” His chuckle was soft as he shook his head.
“But she wasn’t interested in that. No, all she wanted was to run the orchard they’d purchased together and make Benji’s dream come true. And she did.”
“With a little help from you?” Felicity asked.
“Well, sure,” he said with a nod. “When she’d let me. Your grandmother was a proud woman.”
“Yes, she was. That’s why I don’t understand this.” Felicity pulled the lien paperwork out of her purse and thrust it at him. “There is no way Kitty Hill would have taken a loan and then not paid it back.”
“You’re right about that,” he said even before he looked at the copy of the lien she’d handed him. After he slid his glasses on and actually did scan it, his brow wrinkled as he studied the paperwork. “What is this?”
“You don’t know?” Jackson asked. “Is that not one of the companies you own that’s listed there as the lienholder?”
Ernie blinked rapidly as if trying to clear his vision and then narrowed his eyes as he read it again. When he looked up, he pulled his glasses off and nodded. “That is my company, but I don’t handle the day-to-day business anymore. My nephew does that.”
“Listen, Ernie,” Felicity said, leaning forward. “I’m one hundred percent certain that this has to be a mistake. Kitty Hill always paid her debts. Can you do something to help us get this lien removed?”
Ernie handed the paperwork back to Felicity.
“It’s true that I did loan your grandmother money.
But did she pay it back? I’d have to believe that she did, but even back then, I wasn’t handling the accounting.
I was too busy expanding my winery business and then later, my real estate development company.
Day-to-day finances weren’t on my radar.
And honestly, Kitty and I drifted apart until years later when we started meeting up for lunch once a month. ”
“You never talked about the loan then?” Felicity asked, trying desperately to get the man to agree to help her.
“No.” He shook his head. “We were just two old friends reminiscing about our younger days when Benji was still around.” His expression turned sad when he added, “Then Kitty passed, and that really was the worst day of my life. You see, I always imagined growing old with her. That someday she’d decide that marrying me wasn’t a betrayal to Benji, and then we’d be spending our golden years together.
But the universe had other plans. I often wonder what my life might have been like if I hadn’t fallen for Kitty.
Maybe I’d have my own epic love story and be living out my golden days with a beautiful granddaughter to visit. ”
“Ernie,” Felicity pleaded, “I had no idea about this loan until this foreclosure paperwork showed up the other night. I assure you, that if there is an outstanding loan, I will do everything in my power to pay you back. But the interest that’s listed, that’s out of reach.
If your nephew goes through with this, I’m going to lose my family’s orchard.
Is that what you want? For me to lose everything? ”
The older man studied her and then smiled gently.
“I’m sure you’re right about Kitty paying this loan back.
She hated owing anyone anything. Especially me,” he said with a chuckle.
“I have no doubt this is just a mistake.” He got up, went to a desk that was against a far wall, and pulled out a business card.
When he returned, he handed it to Felicity.
“Call Vincent and make an appointment. I’m sure he can help you get this all straightened out. ”
Felicity stared at the card. It just had the name Vincent Sinclair and a phone number listed. “Will I have trouble getting an appointment?”
He shook his head. “I’ll call his assistant and tell her to expect your call.”
Ernie walked them to the door. Once they were on the porch, they said their goodbyes.
“Thank you,” Felicity said. “For the help and for caring enough about my grandmother to help her. Even if you hadn’t told us, I would have known you cared deeply for her.”
“Kitty was one of a kind.” Then Ernie squeezed her arm and said, “I have a feeling you take after her. Good luck, Felicity Hill. And call me if you ever need anything. Kitty and Benji would be proud of you.”
Felicity thanked him again, and then on impulse gave the older man a hug. He held on tighter than she’d expected, and by the time they broke apart, they both had watery eyes. She smiled gratefully at him and then let Jackson lead her back to the Jeep.
“That seemed productive,” Jackson said as he held her door open for her.
“It did,” she agreed as she climbed in. “Let’s hope this Vincent guy is as helpful as Ernie thinks he is. Because I’m ready to think about other things… like what you’re going to be wearing to the Christmas ball.”
“You’re interested in what I’m going to wear?” he asked with a laugh.
“I’m more interested in what I’m going to be peeling off you at the end of the night,” she said, flashing him a flirty smile. “But I won’t lie. You dressed up in a suit is definitely something I’m looking forward to seeing.”
“I see. Well, I’ll just have to up my game then, won’t I?”
Felicity licked her lips and nodded.
Jackson leaned in, gave her a lingering kiss, and then pulled back. “Do that again and we’ll be rolling around in the woods.”
“It’s too cold for that,” she said. “Get in. Let’s get out of here so we can call this Vincent guy. Then we can talk about rolling around in the woods naked.”
Jackson jogged around the Jeep, laughing to himself. When he was buckled in, he said, “You’re something else, you know that, Felicity Hill?”
She just winked at him and put the Jeep in gear.