Strings

Chapter 18 - Options #4

“Just pour the wine.”

“Let’s get in the hot tub, then decide about supper.” Robby lowered his voice. “Maybe I can make you forget about the chat.”

*********

“Well that was relaxing, but we still don’t know anymore about supper than we did when we got in,” Grace said, drying her hair with a towel, then wrapping it around herself and handing one to Robby.

“Oh, I don’t know. I learned a few things. You must have spent a lot of time in hot tubs, missy.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Oh, like you haven’t. Don’t play innocent with me.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“That will make supper difficult.” Grace sat down and watched Robby dry off. “I got to choose the menu last night. You choose tonight.”

“Hmmm. My choice would be steak or Greek, and since we can grill our own steaks up the shore, I say Greek. Okay?”

“I love Greek food.”

“There’s a place on Joe’s list. ‘Want to see the menu?” He wrapped the towel around his hips, and they went inside.

“Nope. ‘Don’t need to. Some kind of kabob and half a Greek salad.”

“Okay, and I’ll get one piece of baklava, and we can split it. I’ll place the order, but we do need to talk about today.”

Grace nodded. “And have that chat.”

Robby frowned and placed the order. While they were dressing, he said, “How ‘bout we go back out on the deck? I can see the delivery guy from there.” Grace went out and pulled a rocker over to the banister so she could put her feet up. Robby came out with the wines and did the same. “Okay, so what’d you think?”

“I think you put me in an awkward position. I don’t like that you did that.”

“I knew that’s what this was going to be about.

I’m sorry. I didn’t know until I left the house yesterday to get you.

Joe called and said they were all houses, and there was no good time to tell you.

I didn’t want to risk making you so tense you wouldn’t go.

BUT — there’s a silver lining. Joe emphasized to Cindy I only wanted a winter rental in the price range we talked about, and not to waste my time with anything else.

These are all on Airbnb or VRBO or both.

Most are for sale. They’d just rather not have them vacant over the winter.

Sales and short-term rentals go down in the winter, so rent may be negotiable.

Please understand, I was afraid if I told you before we got here, you’d back out of coming altogether.

” Robby pulled his feet back off the railing and put his wine on the deck floor.

He leaned over and took Grace’s hand. “I appreciate your doing this. I know you’re out of your comfort zone.

I think it’ll be fine if you’ll trust me .

. . stay the course. Focus on now, not the future. ”

Grace was looking at him. “I want to. I’m doing my best, but planning ahead is perilously close to thinking about the future — with you, and I’m not ready for that.”

“I understand. You were great today. I couldn’t tell you were having any trouble with what we were doing or with me .

. .” He let go of Grace’s hand, picked up his wine, and looked away.

It had occurred to him, as he was talking .

. . Grace had been right when she’d said that first evening at the cabin he didn’t know as much about women as he thought he did — he’d had no idea she was uncomfortable today, not a clue.

What else was he missing?” But he turned back and said, “So, what’d you think about the ones we saw today? ”

“Well, we can cross that downtown one off the list. I can’t live that closed in.”

“Okay. So, one down. Three to go. I should just let you do this. It’s you that’s got to be happy. I’ve stayed so many places, I know I can be happy anywhere as long as I can play and you’re there.”

“You really are a sweet man.”

“That’s what Marie says. She says other stuff too, but we don’t have to go into that. So, what about the one up the shore?”

“Not so convenient to town. I loved the view and the house was fine. It would do if nothing else is available, but if the pandemic were to improve, I think we’d be sorry not to be closer in.”

“Agree. This is easier than I thought. How ‘bout the brick one on Observation Hill?” Robby looked at Grace over the top of his juice glass.

“Definitely.”

“Okay. Well, the only one left is the red one up there on the hill, right? We looked at four, didn’t we?”

“Yes. Not enough light.”

“Okay . . . but . . . you don’t have that sunlight thing, do you? ‘Cause if you do, wintering up here is going to be hard.”

“SAD? I don’t think so. I think it’s more a question of windows, so I don’t feel closed-in, rather than for light.

Maybe I have mild claustrophobia, but I think it’s that I’ve never lived anywhere where there were houses on all sides.

Another first world privilege. God, I’m spoiled and entitled. ” She looked at Robby.

“Yep, me too. I realize I’ve lost touch with some core values I was raised with.

Tina’s not all wrong. It’s scary how that happens, and you don’t realize it.

I thought visiting regularly was keeping me real and connected.

But no. At least, not enough. If it weren’t for family and now you . . . I don’t know . . .”

“Not just your family and me — the pandemic. You’ve slowed down — had time to think.

Which brings up another point I’ve thought about.

Do you think you might feel the same about any woman you’d spent this much one-on-one time with?

I know in terms of time, we haven’t been seeing each other that long, but what other new couple has spent our amount of one-on-one time?

And, what other woman have you ever spent this much time with? ”

“It’s a valid question. I’ve thought about it. Marie mentioned it. But the fact is, for some reason, it’s you I’ve spent this much time with.”

“But it could happen again. My point is you’ve never had a situation where you had a fair chance to develop a relationship with someone else. Relationships may be easy for you under the right circumstances.”

“I don’t want another relationship. I want you.”

“Someone else might be easier.”

“I want you.”

*******

They ate kabobs — lamb and chicken, split a Greek salad, and alternated bites of baklava till Grace said Robby could have the rest. He didn’t argue. Then, they watched the sun go down on the deck. “This is a great place,” Robby said, sitting back in his rocking chair.

“It really is about perfect.” Grace looked over at him. “I’d like to come back and take those walks you talked about. Also, I don’t see us having the time or energy to do anything else tomorrow but houses. How many are we scheduled to see?”

“Another four, I think. Here’s a thought.

We can go back up the Trail tomorrow, late, after we get through with houses.

We can get dinner on the way out of town and eat it at the wayside, if you promise not to cry.

Do I get to stay over, or would I have to drive more than an hour — in the dark — back to my house? Or…”

“You’re a real hardship case.”

Robby made a face. “Hear me out . . . Or we could come back here at the end of tomorrow and enjoy this another night, get up Monday morning and drive back. I’ll drop you off and get back in plenty of time for the boys. What do you say?”

“No brainer. Stay.”

“Great. I’ll make it happen.” He went inside and Grace heard him talking to Joe, the wonder guy.

*********

Sunday afternoon they walked in the door, but before they could sit down, Grace said, “Let’s walk on the beach right now. We can’t leave without a walk on the beach. It’s supposed to be sandy — like home — not rocky.”

“And if you want, we can do it again in the morning. No argument. Let’s go.

” They had seen the path yesterday from the sunrise deck — leading off from the back yard.

When they got to the beach, they took their shoes off and stashed them in the bushes, then rolled up their pants.

They turned right and walked until they got hungry.

Along the way they decided on Italian food.

**********

“I’m stuffed. Cannot finish this.” Grace leaned back in her chair. “Tiramisu will have to wait, at least for me. The eggplant Parmesan was delicious. Has the food been this good, or is it because we haven’t eaten out in forever, except for the Lakeside?”

“Food always tastes better when someone else cooks it. I’m with you on waiting, maybe till breakfast. I don’t want to move right now. Let’s talk about the rentals.” She looked relaxed to him.

“Easy. The brick house from yesterday.”

“Boy! I wasn’t expecting that. Why hasn’t everything with you been this easy?” Robby sat back in his chair.

“If it had been, we wouldn’t be here right now, according to you.”

“True . . . We should come up with a second choice, if we can. If there’s not one you know would suit you — remember, though, it’s just through the winter — we can come back and see more.

Which reminds me, Joe texted the next weekend this place is open is the end of August, the weekend before Labor Day. I told him to book it.”

“Great! As for a second choice . . . that modern house on the hill today was great. I just worry about heating it, with all that glass . . . probably way out of my budget, and I’m not comfortable with you taking up any more slack.”

“They’ll have records on that. I understand what you’re saying. I’ll have Joe look into it, and I’ll let you know what he says. In the meantime, though — I’m nervous even bringing this up — we need to decide about the brick house. Can you do that without panicking?”

“So, we’re going past dating?”

“Yes. At least one of us has to sign a contract, but contracts can be broken. We can find another way to stay together after the summer’s over, if we have to.

Like we agreed, Duluth seems to be the best option, but there are others.

” He could see she’d moved from relaxed to serious, but not past that . . . yet.

“Okay. What exactly do we need to do?”

“Decide whether we’re going to rent it and starting when. I suggest I sign the lease — less for you to feel constrained by, and Joe can handle it all that way . . . unless you object. Whatever makes you most comfortable.”

Grace took a deep breath.

“I know this is hard for you, which makes it scary for me. I wish we could just go on the way we are — it seems to be working — till you say you’re ready for a change. And we can, but only till the weather changes. So while we have to plan, nothing has to change for a while, okay?”

“I understand the need for planning ahead in this situation. That’s why I agreed to come. I just hope when it’s time to put the plans into action, I’m ready. So, yes, you sign the lease. How do I pay my part?”

“I’ll ask Joe, but I think the cleanest way is to set up an automatic draft. We agreed last weekend I ought to pay more. What do you say to my paying a third more?”

“Okay. That keeps me in-budget.”

“Fine. Now, when?”

“Jim says September 15th. I think he’s being too conservative, but it’s his call.”

“Fine. In Jim’s defense, winter weather on the Trail is not as predictable as it is along the Shore.

Lake Superior has a moderating effect. Okay .

. . I’ll let Joe know all this.” He reached for his wine, but it was empty.

He hadn’t even noticed he’d been drinking it.

Grace’s glass was still half full. He breathed deeply, then exhaled. “What time is it?”

“About sunset,” she said pointing. “We can share my wine.”