Chapter 27
On October 28th, Eric waited impatiently for Charlotte at the bottom of the large spiral staircase. He was dressed as a pirate. He tugged at his collar and tucked his fake sword into his belt. What was taking Charlotte so long?
He liked the improvements of the Laurents’ house. Within the few short days, Preston had fixed it up with the gold they split fifty-fifty. Now, he was ready to advertise it as a venue and open it for tours. Many of the things he’d sold, he’d bought back after exchanging the gold in Boston. The house looked full and happy again.
Together with the donations from the Sugar Mamas and the gold, the Bentons had enough to pay off all the debt against the Sweet Milk Dairy, having a little left over to update the milking pumps and pay a Christmas bonus to the workers.
Tara hosted the Halloween dance at her orchard house in Twelve Oaks Orchard.
“What’s taking her so long?” Eric asked Preston as he came downstairs in a vampire costume. He tucked a black velvet box into his vest pocket. They were going as Bella and Edward—both as vampires.
A door opened above. He looked up. Here came a vision, an angel of beauty. She wore a pirate flag as a half-skirt over another full skirt. Her white shirt bloused in all the right places and her cinch belt accentuated her waist. She held up a fake cutlass and swiped the air.
“You look beautiful.” His heart swelled seeing her. He held out his hand. “I mean, arrr, me lassie, yer mighty intimidating, thar!”
She laughed and hurried down the stairs.
His pickup truck was down at the curb, awaiting them. Angie had gone with Laurie and Lizzie.
“I saw something interesting,” he said once they were on the road. “Your brother had a cute little velvet box in his pocket.”
Charlotte turned to him, eyes wide. “What? For reals?”
“I hope I didn’t spoil a surprise.”
She faced forward and buckled herself in, smiling. “Anticipation is always good. We’ll have to keep an eye out for them.”
They got to Twelve Oaks Orchard and parked. It had rained on and off for the last few days, and mud swamped the parking lot. The rain slowed to a soft drizzle. “Allow me to carry you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I don’t have to. I want to.” He climbed outside, smelling the scent of a fire somewhere off in the distance. The dark outlines of the rolling mountains behind the orchard blacked out the sky. He creaked open her door, flooding her with light.
“Me lassie.” Scooping her up, he kicked the door closed behind him. When he got to the wooden boards of the orchard house’s front porch, he set her down.
“Thank ye for saving me shoes.” She raised up and kissed him on his cheek.
He warmed. Although he and Preston hadn’t always seen eye to eye, he was jealous of Charlotte’s brother for one thing: he had a ring. That was something Eric would have to save for.
Opening the door to the orchard house store, music blared, and mist rose from the fog maker and oozed from the doorway.
He held out his elbow, and they walked in together, arm in arm. He loved having her nearby.
A strobe light blinked, making the ghastly ghouls and ghosts blink in and out of light. It was frightful. Treats abounded. Caramel apples, apple popovers, apple strudel, apple pie, and lot of candy corn. Tara presided at the treat table, taking donations for charity.
People young and old enjoyed the dance. The younger kids stood closer to the flashing lights and speakers.
The Sugar Mamas, wearing their tiaras and their best sparkling gowns, stayed to the back away from the noise. Deb and Roland held hands in a corner, making up for lost time. Annette busted a few moves, wearing a navy-blue sparkling gown. Colleen shook her shoulders in a pink gown, with a large tiara nearly falling from her hair. Even Rose, who usually wore a more simple gown, danced with vigor. He loved seeing how the Sugar Mamas support all the town events. They’re a central part of Sugar Creek. He couldn’t imagine the town without them.
The DJ slipped into a slow song.
He turned to Charlotte. “Dance?”
Charlotte flashed him a smile. Of course she’d love to dance.
He wrapped his warm arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
The music throbbed in her ribcage, matching the sound of her heart.
She placed her head on his shoulder, savoring the closeness. The front of his billowy pirate shirt was open enough for her to see his collarbone. He smelled of sweet hay and sugar. If only they would have a million moments like this one.
Then someone caught her eye. She raised her head to get a better look.
Through the crowd, a man in a bow tie and suspenders danced with a woman who wore a low-waisted, twenties-style dress with a little bow at her neck.
Eric circled her around.
Charlotte craned her neck to see them, but looking again through the crowd of couples, she couldn’t find them again.
“I think I saw Jules.”
“Oh?” Eric spun to see where she was looking.
Charlotte searched the dance floor with her gaze. “A man in clothing from the twenties was here, dancing with a woman.”
“Like that?” He pointed across the room.
Charlotte turned. An older man leaning against the wall wore a straw boating hat with a band and a bow tie.
“No.”
“Oh, my! That’s Carl. What’s he doing here?”
Carl crossed the room and bent before Laurie and removed his hat.
“He just asked your mom to dance.”
Eric raised his eyebrows.
Laurie took his hand and stood. Carl escorted her across the dance floor and held her stiffly.
“My, my.”
Eric scowled.
She’d already lost interest. She thought about Jules. Would she see him and thank him? She hoped so. But then part of her hoped that he’d moved on.
Eric felt the brush of Charlotte’s skirt across his thighs. All he wanted was a kiss. But the little vampires and munchkins around him made him think twice. “Is it warm in here? Let’s go outside.”
Cool air broke over him when he led her through the back door.
The orchard itself was cool and not as muddy as the parking lot, where tires were mired in mud. They walked up and down the rows of apples, smelling the sweetness of growing things.
He stopped and drew her close. “Thank you so much for saving the Sweet Milk Dairy.” He grasped her hands and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I hope someday my children will run it, and their children.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “And your wife will be here by your side, helping you manage the place, running her adoption agency.”
“Oh, yes! She’ll have a huge impact on Sugar Creek, although she won’t be feeding orphans in Somalia, or in Peru.”
“But I can make a deeper impact on those closer to home.”
He arched a brow. “Hmm, that moved from third person to first person.”
“Weren’t you making a job offer?”
Flashing her a grin, he raised his chin. “I’m looking at potential candidates, and you are at the top of my list.” He leaned forward, cupping her chin in his palms. “You are the most capable person I know.” He touched his lips to hers, feeling the rush of heat all around him.
She pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him, thrilling him with her hands on his neck.
His senses exploded. Her every touch held meaning and pleasure. Heat encased him. He wanted more.
Under the clear starry sky, he made a vow in his heart that he would never let her go again.
Nearby he heard a gasp. He broke from Charlotte. Was everything okay? Was someone hurt? He looked to Charlotte. She’d heard it, too.
Alarmed, he looked through trees where the sound was coming from. “Let’s check it out.”
Charlotte held his hand and ducked under trees laden with apples.
Under the canopy of an apple tree, two vampire outlines appeared.
One on his knee held a box open.
The female vampire covered her face. “Yes, oh my gosh, yes!” She jumped and hugged him around his neck. Then they sealed their promise with a kiss.
Warming, Eric looked at Charlotte.
Charlotte grinned.
The two backed away. Eric didn’t want to interrupt Preston and Coco’s private moment. He hoped his would be as perfect as the day when he’d ask Charlotte to stay forever in Sugar Creek.
Charlotte couldn’t sleep for reliving the wonderful news. Preston and Coco were getting married. She glanced at her clock. Nearly four a.m.
After staying out in the orchard for a while, they went back inside and made a formal announcement at the Halloween dance.
Everyone erupted into applause. They announced a wedding date planned for next summer. Charlotte couldn’t wait. Coco asked her to be a bridesmaid. Her first ever!
Charlotte didn’t have the guts to let Preston know she and Eric witnessed him asking. Let them have their private moment, she decided.
She turned and fluffed her pillow. She had so much adrenaline, she couldn’t sleep.
“Ahem.”
She sat up and glanced around the room, heart pounding.
A dark outline of Jules rocked in the chair near the walnut wardrobe. “I wasn’t watching you in your sleep because you weren’t sleeping.”
She shrugged with a smile. “Fair point.” She shook her head. “I’m glad you came. I wanted to thank you.”
“No, I just wanted to thank you.”
“Thank me? For what?”
“I am able to move on.”
“The gold was what kept you here?”
He shook his head. “I think I needed someone to know I was innocent. After all the accusations, I couldn’t rest.”
“Was that someone you?”
“I suppose. Maybe I was nervous about meeting my Maker. But now know I’d changed.”
“You weren’t boot-legging that night. You were helping to deliver milk.”
“That gives me so much peace.”
“We found it.” She crossed her legs under her blanket, a big smile spreading on her lips. “I hope you didn’t want it for anything.”
“The gold? Why, that was a happy side bonus.” He twiddled with his mustache. “Once you die, you don’t care about such things anymore. But out of curiosity, how did you find it?”
“I found the coordinates in the ring.”
He slapped his forehead. “The ring! I’d forgotten. That was rather brilliant of me.” A smug smile grew on his lips.
“Luckily, I stole the ring from my mother and gave it to my friend who kept it for sentimental reasons. Or Preston might’ve sold it to a pawn shop. My mom gave him the go-ahead to sell stuff here. Moving around, living abroad, she lost any interest in antiques or memorabilia.”
“So you found the gold.” He stroked his chin.
“That’s why I wanted to thank you. We saved the Sweet Milk Dairy next door.”
“Glad to see my ill-gotten gains are being put to good use.”
“And more good news, Preston and Coco are getting married.”
“That is good news. Nice to hear the Laurents will continue to live here, raise their families, and make memories here.” He looked up to the ceiling, hooking his thumbs into his suspenders. “My grandfather built this house, and he was quite pleased with it.”
“I’m sorry I won’t see you anymore.”
He faced her. “I’ll miss you too. But don’t feel sorry for me. I can now progress on the other side. Here, I was stuck. Now I can join my Charlotte and work on our relationship. I can apologize to her for all those late nights she worried about me. Perhaps I can make up to her for not being there all those years.”
“Were you perchance dancing at the Halloween dance?”
A slow grin grew on his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He winked.
“Okay. Sure. Charlotte looked lovely. And I know you’ll enjoy the rest of your time with her.” She cleared away a knot in her throat. “I guess this is goodbye.” As annoying as it was to have him pop into her bedroom, she would miss him.
“Yes. I’m allowed to come back and check on you. It’s part of the rules, since you’re family.”
“But I won’t be able to see you.”
He shook his head. “You won’t. I’ll see if I can leave you little signs so you’ll know I’ve been there.”
Charlotte laughed. “Like pushing books off shelves and making noises that wake me?”
Jules cocked his head. “I never did that.”
“You didn’t?” She thought of the Laurent mansion surveyor book. And Eric said Percy’s journal fell from the bookshelf in his house.
Jules kicked the carpet on the floor. “Maybe someone else was helping us on our journey.”
“Yes. Maybe.” Now she wondered who else was in this house.
“Goodbye, Charlotte.”
“Give my love to the rest of the family.”
“I will.” He faded from her sight.
She scooted back onto her back, wondering at the interview and what it could mean.
The next thing she knew, she woke from a peaceful sleep.
Sunlight streamed into her windows. Finally, a sunny day after all the rain.
Voices rang from downstairs. She got dressed and hurried down.
Once in the kitchen, she smelled delicious things baking.
Deb and Papa Roland discussed the wedding with Preston and Coco.
Deb held Coco. “I guess we better invite your parents from South America. I’m sure they’ll want to meet Preston.”
“And our parents are abroad, too. We should have them meet Coco,” Charlotte pointed out.
“When are you getting married?” Deb brushed back Coco’s hair.
Coco stepped closer to Preston. “Next summer. That gives us a little less than a year to get the house ready to be a venue and for me to plan a wedding. Please help me, Charlotte.” She held out her hand.
“Of course. I’d love to!” Charlotte had plans of her own, too, opening an adoption agency here in town with the extra gold. It would be busy here the next few months.
Preston hugged Coco around her shoulders and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Just make sure she doesn’t go over budget. The gold was a wonderful windfall, but we can’t depend on that.”
Charlotte winked. “I gotcha.”
Deb elbowed Papa Roland. “And the Sugar Mamas have some work to do too.”
“What do you mean, Aunt Deb?” Coco cocked her head to see around Preston.
Deb looked up to Papa Roland. “Well, Laurie and Carl. We have to do what we can to get those two together.” Deb rubbed her hands together with a mischievous grin.
Papa Roland rolled his eyes with a slight smile. “Oh, no! You’re plotting again.”
Coco grinned. “It worked for the two of you. And for Charlotte and Eric.”
“The Sugar Mamas didn’t do anything for us.” Charlotte sat at the bar and ate pumpkin waffles.
Deb raised her chin. “We helped with the campaign. If we hadn’t, you’d both be stuck in the same rut.”
Preston grabbed an apple and bit into it. “Well, I hope Carl knows what he’s in for.”
“He won’t know what hit him.” Coco patted his tummy.
Charlotte flashed a wink. “I feel sorry for Carl.”
Read about Laurie and Carl’s adventure and Preston and Coco’s wedding and Charlotte and Eric in the next Seasons of Sugar Creek Summer book!