A Trusting Heart (6 page)

“I’m sorry if I sound too eager. I’ve never sold a house before. I guess I just wanted to get it done with as soon as possible so we could get started on my other house.”

Megan’s frown disappeared quickly as she realized she was being a complete jerk. Why was she being so suspicious?

“Oh, just ignore me. It’s just that I’ve never had a client like you before. Usually it’s like pulling teeth to get someone to sign a contract. Please forgive me.”

Cora’s smile lifted her whole face, and she looked almost beautiful. She reached over and grabbed Megan’s hand, squeezing it quickly. “My dear, we’re friends now. It’s forgotten. Who’s Dylan?”

Megan blushed, regretting her outburst even more. She was getting paranoid.

“Just someone who likes to play practical jokes on me every once in a while. He likes to keep me on my toes.” And jobless.

Cora nodded her head, satisfied with Megan’s answer.

“Now, would you like to say the prayer, or would you rather I did?”

Megan didn’t know what religion Cora belonged to, so she motioned for her to go ahead.

“Dear Father in Heaven, we thank thee so much for all of the wonderful blessings thou has given me. I thank thee for my health and for my friends. And I thank thee for my dear, dear son. Please bless this food to bring nourishment and strength to us and, at this time, please bless Megan that she will find her way, and that she will find happiness and joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Megan said “amen” softly. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Cora lifted her fork ready to dig in. “Sweetie, everyone needs all the prayers they can get. Trust me.”

Megan devoured her lunch and didn’t say no to the second and third helpings. From Cora’s beaming face, she knew she had impressed her with her energetic eating style.

Cora just nodded her head and smiled as Megan went over all of the details and the fine print of the contract. Megan knew instinctively that Cora wasn’t listening to a thing she was saying. From her dreamy smile, Cora’s mind was obviously far away.

“Now, after our appraiser gets back to us with the market value of your home, we’ll get the sign up in your yard. Would you like to set up a time for tomorrow to go look at some lots? Or if you’d like and you have the time, we can fit in a few today. I don’t have any other appointments this afternoon.” Or all week.

“What? Oh yes! Let’s look at some lots.”

Megan shuffled the contract and checked all of the signatures. Everything was in order, so she reached for her Multiple Listings book and opened it to the section on land.

“Why don’t you tell me a little bit of what you’re looking for in a lot? For instance, what area or city are you thinking of? Would you like a small lot or a large lot? Do you want to be out in the country, or near stores?”

Cora’s face went blank as she realized she had been so busy daydreaming about grandkids, she hadn’t spent one second on thinking where she wanted to be. Megan was going to think she was a real peabrain. She played with her fork as her mind went a thousand miles an hour. What did she want? And then she knew. She had always known. She could see it in her mind.

“Well, for starters, it’s at least a third of an acre, you know for the pool and all. And it’s up high. I want a view. I want a view of the temple! The new one in American Fork. And I want it to be close to a park. A good one, not one of those run-down pathetic rusty ones. And I want to be close to the mountains. I love the mountains. That’s what I want.”

Megan wrote this down, unable to hide her grin. She knew the perfect lot. Well, perfect subdivision anyway. The developers had just begun selling the lots last month, and they were going fast. They were in Pleasant Grove, right up on the bench. Megan smiled just thinking of the view Cora would have of the temple. And the park just down the street was world-class. All of the lots were half-acres. The only hitch was restrictions. They were pretty strict on size and exterior.

“Cora, how big of a house were you planning on building? That can really affect which lot you decide on.”

Cora looked surprised at the question.

“My goodness! I need an architect, don’t I? I really need to get going on this. Hmm, well, I need my own bedroom, of course, and when my grandkids come to visit me, the boys will need their own room. I’m picturing bunkbeds and blue walls. And the girls, of course, will have pretty little daybeds. Oh, and a room for my son and his wife. So four rooms altogether. And I want a big kitchen so when I make Thanksgiving dinners I won’t be so cramped. I’m sure my daughter-in-law will want to help me cook, so I have to have plenty of room. And I want a pretty little living room, with a piano. I’ll learn how to play and then I can give the kids lessons. Hmm. And a big TV room. Have you seen those theater rooms? I want one of those. And a big playroom that will hold lots of toys.”

Cora’s eyes were glowing as she talked on and on, not realizing she was describing a palace, not a house.

Megan frowned slightly at the older woman’s vast imaginings.

“Cora, let’s go at it this way. How much do you want to spend on the house and lot? Have you thought of a price range?”

Cora grimaced, knowing she had to have a serious talk with her son. She was getting into deep water here, and she didn’t have all of the information that Megan was expecting. She’d have to stall.

“Oh, money’s not really an issue, dear. Why don’t we just have fun today? You show me a few lots, just to give me an idea, and then we’ll get serious tomorrow. All right?”

Megan closed her briefcase and grabbed her purse. “You’re the boss, Cora,” she said. “Let’s hit the road. I want to show you my favorite lot in the whole world. If I were going to build a house, I’d build it on this lot. You’re going to love it, I guarantee it.”

Cora followed Megan out of the house, and turned to lock the door. She studied the energetic girl as she strode towards the box that was Cora’s excuse for a garage. She liked her. She liked her a lot. She was obviously sweet, although a bit timid or shy, as if she had been hurt before. Her smile was lovely, so unassuming and genuine. She could see why her son liked her. Loved her, she hoped. She was beautiful in a very subtle, classic way that would appeal to her son. But what was it about Megan that was making him act so outrageously? It was a mystery.

Megan directed Cora to drive past three lots in different areas that were nice, but not spectacular. Cora wouldn’t even get out of the car to walk around. But as Megan gave her directions to drive to the last subdivision, Cora’s face completely changed from politely bored to ecstatic as the elevation became steeper and steeper.

“Oh I can’t believe this, Megan! This is wonderful, perfect. I can see the lake and the temple. Oh my heavens, it’s gorgeous! I never would have thought it possible. My grandkids are never going to want to go home! They’re going to love it here.”

Megan felt a burst of pure joy as she watched Cora practically giggling in delight. She may never have a home with a view like this, but helping somebody else attain such beauty was a definite rush. Megan did grow a little concerned, however, when Cora ran up to the “For Sale” sign and started pulling it out of the ground.

“Wait Cora! We haven’t bought this lot yet. We have to make an offer and close on it before we can take the sign down. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Besides, this is just the first lot we’ve seen in the subdivision; there are many other lots for sale. Why don’t we walk around and pick the very best one?”

Cora scowled at the “For Sale” sign for a minute and then smiled good naturedly.

“I do tend to go overboard on occasion. You’ll learn to put up with me, Megan.”

Megan took Cora’s arm and steered her toward the other lots, noting the pros and cons of each one. But Cora kept looking over her shoulder at the first one she had seen. She had fallen in love. If anyone else even looked at it, she was going to have a fit. When a car pulled up into the subdivision ten minutes later, Cora sprinted the half-block back, in her high heels, to stand in front of the sign. Megan laughed and gave up.

“Okay, Cora. You win. This is the one and I can’t blame you a bit. It is the best. You have to promise to invite me over one night so I can see a sunset from your back porch.”

Cora stood in front of the “For Sale” sign while Megan used her cell phone to call the agent listed in the MLS. There had been an offer made on the lot already, but it had fallen through because of financing. Bad luck for them, perfect luck for Cora.

“I set up an appointment for us tomorrow morning at ten to sign an earnest money agreement on this lot. You’ll have to put some money down to hold it until we can sell your house. Unless of course you’re able to buy it outright?”

Megan glanced back at the Ford Excursion, having no idea what Cora’s financial situation was. She could probably buy the property outright.

Cora smiled and relaxed her shoulders. Her lot would be safe. “I’ll have to talk to my son tonight, but I’m sure we’ll just buy it. I think we’ll go ahead and start construction, too. I can’t see myself waiting for my house to sell. That would be a waste of time, don’t you think?”

Megan smiled, knowing that for most people waiting was the only way they could do it. The typical person didn’t have the money to float the construction of a new home, while making mortgage payments. That took a lot of money. Or faith.

“Let’s call it a day then. I know you probably want to get home and call your son.”

Cora glanced over at Megan as they drove back down the mountain and smiled. Megan had no idea that she had just helped to pick out the place where she and her future children would be seeing countless sunsets. Hopefully. Now, if only her son could close the deal.

“Megan, why don’t I just drop you off at your house instead of the office, and then I can pick you up for our meeting at ten?”

Megan glanced up from the notes she had been writing down, raising her eyebrows.

“Now, Cora, you are too thoughtful. Clients shouldn’t have to drive their real estate agents anywhere. It should be the other way around. I don’t want to put you out.”

Megan studied Cora for a moment. What a sincerely nice person. This had been her lucky day and she had a lot to be thankful for. Now she wouldn’t have to go crawling to her mother for money.

“Cora, if I had one wish, it would be that my kids could have a grandma like you.”

Cora’s lower lip began to tremble as Megan went back to her notes. She had no idea where Trevor had found this girl, but if she had anything to do with it, she wasn’t letting her get away.

Six

WELL?”

“Well what?”

“Did you sign the contract?!”

“Of course I did, you ninny. She’s exquisite and the perfect mother for my grandchildren. I’m just a little curious about how, where, and when you met her. I wouldn’t mind some details, you know.”

Trevor threw his briefcase onto his mother’s bright, floral-print couch and collapsed comfortably on it. His mother had signed. He’d been on pins and needles all day wondering what his mother would make of Megan. Even worse, he had feared that his mother would recognize her from his high school days. He could still remember his mother pointing out Megan at one of the football games and criticizing her hair and makeup. He wouldn’t be the one to remind her of that.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

Cora put the halibut she was marinating back in the fridge and turned to face her son with hands on her hips.

“Excuse me? Instead of slipping in a few little tidbits of how wonderful my son is, I could be telling her about the time you shaved your hair off for Halloween and had to be rushed to the emergency room for a blood transfusion and stitches. Or there was the time you and your friends got caught by the bishop stashing all of the hymn books in the nursery toy closet.”

Trevor winced at the memories but couldn’t help laughing anyway. “You know, you should have been a gangster or a lawyer, Mom. You have the killer instinct. You just have to go for the throat, don’t you?”

Cora wiped her hands on her apron and advanced towards her son menacingly. “There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there, Trev? What’s the mystery here?”

“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. She doesn’t even know me. I saw her for the first time in ten years last week. Satisfied?”

Cora stepped back with a blank look on her face. She must have missed something. “What?”

Trevor closed his eyes and asked himself yet again, what he had been thinking to involve his mother.

“Forget it, Mom. You signed the contract. For better or worse, you’re helping me win Megan over. I know this isn’t how it normally works, but from the moment I laid eyes on her at the reunion, I knew deep down that she was for me. I don’t really want to go into all of the details of why, when, or where though. Let’s just deal with the present. Okay?”

Cora sat down next to her son, who was looking at her with wary eyes. “That’s fine. I’ll leave all of the details alone if that’s the way you want it. But you do have to answer one question. It’s just yes or no.”

Trevor sighed and closed his eyes. “What do you want to know, Mom?”

“I don’t even know if this is possible, given the time restraints, but do you love her?”

Trevor didn’t answer right away. He reached for his briefcase and took out a small black velvet jeweler’s box. He turned and opened it, showing his mother what lay inside. Resting on the satin lay a one-carat diamond surrounded by emeralds, set in a wide gold band.

“Grandma Riley’s ring. I had Blaine get it out of the safe for me today. I still remember when you gave it to me after her funeral. You said, ‘If you can put this ring on the finger of a woman half as wonderful as your grandma, then you’ll be the happiest man alive.’ Mom, Megan is wonderful. But right now, I can’t give you a yes or no answer. All I can do is tell you that I very much want to be in love with Megan. I think there’s a good chance I could be.”

Cora reached out and picked up the ring and stared in surprise.

“Honey, there’s being prepared for every possibility and then there’s going overboard. Are you sure you aren’t jumping the gun here a little? Like you said, you haven’t seen her in about a decade. People change. And this is eternity we’re talking about. This isn’t some business deal. This is life.”