The Love Letter (12 page)

“
Maybe we need to close the door on that history and move forward. Holding onto things from the past never helped anyone.”

Sabrina smiled
faintly. Meredith didn’t understand that when you love someone, there is no holding on or letting go. “You’re being very generous today.”

“
It’s hard to hold a grudge against someone who’s wearing your shirt and looking pretty good doing it.” He laughed when she started to blush. “I’ll check on your clothes.”

She was
sitting in the window seat when he returned. He came up beside her and laid her neatly folded clothes in her lap. “Here you go.”

Sabrina looked at the clo
thes and then up at him. “Thank you, Meredith. I’m sorry for wasting your afternoon.”

He
grinned boyishly. “I’m not sorry at all - Juliet was going to drag me to an art show in Savannah. Thanks to you, she had to go alone.”

“Oh, I wish y
ou hadn’t told me that – I feel really awful now.”

“Don
’t feel awful. She’ll have more fun on her own. When I’m around, I scare away all the men who want to talk to her.”

Sabrina looked at him strangely. “
You’re very understanding. I pictured you as a more possessive type.”

“
Why would I be possessive about Juliet? She’s more than capable of taking care of herself. Something I can’t say with any confidence about you.”

With a quick frown, Sabrina stood up.
“I’ll change my clothes and be on my way.”

His
amused laughter once again followed her out of the room. When she reappeared, she handed him the shirt and he shrugged it on. Even though she’d only had it on a short time, the shirt had absorbed the sweet smell of her skin. Meredith took a deep breath and was reminded of strawberries and cream.

When he
glanced up from buttoning his shirt, he caught Sabrina watching him. In that unguarded moment, her face told him things he didn’t want to know. What he’d only surmised before was no longer in doubt. Sabrina had strong feelings for him. That could mean that the sentiments expressed in her letter weren’t a joke at all. And if that was so, then it wasn’t unreasonable to believe that Sabrina did in fact love him.

Meredith
felt no satisfaction in arriving at this conclusion. His overwhelming impression was more comparable to dismay. All he could think about was how difficult this must be for Sabrina. Her love for him had been cruelly exposed in a way that left her nowhere to hide. As if this wasn’t bad enough, she knew he didn’t share her feelings. It wasn’t an enviable position.

W
hy didn’t she do something about it? If her feelings were so strong, why did she not act on them? To his way of thinking, she didn’t have anything to lose. He thought of the last few hours they’d spent together – things couldn’t have worked out better if Sabrina had planned the afternoon herself. They were alone in the house and in circumstances any man would find hard to resist. Meredith hadn’t exactly been unaffected himself.

There was nothing mysterious about how things worked between men and women.
It wouldn’t have taken much effort on Sabrina’s part to arouse Meredith’s interest no matter how he felt about her. Did she not understand men? Or had his actions toward her made her reluctant to show what she’d already put into words?

He
realized she was moving toward the door. When he went around her to open it, she smiled her thanks. It was a distant smile that revealed nothing; her mask of reserve was firmly back in place.

“Don’t forge
t your bag,” he told her as he locked the door. She slipped the still sodden bag over one slim shoulder. “Would you like a ride back to the inn?”

Knowing he must have had enough of her company for one day, she demurred. “No
, thanks; the rain has stopped, and I enjoy walking.”

Meredith watched until she disappeared from sight before making his way around to the driveway where his car was parked.
He should have taken the bag from her and insisted on her coming with him. But then again, maybe it was better to let her do things her own way. He was in no position to tell her how to manage something he knew nothing about.

With a sigh, he started the engine.
Luckily for both of them, these unexpected meetings would soon be over. Once he left Sea Grape Cottage and settled in his house, he would never see her. A thought that should have brought him a measure of relief did nothing at all.

When Sabrina returned to the inn, Casey was in the kitchen covering a white cake with flaked coconut. “I thought you were making fudge.”

“
And I thought you were going to get vegetables. I didn’t know you were spending the afternoon with Meredith.”

“I got caught in the storm – didn’t he tell you?”

“He didn’t say much at all except that you were with him and not to worry. Just what did you find to do? Or shouldn’t I ask?”

Sabrina
laughed inwardly – they hadn’t done anything close to what she wanted. “He gave me a tour. He owns that Victorian house that is being renovated.”

“Does he? We
ll, that explains why he’s staying here. Where was Juliet?”

“
She went to an art show. This bag is a mess. I’m going to have to put it outside on the porch to fully dry.” Sabrina pulled out the vegetables and the fruit. “They didn’t have any blueberries.”

Casey glanced at her. “I’m not worried about the blueberries.”

Sabrina didn’t wait to hear what Casey was worried about. She had the sinking feeling that her sister was beginning to put a few things together, and that was the last thing she needed.

Sabrina wandered onto the porch to lean against the
railing. The inn was quiet at this time with all the guests in their rooms getting ready for the evening. The sound of a vehicle approaching brought her attention to the road. A gleaming black sports car turned into the parking lot. She watched as a man emerged from the car and strolled unhurriedly along the sidewalk. When David caught sight of her, he grinned.

“Hello,”
he said as he drew level with her. “I was in the area again. I couldn’t resist coming by. I’ve missed you, Sabrina.”

Sabrina wondered what to say to this
. She liked David, but she hadn’t missed him. “How long can you stay this time?” she asked as they walked into the inn.

“Just tonight, but I intend to make the most of it.”

She went behind the desk and opened the reservation book. “You’re lucky – we had a cancellation or else you’d be sleeping in your car.”

“A small inconvenience compared to
the thrill of seeing you.”

Sabrina shook her head
, a tiny seed of guilt beginning to take root in her mind. “You say the nicest things. I can’t think why you’re saying them to me.”

“Because I like you. I thought we
already covered that last visit.”

She grinned. “Get your luggage
, and meet me at Room 3.”

David had only been gone a few seconds when the door opened
, and Meredith walked in.

“
All recovered from this afternoon? No signs of pneumonia?”

“Of course not. Did Juliet enjoy her art show?”

“She had such a great time she’s convinced I must see it, too. We’re going back tomorrow.”

Sabrina laughed at the expression on his handsome face. “Relationships require sacrifice.”

“I don’t insist that she read my books so she shouldn’t drag me to art shows.”

“Doesn’t she want to read your books? I would think she’d be the first one to do so.”

Meredith shook his head. “She says it’s best that she doesn’t read them, whatever that means. A package came for me today. Casey put it in the storage room. Could you get it for me?”

Sabrina
disappeared down the hallway. She heard Meredith greet someone in his deep voice and realized it was David. He was probably wondering what was keeping her.

“
Have you seen Sabrina Collins – the girl who works here?” David was asking.

“
She went to get something for me. She’ll be back in a minute.”

“Would you mind telling her that David is going to leave his bags on the porch? She’ll know who I am.
I noticed one of my tires is low, and I’m going to run to the gas station before they close.”

“
No need for you to go all that way. I have a pump in my car. You’re welcome to use it.”

“That would be great, thanks.

“Just let me get my package, and I’ll meet you at the car. It’s the grey SUV.”

David
went back out the door, and Meredith turned around to see Sabrina maneuvering a large box through the narrow hallway. He took it from her with a frown.

“I didn’t realize it would be this heavy. You should have called me back there to get it.”

“If I hadn’t been able to carry it, I would have.”

Meredith grinned at her tone. “
Some guy named David said to tell you he’s leaving his bags on the porch. I’m going to help him pump up his tire.”

“
That’s nice of you. I’ll go get his room open. Carly probably forgot to turn on the air conditioner.”

“He’s very good-looking and from all indications is here alone. It couldn’t be better
for you.”

Sabrina surprised him by smiling.
“You and Casey need to get together. She more or less threw me at David last time he came.”

“
And he’s back again. You must have made a good impression.”

“Goodnight, Meredith.”

“Just don’t write him a letter. I might get jealous.”

“I’ve asked you to forget the
letter. I understand it’s a source of amusement for you, but it’s the opposite for me.”

He moved toward the door.
“You’re wrong, Sabrina; I find nothing amusing about that letter. Thanks for getting the package.”

What had Meredith meant
by that? If he didn’t find it amusing, what did he think about the letter? With a shrug, she grabbed the key to David’s room.

He
met her there within a few minutes. His eyes roamed over the room before coming back to where she stood by the window. “I see the bed is bigger in this room.”

For no reason she could think of, Sabrina blushed. “Yes, it is. Well, I’m going to leave you to get settled.”

“That won’t take long. I hope it’s not your turn at the desk tonight. I’d like to take you some place away from here for dinner.”

“I’m not on duty and going out for dinner sounds wonderful.”

He came toward her and lightly ran his fingers through her hair. “Will an hour be enough time? I don’t want to hurry you, but I’ve been thinking of nothing else but you for days.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said you move fast.”

David laughed at that. “I don’t believe in wasting time once I see what I want.”

Though Sabrina smiled,
her uneasiness with David was increasing by the minute. It was becoming obvious that he thought of their relationship in more intimate terms than friendship. What was she going to do now?

The restaurant David chose was situated in the historic district of Savannah
, a short drive from Tybee Island. He parked his car in a public lot, and then escorted her along the cobblestone walkway to a two-story brick building with bright green awnings over its windows. From their candlelit table, they had a view of the moon rising over the river that meandered its way around the city.

“Is this your first time in Savannah?”
he asked after they’d given their order to the waiter.

“I came here with my parents a few times, but
I wasn’t very impressed. I had no appreciation for the beauty of the buildings and no interest in their history. It’s strange how different we see things when we’re young as opposed to when we’re adults.”

“I wish I could have known you then.”

Sabrina smiled impishly at him. “Are you sure you didn’t?”

His brows raised in surprise. “
What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m almost positive we
did meet nine years ago. I told you that I often spent time at the gazebo. What I didn’t tell you was during my last summer here, I met a young man there while I was reading. He told me he was meeting a girl named Heather. We talked about writing in journals. I even shared some of my stories. I wore my hair in pigtails.”

David slowly shook his head. “I don’t remember meeti
ng anyone of your age at the gazebo, and I never kept a journal. I’m not surprised about Heather meeting someone else. She was by far the prettiest girl on the island.”

Sabrina was aware of a keen sense of disappointment. She
’d liked the idea of being able to put a name to the man from the gazebo, and it had been exciting to think that after all these years, they’d actually met again. Now she was back to square one.

“
I was so jealous of Heather for the longest time. I must have written a hundred entries in my journal about my mystery guy. Every night for months, I dreamed of the day we would meet again. Of course, in all my scenarios, I would be grown-up and beautiful when he met me. Then he would fall in love and want to marry me.”

David smiled tenderly. “And you thought I was him? Why didn’t you tell me last time I came?”

“It took me a while to put things together.”

“
I wish I’d been the one you met. I bet you were one cute twelve-year old because you’re adorable now.”

She laughed in disbelief. “Have you even looked at Casey?”

“It would be difficult for any man not to notice Casey, but I saw you first. When I walked into Sea Grape Cottage, and you looked at me with those dazzling emerald-green eyes, I knew I was going to like you.”

“Even though you came looking for someone else?” she
inquired skeptically.

“Heather
is like your mystery guy from the gazebo. She has retained a prominent position in my memory because I didn’t really have anyone else to put in her place. I tend to compare every woman I meet with her. It’s hard for anyone to live up to an image that has been rendered perfect by the passing of years.”

“
When you meet the right woman, you won’t be comparing her with Heather.” She smiled wistfully. “There’s no comparison between infatuation and love. With infatuation, the key to the bonds that hold you are within your own grasp. With love, the key is held by someone else. Love is an enslavement you cheerfully enter into and never want to leave.”

David reached his hand across the table and put it over hers. “You sound so sad when you say that.
”

Sabrina wasn’t sorry their food arrived at this point
. The conversation was getting too personal. Love wasn’t a subject she wanted to discuss with David. For the remainder of their delicious meal, he never returned to any personal subjects. He asked instead about her future plans and readily answered her questions about his own job as a structural engineer.

About a mile from the inn, he pulled the car over on the side of the road and turned off the engine.
“I have to leave very early in the morning.” He reached over and lightly touched her arm. “I’m not asking you to commit to anything, but would you like me to come back again?”

Here was her chance to set things straight between them. Sabrina looked into his strong features, just visible to her in
the moonlight. David was so nice - so earnest in his desire to come again. She couldn’t make herself say the words. “As long as you don’t expect too much too fast. I’m not the quick mover you are.”

“
I don’t expect anything at all. Let’s just see where things go from here.”

Sabrina half expected him to kiss her
. Instead, he restarted the car and drove the short distance to the inn. When they came up the steps, he caught hold of her hand and slowly drew her back into his arms.

“I thought I could leave without kissing you
, but I can’t.”

Without waiting for her answer, h
e bent his head and kissed her with a depth of feeling that made Sabrina feel ashamed. Was this what it felt like to be the one who didn’t care as much?

M
eredith waited in the shadow of the porch until David and Sabrina went inside. Only then did he continue on the way to his room. By the time he unlocked the door and stepped inside, the momentary surprise he’d experienced from finding Sabrina in David’s arms had given way to something else. He should have been relieved or indifferent, but neither of those described his feelings. What he felt was closer to disappointment and that puzzled him. With a shrug, he went into the bathroom to take a shower.

D
avid didn’t linger long. After declining Sabrina’s offer of coffee with obvious reluctance, he went to his room. He’d already stayed longer than he could afford. Now, he would have to drive all night in order to be in Miami by morning. He smiled as he zipped up his overnight bag; that kiss had been worth every inconvenience.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Casey
asked, “So, how did things go?”

“Don’t start planning my wedding yet.”

“I wouldn’t put him off too long; I think he’d propose tomorrow if he thought you’d say yes.”

Sabrina came around the desk and
kissed her sister’s smooth cheek. “For someone so anxious to marry me off, you’re remarkably slow to do it yourself. Goodnight.”

Once in her room,
Sabrina changed clothes quickly and went to sit by the window. She loved looking at the ocean at night, watching the tide come in and go out in its slow, steady way. Tonight, this restful scene failed to work its magic. Her body was physically tired, but her mind was wide awake.

A movement
in the yard below caught her attention. Someone was walking toward the path that led to the beach. As she watched, another person joined the first. She couldn’t see their faces, but she recognized Meredith’s stride. He and Juliet were going for a late night stroll on the beach.

S
abrina moved away from the window abruptly, not wanting to see whether Meredith kissed Juliet in the moonlight. It was bad enough that she could picture it in her head. When she got into bed, she tried to think of David, but he couldn’t compete with Meredith for possession of her mind any more than he could replace Meredith in her heart.

Sleep didn’t come easily or quickly
, and it wasn’t the deep, restful sleep that made her want to stay in bed. As soon as the sun began to rise, Sabrina got up and dressed. Down in the kitchen, she poured coffee into a thermos, grabbed a bagel, and headed out the door.

The sky was the pinkish-gray hue of early morning. There wasn’t a sound to be heard except the
waves on the beach. As she walked further away from the inn, Sabrina felt the pressure that had been building inside her all night slowly melt away. After a while, she dropped down onto the sand with a great sigh.

When she was back in Virginia, hopefully teaching a roomful of
young children, she would think of Meredith living here in his wonderful house. Coming back again wasn’t an option; this time when she left, there could be no return.

Her love had been given
to Meredith without knowing much about him. Having the opportunity to spend time with him and get to know him better had only strengthened her devotion. The words of the love letter were just as true now as the day she wrote them.

The sight of the bagel in her hand attracted the attention of a few seagulls willing to share her breakfast.
Knowing she’d be surrounded by the eager birds within minutes should she succumb to temptation and feed them, Sabrina decided to finish her meal elsewhere, preferably away from the shoreline.

Accordingly, she took one of the many paths leading from the beach to the main road and soon lost her
crowd of admirers. Now she needed somewhere to sit down. With a fleeting smile, she headed for the gazebo.

Her feet moved with assurance along the sandy trail. How many times had she travelled this way during those long summer days?
It had been her own special place until the day the young man had made an appearance. She wished she knew who he was. Had he only been a visitor? Or did he still live on the island? It was beginning to look as if she would never know.

I
n the distance, she could hear the sound of hammering. The crew working on Meredith’s house was getting an early start. Things wouldn’t be the same once he left Sea Grape Cottage. This treasured time she’d been given with him would never be repeated. In spite of his remarks about putting their history behind them, Sabrina knew he would never allow himself to like her. She had ruined any chance of that when she wrote the letter.

She
entered the gazebo and sat down. Why was she thinking about him? She should be finishing her breakfast and enjoying the solitude. With a shrug of defiance, she took a bite of the bagel.

When she arrived back at the inn, Casey handed her an ivory envelope with several forwarding labels covering its surface.
“By the date on that letter, I would guess it’s been bouncing all over the place. Whatever you’re being invited to may have already happened.”

“We’ll soon find out.”
Sabrina slit open the envelope and read the card inside. “Well, well, well. She managed to get him.”

“Who managed to
get whom?”

“Sheila, my roommate from college, is getting married next week to a medical student. Theirs
has been a stormy relationship. I’m glad they finally worked things out.”

“
Will you go?”

“How can I? You can’t manage this place alone.”

“You let me worry about that. You concentrate on getting a new dress. I know you don’t have anything worthy of a wedding in your closet.”

Sabrina grinned
. “I agree. I’ll have to do some shopping.”

“
How are you going to get there?”

“
Well, flying is out – too expensive. I’ll drive; I can be there and back in a few days.”

Casey
moved away from the counter. “Well, I suggest you get to Savannah this afternoon. Making breakfast seems kind of tame after all this wedding talk, but our guests will expect some food when they arrive in the dining room. I’ll start the French toast, and you work on the quiche.”