A Christmas Kind of Perfect Read online

  “Call it intuition,” Lila said attributing her sense when Mrs. Matthews chose the collector’s train, one of their rare and lavishly detailed pieces from a limited edition.

  Lila raised her eyebrows. “Is he fascinated with steam trains?”

  Mrs. Matthews wrinkled her petite nose, her hair holding an intricately coiffed style. “No, not really, but he could be. He respects items from his past—for instance, coins, skeleton keys, and even marbles. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a few rare stamps in his possession.”

  Lila paused, inventorying the store’s offerings. “I’d like to show you something over in jewelry that may be a perfect fit.” She led the pair over to a small selection of maple keepsake boxes. A centered gold plate offered the option for engraving.

  Mrs. Matthews covered her mouth with a hand and took a small intake of breath.

  Lila lifted the largest box from the shelf. “This gift appeals to those who value heirlooms, a keepsake, or other treasures they wish to protect from harm or loss. They’re called keepsake boxes and for good reason as they pair the sense of an exotic treasure chest with an air of elusiveness.”

  “Oh, my. Would you open it please? I’d like to peer inside,” Mrs. Matthews asked.

  Lila smiled, her sales instincts leading her into a promising sale. “Of course, allow me.” Lila turned the brass key adorned with a golden tassel until it clicked. Holding the box against her body, she slowly drew the hinged cover toward her, allowing the ladies a view inside at the burgundy-velvet-lined interior.

  “This is perfect, Mother,” Suzanne breathed, as if she was surprised the store was able to produce something of value for her father’s birthday.

  Mrs. Matthews beamed and a smile of satisfaction spread across her lovely face. “I agree. We’ll take it.”

  “I thought you might like it. Would you be interested in having the plate engraved?”

  “We’d need it by tomorrow night, but it’s only three initials. Is that possible?” Mrs. Matthews laid a slender finger alongside her face.

  “I’ll personally drive it down to Albright Jewelers. Mr. Albright insists on doing all of our engraving himself. I’ll make sure the box is ready by tomorrow afternoon.”

  Once behind the counter, Lila rang up the purchase and accepted the credit card from Mrs. Matthews. She was unwinding enough wrapping paper, included with the sale, when the conversation between mother and daughter caught her attention.

  “You should register down here for wedding gifts.” Mrs. Matthew’s eyes roamed the shelves behind the counter.

  “I suppose so,” Suzanne said in an exhale as if she were agreeing to go on a blind date.

  Suzanne’s face didn’t hold the excitement of a bride-to-be but rather one of disinterest or possibly boredom. Was it plausible she didn’t care whether Conrad proposed or not? Lila twirled metallic ribbon around her hand and slipped it into the bag. Her earlier suspicions about their relationship ringing clear. There might be a chance for her and Conrad, after all. She forced her attention back to her task and reassured mother and daughter their keepsake box would be waiting for them tomorrow at Albright Jewelers as promised.

  After they left the store, Lila tidied up, closed the shop, and headed to the jewelers. She hoped there was time to share a late supper with Aunt Cathy. She needed her sound advice after what she’d witnessed with the Matthews. The argument between her and Conrad needed resolution, too. They needed to talk.

  As Lila made her way across the street to the jewelers, she considered Melanie’s suggestion to try and postpone the meeting. After sharing the details with Mr. Albright, he assured her the box would be ready for pick up tomorrow afternoon. In fact, he promised he’d call the Matthews and inform them himself when the box was ready.

  Fifteen minutes later, Lila hustled across the street to her car. She slipped her key into the ignition. A cold blast of air hit her square in the face. Her nerves were on edge. Was it the argument’s fault or Suzanne’s disposition? She was rubbing her palms together, waiting for the car to warm up, when her biggest fear came true. Conrad was walking toward the jewelry store. Her breath caught. Was that Conrad—for sure? She scanned down the street. His red truck was parked a block from the store.

  She rubbed her eyes hoping for clarity to a different truth. He pulled the door open and walked into the jewelry store. So he’d decided to go ahead with the proposal, after all. She nibbled on her bottom lip, and despite her best efforts, an avalanche of tears fell down her face, blurring her vision. Minutes passed as Lila waited and prayed that he’d turn around and walk right back out of that store. But he didn’t. Every bone in her body ached. For a moment, she thought she’d be sick. She lowered her head and gripped the steering wheel. She wept for all that was lost—her future with the love of her life. When her tears came to an end, she blew her nose and dried her eyes.

  She remembered her Sunday school lessons where she’d learned that if you ask, God will always answer your prayers, but not necessarily with the answer you hoped for. Was this the sign she’d been praying for? She reminded herself to let go, to trust, and to follow.

  This was the possibility that always lurked in the dark that meant she needed to go home. She shifted the gear into drive and realized it was time to return to New York.

  Lila turned into the driveway at Aunt Cathy’s. Although the commute home wasn’t long, it provided her enough time to settle her emotions down and for her tears to dry. She noticed a soft amber light cast from a lamp in the kitchen window. That usually meant her aunt went to bed early. Although she wanted to tell her aunt about Suzanne, in a way, Lila was relieved for their conversation to wait a day. Aunt Cathy was aware that she’d booked the flight back to New York when Andrea called last week, but she’d been fighting the idea with Lila ever since. Now that Lila was certain of Conrad’s intentions toward Suzanne, there was little reason to make that call to Andrea and ask for more time. Everything changed the moment Conrad walked into Albright’s. She shared as much with Melanie on the drive home. That wasn’t an easy conversation, either.

  After hanging up her coat and slipping off her boots, Lila walked into the kitchen. A sticky note was pressed onto the cooktop. Supper’s in the oven, off to bed early. A heart drawn around Aunt Cathy’s name ended the message. Lila smiled, realizing she was sure to miss the closeness they shared. She scanned the kitchen as if for the last time and compared her life here with that of New York, uncertain she wanted to make the transition back.

  She opened the oven door and lifted the foil off the warming plate. Underneath, she found a meatloaf dinner that smelled heavenly and matched any tapas grill she enjoyed in Manhattan. Thick red sauce speckled with horseradish covered the entrée. A small serving of mashed potatoes with a dollop of butter was placed next to a scoop of homemade baked beans. The sight made her mouth water and her eyes glisten. Her stomach growled. After the fight with Conrad, she’d lost her appetite, and her enthusiasm for the day right along with it. Now, she was famished and exhausted. Using a hot pad, she lifted the plate from the oven and poured herself a cup of chamomile tea from the pot sitting on the back burner. She turned on the television to the weather station for company.

  For the next twenty minutes, she tried to enjoy her dinner—her appetite often weakened when she was upset, and Conrad had done a bang-up job on turning her world upside down today. Her attention piqued as she listened to the predictions of “significant snowfall” in the forecast. Her stomach tightened. She would have to leave earlier than planned to beat the snow.

  She curled and uncurled her toes in the air, releasing the tension in her feet after a full day’s work. Oh, how she’d love a foot massage right about now. That was one of the perks of living in a city like Manhattan—you could find anything your heart desired—anything but love. That was especially true for Lila since her true love—the love of her life—was right here in Sister Bay.

  When she was finished, she scrubbed her dishes clean, turned off the televi
sion, snapped off the lights, and climbed the stairs to her room. She hoped—no, she prayed—she’d get some rest. All she wanted to do now was close her eyes and sleep.

  24

  Conrad drove a little too fast on his way to Albright’s. Lila ticked him off—royally. He found the woman exasperating. His mind reeled backward to the incident with the flooring. By walking through the door, she managed to topple over his entire stack of laminate, which interrupted his workflow.

  Thanks to her, he was forced to attend a book signing. There were only a half dozen or so guys in the room—probably dragged there by their wives—and he was one of them. And to top it all off, Suzanne showed up after claiming she wouldn’t be there. That turned out to be a two-day argument.

  He was willing to bet that his mother would never have asked him to sing in the Christmas choir if Lila hadn’t come back into the picture. They’d gotten along like a mother and daughter right from the start. Now that he was thinking about it, Conrad smelled something fishy. It was probably a setup from the beginning.

  After everything that happened between them, Lila told him yesterday that she was returning to New York. Well, if that was what she wanted, so be it. As soon as she was gone, he and Suzanne could get back into their regular routine. He pulled into a parking stall a block away from Albright Jewelers and killed the engine. His stomach clenched. He shouldn’t have eaten when his nerves were on edge. In the quiet, Conrad watched the oversized snowflakes collect on his windshield. He sucked in a gulp of air, grabbed the door handle, and fought the urge to run.

  Conrad walked into Albright Jewelers with a heart as heavy as a bag of cement and a reignited anger. Now that he thought about it, it was his plan all along to marry Suzanne. He was running out of time, and Suzanne wasn’t the patient type. She’d dropped enough hints, sent him love e-mails during the week, and forced herself into the kitchen. He got the message. It was time he proposed. He didn’t blame her, and when she referred to their relationship as perpetual dating, she was right.

  Yet, the need for more certainty ate away at him. Either she was the woman he wanted to walk through life with or she wasn’t. She appeared certain of him, but the pause came from his gut. His buddies told him it was cold feet. They’d all went through the same. There were times Conrad noticed even they shared Suzanne’s point of view and asked him, “What’s taking so long?”

  He joined his hands behind his back and inched toward the glass counter. Bending at the waist, he peered down at the stones that sparkled up at him. Jack Albright slowly approached. He was nearing his seventieth birthday, but he still opened up the store every day Monday through Saturday. Last year, he’d hired Conrad to install a copper tin awning in honor of fifty years in business. He said he wanted to catch the reflection of the sunsets because it reminded him of his diamonds—each one unique and breathtaking in their own way. That was enough to convince Conrad that when the time came to buy a diamond, he’d be coming to Albright’s.

  From behind the counter, Mr. Albright faced him. “Well, Mr. Hamilton, I figured I’d have the pleasure of serving you soon.”

  Conrad’s brow furrowed. “Oh?”

  “The missus told me she spotted you around town with someone very special and a big smile across your face. She said, ‘Jack, it’s a matter of time before that young man is at your store buying one of your fancy diamonds.’”

  “You don’t say. Well, I, ah—”

  Mr. Albright wore a gentle smile. “I tell you what. Why don’t you allow me to get things started for you? What’s the lady’s preference—white or yellow gold? White gold has been the preferred choice for the last few years, but if she likes yellow, I can accommodate that as well.”

  Conrad shrugged, realizing he lacked the proper preparation.

  “Are you familiar with the three Cs?”

  The corners of Conrad’s mouth twitched. “No, sir, I can’t say that I am.”

  “There’s three aspects to consider in a diamond—cut, color, and clarity. Let me pull out a couple of cases for you. Did you have an idea about the size of the stone you’d like for her? Today, most are a carat, but we can go up from there. Of course, it gets pricey when we do that.”

  Conrad flexed his fingers into his palms. This wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d thought.

  Mr. Albright rubbed his chin with a slender finger. “Years ago, your little lady used to babysit for us. Kids loved her. She played all kinds of games with them. After the kids went to bed, she picked up the house, too.”

  As far as Conrad could remember, Suzanne never babysat unless her parents forced the issue and made her do it. “Are you sure about that?”

  Mr. Albright gave Conrad a curt nod. “Oh, yes, Lila was our first choice. It’s not something a father forgets.”

  Conrad’s gut took a hit. “Lila?”

  Mr. Albright smiled widely. “That’s right.”

  Conrad’s mouth went dry while his heart picked up speed. He ran a finger along the inside of his collar.

  “Son, are you all right? You’re a little green around the gills.”

  Conrad waved a hand in protest. “No, no. I’m OK, thank you. I need a minute.”

  “You’re not the first to get squeamish about all of this. It’s a big step asking a woman to marry you. You’ve got to get it right.” He gave Conrad a nudge forward with his head as if to reassure Conrad everything would be OK.

  Conrad placed his hands on the glass case in front of him and steadied himself. “I’ve got to get it right,” he repeated. The truth hit him with such a force it was as if he’d jumped into Lake Michigan with that crazy Polar Bear Club on New Year’s Day. It was as clear to him as the emerald cut diamond his eyes were fixed on. He understood, without a doubt, exactly what he was going to do. “That’s the one.” He pointed.

  He lifted his gaze into the smiling eyes of Mr. Albright. “Good choice,” he said and withdrew the ring from the case.

  Thirty minutes later, Conrad walked out of the store, rubbing his thumb against the blue velvet box he held in his hand.

  25

  It was almost one o’clock in the afternoon when Conrad could get away and meet Suzanne for a light lunch at Sister Bay Bowl. He removed his jacket and hung it on one of the pegs near the door. It wasn’t unusual for them to run into friends or family at the bowling alley, which added a few good laughs and lively conversation. Conrad doubted that would happen today. As he scanned the room for her, he remembered the good times when their relationship was brand new. Suzanne was the woman who took his mind off of Lila.

  “Conrad, over here.” Suzanne waved from a table near one of the large picture windows.

  Conrad’s feet were as heavy as if he’d strapped fifty-pound weights onto them. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and took a seat next to her.

  She sipped from tall glass of iced tea. He watched her, realizing that every time he met up with her, she never failed to enchant him and everyone else in the room.

  “You’re as lovely as always, Suzanne.”

  She eyed him under thick lashes. “Not so bad yourself,”

  He shifted in his seat under her scrutiny.

  “You’ll never believe where I went yesterday.”

  “Probably not,” Conrad said after he ordered an iced tea from the waitress.

  “Window Shopping.”

  Her tone was meant to surprise him, and it worked. He hoped his face remained neutral, although he was never good at playing cards because he didn’t have a poker face.

  “Mother insisted we give the store a try for Dad’s birthday present, and she was right. We found the perfect gift. By the way, I assume you’re coming to the party, right? Half the county’s coming. Mother’s hired a caterer and a disc jockey. It should be quite the bash. I don’t think you’re going to want to miss it.” She took a small sip from her iced tea and waited for his response.

  “Ah…” Conrad mumbled. He came here today for one reason, and he honestly wanted to get it over with. He wa
sn’t prepared to talk about anything else.

  “Mom suggested that I register for wedding gifts at Window Shopping—when the time is right, of course. She loves the store, but personally, I never cared for it. I’ll do it to keep her happy.”

  Another hint for a proposal. Conrad’s stomach lurched.

  “I think it’d be a whole lot easier if we went together. Now don’t worry, I understand your outlook on shopping, but I’ll make it—”

  “Suzanne.” The pained look in her eyes at the tone of his voice was immediate. Did she sense what was coming?

  She placed her glass down and twirled a painted fingernail around the rim.

  Conrad lowered his gaze. “We need to talk something through here.”

  Her mouth dropped its smile. She slipped her bottom lip between her teeth, a habit he’d recognized when she grew uneasy.

  Conrad stared at the indoor-outdoor carpeting beneath his feet. He shook his head from side to side. “I’ve been giving us a lot of thought these past few weeks. I’m not sure what to say—I mean, I don’t think we’re going to…”

  “It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Suzanne surprised him as she slid her chair away from the table and stood as rigid as a piece of lumber.

  Conrad hoped they weren’t headed in the direction of an argument like the one they had a few weeks ago but anything was possible with Suzanne. She’d create a scene that would cause a gossip chain for weeks if her heart was headed in that direction.

  “Suzanne, please sit down.”

  To his surprise, she did. She held her chin high. Her exotic green eyes that once held him captive now were as cold as ice.

  “Actually, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about, too. Would you mind if I went first?” She was coming from a place of strength now, not weakness. Conrad recognized the shift in her demeanor after being exposed to it many times through their business transactions. Her strategic and calculating mind was part of the reason for her enormous success. “Not at all. You go right ahead,” Conrad said. He drew a long swallow from his tea, set the glass on the coaster, and turned his attention back to Suzanne.