Page 35 of Always Another Sunset

“It is,” Tamara agreed. “I had a wonderful dog growing up. She lived to be fourteen, and it was one of the hardest blows of my life when she passed.” Her face lit up, and she grabbed Chris’s hand. “Hey, why don’t we watch Roxie while JC is gone?”

Chris’s eyebrows went up. “You want us to take care of a dog?”

“Not just any dog. JC and Bella’s dog,” Tamara said. “The condo has a great yard, and we could help them while I get my doggy fix.”

“Okay,” Chris said slowly, not sounding convinced, while Tamara beamed.

JC pondered the offer for a moment, and as she looked at the warmth in Tamara’s brown eyes, she believed Roxie would be well cared for. “You know,” she said with a smile. “That idea might work.”

35

Carrying the two heavy brown paper sacks full of groceries up the three stairs from the garage, Bella sighed with relief when she deposited them on the kitchen table.It’s those two bottles of wine in there, she said with a smile at her indulgence.And I think it’s time to open one of those right now. After snagging a wine glass from the cupboard, she poured herself a serving of Riesling from a local winery. One of the reasons she loved living in Portland was the proximity to so many excellent vineyards. It had been a long time since she went out wine tasting, and immediately she thought about JC.How fun would that be? Touring around with her on a sunny Sunday afternoon?She didn’t have to guess. It would be fantastic.

Thinking of the wonderful woman she missed so much, Bella checked her phone, hoping for a text. There was none, making her frown. JC had been strangely quiet all day. In fact, if she actually thought about it, JC acted a little differently all week.Was she more distant?she thought, as anxiety twisted in her stomach at the idea JC was losing interest in her. Although they had only been separated for three weeks, the time felt a little like forever.A lot can change in that amount of time.As if her subconscious was waiting for the opportunity, the image of JC’s ex-girlfriend Chris rose to mind. JC assured Bella the dinner a week ago was pleasant but nothing special. From the way she described it, Tamara the fiancée was especially nice, and that had reassured Bella even more. Hopefully, Chris would keep her interests in JC in check if she had her own special someone.

After putting the milk and produce away in the fridge, Bella slipped into a kitchen chair and decided to call JC. Even with the three-hour time difference, it was late enough in the day that she would be back from the afternoon tour and likely still at the office. The call went straight to voicemail. Bella listened to the woman’s confident and, in her opinion, quite sexy voice asking the caller to leave a message. “Hi there,” Bella said after the beep. “I’m having a glass of Riesling and thinking of you. I hope the tours went well today, and you’re headed home with Roxie soon. Miss you both so much. Please call me.”

Ending the call, she put the phone on the table and tried to ignore the sense that something was off between them. Until JC called back, the best thing she could do was distract herself by making dinner. The fresh, in-season tomato, lettuce, and cucumber she bought, plus some cubes of avocado, all smothered in blue cheese, sounded tempting. If only her stomach would relax.I’m being silly,she thought.Of course, JC has a good reason for being busy. I’m sure she’ll tell me all about it tonight when we have our long call.

Before she stood to start prepping the food, her cellphone buzzed with a text. Seeing JC was the sender, Bella quickly checked the screen. “Hi there,” the message said. “Sorry I didn’t answer. Kind of in the middle of something important.”

Bella furrowed her brow. “Middle of something” sounded strangely vague for JC, who loved to send selfies and pics of everything she was doing so Bella felt a part of it. “Do I get to hear what it is later tonight?” she sent and watched as the three dots on her screen danced to show JC was responding.

“Absolutely. If I’m not mistaken, I can tell you in about three minutes.”

Still confused, Bella started to type back when an additional text popped up. “Nope. I was wrong. I can tell you right about now.”

“Tell me what?” Bella wrote, trying to catch up with whatever JC was talking about. There was a long pause with no sign JC was writing back. Trying to keep from becoming frustrated, Bella left the phone on the table as she took another drink of her wine and waited. A car honked outside in front of her kitchen window. First thinking about ignoring the sound, something inside her told Bella to look. She nearly dropped the wine she carried with her when she pushed the curtain aside. A sedan sat parked at the curb and the woman climbing out of it had blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.Oh my God,Bella thought as tears of joy sprang to her eyes.It’s JC.

Walkingbehind Bella through the grove of redwoods and sequoias, JC continued to be amazed at every turn. She was all for the idea when Bella suggested they try a hike through parts of Portland’s famous Hoyt Arboretum. So far, Portland had proven to be a beautiful city set in a perfect location along the Columbia River. There was nothing she didn’t love about it. When Bella took them on an hour’s drive to the east, she was among the mountains, with majestic Mount Hood the crown jewel. An hour’s trip to the west led them to the beautiful rocky shores of the Oregon coast. The city itself was alive with urban activity, and as JC experienced it, she understood why Bella loved to live there.

As they neared a broad deck nestled amongst the trees, Bella glanced back at JC. “Water break?” she asked, and although her cheeks were flushed from exertion, there was a twinkle in her eyes.She’s come a long way toward being open-minded about the outdoors since our hike to the lagoon in Hawaii,JC thought with a smile.And I know at least some of it is because she wants to make me happy.

JC nodded. “Absolutely,” she said. “And this looks like a great place to take some pictures.”

“Oh, it is,” Bella said as they reached the steps. “The Redwood Observation Deck is often used as the backdrop for weddings.” JC followed her to the railing. As promised, the view was one of a kind—towering trees overlooking a bubbling creek with glimpses of brilliant blue sky.So different than the tropics of Oahu, she thought.Yet no less breathtaking.

JC slipped the small nylon backpack she wore off her shoulders. “I can see why,” she said, pulling a water flask from a pocket. “So serene. I really feel like I’m deep in a forest, but downtown Portland is only a few minutes away.”

Taking the flask, Bella glowed at JC’s appraisal. “I love how much you seem to be enjoying my city,” she said. “And I can’t wait until you meet everyone tonight.” Feeling a flutter of nerves, JC leaned against the rail. Even though she had met Bella’s parents a few times when they visited Bella at college, it was a long time ago. They were always friendly, and she liked them, but things were very different now.

She was dating their daughter in a complicated, long-distance relationship. “You’re sure meeting your family so soon is a good idea?” she asked, trying to sound playful but hoping Bella might agree. “What if they don’t like me?”

Bella slid her hand through the crook of JC’s arm and leaned in close. “You are the kindest, most caring person I have ever met,” she said. “They are going to love you.” All JC could do was sigh.Considering how much I love Bella,she thought.I sure hope so.Bella tilted her head as she studied JC’s face. “You’re not actually concerned about this, are you?”

Shaking her head, but with a hint at a grimace, JC wasn’t sure how to answer. “Well, maybe a little,” she admitted after a beat. “I want to make a good impression.”

“Oh, JC,” Bella said, turning so their eyes met. “I promise you, the barbeque will be great, and everyone will see why I’m so crazy about you.” She gave JC’s arm a light shake. “So stop worrying.”

Bella’s enthusiasm helped, but one question worried JC. “Okay, okay,” she said with a chuckle. “I believe you.” She hesitated, unsure if she wanted to bring the subject up while they stood in the middle of an evergreen grove but needed to know the strategy if not the answer. “Bella, what do I say if someone asks me about our plans for the future?”

At the question, Bella sobered a little. “Let’s simply hope no one does that,” she said, and after a moment, JC nodded, hoping that too.

As Bella finishedthe red trail loop to take them back to the Hoyt Arboretum parking lot, JC’s question hung in her mind. When the woman asked how to answer any questions about their future, Bella’s chest filled with both excitement and anxiety. Thinking of a future with JC made her happy beyond words but figuring out how to make it all work made Bella’s stomach hurt. “Let’s hope they don’t ask,” was all she could think to answer and then pretended to be distracted by a blue jay landing on the deck’s railing. JC had been quiet for the rest of the hike though and Bella knew they couldn’t ignore the problem forever.But we don’t need to discuss it right now,she thought as she scanned the crowded lot for where they parked. The day had been perfect, and she wanted to keep it that way.

In fact, JC’s entire visit was wonderful. Having her in Portland encouraged Bella to do things outside her usual routine. The places they visited, even if she had been to them before, took on a whole new perspective with JC beside her. Hours spent browsing Portland’s giant, famous bookstore, riding the streetcar to the south waterfront’s farmers market, and a romantic dinner thirty stories high overlooking the city were highlights she would cherish forever. There was more to it than sightseeing though. Bella found herself taking more pleasure in everything. Something as simple as cooking dinner for the two of them became a little playful, and a romantic endeavor that often included dancing in the kitchen. If Bella had been in love with JC before, the emotions were even stronger now.

As they reached the car, JC surprised Bella by putting a hand on her arm. When Bella turned to look, she saw a frown on the woman’s face. “What’s wrong?” Bella asked, and when JC hesitated, she thought the worst.Are we going to have a conversation about our future right here?she wondered as her chest tightened.Please, not now. I’m not ready.

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