Lights and Shadows (Oregon In Love) (6 page)

Julia slowly flipped through the pages. “I notice you
dedicated the book to your parents. Do they live in the area?”

“
They passed away about five years ago.”

“
I’m sorry,” she said, unable to resist touching
his hand.

Marc gently took hold of her fingers and traced a light
pattern on her skin with his thumb. The contact felt strangely
reassuring. She didn’t pull her hand away.

“
My mom died first and then my dad followed only six
months later.”

Julia pressed her lips together in sympathy. “Do you
have any brothers or sisters?”

“
No, my mom suffered several miscarriages and had
given up hope by the time I came along. She was forty-two.”

“
Oh, my.”

He smiled. “Needless to say I was rather doted upon.”

“
I’m sure you were spoiled rotten.” Julia
swallowed, trying to ignore the effect his touch had on her senses.
“I, um, noticed in the text of your book, you mention travels to
Italy and Croatia. Do they have a lot of unusual rocks there?”

“
Rocks are everywhere,” he said with a smile. “I
went there with my parents about seven years ago. They were both born
here, but my mother was Italian and my father Croatian. Their parents
came to the U.S. and met as college students.”

His smile faded. “Mom and Dad wanted to see where they
might have grown up had things been different. Southern Italy was
beautiful, but Croatia was...difficult, especially for my father.
Many of the buildings in the city no longer existed, and grief seemed
etched on the faces of so many people there. I was unprepared for the
way the country affected me. I wanted to stay and somehow try to
help. But like thousands of others, I left. Now every time I hear
news of conflict there, a part of me feels guilty for leaving.”

Marc looked down at their loosely joined hands before
glancing at her. Then he smiled in a way that tugged at her heart.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to be depressing.”

“
Don’t worry.” Julia lightly squeezed his hand and
changed the subject. “With your coloring, I wondered if you were
from one of the places you wrote about in the book. Why don’t you
have any accent?”

“
My parents were raised as Americans and rarely spoke
in their native tongues. And I’m just a product of the U.S. public
school system.”

She laughed.

Marc tugged on her hand. “What about you? Where is
your family from?”

“
San Diego. That’s where we begin and end. Beyond
that, I don’t know.”

He studied her face. Julia began to feel a heat suffuse
her body that had nothing to do with the blanket around her
shoulders. She turned back to the book. “Tell me about this
technique,” she said, pointing to a photo of a ghostly image of a
tree in the sunlight.

“
That’s called infrared photography. I use a special
kind of film and filter. Anything containing chlorophyll shows up as
white. It’s great for nature shots and shows how a photographer can
manipulate light to change the appearance of something.”

“
It’s so ethereal.” She took a deep breath,
starting to feel dizzy. Julia turned another page, hoping to get her
mind back on the book. “What kind of stone is this?”

“
That’s obsidian.”

Julia looked up at him. “It’s the color of your
eyes.”

Something flickered in his gaze, making her realize
she’d spoken the thought out loud. She felt her cheeks flame.

Slowly, Marc turned several pages in the book and said,
“This green tourmaline...is the color of yours.”

For several long seconds she was unable to tear her gaze
from his.
Oh, dear
.
What’s happening to me?
Her heart
pounded like a bird trapped in a cage. The sensations coursing
through her were disconcerting. It took her a moment to rouse herself
and pull her hand from his grasp. When she finally spoke, her voice
sounded far away. “I think it’s stopped raining.”

“
Yes,” Marc replied, standing. His expression became
guarded. “Let me get you a coat.”

Julia rose on unsteady legs as he returned with a
corduroy jacket. He helped her into it. She murmured her thanks,
noticing the faint smell of his cologne on the fabric.

“
It’s getting dark. I’ll walk you to your car.”

Julia picked up her purse and followed him out the door.
Outside, magenta hued ribbons stretched along the darkening horizon.
She had no idea so much time had passed. The streets glistened with
lights reflecting in the puddles as they walked to the parking garage
situated only a block away from his apartment.

The air was brisk, making Julia thankful for the warmth
of the coat. She pulled it more tightly about her. When they arrived
at the Mustang, she opened the door and turned to Marc. “Thanks for
the tour, the hot chocolate...everything.”

He smiled in a vague way and waited until she was locked
inside the car with the engine running. He returned her wave as she
drove away.

When Julia arrived back at the B & B, she went
straight to the cottage without stopping in at the house. In her
bedroom, she picked up Sara’s copy of Marc’s book. Sitting on the
edge of the bed, she turned the book over and studied the photograph
on the back. Coherent thoughts refused to form in her head, so she
scooted onto the bed. Leaning against the headboard, she was
determined to read the book from cover to cover.

Chapter Five

Julia awoke the next morning, and groggily realized she’d fallen
asleep in Marc’s coat. The book lay open on the floor. A glance at
the clock told her it was nine in the morning. Late for her, and yet
she felt more fatigued than usual.

She closed her eyes and tried to will away an impending headache.
Reaching up to the area above her hairline over her right temple, she
felt the scars and tried to rub away some of the pain. Perhaps she’d
caught a chill from being out in the rain. That might explain why
she’d fallen asleep in her clothes.

Forcing herself off the bed, she remembered what occurred the night
before with Marc Dorin. Something
had
happened. She just
didn’t know what. Julia had no desire to obsess. Maybe for once,
having a headache could serve a purpose. She’d be unable to make
sense of anything in the state she was in.

Julia decided against doing her usual exercises, hoping if she took
it easy, she’d feel better sooner than later. After dressing in a
dusty blue cashmere tee and matching cardigan along with black
slacks, she brushed out her hair and headed over to the main house.
Julia found Sara at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal,
engrossed in a book on pregnancy and delivery.

“I don’t think I’m going to make it through labor,” she
wailed when she saw Julia walk in the back door.

Julia joined her at the table. “Sure you will. Just think of all
the millions of women before you who’ve gone through it.”

“How comforting,” Sara said with a wry smile. She rested her chin
in her palm. “I plan to take any and every drug they’ll give me.”

Julia smiled to conceal the unexpected sadness that descended upon
her. Sara’s quandary was something she was certain she’d never
experience. At one time, having a family had been her heart’s
desire. Now she had a career to take care of. It was enough.
Right?

“Are you okay?”

She blinked and looked over at Sara. “I’m fine.”

“You look a little pale this morning.”

She shrugged. “I did wake up with a bit of a headache. I might have
caught a chill when I was

with...uh, when it started to rain.”

Sara grinned. “Let me hear you say it.”

“You were right.” Her smile felt sincere this time. “I should
have taken an umbrella.”

“So how did you like the city?”

“
What I saw of it was interesting and very charming. I
wandered about on foot and then went to a huge bookstore called
Bibliophile’s. Have you heard of it?”

“
I remember Marc telling us it’s one of the places
where his book will be sold. I guess he goes there quite a bit. Plus
his place is close to the Square. Wouldn't that be something if you
ran into him?”

Julia laced her fingers together in her lap. She was
still a little annoyed that Sara had tried to set her up. Lying
through her teeth wasn’t an option, so she’d try to downplay the
truth. “Um, actually, I did happen to see him. We
coincidentally
ran into each other in a coffee shop.”

Sara arched a brow. “There’s about a million people in the
greater Portland area and you’re telling me it was a coincidence?”
She tapped her fingers on the table. “There’s going to be a book
party for him Friday night. Think you’d be interested in going?
Brian and I wouldn’t miss it.”

“I haven’t been invited,” Julia said, amazed at her
sister-in-law's tenacity.

“Sure you have. Our invitation is for the ‘Farris family’.
You’re family.”

Twisting the silver bracelet around her wrist, Julia looked down to
hide the flash of interest. “I’ll think about it.”

“You do that.” Sara rose and put her empty cereal bowl in the
sink.

“Is there anything I can do to help you today?” she asked, glad
Sara didn’t grill her on her time spent with Marc.

“Yes, the cupboard knobs need polishing and I want the spices
alphabetized.”

Julia hopped up from her chair.

Sara put out her hand. “Sit down! I was only kidding! Honestly,
you’re a worse workaholic than your brother.”

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Julia sank onto the chair.
Why am
I acting so stupid?

Her sister-in-law rejoined her at the table. “Are you sure you’re
feeling okay?”

Straightening her shoulders, Julia resolved to get a grip on her
wayward emotions. “How’s the baby?” She noticed her voice
sounded a bit thick.

Sara patted her belly. “He likes to wiggle a lot.”

“He?”

With a sheepish smile, she winked. “Or she.”

“Do you have any names picked out?”

Sara’s eyes sparkled as she leaned close. “Actually, I was
wondering if it would be all right if we named a girl after you. That
is, your middle name, Nicole. What do you think?”

Her voice came out in a squeak. “Me?”

“Oh! I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?” Sara grabbed for a
box of Kleenex on the counter and pushed a tissue into Julia’s
hands.

Horrified at the moisture springing unbidden from her eyes, Julia
wondered why she seemed to cry at the littlest thing these days.
“I’m sorry.”

Sara touched her hand. “It’s okay. You have my permission to cry
whenever you feel like it. Besides, you’ve had some rough months,
with the accident and all.”

Grasping onto that excuse like a lifeline, Julia nodded as she dried
her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure that’s what it is. Thanks for being so
understanding.”

Sara handed her another tissue. “I just wanted your okay to use
Nicole. If it’s a boy, we’ll use Brian’s middle name, Alan.”

“I’m honored, of course.” Julia took a deep breath. “Now
really, is there anything I can help you with today?”

“Nope, you’ve done enough around here. You seem to keep
forgetting you’re on sabbatical.

Besides, you’re pampering me with all your help and I’m liable to
get spoiled.”

“You deserve to be pampered.”

Sara gave an imperious wave of her hand. “I hereby dismiss you from
your duties.”

Julia smiled weakly. Sara couldn’t know the anxiety a lack of
purpose caused within her. Her eyes roamed around the room. She
caught sight of a shelf lined with cookbooks. An idea began to form
in her mind, flooding her with relief.

“Sara, can I make dinner for you and Brian tomorrow night? It would
be a way for me to thank you for all your hospitality and kindness.”

“Well, we don’t have anyone booked for then so unless someone
drops in, we could use the big table in the dining room.” Sara sent
her a hard stare. “But there’s no reason to go to such trouble.”

“It won’t be any trouble, it’ll be fun, I promise. So is
tomorrow at six-thirty, okay?”

“Fine. Oh, I almost forgot. Marc is stopping by to talk to Brian
about an equipment cabinet he wants built.”

Julia’s excitement faltered. “Of course, he’s welcome too.”
She stood. “Is it alright if I borrow the car again? I’d like to
go into town and pick up some things.”

“You know where the keys are.”

As she headed out the door, Julia breathed a small sigh of relief.
Busyness would keep her from brooding about the accident and...other
things.

Especially other things.

***

The next morning, Julia felt well enough to get through a short
workout session. That fact bolstered her mood as she went ahead with
her plans for dinner.
See, I don't have to let a 'chance'
encounter with an attractive man upset my equilibrium
.

She spent the day beginning preparations for her chosen menu which
consisted of cream of celery root soup, standing rib roast, mashed
potatoes and Swiss chard terrine, steamed asparagus with lemon
butter, parslied carrots, and for dessert, flavored coffee and white
chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce.

When she could take a break from cooking, she spiffed the living and
dining rooms, placing scented candles all around. Their fragrance
mingled with the scent of fresh cut flowers she'd brought in from the
yard.

By the time the food was prepared, Julia realized she’d used just
about every bowl and utensil in the kitchen. Clean up would be a
major undertaking. She blew a lock of hair from her eyes and saw it
was after five-thirty. After setting the table, she hurried back to
the cottage for a quick shower.