Daniel arrives at Ruthie’s promptly at six thirty with a bottle of bubbles and a bouquet of roses cut from his garden. Instead of hiding his car in the garage, he parks on the street, marches up to the front door, and rings the bell.
Ruthie looks amazing in cropped jeans and a pink silk top with her blonde hair brushing her shoulders the way he likes it. She takes him in her arms and hugs him tight. No words are needed. This is her way of expressing her sorrow over his terminal condition.
The feel of her body drives him mad with desire, and he pushes her gently away. “Sorry. The thorns are pricking me.”
“Oops.” She takes the flowers from him. “These are gorgeous. I’ll put them in some water.”
He follows her into the kitchen, and while she locates a vase, he pops the cork on the champagne and fills two glasses.
“This hardly seems like an occasion to celebrate,” she says when he hands her a glass.
He touches the tip of his finger to the end of her nose. “Since when does the Queen of Bubbles need a special occasion to drink champagne?”
Ruthie giggles. “Since never. You’re in an awfully good mood for someone . . .” Rosy spots appear on her cheeks. “You know, considering the circumstances.”
Daniel shrugs. “There’s no point in dwelling on my misfortune. I want to enjoy every minute I have left. And I’d like to do that with you, if you’ll take me back.”
Ruthie turns away from him. “We need to have a serious discussion before I agree to anything. But we can talk while we eat.” Setting her champagne glass on the counter, she opens the oven and removes a casserole dish. “The lasagna’s ready. Do you mind getting the salad out of the refrigerator?”
Minutes later, they are seated at the small round table on her screened porch. He patiently answers the same questions his children asked about his condition. He experiences a pang of guilt with each lie that crosses his lips. The more lies he tells, the more lies he invents to cover his tracks.
He eats the last bite of lasagna and wipes his mouth with a pink linen napkin. “Can we stop talking about my cancer and have that discussion about us?”
“I can’t go back to the way things were, Daniel. I need more.”
Daniel’s expression tightens. “I hardly see the point of getting married when I only have a few months left to live.”
“I’m hoping you have longer than a few months.” She pushes her plate away. “And I’m not talking about marriage. I want to go public with our relationship.”
Daniel thinks back to the night of the Coleman wedding. Ruthie had looked so elegant in her emerald-green dress. Hands down, she’s the best-looking woman her age he knows. And everyone in town thinks highly of her. He insisted on keeping their relationship secret in case someone better came along. Someone with a more distinguished pedigree. And that woman had come along. What a loser Caroline Horton turned out to be.
Placing both hands on the table, he leans toward her. “Then let’s do it. We’ll become a proper couple. You can be my date to Ada’s wedding.”
Ruthie moves to the edge of her chair. “Do you really mean it, Daniel? You’re willing to be exclusive? No more one-night stands?”
“No more one-night stands for me”—he thumbs his chest and then points at her—“if you promise not to go out with Bud again.”
“That’s an easy promise. I like Bud. He’s laid back and fun to be with. But there were no sparks between us.” She walks her fingers up Daniel’s arm. “Not like the chemistry you and I have.”
He brings her hand to his lips, nibbling on the tips of her fingers. “I’ve missed that chemistry. What say we seal this deal in bed?”
“Later.” She snatches her hand away and jumps to her feet. “First, we’re going to walk down Magnolia Avenue. I want the whole town to see me on your arm. Besides, I have a hankering for Delilah’s gelato.”
They quickly clean up from dinner and head out hand in hand toward the center of town. The night autumn air is cool, and when Ruthie shivers, Daniel pulls her close. “This is nice. I like being official.”
“I told you,” Ruthie says, placing an arm around his waist. “We should have done it a long time ago.”
“We’re doing it now. That’s what counts.”
Heads turn as they stroll down Magnolia Avenue. Ruthie whispers, “Look! People are staring at us. They’re shocked to see the legendary bachelor, Daniel Love, on a date with a woman.”
“They’re not looking at me. They’re thinking how pretty you are.” Daniel’s words sound corny to his ears, but he means them.
When they reach Delilah’s Delights, they purchase two cups of coffee gelato and locate a table on the deck out back.
“So,” Ruthie says, licking gelato off her plastic spoon. “Do you have a bucket list?”
“Besides Ada’s wedding, I’m starting a couple of construction projects, and I hope to launch at least one of the new varietals. Bruce has promised a new Petit Verdot for the wedding.”
“What do you think about us planning a trip for after the wedding? You can pick the place, somewhere you’ve always wanted to go.”
“I’m not much of a traveler. I have all the beautiful scenery I need right here in the mountains of Virginia.” Seeing her disappointment, he adds, “But I’d love to take a trip with you. You can pick the place.”
By then, Daniel will supposedly be on his way to Spain or India for his clinical trial. He’ll disappear for six or eight weeks to a remote place like the Aleutian Islands in Alaska where no one will ever find him. He imagines the teary reunion when he returns home for Christmas, magically cured. His children and their new wives and husbands will gather around his dining room table for a feast fit for a king on Christmas Eve. He’ll buy them lavish gifts. Fly-fishing gear for Sheldon. A new horse for Ada. Maybe even a diamond engagement ring for Ruthie.
“Hello? Anybody in there?” Ruthie says, stabbing him with her plastic spoon.
“Sorry. I have a lot on my mind these days.”
Ruthie’s smile fades. “Of course, you do.”
Her sad face tugs at his heartstrings. Daniel will rot in hell for putting his loved ones through this. But his charade is working. Ada and Ruthie are back in his life. When this is all over, he’ll make it up to them.
He reaches for her hand. “What were you saying?”
“That I’ve always wanted to drive down the West Coast, starting in the Olympic National Park and ending in San Diego.”
“That sounds perfect. We’ll rent a luxury convertible, and stay in the most luxurious hotels, and dine in the best restaurants.”
He vows to one day take her on this trip. Maybe next spring or summer. Maybe even for their honeymoon.