Page 36 of Taking a Chance on Charlevoix
“No problem. I won’t keep you,” she said, a bit embarrassed. They’d talked for forty-five minutes.
“Nonsense. I’ve enjoyed talking to you.” His voice dropped. Yep, this felt like high school. Did he feel that way too. “Sorry but I have to take this…and Sam?”
“Yes?” She hated to end the call.
“I miss you.”
Had he really said that? She almost told him that she missed him too. Almost but she held back. “Guess you better take that call.”
Her answer bothered her as she tried to sleep. Did it bother him too?
Chapter Fifteen
MARLOWE
When Marlowe got off the plane in Traverse Bay two weeks later, she sprinted from the plane, eager to see Sam. And sure enough, the minute she hit the concourse there was her sister, smiling and waving to her. With her chestnut colored hair shining under the overhead lights, Sam was bundled up in a navy three quarter length coat. Yes, they were in snow country again. White mounds of snow lined the runway. Marlowe wore her gray quilted jacket from Lands End. She’d used it more in the past two months than she had in the past five years.
Sam had driven from Chicago and had offered to pick Marlowe up on the way to Sunnycrest. They were both there to meet with the contractor. She couldn't wait to see the drawings. Aunt Cate had assured them both during a joint call that if they didn't feel that Seth Barrett was the one to work on Sunnycrest, there were other contractors available. Marlowe had mentioned going back to Gabby and that’s what they’d do. This had to be the right person. So much hinged on this renovation.
“So good to see you!” Her big sister crushed Marlowe to her chest. You would have thought that they hadn't seen each other in years. Instead, it had only been weeks.
While they waited for the luggage to appear in the baggage area, they talked about how excited they were to be moving their relocation plan along. When they'd made all these decisions on New Year's Day, it would have been easy to go home and then send an email saying something had come up. The plan wasn't possible. But no one had backed out. Marlowe felt almost heady thinking about her upcoming appointment with Gabby and her husband. This was all coming together.
Before long they had Marlowe's bag and were moving across the packed snow to Sam's SUV. Unlike Chicago at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the days up here were often sunny, not the dull gray that could enclose southern Michigan until spring. After swinging her turquoise bag into the back of the SUV, Marlowe climbed in next to Sam. How she wished she were within driving distance of Charlevoix, although this wasn’t convertible weather. What was she going to do with her turquoise convertible? She hadn’t decided.
Although Sam had sounded down in the dumps during their recent calls after Christmas, today her sister sparkled. What was that about?
“So what have you been doing since I last talked to you?” Marlowe asked as her sister backed out of the parking place and made her way back to the highway.
“I put my house on the market.”
Marlowe couldn't believe what she was hearing. “No way. Really?”
“Once I told people that I was dating someone up here, I had to move things along.”
Turning so that she could see Sam's profile, Marlowe studied her sister’s giddy smile. “So that's how it is. You and Josh are now dating?” She blew out that last word like the Goodyear blimp and loved seeing the pink flush work its way up Sam's cheeks
“Not really. But my friends don't have to know that.” Sam slammed her hands against the wheel. “Okay, so I exaggerated. I couldn't stand having everyone feel sorry for me. It was such a bummer.”
“I'm with you on that. But I hope you didn't blow it all out of proportion.” After what Sam had been through, Marlowe didn’t want her sister to get ahead of herself. She couldn’t stand to see Sam disappointed, not after the mess she’d been through with Kurt.
Having been single for a long time, Marlowe knew how that felt when you put the cart before the horse. There were years when Aunt Cate often asked her if she were dating someone. Sometimes she’d invent a mystery man but her aunt’s questions never stopped. Finally she’d eased off. “So have you been exaggerating whatever it is you have with Josh?” That didn’t sound like her sister, but a pity party was never fun. She wanted Sam to leave Chicago on a hopeful note.
“Just a teeny bit. I have been talking to Josh, and those conversations get, well, pretty long. We have a lot of memories and a lot of filling in to do.”
Marlowe loved the smile that danced across Sam’s lips. No way would she warn her sister to go slow, to be sure about how they both felt. If her sister was happy, then Marlowe was happy. Besides, Josh had always been a good guy. There was no reason to worry about him hurting her.
“And then there's Kurt,” Sam continued. “I hated hearing that he’d taken Chelsea to the parties we once attended as a couple. While I was in Michigan, he made the rounds among our circle of friends.”
Hearing that made Marlowe mad. “So he’s officially a creep. I’m sure your friends know the truth. I don't blame you a bit for getting your own story out there.”
“Right.” Sam blew out a breath. “Apparently he talked about how much he looked forward to the upcoming baby.”
“That is so mean.” Marlowe couldn't believe it. Were all men like this? But she thought back to her dad. He’d been great.
“I should have prepared myself, darn it.” Sam's voice was full of hurt. “That news came when I met some friends for dinner. By then I knew he'd been to the house and had cleared out a lot of furniture and other stuff.”
“Has he bought a house for his new family?”
