The Job Offer

Anne and Ben spent a relaxing day biking to the eastern side of the island and Moran State Park. From there, they made their way up the road to Mount Constitution and wound their way up to the observation deck that had been built at the summit. The views from the top were breathtaking. The sky was clear again, and they could see for miles. The rest of the San Juan Islands were the closest. Further out they could see Mount Rainer, the Cascade Mountains, and the port cities of Anacortes to the southeast, Port Townsend to the south, and Bellingham to the northeast. They stood for several minutes just taking in the splendor of the 360-degree view from the top.

  Then they made their way back down the summit again and rode their bikes south to Mountain Lake along one of the many bike trails located in the park. The blue water surrounded by tall pine trees came into view long before they arrived. Several fishing boats and canoes were in the water further out and away from the shoreline. They stopped at a public beach along the lakeshore then ate a light picnic lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apples, and water after taking a swim to cool off. The food and cool water revived them. The warm sun and exercise were taking their toll.

  Later that day, they made their way back to the inn and cleaned up for the wedding rehearsal that would take place at the chapel. They drove her rental car to the chapel and to dinner at the steak and seafood house located in Orcas Village, so that they could leave when they wanted to do so. After the dinner was finished, they decided to leave before dessert, and said goodbyes to everyone before they left. Anne couldn’t help but see the happy smiles directed at her and Ben from Ben’s family. On their drive back to the inn, they decided to detour their route and stop in Eastsound for some ice cream and a walk around the harbor. While they walked arm and arm along the docks and the downtown area, they greeted several locals and the tourists they crossed paths with who were also out for a stroll.

  The village was quaint and always warmed her heart when she was there. If she could have a vacation home, it would be in Eastsound, she thought, as they stopped to look in the storefronts. The buildings in town looked like cottages that could be found in a storybook, all neat with painted clapboard siding. Some sported gingerbread trim along the fascia and gables. A number of houses were owned by permanent islanders, but there were also several rental homes and B & B’s that could be found in the village.

  The landscape was dotted with cabins and campgrounds further out of the small downtown area. Wild flowers growing in rock ledges along the shoreline and hills were juxtaposed with neat window boxes and flowerpots on doorsteps. They could see both of the distant shorelines of the East Sound, a natural waterway that split the island into two halves like an undone bow tie whose ends were left hanging from the center loop. Eastsound was the knot in the middle. Hilltops covered primarily with fir trees could be seen in the lowering sun that cast warm colors across the sky and made the water of the Sound sparkle.

  While walking around downtown, they found a little shop that sold ice cream and went inside to get a couple of waffle cones that they ate as they continued their stroll along the downtown area filled with various businesses. When the sun finally set, they headed back to Anne’s car and drove back to the inn. Ben parked the car in the Petrovic's private parking area behind their house then walked with Anne up the back path to the inn’s main building. The swimming pool, that held a number of people earlier in the day, was empty now and music from a live band came from inside the lounge. After deciding to skip the lounge full of wedding guests and vacationers, Ben took Anne's hand and led her up the fire escape to his room where he proceeded to show her just what the day spent with her meant to him.

  Chapter 15