The Cynthia Freeman Collection Volume Two by Freeman Cynthia;

Author:Freeman, Cynthia;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
Published: 2017-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

JIM MET RACHEL EVERY night after work. At first Sara raised a ruckus about her comings and goings, but Rachel didn’t really care. She simply said she was going to night classes and would be home when she got there.

The girls Rachel worked with noticed her being picked up each night in a fine automobile, and, of course, there were all sorts of speculations around the office that she was being kept, that she was having an affair with an older man…Rachel knew what was being said behind her back and it bothered her no more than Sara’s silent treatment. A new stratagem for something new and wonderful in her young life…

Rachel was very quiet when she and Jim walked into Sheves Jewelers on the corner of Post and Grant. She had often lingered at the windows of that prestigious establishment, looking at the jewels and gems. But now she was inside, being shown tray after tray of the finest gems.

When the salesman showed her the five-carat solitaire, she marveled at the facets shimmering in the overhead lighting. Was she the same Rachel who had worked for the five-and-dime, who had been an usherette at the Tivoli Theater, Rachel who never had a decent dress until she earned enough to buy one herself? This couldn’t be the girl who just a short time ago had stood on a street corner on a rainy evening, thinking that nothing of any consequence would ever happen in her life. It seemed unreal, unbelievable, as Jim slipped the ring on her finger. She trembled inside…it was only a dream…

“Darling, do you like it?”

She looked up at him. It was no dream. Did she like it? It was difficult to keep her breathing even…“Oh, I love it.”

“Then, my love, this means we’re officially engaged.”

They laughed and Jim took her in his arms and kissed her as the salesman smiled. “Congratulations, Mr. Ross. And you, Miss Sanders.”

They walked up Post Street and went into Gump’s. Rachel followed like a sleepwalker. Again the feeling of unreality overwhelmed her. The beauty of the magnificent antiques, the china and silver, the Baccarat crystal—it was simply incredible.

Finally Jim led her to the credit department. “What are we doing here?”

“I want to open up an account, so you can charge.”

Rachel barely nodded. Incredible.

They had been engaged for two months when Jim received a letter from Maureen saying that since he appeared to be serious about getting married the least she could do was to meet the lucky lady. He immediately called her and told her how pleased he was and how much he wanted her and Rachel to be friends…

The meeting got off to an awkward beginning. Maureen directed most of her conversation to her father. “What have you decided, dad, about taking your only daughter to Argentina? We never got that settled in Santa Barbara.”

Rachel looked stunned. “Are you going to Argentina, Jim?”

He took her hand. “I’ll have to, darling, but just for a few weeks. Business…”

Maureen was delighted to see that Rachel was upset and in the dark about the trip.

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