******
The eighteen-wheeler blasted its horn as it came up from behind her Baracuda and began to pass her on the left.
"Good Lord," she breathed, as she gripped the wheel. Why she'd worried about this stretch being isolated was a puzzle to her now, as she watched the massive truck pull ahead of her, and then move immediately back into her lane so quickly that she had to apply her breaks. Was every truck in the States going to Canada? She resumed her speed, and saw the truck put distance between them very quickly. She glanced at her watch. She'd been on this stretch for an hour now, and had tried to maintain her seventy-five mph speed. The scenery consisted mainly of either tall evergreens on both sides, or a wide swath of desolate land, so there wasn't much to see other than that. She'd passed two small towns, Orono, and Old Town early on after leaving Bangor. Since the last thirty minutes or so would be driving through uninhabited forest, she wouldn't mind at all if there were a couple of semi's to accompany her.
Finally, to her relief, she spied a sign with an arrow and Houlton printed on it, and she sighed loudly. This was it. She was almost there. She followed the signs to the US Border Patrol, and within a few minutes, saw the large structure resembling a toll booth spanning the road. She pulled up into one of the lanes and stopped. A Canadian border agent motioned for her to roll down her window. He brusquely requested her driver's license, and as he looked it over, asked her if her stay was business or pleasure.
"Pleasure." She took her license from him and returned it to her wallet. She wasn't sure if she would need to get some other type of certification later, if they decided to stay longer, but that was down the road, and they would figure it all out. The agent waved her on, and she pulled slowly out of the lane. Well, that was that. She was in New Brunswick, Canada. She leaned foward and looked around her as she drove out of the border patrol station, then pulled over to the side, and quickly reset her watch an hour ahead. Clay couldn't have come on this side of the highway. He must be further down the road, she figured, so she pulled back out and picked up speed and headed down New Brunswick ninety-five and toward NB route one. As the routes merged, she caught a glimpse of a black Jeep parked in a gas station a block away, and she broke into a wide smile and her heart began to race. She carefully crossed over and turned into the station, and she spied him climbing down from the Jeep noticing how good he looked in his blue jeans and pale blue polo shirt. She was anxious to throw her arms around his neck and she pulled into a spot nearby, seeing him wave to her as he approached the car.
"Mattie!"
She heard him call her as she turned off the engine and she immediately opened her door.
"Clay!" He reached her just as she stood up from the seat and held out her arms, and she laughed joyously and thought for sure she was going to burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around her, and lifted her off her feet for a moment, then hugged her soundly, his face buried in her neck. They finally pulled apart and he kissed her enhusiastically, then rested his hands on her shoulders as he gazed down at her.
"Mattie...I'm so glad you're here." She looked up into his warm eyes, and knew she'd made the right decision. She was home. This time, she felt tears spring to her eyes, and Clay trailed his finger along her damp cheekbones, frowning as he saw the cut. "I'm so sorry, Mattie, that you went through that." He kissed the side of her cheek gently. "You don't know how much I've missed you." He looked down at her, and his broad smile made her melt, and she sighed, then tilted her head at him and squinted her eyes.
"You've cut your hair." She smiled softly as she ran her fingers through the short strands above his ear, then made him turn around so she could see the back. "I like it, Clay...I like it a lot." She'd loved his ponytail, but she decided immediately that this style actually suited him better, with the tapered sides and back, and layered, slightly longer top and front. The sideburns were shorter too, but he still had a bit of a beard. Yes, she liked his new look very much. It gave him a mature appearance that she found very appealing. "It's probably more practical now, too."
"Yes, it is." He ran his hand through his hair, then put his hand on his hip. "Are you hungry?"
"I could eat," she laughed. "I've been snacking for the last four hours straight though...especially during that last stretch from Bangor."
"That is a rather boring stretch of road," he smiled into her eyes. "Follow me down a ways, and we can get something to eat." He glanced down at his watch. "It's a little after one now."
"All right." She lifted her face and he kissed her and they parted and got back into their respective cars, and she followed him out of the station and they turned left and headed southeast. After a few minutes, he turned onto a side street, and she noticed several small restaurants. He passed a parking space, then slowed, and she understood that he meant for her to park there, so she pulled up, then backed her car back next to the curb. He parked a couple of spots ahead of her, and hopped out and came over just as she had grabbed her cane, and was opening the door. She felt his arm slide around her waist and they walked together to the quaint, brick-fronted eatery, and sat outside at one of the black metal tables.
"It's still a ways to Cape Breton." Mattie sipped her water after the waiter set down the glasses and the menus. She scanned the menu for something light after having gorged on cookies and chocolate-dipped brioche.
"Yes, approximately seven hours." He held the menu down and leaned toward her. "However, I've parked the trailer at a campsite in Tatamagouche, about four hours from here. I hope that's all right with you. I thought we'd break up the driving a bit since we've both been on the road several hours today already."
"That sounds perfect," She nodded. "Thank you for meeting me at the border, Clay."
"You're most welcome," he smiled and his eyes crinkled. "A little selfish, perhaps, on my part, since it meant that I got to see you sooner." She smiled at that and he reached over and took her hand. "It's a three and a half hour trip to the cottage from Tatamagouche." Clay eyed her intently, his lips pursed as if poised to voice an important thought, and they looked up, startled, as the waiter reappeared.
"Have you chosen?" The black-clad waiter held up his pad and pen expectantly.
"Oh...yes, I'll have the shrimp salad." Mattie handed over the menu as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and fiddled with her gold hoop earring as she watched Clay, and her eyes softened. They were together. That was all that mattered to her.
"And I'll have the strip steak - medium rare...with fries."
"Very good." The waiter took his menu and disappeared back into the restaurant.
"Mattie, I can't believe everything that's happened to you." Clay shook his head in disbelief and took her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over hers. "How's your leg?"
"I think it's better, though I do want to get it checked out," she exhaled. "I never thought I'd ever be handcuffed and dragged by police through wet grass, Clay, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat." She shook her head, trying to sum it up for him. "How could I not try to save Samuel? What kind of person would I be if I'd just stood there and watched? I had to do something."
"That was very brave of you." He gazed at her intently. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of it."
"When I told President Buckley that I was resigning, it was as if a giant weight had lifted from my shoulders," she smiled at him now. "I had no doubts whatsoever."
They continued to discuss the day of her arrest, their hands intertwined, as they waited for their meal. The waiter reappeared with their orders, and they picked up their forks and started in on their lunch.
"You know, Clay...my department head, Ann, suggested that I write a textbook for college-level art history classes based on my lesson plans. She even offered to connect me with the publishers." She chewed a bite of her salad as she watched him thoughtfully. "I'm seriously considering it. I thought about it quite a lot on the way here, and the idea appeals to me."
"That's brilliant, Mattie." He cut a chunk of
steak. "I think you should do it. The cottage would be a perfect place to write. Even though it's small, there are areas for us to set up our office spaces." He swallowed his bite of steak. "I hope you like the place. It's on a high green ridge overlooking the ocean. Just imagine sitting outside writing your book in such peaceful surroundings, with the Atlantic right below you."
"That does sound wonderful," she sighed. "I have a lot to consider. Is Caleb sending you work from your business?"
"Yes, and by the way," he leaned in toward her. "The mountainside house I've been telling you about has been completed within its six month time frame, and Cal said the owners are ecstatic over the natural design elements we incorporated," he grinned at her as he cut another piece of steak. "I think, just based on their referrals, that the firm is going to lean in that direction in the future, rather than commercial design - unless, of course, a really good deal appears."
"Will Caleb stay on?"
"Yes, I've decided to make him a partner, so he'll work in the New York office dealing with the clients, while I work on the architectural concepts and renderings here, with a few trips back from time to time."
"It sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking." She picked up her glass of water and smiled as she saw him set down his knife and fork, and stare at her thoughtfully, his lips pursed again as if he were trying to make a decision. She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Thank you for forgiving me, Mattie." His deep voice was soft, and he sighed as his dark eyes searched hers. "I caused us both a lot of unnecessary pain by being completely selfish. I wasn't sure at all if you would respond to my letter, and I was contemplating coming back to New Hampshire to see you when I got your letter."
"How could I not have responded, Clay?" She slowly set down her glass of water and gazed at him as she reached for his hand. "I learned after you left, that you are all that is important to me." There was a long pause, as he returned her serious gaze, then his lips softened into a smile as he pressed her hand warmly.
"Well, then...perhaps we have some decisions to make together once we get to Cape Breton, eh?" He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Perhaps," she smiled at him softly, and she let her eyes roam slowly over his handsome face. Her countenance was calm, but her heart was soaring. "Yes, I think we have."