When Forever Stays (The Forever Duet)

Nine

NINE

RHETT

“How would you feel about a walk down the beach?” I ask after pulling her toward the shoreline.

Dana cautiously looks over at me, then back to the group of people talking as if we were never there. “Are you feeling up for that? You look tired.”

“I really don’t want to be at Crew’s right now.” The truth is, I don’t want to be alone. Not just because Dr. Woodhouse said I shouldn’t be, but because being next to Dana is the comfort my confused mind needs.

“We can go to the beach, but we’re not going for a long walk. You still need to be taking it easy.”

I fight the urge to reach for her hand. She hasn’t pulled away from me, but I can sense that it takes her off guard each time I touch her. She’s all I have right now, all that feels familiar. I don’t want to lose her to a stupid mistake.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Dana’s only response is a slight quirk of her lips.

I follow her down the sandy sidewalk that takes us from the resort to the beach. We walk the shore a bit, but we never go so far that we lose sight of the resort. She finds a comfortable spot, and I sit down next to her on the sand. She leans back on her forearms and stares at the wide expanse of ocean before her eyes fall closed. There’s a smile on her lips as she tilts her head back, her hair gently grazing the ground.

“Didn’t your mama ever tell you it’s rude to stare?” she asks as her eyes slowly open.

I don’t answer right away because something pops into my mind unexpectedly. “She did, but she also taught me how to appreciate beauty.”

Both of us inhale sharply. It’s a memory that broke through, which is satisfying, but not as satisfying as the light blush my compliment brought to Dana’s cheeks.

The memory is of Mom and me at an art show, staring at pictures and paintings done by my brother Caleb and his classmates. I remember being jealous because Mom was going on and on about how talented Caleb was.

I tried to act like I didn’t care, but at one point, I said, “It’s all right, I guess. I’ve seen better.”

Instead of scolding me for being a jerk, she said, “I understand that sometimes we don’t want to admit that something is beautiful. But even in those times, you should appreciate it for what it is.”

I’m grateful Mom’s words have stuck with me. I appreciate beauty now more than ever with the most beautiful woman sitting here with me. As our conversation unfolds over the next couple of hours, I get to see deeper layers of Dana’s internal beauty.

Long after Dana drops me off at Crew’s apartment, I replay our day together, hoping that my memories with her return soon. I know there’s more to her than what I’ve seen so far and I want to learn everything.

The next several days pass in a similar pattern: Dana shows up mid-morning with coffee and food, we visit a few places around town and get lunch, we eat dinner, and we spend some time on the beach before Dana brings me back to Crew’s apartment for the night. I like the structure. But most of all, I just like being with Dana.

She’s guarded with me, probably because I hurt her. Yet she’s walking with me through this uncertain time. And doing it with a smile.

She has another shift at the café today, and with nothing better to do, I decide to hang out there until she’s done.

The Screaming Peach looks like a quaint little place from the outside, but as soon as you step through the door, it opens up to a book and coffee lover’s paradise.

The left side of the shop contains the café, with a long counter and pastry case. Behind the counter is a line of appliances any coffee connoisseur would desire. The right side houses bookshelves in all shapes and sizes, each one packed full of books. The center of the book section houses a table full of books written by Olivia Swann—Dana’s sister. It was the first thing Dana showed me when giving me the grand tour.

“For you,” Dana says as she places a brand new Bible on the table.

I look up at her with a smile. “You didn’t need to buy me this.” There hasn’t been much to do at Crew’s apartment when I’ve waited around for Dana, so I asked to borrow one of his. Like everything else, Crew was reluctant.

She lifts a shoulder. “I would have given you one for the retreat, but I figured you’d want something a little more masculine than a pink or purple cover.”

I puff my chest out, trying to think of something witty to say, when the bell over the door rings.

“I better get back.” Dana hooks her thumb over her shoulder and returns to the counter.

A new song with a heavier sound plays over the speakers. Like so many things, it sounds familiar but I can’t grasp why. Was it a favorite song of mine? When the chorus starts, images fill my mind as if pictures are being snapped.

I’m standing next to a man who looks a lot like me, as well as a few other guys. Our arms are draped over each other's shoulders, and we’re all looking in different directions. The man who looks like me is my brother Caleb. It’s something I just know. I stare blankly at the table, fighting to remember who the other men are. Could they be my other brothers? No, Caleb is my only brother. I’m not sure how I know he’s my only brother, but I do. Were the other guys friends? I clench my jaw as the memory slips away. It was as if their names were teasing the edges of my brain, remaining just out of reach.

My hands ball into fists, and I sit them on top of the Bible Dana just put there. I rest my forehead against them.

“Why can’t I remember?” I mumble to myself.

I swallow the lump of irritation in my throat and focus instead on opening the brand-new Bible and reading the beginning of Genesis. Maybe it will trigger a memory or at least confirm that I’m on the right track with God.

I read through a chapter, but the bell over the door keeps chiming and the chatter of people grows louder, and I can no longer concentrate. When my gaze travels over to Dana, she’s working through the long line of customers like a pro. Her focus doesn’t waver from her work, and I have to fight against the urge to go over to her. This is her job, and she doesn’t need to be distracted.

At least not yet. Not until all these people are served. She’s too irresistible to keep away from. I smile to myself before flipping my Bible’s pages to the New Testament.