CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The next afternoon, Misty was cleaning Emmett’s house, which his temporary replacement had left a mess. Her cell phone rang. She saw Crystal’s number and picked up the call.
“ Bonjour ! Where are you?” Misty couldn’t hide her excitement.
“We’re just leaving Logan airport in Boston,” said Crystal. “We’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
“That will give me time to finish up here,” said Misty. “Emmett’s replacement seems like a nice guy, but he’s a slob. I don’t want you coming home from your honeymoon to a dirty house.”
“Oh, Misty, that’s sweet of you,” gushed Crystal.
“I’m happy to do it,” Misty said. “Don’t worry about fresh food. I took care of that earlier.”
“You’re an angel. It’s been a fantastic trip, but I’ll be happy to be home. And Emmett is ready to get back to his patients. Guess we’re just a couple of homebodies.”
Emmett mumbled something in the background, and Crystal laughed. “Maybe not. Emmett’s reminding me of how I loved our time in Paris. Like I said, it was fabulous.”
“Can’t wait to hear all about it. See you shortly,” said Misty, ending the call. She had more work to do.
Misty had just placed a vase filled with wildflowers on the kitchen table when she heard a car pulling into the driveway. She hurried outside to see Crystal get out of a Lincoln Town Car and rushed to greet her.
They hugged and laughed when they both tried to talk at the same time.
“I’m delighted to see you,” said Misty, blinking back a sting of tears. Crystal was much more than a sister to her.
“And I to see you,” Crystal said, holding Misty away from her and studying her. “You look different. Happier. Are you?”
“Yes, it’s been a couple of difficult weeks, but I feel as if I’m on the right track now. Tell me all about the trip. Were the food and wine as wonderful as you thought?”
Crystal patted her stomach. “Even more so. I have many delicious ideas for gourmet dinners. But nothing can beat the fresh bread, cheese, and wine for a simple picnic. That, too, exceeded all my expectations.”
“And the clothing?” Misty asked, noticing the scarf Crystal was wearing.
“The fabrics, the styles, the French flair are all wonderful. It felt nice to dress up every day. I’d gotten too used to wearing my cooking outfits.”
Emmett came over to them and kissed Misty on the cheek. “Your sister caught the attention of everyone. Seems like I have a natural French woman on my hands.”
Misty’s heart lifted as Emmett smiled at Crystal as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. Remembering David’s kiss, she was pleased things were going well for her, too.
“Why don’t you come to help me unpack?” Crystal said. “I bought a few items for you, and I’m anxious to see if you like them.”
They went inside the house while Emmett walked over to the medical practice building to check on things there.
In the kitchen, Crystal turned to her. “It looks fantastic. Thanks for straightening and cleaning. I liked Emmett’s replacement when I met him, but I had a feeling that the house would need sprucing up by the time we returned.”
“It certainly did,” said Misty, shuddering to think of how disappointed Crystal would have been to come home to such a mess.
They went upstairs to Crystal’s bedroom. Crystal opened her suitcase to show Misty some of her purchases. They squealed excitedly as her sister unwrapped each one like a special Christmas package.
“And this is for you,” said Crystal, handing her a small, soft package.
Misty opened it and gasped with pleasure. “I’ve read about Hermes scarves but never thought I’d own one. I love it!” She held up the red floral scarf and wrapped it around her neck.
Crystal kissed her. “In Paris, women wear scarves in a variety of ways. They add elegance to any outfit. I want you to enjoy this bit of luxury.”
“Every time I wear it, I’ll feel like a princess,” said Misty, staring at herself with the scarf in the mirror.
“And one more thing.” Crystal handed her another larger package. “You’ll get a ton of wear out of this.”
Misty unwrapped the tissue, stared at the simple, sleeveless, black sheath, and grinned. “My own little black dress. Thank you. Thank you.”
“I enjoyed picking these out for you. Wear them with health and joy,” said Crystal. “Now, I suppose I should do some laundry. How’s that for a dramatic change?”
Misty laughed. “From riches to rags.”
“Are you going to Jake’s tonight?” Crystal asked.
“I’m not sure. David is taking me out to dinner.”
Crystal smiled. “He’s perfect for you.”
“We’ve decided to let our relationship develop. I had a bit of a setback and needed to figure some things out, but I feel better about us now. I’ll tell you about it another time. I know you’re anxious to get unpacked and settled. I’m glad you had such a marvelous time.”
“Me, too,” said Crystal. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Misty carried her gifts to her car, overwhelmed by Crystal’s generosity. She intended to put the dress to use by wearing it this evening, along with her scarf.
###
Misty spent the remainder of the afternoon anxiously awaiting a call from David to confirm a time for dinner. She knew that as long as fair weather held, he’d be busy with the landscaping business. Today was no exception.
When he finally called to say he’d pick her up at seven, she laid her new black dress on her bed.
It was cool enough to wear the scarf Crystal had given her.
That, and simple gold earrings would make the outfit.
Misty thought of the evening as a new beginning with David and wanted to look especially nice.
Later, when David picked her up, she was rewarded for her efforts by a long, low whistle from him.
“You look amazing,” David said as he bent to kiss her.
She looked up at him and grinned. “Do I look Parisian?”
At his look of confusion, she laughed. “Crystal brought me the dress and scarf from Paris. I’m supposed to feel very special in them.”
He gave her an impish look. “I think you’d look very special without any of it. We can give it a try later.”
She chuckled as heat rose to her cheeks. Maybe this was more than a simple new beginning. The thought intrigued her.
###
They left the house, and David helped her get into his truck.
She hooked her seat belt and turned to him in the driver’s seat. “Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d eat at Fresh. The owners have started construction on their new restaurant here in town, and I wanted a chance to taste their food at their other place.”
“What a treat! I’ve eaten there once before. Though their menu is on the pricey side, their fresh selections are worth it.”
“I thought it was the perfect spot for our first real date in a while,” said David.
“Thanks,” said Misty, noting his tan slacks and navy golf shirt. He’d fussed with his appearance, too.
When they arrived at the restaurant outside of town, a valet took care of David’s truck while David led her inside.
As they waited to be seated, Misty studied the interior.
Dark green walls were trimmed with white-painted wood and matched the green in the floral-patterned carpet.
White linen cloths covered the tables, and in the center of each table, a small crystal vase held pink roses.
The lighting was low, allowing the shimmering candles at each table to glow.
They were seated at a corner table where they’d have privacy.
“It’s beautiful,” said Misty.
David took hold of her hand and gazed at her, smiling with satisfaction. “I wanted this to be a special evening to celebrate our decision to move forward.”
“That makes me happy,” said Misty. David had never given her a reason to doubt his sincerity.
Their waitress appeared, and after ordering a bottle of wine, David and she perused the menu together.
“What do you think you want?” he asked her. He hesitated for only a moment, then added, “Along with me?”
She laughed. “That’s dessert. Right? I think I’ll start with something on the menu.”
He chuckled. “This is a side of you I like.”
They laughed together. She enjoyed flirting with him. It was something new for her.
The wine came, and David went through the motions of tasting it. “Delicious.”
The wine steward bobbed his head. “A lovely Chandler Hill pinot noir. A fine choice.”
After pouring some into their glasses, he left, giving them privacy.
David took a sip of wine and set down his glass.
“I have something to ask you, and I don’t want it to come out wrong.
My parents have been given a chance to buy a condo in Florida, and they wanted to know how I felt about moving into the cottage from the cabin.
They eventually want a smaller place here in town but hate the idea of giving up the lake property. ”
“And?” Misty said, trying to control her voice as her heart pumped blood through her.
“And I wonder if you’d consider living there with me if our relationship grows like we want. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not pushing you into anything before it's time, but if it’s a flat no, I should probably let them know I’m not interested.”
“What timeline are you talking about?” Misty asked.
“No definite decision has to be made for a long time. But as I said, if I know that no matter what happens between us, you have no interest in living there, I need to tell them.” He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s beginning to sound awkward, and I don’t want that.”
“Would I ever consider living there if the circumstances were right?” she asked. “I would. Does that help?”
“Yes,” said David. “We’ve committed to growing our relationship. Right?”
Misty nodded but already knew she wanted more. A lot of her recent soul-searching had included such thoughts.
“I think I’d better have another sip of wine and shut up,” David said, grinning. “This opportunity for my parents has made me think about the future.”
“No worries. We’re starting over tonight, and that was a fair question,” said Misty. If they were going to grow and move forward, they had to be able to talk about anything.
They placed their orders, and Misty told him about working at the gourmet dinners Crystal was excited to put on. David spoke about the coming Christmas season and how he planned to increase sales.
“Maybe you could have a booth at the Christmas Fair in town,” said Misty. “That might help you get through slow winter months.”
“Something to think about, anything to be able to keep my crew. Seasonal work can make it hard for families. Several of my men work at the ski resorts during the winter, but anything I can do to help keeps a flow of income for everyone.”
“You’re a good man, David,” she said.
“I try.” He gave her a teasing smile. “But there are times I like to be bad.”
Laughing, she shook her head but didn’t respond.
Their meals were brought to the table.
She’d ordered a crispy chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms in a lemon-butter sauce. David, a typical male, asked for a strip steak. Both looked delicious. A mélange of fresh vegetables accompanied the entrées.
Misty took a bite of her chicken and sighed with pleasure. “Yum.”
“Mine, too,” said David. “If this restaurant is an indication, I think Refresh, the new restaurant in town, will do very well.”
###
After a pleasant meal, they headed to Misty’s house. The closer they got, the more anticipation grew inside Misty. She hoped that this evening would prove the depth of their commitment to one another. It was both scary and exciting to have reached this stage in their relationship.
Sugar greeted them with her usual excitement, and Misty took the opportunity to suggest they sit out on the deck while Sugar roamed in the woods.
“Can I get you something to drink? Water? Coffee?” she asked David.
“A glass of water would be nice,” he replied. He stood at the deck railing and looked into the woods. “It's peaceful here. I love hearing the sound of the rushing river.”
“Yes, it’s very soothing,” said Misty. She went inside, fixed two glasses of water, and returned to the deck with them.
She handed David a glass and sat in one of the chairs. “Thanks again for a wonderful dinner. It was delicious.”
“I thought so too. More importantly, it was a chance for me to do something nice for you. I know you’ve had a rough beginning with your job at school.”
“It has been a big learning curve for me. I know my responsibilities as a teacher and a person, but I have to be careful how I use them.”
“Harley Kirk is a troubled man if he doesn’t want to admit he has a son or that he’s married. I don’t think we’ve heard the end of him yet, even with JoEllen breaking up with him. After all, he works at The Meadows.”
“I can’t help wondering what is going on with him. There’s got to be more to the story.”
“It’ll all work out the way it’s meant to be,” said David, sounding like his mother, making Misty smile.
His gaze remained fixed on her, and when Sugar came bounding back, Misty opted to go inside.
David followed her.
In the kitchen, they set down their glasses and faced one another.
“We teased about dessert earlier …”
“Yes,” said Misty, both commenting and answering his unspoken question.
“Are you sure?” David asked her.
She took his hand and walked with him to her bedroom.
“Not now,” she said to Sugar and closed the bedroom door.
David cupped her face in his strong hands, toughened by labor, and lowered his lips to hers. His kiss was sweet and soft until passion took over, and it grew hungry.
She responded and felt her knees weaken. His kisses told a unique story, one filled with both tenderness and passion, of caring and needing.
When they pulled apart, he murmured, “Wow,” in such a way she knew he felt the same awe.
Emboldened, aware of the importance of taking the next step, she moved toward the bed, draping her scarf across a chair in the bedroom.
He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. “M-m-m, you smell good.”
She turned and faced him, wanting him to see how much she needed him.
He drew her to him and unzipped the back of her dress. She stepped out of it and draped it on top of her scarf.
David lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, gently laying her on top of it. “This is what I’ve waited for. I want you so much. Do you feel the same?”
“Yes, oh yes.” She opened her arms to him, and he fell into them.