Chapter 19
Kate stood in front of her closet at six-thirty, still in her bathrobe, staring at her limited options. The navy dress from her last dinner with Ben hung there, mocking her with its familiarity. She couldn't wear the same thing again.
“Stop overthinking,” Dani said from the doorway, holding a garment bag.
Kate jumped. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to watch you have a staring contest with your closet.” Dani came in, hung the garment bag on the door. “I brought you something.”
“Dani, no. I can't take your clothes.”
“It's not mine. I bought it for you yesterday, in Portland.” Dani unzipped the bag, revealing a dress in deep green, simple but elegant, with three-quarter sleeves and a wrap style that would be flattering without being revealing.
“You bought me a dress?”
“You bought yourself lipstick. I figured you needed something to go with it.” Dani held it up against Kate. “The color will make your eyes look amazing.”
“I can't accept this. It must have cost...”
“Kate, stop. Let me do this.”
Kate touched the fabric. It was soft, quality without being ostentatious. “It's beautiful.”
“Try it on.”
The dress fit perfectly, hitting just at the knee, cinching at the waist in a way that made Kate look like she had an actual figure instead of just being sturdy. She stared at herself in the mirror, not recognizing the woman looking back.
“Now sit,” Dani commanded. “I'm doing your hair.”
“Dani...”
“Please. Let me help. I need to feel useful for something other than picking paint colors.”
Kate sat at her old vanity while Dani worked with a curling iron she'd produced from somewhere.
“Where did that come from?”
“I brought it from New York. Figured you might need it eventually.” Dani worked in sections, her movements practiced. “Remember when Mom used to do our hair for special occasions?”
“She always did yours. Mine never cooperated.”
“That's because you never sat still long enough.” Dani pinned back one section. “You were always anxious to get outside, go fishing with Pop, work on something.”
“I’m not sure it was worth the trouble. No matter what anyone did to make me look better, I undid everything within an hour.”
Dani's hands stilled. “Katie, you were beautiful. You just never believed it. You know what Ben told Tom?”
“What?”
“That he's been watching you for years. That you were the girl everyone noticed but who never noticed anyone back because you were too focused on your studies and getting good grades.”
Kate felt her cheeks heat. “He said that?”
“Yup, he did.”
Dani finished with the hair, then pulled something from her pocket. Their mother's silver clip with tiny pearls. “I found this in her jewelry box. Thought you should wear it.”
Kate touched the clip reverently. “What if I lose it?”
“Then you lose it. Mom wouldn't care. She'd just be happy you were going on a date and having fun for a change.”
Kate applied the coral lipstick with steady hands. In the mirror, she looked like someone she barely recognized. The green dress brought out colors in her eyes she'd forgotten existed. Her hair fell in soft waves, held back on one side with their mother's clip. She looked pretty. Actually pretty.
“There she is,” Dani said quietly. “There's my sister.”
Kate tapped Dani’s hand, “Thank you for doing this.”
“My pleasure. Hopefully soon, you won’t need my help and will do this yourself.”
At five minutes to seven, Kate sat in the lobby pretending to read a magazine while her entire family pretended not to watch for Ben's arrival.
Tom was allegedly working on his laptop, but she could see him glancing at the window.
James was having an elaborate conversation with Amy about Pop's medication schedule, though Amy had it memorized.
Even Pop was there, sitting in one of the restored chairs, though he seemed confused about why everyone had gathered.
“Are we having a party?” Pop asked.
“Kate has a date,” Dani announced.
Pop looked at Kate, his eyes focusing with unexpected clarity. “You look beautiful, Katie-girl. Like your mother on our wedding day. That color...” His voice drifted off, lost in memory.
Kate's throat tightened. “Thanks, Pop.”
Ben's truck pulled up at exactly seven. Kate stood quickly, wanting to get to the door before her brothers could intercept him, but Tom was faster.
“Ben,” Tom said, opening the door with his lawyer smile. “Right on time.”
“Tom.” Ben nodded, unintimidated. He looked past Tom to Kate, and his expression changed, something soft and surprised crossing his face. “Kate. You look... wow.”
Kate felt her face heat. Behind her, she heard James whisper something to Dani, who shushed him.
“Ready?” Ben asked, seeming to recover his composure.
“Yes.” She grabbed her coat, the same practical one she always wore, though it looked wrong with the dress.
“Wait,” Dani said, producing another coat, black wool and actually stylish. “Borrowed this from Marcy. Your parka ruins the effect.”
Kate wanted to protest but took the coat. It fit perfectly, made her look put-together instead of just practical.
“Have her home by eleven,” James called out with a grin.
“Ignore them,” Kate told Ben as they walked to his truck.
“I don't mind. They love you. It's nice.”
He helped her into the truck, and Kate noticed he'd cleaned it. No sawdust, no tools, even the floor mats looked new. He was wearing dark jeans and a button-down shirt she'd never seen, looking more dressed up than she'd ever seen him outside of their first dinner.
“Where are we going?” she asked as he drove toward town.
“Portsmouth. Figured we could both use a break from everyone knowing our business.”
They drove for a while without talking. Kate found herself stealing glances at him, noticing things: the way his hands held the wheel, confident but relaxed; how he'd trimmed his beard; the faint smell of soap and aftershave.
“You look incredible,” he said at a stoplight. “That dress... the color suits you.”
“Dani bought it for me. Said I needed something new.”
“She was right.” He glanced at her again. “Though you look beautiful in anything. I've thought that for years.”
“Years?”
“I first noticed you in school, but then I remember you at the harbor festival eight years ago.
You were helping your father with his booth, selling those wooden boats he used to make.
You were laughing at something he said, really laughing, and I thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.”
Kate didn't know what to say. Eight years ago was right before Mom got sick, before everything fell apart. She barely remembered that festival, that version of herself who could still laugh freely.
“I almost asked you out then,” Ben continued. “But Tom told me you were seeing someone from Portland.”
“David,” Kate said quietly. “We broke up when Mom got sick. He couldn't handle the drama.”
“His loss.”
The restaurant he'd chosen was perfect: elegant but not pretentious, with a view of the Piscataqua River and soft lighting that made everything feel intimate. They sat by a window, city lights reflecting on the dark water.
“This is beautiful,” Kate said.
“You sound surprised.”
“I guess I expected pizza or burgers. Something casual.”
“I told you it was a real date. I wanted to do it right.” He paused. “You deserve to be courted properly.”
“Courted? That's an old-fashioned word.”
“I'm an old-fashioned guy. I believe in doing things right, taking time, making sure.”
The waiter came, and Ben ordered wine after asking her preference. Kate found herself actually looking at the menu for what she wanted, not what was cheapest.
“The lobster risotto looks good,” she said.
“Then get it.”
“It's thirty-two dollars.”
“Kate.” He put down his menu. “Order what you want. Please. Let me do this.”
It was such a small thing, but Kate felt tears prick her eyes. When was the last time someone had told her to just want what she wanted?
“Sorry,” she said, blinking quickly. “I don't know why that...”
“You're not used to being taken care of. I get it.” He reached across the table, covered her hand with his. “But maybe you could try to get used to it?”
Dinner was lovely. They talked about everything and nothing: the inn renovations, his current projects, town gossip, books they'd read. Ben told her about learning carpentry from his grandfather, about the satisfaction of creating something solid with his hands.
“My ex-wife never understood that,” he said. “She saw it as lack of ambition, not moving to Boston, not expanding into development. She wasn't wrong to want more. We just defined 'more' differently.”
“What's your definition?”
“More time for things that matter. More satisfaction in work well done. More moments like this.” He gestured between them. “What about you? What's your 'more'?”
Kate thought about it. “I don't even remember how to dream.”
“Maybe you could learn again.”
They were sharing dessert, a lemon tart Kate had wanted despite the price, when her phone rang. Amy.
“I'm so sorry,” Kate said. “It could be about Pop.”
“Take it.”
Kate answered, and Amy's calm voice carried urgent undertones. “Kate, your father's missing. He was in bed an hour ago, but now he's gone. We've searched the inn.”
Kate's stomach dropped. “We'll be right back.”
She explained quickly to Ben, who was already signaling for the check. They drove back to Kennebunkport in tense silence, Kate texting her siblings, coordinating search areas.
“He's done this before,” she said, as much to herself as to Ben. “He gets confused, thinks he needs to be somewhere.”
“We'll find him.”
They pulled up to the inn to find it ablaze with lights, Tom's car and James's rental in the drive. Lillian's Mercedes was there too.
“I'll check the harbor,” Ben said immediately. “He mentioned his boat earlier today.”
“I'm coming with you.”