Chapter Twelve
When Dominic walked into the restaurant, Dalton greeted him with a grin from his spot at the end of the bar.
“Should I keep my mouth shut?”
Dominic chuckled. “I’d appreciate it.”
“Okay, but you know that Taryn’s going to have enough to say for the both of us.”
He nodded. He fully expected it. He grinned when Taryn popped her head out of the kitchen and came hurrying over when she saw him.
“Are you going to have a drink with us before you go?”
He tilted his head to the side. “Are you saying that it’s not ready?”
She laughed. “No. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m just hoping that I’ll get to interrogate you while you’re here.”
“In that case, I’d rather get going. Harvey’s waiting for his dinner. And by the way, he said to pass on his thanks.”
“You can tell him that he’s more than welcome. I like him.”
Dalton laughed. “You must like him a lot. You’ve always said that you won’t do takeout.”
She shrugged. “And I won’t – not in general. This is a special case.”
“Well, I appreciate it,” said Dominic. “When I said I’d bring takeout with me, I meant I’d bring them something from The Boathouse. Harvey got all excited because he knows that I work here. He’s never managed to come in…”
Taryn waved a hand at him. “It’s okay, you already explained it to me, and like I said I’m happy to do it. I’m happy to do it for Harvey, and I’m happy to do it for you.” She gave him a wicked smile. “You know that I’m going to want something in return though, right?”
Dominic exchanged a look with Dalton, who laughed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t see that coming?”.
“I should have, shouldn’t I?”
Dalton nodded, and Taryn laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to work weekends over the summer or anything like that.”
“What then?”
She grinned. “When you take her out for dinner, you bring her in here. For one thing, I want to meet her, and for another, if you take her over to The Boathouse instead, I’ll only get to hear about it second-hand.”
“Who says that I’ll be taking her out for dinner?”
Taryn rolled her eyes. “I do! And don’t try telling me that you won’t.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’d like to think so, but…”
“But what?”
He blew out a sigh. “You know what.”
“I do, and I already told you what I think. I’m only talking about you taking her out on a date. You don’t need to think beyond that – just one date. Maybe you make a friend, it sounds like you already have. Maybe there’s something more there, maybe there isn’t. That’s the thing about life; you’ll never discover what it holds for you until you try actually living it.”
He dropped his gaze, and Dalton grasped his shoulder. “She’s right, you know. And you know how much it pains me to admit that – especially in front of her,” he added with a smile. “You don’t need to make too much out of it – but don’t shut yourself down to possibility either.”
“Yeah.”
Taryn disappeared back into the kitchen.
“You sure you’re okay?” Dalton asked.
“I am. I’m looking forward to tonight. I just…” He chuckled. “If I’m honest, I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that it might be time to move on. If I’m not okay, it’s probably because I’m nervous. I’ve been out of the game for a long time.”
“No one would ever guess that from the way you flirt and dance with women at The Boathouse, you know.”
“I know, but that’s easy. That’s different. There’s nothing to be nervous about, because it doesn’t matter.”
He turned when Taryn set a takeout bag on the bar beside him. She smiled. “That’s what I suspected; this is different because it does matter. And I hope you know that seals it – when you take her out for real, you have to bring her in here.”
“Okay, thanks.” He took his wallet out of his pocket, but she shook her head. “Nope. Don’t even try.”
Dalton chuckled. “You might as well just say thank you and be on your way.”
“Okay then, thank you.” He narrowed his eyes at Taryn. “But one of these days, I’m going to pay you back somehow.”
She laughed. “I’m sure you will. I’ll keep that offer in my back pocket for a time of need.”
~ ~ ~
Sadie looked around the kitchen; it looked nice. She’d done what she could to make sure that it would. It wasn’t ideal to be eating in the kitchen, but it was their only choice. Her dad didn’t have a dining room. Well, he did, but it was currently serving as his bedroom. Savannah had managed to get him set up in there after his fall.
“Don’t set a place for me,” her dad called from the living room.
“I already did.” She went and stood in the doorway. “Are you saying that you’re not hungry now?”
He grinned at her from his seat in his recliner. “Course not. I’m looking forward to it. From what I’ve heard about the woman who runs the restaurant over there at the lodge, I didn’t know if Dom would be able to swing it. I’m not saying I don’t want to eat; I’m saying that I don’t want to eat in there with the two of you.”
“Why not?”
“I think you know damn well why, don’t you?”
She swallowed.
“Come on, honey bun. Are you trying to tell me that there’s nothing there between you and Dom?”
She held his gaze for a long moment. “I don’t know, Dad.”
He gave her a skeptical look.
“I mean, yes, I… He’s a good man.”
“He’s a good-looking man – even I know that much.” He chuckled. “Not that that would count for much if he wasn’t a good man. But Sadie, there’s sparks between you two. There’s something there.”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah, but…”
“But nothing. Even if it’s just tonight, if it’s just one dinner, I’d say that you both deserve this. Enjoy each other’s company – you don’t need me spoiling it.”
“You wouldn’t spoil it!”
“I didn’t mean it that way, and you know it. What I mean is that the two of you having dinner alone is a different proposition than the three of us having dinner together. I’ll be happier in here eating mine off that lap tray thing. Okay?”
“Okay.” She went to him and perched on the arm of his chair. She kissed the top of his head. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you, too, Sadie. But it’d break my heart if I was the only decent man you ever loved.”
She sat back to look at him, and he winked at her. “Yeah, I really said that.”
She shook her head with a smile. “You couldn’t stand Dale from the get-go, could you?”
“No. But what I just said wasn’t a dig about him not being a decent man. It was more about my hope that you’ll fall in love again.”
She stared at him, and he nodded. “Especially if you manage to do it while I’m still around to see it.”
He smiled when the doorbell rang. “I liked him from the get-go.”
She smiled as she got to her feet. “I did, too. Would you do me a favor, please?”
“That depends, what is it?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “When I bring him in, will you tell him that you don’t want to eat with us? I don’t want him to think…”
“Sure I will, honey bun. But you needn’t worry; he won’t mind.”
~ ~ ~
When Dominic reached the front door, he took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. That first night, when he’d dropped Sadie back here after their dinner at the diner, he’d imagined for a moment that they were on a date. Now, they kind of were. It made him smile to think that Harvey was joining them on their date, but he was good with it. He knew damn well that the old guy would head straight back to the living room to watch his shows just as soon as he could.
Sitting chatting in the kitchen, or even out back since it wasn’t as cold this evening wasn’t his idea of a great date, but it’d be good. It hit him that it didn’t really matter – all that mattered was spending some time with her.
When the front door opened, her smile hit him right in the chest. He didn’t know what it was about her, but she got to him. She had since the very first time he laid eyes on her. It’d taken him a while to understand what was going on. Now, he understood it. Not only that, he’d made the decision that he wanted to pursue this. He didn’t know what that would look like, he didn’t know how he’d handle it, but he knew that he wanted to try.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” She reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. That made him smile. They were in this together – they were both nervous. “Sorry, come on in.”
“Thanks.” He held up the takeout bag. “I come bearing dinner. Oh, and before I forget, Taryn sends her best.”
“Please tell her that I said thank you. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble – for you or for her. Dad took me by surprise when he asked you to bring takeout from the restaurant.”
He chuckled. “It’s not a problem. She was happy to do it.”
He followed her through to the kitchen and set the takeout bag on the counter. Sadie looked uncomfortable, and he decided to share what else Taryn had said.
“She did put a condition on it, though.”
“A condition? What kind of condition?”
He stepped toward her but then stopped. He wanted to rest his hands on her shoulders and look down into her eyes when he told her. But he wasn’t sure that he should.
“She said that she was happy to send takeout for our date tonight but that when I take you out on a proper date – for dinner – I need to take you into the restaurant.”
Her eyes widened.
He had a moment of panic, but it was only a moment. He smiled as he closed the distance between them and put his hands on her shoulders like he wanted to.
“This is a date, right?”
He relaxed when she smiled and said, “I was hoping so.”
“Me too. And I’m hoping that we’ll both want another one – and when we do, I’d like to take you to the restaurant.” He chuckled. “And not just because Taryn will give me hell if I take you anywhere else first.”
“I’d like that.” She glanced toward the living room door. “Do you want to come and say hi?”
“I do.” He winked. “I have a surprise for him.”
“What’s that?”
“I told Taryn that he likes all things toffee, so she sent a toffee dessert for him.”
She laughed. “I’d say that you’ll win him over with that, but you don’t need to. He already thinks the world of you. I keep meaning to ask how well you guys know each other.”
“It’s only from me coming to the garden center. We just clicked the first time we talked. After that, I kept coming back. He’s a great guy.”
“He is. Come on.”
In the living room, Harvey muted the TV and greeted him with a smile. “Good to see you, Dom.”
“It’s good to see you as well. Taryn sends her regards; she hopes you’ll enjoy your dinner.”
“Give her my thanks, will you? From what I hear about that one, I’d like to meet her – I think she’s been here to buy plants, but I haven’t had a real conversation with her.”
“I think the two of you would get along.”
Harvey chuckled. “Are you saying that we’re the same kind of ornery?”
“I’d never say that.”
“Not out loud, right?”
He laughed. “Exactly.”
“You’re a wise man. Anyway, are we going to plate up this dinner?” he asked Sadie.
“I am. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready for you to bring it in here for me.” Harvey met Dominic’s gaze. “You don’t mind if I don’t join you, do you?”
“I…”
Harvey laughed. “I’m more comfortable here in my chair, and I reckon the two of you will be more comfortable without me.”
The older man held his gaze, and it felt important to Dominic to acknowledge the truth of what he was saying, rather than make polite noises.
He nodded. “Not that I don’t enjoy your company, you know that I do. But…” He glanced at Sadie.
“But I’m nowhere near as pretty as Sadie, and it’s bad enough that neither of you has a place of your own. You’ll take her out soon enough, I’m sure. But for tonight, you can pretend that the kitchen is a fancy ass restaurant.” He chuckled. “You’ve got the food, if not the ambience.”
In the kitchen, he was pleased that Sadie let him plate up the food while she fixed the drinks. He liked feeling that they were working together rather than her treating him as a guest.
Once she had Harvey set up with his meal on a lap tray, and a beer on the end table beside them, he shooed them away.
“And close the door behind you, would you?”
Sadie looked ready to argue, but he added, “I don’t need to hear the sound of you two talking over my TV.”
Dominic laughed, and Harvey winked at him.
When they were settled at the table in the kitchen, he raised his glass to her.
She tapped hers against it with a puzzled smile. “What are we drinking to?”
None of the words that came to him felt right. He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Rather than looking disappointed, as he’d feared, she looked relieved. “I like that. I couldn’t think of anything that we could say as a toast that seemed fitting.” She smiled and tapped her glass against his again. “Here’s to not knowing.”
He held her gaze. “To not knowing, and also to finding out.”
He loved the way her pupils dilated as she nodded.
“So, what’s the plan now that you’re home?” he asked as they ate.
She gave him a wry smile. “Remember what we were saying about not knowing?”
“No plans, no ideas?”
She shrugged. “Lots of ideas, but I can’t really make any plans yet.”
“Why’s that?”
She blew out a sigh. “You know; I have to extricate myself from my old life before I can really start a new one.”
He frowned, wondering if she meant that she wasn’t over her ex yet.
She glanced toward the door. “Dad thinks that I should go hard on the divorce. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’m more interested in just being done with the whole thing, you know? Putting it behind me.”
“I can understand it. But there’s a middle ground between going hard and getting walked on – taken advantage of. Don’t let him take advantage of you, Sadie.”
She nodded sadly. “I think letting him take advantage became something of a habit. It was easier to go along with what he wanted than to stand up for what I wanted.”
“I thought as much, that’s why I said it.”
“Anyway.” She smiled brightly. “If we’re calling this a date, I don’t think that’s exactly first date appropriate conversation. You were asking what I plan to do now. The only reason I brought that up is because the divorce will kind of dictate my finances.” She rolled her eyes. “And that sounds even less like first date appropriate conversation, doesn’t it? Way to go, Sadie!”
He chuckled. “It’s okay. I think the first date is about getting to know each other. It’s hard to get to know each other if we don’t talk about what’s going on in our lives.”
“True. But still. I guess what I was trying to say is that I might need to find a job. Even if it’s only something part-time for a while. I’m going to need to rent a place of my own.”
That took him by surprise. “You don’t intend to stay here?”
She chuckled. “I’d consider it, but he really doesn’t want me here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. Don’t look like that. It’s not that he doesn’t love me to pieces – he does, and I feel the same way about him. But he values his independence. And to be honest, I value mine.” She looked around the kitchen and gave him a rueful smile. “And tonight kind of illustrates why. I want to stay close by. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find a place here in Hidden Valley, maybe Four Mile Creek. I’ll have to see.”
“I like Four Mile Creek. It’s nice over there.” He smiled. “That’s where Damon and Jo live.”
She shook her head. “Part of me wants to apologize, but another part of me is still struggling to believe that you have an identical twin, and you didn’t tell me.”
“I know, you’re right; I should have warned you. All I can say in my defense is that I didn’t even think about it. I told you I had a brother.” He smiled when a thought struck him.
“What?” she asked with a wary smile.
“This might sound strange, but Damon and I have only known each other for a few years. I smiled because I was about to say that I didn’t think to explain about him to you because it’s just normal for me. That made me realize that it’s become normal in the time since I moved here. We’re close now, and that makes me happy.”
“Aww, that makes me happy for you.” She laughed. “In fact, I’m so happy for you, that I forgive you for not warning me.”
He laughed with her. “You forgive me?”
“I do.” She nodded happily. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I was pretty bummed when I thought you had a girlfriend.”
He smiled and reached across the table. Something felt as though it settled in his chest when she placed her hand in his.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, either, but I was pretty bummed when you didn’t call me back.”
She squeezed his hand. “But all that’s behind us now.”
“It is, and here we are.”
“Here we are,” she echoed.
“Do you want to see where we go from here?” he asked.
“I do.”
They both laughed when Harvey called from the living room, “I don’t want to disturb you guys, but I’ll take my dessert anytime you’re ready.”
Sadie chuckled. “I guess the first place I’m going is the living room.”
Dominic got to his feet. “I’ll come with you and clear his dishes.”