Chapter 9
Dave had spent most of Friday at Finley Point. By the time he arrived at the arts center, Hank and his crew were moving the refurbished front counter into place with two sets of dollies.
It was the original sales counter from the hardware store. Made from solid oak, it was dented and scarred, but held so much history that no one had wanted to replace it. It was also enormous and heavy enough that it had taken four men to walk it in from the truck.
“Glad you made it,” Hank said as he stopped to wipe his forehead. “Grab the corner closest to you. We need all the help we can get.”
After a lot of maneuvering, they walked the counter into position just inside the entryway. Dave stepped back to look at it. It sat solid and square, exactly where he’d pictured it since the day they’d found it under a pile of old crates and boxes.
Beth walked in just as Hank and his crew were leaving.
“Oh, that’s gorgeous,” she said, stopping to take it in.
Then her eyes moved from the counter to the door and the wide stretch of floor around it. Something in her expression shifted.
“But I don’t think it can stay there.”
“It’s exactly where you wanted it,” Dave said.
“I know, and I’m sorry. It’s just bigger than I imagined.
” Beth placed the folders she was carrying on the nearest table.
“Think about opening day. Everyone will be arriving at once, wanting to sign in and say hello. That’s exactly where people will stop and cluster.
I’ve watched it happen at the Welcome Center.
I think the desk should be closer to the wall. ”
“There’s plenty of room to get around it,” Dave said. “People will figure it out.”
“They will. Eventually. After they’ve spent five minutes standing in each other’s way.” She gave a small nod, the kind that meant she’d said her piece and wasn’t going to fight about it. “Maybe I’m wrong. It’s your call.”
An hour later, Dave was placing an online order when six people pushed through the front door at once, all talking and carrying folding chairs.
“Rachel said you needed these for the storage room,” someone called to Beth.
Within seconds, the doorway was blocked with people, coats, elbows, and chairs. One person stopped to admire the counter while someone else leaned a chair against it to shake Beth’s hand.
Nobody was moving.
Beth waved everyone farther into the room, pointing to where she wanted the chairs stored. As the doorway finally cleared, Dave glanced at her.
There was a definite I told you so in her expression, although she was polite enough not to say it.
“Not a word,” Dave said once everyone had left.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
Beth was fighting a smile and losing. “I wasn’t going to say anything about six people turning into a traffic jam.”
Dave looked at the counter, then at the clear stretch of wall farther from the door. Without saying anything to Beth, he pulled out his phone and called Hank.
“This better be good,” Hank said. “We’re loading framing for the resort.”
Dave glanced at Beth. “When you’ve finished, can you stop by the arts center? Beth was right. The front counter needs to move.”
Beth must have heard Hank’s groan because her smile widened.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Hank told him.
Hank and two crew members showed up forty minutes later, grumbling good-naturedly about doing the same job twice in one day.
They eased the counter back onto the dollies and walked it toward the wall, well clear of the doorway.
Beth stood back, calling out small adjustments while the men did the lifting.
When they set it down, Dave checked it with a level.
Hank clapped him on the shoulder on his way out. “Next time, ask Beth first.”
Dave looked at the counter, and then at Beth. “Hank’s right. I should have listened to you the first time.”
She grinned, and the way her face lit up made Dave’s heart race. Then she laughed, quick and surprised, as if the sound had escaped before she could stop it.
Dave smiled. He wanted to hear it again. His hand tightened around the level. Where had that thought come from?
He was working with Beth, not trying to be anything more than a friendly co-worker.
He cleared his throat and looked around the room. “I should get back to work.”
Beth’s smile faded. “I only stopped by to measure the meeting rooms for shelving. I’ve nearly finished.”
Dave’s shoulders dropped. He felt like an idiot for even thinking there could be anything more than professional respect between them.
“I won’t be here that much longer, either,” he told her.
Beth nodded quickly before picking up her folders and walking into another room.
Dave watched her go, lost in a million thoughts that had nothing to do with remodeling the old hardware store.
Two weeks ago, he’d have said a counter was a counter and would work wherever it was placed. Now, he was already thinking about next week, what Beth would notice, and what she’d be right about again.
And if he could get through the rest of the project without annoying her, he’d count that as a happy ending.