Chapter 41
By ten o’clock, Beth had stopped worrying about whether anyone would come to the opening of the arts center. People were everywhere.
Conversation and laughter filled the main room.
Children were crowded around the activity tables while Rachel and Julie moved between them, helping with paint, glue, and the occasional stubborn apron.
In the gallery, visitors stopped in front of paintings and photographs, reading the cards beside each piece.
Through the front windows, Beth could see the balloons dancing in the breeze.
She stood beside the reception desk and tried to take it all in. After months of meetings, budgets, construction problems, and last-minute disasters, the arts center was open.
More importantly, people were enjoying it.
Even Beverly from the historical society had been over the moon with the changes they’d made.
Beth glanced at the original tin ceiling, gleaming above the pendant lights.
The historical society committee had called that one feature the crowning glory of the entire remodel, and Beth had to agree with them.
“Mom!”
Beth barely had time to turn before Kayla wrapped her arms around her. “You made it.”
Kayla pulled back and laughed. “Of course I made it. I wouldn’t miss this.”
Her daughter looked around the room, taking in everything. When she turned back, the excitement in her expression had softened. “This is incredible, Mom.”
Beth felt the first warning tightness in her throat. “You really think so?”
“I know so.” Kayla reached for both her hands. “I’m so proud of you.”
That nearly finished her. Beth pulled her daughter into another hug. “Thank you, sweetheart.” She held on for an extra moment before letting her go. The last thing she needed was to start crying before Natalie had even given the official welcome.
Kayla glanced over Beth’s shoulder. “Where’s Dave?”
“I saw him near the gallery a few minutes ago.”
“Good. I want to congratulate him, too.”
Before Beth could answer, Laurel hurried toward them.
“There you are. Natalie wants everyone near the front in five minutes.”
Beth frowned. “Why does she need me?”
Laurel’s expression became far too innocent. “The speeches.”
“I know about the speeches.” Beth narrowed her eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Laurel linked her arm through Beth’s and started steering her across the room. “And you’re wasting valuable time interrogating me.”
Kayla laughed as she followed them.
Susan, Rachel, and Julie were waiting near the front.
Susan immediately pulled Beth into a hug. “You did it.”
“We all did,” Beth corrected.
Julie shook her head. “You’re not getting away with that today. You worked harder than anyone.”
Rachel slipped an arm around Beth’s shoulders. “And we’re allowed to be proud of you, so don’t argue.”
Beth looked at the women who had helped her through months of planning and uncertainty. They’d painted, organized, made phone calls, moved furniture, calmed her down, and turned up whenever she needed them. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Laurel squeezed her hand. “Luckily, you never had to.”
Before Beth could become embarrassingly emotional, Natalie stepped up to the microphone.
The music stopped. Conversations gradually faded as people turned toward the front of the room.
Natalie welcomed everyone, then thanked the council, volunteers, local businesses, artists, tradespeople, and everyone else who had contributed to the center.
Beth relaxed slightly.
Then Natalie looked directly at her. Oh, no.
“There are two people I particularly want to acknowledge today.”
Beside Beth, Kayla reached for her hand.
Natalie smiled. “When Beth first became involved with this project, I knew I was asking a lot of her. What I didn’t realize was how much of herself she would give to the arts center.”
Beth swallowed.
“She worried about every dollar, organized more people than I could count, and kept us moving forward whenever we hit another problem. And there were quite a few of those.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Natalie waited for it to settle. “But Beth never forgot why we were doing this. She wanted somewhere people could learn, create, make friends, and feel part of their community. This building is beautiful, but Beth understood from the beginning that what happens inside it matters far more.”
Applause filled the room.
Beth felt Kayla squeeze her fingers. She looked sideways and saw tears in her daughter’s eyes.
“Don’t,” Beth whispered.
Kayla laughed softly. “I’m not doing anything.”
“You’ll make me cry.”
“Then we’ll cry together.” Kayla leaned closer. “I’m really proud of you, Mom.”
Beth blinked rapidly, turning toward the stage before her mascara became another opening-day disaster.
Natalie was smiling. “And then there’s Dave.”
The change in tone brought another ripple of laughter.
Dave was standing beside Hank near the gallery. He looked as though he’d rather repair another damaged beam than have an entire room staring at him.
“Dave took a tired old building with a very long list of problems and found a solution for every one of them,” Natalie continued. “He gave us his time, his expertise, and an extraordinary amount of generosity. This center wouldn’t be what it is today without him.”
The applause began again.
Dave shook his head, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, but then his gaze found Beth.
She smiled at him, and he winked back. Beth didn’t know how she would have managed without his calm patience. He’d taken her step-by-step through each issue, finding ways to bring everyone’s vision to life.
Later, after the speeches, cake cutting, and more photographs than Beth wanted to think about, she finally escaped another conversation near the reception desk.
She spotted Kayla talking to Dave by the display cases. Another man stood beside them. Beth hadn’t met him, but she knew immediately who he was. There was enough of his dad in his face to make the connection unmistakable.
Dave noticed her approaching, and his expression brightened. “Beth, come and meet my son.” He rested a hand briefly on the man’s shoulder. “This is Mark. Mark, this is Beth.”
Beth smiled as Mark held out his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” she told him.
“All good, I hope.”
Beth glanced at Dave. “Of course.”
Mark grinned. “Dad’s told me quite a bit about you, too.”
Dave cleared his throat, and Beth immediately decided that she liked his son.
Kayla smiled at Mark. “It looks as though our parents have been talking about us.”
“It seems that way.”
For a moment, Beth simply enjoyed watching them together.
Her daughter.
Dave’s son.
Two parts of their lives that, until now, had mostly remained separate.
Mark slipped his hands into his pockets. “I know Kayla’s wedding isn’t far away Beth, but afterward, would you and Kayla and her new husband like to come to Polson for a barbecue at my place? Dad and I try to get together as often as we can.”
Beth hadn’t expected the invitation. She looked at Dave and realized from his expression that he hadn’t known about it either.
Mark smiled. “I’d like to get to know you and your family.”
Something about the simple sincerity of those words touched Beth. “I’d love to come,” she told him. “But what about you, Kayla?”
“It sounds like fun,” Kayla said. “We’ll be there, too.”
Dave’s gaze met Beth’s. The warmth in his eyes made her heart squeeze. Their lives were beginning to fit together beyond construction schedules and evenings at the arts center.
She liked that.
“Beth!”
Laurel’s voice carried across the room.
Beth turned. Her friends were gathered near the children’s activity area.
“You need to see this,” Rachel called.
Beth groaned. “I’ve learned to be terrified whenever anyone says that.”
Everyone laughed.
Dave rested his hand against her back. “I’ll come with you.”
They crossed the room together. Laurel didn’t say anything when they reached her. She simply pointed.
A little girl stood proudly beside an easel, showing her mother a painting filled with enormous yellow flowers. At the next table, two boys were shaping clay while Julie helped a younger child fasten an apron.
“This,” Laurel said quietly beside her, “is what you worked for.”
The lump returned to Beth’s throat. For months, she’d measured progress in budgets, deadlines, deliveries, and lists. She’d worried about everything that might go wrong. She hadn’t imagined this part clearly enough.
Kayla slipped her arm through Beth’s and Dave held her other hand.
Beth’s friends were close by, her daughter and Dave were beside her, and the arts center was filled with people who appreciated what they’d created.
Today, there was nothing left to do except enjoy themselves. And for once, Beth was more than happy to do exactly that.