Chapter 42
The day after the arts center opened, Dave had every intention of doing as little as possible.
He’d slept later than usual, made coffee strong enough to wake the dead, and spent most of the morning catching up on the small jobs around the house he’d ignored while they were racing to finish the center.
By early afternoon, he was standing in the kitchen, staring into the refrigerator and wondering whether cleaning it counted as a worthwhile use of his day, when someone knocked on the front door.
Dave closed the refrigerator. He wasn’t expecting anyone.
When he opened the door and saw Beth standing on his porch, his mood lifted immediately.
“Hi,” she said with a smile.
“Hi yourself.” Dave stepped back. “Come in.”
Beth walked past him. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“You saved me from cleaning the refrigerator.”
She laughed as she headed toward the kitchen. “In that case, you should be thanking me.”
Dave followed her, smiling to himself. “I was planning to.”
Beth looked different today. More relaxed. She was wearing jeans and a pale sweater, and for once there wasn’t a folder tucked beneath her arm or a list in her hand.
Yesterday, she’d barely stopped moving.
Even during the grand opening, when the arts center had been packed with people, Beth had kept an eye on everything.
Dave had watched her welcome visitors, answer questions, help with the children’s activities, and somehow find time to thank almost everyone who’d helped bring the old building back to life.
She’d looked happy. Not simply relieved that the renovation was finished. And he’d liked seeing her that way.
Dave nodded toward the coffeepot. “Want one?”
“I’d love one.”
While Beth sat at the kitchen table, he poured two mugs and carried them over. “So,” he said as he took the chair opposite her, “how does it feel?”
Beth wrapped both hands around her mug. “Strange.”
“Strange?”
“I woke up this morning and started thinking about everything I needed to do at the center.” She shook her head. “Then I remembered I didn’t have to be there.”
“You could have visited the center anyway.”
Beth smiled. “I almost did.”
Dave laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“But I stopped myself. Natalie told me yesterday that if I appeared before Monday, she was changing the locks.”
“Smart woman.”
Beth gave him an indignant look. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am. That’s why I agree with her.”
Beth’s laughter filled his kitchen, and Dave realized how much he liked having her here.
They spent the next few minutes talking about the opening. The number of people who’d come through the doors had surprised everyone. The children’s activities had been a huge success, the gallery had drawn plenty of attention, and even the council members had seemed impressed.
Beth took a sip of her coffee. “Even Walt Harvey said the center looked better than he expected.”
Dave’s eyebrows rose. “From Walt, that’s practically a standing ovation.”
Beth laughed again. “I’ll take it.”
“So you should.” Dave put down his mug. “You did a good job, Beth.”
“We did a good job.”
Beth took another sip of coffee, then placed her mug on the table. “Actually, there was another reason I came over.”
Dave grinned. “And here I thought it was my sparkling company.”
“That too.” She reached into her purse and took out an embossed envelope. “This is for you.”
Dave accepted it and ran his thumb over the thick paper. “This looks fancy.”
“It’s supposed to be,” Beth said softly.
Something in her voice made him glance at her. She looked nervous.
Now he was curious.
Dave opened the envelope and pulled out a cream-colored card. As he read the elegant lettering, he realized what he was holding. An invitation to Kayla and Tyler’s wedding. He looked across the table at Beth.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “If you’re available, I’d love you to come to Kayla’s wedding with me.”
Dave’s gaze dropped briefly to the invitation.
“As my date,” she added.
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Not because he needed to think about his answer, but because he understood what she was asking.
This wasn’t dinner at the café or an evening spent together at one of their houses. Kayla’s wedding would be filled with people who had known her for years. People who mattered to her.
And she wanted Dave beside her.
After everything Beth had told him about losing Jessie and how difficult it had been to imagine building a different life, he knew what a big step this was.
He placed the invitation carefully on the table. “I’d love to come.”
Beth’s shoulders relaxed. “You would?”
“Of course I would.”
Her smile appeared slowly.
Dave pushed back his chair and stood. Then he held out his hand.
Beth looked at it before placing her hand in his. He drew her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I should warn you,” Beth said, resting her hands against his chest. “There’ll probably be dancing.”
“It’s just as well I took lessons, then.”
She leaned back enough to look at him. “Do you still remember how?”
Dave laughed. “You’ll find out on May twenty-third.”
Beth’s expression softened, and she slipped her arms around him.
Dave held her a little closer. Yesterday had marked the end of something they’d worked toward for months. The arts center was finished, the doors were open, and Beth no longer needed him there every day.
But with Kayla’s wedding invitation sitting on his kitchen table and Beth in his arms, that didn’t feel like an ending.
It felt like they were finally finding out where this could lead.