AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Next time,” he says, and there’s something in his voice that makes me believe him.
The waitress comes over and clears our plates. I toss down some money and promise to see my friends tonight before I stand and follow Wade out the door.
As we walk back down the street, I glance over at him, feeling a strange mix of hope and nervousness. I think that lunch went well, but it’s hard to tell with Wade.
“Thanks for lunch,” he says as we reach the front door.
“Anytime,” I reply with a smile.
“I’ll get it next time,” he says and my heart lodges in my throat.
Like a date? I think.
I don’t ask though, just smile and nod.
“Deal,” I say as I unlock the front door and we head inside.
The mood between us seems to have shifted again as we walk back inside the old building. It feels like we’re back to being coworkers, focused on the job at hand. Things aren’t as tense as they were yesterday, so I guess that I’ll say that’s a step in the right direction.
As soon as we got back to the old bank, we both got lost in our own projects. Wade disappears into the front room to start on the electrical work, while I head to the back to test out some paint colors.
I try to forget about my disappointment that Wade won’t be joining us tonight. I can’t help but wonder again what his plans are.
Eventually, I forget about Wade and his plans and I focus on work. I’m in my element, the creative energy flowing through me as I imagine what the finished product will look like. I figure out what paint color I like the best and make a note of the color number in my journal, then send a quick update to the Montgomery’s for their approval, along with some pictures.
By the time the afternoon sun starts to dip low in the sky, casting a warm golden light through the front windows, I’ve managed to get most of my work done for the day. I stretch, feeling the tension in my shoulders as I stand up and look around the room. The place was starting to take shape, the vision I had for it slowly coming to life and a secret thrill goes through me.
I always have that reaction when I’m working on a project. It’s one of my favorite parts.
I sigh as I stand and head out to check on Wade, wondering how he’s getting along with the electrical stuff.
As I reach the front room, I can hear the faint sound of music. It’s some classic rock tune that I can’t quite name and I smile as I round the corner and see him up on a ladder, working on the new chandelier. He’s busy working away with his tools, completely in his element.
He looks so focused, so intent on what he was doing, that I almost don’t want to disturb him, but then he looks down at me and flashes me a quick smile.
“Hey,” he says, standing up and wiping his hands on a rag. “All done for the day?”
“Yeah, I’m getting ready to head home. I just wanted to check on you and see if you needed anything before I headed out.”
“Nah, I’m all good. I’m done too so I just need to clean up here. I’ll lock up on my way out.”
“Sounds good,” I say, hoisting my bag higher on my shoulder. “We’ll, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you. Have fun tonight,” he says and I nod.
“You too.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him if he’s going on a date, but I know that I’ll look desperate then, so I bite my tongue and just wave as I head out the door.
As I head over to my car, I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment, like something was missing. I push the thought aside, trying to focus on the excitement of seeing my friends tonight instead of missing Wade, but as I drive back home, I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like if Wade had been coming with me tonight. If we’d spent the evening together, talking and laughing and maybe, just maybe, finding out what else was hiding beneath the surface.
I shake my head, trying to banish the thought as I pull into my driveway, but even as I drove away from the Montgomery house, I couldn’t stop the small, secret part of me that wished things had turned out differently, that I was going out with Wade tonight instead.
SIX
Wade
The soundof laughter fills the small living room, the kids’ voices rising and falling as they playfully argue over the rules of the card game we’re all huddled around. It’s the kind of noise that would drive some people crazy, but to me, it feels like home. This place is my old foster dad’s house and it’s the one place where I’ve always felt like I belong. It’s the closest that I’ve ever gotten to having a home and a family.
