Page 10 of Finding Forever

“I’ll let Beth know when we get that far,” Dave said, “and she can give you a call.”

Beth invited him to join the rest of the tour. She asked him a few more questions, writing his answers in her notebook. Before Beverly’s group left, he told them they were welcome to come back. Their enthusiastic response made him glad he’d offered.

After Beth waved them goodbye, she walked toward him, pulling her coat tighter. “Thanks for jumping in there. I didn’t want to guess at things I wasn’t sure about.”

Dave sent her a reassuring smile. “You knew everything that mattered. I just had some background information. If you need to know anything else, just ask.”

Beth nodded. “I will. Thanks.”

Heavy doors slammed shut in quick succession outside the building. Hank and his crew must have arrived from Finley Point to start the framing.

Dave studied the table covered in Beth’s folders and plans. “It’ll get noisy and dusty in here while we’re framing the gallery wall. You might want to go back to Owen’s studio to work.”

Beth stacked the folders and smiled. “You must have read my mind. Will you be here tomorrow?”

“Not until the afternoon,” Dave told her. “If you need me before then, I’ll be at the resort.”

“I think I’ll be okay.” Beth gathered her folders in her arms and headed for the door. Halfway across the room, she stopped and looked back. “Thanks again, Dave. For answering Beverly’s questions.”

“Anytime.”

He watched her go, coat pulled tight against the cold, folders held like they mattered.

Hank came through the door as Beth went out. He nodded to her before ambling over, a coffee in one hand and a look on his face Dave knew too well.

“That the manager?” Hank asked.

“That’s her.”

“Huh.” Hank set his coffee on the workbench and pulled tools out of his bag. “Percy was in the diner yesterday. Said the Historical Society was planning to visit.”

“They came this morning. Beth did fine.”

Hank’s eyes narrowed. “Before you met her, you said she’d be a résumé with no feel for a building.”

“I was wrong,” Dave muttered.

Hank grinned. “Nice to know you aren’t perfect. Are you eating tonight or are you doing the thing where you cook toast and call it a meal?”

Dave’s eyebrows rose. “There’s nothing wrong with toast. Especially if it’s smothered in peanut butter.”

Hank laughed. “Tell that to Rosa. She told me she’s got a plate for you tonight if you don’t feel like cooking.”

“I’ll be fine, Hank.”

“Didn’t say you wouldn’t be.” Hank walked across to a stack of timber. “If you change your mind, you know where to find us.”

Dave picked up his tools and walked across to what would become the gallery wall.

Before too long, the crew’s voices and hammers filled the building. It was the sound of the building coming back to life.

And, if Dave let himself admit it, a little bit of himself too.

Chapter 7

Dave had been looking forward to seeing his son all week.

He’d told Hank flat out he wasn’t taking calls after nine o’clock on Sunday, no matter what the concrete supplier said about Monday’s pour, or any other emergencies that were bound to happen.