Page 57 of Finding Forever

Across from him, Beth had closed her eyes after her first bite.

“Is it that good?” he asked.

She opened her eyes. “It’s delicious.”

Dave laughed and reached for a fry. He watched Beth take another bite and felt something inside him settle. There was no guilt. That surprised him.

He’d expected Carol to be here somewhere. Not literally, but in the memories that had followed him into every new thing he’d done since she’d died. Instead, he felt something much simpler.

He wished she could know he was happy. The thought tightened his throat for a second, but it didn’t hurt.

Beth put down her burger and looked at him more closely. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Dave reached for another fry, buying himself a second. “I was thinking about Carol.”

Beth didn’t flinch from the name. “Good memories?”

“The best.” He looked around the café, at the friendship and sense of community they were part of. “I think she would have liked this.”

Beth’s expression softened. “Jessie would have told me to order two pieces of pie and take one home.”

“We can do that.”

She smiled. “Maybe we should.”

They talked about everything and nothing. Dave told Beth about the renovations he was planning for his house, the steamboat trip across Flathead Lake that he was taking his son on for his birthday, and what was happening at Finley Point.

Beth talked about Kayla’s wedding, the melt-in-your-mouth slice she’d made at Susan’s baking class last week, and the TikTok posts Rachel was making about the arts center.

By the time they’d finished their burgers, both of them weren’t sure they could squeeze in a slice of pie, but they were willing to try.

The two plates of huckleberry pie arrived warm, with vanilla ice cream melting against the crusts.

Dave took one bite of his and sighed. “We definitely need another two pieces to take home.”

Beth grinned. “I knew I liked you.”

He lowered his fork and looked across the table. “Only for the pie?”

Beth held his gaze. “No,” she said softly. “Not only for the pie.”

Something warm moved through his chest. Dave had spent the last week wondering what came next. Whether they were ready. Whether wanting someone new meant leaving too much of the past behind.

Sitting across from Beth, he finally understood that he didn’t need to know where this was going. Tonight, she was here.

So was he.

He hesitated for only a second before reaching across the table and resting his hand over hers.

Beth looked down at their hands, then back at him.

For one terrible second, Dave wondered if he’d misread everything. Then her fingers shifted beneath his, turning until her palm rested against his. She curled her fingers around his hand and gave it a small squeeze.

The simple gesture sent a rush of warmth through him.

Beth’s smile was a little shy, and that did something unexpected to his heart. Knowing she might be as nervous about this as he was made him want to move closer, not pull away.

“I’m glad you stopped by tonight,” she said.