Page 58 of Finding Forever

“So am I.”

Her thumb moved across the side of his hand.

Dave forgot about the pie. He forgot about Kathleen moving between the tables and the conversations around them. For a few seconds, the café seemed to shrink until there was only Beth sitting across from him, her hand warm in his.

He wanted to kiss her.

The thought arrived so clearly that it almost made him laugh. He was a sixty-five-year-old man sitting in the middle of a crowded café, holding hands with a woman he’d only known for a couple of months, and suddenly he felt like a teenager.

Beth’s eyes flicked briefly to his mouth before returning to his face.

Maybe he wasn’t the only one thinking about it. His heart gave one hard thump.

Beth glanced toward their nearly empty plates. “We should probably finish our pie.”

“Probably.”

Neither of them reached for their forks.

Her smile widened.

Dave tightened his fingers around hers. “Or we could sit here for another minute.”

Beth smiled. “I’d like that.”

So would he. More than he could remember liking anything in a very long time.

And when Beth’s foot settled gently against his beneath the table, Dave decided there was no hurry at all.

Chapter 32

By the time Beth reached Kalispell, Kayla was already waiting outside the bridal boutique.

Her daughter stood beneath the striped awning with a coffee in one hand and her phone in the other. The moment she spotted Beth’s truck, she lifted her phone and waved it enthusiastically.

Beth smiled as she pulled into a parking space.

There were days when Kayla looked so grown-up that Beth could hardly connect the confident young woman in front of her with the little girl who used to climb into her bed during thunderstorms.

Then there were moments like this.

Kayla hurried across the sidewalk before Beth had even closed the truck door. “Are you ready, Mom?”

“For you to try on your wedding dress?”

Kayla nodded and Beth looked toward the boutique. She’d known this day was coming. She’d helped Kayla choose the dress months ago. She’d talked about alterations and shoes and whether Kayla should wear her hair up or down.

But somehow, knowing they were here for the final fitting made everything seem much more real. In a few weeks, her daughter was getting married.

Kayla studied her face. “Mom?”

“I’m ready.”

“You look like you’re about to cry.”

Beth slipped her arm through Kayla’s. This should be a happy day, not filled with tears. “It’s a big day. Let’s go inside before I get even more emotional.”

The boutique smelled faintly of roses and something sweet Beth couldn’t identify. Soft music played in the background, and sunlight poured through the front windows, catching on rows of white and ivory dresses.