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She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Good. I’ll bring the picnic, and I’ll pick you up here.”
“It’s a date,” she said, then held up her hand. “I mean that as an expression. I wasn’t implying anything.”
He stared into her eyes. “It’s a date,” he said quietly. “I mean that in every sense of the word.”
Finally, she thought, her heart pounding hard in her chest.
“Oh.” Her lips curved up in a happy smile. “Good. Then it’s a date.”
For the first time since Shaye had started her midday shift selling hand pies, the hours had crawled by. Every time she checked her watch, she was shocked to discover that only a few minutes had gone by. Watching city workers set up tables and chairs for that evening’s events hadn’t been much of a distraction. When her shift had finally ended, she’d raced home only to discover she had three long hours until Lawson picked her up.
She changed her sheets and ran the old ones through the washer and dryer. She used a facial mask that was supposed to make her skin glow, then put in hot rollers in an attempt to get sexy waves into her hair. She debated what to wear, changing her clothes three times before deciding on the original outfit, an apple-green sleeveless dress with a light sweater in case it got chilly.
She was ready a ridiculous forty minutes before he was due to arrive but couldn’t stand to be in her room any longer so made her way downstairs. She found Kathy in the kitchen, cutting up fresh fruit.
“You look nice,” her landlord said with a smile. “Going to the tree-lighting?”
“Yes, Lawson’s taking me.”
Kathy’s expression turned mischievous. “I always liked that boy, although I suppose I should call him a man now. He was a good kid. The family’s very nice. The two younger ones took off, but the older girls stayed. Oh, that’s right. You know Adien. Isn’t she pregnant?”
“Very,” Shaye said, taking a seat at the island. “She’s due in about six weeks, but she’s getting bigger by the day. I don’t know how she stands on her feet for so many hours at a time.”
“She’s young and healthy. But I’m sure she’ll be glad when the baby comes.”
Kathy sliced a peach and offered some to Shaye. “Fresh from the farmers market,” she said. “They’re delicious. I love this time of year. I’m buying more than I can eat, so at some point I’ll start making jam. A silly hobby, but it’s a tradition.”
“I’d love to help, if you’re open to that. I’ve never made jam.”
“It’s not difficult, and I’d love the help and the company.” She sighed. “Douglas used to help me. Or rather he’d sit about where you are and offer advice. As if he knew how anything in a kitchen worked.” She smiled. “We were an old-fashioned couple. I cooked, he took care of the outside. But it worked for us.”
“You were together a long time.”
“We were. Forty-three years.” Kathy laughed softly. “He would always say that forty-two of them were really good but we weren’t talking about that one year.”
“He sounds like a great guy.”
“He was. I know I should be over him, but I still miss him. This old house gets big and lonely.” She looked at Shaye. “So I appreciate the company.”
“Me, too. Do you ever think about moving? You mentioned a condo before.”
“I think about it. The condos are part of a new retirement community being built on the edge of town. They have stages of care.” Kathy washed three more peaches. “I’d be interested in the independent living. I’ve gone by, and I have a brochure. Some days I’m ready to put down my deposit, and other days I’m convinced I’ll never leave this house.”
She looked around. “I’d want to sell it to a nice family who would appreciate what Douglas and I had here.” Her gaze slid to Shaye. “So you and Lawson. How’s that going?”
Shaye laughed. “Nice try, but no. We’re not talking about that. I’ve known him less than two weeks. This is our second date. There will be no talk of us buying houses.”
“You’re right not to rush. It’s just sometimes you know. I knew with Douglas. By our third date, I was already half in love with him, and after a month, he was the one. He proposed two months later, but our parents made us wait another year until we could get married. They wanted us to be sure.”
She smiled at the memory.
Shaye had never felt that kind of certainty—not when it came to a man. It would be nice to be that secure in a relationship, she thought wistfully. As for the house, staying here permanently would be a dream. She could imagine a couple of kids and, of course, a dog. The house was built for a family and would be a wonderful place to make memories.
If she stayed . . .
No, she reminded herself. She hadn’t decided she was staying. Yes, she liked the town and she was making friends, but she needed to be sure. There had already been too much heartbreak in her life without her messing up again.
