Yuletide Twins, page 11
“So, sandwich and coffee with the boss,” she said, stepping ahead of him toward the door, “to celebrate our big night.”
David was pretty sure she clarified because she didn’t want this to appear like a date. Which was fine. He didn’t, either. He simply wanted to celebrate, and he also wasn’t quite ready to send Laura home.
Fifteen minutes later, they were seated at one of the cozy bistro tables near the fireplace inside The Grind sipping on vanilla lattes and listening to the band More Than This playing contemporary Christian music. Laura ordered the turkey and brie, of course, and David had his traditional Reuben. Both had the homemade sweet potato chips on the side.
Laura hummed her contentment through the first bite, and David nodded.
“Told you it was good.”
“You were telling the truth,” she said.
“I always try to.”
The band finished playing “Lifted High” and then went to take a break. David and Laura clapped along with the others in the coffee house.
“They’re really good,” she said.
“I know. It’s amazing how much talent we have locally, for a town this small.”
She took another bite of her sandwich and hummed again.
He grinned, and she blushed.
“Sorry. It’s just so good.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” he said, “and I’m glad you agreed to come out with me.”
Her eyes widened as she chewed, then she tapped beneath her throat as she swallowed. “But—this isn’t a date,” she said, “is it?”
David shook his head. “Just a celebration.”
“I knew that.” She took another bite, smiling through her chewing.
“I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done at the store this week. The book club is a hit, and the signing today was so much better because of you. Destiny was right—you did a great job keeping the crowd happy while they waited.”
“It only took a few searches on the internet,” she said, plucking a sweet potato chip from her plate and taking a bite.
“But you took the time to do it, and it worked. I appreciate that.”
She ate another chip. “Hence our celebration.”
“Exactly.” He polished off his sandwich and then listened to the band tune their instruments to get ready for another song. Soon they’d started into “Where You Are,” and David softly sang along.
When the song ended, he turned to see Laura had finished everything on her plate and was looking at him with a strange expression.
“What?” he asked.
“You sing, too. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“I told you before, I can’t cook, nothing more than eggs and anything grilled. I’m fairly hopeless in the kitchen.”
“Sure you are,” she said, tossing her napkin on the table.
Grinning, David caught the attention of their waitress. “Rhonda, which cookies do you have fresh out of the oven?”
“They just finished making the white-chocolate macadamia-nut cookies,” she said.
“Awesome. We’ll take four cookies and two lattes to go please, and the check.”
She pulled her notepad out of her pocket, jotted down the additional items and handed him the ticket. “There you go. I’ll be right back with your cookies and lattes.”
“What if I don’t want cookies?” Laura asked.
“Then there will be more for me,” David said. “You don’t want warm, gooey, fresh-out-of-the-oven white-chocolate macadamia-nut cookies?”
She smirked. “You know I do.”
“That’s what I thought,” he said.
Rhonda returned, placed the cups on the table and handed David a small white bag that smelled incredible. He thanked her, paid her and then asked Laura, “Ready to go?”
* * *
Laura couldn’t remember ever feeling quite this special. David opened the door for her as they left the coffee house, and she worked to pull her jacket tighter with her free hand. David noticed and reached for her cup.
“Let me hold it while you tighten your coat,” he said, his fingers grazing hers as he wrapped them around the cup and slid it away.
Laura attempted to ignore the sensation that zinged through her at the mere contact, drew her jacket closer around her and tightened the belt. “Thanks,” she said, reaching for the coffee, their fingers brushing again with the exchange.
“Just wait until you try this.” He withdrew a steaming cookie from the bag.
Laura reached for the treat, but it was so warm and gooey that it bent in half and broke, the majority of it landing with a plop on the sidewalk.
“No way,” David said, frowning.
Laura looked at the goo on the sidewalk and the disappointment on his face and burst out laughing.
“Hey now, this isn’t funny.” He still had a small dab of cookie in his fingers, and it appeared to be melting to the touch.
“Oh, I beg to differ,” she said, laughing so hard she nearly spilled her coffee, “it’s very funny.”
Obviously seeing what happened, Rhonda darted out of the restaurant with enough napkins to choke a horse and shoved them at David. “Here you go!” she said.
Which only made Laura laugh harder. And even though her coffee had a lid, it still sloshed through the drink hole, and for some reason, she found that quite hysterical, too.
David used a napkin to get the mess off the sidewalk, tossed it in a nearby can and then made another effort to pull a cookie from the sack, this time with a napkin.
He handed the napkin-encased cookie to Laura, and she happily took a bite.
The sweet white chocolate melted on her tongue. “Oh, wow, you were right. These are amazing.”
“Thanks,” Rhonda said, then she headed back into the coffee house.
David and Laura started walking down the sidewalk, and he pulled another cookie from the bag. It started folding over, and this time, he tossed the whole thing in his mouth.
“Kinda hard to take your time enjoying it that way, isn’t it?” she asked.
He smirked. “Oh, I enjoyed it.”
They neared Carter Photography, and she glanced at the white sack. “Okay, I’m ready for my other one,” she said.
He grinned. “Your other one was the one I dropped on the sidewalk. This one’s mine.” He lifted the last cookie, which, maybe because it’d had a little time to cool, stayed together.
“Hey, I’m eating for three here,” she said.
“You have a point.” He handed her the cookie.
Laura propped her coffee in the crook of her arm so she could break the cookie in half, then handed part to David. “Here.”
He took it. “You sure?” he asked, tossing it in his mouth.
She laughed. “Well, I guess I’d better be, huh?”
“Looks that way.”
She ate the last bite of hers. “Thanks for the celebration dinner and for walking me home.”
“You’re welcome.” He stepped beneath the awning and watched as she found her keys in her purse and then moved to unlock the door. “I’ll make sure you get inside safely.”
Laura nodded and fumbled to slide the key into the lock. Finally, it clicked, and she turned the knob. It almost felt like the end of a date, like the moment when she’d stall, hold her breath and wait for their first kiss. She looked back at the man who’d already touched her heart in ways that no one else ever had. “But this isn’t a date?” She’d meant it to come out as a statement, but the question was there, just the same. Why couldn’t she stop her mouth from blurting whatever traipsed across her heart? She was practically asking for this to be a date, and that wasn’t what she wanted.
Remember Jared. Remember how much relationships hurt. Remember how you promised—promised—yourself that you would not jump into another one too soon!
But this is David. He’s perfect, her heart whispered, and her mind quickly screamed, You thought Jared was perfect, too!
He stepped closer, and Laura braced for a kiss that she was pretty sure would rock her to her toes. A kiss she did not want. Really.
“This isn’t a date,” he whispered.
Stunned, she blinked, nodded. “Have a good night,” she said, opening the door.
“And, Laura...”
She looked back into those dark eyes, at the gold flecks catching the porch light. “Yes?”
“If I took you on a date, you wouldn’t have to ask. You’d know.”
Chapter Ten
Laura set aside Sunday to read the remainder of Destiny’s book and to get started on the Tamar novel that the women’s book club would discuss on Tuesday evening. With the past two weeks being so busy, she hadn’t been able to read more than a couple of the love stories in Destiny’s book, but she was already hooked. She fixed a cup of coffee, grabbed a quilt and the book then headed out to the balcony to read.
Most all of the apartments on the square had balconies overlooking the center area, where the three-tiered fountain flowed and a few geese ambled around the wrought-iron benches, where the elderly typically sat with bread. But unlike every other morning of the week, today the square was primarily empty, probably because people were home getting ready for church.
Laura assumed everyone she went to lunch with last Sunday would gather at the Claremont Community Church today, as would David.
She sipped her oversize mug of coffee. The crisp taste instantly reminded her of the lattes she’d shared with him a week ago and that parting comment that had teased her ever since.
She’d hardly been able to sleep for remembering his words and wondering what it would be like to go on a real date with David Presley.
A shiver passed over her, and it had nothing to do with the cold. She focused on the book and tried to tune out the memory of how badly she’d wanted to be kissed. And how he hadn’t even tried. She turned the page and attempted to focus on the next story. It was interesting to read about couples she’d already met in town.
The first story was about Marvin and Mae Tolleson, the older couple who owned the variety store. And she’d read about Mandy and Daniel, learned how they’d started out basically despising one another because both of them wanted to adopt Kaden when his parents passed away. This morning she started into the third story, about Chad and Jessica. Soaking in the pages, Laura learned that Jessica was pregnant with Chad’s baby when she ran away from Claremont as a teen, and she didn’t tell him for six years. The story of how they reunited and how he forgave her for leaving touched Laura’s heart. She thought of adorable little Nathan in the book club and realized that he was that precious baby who finally met his daddy.
Tears trickled down Laura’s cheeks. Her little girls would never have a relationship with their biological father. Jared had made certain she knew that he didn’t want any part of this pregnancy or their lives. But Laura wanted them to have a daddy, eventually.
A steady thumping caught her attention. She wiped the tears away and looked for the source of the noise, growing louder. Then she saw the jogger entering the square from Main Street. David ran steadily down the sidewalk, his tennis shoes producing the pounding she’d heard. Oddly, the even thudding of his shoes reminded her of the sounds she heard at each doctor’s visit, her babies’ heartbeats.
Laura’s heart kicked it up a notch, too. He wore a gray T-shirt and navy sweatpants. An iPod was strapped around his right bicep with a white cord connecting the earphones. His shirt wasn’t overly tight, but it still managed to emphasize the hard planes of his chest, flexing and releasing with each breath.
She continued staring until he reached the bookstore. He held one hand out to brace against the brick wall and checked his watch. Then he nodded, apparently satisfied with his time. He pulled the earphones out and then started to go into the store but, to Laura’s surprise, he tossed a glance over his shoulder, locked eyes with her and smiled.
She should have waved, or yelled hello, or something. But instead she clutched the book, gathered the quilt and the coffee and retreated inside. She glanced at her closet. Several dresses hung there that would be perfect to wear to church today. A tiny whisper told her to get dressed and go. But while that voice whispered, her fear screamed louder. What if Mandy’s friends weren’t typical, and the remainder of the people there would rather a single, very pregnant lady not show up in the middle of their small community church? Laura couldn’t deny she was starting to have serious feelings toward David, and he wanted—needed—a woman who shared his faith. If he’d have patience, Laura would get there again. As soon as she thought God was ready for her. She figured He’d let her know somehow when the time was right.
* * *
“So, did you finish reading the book?” Hannah asked Mandy as they each plopped down in one of the cozy chairs at the front of the bookstore.
“I read it in two days,” Mandy said, placing a hand over her heart. “It was amazing.”
“I have to admit that I’d never really thought about the story from Tamar’s point of view, and I found myself rooting for her more than any character I’ve ever read about,” Hannah said.
Several more ladies came in and filled the chairs and sofas that David had arranged for the night’s meeting. Laura said hello to Destiny and Jessica and met a sweet older lady named Mary, who said she was married to the preacher at the church. Then Eden Sanders came in and introduced herself, as well as her daughter, Georgiana Cutter, and Georgiana’s sister-in-law, Dana. Laura noticed Georgiana holding Dana’s forearm, and it didn’t take but a moment for her to realize the pretty strawberry-haired woman was blind.
“We got the book on CD for Georgiana,” Dana explained as they sat down.
“Yes, and I’m so glad we did,” Georgiana said. “Tamar’s story touched my heart.”
“Mine, too,” Laura admitted, taking her seat in the center chair and preparing to lead the discussion. “I started reading it Sunday afternoon and couldn’t go to sleep that night until I was done, well after two o’clock.”
Mandy sat next to Laura. They’d grown very close over the past few weeks, with Laura visiting Mandy nearly every day at the photography studio. She leaned toward Laura and said softly, “I really wanted you to read that story.”
“I appreciate that,” Laura said, “more than you could know.”
She’d never read the story of Tamar, either, and she had no idea how terribly the lady had been treated by the men she tried to love. Nor did she know about the way Tamar had tricked her father-in-law into fathering her child. But in spite of her trickery, God favored her for attaining her natural rights when she’d been wronged by Judah’s sons. And she ended up being one of only five women listed in the lineage of Christ.
Laura cleared her throat. “So, we have some discussion questions here. I’d like to get your thoughts on these. Question one, Tamar was abused, abandoned and neglected. She ended up taking matters into her own hands and having a difficult time of it. Have you ever felt like this?”
To Laura’s relief, the women in the group were very open, with several of them bringing up instances in their lives where they’d experienced a hard time, often because they were trying to handle things on their own. Jessica spoke up first and talked about her fear when she’d become pregnant as a teen and how she’d hidden the pregnancy from Chad so he wouldn’t give up his college scholarship.
“If I’d have told him the truth and hadn’t run away, we’d have had six more years together raising Nathan. But I thought I’d messed up, and I didn’t want to mess up his life, too.” She brushed a tear away then added, “But Nathan completes his life, completes our lives. He and Lainey are the best parts of our world.”
“I tried running away from God,” Mandy said softly, “after Mia died. I know now that I was blaming Him. But He wanted me back—” she pointed to the book in her hand “—the same way He wanted Tamar.”
“Enough to put her in the lineage of His Son,” Mary said. “I think that’s a beautiful image of how very much He wants us, don’t you? Even when we feel we’ve messed up?”
All of the women agreed, and Laura swallowed thickly through the lump in her throat. She’d come to the same realization reading Tamar’s story, but to hear her thoughts voiced by all of the other women, and to learn that they’d had moments where they felt like they’d turned their backs on God, too...overwhelmed her.
She glanced up and saw David leaning against one of the endcaps looking toward the group but undeniably focused on her. He tilted his head, held up the okay symbol with his hand and mouthed, You okay?
Laura’s heart was filled with compassion toward Mandy, for convincing her to read this story, and toward David, for seeing her through the past few weeks and encouraging her to come back to God without shoving her through the church door. Very okay, she mouthed.
He smiled then turned and went to the counter apparently convinced that she would be fine. And, through question after question and discussion after discussion, she was. In fact, she was more than fine. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Laura felt...blessed.
Chapter Eleven
Laura checked the clock in her bedroom—11:45 a.m. David and his parents would be here any minute to pick her up to go to the church Thanksgiving dinner, and she couldn’t decide what to wear. Four complete outfits were strewn haphazardly across the bed, and none of them had seemed right for meeting David’s parents.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t met them before. She’d met them plenty of times at UT when they visited David on campus; however, she’d never been nearly eight months pregnant with twins when she saw them. And she’d never really been trying to make an impression. But today, she was.
Last night, she’d attended the midweek Bible study with David at the church, and like Mandy had promised, everyone welcomed her with open arms. She’d felt accepted, forgiven, loved. David never left her side and introduced her to anyone she hadn’t already met. Laura had enjoyed Brother Henry’s class about grace and felt right at home in the small community church. In fact, she wondered why she’d stayed away from church, away from God, so long. And she wondered why she’d never realized how amazing David was when they were in school. He’d always been a dear friend, but she’d never thought of him beyond that. Now, as much as she’d fought it, she couldn’t stop thinking about him that way, and she wondered if they’d ever have a real date.
