Restoration

by Laurie Larsen

  And he wasn’t going to give up without another try.

  CARLY GOT OUT OF THE shower and listened briefly. No cries, no shouts. Everything seemed to be under control. She took her time to powder, lotion, and take care of her hair and makeup. She got dressed and returned to the living room where Ryan and Grace now sat on the couch, her on his lap, watching cartoons.

  The minute she arrived, he looked up and she thought she detected a look of relief. At least he wasn’t acting strangely like he had earlier. He was her normal Ryan, calm, happy, friendly.

  She caught herself. Not her Ryan. Not anymore. His mother didn’t approve of her, and she refused to put him in the position of choosing between a relationship with her, and upsetting his mother, possibly for the rest of their lives.

  But it sure was nice having him around. Maybe if they tried, they could work out an arrangement where he could be around for her and Grace, while not committing to a personal relationship.

  Was that even possible? And if so, was it fair to the two of them?

  “Well,” Ryan said now, “I better get going. I’m going to check in with my dad and see how my mom’s doing, and what their plans are for releasing her.”

  “Oh, right. Keep me posted. And Ryan, thank you for all your help last night and this morning.”

  He walked by her on his way to the door, but paused, put his hand on her jaw and leaned in to inhale. Then, he let go and kept moving, almost to the point where she wondered if it had happened at all.

  RYAN DROVE STRAIGHT to the mall, and once inside, strode to the jewelry store. His plan wasn’t even fully concocted in his head, but he knew this ring would be a part of it. He could figure out the rest of it later.

  He looked through the glass cabinets at the rows of petite gold bands and diamond solitaires. He couldn’t see the price tags, and that was okay. He’d rather concentrate on picking the perfect ring for Carly’s finger, and then figure out how to pay for it later. The saleswoman let him do his own review, and when he’d narrowed it down to just two rings, she came over, smiling at him. “Good morning.”

  He nodded at her. “Good morning.”

  “Looks like you have a special occasion coming up.”

  He stared at the rings until his eyes swam. “I sure hope so.”

  The lady laughed. “Can I pull anything out of the case for you?”

  “Yes.” He pointed out his two favorites and she brought them out for him. Even though they were tiny, the diamonds were beautiful, at least they appeared so to his untrained eye. “Tell me about these diamonds.”

  The lady talked for a while about cut and clarity and caret and color. She assured him that they were good quality rings. He couldn’t go wrong picking either one. He made his selection and cleared his throat. When she told him the price, he let the sting of the number make its way through his bloodstream and then he said, “I’ll need some payment options.”

  She understood and pulled out a flyer, giving him some assurance that he wasn’t the only one who was poorly prepared to buy a diamond ring. “We’ll set up a payment plan with the monthly amount that you’re comfortable with, and when you have paid 50% of the purchase price, you can take the ring along with you.”

  He calculated in his mind what he could afford from his lawncare job, and she did the math. He wouldn’t have the ring in his hand for another four months. Well, it would have to do.

  RYAN DROVE HOME AND was happy to see that his mom had returned. She had a stack full of prescription meds to take, and a schedule of rest she needed to adhere to, but for the most part, she was healthy. That didn’t stop Ryan and his dad from taking turns sitting with her, running to the kitchen whenever she wanted a drink or a meal, and accompanying her wherever she needed to go in the house.

  During the quiet moments when she was either resting or watching TV, Ryan pondered on his dilemma. The accident had driven home a lesson that he believed in fully. Life was too short to not live to its fullest. If you wanted something in your life, you needed to grab it by the horns and do everything you could to make it happen.

  He loved Carly. She was the woman for him, there was no doubt in his mind. He wanted to propose to her and he wanted them to be committed as a family.

  He needed that engagement ring to let her know how sure he was. But he couldn’t wait four months. He needed it now. How would he get the money he needed?

  NORA SWIPED A LAST brush of powder over her cheeks and checked herself in the mirror. The fall sunshine had colored her complexion and she was tanner than she ever was this time of year in Philadelphia. Being outside in the pasture or on the beach, instead of stuck in a law office had played its healthy effects on her.

  She went to her closet and slipped into a casual dress, a red sleeveless sheath that skimmed above her knee and fit her form snugly but comfortably. She slipped her feet into leather sandals. She ran a brush through her hair, its waves falling to her shoulders.

  Shaw was taking her out tonight to celebrate their launch as an equine therapy center. He’d planned everything with no input from her. She knew he’d plan something fun. He always did.

  She paused to close her eyes and let her mind drift toward thankfulness. It eventually resulted in a silent prayer to God: Thank you for leading Shaw back into my life. Thank you for forgiveness and second chances. Thank you for love. Please watch over the two of us and guide us along our way. Amen.

  Downstairs, she heard the door open. Shaw was here. She wrapped up and went down the stairs. As she descended, he came to the bottom of the steps, his head lifted to watch her. He wore an expression of appreciation, his eyes unwavering. He reached out a hand as she approached, and she took it. “Don’t you look gorgeous,” he said in a breathless voice and he pulled her close and kissed her. As they joined lips she realized that God was answering her prayer. This was love, undoubtedly. This was her chance at love, and she was not going to give it up.

  “So do you,” she managed when he let her go. She took a moment to admire him in his khaki pants, cowboy boots and golf shirt. “You look great.”

  They made their way out to Shaw’s truck. On the way there, he said, “I’ve heard a lot about this place and I’d been wanting to give it a try. Do you like theater, by the way?”

  She glanced over at him with a grin. “I do. Do you?”

  He laughed. “Well, I have to say it’s not usually in my Top Five favorite things to do, but this place combines food and theater. And anyplace that feeds me well, gets a thumbs-up in my book.”

  They drove south on Route 17 to Pawleys Island, crossed over the causeway to the island itself, and drove along on the quaint beach road till they reached a sandy parking lot. They parked, he helped her out, then they walked across the street to a big wooden house. Nora saw the sign, “Seaside Inn.”

  “It’s an inn that offers three meals a day to its guests. They have been written up in cuisine magazines for having delicious food. On weekends they also offer a theater experience.”

  “Dinner theater?”

  “Yep. Their first production was Music Man and they featured actors from New York City. They’ve moved on to other shows since then. Tonight is Mamma Mia.”

  “I love that show! And the music!” A bubble of excitement filled her chest.

  They climbed the front steps and entered. The door opened into a homey great room filled with couches, bookshelves and beachy décor over a hardy wooden floor. To the left was a line of people forming. Shaw led them there. After a brief wait, they reached the doorway to the dining room. It was a good size, filled with tables and people, with a stage set against one wall.

  “Welcome!” said a happy looking woman. “Tickets please?”

  Shaw pulled out his wallet and handed her two tickets. He’d planned this far enough in advance to have bought tickets. When would he have had time? This man amazed her.

  “Thank you,” said the woman. “Oh, you have
great seats. The table is center to the stage, so you’ll have a good view. I’ve placed two other couples at your table. Our dinner tonight is prime rib, baked potato and roasted vegetables, and our dessert is cheesecake with strawberries. Every bite is homemade in our kitchen. My name’s Marianne Muller, by the way. I own this place with my husband, Tom.”

  Nora liked her instantly. The woman bubbled over with happiness and positivity. A true picture of a person who loved her life and was exactly where she was meant to be.

  “Oh, here he is now. Tom! Come here.”

  A solid man walked over and ran his hand behind her, pulling her close to him.

  “Tom, I want you to meet our guests, the, uh, Flynns.” She glanced down at the reservation name in her book. “This is my husband Tom.”

  Nora looked over at Shaw, eyes up, challenging. He just laughed and shook Tom’s hand. “We are looking forward to a great night. In fact, we’re celebrating.”

  “Oh?” Tom said. “What’s the occasion? Thanks for picking our place to celebrate, by the way.”

  “Nora here,” he gestured with his hand, but she noticed he didn’t correct them and say she wasn’t his wife, “owns the Waccamaw Trails facility for horses in Murrells Inlet. She also runs a franchise of Dress for Success in her home there. But recently we partnered on offering a new community service, equine therapy.”

  “Really!” Marianne said.

  “Yes. We had our first client this week, a little boy named Rusty. He’s got cerebral palsy and finds it a little hard to get around, but in the horse’s saddle, he was a champ. He sat tall and confident and loved every minute. He even groomed and fed the horse afterward.”

  “Oh my! What a wonderful service.”

  “We’re thrilled to offer this service to our community. All kinds of people can benefit from riding horses. Kids with physical disabilities, veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, lots of others. I’m Shaw Flynn, by the way. I’m a veterinarian.”

  “What a perfect fit. Do you have a card for the equine therapy? I’d be happy to offer them to our guests.”

  Nora was about to tell her they’d only just started, and before this week, had no idea if they even had a horse strong enough to offer the service, but Shaw pulled a short stack of business cards from his breast pocket and presented them to her. “I’d much appreciate that.”

  “Hey, we always help our neighbors. So glad to know you, Nora and Shaw.”

  Nora looked behind her and noticed the line of dinner theater guests getting longer. “Well, we don’t want to hold you up.”

  “No problem. Our daughter Stella will see you to your seat.” She raised a hand and an adorable little girl, maybe nine years old stepped up. Marianne handed Stella their tickets and the little girl gave them a polite smile. “This way, please.”

  They followed her to their table and when they’d sat she gave them a little bow and said, “Your waitress will be right over with your water.”

  “Thank you, Stella.”

  The evening was an absolute delight. Their table partners were a newly engaged couple, along with her mom and dad. They conversed a short time and then their meals came, the aroma of the beef circling and tickling Nora’s nose. They had just finished dinner when the lights dimmed, and the music started, and soon they were swept away in the story of a young bride in a quaint Greek island inn trying to solve a mystery of her paternity before their wedding.

  At intermission, their cheesecake came, along with coffee, and then the lights dimmed again for the final act. Nora knew the songs so well she fought her inclination to sing along, but at the very end, the actors encouraged everyone to stand up and sing a few of the well-known songs with them. It was a raucous and fun ending to the evening.

  They tumbled out of the inn, thanking Marianne and Tom, who stood at the door, for the fun evening, and promising they’d come back again.

  The drive home was quiet, and Nora glanced over at Shaw, his brow firm like he had something on his mind. “Did you enjoy the play?”

  “Yes, I sure did.”

  “And the dinner was out of this world.”

  “Yes. I agree with all the reviews. That chef is fantastic.”

  They continued to drive and where he should’ve turned to take the causeway back to the mainland, he stayed straight. She glanced over at him, but he was concentrating on the thin dark road. Finally, he drove to the very end of the island, to a parking lot of a public access beach. He parked and turned to her in his seat. “Could I interest you in a walk on the beach?”

  “Of course.”

  They got out and left their shoes in the truck. Shaw rolled up the legs of his pants to his knees. They joined hands and made their way down a wooden walkway to the beach. The sand was cool, and the waves were more heard than seen in the darkness. They walked along slowly.

  “Something on your mind?” Nora asked.

  Shaw let out a breath, then stopped, took both her hands in his, and faced her. “Yes, there is. It’s you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you are on my mind. You’re always on my mind, Nora. Even when I’m doing something else, you’re always there, on the fringes.”

  Nora’s heart started to beat faster. She came closer to him, trying to see his eyes in moonlight.

  “Nora, I love being with you. I look forward to partnering on more projects together. I want to build a life together. I can’t imagine life without you. But I have to know. What are you thinking? About me?”

  A smile burst onto her face. His words made her happy, of course they did. It was exactly what she wanted to hear. But his question reminded her that she’d never really told him. In her cautiousness at approaching their “re-do,” she thought it was going well, but she’d never told him. He had a right to know.

  “I love you, Shaw.”

  His eyes went wide, his mouth dropped open and he went motionless for a moment. He was absorbing her simple words and processing them. So, she helped him out by saying them again.

  “I love you. I think God has led us together and I don’t want to mess this up. I want to be with you, I want to work with you, I want to have fun with you. I want to love you.”

  He freed her hands and cupped her cheeks, leading her mouth to his. His lips were warm on hers, and the kiss became deeper and deeper still, causing a heat to spread down her core and fill her entire body. When he pulled back, she was shaking.

  “I love you too.”

  She laughed because in true Shaw fashion, he didn’t want to leave her hanging, he wanted to assure her he felt the same way, but his actions had already told her that. He was a good man, a loving man, a man of God, and he’d been led to her by God himself.

  How did she ever get so lucky?

  “I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he went on. “I’ve finally found the love of my life.”

  She grinned. It had been a long haul to get to this moment, for them both. She had long ago given up on having love in her life. And she was sure he had too. But good things were worth waiting for.

  “What comes next?” She had to ask because she had no idea.

  “Well ... I imagine ... a ring? A proposal? A wedding?” He was grinning so wide she could see his white teeth in the darkness. And she couldn’t mistake the happiness in his voice.

  “Yes. That all sounds great.” In time, she almost cautioned. There was no rush. They had all the time in the world.

  Then, no. She wouldn’t overthink this. She wouldn’t analyze and plan and overdo. She’d simply let this happen the way it was supposed to.

  She leaned in close to him and found his mouth again. She kissed him, letting her hands stroke his hair, his short locks tumbling through her fingers. She loved this man, and it was all going to happen, in good time.

  She shivered, and he noticed. “You’re chilly. Let’s go back to the truck.”

  They walked, their fe
et buried in sand with each step. She climbed into the truck and he helped her with the seatbelt, then kissed her again before he closed the door firmly.

  The rest of her life was just ahead of her, and she couldn’t help thinking, what a great second act.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Monday started a new workweek and Carly delivered Grace to pre-school as normal. She alerted Grace’s teacher to the happenings over the weekend, so she could watch out for unusual signs or symptoms.

  She waved at Haley on her way past the front desk but a breeze-by was not going to be enough for Haley. She gestured Carly over with a loud hiss.

  “So, what happened with you and the gorgeous one?”

  Carly laughed. Haley had all kinds of nicknames for Ryan and never hesitated to let Carly know how much she approved of him and wanted the two of them to end up together. Carly grinned, thinking of a way she could truly start Haley’s work week out with a bang. She gave her friend a sly grin. “He spent the night.”

  As expected, Haley gave a hoot, causing several of their co-workers to look over at the vocal intrusion. Carly shushed her, and Haley said, “I knew it! I knew it! He’s crazy about you, girl. I knew you would get back together.”

  Carly chuckled. “Don’t get crazy. I said he spent the night. I didn’t say we spent the night together. He slept on the couch and let me sleep while he got up every few hours to observe Grace.”

  “Oh.” Poor Haley sounded disappointed but recovered. “Now, if that doesn’t show you how devoted he is to you and your daughter, what does?”

  Carly nodded. “I know. He’s so sweet. And he really does seem devoted to Grace.”

  “And to you.”

  Thoughts of Ryan filled her mind. “I have to admit, I do think he wants to be with me, for me. Not just because I’m Grace’s mother. But because he has feelings for me.”

  “Yahoo! So what are you waiting for? That man is fine, he loves you, and you love him. Go get this thing kickstarted.”