The moment the words were out, she saw the same panic in his eyes that she’d felt herself a moment ago. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pry.”
“No, it’s okay.” Tyler watched Meg for a moment. He seemed to struggle with whether to say more or change the subject. “Reece and I went out in high school for a couple of years, and we both figured we’d get married at some point after we graduated. That didn’t last long, though. We broke up a month into our freshman year of college. A few weeks later, she found out she was pregnant with Meg.” He ran one hand through his hair and sighed. “It changed everything. Reece wasn’t even sure she wanted to keep the baby, but I promised I’d raise her. Reece jumped at the chance, signed over her rights not long after Meg was born, and walked away.”
“Wow. I’m sorry.” Beth didn’t know what kind of story she’d expected, but this sure wasn’t it. She couldn’t imagine walking away from her own baby, but then it was clear she didn’t know all the details. Beth shook her head. “I’m sure that had to be hard for you.”
“It was horrible, and we were both way too young to handle the situation with as much maturity as we could have. But I had Meg.” He smiled sweetly as he watched his daughter play. “Everything with her made it worthwhile.” He polished off the last of his cone and wiped his hands on the napkin. He stared at the chain link fence that surrounded the park, or maybe it was at something he could see beyond it. Beth sure didn’t have any sage advice to offer him.
Tyler finally roused himself from his thoughts and focused on Beth. “I’m sorry, that’s way more than you ever wanted to know, right?”
Beth shrugged. “We’ve all got things in our past that continue to affect us now. Some of them are a lot harder to shake than others.” She held his gaze. It seemed they’d both been through past relationships that had left their own scars.
“Daddy!”
Meg’s call got their attention. She’d fallen and scraped her knee on the pavement. With tears streaming down her face, Tyler kissed her knee and then pulled a bandage out of his wallet to patch it up. An expert. Meg laid her head on his shoulder and let out a little sigh.
“Are you getting tired, baby?” She nodded. “Maybe we should get you home.”
Beth had finished her ice cream and picked up all the trash to throw away. “I had a lot of fun. Thank you both for inviting me to join you.”
Meg lifted her head and gave Beth a hopeful look. “Are you coming to my birthday party?”
“I didn’t know you had a birthday coming up soon. You’ll be seven, right?”
“Yep!” Even though there were remnants of tears in the corners of her eyes, Meg grinned, the fall forgotten. “I’m going to have a super hero cake and balloons. And I hope I get a ballet dress!”
The shift from super heroes to ballet dress made Beth pause.
Tyler tossed her an apologetic look. “Her birthday isn’t until the second week of December. But she’s been planning it since January.”
Beth smiled at Meg. “There’s nothing wrong with being organized, is there?”
Meg shook her head, hair getting in her face. “So, will you come?”
Beth looked from her to Tyler and back. What was she supposed to say? “Oh, I bet you’ll have plans with your family.”
That’s when Meg’s happy face turned into a sad frown. “Oh, yes. Daddy and Grandpa will be there and some of my friends. But I really want you to come, too. Please?”
Tyler gave his daughter a firm look. “It’s too early to make plans like that. We’ll talk about your birthday party after Thanksgiving. Okay?”
“Okay,” Meg agreed, although her voice didn’t sound overly pleased. She scrambled down from her dad’s arms and threw her own around Beth. “I’ll miss you. I hope we can have ice cream again soon. Next time, you’ll have to try a sundae like me.”
“I’m going to miss you, too. You have a great rest of your week, okay?”
They walked together to the parking lot where Tyler helped Meg inside his vehicle and gave Beth a final wave.
All the way home, Beth couldn’t fight against the smile that almost made her cheeks ache. She checked the time on the console. Lance and Lexi had a meeting scheduled with the birth mother this morning. Beth almost went home like she’d planned, but instead stopped by Davenport Cabinetry. She found Lance inside sanding down some shelves.
He looked up and smiled. “Hey, Beth.”
“Hey yourself. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d come say hi to my favorite brother.” She nodded toward the shelves. “Looks like you’re staying busy.”
“Things pick up this time of the year. People are turning in a lot of orders for furniture they’re giving as Christmas gifts. Although these are for Daisy. Apparently, several of the shelves in one of her pantries are sagging beyond use. The dimension is so odd, she needed some cut to fit.”
“It’s nice of you to do that.” Beth sat down and rested her chin in one hand. “How’d the meeting go this morning?”
Lance frowned. “Honestly? I wish I knew. The birth mom—Kate—seemed nice. But she’s also unsure. I don’t know if she’s hesitant about adoption in general or if it’s us specifically. We’re back in a holding pattern, waiting to hear from the agency. Poor Lex is on the edge of her seat; she’s nervous about this one. We were talking about it last night, and even if the birth mother does choose us, I think we’re going to keep it quiet until the baby’s in our arms.”
Beth made a cross over her heart with one finger. “I promise I won’t say a thing to anyone. I’m praying, though. And if you need someone to talk to, you know I’m here.”
“I appreciate it.” Lance finished the shelf he was working on and set it down. “How are things going with your mechanic?”
She made a face. “I don’t know. I met him and Meg for ice cream a little while ago. It’s weird because, when we’re all together, everything feels natural. But when I’m not around him, I second guess everything. We both have a lot of relationship baggage that’s weighing us down.”
Her family knew what had happened with Carl. Lance, especially, had been her rock during that time. They’d gotten a lot closer, and he was one of the few people she talked to about men even now. “I thought I knew Carl after two years, and he proved me wrong. I don’t know that I’m ready to put myself out there for someone I’ve only known for a month.”
Lance put everything down and pulled a chair near Beth’s. “I get what you’re saying, and I couldn’t agree with you more. But take it from someone who wasted way too much time. How many years could Lexi and I have been together if I’d told her how I felt from the beginning?”
He had a point. Lance and Lexi had known each other most of their lives. Lance saw her often when he’d go over to Tuck’s house growing up. Beth was convinced Lance had probably been in love with her for almost as long. But it took Lexi’s cancer diagnosis to make him understand how short life could be and finally act on his feelings.
She sighed. “I know. It’s much easier said than done, though.”
“That’s the truth. But the thing is, you don’t know unless you try.” He shrugged and then winked. “I’m not saying you should up and marry the guy tomorrow. Like you said, you don’t know each other well, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a chance and see how well you two get along. Regardless, you can’t allow fear to make that decision for you. Not all of us men are bad guys, you know?”
She winced as his comment hit the nail on the head. “I appreciate the sage advice, older brother of mine.”
He slapped his legs with his hands and stood up. “Okay, you’d better get out of my hair so I can get this finished up and get home early. If the agency doesn’t call, Lexi’s going to be a worried mess tonight.”
Beth stood, too, and gave him a hug. “I’ll be praying. Thanks again, Lance. I’ll see you guys again soon. Call me if you need anything.”
She headed home, made a sandwich for dinner, and sat in front of her laptop. After taking in
a deep breath, she opened her e-mail, fully expecting mostly junk like usual. The name of her illustrator jumped off the screen. Beth pushed her plate back and opened the e-mail hurriedly. All the illustrations for her book were attached, including the cover they’d talked about, and they surpassed her expectations. With tears in her eyes, she looked through each of them several times. Perfect.
The realization that this meant she could finally put the book together and publish it was almost overwhelming. She spent the rest of her evening working on formatting, image placement, and a million other things.
When everything was ready, she submitted it for review with the printing company. If it was approved, she’d be able to order a proof of the book. She couldn’t wait to hold a copy in her hands and wished that she hadn’t let nerves and uncertainty stand in the way of putting her book together sooner.
She leaned back in her chair and thought about what Lance said earlier. What if he was right? Was she letting her past with Carl become a roadblock to her future?
Chapter Seven
Tyler frowned at his reflection in the mirror. The oil smudges on his forehead and right cheek spoke of a particularly grueling day. It made Tuesday feel like a second Monday.
Dad clapped him on the shoulder. “You alright, son?”
“Yeah, just tired. I think Meg woke up four times last night for various reasons.” He yawned. “I hope she sleeps better tonight.”
Dad covered a yawn of his own. “I hear ya. I felt bad for the both of you. But if we can get these two cars finished up, I think tomorrow’s going to be a lighter day.”
“I sure hope so.” He tilted his head toward the fridge in the corner of the small breakroom. “I’m going to grab a bottle of water. Do you want one?”
“Sure.”
“All right. I’ll be back out to help you in a sec.”
Tyler pulled the last two bottles of cold water out of the fridge. Knowing they’d want more later, he opened a new case and placed those bottles in the fridge to chill. He’d barely closed the door when his phone beeped with a text. He was surprised to see Beth’s name.
“I was thinking about you and Meg. How’s her knee doing?”
The thought that he’d entered her mind long enough to inspire her to send a text made him smile. He texted back. “It’s fine. She didn’t even notice it by the time we got home. We’re both dragging today, though. She kept waking up last night, and I wondered if her allergies were kicking in.”
Beth responded in moments. “It may be something going around. My sister said the same thing about my niece. Hopefully tonight will be better.”
“I sure hope so.”
Truthfully, he’d been thinking about Beth since he saw her at the ice cream shop. She’d made it clear she didn’t date, but he had a feeling there was more to her story. Even though he respected her decision, the thought of not seeing her again bothered him.
He decided to go with his gut and started to text before he changed his mind. “I had fun the other day. I’d like to do that again. Can I bring you lunch tomorrow?”
He hit send and hoped it wasn’t too forward. What if she said no? What if she decided he hadn’t listened to her at all when they were talking and regretted texting him in the first place? Tyler half wished he could take the text back.
But what if she said yes? It was that minute possibility that kept him watching his phone. Fifteen minutes later, he decided the worst response was getting none at all. He tried to put it out of his mind as he and his dad worked to get the cars finished up. The more they did before Tyler left to pick up Meg from school, the better off they’d be.
Another half hour later, a text came in. Tyler wiped as much grease from his hands off on his pants before swiping the screen to read it.
“What if we meet as two friends and eat lunch together? I’ll have mine here, and if you’d like to bring yours, you’re more than welcome. I get lunch at twelve thirty.”
Friends, huh? Well, it was a start, and at least she hadn’t said no. After going through everything with Reece, the thought of getting close to anyone else was scary. Yet, for a reason he couldn’t quite explain, he really wanted a proper date with Beth. If she was even half as reluctant as he on the prospect of dating again, it probably wouldn’t be easy. He responded to the text. “Sounds good. Same place I found you the first time?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll be there. See you tomorrow.” Tyler gave his phone a satisfied shove into his pocket and went back to work. One way or another, these cars were going to be done by tonight so he’d be free to spend lunch with Beth.
~
Tyler was glad he’d grabbed his jacket before going into the zoo. It was chilly after a cold front hit late last night with rain predicted for the next few days. He took in the cloudy sky, glad that it didn’t look like rain anytime soon. That was good because he didn’t want anything canceling his lunch with Beth.
Dad teased him all morning about his “date” even though Tyler had assured him it wasn’t one. Truthfully, he was kind of considering it a date himself. What mattered, though, was that Beth did not since she’d made it clear yesterday they were meeting as friends only.
He found her at the same table as the day he’d come to thank her for finding Meg. This time, she sat in a chair facing his direction. The moment she spotted him, a smile graced her face as she waved. She wore a pair of dark jeans and a purple zoo T-shirt over a black, long-sleeved shirt. A canvas bag sat on the ground next to her feet. She kicked it over when she stood, then bent to right it again. She reached for the ponytail that held her hair together at the back of her head and wound some strands around her finger.
Was it only Tyler, or did she seem flustered? Was it a good fluster, or a bad one? He sought out her eyes and found genuine pleasure at seeing him again. Good, the feeling was mutual. “Hi! How’s your day been so far?”
“Not bad. I survived a field trip this morning and consider that a win.” Beth sat back down, and Tyler followed suit, choosing a chair next to hers instead of across the table.
“When did you start giving field trips?”
“Yesterday was my first.” She flashed a big smile. “I’m hoping to help out with the summer camps next year, and this is a great step in that direction.”
“In that case, congratulations.” Tyler thoroughly enjoyed the happy look on her face. He held up the bag he’d brought. “Cheeseburger and fries.” He pointed to the popular chain restaurant’s logo. “I made it myself.”
Beth laughed, the sound washing over Tyler.
“Don’t feel bad. I brought cold pizza and a soda.” She unpacked her own lunch. “You know, I should’ve thought to suggest we meet out at the park. It’s close by and then you wouldn’t have had to pay to come into the zoo. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before.” She reached for her bag. “I can reimburse you for the ticket.”
Tyler held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t worry about it. I bought a pass for the next year.” She looked at him in surprise, a question in her gaze. “I thought I might be coming by more often than normal, and a family pass seemed to be the most economical choice.” He flashed her a smile, satisfied to see pink warm her cheeks.
“How are Meg and your dad?”
“They’re good. We’re all looking forward to fall break. I think Meg needs some time off from school.” Originally, he’d hoped a break would help with some of her attitude issues. Now that he thought about it, though, the attitude Meg had been carrying around with her all but disappeared after they met Beth for ice cream. He could only hope the trend would continue. Beth seemed concerned by his silence but held her tongue. He appreciated it, but there was also something about her that made him want to share about things he didn’t normally tell anyone else but Dad. “Meg’s been throwing a lot of fits lately. She’s an emotional storm these days. I’m not real sure what to do with her sometimes.”
Beth studied him a moment. “Does it help to know that my oldest sister has said t
he same about all of her kids at that age?”
A small laugh escaped him. “Yeah, actually it does. I’ve got parenting books, and Dad pitches in, but he never raised a girl, either. There have been many times when it would’ve been great to have my mom’s take on all this.”
She gave her head a shake, her golden ponytail moving along with it. “Raising girls compared to boys can be very different. But at the end of the day, it’s about balancing discipline and encouragement. You have to tailor how you approach both depending on the child.”
Tyler blinked at her. “I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be. I’m mostly regurgitating all I’ve heard from my own parents and my sisters. No practical experience to share.” She looked thoughtful. “Honestly, Meg seems to adore you. From what everyone frequently tells me, parenting isn’t easy, but from an outsider looking in, it seems you’re doing a great job.”
He’d been worrying about Meg a lot lately, and while most of that didn’t magically disappear, Beth’s soothing words seemed to shrink some of those problems. He scratched his chin through his beard and marveled at how she’d known what he’d needed to hear. “I appreciate that. Thank you.” He paused. “Okay, enough about my parenting challenges. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
“It’ll be a big family affair. Not everyone will be there, but those of us in the area will go to my parents’ house for dinner.”
There was something in her voice that hinted she might not be too happy about the arrangement. “And you’d rather not go?”
“It’s not that.” She took a bite of her pizza and chewed thoughtfully. “I’m the youngest. My brother and sisters are all married, so everyone focuses their matchmaking abilities on me, and it’s not something I want to deal with this year.” She shrugged as if it were no big deal and that was the end to the situation.
“You know, if you let me take you out on an official date, you’d at least have something to tell them. Maybe it would get them off your back a little.” He intended it to be more of a joke with a half-hope she’d agree. He hadn’t anticipated the flash of uncertainty that bordered on desperation in her eyes.
Finding Grace Page 6
