9
Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things,
Than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.
Apocrypha
Bethany arrived at the restaurant a few minutes before one and stood outside enjoying the sunshine.
A shiny, dark cherry sports car with dealer plates pulled into a spot. Miles exited the vehicle. He really was a handsome man, tall, with blond hair slicked back, and clean cut. His frame wasn’t lean. This was not a man used to working out. The jacket was probably custom-made. The dark gray suited the man and the blue tie set him apart as a professional.
Very different from Ty’s typical jeans and t-shirt attire. And yet, the more casual clothes suited Titus and his personality.
Miles grinned as he came up to her.
She was terribly underdressed in her khakis and a blue plaid, long-sleeved shirt over a white tank top. Her only concession to summer was her sandals.
“Glad you could make it,” Miles said in his deep voice. “Let’s go in and I’ll buy you lunch. Do you want to sit out here to eat or inside?”
“It’s a bit warm out here so inside would be better. And the bees would likely be around. I’d rather avoid them.”
“Allergies?”
“Not that I’m aware of. No desire to find out either.”
Miles grinned as he opened the door for her.
They placed their orders and sat down at a booth. The restaurant was not crowded.
“Seriously, chili-cheese fries? Are you sure that’s all you want?” Miles asked as he dove into his double butter burger with cheese, large fries, and cola.
“This will take care of my hunger.” She sipped her iced tea before using a fork to dig out a French fry slathered with chili and cheese. She popped it into her mouth. “Mmmmm. It’s been a while.”
“You don’t eat out much?”
“Not really. Too expensive to do on a regular basis.”
“Not for me. Being a bachelor it’s more my style. Someday maybe I’ll have a wife to make me lunches or to go home to, but for now, it’s typically fast food whenever I can squeeze in the time. Customers keep me busy.”
“Was it hard to get away for lunch today?”
“Yes. A couple walked in as I was about to leave. I let another salesperson take them. I hate losing a sale.”
“I appreciate your sacrifice to meet with me. I’m really not worth you losing income over.”
“They may not purchase anything. They were shopping around so at this point it’s not a sale. If they come in again, and that salesperson is there, they will be more likely to ask for that person and give them the commission.”
“I would have understood if you needed to cancel.”
“Well, with no cell phone, how would I have contacted you? You were already here and it goes against my upbringing to stand up a beautiful woman on a first date.”
Heat rushed to her face and she focused on her food, not sure how to respond to the compliment.
They ate in silence as the conversation stalled.
“Did you grow up around here?” Bethany asked.
“Port Washington. I’m the youngest of three kids and the only boy.”
“The prince?”
Miles grinned. “Maybe. I was pretty spoiled. My parents bought me a new car when I got my driver’s license at sixteen. I got a vacation to Europe for two weeks when I graduated high school. I went with a friend.”
“Wow. Sounds nice.”
“It was. I got back and they gave me a down payment on a condo when I got this job and I’ve held this position for a few years. Learning the ropes and building a clientele that refers people to me and returns for their next vehicle. I’m typically in the top three every month for sales but I work hard for it.”
“But your natural charm doesn’t hurt, I’m sure.”
“Oh, the lady complimented me.” His hand went to his chest and his eyes twinkled. “According to my mother, you are correct.”
They had both finished their food.
“Would you like some dessert, Beth?”
“No, thank you, but you go right ahead.”
He slid out of the seat. “I’ll be right back.”
She liked his relaxed charm and self-confidence. Bethany could see why he was good at his job. He could probably succeed at anything he chose. When Miles returned with his chocolate sundae, she asked him, “Why cars and not real estate or jewelry?”
“I like cars. Always have. I go to classic car shows when I can. Someday I might get myself one of them if I can get it in mint condition. I don’t know enough to work on them. I just enjoy driving them.”
“What about racing?”
“I enjoy watching the races but have no desire to risk my pretty face with such a dangerous sport.”
“Usually the face isn’t the main injury with accidents on the race track.”
“True. But still. I like all my body parts intact and have no desire to jeopardize them.”
“What else do you do for fun?” Bethany asked.
“Go for drinks with the guys, find beautiful women to dance with, watch racing on television.” He finished his dessert and checked his watch. “Time’s running out for this prince. I need to get back to work. I hope we can do this again sometime.”
“Thank you for lunch, Miles.” She slid out of her seat and grabbed the trays to empty them.
Miles piled his garbage on her tray.
She dumped it in the trash on the way out the door.
“I’d like to take you out for dinner some evening. You work early in the morning, right? So what day do you not work, and I’ll try to arrange my schedule to do it the night before.”
“I don’t work next week, Saturday morning.”
“OK, next Friday night then. I get off around eight. Would that be OK? I just need your address.”
Her heart rate sped up. She never gave her address unless she had to. “Pick me up at the grocery store.”
“What, like at the front door?”
“Sure.”
Silence met that for a few seconds. “Fine. Dress nice. I’ll take you to DeLuca’s Cucina. You like Italian?”
“Italian is great.”
“I’m looking forward to it, Beth.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. With a wink, he strode to his car. He gave her a wave as he drove off.
She walked to her old car. He’d called her Beth instead of Bethany—was it too much to ask for two extra syllables? She had been afraid of him even seeing what she drove. Not that she had anything in her person to impress him with. She drove home for a short nap before heading to the garage.
~*~
Titus struggled to restrain Cooper when Bethany Joelle walked into the shop. B.J. He needed to remind himself that here she was B.J. He hoped the council would decide soon about this so that she could be free of all pretense, but he also worried about the guys and how they would react to a woman in the shop.
Would they treat her differently? She didn’t really interact with them often. She came, did her job, and left. She rarely spoke to anyone and the guys gave her space as if appreciating her need to be left alone. Not many of them were big talkers anyway.
He could relate. Especially when it came to B.J.
She walked into the office and as the door shut behind her, he allowed Cooper to rush to her.
B.J. knelt to accept the kisses of the exuberant dog. Only with him and Bethany had he ever seen the dog’s tail not just wag—but turn like a windmill in full circles.
“Hey, B.J., you going to be at church Sunday?” Ty asked.
“That’s my plan as of now. I’m working a longer shift tomorrow for someone. Otherwise, I’m trying to work out an alternate schedule where I would get every other week off for Sundays.”
“I’m glad. Can I take you to lunch after church? Maybe take Cooper for a walk?”
She sighed and bit her lower lip. “Why me? I don’t get it.”
Tit
us checked out the garage. None of the guys looked as if they were about to come in. “Why not you? We have a lot in common and I like you. Cooper adores you so that’s another mark in your favor. Do you have some objection to me?”
Her face infused with a delightful pink shade as she tried to hide behind Cooper’s fuzzy head. “No objections at all.”
Well, that was something. “OK. Lunch it is. This time, no picnic.”
She gave him a soft smile. “OK.” She rose to her feet and Cooper whined. “I’d better get to work. Tune up on the blue sedan?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. It’s summer so a lot of the regular crew hasn’t been coming in. Softball and soccer games for their kids, I guess.”
“That and vacations, I suppose.”
“That too. I appreciate your faithfulness in being here.”
“Glad to help. See you later, Ty. Cooper.” She gave the dog one last head scratch and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her to ensure the dog didn’t escape into the garage.
Titus sighed. Why her? Of all the women he’d met, why this one? He’d met many single moms with ready-made families and not one piqued his interest as this single, self-contained, secretive woman did. Maybe it was the puzzle she presented? He wished he understood.
He wondered how her date with Miles went. It was today if he remembered correctly. With a frown, he focused on the paperwork in front of him. He’d need to order parts Monday and make sure they had the resources available to cover the cost. He’d rather be out doing a tune-up with B.J. than this paperwork, but he owed the church the due diligence of making sure every penny spent was spent wisely. He tried to focus on the numbers while Cooper sat on a table keeping watch over B.J.
~*~
Sunday morning shone bright, clear, and hot. Bethany dripped with sweat before she got in the car. She parked at the back of the lot of the church to obscure her car from Miles seeing it. Why his good opinion mattered to her, she couldn’t fathom.
Other than Adele, Titus was the only one who knew where she even lived. She got her mail at a post office box in Menomonee Falls. While she wasn’t really hiding from her past, she definitely wanted to make it impossible for some people to find her should they choose to. It was the lock on the Pandora’s box of emotions such interactions would unleash. She didn’t know if she could survive that. She barely did the first time around.
And Titus. He already knew more than she was comfortable with. Dare she let him closer? She already liked him more than was probably wise.
Skye approached.
“Hi, Skye. Want to sit together this morning?”
Skye enveloped her in a hug. “Absolutely. That is if you don’t mind sharing the row with my husband. He’s not on the team today.”
“That’s fine.”
“Great! The kids are settled in. Let’s go find a spot. Is it OK if we sit closer to the front?”
“I suppose that’d be fine.” She allowed the spunky redhead to lead her into the auditorium and closer to the front than she’d been before.
“Good morning, Bethany Joelle,” the handsome pastor greeted her as he came to sit with them.
“Hi, Dan. Nice to see you again.”
“Are you joining us for lunch today?” he asked.
“No. I, um, have a date.”
Skye’s face lit up. “A date? With whom?”
“Titus. It’s just lunch.”
“He’s a great guy,” Dan said. “I’m glad you two are friends.”
Skye leaned in closer and whispered, “Didn’t I see Miles talking to you the other week? He seemed interested in you.”
“We ate lunch together Friday,” Bethany offered.
“That’s wonderful. Both men seem admirable, but they are very different, aren’t they?”
“Yes. Quite.” Bethany was saved from further conversation by the music starting and the congregation being asked to stand to join in the singing. Halfway through the first song, she was disconcerted when Miles came to stand next to her, singing out with gusto.
She slumped into her seat during the message. Did Miles think she was exclusively his since they went to lunch? She struggled to focus on the message with the well-dressed man sitting next to her. His cologne assaulted her senses. What was Pastor Andrew talking about today?
Trust in the Lord? She sighed. I’m trying, God. Life had been static for so long and now things were upended because of a tow-truck accident and two men expressing interest in her.
She never intended to marry, so why was she even bothering with the guys? Because it was a novelty to have an attractive man interested in her and she had two. Perhaps. Jack’s words echoed. Take a risk and make new friends. Have fun. But he’d also cautioned her that not everyone was worthy to be entrusted with her heart. How could she even know? Did she possess a heart to share anymore? She’d locked it away, safe and secure long ago.
Now those walls of protection were challenged, by Skye, Titus, Miles, but mostly God. How did she trust Him? And trusting people was always risky. Could she survive being rejected again?
The message ended, and the congregation stood for a prayer. After the “amen”, Bethany tried to leave the aisle.
Miles stood gazing down at her but saying nothing.
Skye had moved out the other end.
Bethany turned to follow.
Miles grabbed her arm.
“Hey,” she said, startled.
Miles let go immediately. “Aw, come on, Beth. I just want to talk.”
“Fine.” She plopped back into her seat. “Talk.”
“Do you want to go to lunch today?”
“Sorry. I have other plans.”
“Cancel them and come with me.”
She rose to her feet and took a step away. “No.” Walking away was freeing.
He followed. “Come with me, Bethany. You know you want to. You’ll not get a great offer like this again.”
Anger burned inside at his words. Bethany turned and glared up at him. “Really? You’re the greatest prize in the world and if I don’t go with you I’m a loser?”
“Well, that’s not exactly what I said…”
“But it is what you meant. The fact is, you’re the loser if you can’t accept that I have other plans and prefer to honor my commitments. I don’t know you well enough to give you that kind of importance in my life and I probably won’t if you can’t respect that I have a life when you’re not around.”
“Hey, OK. I just want to spend time with you.” Miles stood back with his hands up, looking contrite.
Bethany couldn’t tell if it was an act, but she’d made a promise and she needed to be charitable. “We have a date for Friday, and you can pick me up in front of the store.”
“OK.” His reply seemed disgruntled.
Bethany wove through the crowd and left the church. Ty would pick her up at home soon and she needed to change clothes. Miles’s bossiness irked her. Perhaps he was immature and didn’t know how to handle a ‘no’ from someone.
She threw on blue capris and a light green long-sleeved shirt and sandals. She sat on the back porch to wait.
The truck engine and crunching gravel announced Ty’s arrival.
Bethany went down the steps to meet him.
“Ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
“Great.” Titus opened the door for her and then closed it when she was in the truck.
~*~
Titus enjoyed watching Bethany but kept his eyes on the road. He didn’t think she ever did anything for fun, so he’d made plans for after lunch, too. They arrived at the restaurant. He reached out to touch her arm. “You’ll wait for me to get the door, please?”
She nodded.
They were seated after a short wait.
“I’ll pray for the meal.” He held out his hand.
She took his hand and he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Dear God, thank You for this meal and for time with Bethany Joelle. Amen.” He’d wanted to say more
but didn’t know how much of his wishful thinking would creep in. “Do you always order a salad?”
“Sometimes. It’s been hot out and a salad sounded refreshing.”
“Do you cook at home?”
“My apartment is really a bedroom, sitting area, and bath. If I want to use the kitchen, I use Adele’s, but she’s a prolific cook. I sometimes buy her groceries after work to help out since she prepares the meals. But with just the two of us, and the current bounty from her garden, it’s pretty much only the meat and essentials to be purchased. And fruit she can’t grow.”
“Wow. That’s a nice deal.”
“It is. She’s super sweet but gives me space too.”
“How long have you been living there?”
“A few years. I’m saving up for a newer car, so the lower rent has been helpful.”
“Any thoughts on what kind of car?” Ty grinned.
“No. I debate between practical or fun, economical, what has the best maintenance records, and stuff like that.”
“I thought women bought cars based on the color.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Really? And you think I’m like every other woman?”
“You are most definitely more than any other woman I’ve met.”
“More?”
“Much more. Color?”
“Probably green.”
“‘Cause it’s your favorite color?”
She nodded and stabbed her salad again. “Yup. So why did you select black for your truck? Sure shows the salt in the winter.”
“I don’t know. Looked pretty classy in the showroom and I’d saved for so long. Plus it forces me to work hard to keep it clean.”
“Classy?”
“What? You don’t think tow truck drivers and mechanics can be classy?”
“You obviously broke the mold with that one. Not that I have a lot of experience in the world of men.”
“But you work with them in the shop.”
“I work in a shop where men also work. I don’t really work with them.”
“True. But doesn’t that get kind of lonely?” Ty asked.
“I guess I don’t really think about it that way. I work by myself at the bakery, but there are people around me. We just do our jobs. Same at the shop. Adele has a busy life too with her garden club, bingo games she attends, and her own church activities. I don’t mind solitude.” With only half her salad gone, she set the fork down and drank some water.
Donuts and Detours Page 9
