Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street #3)(57)

After locking the office, Carolyn waved a friendly goodbye to Nolan, the security guard, and headed toward her vehicle, enjoying the warm evening air. Summer was her favorite season. Here it was, the end of June and it was still light. Maybe that was why she resisted the idea of going home. She decided to visit Susannah, instead, and was driving in that direction when she passed He’s Not Here.

The local tavern was a regular hangout for many of the mill workers. A few cars were scattered across the parking lot now, but by this time most of the work crew had gone home to their families.

Then she saw it. The battered truck that belonged to Dave Langevin. Her heart started to beat erratically. By now he would’ve gotten word that she’d cancelled the extra work. He’d know what that meant. She couldn’t help wondering if he was disappointed.

Almost without volition, Carolyn found herself turning into the lot. She sat in her truck for at least five minutes trying to figure out what to do. Her hands were clammy, her stomach was jumping with nerves, and her heart raced. It felt as if a simple decision—whether or not to go inside—was one of the biggest of her life. Swallowing hard, she climbed out of her truck and walked toward the tavern.

The darkened windows barred the sunlight, and it took Carolyn’s eyes a moment to adjust. She stood inside the entry and glanced around, looking for Dave.

The place was less than half-full and she saw him right away. He sat at a corner table, his back to the wall, nursing a beer. He glanced up and for the most fleeting of seconds, their eyes met.

Slowly, Carolyn stepped farther inside. The jukebox played a Reba McEntire ballad, and the scent of beer hung in the air. A few men sat at the bar and on the opposite side three or four others were involved in a noisy darts game. One couple, well past sobriety, clung to each other on the tiny dance floor.

Carolyn slipped into a booth that looked directly toward the table where Dave sat. The aching way he made her feel seemed to intensify. It was as if everything female within her sprang to life whenever she was near him. She’d assumed those feelings had disappeared years ago, after her divorce. But Dave Langevin’s mere presence had revived them.

Although they’d occasionally talked, she knew next to nothing about him. He’d revealed little of his past, little about himself. He was always courteous and polite. He’d never even touched her and yet she felt his touch every time he looked at her.

“What can I get you, sweetie?” the barmaid asked, strolling up to the booth with a tray in one hand.

“I’d like a beer,” Carolyn said, needing fortification. “Whatever you have on draft.” A cold beer would taste good after a long, hot day. On an empty stomach the alcohol would likely affect her more quickly, in which case she could order something to eat before she went home.

The woman returned with a frosty mug. The foam spilled over the sides of the thick glass as she thumped it down on the lacquered wood table. Carolyn took a long swallow. It went down just as smoothly as she’d hoped.

When she’d finished half her beer, she began to feel relaxed. With open curiosity she studied Dave, who didn’t seem embarrassed by her interest. He met her gaze and slowly smiled. Her heart smiled back and her lips followed before she grew flustered and looked away.

After a few minutes, Dave stood up and seemed to be walking straight toward her. When he walked past her booth and over to the jukebox, she started to breathe normally again. The first tune, the same Reba ballad that had been playing when she arrived, echoed through the room. Then he went back to his table, pausing in front of her booth for just an instant. Just long enough to let her know he’d wanted to ask her to dance, but changed his mind. The very way she’d changed hers…

By the third number, a slow love song, Carolyn was ready to leave. She’d made a mistake in coming here. All she’d done was embarrass herself.

At that moment, Dave rose from his chair, his eyes holding hers. With her pulse nearly going crazy, she watched as he came toward her.

Had her life depended on it, she couldn’t have looked away. Everything and everyone else in the tavern became a blur.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked in a low voice, offering his hand.

There wasn’t anyone else on the dance floor; the drunken lovers had apparently gone home. She nodded and stepped out of the booth. When she placed her hand in his, Dave smiled down at her. The warm sensation of his touch rocked her, but she tried not to let it show.

Without another word, he led her to the other side of the room. When his arms circled her waist and he brought her close, Carolyn slid her hands up his chest and left them there.

The music played, but they barely moved as they continued to gaze at each other. Carolyn felt the strong, steady beat of his heart.

The electricity between them was volatile, threatening to burst into flames with the slightest provocation. Carolyn felt it with every breath she drew. The desire to slip her arms around his neck and urge his mouth to hers nearly overwhelmed her. She wanted him so badly that she closed her eyes, certain he’d see what she was feeling—certain she’d act on it if he did.

The music stopped and a full minute passed before Dave let her go. When his arms fell away, she released the pent-up tension in a long, deep sigh.

“Thank you,” he said.

All she could do was nod.

Together they returned to the booth. He waited until she was seated, then went over to the bar, paid his tab and walked out the door.