Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street #3)(58)

Carolyn retrieved her purse and slapped twenty dollars on the table. Unwilling to wait for her change, she hurried after him.

At first she didn’t see Dave. The sun had set and the last light was disappearing at the edge of the sky. Then she found him, standing next to his pickup, the door already open.

“Dave,” she called out, moving toward him. She didn’t know what she intended to say, but she knew she couldn’t just let him leave.

He didn’t answer, but waited for her to join him.

Carolyn approached him, more confused and uncertain with every step. As she came closer, she stared up at him, lost in her feelings.

All she really had to do was look in his eyes and see the tenderness there, the longing. No man had ever looked at her like that. Not even her husband.

Without a word, Dave lifted his hand and held it to the side of her face. His skin was callused and rough against hers. Carolyn closed her eyes and leaned into his palm, moving gently against it. Had she been a kitten, she would have purred with the sheer pleasure of his touch.

“You did the right thing,” he murmured. It seemed to take great effort for him to speak.

“I did?” she asked, not fully understanding what he meant.

“I’m a drifter…I never stay in any town for long. You wanted me to work on your garden, but it was more than that and we both knew it.”

She blushed and lowered her gaze.

“You also know it isn’t a good idea for us to get involved.”

“I don’t feel that way anymore,” she whispered.

He gave a deep, shuddery sigh. “I thought it was for the best—us not seeing each other, I mean.”

“Is it?” she asked boldly. “Is that what you want—to walk away from this…feeling?”

He didn’t answer her for a long time. “You tempt me, Carolyn, more than you know, but I can’t…It wouldn’t be right.”

“Why not?”

He hesitated. “I get restless. I always do. After a while, I move on. It’s just the way I am.” His eyes pleaded for understanding. “I don’t want to hurt you and I know I would.”

“Isn’t that a decision I should make?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps.”

“Are you afraid?” she asked him.

He glanced away and nodded. “I’ll break your heart.”

“At least I’ll know I have one.” Carolyn hadn’t realized it was in her to be so honest or so daring.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said again.

“I’ll risk it,” she whispered.

When he didn’t respond, Carolyn decided she might as well own up to the truth. “The only reason I came to the bar tonight was because I saw you were here.”

He sighed as if that was what he’d suspected. “The only reason I came was because I thought you might stop by.”

Carolyn smiled; she couldn’t help it.

“You shouldn’t be seen with me. I’m a yard man, and you’re—”

“I know who I am.” She loved the way he cared about her, wanted to protect her. But appearances no longer mattered and the opinions of others had become irrelevant.

His thumb grazed her lips, and his smile was sad and brief.

That was when she knew that whatever was happening between them should be explored. Susannah was right—it was time Carolyn took a chance. An attraction this strong was a gift to be treasured, a joy to be savored.

“Thank you for the dance,” he said. He kissed her ever so gently, his mouth barely touching hers.

He started to climb into his truck, but Carolyn stopped him. “Come to my house Friday night after work.”

He seemed about to refuse, but then he smiled. Nodded.

Carolyn stepped back, watching as he drove off. What had she done?

CHAPTER 23

After learning Patricia Carney’s married name from Sandy, Susannah picked up the telephone directory, which still lay on the kitchen table, and looked up Doug’s old girlfriend. She lived in Kettle Falls with her husband and family. Patricia Carney, now Anderson, remembered Susannah and invited her over. Welcoming the distraction and hoping for some clues, Susannah agreed to meet her.

Patricia didn’t resemble the girl Susannah recalled. She’d gained quite a lot of weight, and her lovely chestnut hair had turned a salt-and-pepper gray. With many exclamations of pleasure, Patricia led Susannah to the back patio of her cozy rambler.

“I can’t tell you how surprised I was to hear from you,” Patricia said as she pulled out a chair for Susannah. The pinewood table was covered with a red checkered cloth. Two glasses and a tall pitcher of lemonade sat on a tray, waiting to be poured. There was also a plate of still-warm oatmeal cookies. The patio was surrounded by lush greenery, including dogwood and lilac bushes, and an array of blooming lilies, peonies and roses. A large vegetable garden took up a good part of the backyard.

What Susannah had learned from their brief telephone conversation was that Patricia was a retired nurse and her husband still worked as a U.S. Forest Ranger.

“You have quite a green thumb,” Susannah commented, glancing around. The profusion of fresh flowers made her heart quicken. Whoever was visiting Doug’s grave had access to flowers, too.

Susannah was chagrined that she hadn’t immediately thought of Patricia. She and Doug had been a couple from the time Patricia was a sophomore. Two years older, Doug had graduated and was working in town as a carpenter for a local builder. The war in Vietnam was in full swing then, and if Doug hadn’t died in the car accident, it was likely he would’ve been drafted. Susannah remembered conversations between Doug and their father about the war. Her brother, who hadn’t been academically inclined, had refused to apply for college, much to their father’s disappointment. He’d wanted to enlist but Dad had been against it, insisting that Doug wait until he was drafted. The irony was that if Doug had gone into the service, he might be alive today.