The Memory Keeper: A Heartwarming, Feel-Good Romance(79)

“Did I mention how much I adore you?”

“Doesn’t matter.” He walked up to meet her.

“It hasn’t gotten past me that you still have your painting boots,” she said.

“Pure coincidence.”

“You make me laugh.” She shook her head in amusement and slugged him in the arm.

“You’d better watch all the flirtin’,” he teased. “Christie’s territorial. But that’s why I love her. I knew she was the one the minute I met her. You know why?”

“Why’s that?”

“’Cause I was chattin’ up some random girl at the bar downtown, and Christie walked over to her and said, ‘Excuse me, but that man’s taken.’ I thought she had me mistaken for someone else, but I didn’t care—she was so pretty. Then she sat down beside me and bought a beer on my tab. I thought she’d lost her ever lovin’ mind.” Ethan laughed at the memory. “She pointed to the back of the bar and said, ‘I’ve been waitin’ over there all night for you to come ask me out, and it’s takin’ you too long, so I had to take matters into my own hands.’ I haven’t spent a day away from her since that minute.”

“I wish I could’ve been at the wedding,” Hannah said.

“I should’ve asked you to come. But I was too busy bein’ mad at ya.”

“You had every right to be mad at me. I was so preoccupied with trying to follow my dreams that I forgot about what really mattered for a while, but I remember now. I promise not to ever forget again.”

Ethan nodded, emotion showing on his face. “Well,” he said, “I guess I’ve got some paintin’ to do…”

“Thank you. Gran’s gonna love it.”





Twenty-Nine





“You’re talented, you know that?” Hannah said to Christie, as they walked out to her father’s truck after their first dance class. They’d been taught the fundamentals for salsa dancing tonight, and Christie could match her steps to the rhythms like a champ. “You’re a natural.”

“I’m rusty,” Christie said modestly. “And salsa wasn’t the style I practiced as a kid. But I like it.”

“It won’t take you any time to get back up to speed.” The two of them climbed into the truck. “I think you should try to teach Ethan.”

Christie threw her head back in a loud laugh. “Can he dance?” she asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Hannah said, laughing. “One time I made him take me to a school dance because you couldn’t get in without a date, and I wanted to hang out with my friends. He left me there and went out the back door of the gym to buy a pizza. I found him sneaking slices to his friends in the locker room. That’s about as close to dancing as I’ve ever seen him.”

“Sounds about right,” Christie said, rolling her eyes, but her fondness for him was clear.

“Should we go see how he’s doing at the shop?”

“Sure.”

Hannah put the truck in gear and headed down the road to The Memory Keeper.

“Can I ask you somethin’?” Christie said. “Why are you doin’ all this? Let’s be honest. Even though I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, Ethan would’ve probably painted the shop if you had kept on about it. You didn’t need to pay for dance lessons. So why did you?”

“Because I should’ve been there. For your wedding, for Wesley’s birth, for all of it. You and I should’ve been friends. You married my best friend, and that makes you like family. So now I’m trying to make up for that, I think. When you came into the shop and I realized you thought I was a threat, I couldn’t believe it.”

“Sorry I jumped to conclusions. I just always worry about whether Ethan is in this for love or duty.”

“Before we left for dance class, he told me about the first time he met you,” Hannah said as she made a turn toward the shop. “He told me he knew you were the one right away. Ethan doesn’t say that about just anyone. I’ve been his friend through countless girlfriends and breakups, and never heard him say anything like that.”

Christie’s eyes glistened with emotion. “I always felt like I held him back.”

“Not at all.” They pulled up at the shop but continued their conversation. “And you can’t hold him back, anyway. If either of you have something you want to do, you should try to make it happen together. There’s no holding back, but rather lifting up.”

“I like that,” Christie said. “Thank you.”

Hannah turned off the engine. “Let’s go see what he’s up to, shall we?”

The landscapers had come—the lawn was all spruced up, with flowers in the beds leading down the walk to The Memory Keeper—and the sign was being painted. Knowing Ethan was inside gave Hannah a feeling that things would somehow work out and the shop would be a success, even though appearances weren’t the only issue. She opened the door, and she and Christie went inside.

“Oh my gosh, Ethan,” Hannah said with a delighted gasp. “That’s magnificent.”

Christie’s mouth hung open. “You did that?” she asked, pointing to the mural. “I had no idea…”