He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before meeting her eyes. “Because I was wondering if I might be able to take you to dinner. Just the two of us this time. No kids.”
She knew they were at a crossroads, one that would change the tenor of things between them. At the same time, it was the reason she’d come to the store as early as she had. She wanted to figure out whether she’d been mistaken about what she’d seen in his expression the previous evening, because it was the first time she knew for certain that she wanted him to ask.
In the silence, though, he seemed to misread what she was thinking. “Never mind. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Yes,” she said, holding his gaze. “I’d love dinner. But on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ve already done so much for me that I’d rather do something for you this time. How about I make you dinner instead? At my house.”
He smiled, relieved. “That sounds perfect.”
15
On Saturday, Katie woke later than usual. She’d spent the past few days frantically shopping and decorating her house—a new sheer lace curtain for the living room window, some inexpensive prints for the walls, a few small area rugs, and real place mats and glasses for their dinner. Friday night she’d worked until after midnight, plumping up her new throw pillows and giving the house a final cleaning. Despite the sun that slanted through her windows and striped her bed, she woke only when she heard the sounds of someone hammering. Checking the clock, she saw it was already after nine.
Stumbling out of bed, Katie yawned and then walked toward the kitchen to hit the switch on the coffeepot before stepping out onto the porch, squinting in the brightness of the morning sun. Jo was on her front porch, the hammer poised for another whack, when she spotted Katie.
Jo put the hammer down. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“Yeah, but that’s okay. I had to get up anyway. What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to keep the shutter from falling off. When I got home last night, it was hanging cockeyed, and I was sure it was going to give way in the middle of the night. Of course, thinking that the crash might wake me up any minute kept me from falling asleep for hours.”
“Do you need some help?”
“No, I’ve just about got it.”
“How about coffee?”
“Sounds great. I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
Katie went to her bedroom, slipped out of her pajamas, and threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She brushed her teeth and hair, just enough to get the tangles out. Through the window, she saw Jo walking toward the house. She opened the front door.
Katie poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Jo as soon as she entered the kitchen.
“Your house is really coming together! I love the rugs and the pictures.”
Katie gave a modest shrug. “Yeah, well… Southport is starting to feel like home, I guess. I figured I should start making this house into something more permanent.”
“It’s really amazing. It’s like you’re finally beginning to nest.”
“How’s your place coming?”
“It’s getting better. I’ll bring you by when it’s ready.”
“Where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you around lately.”
Jo gave a dismissive wave. “I was out of town for a few days on business, and then I went to visit someone last weekend, and then I was working. You know the drill.”
“I’ve been working a lot, too. I’ve had a ton of shifts lately.”
“You working tonight?”
Katie took a sip of her coffee. “No. I’m having someone over for dinner.”
Jo’s eyes lit up. “Do you want me to guess who it could be?”
“You already know who it is.” Katie tried to stop the slow flush that was creeping up her neck.
“I knew it!” she said. “Good for you. Have you decided what you’re going to wear?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, no matter what you decide, you’ll look beautiful, I’m sure. And you’re going to cook?”
“Believe it or not, I’m actually a fairly good cook.”
“What are you going to make?”
When Katie told her, Jo raised her eyebrows.
“Sounds yummy,” Jo said. “That’s great. I’m happy for you. Both of you, actually. Are you excited?”
“It’s only dinner…”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She winked. “It’s too bad I can’t stick around to spy on the two of you. I’d love to watch how it all unfolds, but unfortunately,