14
MAUVE
They arrived at The Moose a little after seven. The place was packed with locals escaping the cold and enjoying a night out during the holidays. This time of year, The Moose was decorated for Christmas, with garlands and twinkling lights. Mauve spotted her mother and David immediately.
David Davidson stood as they approached the booth. He was tall and lean, with silver hair combed neatly away from his face and striking green eyes that seemed unusually alive for a man his age. Her mother hugged her before introducing her to David. “This is David. My fiancé.” Her eyes twinkled, making her seem eighteen rather than in her mid-fifties. “I love saying that.”
When he shook Mauve’s hand, she noticed his fingers first—long and elegant, with neatly trimmed nails. The hands of either a surgeon or a pianist, she thought. Standing beside her petite mother, he seemed almost larger than life, dressed elegantly in a black cashmere sweater and designer jeans. She couldn’t help but compare him to her father who never wore anything but his flannel shirts and faded jeans.
“This is Jason,” Mauve said.
“Jason Hayes. Big fan,” David said, extending his hand next. “I’m afraid Cynthia and I have interrupted your Christmas.”
“Not at all. Welcome to Sugarville Grove. It’s the best place to be at Christmas,” Jason said before turning to Cynthia. “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Callahan.”
“As I told you yesterday, Jason, please, call me Cynthia. Besides, I’ll no longer be Mrs. Callahan in a few weeks.” She flushed and gazed at David for a moment with an expression Mauve had never seen her have in her life. Like a schoolgirl in love. The entire thing was amazing.
All four slid into the booth. Jason pressed his thigh against hers and squeezed her knee. It was a small gesture, but one that made her feel cherished and supported.
Kelly, one of the regular waitresses, appeared with menus and took drink orders. Before she left, she turned to Mauve. “Sarah Chambers is a good friend of mine. She told me what you’re doing for Ollie.” She turned to Jason. “What both of you are doing. I can’t tell you how much it means to all of us who love Ollie. It’s proof that there are still good people.”
“That’s kind of you to say,” Mauve said. “We love Ollie too. Will you be at the concert?”
Kelly nodded, smiling while rolling her eyes. “My daughter’s in Ollie’s class. She’ll be front and center singing her heart out. She loves attention. Anyway, I’ll get your drinks.”
David watched the interaction with interest. “What was that all about?”
“Ollie’s one of my clients,” Mauve said, before explaining the situation. “And Jason offered to help because he studied sign language for a role.”
“How generous of you,” Cynthia said. “A gift of your time is wonderful.”
Jason smiled slightly. “It’s all because of Mauve. No one else would care as much as she does about her clients. I’m just here to help her however I can.”
“How sweet.” Cynthia smiled approvingly. “I’m glad to hear a little about Mauve’s work. She doesn’t talk about it much.”
“It’s kind of boring,” Mauve said, embarrassed.
“Your mother’s very proud of you,” David said. “She talks about you constantly.”
Warmth spread unexpectedly through Mauve’s chest. “Oh. Well, that’s nice to hear.”
Their drinks arrived, and they asked for a little more time with the menus.
“To finally meeting you,” David said, lifting his glass of red wine. “Thank you for letting us horde in on your time together.”
Mauve raised her glass, as did her mother and Jason. “This is a wonderful surprise. Welcome to our family, David.”
“Ah, thank you so much. I admit to being nervous,” David said.
“It’s my fault for that,” Cynthia said. “Procrastinating so long about what was really happening with me.”
“I hadn’t exactly been home in a while,” Mauve said. “So please don’t take it all on yourself.”
David leaned back slightly, his gaze drifting toward Cynthia. “She tends to do that—take all the blame for everything.”
“I’m working on it,” Cynthia said, cheeks growing pink. “David’s helping me to feel less shame and more joy.”
“It’s my aim,” David said. “You should have seen her in high school. She was a force.”
