Page 122 of Finding Forever

Beth glanced at her. “I thought you’d have more to say. Maybe something profound.”

Kayla laughed. “Mom, I start my first full-time job in two days and spent twenty minutes this morning worrying about shoes. I’m not sure I’m qualified for profound.”

Beth laughed, too.

Kayla reached across and squeezed her hand.

For a while, they sat together without speaking.

On Monday, her daughter would begin another part of her life. There would be long hours and mistakes, difficult days and wonderful ones. Kayla would learn things no classroom could teach her, and there would probably be moments when she wondered why she’d ever chosen to be a chef.

Beth couldn’t protect her from any of it. She wouldn’t try. Kayla had a life waiting for her.

The thought settled quietly inside Beth. So did she. For the first time in weeks, thinking about Dave didn’t bring the familiar rush of guilt. She remembered telling him she loved him. That hadn’t changed.

Maybe that was the one thing she could stop questioning.

Kayla stretched and stood. “I’m getting another coffee. Do you want one?”

“No, thanks.”

“Probably sensible. I’m planning to stay awake until midnight worrying about Monday.”

Beth smiled. “You could always spend the time deciding which shoes to wear.”

Kayla’s groan drifted back through the open door.

Beth laughed and remained on the veranda. There was somewhere she wanted to go tomorrow after Kayla left. Somewhere she hadn’t visited in a long time, and she knew which photograph she’d take with her.

And for once, Beth wasn’t going there to find an answer.

There was something she needed to say.

Chapter 52

The bench was exactly where Beth remembered it. Someone had replaced a couple of the wooden slats since the last time she’d been there, and years of Montana weather had faded the small plaque on the back, but the view remained unchanged.

Flathead Lake stretched before her beneath the late afternoon sky, blue water reaching toward the mountains in the distance. Sunlight caught on the surface whenever the breeze moved across it, and somewhere below, small waves washed against the shore.

Beth sat and placed her jacket beside her. For a while, she did nothing except listen.

A bird called from one of the nearby trees. Leaves shifted overhead, their gentle rustle blending with the sound of the lake.

Jessie had loved this place.

When Kayla was young, the three of them used to come here with a picnic. Beth had always packed enough food for twice as many people, while Kayla spent hours collecting stones and Jessie tried to teach her how to skip them across the water.

He’d been terrible at it.

Beth smiled at the memory. She reached into her jacket pocket and took out the photograph she’d brought from home. It wasn’t their wedding picture or one of the family photos displayed around the house. This one had been taken here, beside the lake.

Jessie was wearing an old baseball cap and a faded gray T-shirt. He had one hand raised toward the camera because he’d realized Beth was taking his picture and was trying to stop her.

She’d taken it anyway.

Looking at his familiar grin brought an ache to her chest, but it was softer than it once would have been. Beth rested the photo on her lap.

“Hi, Jess.”