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“I’ve already taken enough of your time, Bryson,” Hadley said as she handed her card to the woman.
“We can talk about it over lunch.”
Bryson caught the older woman’s curious smile and winked at her, but Hadley seemed oblivious to his reasons for offering.
Hadley gathered her bag of goods and said her goodbyes to the woman.
“Have fun,” the woman said, adding softly, “And good luck to you,” to Bryson.
“Thanks,” he said, still holding the door after Hadley had exited.“I think I’m going to need it.”
He followed Hadley outside, and she accepted his offer to store the paints in his truck and walk with him to the restaurant.
The lunch crowd had come and gone so they were seated right away.
“I love this place,” she said, sunglasses on her nose as she stared out at the water on the other side of the railing.“It’s always been one of my favorites to visit.”
“I like it, too.Casual and fun.”
Their order came quickly.Bang bang shrimp tacos for her and a portabello mushroom melt for him.“So tell me about you wanting a paint sprayer.What’s that about?”
“Just something I saw when I was looking online.Nan has so much furniture packed into that house, and I’d like to try to salvage what I can so that I don’t have to replace it.It’s beautiful but it’s all so dark.”
“It would be easy to set up a painting studio in that little shed out back.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.I suppose I’d have to since I don’t want to risk another Hershey disaster inside.”
The mention brought a smile to both their lips, and they talked about what she’d need to do to set up a painting area.As they finished up lunch, she went on to share some of Hershey’s latest antics.
“I’m just amazed at how quickly she’s learning commands and tricks.She’s very smart.”
“She knows a good thing when she has it,” he said.
Lunch finished, they declined dessert and paid their separate checks, then agreed to meet at the building supply store a few miles down the road.
It didn’t take long to get there, and he liked the act of walking into the store with Hadley at his side.It felt normal, like something a couple would do as they worked on a home together.
He also noticed the male heads that turned their way as Hadley walked by.She paid no attention to the stares she received, and he wondered if she was even aware of them.Or simply so used to them she didn’t notice them anymore.
While Hadley mulled over the differences in the sprayers he recommended, he watched her.The way she worried her lower lip between her teeth as she pondered the pros and cons of each one, the gentle curve of her cheek still flushed from the heat of the day and their walk inside.
She made her decision and went to the small handheld sanders next.Once she’d also found one she liked, she moved on to the paint colors on display while he picked up his order before meeting her at the front of the store.As he approached, he noted she browsed through a book on refinishing furniture.
Everything about Hadley had come as a surprise.Having met her mother, Bryson really wouldn’t have thought Hadley the type to do manual labor, but Hadley seemed very excited at the thought of being hands-on with her DIY projects.He liked that about her, that she obviously didn’t consider herself too good for such things.
On the way out of the building, Bryson found himself thinking about the last ten years.He’d dated a few times after Tish’s death, but he’d never been one of those men who went from woman to woman.It just wasn’t in him.He’d had real love for a time, and having had it, he wanted it again.
He’d never found a woman he liked enough to consider dating long-term, but in the short time since seeing Hadley, she not only held his interest but distracted him from his work.
He wondered at her thoughts, if she wanted company to combat the quiet, lonely evenings alone.He also wondered what her reaction would be if he showed up at her door and ordered her to kiss him the way she had him.
Bryson tossed a roll of plastic into her cart and she looked up at him in surprise.“For your painting booth.”
“Ah.Perfect.Thank you so much for your help.I can’t wait to get started.Are you finished here?I should probably be heading back.”
“Are you taking the ferry or driving around?”
“The ferry.You?”
