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“Good point. Okay, hang on!” She ran to the counter for a container while Lance helped me on with my coat.
“I see what you did there,” he whispered in my ear. A shiver raced down my spine when his breath blew against my skin. “You don’t think I should tell her we’re on a first date?”
I spun around instantly. “Have you lost it?” I whisper-asked. “If you tell her we’re on our first date, she’ll never stop matchmaking!”
“First date?” Ivy squeaked from behind me.
My shoulders drooped while Lance’s lips tipped up in a grin. We’d been doing so well too, but now the secret was out and if he didn’t fix it, there wouldn’t be a second date.
Lance winked at Ivy, took the container from her hand, grabbed mine, and waltzed me out the door. The move effectively stemmed the flow of Ivy’s questions, but in no way discouraged her from matchmaking. He opened the door to my car and helped me in, all without saying a word. When he climbed into his side and clicked in his seatbelt, he grinned at me.
“That was a fun first date. When can we do it again?” he asked, trying not to laugh.
I started the car while I side-eyed him and then pulled out of my parking spot while he waved at Ivy. She still had her nose stuck to the glass in pure determination.
“You are not amusing. You have no idea the can of worms you just opened.”
“Maybe I do.”
“Then you know we’re about to be the talk of the town.”
“Maybe I don’t care.” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and sighed. “Do you?”
I thought about it for a solid mile, and rather than turn left toward his house, I turned right and headed to the park.
“Where are we going?” he asked as he turned to look at me.
“To find out if I care because right now, I’m getting conflicting messages from my brain.”
The sign for Bells Pass Park came into view and a smile lifted his lips, but he said nothing.
Indigo was going to be the death of me. I loved to play with her, but then she’d go and do something like this to make me realize I shouldn’t. She was way to analytical and determined to live her life in her own honesty. Not that I wasn’t being honest. It was a wonderful first date, but apparently it wasn’t over yet. She was on a mission to sort out her emotions, and I had to respect her for it.
Once she parked, I helped her out of Coop, then waited patiently while she decided on her next move. She grabbed my hand and pulled me up the path with her.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking?”
Her steps slowed, but she didn’t answer me. She just kept walking until the gazebo came into view. We came to an abrupt halt in front of it and tipped our heads up in unison to gaze at it. It didn’t matter how many times you saw it. Your initial reaction was always awe.
“Why are we always drawn to this building? Why is it the first place we think of when our life is in turmoil?” she quietly asked, not releasing my hand.
“Probably because it has been part of us for so many generations. We know this place in an innate way as a Bells Passer. I don’t know if it needs more explanation than that.”
“Maybe that’s it,” she agreed, finally releasing my hand to climb the stairs. She walked the length of the gazebo with her hand trailing along the railing. It would soon be draped with garland and ivy in anticipation of the holiday season. Next week, they’d string the lights on the tree in preparation for the tree lighting and then the holiday season would begin.
“I’m looking forward to the tree lighting,” I said, climbing the stairs. “I’m nervous that I won’t get through it without tears, but I hope I can. My mom wouldn’t want me to be sad on that night of all nights.”
“I agree,” she said, leaning against the railing by the tree. “She would want you to make new memories. It won’t be easy, so tears are okay, Lance.”
“I’ll try to remember that.” I stepped closer to her and leaned my hip against the railing. “So did the gazebo help you with those conflicting messages you were getting from your brain?”
“Not yet, but I feel safe here and that makes it easier for me to sort things out in my mind, if that makes sense.”
I scooted closer and put my arm around her shoulder. “Let’s make a list. Tell me why you care if people know we’re on a date?”
She was silent for a few seconds and then shrugged under my arm. “I guess because I’ll look stupid when I have to explain why there wasn’t a second date.”
“First of all, you wouldn’t look stupid. Second, you’re the only reason there wouldn’t be a second date, because I already want one. Tell me another reason why you care.”
