Page 25 of Here With Me

She found David kneeling on the floor, cleaning up the paint that had flung off the roller.

He looked up as she approached. His eyes kind, worried. “Is Lottie okay?”

“We’re working through it. Did Mrs. Allen pick out a paint color?” Sadie knelt down next to David. He’d scrubbed a lot of the paint, but there were still spots.

“No. She said she’ll be back later.” David leaned back on his heels. The understanding that seemed to emanate from his very core melted the defenses Sadie kept in place.

Warning bells rang in her head.

Why did he still affect her? Hadn’t her past history with him taught her to keep her walls up? She held her hand out for the rag. “I’ll finish.”

David shook his head. “I am sorry, Sadie.”

She let out a long sigh, closed her eyes, dropped her hand. How many years had she longed to hear those words?

“I’m sorry for how things ended ten years ago. And I’m sorry for bringing everything up this week.” His warm voice oozed sincerity, and when she opened her eyes, his entire body leaned forward toward her.

It would be so easy to touch him. To cup his face and feel his smooth skin. Physical chemistry had never lacked between them, and obviously it still didn’t. But there was so much more to think about now—Lottie, her future, the store.

Sadie cleared her dry throat and looked away. “David.”

“Maybe it’s better if I’m not here when Lottie is around.”

That wouldn’t change anything. Sadie shook her head. “Lottie likes you. She’s talked about you non-stop since she met you.”

David’s lips lifted in a quirk, but Sadie looked away. She would not focus on his lips. “She’s a good kid.”

David sat close enough that his clean scent mixed with the paint. “Do you remember when we knocked a gallon of paint over?”

Sadie couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped.

Oh, she remembered all right. She’d just finished mixing a gallon of paint for a construction company and hadn’t gotten the lid on tight enough after she’d checked the color. David met her behind the counter, kissing her hello. When he finished saying hello, she stepped back, knocking the entire gallon on the floor. They’d had a huge mess to clean up. Her dad had taken the price of that gallon out of her salary, but David’s kiss had been more than worth it.

“Things are a lot different now.” No longer young or naive or willing to sneak kisses. “We’re different. Different time in life, different futures, different dreams. My life is here, with Lottie. Your life is full of adventure, a long way from here.”

David nodded, but the carefree look that had crossed his face vanished. His shoulders tightened and then relaxed, like he was forcing himself to be calm. “You’re right. Things are different. But I’m here.”

“For now.” She had to remember this was only temporary. “As long as we both remember that you’re leaving, and I’m staying.” The words hurt. They shouldn’t—she’d given up her dreams of a future with David years ago.

David stood up, nodding toward the door. “I’ll close tonight. You need to be with Lottie.”

Standing, Sadie wiped her hands on her jeans. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” David stepped back, creating space between them. Necessary space.

Sadie’s cell phone buzzed, and she pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the screen—Doris, Lottie’s aunt. “Thank you. I need to take this call. See you tomorrow.”

Sadie left the store and stepped onto the sidewalk before answering the call. The cool evening air wrapped around her, calming her nerves. The town square in front of the store was peaceful, and Otis sat in the midst of the playground, thankfully facing away from the hardware store.

Sadie swiped the screen of her phone to answer the call. Doris’s crisp, nasally voice breathed irritation through the connection. She could almost picture her sitting at her stately desk looking like she’d just sucked on a lemon. “Lottie missed her scheduled call with me this afternoon. I’ve been waiting.”

Sadie rubbed her forehead. She’d completely forgotten that today was supposed to be their first video call on the iPad. Doris had bought the device for Lottie for the sole purpose of video chats once a week. “I’m so sorry, Doris. Lottie had a busy day at school, and this afternoon has been tough. Can I have her call you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow doesn’t work for me. That’s why we picked Fridays. I want to talk to her. Now.”

Not after Mrs. Allen’s comment. Doris was the last person that could help Lottie right now. “I’m sorry, but Lottie’s not able to chat today. Name another day, and I promise we will connect you two.”

“Today works for me. It’s on you to make your schedule work on our agreed upon times. You assured me we would be able to visit when you moved my niece away from the only blood relatives she has. We’ll have to wait until our next scheduled time.”

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