Page 65 of Here With Me

“You can call him back.” Sadie picked up the wooden spoon and started dishing up the chicken chow mein.

Not with food coming. Lance could wait. “He’ll leave a message or call back. I’m with my girlfriend.”

His phone pinged a voicemail notification. His hand itched to check it. He hadn’t lied to Sadie when he said he would be there for the court date. For the grand reopening. He wanted to be here for those things. And if this call was finally letting him know he’d been cleared to return? He’d set the date for next month.

“Girlfriend?” Sadie walked toward the table, two plates in hand, and placed one before him.

“We’re not too old for that term, are we?” He caught her hand and pulled her down so he could brush his lips across hers.

“I don’t think we are.”

He kissed her again, quick and fast before she returned to the cupboard for two glasses and filled with them water.

His mouth was suddenly dry. Before he’d started working at the hardware store, he’d waited for Lance’s call. Convinced the next would be the one to deliver the news that he could return to Costa Rica.

Now? Now the thought of returning—the thought of leaving Sadie—soured his stomach.

Sadie set a glass of water in front of him, and he gulped it down.

“I didn’t realize you were so thirsty. You should have said something.” She refilled the glass and sat next him, settling her hand on his. “You can call him back or listen to the voicemail. I can step out for a moment.”

“No. I’d rather eat with you. That call will be there later.” He flipped his hand over and intertwined their hands. He needed the extra contact, the security of her gripping his hand.

David blessed their food and dug in. Sadie hadn’t been wrong. Heating the food up on the stove made it…crisper? Fresher? Whatever, it was delicious.

After dinner, David started to stand up, but Sadie’s hand shot out and pressed his shoulder. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“The dishes. You cooked. I clean. A pretty good deal, right? That’s what we do at your place.”

“Normally I enjoy that philosophy, but tonight I will clean up. Then I’ll get you some more painkillers before I leave. Don’t come in tomorrow. Rest up and stay off that foot.” Sadie washed the dishes, put them away, and scrubbed the counter.

David kept the place clean, comfortable. But with Sadie here, the place could really be a home.

Home.

David’s phone lit up with another call from Lance. Sadie noticed. “I’m going to go get your painkiller. I think I left it in my purse in the car. You answer that call. I’ll be back.”

David grabbed the phone and swiped to answer. Something was up for Lance to call again. “Hey, Lance. What’s up?”

“Glad I got ya this time, David.” Lance’s perky voice meant something was up. “I have news, and I wanted to talk to you about a new position. Have a few?”

A new position? The front door slammed. It would take Sadie a second to bring his meds back in. “Just a few.”

“I’ll jump right in then. Marco says the principal at Escuela Bíblica de San José wants to retire. Are you interested? It would get you back to Costa Rica.”

Principal? David had never considered that before. He’d been happy in the physical education department. “But what about?—”

“I know we said you weren’t ready before, but Nate has been really impressed with all you are doing. He seemed confident in your abilities. So, what do you think?”

He could go back. Make sure the teens in Costa Rica had a consistent influence. They wouldn’t think he’d abandoned them. But if he took the position, he’d have to leave Sadie.

He’d just called her his girlfriend. Told her he didn’t want to leave.

“David? You still there?” Lance probably pulled the phone away to make sure the call was still connected.

“Still here. I had never considered principal before.”

“Here’s the thing. Wesley just found out his mother-in-law has stage four cancer. He and Jill want to come home as soon as possible to be with her in the end. Why don’t you fly down to Costa Rica this weekend. I’ll get you a ticket, and you can visit with Wesley in person. Maybe being there will help you make the decision.”

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