Page 36 of Here With Me

“High school? Isadora, did you hear that? Why, these lovebirds met in high school. And they’re getting a second chance at romance. Like in one of those Hallmark movies.” Charlotte grabbed the hand of the petite woman sitting between them at the end of the table.

Sadie coughed on her water. Her throat tickled, and she couldn’t quite swallow. She coughed again, set her water down and dabbed her napkin at her mouth.

David turned to her and rubbed her back, looking at her with his eyebrows lifted. Her skin burned under his touch. “You okay?”

She nodded, and he withdrew his shaking hand. Was he nervous? At least he hadn’t heard Charlotte’s comment. He turned back to the others.

“I’m helping Mrs. Allen paint her kitchen. I think she’s more lonely than anything. I’ve had tea with her both times I’ve been by to work. And Nate has found a few other odd jobs I’ve been helping with.”

Sadie didn’t realize David was the man Mrs. Allen had mentioned when she first came in looking at paint samples.

Finally, the tickle cleared up, and Sadie took another sip of water.

Isadora gave Sadie a small nod and slowly extracted her hand from Charlotte’s grip. “How did you manage to meet up again after all these years?”

“David is working in my family’s—at my hardware store.” Sadie slipped her hands under the table. Easier to hide her fidgeting.

“Like in those movies. What did I tell you? Oh, this is such good news. We were hoping for community involvement, but a romance is so much better.” Charlotte tucked her hand under her chin again. “Tell us about working with David.”

Sadie peeked at David, but he was deep in conversation with Marco and Lance. Had he told these people they were dating? Did she and David look like a couple?

The waitress squeezed between Sadie and David to set a basket of bread on the table in front of the women and another basket in front of the men. Sadie quickly took a slice of warm bread and then passed the basket to Isadora. Anything to keep from answering the question.

Lance cleared his throat, and everyone at the table looked at him. “David, tell us more about your involvement in the community.”

David’s neck turned red and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he glanced down at the table.

Just dinner her foot. More like an inquisition. For both of them.

David shifted in his seat, his arm brushing against hers once again. His voice was deep, a slight tremble to the undertone. “I’ve been working at the hardware store with Sadie.”

Charlotte bumped her shoulder into her husband’s arm. “And she’s about to tell us how they met up again all these years later and he swooped her off her feet.”

If only the ground could swallow her up. Sadie gestured to David, as his shaking hand moved toward the breadbasket, then back to herself and shook her head. “We’re not together.”

David’s eyes widened, looking at Sadie. Guess that meant he hadn’t told them they were together, and Charlotte had jumped to that conclusion all on her own. He pulled his trembling hand back quickly and knocked over his full glass. The water and ice crashed to the table and rushed into Sadie’s lap.

Sadie pushed back, but she didn’t get out of the way of the water, and it continued to soak her. She sucked in air and pursed her lips. David used his napkin to try and stop the flow of water.

The waitress appeared, handing Sadie a handful of thick, dry napkins, and pointed her to the restroom at the back of the room. Sadie excused herself from the table and hurried to the washroom. Thank goodness it was empty. She relaxed against the closed door and relished a moment to herself.

Together? With David?

Obviously, the shock that they might be a couple had totally gotten to him. That stung worse than the ice-cold lapful of water.

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the door. It shouldn’t bother her that the idea of being with her had upset him so much he knocked his water into her lap. It had been a surprise to her, too. Obviously, they hadn’t worked out the first time around.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t dreamed of his touch, the satisfaction of being with him, his clean, soapy scent as his arms wrapped around her, or the desire of a lifelong partner. She couldn’t let the attraction between them bloom into anything more.

She didn’t want a second chance with David. Even if her pulse still sped up at his touch. Even if his kindness with Lottie had Sadie dreaming of a family. Even if he still made her heart pound and her breath catch.

She didn’t want that.

Couldn’t want that.

Not with David.

She had a life in Heritage, with Lottie.

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