Page 89 of Love's Cure

“Maybe I can get Whitney to help me tomorrow. I know Emmett appreciates your fast work.”

“It’s important to keep our crews busy,” said Dani, “so, it works both ways.”

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That evening afterfinishing the closing routine for the Café, Crystal went upstairs to get ready for her dinner date with Emmett. She’d prepared a meal of chicken salad, fresh tomato slices, deviled eggs, pickled green beans, and lemon pie.

She wanted to look her best for what she hoped would be a very romantic evening. She lingered in the shower, letting the water sluice over her skin as she washed and conditioned her hair. Then, stepping out of the shower, she dried and worked on her curls, taming them into a satisfactory style. She didn’t usually wear a lot of makeup, but tonight, she added eye shadow, mascara, and eyeliner.

Stepping away from the mirror she saw how the makeup added dimension to her eyes and decided to wear it more often.

She dressed in a light purple sundress and put on comfortable sandals. It was a relief to get out of the sneakers or heavy-duty shoes she usually wore on her feet for support.

At the last minute, she added a silver heart necklace for luck.

Satisfied she was ready, she picked up her purse and the small box of containers holding their dinner, headed to her car, and climbed in, her nerves tingling with excitement.

As she pulled into the long driveway to Emmett’s house, she studied the landscaping. It needed dressing up and the replacement of older plants. David Graham would be on the job as soon as the work on the house was done and the construction site cleared away.

As she got closer to the back of the house, she stared in surprise. A large screened-in porch had been added to the structure. She got out of the car and went around to get a closer look at it. Emmett had talked of adding on, but seeing the size of it, she was impressed. This was like an additional room to the house.

She searched for him at the dock, but he wasn’t there. She grabbed her box of dinner, went to the front door, and knocked.

Emmett opened the door, his hair still wet from a shower. The aroma of spice and lime surrounded her as he kissed her hello. She inhaled it with pleasure.

“M-m-m, what’s in the box? Looks like our supper is going to be tasty,” he said. “I’m glad. It’s been a busy day.” He took the box from her. “Come in, and I’ll show you around. I’ve already got a bottle of wine open.”

She followed him into the large open space serving as a living area which opened to the kitchen dining area and into the screened-in porch. Without the interior walls that had been removed, the openness was spacious and inviting.

“I’m meeting with Whitney tomorrow to go over paint colors. Dani said we had to get that done. Things are moving fast now.”

“Yes. The kitchen is all but done, the master bath and powder room are done, and the master bedroom just had the skylight installed. I need you and Whitney to help choose the outside color of the house. I’m thinking gray.”

“That sounds nice,” said Crystal. “Give us a chance to see what different shades of gray we can find.” She gazed around, liking what she saw. “Collister Construction did a remarkable job in getting this done for you this quickly.”

Emmett laughed. “It was like watching an army of ants going to work, with everyone busy doing their own thing. And Dani’s great at supervising.”

“Oh, yes. She’s very talented,” said Crystal.

Emmett wrapped an arm around her. “I’m happy you like it. You helped Whitney order some furniture, and now you can put the finishing touches on that, too.”

Crystal wasn’t sure what to say. Did he envision them living here together?

He drew her closer and stared down into her eyes. “I missed you. I thought we’d have time to go on the beach together in Maine, but that didn’t happen. Let’s walk out to the dock.”

Before they could head outside, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught their attention.

Emmett frowned. “I hope this isn’t a patient.” He went to the front door, opened it, and stepped back as a man stormed into the house.

“Dad! What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk, son. Word has gotten out that Natalie is in a rehab center, and now I’m being accused of despicable things in a ‘me too’ smear. My reputation is being ruined. It all goes back to your mother and her weakness.”

Crystal felt her mouth open but said nothing. ‘His reputation ruined? He’s already done a masterful job of ruining it. And now he was blaming Natalie?’

While his father continued to rant, Crystal waited to hear what Emmett would say.

Emmett stood tall, his feet planted firmly apart as if preparing for a fight. “Mom being in rehab is brave. And necessary. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. It will help her find herself and overcome an addiction. Why would you be upset about it? As her husband, you should be proud of her.”

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