Page 226 of Banter & Blushes

“Hey Boss!” They heard again sending him back outside.

“I’m sorry.” His eyes followed hers.

Elva looked around the almost-station, “don’t be. You can ask me whatever it is later. Go be Mr. Important, now. I have to get back to the restaurant, anyway.” Her hand reached out to touch his arm gently.

Before she made it to her truck she heard him call her name. There was something about hearing his voice say her name that made her smile. She stopped at the truck and leaned on the tailgate. “What’d you forget?”

“I know I shouldn’t mix business with, well… personal matters, but I just can’t not ask you.”

“Ask me what?”

“Would you consider going out with me?” His confidence was strong, but his face was soft, bracing to be turned down.

Elva was stunned. Sure, she flirted relentlessly with men half of her age, all in good fun with zero sincerity. Was she too flirty with him? “I hope I haven’t given you the wrong idea,” she started restating her thought out loud.

A smile crept across his serious face. “The wrong idea? I didn’t know there was a right and wrong here. But I didn’t mean to overstep. If you aren’t interested, it’s okay.” His eyes were soft and kind.

“Okay? Do you get turned down quite often, Mitch?” She asked, studying his face, wondering what kind of past he held onto so tightly.

“I wouldn’t say often,” he chuckled and then pulled his tape measure off of his belt, only to clip it back on. “Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I asked anyone out.”

Elva felt her cheeks warm in the afternoon sun, “oh.” Then she laughed. “I don’t know the last time I was asked out.”

“So…” he stood there waiting for an answer. “Will you go out with me?” He asked again, in case she forgot the question.

Excitement poured into her stomach like a roller coaster, making it flutter.Go out with him? EEEEK!She shrieked on the inside. “Sure.” Her voice was calm and mellow, the complete opposite of her thoughts. “I’ll go out with you.”

Dozer’s tail started wagging as he nudged Mitch’s hand. “Great,” he smiled.

CHAPTER 11

Bob stood up to address the room. “Everything's coming together, and the project is on track to be finished in the next two weeks. Other than all the inspections, which they should pass with flying colors, it’s just a matter of planning the dedication.”

“We’ll also have the crew who will be stationed at North Shores. The County is sending four of them. We may need to work on some temporary housing if they don’t have any other plans. We want to make them feel as welcome as possible.” Elva reported.

“OH!” Tom raised his hand as he nudged his wife. “Mel and I may have a scoop on that, actually. I wasn’t sure the right time to bring it up.” He nodded to Melanie to share the news.

“We got a call from Jake. As you all know, well some of you may know, he got certified as a fireman and EMT last year. He said after helping head off the storm here, he felt like he had a calling higher than himself.” She tried to hold back a laugh because everyone who knew Jake knew that his biggest calling was always Jake. “Anyway, he put in to be transferred to North Shores. It’s not officially official, but he may be one of our four.”

Elva nodded with pride, “good for him. Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Tom cleared his throat. “I know he’s certainly had his ups and downs, but he’s ready to redeem himself. I think this is a really good thing for him.”

“I know his mother will be happy to have him home, too.” Josephine smiled.

“I do have one more thing to share,” Melanie clicked on her computer screen, projecting a wall size photograph of Elva and Mitch walking down the shoreline with Dozer running through the breaking waves. “This is the new town website.” She smiled proudly. “I think it turned out great.”

Josephine’s hands raised up to cover her open mouth as she gasped, “perfect!”

“Yes, well…” Elva turned around to see it. “WOW!” She looked at herself, holding hands with a handsome man on the coast. “Nice work as always, Melanie.”

“It looks like an ad for a retirement village,” Bob teased. “Maybe we’ll attract the quiet older crowd with it.”

“OH Bob,” Joe hissed.

“I think it’s just wonderful,” Jill bubbled. “Awesome photography, Melanie.”

“Thanks,” she glanced from Elva to the other faces at the table, “I had outstanding models.”

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