Page 33 of A New Chapter in Rosewood Beach

Vivian was almost doubled over with laughter.

“See?” He smiled, delighted by her amusement. “I told you you just wanted to watch me fail at this.”

She shook her head. “It’s just the way you reacted. You’re so serious.”

“I am? I didn’t mean to be—I’m just remarking that I’ll need to move with more speed if I expect to be successful.”

She laughed even harder then, although he wasn’t sure why. He smiled and threw another ball in the air, managing to hit it that time. He didn’t hit it particularly well, since the ball mostly made contact with the frame of the racket and sailed away in an entirely different direction than the one that he had intended, but he still felt satisfied with his success.

“You’re right,” he told her. “This is fun.”

“Isn’t it? Go ahead and try another one.”

Terrence hit a few more balls, getting slightly better each time. After he and Vivian had collected all of the tennis balls that had rolled away, he noticed her looking at him intently. Hisheart skipped a beat as he wondered if she was about to bring up the conversation they’d had in the restaurant together.

Instead, however, she asked him an unexpected question. “Terrence? Seeing as how I lost Hazel as my tennis partner, perhaps you would be interested in improving our skills together?”

His eyebrows rose. “You’re asking me if I’d like to play tennis with you?”

She nodded, smiling. “I’m asking you if you’d like to be my tennis partner.”

Spending time with Vivian in the outdoors, getting fresh air and sunshine and exercise? In a way that was pleasant and amusing? There was no doubt in his mind as to what his answer would be.

“Yes, thank you for asking. I would like that very much.”

She smiled, and her eyes traced over his face. He knew that she was thinking about the question that was hovering in the air between them—would they become partners in a different way as well?

He swallowed. “Vivian, I feel that I didn’t handle our conversation the other day well. I was taken aback by what you told me—I hadn’t expected you to say it, and I knew I had a lot of thinking to do. But I wish I’d phrased it better. I didn’t mean to hurt you when I told you that I needed more time to think. You revealed your growing interest in becoming more than friends, and I wish I’d had the presence of mind to articulate my own thoughts and feelings better in that moment.”

She shook her head, smiling at him reassuringly. “I understand that it’s a lot to think about. A lot to process, and a lot to consider. Dean reminded me that after Frank passed, I needed the space to grieve before I could consider romance. You gave me that space, and that’s what allowed me to feel the way I do now. I couldn’t have reached this place if I’d been rushed, orif I’d needed to make a decision before I was ready for it. Being patient for you while you consider what I told you is the least I can do.”

“It’s not that I don’t know what my answer is,” he told her slowly. “It’s more that I believe any kind of decision like this needs to be approached with a great deal of thought and care. I wouldn’t want to operate a machine before I was sure I was ready for it.”

Vivian shook her head, smiling. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”

He laughed. “I believe in safety, and handling everything with care.” His tone became more serious. “I want to make sure I handle you with care, Vivian. I want to protect your heart in all this. I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job of that the other day, but caring for you is at the forefront of my goals.” He paused and took a deep breath. He felt nervous to say the words, even though he’d been wanting to say them to her for months. “I am indeed interested in being more than friends with you, Vivian. I have been for quite some time.”

Her expression took on a glow of happiness along with a flush of emotion, as if a sunrise had spread across her face.

“You have?”

“I have.” He nodded and stepped closer to her. “But I want to take this slowly. And carefully. We already have such a great friendship established, and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize that.”

“I’m more than fine with that,” she said, her voice a little breathless as she looked up into his eyes.

He looked down at her, noticing that there were faint flecks of green in the blue of her eyes. He thought to himself that she had the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen.

“Good.” He felt tongue-tied again, but this time, he didn’t mind. “Then we’re agreed. We start this venture together, but we take it slowly.”

She nodded, smiling in a way that made his heart melt. She looked overjoyed, and it made him feel on top of the world, knowing that it was because she wanted to be involved with him romantically.

I can hardly believe this is happening,he thought to himself.What a wonderful turn of events. Vivian Owens is actually interested in me.

“So,” she said with a smile. “What do you say we play some more tennis together?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Faith sat on her front porch, clasping and unclasping her hands in her lap. She was taking deep breaths and doing her best to steady her nerves, but she couldn’t remember when she’d been more nervous in her entire life.

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