Page 57 of Falling for the Beast

“I know why you came.” He walked into the dining room and she followed him. Her father’s puzzle lay on the table, all complete except for one piece. “I thought you might want to do the honors.” He motioned to the last piece.

Tears filled her eyes and she hugged her arms to her chest. How thoughtful of him. She nodded and took the last piece. It was the one Thaddeus had been complaining about, the one he couldn’t place in the grass, even though it was almost all green, with one spot of gold.

She looked at the one last place left to put it. It didn’t belong in the grass at all. It was part of a potted plant on the front porch. The gold was a small part of the hinge on the front door that peeked through the leaves. “You should place this. This was your nemesis piece.” She handed it to him.

He fingered the piece, his gaze on her. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yes. But I’m glad you waited for me to be here.”

He fit the piece in place, and she wiped another stray tear from her cheek. “It’s done. Now Dad would have said to put it away and start a new one.”

Thaddeus smiled. “I thought maybe we’d frame it instead.” He pulled out a picture frame that looked like it had been custom ordered for the puzzle.

“I’d like that,” she said after she gathered in her emotions.

He set the frame down on the table beside the puzzle. “I…uh…” He tugged at his collar. “I watched a couple of videos on how to frame a puzzle. If you’d like, I can help you do it right now.”

“Yes.” She looked up at him. “Thank you.”

The awkwardness between them evaporated as he pulled out all the supplies and showed her how to slide waxed paper under the puzzle, then use a rolling pin to smooth out the pieces. “Do you want to use puzzle glue to keep the pieces together? It’s optional and takes two hours to dry, so if you don’t want to that’s fine.”

Knowing he’d gone to the trouble to purchase a custom frame and puzzle glue for her made her insides warm. Plus, it would give her an excuse to stay with him for a couple more hours. “Let’s use the glue.”

He opened the container and handed her a foam brush. “Dip it in and brush it on, allowing it to get into the cracks — but be careful not to get it too thick.”

He grabbed his own brush with his bandaged hand and together they covered the surface with the glue. “It gives it a nice shine, doesn’t it?” she said.

“Yes. It looks good.” He gazed at her. “I think your dad would have liked it.”

“Me, too,” she whispered, her throat too constricted to speak normally.

He reached out as if he were going to touch her hair, but then pulled his hand back. “Should we make ourselves comfortable in the living room?”

“That’s a good idea.”

They settled themselves on the couch, and he turned to her. “What should we do for two hours?”

“It’s Christmas eve. We should go out and look at Christmas lights or something.”

“Sure. I’ve seen some nice displays while I’ve been…out.”

She ignored the sudden tension that arose when he mentioned going out. “I’d love to see them. Do you want to drive Bugs?”

He chuckled. “Might be warmer than my bike.”

They slipped on their coats and got into her car. Thaddeus glanced at her before starting the car and driving it down the pavement. “I haven’t been out to look at Christmas lights since I was ten years old and my father decided he was going to do something festive with me on Christmas eve.”

“I hope it’s a good memory,” Aribelle said.

“It is.”

She turned on the radio and found a station she liked. He drove into Carson, stopping along the way at a couple of farms that had large light displays. One of them blinked in time to the music on the radio.

Aribelle’s stomach filled with knots as she thought about telling Thaddeus why she’d come to visit him. About her idea. She stewed about it as he drove, and as the time grew later. Eventually, he started back toward his house, and she figured she’d better start talking.

Only she couldn’t get her voice to work. What if he said no? This would be the last time she’d see him. The thought made her tongue dry and her stomach churn.

He pulled into the driveway and parked her car. “I bet the puzzle is ready now,” he said.

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