Page 26 of Starting Anew

With any luck, Mom and Dad would give it to her this time.

Satisfied and feeling hopeful, Lynn glanced at the clock. It was Monday morning, and she still had thirty minutes before she needed to leave for work. She’d awakened earlier than normal, excited about the week to come.

Saturday still seemed like a dream. Everything about it was perfect: From how well she and Mia got along to the connection she and Nathan had made.

Even now, thinking about the way it felt to be held in his arms had her knees feeling weak.

She couldn’t wait to hear from him about when they could go out to dinner. At the same time, knowing she’d be telling him the truth about her past was a scary thing.

It’d be good to get that out there. She just wished she knew how he’d react. Sharon assured her all would be well. If only Lynn could be as confident about that.

Lynn’s attention focused on the keyboard against one wall of the living room. Remembering what it felt like to play at the church had her retrieving a towel from the kitchen. She gently dusted the neglected instrument before sitting on the small bench in front of it.

At first, she just let her hands rest on the keys. It wasn’t long before she was playing something. Instead of the usual pain and regret she expected, memories of playing for Nathan floated to the forefront. It reminded her of why she used to live to make music. Of how it felt to be one with the notes, as though they controlled her fingers all on their own.

The next time she looked up at the clock, she realized she was nearly late. She gave Thai a last pat, grabbed her stuff, and headed out the door.

She didn’t want to miss Nathan dropping Mia off. Her lips tingled as she remembered his kisses.

Yes, this was going to be a great week.

~*~

That evening, Jeb hoped to catch some glimpses of Bethany in the little house she lived in. She didn’t seem to open the blinds, though. It was disappointing. Although hearing her play music that morning had been the highlight of his day.

When she left the house, she immediately got in her car. No strolls down the sidewalk or hanging out in the backyard.

It made it nearly impossible for him to find a casual way to bump in to her.

He’d missed her for so long. It was hard to be this close, and yet so far away.

What if she’d missed him that much, too? What if just knowing that he was there—that he cared—made her as happy as he was right now?

Jeb realized then that he should’ve figured out a way to let her know he was back in her life. Much more subtly than last time.

He opened the glove compartment and withdrew a large plastic bag full of the guitar picks he’d collected. Before Bethany quit singing, he’d left her a couple of them. Would she remember?

One advantage to her not opening her blinds was that, once she was home that evening, he was free to walk up to her front door. He pressed a single guitar pick to his lips and then set it perfectly on the little welcome mat.

It’d be the first thing she’d see when she left for work the following morning.

~*~

Lynn had been a little disappointed when Nathan told her yesterday that they’d have to wait until Sunday afternoon for their first official date. At least she got to see him every morning and evening. That would make it easier to wait out the week.

She’d managed to push some of her concerns from her mind as she got ready for work, gave Thai the attention he demanded, and then headed out of the house.

As she crossed the front door threshold, something on the doormat caught her attention. She nearly ignored it and continued on her way except that it looked familiar. She bent down to pick it up and gasped.

The guitar pick with “Bethany Truitt” written on it might as well have been a hot coal. She dropped it again and watched as it clattered to the concrete. With the exception of a guitar pick or two that she kept in her jewelry box as a reminder of the past, she hadn’t seen her name written anywhere since she left the music world behind.

Where had this one come from? Someone must have figured out who she was, there was no other explanation.

Her gaze ping-ponged from her car to the houses across the street and back. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the hair still stood up on the back of her neck. She grabbed the pick, shoved it into her pocket, and made sure the front door was locked.

By the time she got to work, her hands were shaking. Sharon noticed immediately and came forward, a baby in one arm. “What happened?”

“Someone knows I’m Bethany.”

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