Page 34 of Summer Showdown
The sun had moved westward in the sky, casting longer shadows across the sand. In a few hours, Theodore and Edna would be standing here, exchanging vows. I positioned two sections of the broken arch together, testing the fit before reaching for the toolbox I’d grabbed from my truck.
As I measured and marked where repairs were needed, my mind kept returning to Lark. The look in her eyes when she'd told me she was leaving for Chicago. The way her voice had trembled slightly, betraying emotions her careful composure tried to hide.
"Wade?"
I looked up to find Bailey Wilder standing nearby.
"I need to find Lark," she said directly. "I've discovered something she needs to know."
I set down my hammer, brushing sand from my hands. "What do you mean?"
"Lark came to see me this morning," Bailey explained. "About a professional matter. Now that she's retained my representation, I’m afraid I can't reveal the substance of our conversation."
Her words caught me off guard. "I didn't realize she knew you."
"She sought me out," Bailey said simply. "But I've just uncovered information that changes her situation considerably. Do you know where she is?"
I shook my head, processing this new information. Lark had hired Bailey as her lawyer. Whatever was happening with her firm in Chicago was serious enough to require legal representation.
"She's probably at the Evergreen Inn," I said finally.
Bailey nodded and turned to leave, then paused. "Thank you. I should go find her."
I watched her walk away, my hands gripping the piece of arch I'd been working on. The pressure Lark must have been under - I hadn't understood at all. I'd been too focused on my own feelings of abandonment to consider what she might be going through.
"Hey."
Tyler's voice pulled me from my thoughts. He surveyed the damaged structure, then knelt beside me, picking up a section of wood.
"Saw what happened," he said, examining the break. "How are you doing?"
"Miserable," I admitted, hammering a nail with perhaps more force than necessary.
Tyler worked silently beside me for a few minutes, helping position the larger pieces while I secured them. The familiar rhythm of construction gave me something to focus on besides the hollow feeling in my chest.
"I'm an idiot," I finally said, laughing bitterly. "I could never hope to have someone like Lark. Why can't I learn? I keep screwing everything up. I'm not good enough for someone like her. I knew she was out of my league to begin with. Why would I expect her to settle for a guy like me?"
Tyler set down the section he was holding, his expression hardening. "Stop it. Stop it right now."
"What are you talking about?" I asked defensively. "I'm just speaking the truth."
"No, you're not," he countered firmly. "And playing the victim card isn't a good look on you. You're better than that."
I turned back to the arch, driving another nail.
"Don't forget who you are," Tyler continued, undeterred by my silence. "Someone who does what it takes when the chips are down, who steps up, who is there for people who need him. You are genuine, honest, bright, and you care for others. Your students love you, your family loves you, this town loves you."
He handed me another piece of the arch. "Vanessa was never right for you. Her decision to leave was not a reflection on you, buddy. It wasn't about you at all. Don't let your self-worth be dictated by others."
I paused my work, the weight of his words sinking in.
"From what I saw of Lark at the cookout," he said more gently, "she's kind, friendly, real. She's probably simply scared.She's only human too. But from what I could tell, the connection between you and her was real."
Tyler secured a section of the arch I'd just fixed. "If you want her, then dude, fight for her. If it doesn't work out, so be it, but at least you'll know for sure."
The afternoon wore on as Tyler helped me rebuild the wedding structure. With each piece we fixed, each flower we repositioned, his words resonated more deeply. I'd spent so much time assuming I wasn't enough—for Vanessa, for Lark, maybe for anyone—that I'd stopped seeing my own worth.
But my best friend was right. I was enough. My relationship with Vanessa simply wasn’t meant to be. But Lark? I’d never know what could be possible between us if I wasn’t brave enough to find out.
