Page 86 of To Have and to Scold

“It’s not a joke. I’ve decided to stay in Willow Cove.” I let out a breath and realize my lungs and throat are cooler—less restricted now.

There’s a long pause. Finally, Shoshana huffs. “I…wow. I have no response to that.”

“Thank you for mentoring me all these years and for believing in me, Shoshana. I will miss you and Amore.”

Have I ever said those words before? Have I ever allowed myself to be sentimental in Shoshana’s presence? To be grateful? I don’t think so. But it feels good. It feels…right.

She hesitates. “Thanks. But Kaia’s going to bust some people up when she hears this.”

I hiss in a breath at the thought. Poor Kaia. I won’t say this to Shoshana right now, but maybe I can convince her to come to Willow Cove for next year’s wedding season. If she’ll ever talk to me again. And actually, this might position Kaia to move from assistant to planner. She’s already been working on her certification.

When we finish the call a moment later, I lie back on the bed, the cool bedspread soft against my skin.

I just told Shoshana no. I’ve taken a blowtorch to my five-year plan. And yet, it’s okay. I understand so much more than I ever did before. That I’m still valuable whether I pull off a successful wedding or not. I’m valuable without my heels and owning that I’m five foot two. And it’s okay to breathe and take things at a slower pace whenever I need to.

I spring from my bed and throw open the door. Explaining to Beck what just happened can’t come soon enough.

Except, when I reach the living room, he’s on the phone. “Thanks for calling, Mayor Dobbs. I appreciate it.”

He hangs up and my heart stutters a moment. “Was that about the Prom dinner?”

Beck nods, but one side of his mouth curves in a smile. “She was letting us know that, as she’s had time to think about it, she’s not upset. Apparently, Lila forgot to tell her that I’d asked her last week about them having their dinner there. It slipped Lila’s mind because—”

I interrupt. “Because she was a week away from her wedding.”

“Exactly. And the mayor said that as the inspection had happened that morning, it was no longer a construction zone. Rosie explained to her at the reception last night that Leo and his friends told her they’d insisted you and I hang out upstairs. That we weren’t negligent. They were responsible for what happened.”

“Wow. That’s mature of Leo.”

Beck’s eyes soften. “He’s such a great kid. Anyway, the mayor also apologized about being, in her words, ‘harsh’ with you. She let the stresses of the day get to her in that moment. She said she’d be calling to apologize to you personally as well.”

“That’s not necessary.” I pause. “I know how much her endorsement of your proposal to the YMCA board would mean to you.”

“She can’t really say anything about that to me, for ethical reasons, of course. But I’ve done my best. I feel I’ve shown her I can get the job done right and hopefully that will bode well. I can’t really worry about it at this point.”

He shrugs, but then stiffens away from me. His chin drops to his chest. He turns to the side, shakes out his hands, and mutters something under his breath. Then he walks over to my window, wheels around, and walks the length of the room.

Is he pacing?

“Beck?” I say.

He stops and gives me a crooked grin, then rushes to me, taking my hands in his.

“Dallas, I have something to say.” His brows crawl up his forehead, his chocolate eyes taking me in.

“Okay?” I squeal a little, from uncertainty and excitement—all of it.

“Whatever Shoshana had to say to you, whatever you decide to do, wherever you go and whenever you go there, I want to be by your side.” He takes a moment to breathe in and out. “I called abuddy of mine in Duluth this morning and he says I can go work for him. He’s got an industrial construction company and he’d love the help. Eventually, I can take Integrity Construction to the Atlanta area—” Beck shakes his head. “But that can all be figured out later. The point is, your dream is in Atlanta. And my dream is to be with you. Once I figured that out, everything else was an easy decision.”

My mouth sea-basses. I know it’s happening, but I can’t control it. Finally, I let go of his hand to cover my mouth and that’s when I find the words.

“Shoshana asked me to come back ASAP,” I say through my fingers. “There have been changes and—”

“Great. Several of my foremen are equipped to take over. It might take me a couple weeks to sort everything out here, but then I’m there. With bells on!” He pauses, sweeping his gaze over my face, lingering on my lips before his own tip up in a smile. “Dallas, when Chloe told me she was leaving, it never even occurred to me to go with her—”

“Beck,” I interrupt, but he keeps going.

“--And that’s because it wasn’t the right thing to do. We weren’t right for each other. Now? I’m happy to. I love Willow Cove. But I love you more, Dallas Olivia.”

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