Page 108 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
She remembered discussing the Gulf War and the role of petroleum with Arthur at church picnics. He’d always been willing to listen to her and share his thoughts, making her feel…connected to something bigger, she supposed.
“I don’t think you ever knew how grateful that little girl was to you for talking with her.”
“I was entertained.” He waggled his brows. “Your globalinterests put you somewhat out of the pack around here, but one thing I always found interesting was how Andy Hale stayed your best friend throughout school. For someone you think is so conservative, he sure picked a pretty unconservative friend.”
She’d always found that pretty incredible too. “I still don’t completely understand why.”
“Because you’re a knucklehead.” Arthur’s mouth twisted. “Harriet used to say she didn’t need to accompany me on my trips to communist Russia, for example, because she rather liked hearing about it through my eyes. Perhaps you’re Andy’s eyes to the bigger world out there.”
That might have been the sweetest thing Lucy had ever heard. “I want that to be the case, but I’ve always had to censor my experiences for him.” She ducked her head. “I told him so last night.”
“Of course you’ve censored your stories,” Arthur harrumphed. “If you hadn’t, he would have sweated out his white doctor’s coat worrying about you. Do you think I told Harriet the KGB questioned me for seven hours one time before releasing me in the middle of a snow-covered street in downtown Moscow? Hell, no. But Harriet could have taken it. She was one tough woman.”
“She had to be to put up with you,” Lucy said, “although you’re pretty great.”
He plucked a pencil off his desk and shoved it behind his ear. “Are we finished here? I have a newspaper to run. Or are you still unsure about what to do? Lucy, you have a man who’s brave enough to want to marry you after a horrible tragedy wrecked his life. That’s not the kind of man who’d ever let you down. As I tell all the young people around here, you can dillydally all you want, but you marry people with character. Otherwise you get screwed.”
That sparked a laugh out of her. He glared at her.
“I’m sorry, but that was funny.”
Arthur waved his hand in the air. “Andy is right. Your vision doesn’t matter. You will do what you want to do. If you want to take photos, you’ll figure it out. If you want to marry him, you’ll figure it out.” His eye roll was especially dramatic this time. “Lucy, all of life is about figuring things out. You have a sharp mind and a good heart. Use them. Now, let me get back to work.”
She shoved out of the chair and walked around the side of his desk. Bending over, she kissed him on the cheek and then gave into the urge to hug him.
“Bah!” he protested, putting his arms around her. “You’re going to ruin my reputation as a hardass. Get yourself out of here.”
She gave him one more squeeze and made her way to the door. “How about I write up an op-ed about how no one really understands or cares what’s going on in Congo?”
He pushed the rim of his glasses up his nose. “Make up with the Hale boy, and then send it to me. I’ve always fancied having you as an official part of the family.”
Her mouth dropped. “What?”
“I’m not saying you have to change your name, but you’ll be part of the Hale clan, and my blood will flow through your children. Just imagine what kind of journalist we’ll get when your DNA mixes with Hale DNA. Just like with Meredith and Tanner. She should be having her baby any day now.”
Lucy leaned back against the doorframe. “After everything you said, you end with that?”
He shrugged. “So I buried the lede. Shoot me. Lucy, you’d be the dumbest girl ever to walk away from a life with Andy Hale. And you’re not dumb. Get your head out ofyour butt and go make up with him. You’ll figure things out together.”
Shaking her head, she tested her balance. “You said all those things, knowing what I’d do the whole time?”
“One thing I’m not is stupid,” he said, swiveling around in his chair. “Neither are you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
When Andy pulled up to Merry Cottage, he was feeling more than antsy. Lucy had texted him the previous day to say she wanted to talk, but he hadn’t been ready. Correction. His plan hadn’t been ready, so he’d told her he would see her today for lunch.
Not that he could eat anything, mind you. He picked up his gift for her and exited his car. She was either going to get it or she wouldn’t, and there was nothing he could do to change that.
When she opened the door, the brilliant shades of her auburn hair and green eyes seemed all the more dear, all the more lustrous. There was worry between her brows, and when he leaned down to kiss her cheek, he felt like he was wading through raw honey to get close to her.
Things were weird between them again, and part of him wished he’d never opened his big mouth. But he knew better. A person got the kind of love they asked for, and he wasn’t going to keep hiding what he wanted from himself or her because it was more comfortable or convenient.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, putting her armsaround him suddenly. “When you said you couldn’t see me yesterday, I got a little worried. I was the one who supposedly needed more time to think about things.”
He edged back and produced the gift he’d hidden behind his back. “One day didn’t seem like a lot of time, but I needed it to arrange this. I…” Crap. What should he say? “I hope you like it.”
She gave him a puzzled look, but stepped back to let him inside. He closed the door behind him.
