Page 42 of By The Book
He waited, watching her. When she didn’t continue, he stretched out his hands and grabbed the sides of the tablecloth, letting his grip slide to the opposite ends from hers. He lifted them and carried them up, fingers brushing hers in the process. “Something wrong?”
“No. No, I’m fine. I’m just… Was that weird? For you? What I did?”
“It wasn’t weird at all. Was it for you?” He let her take the material but didn’t move away from her.
“A little. I’m…not sorry, though.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“But I don’t want it to be… I don’t want you to think that… What I mean to say is I’m…”
“We’re good, Claire. And the shoulder I offered is still available any time you need it.”
“So we’re…friends.”
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s…good.”
“Are we still on for the wedding?” he asked, hoping the change of subject might remove some of the tension he saw in her beautiful features.
“Yes. I can’t wait. I haven’t looked forward to anything as much in a long time.”
He grinned at her words, wishing she looked forward to going withhimas much as she did rubbing shoulders with Oliver and seeing her school friends again. “I’m sure it will be spectacular, especially with Eliza Hayes planning it.”
“It will be nice to reconnect with everyone again, especially since I’m going to move ba—”
She broke off so abruptly he frowned. “Come again?”
“I, um”—she glanced toward the house, lowering her voice—“talked with my father this evening while you and Tommy were gone. I’ve…decided to move us back to Carolina Cove.”
“But you haven’t told Tommy?”
“No. He knows I’ve been thinking about it but not that I’ve decided for sure.”
“Maybe the time at the gym will help the transition,” he said. “He seemed to get along okay with the kids there and is excited about hanging out.”
“I’m glad. I can’t thank you enough for that. For taking him and introducing him… It means a lot.”
“You’re welcome.” He took a step closer but then stopped himself. “I guess I should go and let you settle in for the evening.”
Claire stared up at him, her eyes sparkling as she nodded.
“Have a good night.”
Denz turned and headed down the steps and across the yard. He didn’t let himself glance back until he made it to the stairs leading up to the apartment. Claire had gone back inside and stood at the kitchen window at the sink, the light overhead giving her blond hair a bright shimmer.
Tommy’s question came back to him then, filtering through Denz’s brain. Friends let friends lean on them. They helped them.
And while he was in town, he planned on letting Claire do that…in whatever form she needed.
Claire decidedto wait until the following afternoon to tell Tommy about her decision. She’d told her father they wouldn’t be joining him today at work and instead woke Tommy up and took him to the battleship. The tour was self-guided, and they spent hours climbing and reading and exploring every accessible part of the ship.
“We’re moving, aren’t we?”
Tommy’s quietly posed question drew her attention to where her son stood looking at the impossibly tiny room designated as officers’ quarters.
“Yes.”
