As he figured, Charlene was not surprised to find out exactly who he had been talking about.
There was so much that attracted him to Orchid. How did he explain it? He looked around, then lowered his voice.
“She has integrity. She works hard. She doesn’t lose her temper or get irritated. Kids love her, and she always takes time for them. She helps her family and seems to have good relationships with all of them. I definitely think she would be someone who would be easy to get along with and would put others first. She’s different than every other girl I know. Better.”
That wasn’t everything. But he just couldn’t put his finger on why she was so compelling to him. There was some kind of...glow about her.
Not that she was happy all the time, but that she just seemed to walk in peace. There was a calmness, and while she didn’t strike him as an overly confident person, she seemed to know what she wanted. Although, he’d almost say she was the kind of person who was in her head a lot and didn’t allow the things that happened around her to upset her.
It contrasted with his more aggressive personality. He’d gotten his temper mostly under control from his younger days, but he definitely didn’t have calmness or peace. He had a drive to be the best, do his best, and go after what he wanted. That was probably why he hadn’t been scared off when Orchid had turned him down. Probably why he was standing here now, in front of the notorious matchmakers, even though the possibility of him being humiliated was high.
Because the possibility of getting what he wanted was just as good.
“I think there might be some things you need to learn,” Charlene said, her lips pursed.
Dwight refused to take her words as an insult. “I’m not perfect. I do want to be a better man.”
Charlene nodded, like he’d said the right thing. She pressed her lips together and took several deep breaths through her nose. “I’ll tell you what,” she finally said. “When you close on the house you buy in Sweet Water, you let me know.”
He glanced at Bryce, who shrugged his shoulders just a bit. Like he didn’t really know what to make of that. As far as Dwight knew, and all he knew was what Bryce had told him, the Piece Makers had never accepted an outside offer of matchmaking.
If they accepted him, he’d be the first.
“I have already been looking. I’ll talk to my real estate agent this afternoon.” If he could, he’d be putting an offer on a house by Monday night.
“You do that.” Charlene smiled, but he felt like it was a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, like she didn’t quite trust him.
“Thanks for your time, ladies. Can I get you anything?” Bryce said, and Dwight wished that he would have thought to offer.
But the ladies shook their heads, and he and Bryce walked away.
They were halfway back to where Peyton sat with Bryce’s daughter, Kendrick, and her own son, Owen, out of earshot of the ladies, when Bryce said, “I think that went pretty well. I hoped that they would take you right away, but they seem to be thinking about it, and I do think they’re your best bet.”
It felt like they were his only bet, but he hadn’t gotten to be successful in his baseball career by taking no for an answer.
“I’m happy to wait if there’s even a small chance. I’ve already waited this long, I can keep waiting.”
Just because he was waiting didn’t mean he wouldn’t jump on an opportunity if it presented itself. He had every intention of doing that. If God opened the door, he wouldn’t hesitate to run through it.