Page 58 of Unforgiven in Cheshire Bay

I nodded, and sent a quick message to David, explaining I knew he was in a meeting, but when he was done, to meet me outside.

It didn’t take long until he made long strides across the parking lot in my direction. He greeted me with a panty-melting kiss, making me even more excited for tonight’s date.

“Hey,” I breathed out when we came up for air. “Happy one-month anniversary.”

“Hey, same to you.” However, his eyes were tight, and his smile softened the wrinkles that had formed.

“Everything okay? Did you have a rough morning?”

“Just a quick staff meeting. Had to fire a guy.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“Well, if they don’t do the job properly that I’m paying them to do, I help them to the door.” His shoulders squared and his whole body seemed to stiffen.

“Well, I hope I can cheer you up a little right now. I have your pieces. The ones for the booths. Figured they were done, and you can have them hung up whenever you’re ready.” I wrapped my hand around the dolly handle and started pushing it back toward the main doors.

“Let me, and you grab the doors. I know where to put these.”

And just like that, he had control and guided us into the restaurant. He drove the cumbersome dolly toward the area tarped in polyfilm. He pulled back the opening and ushered me in.

The new and improved seating area was almost complete. Three booths, which each held four customers comfortably, extended out on either side of a huge six- or eight-person booth in the corner.

“All we need to do is wash everything down, install the seats, hang the artwork, and this area is ready to go.” He stepped back to the dolly and held the film door open. “Let’s put these here, and the guys can install them tomorrow.”

“Don’t you want to look at them?” I grabbed one of the frames I’d wrapped in bubble wrap and pulled it back. “All the hanging instructions are included in the envelope.”

He took a brief look at it and nodded. “Looks great. I knew you’d do a good job.”

“Thanks.” I tipped my head to the side, wondering why he was being so wooden.

“Oh, I’ll e-transfer you the rest of the payment for these. Can you send me an invoice?” He popped his head out and scanned the dining room, which was hard to see through the opaque film.

“Of course.” I reached for his hand, and he shook it free from mine.

“Not here.”

“But the kiss outside.”

“That wasn’t in here.” He didn’t raise his voice. In fact, it stayed even without a hint of emotion. It was bizarre. “Listen, I’m sorry. I have a ton of paperwork to do with this guy, and I need to get on it.”

I tried not to be hurt, but the ache blooming in my chest was hard to avoid.

“Send me the completed invoice for these, and I’ll add it to my to-do list.”

“Okay.” I stared at the dolly and started unloading it.

“I promise I’ll be better afterward. I just need to get through this, okay?”

I nodded and stacked another booth piece beside the first one.

“I’ll see you later? Pick you up at six sharp?”

“Yeah. That’s fine.” I didn’t look at him as I unloaded another piece.

David stood three, unmoving. “Are you okay?”

“Of course.”

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