1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [81]
She and Larry spent the rest of the drive just like that—holding hands, exchanging quiet comments, completely focused on each other.
When the car pulled up in front of her house, Shirley was sorry the day had ended. Tanni wasn’t home yet and Shirley couldn’t decide whether she should worry or appreciate the privacy.
“Would you like to see the dungeon?” she asked him. The invitation was a way to keep Larry with her for a little while. Her art studio was nothing special, certainly not compared to what his must look like.
“Very much.” Larry asked the driver to wait and followed Shirley inside.
She led him down the stairs and once again felt her heart beating out of control. He was going to kiss her and she wanted that, more than anything she could remember wanting in a very long time.
At the bottom of the stairs, Larry rested his hand on her shoulder. Without thinking, Shirley turned into his embrace and slipped her arms around his neck. As she knew he would, as she’d hoped and prayed, Larry kissed her. This was the first time another man had touched her like this since she’d lost her husband. She’d avoided anything physical with the few men she’d dated, fearing the rush of guilt she knew she’d experience. She felt none of that when Larry kissed her. No guilt, no dread. Just peace. And happiness.
After several kisses, she buried her face against his throat.
“After we met, that night you came to my show, I had to see you again,” he confessed in a husky whisper. “Manny’s exhibit in Seattle was a convenient excuse.”
“Can you make up more excuses?”
Larry’s collarbone vibrated slightly against her cheek as he chuckled. “I think I’ll have to.”
“You felt it, too?” she asked, already knowing his answer. The attraction was there from the moment Will Jefferson had introduced them.
“Oh, yeah…”
Shirley heard the front door open and close. Tanni was home.
Larry dropped his arms and stepped away.
“Mom?”
It was unusual for Tanni to seek her out; generally her daughter retreated immediately to her bedroom.
“Down here,” she called. “That’s my daughter,” she explained unnecessarily.
They started up the stairs, and when Tanni saw Larry with her mother, she raised questioning eyes to Shirley.
“Tanni, this is my friend Larry Knight.”
Her daughter’s face instantly warmed as she recognized the name. Tanni pumped his hand as if she expected it to spout water. “It is a real pleasure to make your acquaintance,” she said in an oddly formal fashion, hardly sounding like herself. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for Shaw, and for me, too.”
“Happy to,” Larry said. When Tanni released his hand, he turned to Shirley. “I’d better get back to Seattle. I’m flying out early.”
Shirley hated to see him go. She walked him to the door in silence.
“I’ll call you,” he promised.
“Please.” She vowed she’d sit by the phone until she heard from him. Until they talked again she couldn’t allow herself to believe any of this was real. She watched him return to the car, watched it leave, before she found the strength to face her daughter.
“He’s nice, isn’t he?” Tanni said reverently.
“He’s wonderful.” The word was inadequate to describe him and the way he made her feel.
Tanni gave her a speculative look and Shirley thought maybe she’d said too much.
“Are you falling for him, Mom?”
Shirley couldn’t lie. “I think I might be. Truthfully, it’s all a little soon…and a little scary.”
“It is. I know how I felt when I fell in love with Shaw. My stomach felt weird all the time and I didn’t want to eat and all I could think about was him.” As she spoke, Tanni’s eyes filled with tears.
Instinctively Shirley opened her arms. Tanni walked into them and laid her head against her mother’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Shirley asked softly as she stroked her daughter’s hair.
Tanni broke away. “I can’t stand it when I cry,” she muttered angrily. She scrubbed roughly at her face as though to punish herself for being so weak.
“It’s Shaw,