Something Old - Dianne L. Christner [71]
He reached out and ruffled her hair. “I’m not. Get in.” Erin wasn’t nearly as helpful as Lil, but his cousin had made it clear that she couldn’t help him with Katy anymore because Katy had forbidden it. He was on his own now.
They climbed into his truck, and he put the gears in reverse. Erin’s phone rang, and he tuned her conversation out, losing himself in his own thoughts. The ballet had been a new experience for him, and although he had mostly endured it, Katy had been the one enraptured.
When he’d first seen her in the foyer, his heart had nearly stopped. Her eyes were so alive and her lips slightly open; she’d been awestruck with her surroundings. And he’d been awestruck with her, so plain yet elegant in her black gown. He had never seen her so lovely and yet vulnerable. He’d stood and stared, unable to move until Addison momentarily slipped away. When Katy’s expression became troubled, he’d come to his senses, snatching at the opportunity to approach her.
He shot Erin a tender gaze across the cab. She had been a natural with Addison, providing him an open door to talk to Katy. When she was off the phone, he thanked her for her help. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Don’t let her get away this time,” Erin replied. “By the way, Jessie says hi.”
Her remark was just what he needed to bring him back to task. He’d promised Katy to share his story tonight, the one that included Jessie, and he didn’t even know where to start. He only knew he needed to express his genuine sorrow over his falling away. Katy wasn’t the only one he’d hurt. Now Erin was following his path of folly. “Tell her ‘hi’ for me.” Near Erin’s dorm, he pulled his truck to the side of the road. “And be careful. Stay out of trouble, won’t you?”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek before she hopped out of the truck. He watched her stroll toward her dorm as if she didn’t have a care in the world. He had plenty. He had an hour to figure out what he was going to tell Katy over dinner.
CHAPTER 19
The Worthington Inn, a historical Victorian restaurant, provided a charming atmosphere to prolong the Cinderella spell. Katy placed a cloth napkin on her lap, smoothing the surreal fabric of her skirt, and inhaled contentment. The waiter handed them their menus and disappeared.
“Look.” Katy pointed at a descriptive item on the menu. “They use Amish, free range eggs.”
“We can dine in elegance and still feel right at home. But Beef Worthington for me. Never hurts to try the house dish, right?”
With a giggle, Katy marveled, “You and Lil could be twins.”
He leaned forward. “We are, but our parents gave me away.”
“As you well deserved,” Katy teased, then folded her menu. “The garden vegetable plate for me.” The waiter returned for their orders, and they relaxed over coffee.
“One time when we were kids, I asked Lil why she didn’t play with Erin instead of you. She said you were more fun. That Erin could hardly keep up with you two.”
“Erin always tried to keep up with me,” he admitted with a hint of sadness in his voice. Then he gazed into Katy’s eyes and changed the subject. “The Cinderella fairy tale suits you. Especially the pretty part.
You look lovely tonight, your hair swept up like that. Your eyes are amazing. They draw people in, Katy. Did you know that?”
His scrutiny made her uncomfortable. “And the cleaning part. I’m pretty good at sweeping cinders. But I thought we came to talk about you.”
“We did. But I want you to know that you’ve always intrigued me. That has never changed. My problem was a spiritual one, wondering where I fit in. Our family’s divided when it comes to beliefs with the whole Amish-Mennonite thing. My mom broke away from the Amish, but my dad was always Conservative. Then my brother moved to a higher Mennonite church. So I never felt like there was only one church or one way to get to heaven or to please God.”
He paused when their dinners arrived, and once the waiter left, he asked, “Shall we pray?”
She nodded, pleasantly surprised. Even David hadn’t prayed over their meal at Lil’s