A/N: Thank you to everyone for the support you've given this story! Really, you just have no idea how much it means to me! This picks up where the last chapter left off, hope you enjoy!
The sun beat down on them as they walked and Daryl started to feel beads of sweat gathering along his spine. It wasn't a terribly hot day so he expected the perspiration had more to do with the blonde beside him than the temperature of the air. The silence weighed heavy between them to the point where the scuffs of their shoes against the sidewalk seemed to echo all around. Daryl felt taut as a wire, not sure what to say to her, what to do. He barely knew this girl, what business did he have going to lunch with her?
Beth cleared her throat lightly, drawing his attention away from his internal war, and asked, "How's your cabin going? Are you almost done with it?"
Feeling a wave of relief wash over him, yes this was something he could talk about, Daryl drew a hand back to absently scratch his neck as he replied, "Yeah, 's been done for a while, livable anyway. Jus' finishin' the interior stuff, baseboards and paintin'." He glanced over at her, and added, "Finally picked a color last week that Carol was happy with."
Beth returned his gaze with a smile as she asked, "Let me guess. It was all white before?" Daryl snorted lightly, dipping his head once in concession and Beth laughed, breathy and light. "I knew it," She declared, "When my brother moved to Atlanta he had a condo. All white walls for an entire year before his girlfriend finally got him to paint them something else."
"White's clean," Daryl argued good-naturedly, "Ain't gotta have color."
"White is boring," Beth replied firmly, "It has no personality, no feeling. You need a color to really make a home, something to express yourself in the space."
"Sound like one of those tv shows," Daryl grumbled, feeling his lips twitch slightly at the thought of Beth running a crew of remodelers, tiny and intimidating as she barked out orders to paint the walls in a rainbow of colors.
Beth shrugged, nonplussed, and replied, "I took an interior design course in school, mostly for fun and because I thought it might be something I'd want to do when I graduated. I learned a few things."
"I definitely ain't gonna let ya see my place then," Daryl decided.
Beth laughed again and he could feel it along his spine, short zaps of electricity as if her voice were a live wire. "Oh come on, Daryl," Beth pleaded, looking up at him as the walked, "I promise I will only offer friendly advice, no criticism. After all, the house is yours, not mine."
Daryl met her eyes for a moment then nodded once, "Alright. When Carol sees it and approves then I'll have ya over." He froze a little mentally, realizing he'd basically invited her over alone to his cabin in the woods, so he quickly added once his brain caught up to his mouth, "Bring Maggie and Glenn. I'll have Merle, Carol, and Sophia come too."
"A housewarming!" Beth declared, sounding excited at the prospect, and Daryl relaxed. "I'll definitely be there," She assured him.
They reached the diner, a small building with the classic booths and counter seating. A bored teenager in a bright yellow waitress uniform seated them in a booth then promptly disappeared without another word. Beth looked at Daryl across the table, smiling slightly and shaking her head. Daryl raised a shoulder and consulted the menu he'd been handed, even though he always got the same thing.
"Hey Daryl!" A friendly voice called and he turned his head to see Irma, Dale's wife, approaching with a big smile. "I didn't know you were comin' in today!" Her smiling eyes went to Beth and seemed to sharpen slightly as she asked with a suggestive lilt in her voice, "And who's your friend?"
Daryl stiffened slightly, instinctively, as Irma wrapped an arm around his shoulders in a half hug and responded, "This is Beth." He glanced at Beth, noting her somewhat perplexed expression and tacked on, "Beth, this is Irma, Dale's wife."
Beth blinked for a moment then understanding rushed over her and she smiled at Irma as she replied, "It's nice to meet you. My family's been going to Dale's garage for years. I can't believe we've never met before now."
"Your family?" Irma asked, searching Beth's face as if looking for a hint.
"My daddy is Hershel Greene," Beth supplied with a smile.
"Your Hershel's youngest?" Irma asked, her face widening into an open smile, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Beth. I know your daddy well. You tell him I say hi."
"I will," Beth promised and Irma nodded once and returned her attention to Daryl. She tapped him on the shoulder with her order pad and asked knowingly, "You want your usual, hon?" Daryl could feel the back of his neck warm a little but he nodded. Irma patted his shoulder and looked at Beth, "He's a creature of habit, this one. What would you like, Beth?"
"A cheeseburger with fries and a coke, please," Beth replied.
"Well that's one thing y'all have in common already," Irma commented as she reached for the menus.
"I'm sorry?" Beth inquired, looking confusedly between Daryl and Irma.
Irma smiled knowingly and answered, "That's Daryl's usual, cheeseburger with fries and a coke."
"Oh," Beth replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as her eyes met Daryl's across the table. She straightened a little in her seat and added, "Well, I guess he's got good taste then."
Irma studied Beth for a moment, her brown eyes sharpening, and finally she said, "I think he does." She turned away and disappeared behind the door to the kitchen and Daryl wished like hell he'd taken Beth anywhere else, somewhere where people didn't know him so well and wouldn't make thinly veiled comments all the damn time.
His eyes flew up from his study of a crumbled straw wrapper to meet Beth's when she let out a somewhat muffled laugh. Her cheeks were still pink but her eyes glittered with humor and she laughed again, this time letting it go free, light and breathy in the din of the diner.
"What?" He asked, wondering what she could find funny, if she was laughing at him.
Beth quickly shook her head and answered quickly, her voice still light with laughter, "Nothing it's just… people seem to really know you around here, whether you want them to or not."
"Bunch of nosey damn people," He grumbled in reply, returning his gaze to the tabletop.
Beth shrugged a shoulder, still smiling but trying to keep it more contained now, "It's nice, having so many people that care about you." She tilted her head slightly when he met her eyes again and added, "You're lucky."
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat but nodded once, replying in a low voice, "Yeah." He looked around the diner, looking for something else to say, something to explain, then tacked on, "Guess I'm still gettin' used to it."
Beth's eyes were steady on his face, her face less happy and more contemplative as she took in his words. He found he didn't feel as uncomfortable as he thought he would, sharing that tiny hint about his past with her. She didn't say anything in reply but he could read her words on her face. She wanted to know more but wouldn't ask, didn't need to know more unless he was willing to share it without being asked.
Irma interrupted the silence by placing two cheeseburgers on the table, her eyes flicking back and forth between them as she directed, "Y'all eat up and let me know if you need anythin'."
Beth's eyes broke away from Daryl's as she smiled at the waitress, "Thanks, we will."
They both focused on their burgers, adding ketchup and mustard with mayo and lettuce, both opting to remove the tomato slices but add pickles. Daryl smirked when Beth started to laugh and she observed, "Okay, now this is getting creepy!" He lifted a shoulder in response and she asked, "Do you cut yours in half or eat it whole?"
"Whole," Daryl answered, picking the bun up with two hands to take a large bite.
Beth wrinkled her nose, still smiling, and replied, "Okay, good. I always cut mine in half. Good to know we're not exactly alike."
They ate mostly in silence, though it was companionable and not uncomfortable at all. Occasionally they talked, mostly about nothing. Daryl told her about Sophia and the girl's school play that was going on the following week. Beth spoke about her brother-in-law's business and how busy he'd been lately and how often Maggie had been sick, worrying a little over her sister as Daryl listened with a slight frown.
Once they'd finished, Irma returned and recommended some desserts with a suggestive nudge at Daryl, but Beth turned it down, stating she had to get over to the pizzeria to help with the afternoon and evening shifts. Daryl paid, despite Beth's protest, and soon they were back out in the sunshine, walking back to the garage.
"I had fun today," Beth commented as they walked side by side. She glanced up at Daryl with a small smile and added, "Thanks for lunch, even though it wasn't really your idea."
Daryl looked at her and felt his lips twitch into a small smile, "Nah, never would've had the bal… brains to ask ya."
Beth snorted lightly at his quick change in word choice and replied, "Well, I'm glad Dale forced you."
He snorted too and then, after deliberating for a moment, asked quickly, "So… I'll let ya know when the cabin's done, have ya over? With Glenn and Maggie and everyone?"
She smiled broadly and nodded enthusiastically, "That sounds good. It'll be fun, I promise."
He looked down at his feet, scuffing the heel of his work boot into the concrete for a second before glancing up at her through the long fringe of his hair, "Yeah, ain't never had no housewarming before. You'll have to let me know what I need to get for it."
Beth's smile brightened even more as she instructed, "Well for a housewarming usually the guests bring you things, like gifts or food."
"Well hell, that sounds alright," Daryl replied, feeling his own usual frown dissipating into a small smile. He considered that for a moment but then tacked on, "Don't want no gifts though. It'd be cool for people to just bring food."
Beth nodded in agreement and reached into her bag for her cell phone. She quickly tapped then looked up at him, "I gotta get going to the restaurant but you mind giving me your number so we can talk more about this later?"
Daryl blinked at her for a long moment, eyes staring uncomprehendingly at the small hand gripping the huge phone decorated in brightly colored music notes.
"Daryl?" She asked, eyes a little anxious now, like she was second guessing herself. "You don't have to, just thought…"
"Nah," He quickly corrected, snapping his brain out its fugue state once again. She wanted his number, wanted to be able to talk to him more. It didn't compute, didn't make sense. But there she was, staring at him patiently, waiting for him to supply the information so she could do just that. He swallowed hard and rattled off his number, half listening as she read the number back then nodding once. He watched as she quickly pulled a small notepad and pen from her bag and scribbled something on it in small, loopy letters. She handed it to him with a shy smile and clarified, "Here's my number, so you'll know it's me."
He took the scrap of paper, his eyes tracing the curled letters of her name and the small smiley face she'd added to the end of the string of numbers. He looked back up at her and nodded, his voice coming out lower than he expected, "Thanks."
Her smile returned as she tucked the phone back in her back and she confirmed happily, "So I'll let Glenn and Maggie know, see if they'll be able to come, then I'll call you?" He nodded again, imagining his number in her phone next to her daddy or sister, out of place and awkward.
She glanced around, almost looking sad to leave, her own feet shuffling unsure against the concrete, and commented, "Okay, well, I really should go."
"Yeah," He agreed, hearing the reluctance in his own voice and feeling totally confused by it. He met her eyes again and she smiled softly, raising a small hand in a wave as she turned to head towards her car. He moved to stand outside the office door, watching as she put the car in reverse and turned out into the street, disappearing around a corner.
His fingers curled around the scrap of paper in his hand and he turned to head inside, heading to his small locker to tuck the paper securely in the pocket of his jacket. He'd ask Carol later to put the number into his phone, realizing he had no idea how to work the damn thing. Maybe he should ask Sophia instead, he thought absently as he headed back out into the garage to work on the newest walk in. Sophia would be cool, she wouldn't give him a hard time. Carol would probably ask tons of questions he had no idea how to answer and give him looks that would make him uncomfortable. His mind on that scrap of paper and the smile she'd left him with, Daryl went back to work.
"How'd it go?" T called loudly and the low level din the garage quickly went quiet.
Daryl looked up at him and lifted a shoulder, "Alright, jus' went to the diner."
"Man, you took her to the diner?" Zach asked, incredulous. Daryl frowned at him and he backed off a little but then commented so everyone could hear, "Well, she must've been okay with it, I saw her give you her number."
"You got her number?" T yelled, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Man, you move faster than we thought!"
"Ain't y'all got nothin' else better to do?" Daryl responded, his voice gruff as he turned away from them, hoping they'd take the hint.
"No," Zach replied instantly.
T snorted but responded, "Alright, alright, we'll leave ya alone… for now."
Daryl snorted too, "Thanks."
