"Earth to Thornton."
"Huh?" Jack turned to look at Lee. "What's up?"
"You tell me. You've been sitting there with this goofy grin on your face for ten minutes. Meet a girl?"
"Technically no."
"What does that mean? Don't tell me you are using an online dating site. You could be talking to a sixty year old man."
"No, I'm not using a website."
"So how did you technically not meet a girl?"
"I've known her since we were kids, Lee."
"And it took you this long to ask her out?"
"Well, technically yes…but not really."
"Okay so you are talking in riddles today. Try plain English, my friend."
"When we were kids, she was four years younger. I didn't see her that way. She was my best friend's little sister."
"Beth Thatcher?"
"Yeah. So now she's back in town for a little bit and she's definitely not a kid anymore, so I asked her to coffee."
"How'd that go?"
"Good," he said with a grin. "She sort of missed her plane."
Lee shook his head and laughed. Before he could say anything, Jack's cell rang. "Deputy Thornton."
"Hi, Jack. Its Beth."
"Hey there," he said, getting up and leaving the room.
"Hi. I got your number from Jesse."
"Okay."
"I decided that I'm going to do this."
"Do…"
"The B B."
"That's good." It was really good. That meant she would be moving to town. He had a chance to get to know her better. Maybe ask her to dinner and…
"Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you in?"
"In?"
"You seem distracted."
"I'm so sorry. What did you ask?"
"Aunt Agatha insisted that you be the one to help me fix up the house. Would you be willing? I know you have a job and all that but she was insistent that you be the one."
"Of course I'll help. I have most evenings and every other Saturday free."
"So tonight?"
"Tonight? I'm free." If he wasn't, he would cancel his plans so he was.
"Great. Will you come to the house? I'd like to show you what I want to do."
"I'll be there. Around seven?"
"Sure."
"I'll bring dinner."
Jack tried to wipe his "goofy" grin from his face before he walked back up front but he couldn't. He had a feeling it wouldn't be going anywhere for quite a while.
As he left work that afternoon, he shot Jesse a text. "Does Beth like Mexican food?"
"Dude, I don't know. She hasn't lived here in 4 years, well 7 if u count law school."
"Right. Ok."
"Why do u ask?"
"No reason. Have a good night." Jack slipped his phone in his pocket and got in his cruiser.
He heard the phone buzz a few times, knowing Jesse was trying to get him to answer. He wasn't going to give up on Beth, regardless of what Jesse thought so his texts could wait.
When he got to his apartment just outside town, he headed inside to take a shower. After showering, he ordered their dinner, dressed, and left to pick it up.
He could hardly believe how badly he wanted this dinner with her, even though they barely knew each other. He wanted to know her. He wanted to know everything.
He texted her when he left the restaurant. "B there in 5."
Elizabeth was in her aunt's bedroom, well, her bedroom now, going through her clothes for donating. She saw her phone light up as Jack texted.
"Five? Oh boy." She had lost track of time and now she was dusty from cleaning. She headed into the bathroom and ran her fingers through her hair and put on some chapstick.
Then the doorbell rang so she headed into the foyer and opened the door. "Hi there," she said with a smile. Gosh, he looked good. Black leather coat, t-shirt and jeans.
"Hi. I brought Mexican."
"Yum! I love Mexican."
"Thank goodness. Jesse had no clue what you like."
"You asked Jesse?"
"Yeah. Is that ok?"
"I guess so," she shrugged. They walked into the kitchen and put the bag of food down. Jack removed his coat revealing his muscles.
Elizabeth felt her cheeks heat. To look that good in a t-shirt should be illegal. Which was funny, all things considered.
"Nice shirt," she said with a laugh.
It said, "I enjoy romantic walks through the hardware store."
"Thanks. Gift from Jesse. He thought it would help me get a date."
"Yeah? Did it work?"
"I'll let you know." He glanced her way, his dimples popping, making her stomach all fluttery. How did he still have this effect on her after so many years?
"Um, so the kitchen…I found what I want on Pinterest."
She pulled her phone out and showed him. "Okay. So same footprint essentially. Just paint and add an island and then refinish the wood floors."
"And I need a new stove and refrigerator. If I'm going to cook daily for other people, I'm not using this fifty year old stove."
As they opened the food containers, her stomach grumbled embarrassingly.
"Hungry?" he asked.
"Yeah. I forgot to eat lunch."
"I'm not sure I've ever forgotten to eat."
"I've been distracted. Cleaning out Aunt Agatha's closet and dressers."
"That must be hard. It was hard on my mom when she cleaned out my Dad's things."
"How is your mom?" she wondered as she took down two plates from the cupboard.
"Good. She's dating someone in Palm Springs where she lives. A guy named David."
"Are you and Tom good with her dating?"
"Its been ten years since Dad. She is happy. That's all that matters."
"You're a good son, Jack."
"Thanks."
She nodded and they took a seat. "Thank you for bringing dinner."
"My pleasure."
"Would you like to pray?" she asked.
"Yes." They bowed their heads. "Dear, God. Thank you for this food and for this day. Please help the Thatcher family get through their loss of Agatha and help Beth make her dream come alive. We also ask forgiveness where we've made mistakes and thank you for good friends and family. Through your son's name, Amen."
"Amen. Thank you, Jack."
"You're welcome."
As they ate, she asked about his day and then the conversation turned back toward the house. "Can I ask a favor, Jack?"
"Anything."
"I'm heading back to Atlanta on Sunday and I'll be gone about a month. Could you maybe start with my bedroom and bathroom so I'll have a place to stay when I come back?"
"Sure. Did you find a picture on Pinterest?"
"I did. This is already what my bedroom furniture looks like. So really, I just want the wall color. The four poster bed that's in there along with the dresser and side tables are going in the room at the far end of the hall upstairs."
"Alright."
After dinner, she showed him around and he made notes. She sent him the screenshots of what she wanted so he could start and plan.
"What about this room?" he asked, walking into the library. "It can use some updating."
"No. I'm not touching this room at all. Its perfect."
He saw the determination and emotion cross her face, complete with her eyes filling with tears. "Alright. We won't touch it."
"Promise? I need this to stay the same. It's the only thing I have left of her."
"That's not true, Beth. Your memories are going to be with you forever. You'll never forget what the two of you shared."
"You probably think its silly." She walked in and sat down on the settee, running her hands over the velvety cushions. "But she was my best friend. I spent every summer here, weeks at a time. She taught me so much about life and how to bake and cook. We spent countless hours in here by the fire, reading and laughing." Her tears flowed down her cheeks now. "I can't believe she's never going to sit in that chair again. Or laugh at one of my stories or say, "Now, Beth, dear. That's not how real life works.""
He sat next to her and gently touched her hand. "She was a kind woman. Very wise."
"Yes."
"Much like you, Beth." She looked down at their hands and then up at his face.
"No, I'll never be as wise as her. I could have learned so much more. If I just had come home more often."
"Beth, there is nothing to feel guilty about."
"Once a year? What was I thinking?"
"Your life was in Atlanta. A good one, I expect. Kids grow up and leave home. Parents expect it. Beloved Aunts expect it."
"I never got to say goodbye," she whimpered, her voice cracking. "I loved her and I never got to say it one last time."
"She knew it and she loved you just as much. Why else did she leave you this house?"
She wiped her cheeks and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jack. I'm sure you didn't come over here tonight thinking I was going to blubber all over you."
"My shoulder is always here if you need it."
"I appreciate that. More than you know."
….
The next afternoon, after he finished work, he borrowed Jesse's pickup and drove to get Beth. They were headed to the home improvement store to pick up a new vanity for her bathroom, new faucets, and paint.
As they walked along the aisles, she picked out a new shower curtain, a new rug, and the light fixtures for the bathroom and bedroom.
"When we get back to town, let's go to the bank. I want to open us a joint checking account that I can deposit the remodel money into. That way you will have access and you won't need to rely on me or wait to get money for something."
"That's a good idea. I'm thinking finishing your bathroom and bedroom will take about a week, maybe two. That way I can start on your kitchen while you are away."
"Alright." She smiled. "This is getting exciting."
"Starting over?"
"In a way, yes. Mostly just planning
something completely different with my life."
He stopped in front of the vanities. "What else do you see for the future, Beth?" he asked quietly.
"Hopefully a family one day. A kid or two. A husband who supports what I want to do and let's me have a measure of independence."
He knew independence was important to her. Everything she had ever done for herself screamed for that. He also liked the thought of her relying on him though.
Taking care of a wife and children was what his heart wanted.
"Jack?"
"Yeah."
"What about you?"
"I want a family. A typical one with home cooked meals, a loving wife, a couple kids, a dog, backyard to play in."
"And if that loving wife wanted a bit of independence?"
"If it was important to making her happy, I'm good with that to some extent."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I think a husband's privilege of being the head of the house is important too. Yes, independence is good but reliance on someone else could be just as good."
Elizabeth thought about that. First of all, the words, "a husband's privilege" were very meaningful. That made her feel that he would be fair and loving to whomever he married. His children and wife would be cared for because he worked hard to provide for them. That was very admirable.
Jack searched her eyes. Did she agree? Was it too soon to be discussing these things? He didn't know. She wasn't giving anything away.
"Interesting point," she said finally. "Let's pick out the faucets and then open that checking account."
"Alright."
He still didn't know where they stood but he knew he was intrigued. He could hardly wait to find out what was next.