“Um, circa 1886?
“You got it! It’s got great reviews and it’s very quaint. I’ve always wanted to eat there and then we can take a cab to the concert.”
He’d really put thought into this. When he decided to give them a do-over, he really meant it.
The restaurant was magical. The building wore its history like a beautiful coat, but it was tastefully modernized too. Nora enjoyed the top-rate service, and when she perused the menu, she had difficulty deciding. Usually when she sat down at a restaurant, a glance at the menu resulted in one item jumping out at her, begging for attention. Not this time. At least five selections intrigued her. Finally, she settled on the scallops appetizer and the wedge salad.
Over dinner they talked about Radley Ray. A vast country music fan, Shaw placed Radley Ray at the very top of the list. They discussed their favorite songs in his playlist. Nora was able to contribute to the conversation because of Shaw’s thoughtfulness in lending her the CDs weeks ahead of time. They made a mental list of the songs they most wanted to hear, and Shaw shared some stories of past Radley concerts he’d attended.
Then he reached over the table and put her hands in his. “But this will be the best concert of all. Because I’m sharing it with you.”
Tears poked her eyes and she blinked. Nothing like dampening a tender moment with tears. But honestly, how could she resist a man like him? She liked just about everything about him. He was one of a kind. She lightened the mood with a joke. “Yes, and because when I run up on stage, I’ll be pulling you with me.”
When they stepped onto the sidewalk out front, Shaw put his fingers to his mouth and did one of those loud whistles that could probably attract the attention of livestock miles away. He raised his hand, attracting the attention of a rickshaw driver. A young man in a shorts and t-shirt uniform pedaled a vehicle whose front half was a bicycle, but the back half was a seat wide enough to accommodate three people. “Have you ever ridden one of these?”
“No.”
They climbed up onto the seat and Shaw gave the driver the name of the amphitheater. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in tight. Nora looked around. Between people walking, riding in horse-drawn carriages, and in rickshaws, not to mention the cars, the streets of Charleston were quite active.
Although the pace generated by the driver’s pumping legs wasn’t particularly speedy, Nora rested her head on Shaw’s strong arm and enjoyed the breeze blowing through her hair. She rolled her head to look up at his face. Excitement rushed her heart and she said softly, “Thank you for this.”
He looked down at her and placed his lips on hers. A brush turned into a kiss and then a deeper one. Her pulse raced through her veins, creating a delicious breathlessness. He drew back, looked into her eyes and murmured, “You’re welcome.”
He made her feel special. He made her feel desirable. While continuing to gaze at him she let her mind say a silent prayer of thanks to God for placing him in her life.
They arrived at the theater. They slid off the wide rickshaw seat. Shaw pulled some bills out of his pocket and gave them to the driver before grabbing her hand. He sported an excited smile which was contagious.
They stood in a long line outside the venue, then after passing through a metal detector and another line where Nora handed over her purse to be manually searched, they went inside.
“This guy has a lot of fans,” Nora commented, watching the mass of people walking all over, standing in line for refreshments, waiting for the restroom, or heading for their seats.
“And he’ll have one more after tonight,” he replied, grinning at her.
Nora couldn’t help but notice that other women were dressed just like her. Sadie had done well by her. This concert costume was exactly right.
Twenty minutes later, they were in their seats watching the opening act. Nora wasn’t familiar with the group, but she enjoyed the music, and she especially enjoyed sitting close beside Shaw, sharing in this activity he loved. She gave him a fond smile.
“What?” he said with a grin.
“I’m just glad to be here with you. Thanks for including me.”
He gave her an odd look. “Well, I’m glad you’re here with me too. And I didn’t include you, Nora. I planned this whole thing for you.”
“What?”
Shaw hesitated, his thoughts flickering across his face, then he leaned in close to her. The noise level was so high in the concert venue, he put his mouth right up to her ear to speak, which caused a shiver to flit down her spine. “Shortly after I met you, I knew I wanted to get to know you better. I knew I wanted you in my life. I handled it badly. I messed it up and I lost you. But God handed me a second chance. I’m not messing it up again. I’m doing it right this time.”
She sat motionless, soaking in his words. She didn’t want anything to spoil the magical moment.
“You are special, Nora. Let me think of some words to describe you: kind, smart, beautiful and caring. I want to see where this goes between us. And I never want you to forget how I feel about you.”
Radley Ray turned out to be quite a showman. From the moment Radley came on stage, everyone jumped to their feet and stayed there for two straight hours. A carefree spirit ran through her and Nora felt young again, dancing in her spot, holding onto Shaw’s arm, singing along and cheering. He not only performed his fun peppy songs, he also did his sentimental ballads and he kept the crowd firmly in the palm of his hand. Thanks to Shaw, she knew his music and had the time of her life.
Late into the night, the huge lights of the theater came on, bathing the tired concertgoers with neon light. Shaw grabbed her hand and led her down the steps, through the crowds of people and outside, where they headed for the parking garage. “So?” he asked her.
“Best concert ever. Radley is my new favorite country act.”
He stopped her in the garage, pulled her into his arms and laid one of those kisses on her, that she was coming to know and love. “And you’re my new favorite country concert partner.”
They jumped into the truck, and thanks to the warmth, the darkness, and how safe she felt with him behind the wheel, she was asleep before they hit Route 17.
Chapter Eleven
Life settled into yet another new routine for Ryan. As if he hadn’t gone through enough change already. Now, he could only show his love for Grace, not Carly. He could no longer strive to convince her of their future together. Because as far as Carly was concerned, she no longer saw a future with him. At all.
Of course, he was still Grace’s father. And he always would be. And gratefully, Carly still considered it important for him to have a relationship with his daughter. So, between the two of them, they worked out a visitation schedule. He would come over and pick up Grace and he would spend time with her. But not with Carly. Never with Carly.
No more family fun days. No more stolen kisses. No more confessions of love. No more striving for a future together.
He tried to count his blessings still. As deep as his disappointment at being cut out of Carly’s life ran, at least he still had Grace. He was determined to be the best father he could possibly be for Grace. That was enough. For now.
He and Carly spoke briefly at the beginning of each week to determine what days he’d have Grace, for how long, and other specific arrangements. He held his tongue with Carly. He didn’t want to put her on the spot or make her feel uncomfortable speaking about the two of them. Because she’d made it very clear. When it came to the two of them, there was no relationship. No romance. No future.
IN THE LUNCHROOM AT work, Carly opened her brown paper bag and pulled out her meager lunch. This morning, she’d made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bagged some potato chips. She really hadn’t been hungry lately, but she knew with her schedule she needed to uphold her energy level with protein. She took a bite and chewed, forcing her mind to go empty and just stare at the table top in f
ront of her.
“Hey chickie,” she heard and looked up. It was Haley. She sat at the table with her and pulled out her own lunch bag, an insulated zipper kind. She pulled out what looked like leftovers from last night’s dinner and stepped to the microwave to warm it. A ding later, and she was back, stirring it around. She took a bite and then glanced at Carly’s lunch. “Awwww. Want to split mine?”
Carly had to smile. She should probably be insulted at being pitied, but it was Haley. She only meant the best for her. “No thanks. I like PBJs.”
Haley raised her eyebrows doubtfully. “If you say so.” She took another bite, then smiled at Carly. “What’s on tap for tonight?”
“What do you mean?”
“What are you doing?”
Carly shrugged. “Ryan’s picking up Grace and having her spend the night at his parents’, so I’ll be home alone.”
“Then I say the two of us need to go out together. Have some fun.”
Carly automatically rejected Haley’s suggestion. “No, that’s all right ... I don’t ...”
“You don’t go out. I know. But that’s because you usually have a little almost-three-year-old and all the responsibility that goes along with it. Tonight, you won’t have that. Besides, you’ve been a gloomy Gus ever since the wedding and I’m going to take it upon myself to make sure you have a good time. What do you say?”
Carly sighed. A night out would not be a bad thing, now that she thought about it. But she knew she’d have to lay some ground rules first. “When you say going out, what do you have in mind? Because I’m not interested in going to a bar and being propositioned by a loser guy who is only interested in one thing.”
Haley nodded. “Definitely. How about we go to a classy bar, have a glass of wine, maybe some dinner, and then entertain the idea of a movie. Just us girls.”
It sounded good, and Haley was offering her the perfect therapeutic evening. Tears popped out.
“Oh sweetie, look at you. You’re a mess!” Haley stood, fluttered around the lunch room till she found a tissue, then came back to Carly, pushing it into her hand. “You poor thing.”
“No, no,” Carly stated emphatically. “I’m fine. I’m just grateful that you care about me and want to make me have fun. Thank you, Haley.”
Haley clamped her mouth shut over a sad smile. “You’re gonna get through this, sweetheart. Life ain’t the best right now, but it always gets better.”
Carly concentrated on pushing back the tears and getting herself under control. They made quick plans for the evening.
RYAN WRAPPED UP HIS workday of shoveling mulch over all the dormant flower beds on campus. A thin film of the stuff covered his skin and his clothes had turned a brown color. He headed for the showers and clocked out on the way.
“You got big plans tonight?” asked one of his co-workers, Ben. They’d never really talked on a deep level; just weekend plans and superficial stuff.
“Yes, I do. I have a date with a special young lady.”
Ben chuckled salaciously, a meaningful laugh that Ryan knew was way off.
“My daughter.”
“What? Seriously? I didn’t know you had a kid.”
“Yep. Two years old. She’s the most precious little thing I know.”
“Well, congratulations.”
“Thanks, man.” He waved and took his shower in the locker room. Slipping on some fresh clothes, he stuffed his dirty ones in a back pack and was walking back through the Maintenance office when his boss, Marlin, walked in. His eyes were wide and a panicked look on his face was replaced with relief when he saw Ryan.
“Oh man, Ryan. So good to see you. You’re the last one here.”
“Yeah, I’m on my way out.”
“I’m in a bind. The department head just called me and wants us to deliver some stuff down to the maintenance shop in Horry County. Several of our riding mowers need repair and the forklift needs an oil change.”
“Okay ....”
“He pulled some strings and got us an appointment with the maintenance shop, but we’ve got to get them there before the weekend. I know you’re done for the day, but could I ask you to help me? I need an extra hand.”
“Uhhh, yeah.”
“I’ll pay you time and a half. It shouldn’t take longer than ninety minutes or so.”
“Sure, Marlin, I’d be happy to help out. But I need to make a phone call or two. Is that all right?”
“Absolutely. Go to the equipment garage when you’re done, and you can help me load the stuff.”
The first person he called was his mom. Things had been tense between them at home, and he avoided her as often as he possibly could. As much as he resented her for what she’d said about Carly, and the result of her hurtful words, he realized with chagrin that he needed her help right now. He’d been working hard with Carly to prove his reliability, so she would find him trustworthy. But Marlin’s last-minute request meant that he wouldn’t be able to pick up Grace on time.
He placed the call and was relieved that his mother picked up on the second ring. “Hi, Mom. Are you doing anything tonight?”
“Well hello to you too, son,” she said pointedly.
“Sorry, Mom, I need a favor. I’m getting Grace tonight and Carly’s expecting me at six to pick her up, but I have to work overtime. Would you be able to go get her and take her home to wait for me there?”
“Sure,” his mother said, her surly mood and tone perking up noticeably. “I’d be happy to.”
“Thanks. I should be home by seven or shortly after.”
Next, he called Carly and filled her in. He couldn’t pick up much from her monotone but imagined that Carly dreaded her first confrontation with his mother since the wedding. Fortunately, Carly agreed to hand Grace over to Ryan’s mother, so he could do the overtime shift before he started his weekend with Grace.
His business taken care of, he headed over to the large equipment garage to help Marlin.
THUNDER’S REHAB WAS going well. Shaw spent at least an hour a day with him at Waccamaw Trails, walking him on a lead rope all over the pasture, putting miles on that leg. He was growing strength back, and he barely limped. What Shaw didn’t want to do at this point was to increase Thunder’s speed to a trot or canter, or to put an adult’s weight on his back. Shaw wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to do that post-injury. But he’d take it slow and look for small successes.
After a month, Shaw felt Thunder was ready to start providing equine therapy. Good thing too, because Shaw had been working his connections and he had a small handful of potential clients. It would be good for Thunder to feel useful again, and this was a community service that Shaw felt strongly about.
The day for meeting their first client arrived. Shaw came early, visiting Thunder first, feeding him, grooming, and running a calming hand over his muscles. When he was finished he snapped a lead rope onto his halter and led him outside. Using a longer lunge rope, Shaw got Thunder walking in a circle around him, Shaw standing in the middle. He wanted to warm up Thunder’s muscles for later exercise, but he also wanted to wear him out just a little so when it came time to put a small body on his back for equine therapy, he’d be calm and accepting.
Finishing up, Shaw walked to the mansion and tried the doorknob. It was unlocked so he walked right in. It was an agreement he and Nora had come to. She didn’t want him to feel like a guest, she wanted him to feel at home. Walking straight in when the door was unlocked was a start.
“Nora?” he called. It was early for a normal visit, but she was expecting him today. They both wanted to experience their first equine therapy patient together.
“In here!” she called from the kitchen. As he approached, the wondrous smell of bacon reached his nostrils.
“Wow, breakfast?” He grinned and wrapped his arms around her from behind as she stood at the stove. She rested her head back into his neck.
“Special occasions only. Don’t get spoiled.”
Shaw chuckled and let her go. He went to the cabinet, found two plates, two forks in the drawer and placed them on the table. “Can I do anything else to help?”
“Just eat,” she said, bringing the frying pan over and loading up both plates with scrambled eggs and several slices of crisp bacon. As they ate, Shaw filled her in on their first client.
“Rusty is eight years old. He has had cerebral palsy his entire life. But he’s got the spirit of an athlete and he works hard to stay active and enjoy life. A year ago, his muscles had deteriorated to the point that he needed a walking frame to get around.”
“What’s that?”
“Three-sided frame on wheels, the opening in the front. The child stands inside it and holds on for support while he walks. There’s a seat behind him for when he needs to sit.”
Nora’s face crumpled. “Poor little guy. He was born with this?”
“Yes, as far as they know. He’s got physical disabilities, but he’s got the perfect mindset to enjoy getting to know Thunder.”
They finished eating and went outside. Soon, a minivan rolled up the drive and parked in front of the barn. Two adults got out and then walked around to the side rolling door. They unbuckled a boy from the seat. Dad picked him up, gave him a hug, then set him on his feet, while Mom pulled the walking frame out, opened it up and placed it around him. Rusty immediately grabbed hold of the handles and started walking, pushing the device in front of him.
Nora stepped forward, reaching her hand out, worry evident on her face. “Can I help you get over this bumpy grass?”
Rusty shook his head with a grin. “No thank you,” he said with happy enthusiasm.
Nora looked over to Rusty’s mother.
“Bumpy grass wouldn’t stop him. He’s so excited to be here today, he could barely sleep last night.” She gazed at him with fierce fondness.
Shaw made introductions, holding on to Thunder on the lead. “I’m Shaw Flynn, and this is Nora Ramsey. Together, we offer equine therapy services with the help of this amazing animal, Thunder.”
Restoration Page 16