Even from where Diana sat, the large solitaire diamond sparkled on her sister’s finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“It most certainly is,” Mabel said as she admired the ring. “I’m so happy for you.”
Barbara hugged their sister. “When are you getting married?”
Penny looked at Wyatt. “We aren’t sure yet, but it won’t be too far away. “
“You could have your honeymoon in Berlin,” Katie said dreamily as she hugged Wyatt. “The Charlottenburg Palace has an exclusive suite of rooms you can book. Imagine staying in a three-hundred-year-old palace.”
Diana hugged Penny. “If you go to the palace, I’m available to carry your suitcases. I’ll just have to find someone to look after Charlie.”
“If we all go, you could ask Ethan,” Katie said with a mischievous grin. “He likes Charlie and seemed to enjoy your company today.”
“He enjoyed everyone’s company,” Diana muttered. “And before you book your flights, you should remember it’s our sister’s honeymoon. We can’t all go to Berlin.”
Penny laughed. “No one needs to worry about Charlie or booking their tickets. The only people going on our honeymoon are Wyatt and me.”
“I’m disappointed,” Diana said in mock seriousness, “but happy for you.”
Charlie stood beside Penny and Wyatt and let out a giant woof.
“It’s official,” their mom said with a grin. “Everyone’s thrilled you’re getting married.”
Their dad took a handful of tissues out of a box and handed them to his wife and daughters. “I’ll need to buy shares in a tissue company if we keep announcing special things like this.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Barbara said. “It’s wonderful having good news to celebrate.”
Diana couldn’t have agreed more. This year had been filled with one life-changing event after another. At times it had been stressful and almost too much to bear.
She thought about Ethan and sighed. Meeting him was as unexpected as everything else that was going on. Without knowing how it had happened, she was starting to have feelings for him. The butterflies in your stomach kind of feelings—and it scared her more than learning to live on her own.
Ethan checked his phone before walking into the old steamboat museum. Half an hour ago, Richard had sent him a text asking to meet him here. Usually, on Sundays, the building was locked. But with unexpected delays affecting the latest tiny homes, everyone was working overtime.
Patrick Devlin, the person who managed the tiny home projects, met him in the large entranceway. “I didn’t expect to see you here today. Are you doing some more work on your table?”
Ethan smiled. “Not today. Richard asked me to stop by and see him.”
“He’s in the main workshop with Jack.” Patrick took a pair of new earplugs out of his pocket. “You’ll need to sign in and wear these.”
“Thanks. Have you managed to catch up with your schedule?”
“We’re closer than we were yesterday. If you want to spend a couple of hours working on the tiny homes, let me know.”
“I will.” Ethan signed the register and opened the door to the workshop. The first time they’d met, Patrick had invited him to join the team of volunteers working on the tiny homes. If it weren’t for the woodworking group he’d already joined, he might have been tempted. But there were only so many hours in the day and, at the moment, each of them was jam-packed full of appointments and work commitments.
Jack was the first person to notice him. With his black and orange earmuffs sitting on his head, he looked like a miniature version of his dad. The wave he sent Ethan was as exuberant as his smile.
After saying something to his dad, Jack hurried across the room. “Hi, Ethan. Come and see what Dad’s made.”
After their conversation about starting his own business, Richard had been working hard to make that happen. For someone who craved structure and certainty, his willingness to step outside his comfort zone was astounding.
When they reached Richard, Ethan shook his hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“Thanks for coming. I thought you’d like to see the first products I’ve built for my business.” Richard picked up an old cloth and wiped some sawdust off a table. “As soon as I’ve oiled the wood, this table will be finished. I’ve made two bench seats to go with it and I’ve nearly finished another set that’s similar.”
Ethan studied the table’s carved legs and beveled top. A lot of time and skill had gone into making it. “It’s fantastic. Did you use oak?”
“I did. My client requested this wood, although they would have been equally happy with maple.”
“Client?”
Richard’s mouth lifted at the corners. “This is my first furniture order. Barbara, Diana’s sister, created a website for me and helped with some Facebook advertising. Since then, I’ve been busy answering all sorts of inquiries.”
Jack grinned. “Someone wants a wooden swing for their veranda.”
They all jumped at a loud bang from the other side of the workshop.
Richard touched Ethan’s arm. “Come into the staff area,” he yelled. “It will be quieter.”
As soon as they closed the staff room door, the sound of drills, hammers, and saws dropped to a low murmur.
“That’s better.” Richard pulled out his cell phone and showed Ethan his website. “We wanted the pictures and text to be stream-lined and easy to understand.” He tapped on a drop-down menu and more options appeared. “Everything is focused on making the ordering process quick and easy. As soon as I deliver the table and chairs, my client will write a review and I’ll add it to the website. At the moment, my only review is from Pastor John.”
Ethan read what John had said. “You can’t get much higher praise than that.”
“I thought the same thing, but showing you my website and the table and chairs aren’t the only reasons I invited you here. I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for Jack and me.”
“You’re the person who’s doing the hard work. All I did was put you in contact with people I thought could help.”
Richard took a box off a shelf. “You’ve done more than that, which is why Jack and I have a surprise for you.”
Jack looked up at Ethan. “We had to hide it in case everyone else wanted one, too.”
Ethan’s eyebrows rose. The small wooden box Richard gave him was stunning. Everything about it, from the rich caramel-colored wood to the silky-smooth exterior, was skillfully crafted. “It’s beautiful, but you didn’t have to give me anything.”
“We wanted you to have something to remind you that what you’re doing in Sapphire Bay is important. You and John have given a lot of people opportunities they wouldn’t have found anywhere else. You’re showing us how to live the best lives we can, even if we occasionally go off track.”
Ethan ran his fingertips over the box. “This must have taken a long time to make.”
Jack nodded. “Lots and lots of nights.”
Richard smiled at his son. “It wasn’t too bad. Jack helped.”
“Look inside.” Jack was so excited he was jumping on the spot. As soon as the lid was open, Jack pointed to a small piece of wood, some pebbles, and a metal disc. “They’re to remind you of Sapphire Bay. The wood and pebbles are from the edge of the lake. Dad found the metal. It’s from an old steamboat.”
Ethan picked up the metal disc. Engraved on the outside was a logo of a steamboat company. “This is great.”
Richard breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you like it.”
“How did you make the disc?”
“No one wanted the old metal that was laying around the museum. Patrick said I could use whatever I wanted. So, I talked to someone I know and they melted the metal and poured it into a mold. After that, we used a laser printer to engrave the logo.”
“Tell Ethan about the logo.”
Richard smiled. “That’s Jack’s favorite part. The logo is from on
e of the first steamboats to cross Flathead Lake. Wherever you go, you’ll always have something to remind you of Sapphire Bay.”
Ethan was humbled by the gift. “I don’t know what to say except thank you.”
“It’s the least we could do.”
It was more than that. Richard and Jack had taken the time to create a gift Ethan would treasure for the rest of his life. The wooden box was a reminder of the past and a celebration of the future.
A future Ethan was looking forward to sharing with Diana and the new friends he’d found.
Chapter 11
Diana studied herself in the full-length mirror. She’d never been this indecisive. She should have had dinner with Ethan in a restaurant. It would have been a lot easier to decide what to wear.
The delicate yellow shirt with white daisies looked fine for a picnic, but not for a hike in the mountains.
She glanced at her watch before pulling another shirt out of her closet.
Charlie was lying in the middle of her bed with his head between his paws. Each time she moved toward the closet, his eyes followed her. She held a purple shirt against her chest and frowned. “What do you think of this one, Charlie?”
His big brown eyes didn’t show so much as a flicker of emotion.
“No? Okay, let’s try the next one.” She hung the shirt on the rail and reached for another hanger.
“Don’t be too fussy,” Barbara said from the doorway. “Whatever you wear, you’ll look beautiful.”
“I’m glad you’re so optimistic. I’m going on a date with Ethan.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
Barbara nodded. “Katie was in Sweet Treats when Ethan came in. He bought some chocolate muffins for your picnic. If you don’t eat yours, I’d be happy to save you from the calories.”
Diana laughed. “I’ve tasted their muffins and I don’t think there’ll be any leftovers.” She stopped second-guessing herself. It didn’t matter what she wore, she would look all right in any of her clothes. Worrying about going out with Ethan wouldn’t help anyone.
Barbara sat on the end of the bed and patted Charlie. “I’d almost forgotten what it’s like living in Sapphire Bay. It doesn’t matter where you go, someone knows what you’ve been doing.”
“I don’t mind so much. I was so isolated in Cincinnati that it’s nice to know other people care. Can I ask you a question?”
“As long as you don’t want any dating advice, sure.”
“It’s almost dating advice, but it’s a lot more than that. What do you think makes a great relationship?”
Barbara’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a deep and meaningful question. Are you thinking of having a relationship with Ethan?”
Diana sat beside her sister. “I like talking to him and spending time with him. He cares about the people he works with and wants to make people’s lives better.”
“He sounds like the perfect man.”
“I thought I’d found the perfect man before.”
Barbara groaned. “I can’t believe you said that. Is that what’s worrying you?”
“It took me a long time to realize I’d made a mistake with Derek. What if Ethan’s different from the person I think he is?”
“Then you’ll have to decide what you’re willing to accept and what you can’t.”
Diana sighed. “If I let him into my life, it will get complicated, and messy, and—”
“Wonderful?”
“You aren’t helping. I need to know if I’m doing the right thing by spending more time with him.”
Barbara wrapped her arm around Diana’s shoulders. “You’re asking the wrong person. I’ve hardly dated anyone in the last five years.”
“That’s because you spend too much time working.”
“I enjoy what I do.”
“I’m not saying you don’t, but it doesn’t make up for having a balanced life. How often did you go out with your friends when you were living in San Diego?”
It was Barbara’s turn to frown. “I went out. Sometimes.”
“How often? Daily? Weekly? Monthly?”
“Fairly often, but not often enough. Do you want to know the worst thing that happened?”
Diana nodded.
“I forgot to go to my best friend’s bachelorette party. If it weren’t for her sister, I would have stayed home working on my latest marketing project.”
“At least your friend invited you to her party. I lost contact with everyone, including you.”
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore. If you need anything, all you have to do is bang on my bedroom door and I’ll be there for you.”
Diana gave her sister a hug. “I’ll be there for you, too. Have you thought about what you’ll do next year?”
“If you mean whether I’ll stay here or go home, I’m planning on going back to San Diego. I’m not sure if I’ll have the same job to go back to, but there’ll be plenty of others. What about you?”
“I’ll stay. Charlie likes it here and I have some good friends.” She smiled at her sister. “Including Ethan.”
Barbara checked her watch. “What time are you meeting him?”
Diana glanced at her watch. “In about thirty minutes.” She jumped off the bed. “Thanks for the advice.”
“I wasn’t very helpful.”
“Just having you here was enough.” Diana grabbed a sleeveless T-shirt from her dresser and the first shirt she saw in her closet. Regardless of Charlie’s opinion of her fashion sense, she needed to get a move on or she wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Ethan parked his truck in front of The Lakeside Inn and gazed at the wide veranda, the old wooden swing, and the garden that was full of flowers. It felt good to be alive, to enjoy the simple things in life, and to know he was making a difference.
Ten years ago, he couldn’t have said the same thing. When he returned home from his last deployment, he was a wreck. The things he’d seen and done weighed him down, made him second-guess everything he did.
But it wasn’t until later, when he counseled men and women suffering from the same debilitating side effects of PTSD, that he realized how close he’d been to losing the most important part of who he was. His faith.
When he was growing up, his parents had taken him to church each Sunday, instilling in him the values he’d carried to the other side of the world. Faith had helped him through his darkest days. It had given him hope when all he felt was despair and courage when he didn’t think he would make it home alive.
But, most of all, faith had brought him to Sapphire Bay. And, if he was lucky, it would guide him through the next part of his life.
“Are you sitting there for a reason or do you want to come inside?” Katie stood beside his truck with a mischievous smile on her face.
“I was a million miles away.”
“I could tell. Do you want me to let Diana know you’re here?”
Ethan took off his seatbelt and opened the door. “I can do it. How was Los Angeles?”
Katie’s smile faded. “I enjoyed catching up with my friends, but I’m not sure if the publishing company was interested in buying my book.”
“At least meeting the editor was a step in the right direction.”
“I hope so. Good luck on your date.”
He followed Katie toward the inn. “You think I’ll need it?”
“No, but a little positivity can’t hurt. Whatever you do, don’t take Diana over any swing bridges or ask her to do anything that resembles rock climbing. She’s not good with heights.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything else I should know?”
“There’s lots, but Diana won’t be happy if I told you all her secrets. The best advice I can give you is to be yourself.”
At least that was something he could do. “Did your parents get away on time?”
“Barbara organized their transport to the airport, so they were exactly on time.”
“They’ll enjoy Hawai
i. It’s a great place to visit.” He looked up as Diana came down the staircase. With her blond hair piled into a ponytail and a shy smile on her face she looked stunning.
Charlie followed on her heels. As soon as he saw Ethan, he let out an excited woof and almost bowled Diana over in his haste to get down the stairs.
Ethan opened his arms and gave his canine buddy a hug. “How are you, boy?” Charlie pushed himself into Ethan’s chest, rubbing doggy drool and goodness knows what else across his shirt. “I take it that means you’re happy to see me?”
“He’s always happy to see you.” Diana laughed when Charlie licked Ethan’s face. “I’d better rescue you before he smothers you in more kisses.”
Ethan stood and smiled. “Charlie’s okay. He reminds me of a dog we had when I was younger. Are you ready to go on our hike?”
Diana frowned. “I hope so. Will jeans and a shirt be okay?”
Ethan looked at what she was wearing and sighed. She could have worn a brown paper bag and she would have been perfect. “You might want to take a jacket or a sweater.”
She picked up a backpack from beside the stairs. “I’ve put a jacket, a water bottle, and some snacks in here.”
Barbara walked out of the dining room holding a bowl of ice cream. “And a survival kit.”
“That wasn’t my idea,” Diana said. “Barbara doesn’t want us to be the type of people who go for a hike and end up lost in the mountains.”
“At least you’d have a better chance of making it home with the right emergency equipment.”
Ethan ran his hand around the back of his neck. “I don’t think that will be a problem. I was a Navy SEAL before I became a counselor. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll need rescuing.”
Diana’s eyes widened. “You told me you were in the Navy, but I didn’t know you were a SEAL.”
“I don’t tell many people.”
Barbara started to say something but, before she got the first word out, Diana grabbed hold of his arm. “We’d better leave before my sister asks a whole lot of questions you don’t want to answer.”
Summer At Lakeside Page 10