When they got to the townhouse, Tristan came in for a bit, but with church early the next morning, he didn’t stay long. She sent Timothy upstairs to change into his pajamas while she walked Tristan down to the door.
“Will you be available to go out on Valentine’s Day?” he asked as they stood at the door. “Sierra has said she’d watch Timothy if you’re free.”
Shayna gave him a smile. “I’m sure I’m available.”
Tristan reached out to cup her cheek with his hand. Shayna was sure that soon, he’d want to kiss her. She waited for it with equal parts anticipation and dread, uncertain of what emotions would flood her when the moment came. She’d only been kissed by one man, and given how he’d been ripped from her life, Shayna just wasn’t sure how she’d react when the time came to share a kiss with Tristan.
Tristan hurried from the florist shop to the car where Sierra waited. They were on their way to Shayna’s, and he was a bit nervous about the evening. Not that he had any big plans for their Valentine’s Day, but it was the first one he’d spent with someone special.
In the past, he’d been careful not to date someone in the months before Valentine’s Day. It was the only way to make sure that there weren’t any undue expectations for something special on the day. For some reason, that hadn’t even entered his mind when he’d asked Shayna out before Christmas. In fact, he was excited to have her with him to celebrate Valentine’s.
“Oh, that’s lovely, Tris,” Sierra said when he handed her the cellophane-covered floral arrangement he’d picked up. “Shayna will love it.”
“I hope so. I didn’t want to get her just the standard bouquet of roses. I thought she might like an arrangement of flowers better.”
“I think she will. There are roses, but they’re mixed in with other beautiful flowers.” Sierra sighed. “I hope someday…”
“Is there someone special?” Tristan glanced over at her. “Someone, in particular, your heart is yearning for?”
“Yearning?” Sierra gave a laugh. “Well, that’s a bit of an old-fashioned term.”
“And yet so appropriate at times,” Tristan said. “So? Is there?”
“Yes, I suppose there is, but I’m sure nothing will ever come of it.”
“Never say never, and be sure to pray about it before giving up.” Tristan knew that what he said might seem trite, but at the same time, it was still valid.
“I pray about it every night,” Sierra said softly. “But maybe God’s answer is no.”
Considering his own suspicions, Tristan said, “Or maybe it’s just wait.”
“Maybe. I pray that’s what God’s answer is, but some days it’s hard.”
When he pulled to a stop at a red light, Tristan turned to look at Sierra. She sat with her head resting against the window as she stared down at the flowers. He had suspected that Sierra had feelings for Dalton, though she’d never said anything about it to him. But since Sierra had come into their lives, she’d always seemed sweet on the youngest Callaghan brother.
Of course, Dalton being Dalton, he hadn’t seemed to notice. He didn’t pay attention to much, other than his music.
“You keep praying, and I’ll pray for you too,” Tristan said, hoping his reassurance gave her encouragement.
Though he thought Dalton would be fortunate to have someone like Sierra, he hoped that if Dalton wasn’t going to return soon, that God would free Sierra’s heart to love another man.
When they got to the townhouse, Timothy greeted them enthusiastically as usual. Sierra had become one of his favorite people. Danica joined them sometimes, but now that Les was part of her life, it seemed she was spending more time with him. Tristan hoped that Les wouldn’t come between the two girls.
“You look beautiful,” Tristan told Shayna when she came downstairs. She wore a light pink sweater and black pants. Her hair was up so he could see narrow hoops in her ears.
Shayna looked up at him and smiled, her fingers touched the thin silver chain that hung down low on her chest. “Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself. Well, what I can see of you.”
Tristan looked down at the black coat and scarf he wore then laughed. “I’m afraid to disappoint, but underneath this isn’t anything special. Fashion forwardness has never been my thing.” When her gaze dipped to the cellophane-covered flowers in his arms, he said, “Oh. Right. These are for you.”
“They’re beautiful,” Shayna said as she took them from him. “Do I have time to take them up and put them in a vase? Or do we have a reservation?”
“We do have a reservation,” Tristan told her. “How about we have Sierra take care of them for you?”
Shayna nodded then turned to hand the flowers to Sierra. “Thank you.”
“Let’s take these upstairs,” Sierra said as Timothy peered at the flowers. “I brought some games for us to play.”
“Maman got us pizza,” he told her as they headed up the stairs.
Sierra glanced over her shoulders and gave him a quick smile before they disappeared, their voices growing muffled. Tristan was grateful that Sierra had been willing to help him out, but he supposed part of that was because Danica was out with Les.
Valentine’s Day had never been his favorite holiday. It seemed that for everyone who loved the holiday, there were more for whom the day was a struggle. As a rule, Tristan didn’t acknowledge the day, but he thought that this year, he would make an exception for Shayna.
“So where are we going?” Shayna asked as they stepped out of the house.
Tristan rested a hand on her back as they moved toward the car. He had debated a few times on where to go, but for some reason, he felt compelled to return to the place where they’d had their first date. She’d seemed to enjoy it until things had gotten a little tense at the end.
Tristan hoped that this date wouldn’t end the same way. There was really no reason why it should because any dates they’d had since December had ended just fine.
“We’re going back to Shelby’s,” he said as he opened the door for the car. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh! That’s perfect.” She graced him with a bright smile before sliding into the passenger seat. “I really enjoyed it the last time we were there.”
Tristan breathed a sigh of relief then shut her door and rounded the back of the car to climb behind the wheel. The evening was relatively mild, the cold snap having ended a few days earlier.
“Was work busy today?” Tristan asked as he pulled away from the townhouse.
“Not so much during my shift, but I imagine it will be a bit busier this evening.” She hesitated then said, “Not that where I work is the most romantic destination for Valentine’s Day, but it’s a good place for people to share a nice meal without breaking the bank.”
They chatted more about work—his and hers—on the drive, and Tristan was glad that they were able to talk about things like that. He was grateful that she was interested in what he did—or at least was willing to listen to him talk a bit about his work—and in turn, he enjoyed hearing about the customers she served at the restaurant.
Once they got to Shelby’s, Tristan was glad he had made reservations for them. There was a line-up, but when he gave his name, they were immediately shown to a table. One beside the fireplace like the last time, though not the same one.
“I’m going to have to look at the menu this time,” Shayna said once they’d been seated by the hostess and left with their menus.
“You’re not going to have the same thing as last time?” Tristan asked, looking up from the menu he held.
“No.” Shayna shook her head. “I like to try different things. I suppose it comes from being forced to eat the same foods all the time when I was younger.”
Tristan lowered his menu. “You mean when you were on the streets?”
She glanced at him. “Yes, then, but also before. When I was still at home.”
“Not much variety?”
“No. Every day was pretty much the same for me. D
ry cereal with milk for breakfast, and never the sugary kind. Ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. Supper was on a three or four-day rotation. Spaghetti. Meatloaf. Tuna casserole. Sometimes we had baked chicken.” Shayna shrugged. “Not that I keep much of a varied menu now. Budget aside, Timothy likes to eat the same foods regularly. So when I get the chance to eat something new and different, I take it.”
“I’m a bit more like Timothy when it comes to food, as it happens,” Tristan said, putting down the menu. It hadn’t taken him any time at all to decide what he wanted.
Shayna leaned forward, a smile on her lips, her eyes sparkling in the light from the small collection of candles on their table. “And I’m not surprised about that at all.”
Tristan returned her smile. “I do draw the line at pancakes smothered in whipped cream though. That’s not something I would be able to eat on a regular basis.”
“And in that regard, we are the same,” Shayna said as she picked up her menu to study it once again.
The waitress—a different one from their prior visit—arrived at their table with a smile and took their drink order. Once that was done, Tristan sat back in his chair and studied Shayna. Ever since he’d first met her, he’d felt that there was something special about her that drew him in. For the first time in his life, he felt something stir deep within him. A desire to be with Shayna always. Forever.
Was it too soon? Probably for Shayna, and others would likely say that as well, but being with Shayna—and even Timothy—gave him a feeling of completeness. From almost the moment they’d met, he’d felt something different for her than any other woman he’d contemplated a relationship with. And that was in spite of knowing that she’d loved another man with a love that—by all accounts—had been intense and all-encompassing. A love that had been ripped away from her.
Would she be able—or willing—to love him in that same way?
It was something he’d been praying about, and he trusted that if it was God’s will for them to be together, she would feel the same way about him. He hoped that she would love him the way he loved her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
After the waitress had taken their orders, they relaxed in their chairs. Unlike last time, Tristan noticed Shayna didn’t spend her time looking around. Instead, her gaze was on him as they talked.
“Have you decided if you’re going to transfer Timothy to Lighthouse?”
Shayna sighed, and worry crept over her face. “I don’t think it’s going to happen this school year. I have a few things I have to arrange first.”
“Anything I can help you with?” Tristan asked. He hadn’t been surprised to discover that Maya planned to subsidize Timothy’s registration, tuition, and any other fees related to him attending Lighthouse.
Tristan was a little disappointed in himself for not having thought of that solution. He hadn’t even considered making the suggestion that she transfer Timothy to Lighthouse. If he had, he would have taken the steps Maya was prepared to take.
“It’s more of a question about transportation,” Shayna said. “Their buses don’t service our neighborhood.”
He frowned as he tried to think of possible solutions to that problem. “And the before care program wouldn’t work?”
“No. I start work too early to drop him off.”
Tristan felt his leg begin to bounce as he continued to try to figure out a solution to her dilemma. He pressed his hand to his leg to still it. If only he’d done more to encourage her to take the empty apartment in the family building. The bus would probably have picked Timothy up from there since they would have been in the same part of the city.
Why hadn’t he pursued that? Or at the very least, presented it as an option to Shayna along with other suggestions he’d made, like the roommate one? Now she had a roommate, so she couldn’t just move in order to accommodate Timothy going to another school.
Tristan was frustrated with the situation he’d unwittingly created, but he couldn’t allow himself to focus on it right then. He didn’t want another evening at Shelby’s ruined because he couldn’t immediately find a solution to her problem.
“I’ll let you know if I come up with any ideas that might help you out.” Tristan was determined to bring the evening’s focus back to something more positive. “There must be a solution. We’ll talk about it and see what we can come up with.”
“It’s not your—” Shayna stopped, pursing her lips together even before he held up his hand to stop her.
“I think by now you’d know that I don’t feel that you or Timothy are a problem, and nothing that concerns either of you is a problem.” Tristan was relieved to see her features relax into a smile once again.
“Okay.” Shayna nodded. “We’ll talk about it later.”
They didn’t stay at the restaurant too late, but they did make sure to have the dessert that was once again brought to their table. In addition to an assortment of squares, there were chocolate-covered strawberries. Tristan had to smile when he saw them, obviously added for the special day.
“I think we should save a few of those strawberries for Timothy,” he said.
Shayna smiled as she nodded. “He’ll love them. They’re not quite as popular as pancakes and bacon, but they’re gaining ground. Ever since you bought us the stuff to make them before Christmas.”
When the waitress returned with the bill for the meal, she took the dessert tray back to package up the left-over strawberries. There were a couple of squares as well, but they’d definitely been able to eat more of the dessert than on the previous visit. The tension that had ended their first date wasn’t present this time around.
They couldn’t stay too late because he and Shayna had to work the next day, and Timothy and Sierra had school. When they left the restaurant, Tristan took Shayna’s hand as they walked to his car.
“Thank you for such a lovely evening,” Shayna said during the drive home. “I love that restaurant.”
“It’s one of the best recommendations my brothers have ever given,” Tristan agreed. He reached across and took her hand. “I hope we can go back again.”
Her hand squeezed his, and he wished that they weren’t wearing gloves so that he could have felt the warmth of her skin.
As they drove back to the townhouse, they discussed some plans for the weekend. They’d gone to the museum with Timothy once so far, but he’d been asking to go again for a new display that had just opened. Tristan suggested they go Saturday afternoon after he’d spent the morning at the display home office.
Between work and spending time with Shayna and Timothy, Tristan hadn’t had as much time for Jackson and their game business. They’d set up a time for chatting on Friday evening so he wouldn’t be able to do anything that night. Though the game had started out as something he did for fun, it had emerged into something way bigger than either of them had imagined.
Sometimes he wasn’t sure he wanted to be part of it anymore. The money was great, and it was nice to have when he needed it, but he hadn’t really spent much of it. His lifestyle wasn’t such that it required a lot of money to sustain it, but with the prospect of having a wife and child—possibly more children—he knew that would change.
So for now, he’d continue to work with Jackson, but more than once, he’d considered seeing if Jackson would buy him out. Depending on how things went over the next little while, he might have that conversation sooner rather than later. There was no way he’d be able to balance work, a family, and the game business, especially when phase one of the Tiny Village kicked off in the spring.
Everything within him said to invest his time where his heart was, and without a doubt, that was with Shayna and Timothy. As each day went by, he became more and more committed to a future that included the two of them. He only hoped that Shayna was feeling the same way.
Once they pulled up at the house, Tristan turned off the car and got out to open Shayna’s door. After she’d slid from the seat, Tristan took a step closer to her. She looke
d up at him, her face illuminated by the interior light of the car.
“I want you to know how much you mean to me.” Tristan reached out to cup her face in his hands. “I love you.” Her eyes widened at his words, and her mouth opened as if to respond, but then she snapped it shut. Tristan moved his thumb to cover her lips. “You don’t need to say anything. I know it might be too soon for you, so I don’t expect you to say it back to me now, but I needed you to know how I felt.” He paused then asked, “Can I kiss you?”
She blinked then nodded. Moving slowly to give her a chance to change her mind, Tristan brushed his thumb across her cheek before he pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss, as he waited for a sign that this wasn’t what she wanted, in spite of her words. Ever present in his mind was the knowledge that this was possibly the first kiss she’d shared with a man since Lorne’s death.
Instead, he felt her hands come to rest on his waist then tighten as she gripped handfuls of his coat. She tilted her head and increased the pressure of her lips against his, which made Tristan’s heart skip a beat. Even though the night was cold, the space between the open door and the car protected them from most of it, and the warmth that now flooded Tristan’s body drove the rest of it away.
When the kiss finally ended, Tristan drew her into his arms. A sense of contentment filled him when her arms wrapped around him, holding him close. He’d been worried about how she might react to the revelation of his love for her and the kiss, but it seemed that his worry had been for nothing.
“We should go inside,” Tristan murmured. “You’re getting cold.”
He felt her nod, so he loosened his hold on her and stepped back a bit. After giving her a smile, Tristan took her hand and drew her away from the car so he could shut the door before they headed for the townhouse, hand in hand.
Reaching Her Heart: A Christian Romance (Callaghans & McFaddens Book 8) Page 27