Starting Anew (Life Unexpected Book 3)

by Melanie D. Snitker

  The day went smoothly. That evening, Nathan picked Mia up, Lynn helped Sharon disinfect toys, then it was time to go home.

  While Lynn tried not to eat out too often, she reserved Monday evenings for such a treat. After debating her choice of food, she finally pulled into the parking lot of one of the burger joints in town. It was more fast food than anything, but their bacon cheeseburger was calling.

  Determined to go in instead of using the drive through, which was well known for its slow progress this time of day, Lynn parked and entered the busy building. She placed her order, including a chocolate milkshake, and then stood to the side to wait for her name to be called. Only then did she allow her gaze to roam the interior of the burger joint. That’s when she spotted Nathan and Mia sitting at a table on the other side of the dining area.

  Nathan looked up at that moment and saw her. Surprise showed on his face followed by a smile. He waved.

  Lynn returned the gesture at the same time that someone at the counter called her name.

  She picked up the bag of food along with her shake. She couldn’t really leave without saying hello, so she changed course and headed for Nathan’s table. “Great minds think alike, I see.”

  “Yes, but don’t tell Joel we’re eating here. He and Anna own a crazy good burger joint in Quintin, and this is, by far, a distant second to that. But you do what you gotta do.”

  Lynn enjoyed the way humor caused the corners of Nathan’s eyes to crinkle. She smiled in return. “My lips are sealed.”

  Nathan pointed to her bag. “You should join us.”

  Lynn hadn’t expected the invitation. She’d come over because she didn’t want to seem rude just waving and leaving. Well, and talking to Nathan was certainly a bonus. But join them? As had become a habit, she glanced around the restaurant as though someone might recognize her.

  Nathan chuckled. “You have to eat it, you may as well sit down here.”

  The genuine look of welcome on his face combined with Mia’s happy mood made up Lynn’s mind. She finally nodded once and took the chair opposite Nathan. “Thank you.” She unpacked her food and set it out on the table. After taking a drink of her thick milkshake, she sighed approvingly. “Chocolate milkshake. People can say what they will about this place, but their milkshakes are awesome.”

  “They are good. But you’ll have to go to Quintin and have one from J’s Parkview Diner. Joel’s strawberry milkshakes are made with fresh strawberries. Then he makes seasonal shakes as well, like peach or blackberry.” Nathan dipped a fry into ketchup and put it in his mouth.

  “A fresh peach milkshake? I will have to give that a try.”

  “Maybe Mia and I can take you one of these days.”

  Lynn had been about to take a bite of her bacon cheeseburger but his words froze her motions. She glanced at him, and he seemed as surprised at his own words as she was. Was he asking her out on a date? Was it a casual get together? Or was he just being polite and now he was worried she’d take him up on the offer?

  She took a bite to prolong her response time. Any hope that she might come up with the right thing to say disappeared by the time she’d finished it. Lynn was still mulling over her response when Nathan seemed to take pity on her.

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Nathan broke two French fries into bite-sized pieces for Mia. “If it helps, I made myself uncomfortable in the process.”

  Lynn looked up to find him watching her, the truth of his statement in his eyes. He chuckled, and she joined him. “Sorry.” She shrugged. “I tend to second-guess myself and what other people mean. I’ve not had the best luck with guys in the past.” That was more than she should’ve said, but it was out there now.

  “Trust me, I get that. My track record with women isn’t great, either.” He used a napkin to wipe some ketchup off Mia’s chin. “Mia’s mother and I broke up. At the time, I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me. But then we found out about Mia. When Gwen told me she didn’t want a baby, I realized what the worst thing really would be.”

  Lynn had wondered often what happened to Mia’s mother. Now that Nathan was telling her, she didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry. I can only imagine how difficult that was.”

  Nathan nodded. “I convinced her to carry the baby to term for monetary support and then she signed away all parental rights to Mia.” He placed a hand on his daughter’s head lovingly. “It’s just been the two of us. Or it was, until I found Chess. Now we have a family.”

  “A true answer to prayer.” The wistful tone of her own voice surprised even her. She felt Nathan’s eyes on her.

  He cleared his throat. “Look, I know what it’s like to do things on your own. And what it’s like to have family walk away.” He paused. “I also know what a difference good friends can make. I think there’s always room for another friend in our lives, don’t you?”

  Lynn’s chest expanded as his words settled over her heart. “Yes, there’s always room for another friend.”

  “Good.” Nathan smiled. “So maybe taking you to Quintin is a too big of first step in our new friendship. What about breakfast on Saturday before I go to work?”

  That was the second time Nathan had mentioned working on the weekend. “What kind of work do you do?”

  “I’m an instructor at a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy here in town.”

  Well, Lynn wouldn’t have guessed that one. Her face must have said the same because Nathan laughed.

  “I get that response a lot.”

  “Do you teach kids? Or adults?”

  Nathan took a drink of his soda. “All of the above.”

  “What got you into that line of work?” Lynn set her burger down and gave Nathan her full attention. She tried to picture him doing fancy moves like she’d seen on The Karate Kid and failed.

  ~*~

  Nathan helped Mia take a drink of apple juice as he mulled his response to Lynn’s question. His daughter wasn’t quite able to hold the juice box without wearing half of the contents.

  “Honestly? I was an angry kid. My adoptive parents got a divorce when I was ten and lived separate lives. I bounced back and forth all the time. They told each other lies as naturally as breathing. I shouldn’t have been surprised to find out they’d lied to me, too. They probably thought they were protecting me, but they originally told me that my big brother didn’t want to be adopted and that’s why they only adopted me. I later found out that they just didn’t want to adopt two kids and left Chess behind.”

  “Wow, that’s horrible. I’m sorry, Nathan.” Lynn frowned.

  “Well, I’m sure I was a difficult kid to handle, too. I got into a lot of fights in school. One of my teachers really got to me when I was sixteen, and I tried to punch him. He could’ve punished me or even had me suspended. Instead, he convinced my dad to enroll me in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu class. Honestly, it was the best thing anyone ever did for me.” Nathan thought back on how he used to act. His life could have turned out badly if it weren’t for that teacher who took the time to make a difference. “It turned out I had a lot of anger I needed to work out. My instructor there stuck with me, and he’s the one who gave me a referral to the job here.”

  Her burger forgotten, Lynn leaned back in her chair and shook her head in amazement. “I guess it goes to show how much of a difference one person can make in someone else’s life. I’m glad you had that.”

  “Me, too.” Mia had finished eating and was beginning to fidget. Nathan pushed his chair away from the table and lifted her out of the highchair before settling her in his lap. “You never did answer my question, though. About breakfast on Saturday.” He grinned when she blinked at him, and her cheeks turned pink. “You know, if you decide to wear some comfortable clothes, you could always come to the academy and try out a free class afterward.”

  “I think you’d end up regretting that offer if I showed up.”

  “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t.” He raised an eyebrow in challenge. He watched her
face as he waited for a response, all the while hoping she’d agree.

  “Breakfast, huh?”

  Nathan flashed her a grin. “I’m buying.”

  Lynn chuckled then as she brushed some hair away from her face. “Okay. Breakfast on Saturday sounds great.”

  “Awesome. And the class?”

  “The jury’s still out on that one.” Lynn smiled.

  “That’s okay. I have five days to change your mind.”

  ~*~

  Jeb had gone through his social media routine every night for more nights than he dared to count. At this moment, he was performing the usual searches while watching a show stream on television and eating a frozen dinner straight from the microwave.

  He finally looked up from a particularly funny part of the show and stopped as his eyes scanned the computer screen.

  Someone had shared a picture along with the post, “I may have just seen Bethany Truitt eating at a burger joint in Fort Worth.” The photo itself was terrible. It was taken from what appeared to be the drive-through and the reflections on the restaurant window made it nearly impossible to tell the person in question was even a woman.

  Jeb still marked the information down in his notebook, did a specific search for Bethany in Fort Worth, and then leaned back in his chair.

  He’d traveled on a less detailed possibility.

  A memory nagged at him from the back of his mind. Wasn’t there an interview with Bethany back when her group first formed where she said she was from Texas?

  The possibility of a connection had him setting his meal aside and leafing through one of his notebooks dedicated to all things Bethany. If he could just find that reference, he might be able to…

  Aha! Not only had he written down that little detail, but he’d written the date of the interview.

  Giddy with excitement, he searched online until he located a copy. Hands shaking, he started the video clip. Jeb had forgotten how much more she smiled back then compared to the interviews toward the end of her career.

  Oh, there it is. He turned the volume up and leaned closer.

  The reporter conducting the interview smiled. “So what’s it like to travel from town to town on tour?”

  Bethany chuckled. “I have to admit, it’s taking a lot of getting used to. I’m just a small-town Texas girl. I’m not used to all of this.”

  Jeb rewound the video and listened to her response three times before letting the interview finish.

  Fort Worth was anything but a small town. That said, if she used to live in Texas, maybe that’s where she went back to when she quit performing. There could be any number of reasons why she chose to move to Fort Worth.

  It was one of the best leads he’d had in a long, long time.

  Still, the last time he took off, he’d nearly lost his job. He couldn’t risk that without more proof that Bethany might be there. For now, he’d wait and watch social media. If someone truly saw her, then another sighting was bound to occur.

  He snatched up his meal, stuck it back in the microwave, and leaned against the counter with satisfaction.

  “Bethany, I will find you again.”

  Chapter Five

  Throughout the week, Nathan looked forward to the small moments when he visited with Lynn at the daycare center. By the time Saturday morning came around, they’d decided to meet at seven at one of the waffle houses in town. When he told Chess about it, Chess and Brooke immediately offered to take Mia in a little earlier so that Nathan could meet Lynn without the baby. Chess couldn’t do it without a great deal of ribbing, but Nathan ignored it.

  Honestly, it felt weird not to have Mia in his arms as he got out of his Jeep and walked to the front of the waffle house. Lynn must have thought so, too, because she looked at him quizzically when he found her waiting for him inside.

  “You forget someone?” The teasing expression on her face brought out a smile of his own.

  Nathan took in her cotton pants and comfortable-looking shirt. He hoped this meant she might try out a class, but thought he’d hold off mentioning anything for now. “I went ahead and took Mia by Chess’s place. I guess Brooke’s making muffins or something. I’m sure Mia will enjoy it. She likes to ‘help’ Brooke bake. I’m quite certain it makes the whole process about four times harder, but Brooke doesn’t seem to mind.” Nathan escorted her to an empty table. “Have you eaten here before?”

  “A time or two. Their blueberry waffles are to die for.” Lynn shook out a napkin and placed it in her lap. She glanced around the dining area several times before looking at him again.

  “Those are good, though I’m partial to the cream cheese stuffed French toast.” A waitress stopped by their table and took their drink orders.

  Lynn asked for a glass of orange juice. When they were alone again, she smiled. “It’s nice that Brooke enjoys baking.”

  “I think we all enjoy it, too.” Nathan laughed, remembering all of the desserts and other goodies Brooke had shared with him in the last six months. “Do you like to bake?”

  Lynn had just taken a sip of her water and had to put her napkin in front of her mouth to keep from spitting it out. Once she’d swallowed she laughed. “Oh, no. Me and baking don’t get along. In fact, I avoid it at all costs. As you could tell by my incredibly fancy brownies that I brought by last weekend.”

  Nathan just assumed she’d been in a hurry and hadn’t thought much of it. “Brownies are good no matter where they come from. So what are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you aren’t taking care of kids?”

  She hesitated a moment, which seemed a little odd. Most people had no problem talking about their hobbies. She glanced around them as though looking for someone before answering. “I like music.”

  “Listening or playing? What type?”

  “I’ll listen to just about anything. I’ve got pretty eclectic tastes. I prefer to play pop or rock.”

  That surprised him. “You play an instrument?”

  Lynn pulled her cell phone out and checked the screen. With her eyes on it, she nodded. “Piano. But it’s been a little while.” She slipped it back into her pocket. “What about you? What are your hobbies?”

  “I guess martial arts qualifies as both that and my job. I teach at the academy six days a week, mostly for the extra money, but partly because I like helping people see the strength they didn’t know they had. When I’m not working, I spend most of my time with Mia and our family.” He shrugged. “Now that I’m saying it, maybe it’s pathetic I don’t really have other things I focus on.”

  “I don’t think so.” Lynn looked up as the waiter arrived with their juices. She took a tentative sip of hers and nodded appreciatively. “Outside of music, I don’t have a whole lot, either. I just got a cat. Or rather, he found me. But I don’t think that really counts.”

  Nathan had always admired people who played an instrument—especially those who played one well. He wanted to ask her more about it, but the moment had passed. Instead, he asked her about the cat and then couldn’t stop laughing after she shared how she met the cat in the first place. Just when he got control of his amusement, he tried to picture her sneaking through the kitchen with a rolling pin in her hand, and he was laughing again.

  Lynn’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, I know. Seriously, it’s too bad I didn’t have a video of it. I could probably win some money somewhere.” She shrugged. “I’m not kidding, though. That rolling pin is heavy enough to knock out a horse.”

  He cleared his throat and took a drink of water. “See, there’s another reason why you should come by for a free class later this morning. Then you’ll be able to protect yourself and your new cat without the use of a rolling pin.”

  Their food arrived at that moment, interrupting any reply Lynn might have given him. He accepted his plate of stuffed French toast. “And it’s a good thing I have nearly two hours before my first class or those students will have to teach themselves after I eat this.” There was way more food on his plate than he was going to be a
ble to eat. But then again, that was the case no matter what you ordered at this restaurant.

  Lynn’s platter of waffles looked like enough for two adults. She didn’t waste any time adding blueberry syrup to the blueberry-topped waffles. “Now that looks amazing. You know, this is the only place I can find now that has blueberry syrup. I remember pancake houses had it all the time when I was a kid.”

  When he was young, Nathan never ate at restaurants that served breakfast unless it was a convenience store. His parents were big on cooking at home over fast food. Which was funny since they spent the meal time arguing. Just thinking about it brought a frown to his face that he quickly replaced with a smile. “Well, they have some amazing food here.”

  They ate in comfortable silence for a while before Lynn set her fork down and leaned back in her seat. She held her arms out to her sides. “Okay, I dressed for a class just in case, but I’m not sure I should take one. Martial arts of any kind aren’t exactly something I can picture myself doing.”

  His French toast forgotten, Nathan leaned forward a little. “Jiu-jitsu is fun, great exercise, and a way to help build self-esteem. Besides, it’s more fun if you’re taking classes with a friend—even if that friend is teaching them.”

  “You don’t give up easily, do you?”

  “I do not.”

  “Then I guess I’ll have to try one of these classes you’ve raved about. See if the instructor is all he’s cracked up to be.” She quirked an eyebrow before going back to her breakfast.

  Nathan tried to focus on his food again, but all he could think about was how easy it was to talk to Lynn. Their banter was natural, and he was pretty sure he could visit with her for hours and not grow tired of it.

  Getting into a relationship was the last thing he’d thought about two weeks ago. But as he watched Lynn across the table, he could picture that with her. The realization both scared and intrigued him in equal measures.

  ~*~

  Lynn had dressed in some cotton pants that morning and a baggy tan t-shirt just in case she decided to take Nathan up on the invitation to class. Her intention was to play it by ear and see how breakfast went.