He shook his head, sure that he wasn’t going to be able to reach any kind of conclusion that day. He still felt full of doubt and uncertainty, although he was grateful to Vivian for prompting him to be more optimistic about his situation.
He pondered everything as he finished his meal, but by the time he returned to work, he still had no answers.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Delilah held her purse in her lap, clutching the straps with excitement. She peered out the window of the taxi that was taking her back to Rosewood Beach, watching the glittering ocean as they traveled along the coast. Overhead, the sky was a glorious blue, dotted with wisps of clouds.
I can’t wait to get back to Rosewood Beach,she thought, smiling to herself. She imagined the cozy streets, the delicious scents in the air, and the smiling faces of the people she had come to care so much about. Most especially, she pictured Tom’s face, and the way he grinned when he thought something was particularly wonderful or amusing.This drive feels as though it’s taking forever. I wish I could just snap my fingers and arrive.
She had to admit, however, that the roads they were driving along were breathtaking, and the sight of so much natural beauty lifted her spirits. There was a serenity to the lands along the coast that made her feel alive and at peace. She had loved living in the city for all those years, but she saw clearly now that wide open places and small towns offered the spirit a kind of refreshment that crowded cities never could.
She shut her eyes, imagining Tom’s grin again. She just knew he would be grinning from ear to ear when she told him herincredible news—after her audition, she was offered the role on the spot. All of their hard work had paid off, and she was going to get to perform the role that she wanted so much.
Before long, the taxi pulled into Rosewood Beach and drove her up to the hotel. She paid the driver hurriedly, thanking him and wishing him a safe drive back, and then she dashed inside. She took the stairs up to her room, not wanting to wait for the elevator, and she tossed her suitcase on her bed without ceremony. She took a quick look in the mirror, saw that her hair looked abysmally disheveled, and said, “Oh, who cares?” She grabbed her purse again and hurried out of her room. All she could think about was how much she wanted to see Tom, and how he was sure to be at The Lighthouse Grill, just a minute’s walk away from her.
She scampered down the sidewalk and pushed open the front door of the pub, immediately greeted by the scent of coffee, pie, and grilled onions. She smiled, realizing that the cozy restaurant already felt like a kind of home to her.
“Delilah!”
She turned to the side and saw a cluster of the Owens women sitting at a booth in the corner. It was clear from the empty and dirty dishes in front of them that they’d just finished having a meal together.
“Hi!” Julia said, standing up and hurrying over to give Delilah a hug. She was followed by Alexis, Hazel, Noelle, and Faith.
“I’m so glad we ran into you,” Hazel said. “We were just about to leave.”
“Off to anywhere special?” Delilah asked politely, feeling again that the women she was standing next to had an unusual amount of joy that was pleasant to be around.
“Yes,” Noelle said, her eyes sparkling. “We’re on our way to pick out a wedding dress for me. Is—is there any chance you’d like to come with us?”
Delilah placed her hand on her heart, deeply moved that Noelle would want her to come along for such a special occasion after only spending a little time with her. Immediately she felt a strong desire to go along with them, but then she remembered that there that she was there to speak with Tom. “I would absolutely love to go,” she told them, “but unfortunately, I have other plans. I'm here to speak with Tom because I have some exciting news to share with him.”
All of the Owens women exchanged gleeful glances, and it was clear to Delilah that the romance blossoming between her and Tom had already been a topic of conversation amongst them. She didn't mind in the slightest, and simply grinned when she saw their reaction.
“No worries,” Alexis told her, matching her grin with one every bit as enthusiastic. “Have fun talking to Tom.”
“I will, thank you,” she told them, her eyes twinkling. “But I feel very honored that you asked me.”
“Of course,” Faith said. “You’re not just our favorite movie star, you’re also a lot of fun to be around.”
“Oh.” Delilah felt touched by Faith’s words. “I feel the same way about all of you.”
“We should definitely hang out again before you have to leave town.” Hazel smiled warmly at Delilah. “We should get together for dinner at Ocean Breeze Café soon. Sally was asking about you, Delilah. She said to say hi to you if we ran into you again.”
“I would love to get to talk to Sally some more.” Delilah meant it sincerely. She had found the café owner to be colorful, charming, and full of a unique energy all her own. “That sounds wonderful. And I hope you find the wedding dress of your dreams, Noelle. Feel free to
text me pictures of any good ones that you find!”
The Owens women promised to do so and left the restaurant with waves and smiles. Once they were gone, Delilah turned her attention toward her mission. She glanced around the dining room and saw with relief that there wasn't a great deal of customers in the pub at the moment. The ones that were there seemed to have already gotten their food, which meant that Tom was probably available to talk to her, at least for a little while.
The hostess, who was standing near the front door, noticed Delilah glancing toward the kitchen and gave her a smile. “If you want to talk to Tom,” she told her, “I can run and get him for you.”
“That would be great,” Delilah said, smiling and feeling herself blush a little. The feeling made her want to laugh. She hadn't felt this smitten by a man since… well, she couldn’t think of a time.
The hostess disappeared into the kitchen, and a moment later, Tom emerged. He was wiping his hands on his apron and looking slightly frazzled. Delilah noticed that he seemed tired, and she immediately wanted to cheer him up. She raced over to him and threw her arms around him, giving him an enormous hug. As soon as she had pulled away from the embrace a little bit, she gave him a warm kiss.
It took her a few moments to realize that he was not returning the enthusiasm of her greeting. He kissed her back, but the gesture was half-hearted, as if he was only returning the kiss to be polite. She took a step back and looked at his face, and immediately she noticed that there was an unusual heaviness about him.
“What’s wrong, Tom?” she asked, feeling worried. “Is everything all right?”
