Before Marian could utter a word, she was gone.
Cole’s brow furrowed. “I hope I’m not keeping you from anything?”
“No. Of course not.” Marian blinked, trying to shake the surprise she’d felt at his return. She hadn’t seen him inside her school since he’d visited that day before it had opened. He stood tall and uncertain in the doorway, and in his hand, he held a basket.
Noticing her curious look at the basket, he held it up. “Since you never agree to let me take you to dinner, I thought I’d bring it to you instead.”
Chapter Twelve
Marian’s mouth openedever so slightly. Cole hoped it was because she was pleasantly surprised, and not because she was appalled at his audacity.
A sweet smile curved her lips, and he breathed out.
“I’m afraid it’s still too cold to picnic outside, although I’ve heard that the river is the perfect spot for such a thing in warmer weather.”
“It is.” She glanced around the room. “If you don’t mind picnicking inside a schoolhouse, I have a quilt I keep for the littler ones to use when the mornings are particularly cold.”
“That sounds perfect.” He’d thought perhaps they could simply pull chairs up to the table that served as Marian’s desk, but if Marian wanted to make this a true picnic, he was more than happy to go along with it. It was certainly better than having her ask him to leave, which was a thought that had crossed his mind.
She took off her coat, laid the quilt down quickly, and sat. Cole shuffled off his own coat and knelt to open the basket.
“I went to Dawson’s and asked if they might have something I could bring with me.” One by one, he pulled out bread, cheese, two jars of soup, and two slices of cake. “I’m afraid I didn’t ask for anything to drink.”
“Oh, I can provide water.” Marian stood and ladled two cups of water from a pail in the rear of the room. When she returned, Cole had laid out the food on the blanket as if they sat at a table, complete with silverware and napkins.
“This is all very lovely.” Marian smoothed her skirt after setting down a glass of water for each of them and taking her seat. “Thank you.”
Her words pleased him more than he could have imagined. The beef and vegetable soup was warm and filling, and they made easy conversation about the food, Marian’s students, and the coming of spring. When he finished the last of his cake, Cole knew there was no more avoiding what he needed to say.
And this time, he wouldn’t chicken out.
He moved closer to her. “I must apologize for earlier,” he said quietly.
Marian lifted her eyes from the cake she was still eating. “Oh?”
He rested his hands on the quilt and told himself this was no more terrifying than facing down an armed bandit. “I . . . I meant to tell you something earlier, and I couldn’t gather the courage.”
