Maegan wiped at her eyes. “That is incredibly sweet.”
“My parents loved each other wholly and deeply. They set an example of marriage for my sisters and me that sets the bar high.” He backtracked and clarified lest he sound self-righteous. “I don’t mean that in aI-have-impossible-standards-that-no-one-will-ever-meetway, but an admiration of my parents.”
“I understand. My parents have a similar marriage. They aren’t perfect, and we definitely witnessed an argument or two between them, but we also saw them apologize when they were wrong. They taught my brother and I healthy conflict resolution and the power of forgiveness.”
“Is your brother the only sibling you have? Older or younger?”
She nodded. “Only him. Drake is six years older than me, and he works for the National Park Service.”
“Are you close?”
“More so as adults, but he was my protector as a child. Because of our age, our friend circle never coincided, but he always had my back.”
That reminded him of his sisters growing up. “I have two sisters, twins, who are three years younger than me. Becka is married, but Candace doesn’t always have the best taste in men. When we were younger I would run off the bad eggs. Now that we’re adults, I have to bite my tongue, but we recently celebrated their thirtieth birthday with a garden party. Candace brought her new boyfriend, and he was such a jerk, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut by the end of the day. She deserves infinitely better but sells herself short. We all want the best for her, but if she doesn’t want it, what can we do?”
“That’s hard. I’m sorry.”
“Becka is the only one who can sometimes get through to her lately. It’s been worse since Mom died.”
“That’s understandable.” Her liquid amber eyes reflected a deep compassion.
“I pray and leave it at God’s feet. That’s all I can do.”
The waitress swung by the table, asking if she could get them anything else. When they answeredno, she left their check. Judah grabbed it then pulled enough bills from his wallet to cover their meal plus a generous tip, denying Maegan’s attempt to pay her share.
“Thank you,” she said, putting her wallet away.
“My pleasure.” His words were true. He’d not enjoyed an evening this much in months.
‘Do you work tomorrow?” Maegan asked.
He shook his head. “So far, I’ve been fortunate to work Monday through Friday, but I’ve only been here two weeks. What about you? I imagine Saturday’s are busier for the shop?”
“They are, but I have two part-time employees that will be there tomorrow. I make an effort to take off two Saturdays a month, so I don’t burn out.”
“Balance is great when you can find it. I struggled with that. There were weeks I’d put in sixty to seventy hours and not think twice.”
“Those hours will take you down quick. When I first opened the store, I’d easily put in seventy hours a week. One day I came down with the flu, and my body was so worn out I couldn’t fight it. Ended up in the hospital for a week.” Her face tightened in a grimace. “Needless to say, it was miserable.”
“Sounds it. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Me too, but it wasn’t in vain. I cut back on my hours, hired help, and learned to take time for myself. How’d you break your cycle?”
He flinched. “That’s a long story.”
A flash of disappointment flickered in her eyes when he didn’t continue. “Maybe one day you can tell me.” She shifted her gaze to the door. “The aftergame crew is coming in. We should go and free up the table.”
If he hadn’t caught the reflection of the incoming crowd in the window, he’d be certain he upset her with his indirect refusal to share with her. He couldn’t blame her if she was. He wasn’t playing fair, and that ate at his conscience.
Outside, the temperature had dropped during the ninety minutes they’d been eating. The sun had set and streetlights turned on, casting an ethereal glow over the town. He was reluctant for the night to end. “If it’s not too cold for you, would you be up for a walk?”
Her mouth opened with an air of surprise. “Do you mind if we swing by my place to grab a jacket first?”
“Not at all.”
“I think I have one of Drake’s sweatshirts he left from his last visit if you’d like,” she offered.
“Thanks, but I’m good.” He’d worn a long sleeve t-shirt under his button down, and the dual layers provided plenty enough warmth for him.
