“Of course.”
“I’ll handle it personally,” he added.
“All right,” Hope reluctantly agreed. She understood Coach wanted to protect his team by taking matters into his own hands. Losing a key player due to discipline problems could well mean losing the chance of winning the state championship for the second year running.
They stood together for a few minutes longer before Coach nodded toward Cade and then walked over to join one of the parent chaperones.
The rest of the dance proceeded without incident. At the end of the evening, Hope was exhausted. She hadn’t done any real physical work, so it seemed silly to find herself yawning.
With the other chaperones, they stayed for cleanup. Cade was a big help. They remained with Lois as she locked up the gym after the DJ had packed up his equipment and left.
“All in all, it wasn’t such a bad night, now, was it?” she asked Cade, as they walked out into the dark to the nearly empty parking lot.
“I confess I actually enjoyed myself.” His arm was around her, and she could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’m glad.”
“What was there not to like? I got to spend the evening with you, didn’t I?” he said.
“And I wasn’t at the dance alone.” Hope had spent so much of the last two years by herself, it felt good to feel a connection with another person, even if that thread remained fragile and was still relatively new.
Cade drove Hope back to the cottage. Although it was after midnight and she was tired, she didn’t want the evening to end.
“Come in for a few minutes,” she said, when they arrived at her place.
Cade hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not asking you to spend the night, Cade. Neither of us is ready for that just yet. I need to let Shadow out, and I thought I’d put on a pot of chamomile tea and relax for a minute.”
“All right.” He didn’t hesitate, and that encouraged her. Before, he always needed time to think through each invitation, as if to sort through the implications of being with her, and what that might mean.
Once she unlocked the door, Shadow was there to greet her and then immediately went outside to do his business.
“I hate keeping him locked up all day,” Hope said. It was her one regret with owning Shadow. “Mellie’s been kind enough to come and let him out once or twice a day while I’m at school.”
“Didn’t you mention getting a doggie door?”
“I did, but I need to find someone to install it.”
“I’ll do it,” Cade said, with an eagerness that surprised her.
“I didn’t mention it so that you’d offer, Cade.” She didn’t want him to feel obligated.
“I know. I’d be happy to do it, really. That’s just the sort of thing I enjoy.”
His enthusiasm was unexpected and welcome, as it helped solve a problem for her. “I’d appreciate it, but I can’t let you do it for free.”
“Why not? If I needed a favor, would you turn me down?”
She laughed softly. “It depends on the favor.”
He dismissed the question. “I’ll stop by tomorrow afternoon, and while I’m here I’ll secure the railing on your porch.”
That railing was in bad shape. Hope didn’t dare put any weight on it for fear that it would become completely dislodged. “Preston’s been meaning to look at it for some time now, but he’s busy at the shelter and with his family. I haven’t wanted to pester him about it.”
The kettle on the stove whistled, and Hope filled the teapot that had once belonged to her grandmother. She’d kept a few mementos from her grandparents and treasured each one. They were her one link to the past.
“Preston’s got enough on his mind without worrying about this, especially when I can fix it without a problem.”
They sat at her small kitchen table and Hope poured the tea. It was too hot to drink right away. Cade stretched his arm across the tabletop and took hold of her hand.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
She smiled. “You’re thanking me for dragging you to a high school dance?”
“I’m thanking you for everything. When we first met…I wasn’t in a good place.”
“Are you now?” she asked.
He didn’t answer right away. “Not completely, but I’m getting there.”
Hope felt she was getting there, too. Like Cade, she had a way to go, but she was making progress.
Chapter 13