Page 20 of Singled Out
We were both quiet for a couple of minutes, and I realized we’d reached the outskirts of Nashville. The drive had passed in a blink.
“I’m curious about something,” he said eventually.
“What’s that?”
“You’ve been working at the diner for quite a while. That doesn’t fit the flitting-from-one-thing-to-the-next way of life. Do you see yourself staying there long-term?”
“I don’t really think about the future. I’m more of a one-day-at-a-time girl. Kind of live for the moment.”
He nodded. “I’ve always been the opposite. I’m a planner. I usually have a plan B and probably a plan C too.”
“It must have shaken your world up quite a bit to suddenly become a father.”
He pressed his lips together, then said, “Yeah. You can’t imagine…” His voice went lower, quieter, and I regretted bringing up what was clearly a difficult subject.
Why wouldn’t it be? His cousins, the baby’s parents, died.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad. That was a careless question.”
He shook his head. “No need to apologize. Sometimes life throws us shitty surprises, as you likely know too well.”
“For sure.” My thoughts turned back to Naomi, and all lightness was sucked out of the vehicle. “I’m sorry for your loss. For your son’s loss. From where I’m sitting, it seems like he lucked into the best possible new family though.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’m grateful as hell to have a lot of support from my mom and my sister and brother.”
“Dakota’s watching your boy tonight? Daniel, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. I’ll be lucky if she follows a single one of my rules. There’s the hotel.”
Out the front window, at the other end of the block, stood the historic Wentworth Hotel. I’d seen it in photos, but I’d never been inside it.
“This must be Hale Street,” I said. I’d heard plenty about the thriving redeveloped shopping district that was anchored by the century-old hotel but hadn’t yet made a trip to check it out. “A mosaic shop!”
A low chuckle came from Max. “I was fixated on the bakery next to it and didn’t notice.”
The mosaic place, World in Pieces, was small but adorable. “I’ll be coming back here soon to shop,” I said. “Oh, Henry Interiors. That’s Hayden Henry’s—North’s—place.” She was one of ours, or had been. Her brothers owned Henry’s Restaurant and the Rusty Anchor Brewing in Dragonfly Lake.
As we reached the end of the block, I turned my attention to our destination at the T intersection.
The evening sun hit the light-colored stone of the Wentworth just right to give it a peach tint. There was a semicircle driveway in front, full of cars and people and activity.
The building itself had giant arched windows big enough you could drive a car through them. They were bordered by double columns and fronted by low stone balusters. The hotel was elegant, majestic, and more than a little intimidating when I let myself think about our reason for going to it.
It hit me at that instant that I was completely out of my element.
I could dress in heels and a gown, pretty myself up with hair and makeup help, and hold my own with accessories, but I’d never been to something as formal as this. The fundraiser at the Marks Hotel didn’t hold a candle to it.
My gut knotted as Max drove to the parking garage behind the stunning building.
I’d been so focused on the emotional piece of tonight, on readying myself to stay composed when praises were sung to Naomi, that I hadn’t given thought to anything else.
I felt like a small-town girl about to embarrass herself in the big city. In four-inch heels, no less.
I must have made a sound that revealed my sudden nerves, because Max asked, “Are you okay?” as he pulled into a parking spot.
“This is…fancy. Way out of my comfort zone,” I said honestly. I was too nervous to try to hide it from him. “I’ve never been to anything like this.”
He turned off the engine. “I’ll be with you the whole time. I’ll even tell you which fork to use if you need me to.”