Love Believes (Sully Point, Book 5) by Nicole Smith Page A

normal.
The flowers..."
    "I thought they might brighten your
day." He stopped talking for a minute and his gaze searched her face as if
looking for something. Then he nodded at her. "You'll do. I didn't know
your favorite flower so I got a variety."
    "These are great. And I don't actually have a
favorite flower. I never really thought about it."
    "No? And here I was thinking every woman had
a favorite flower. Maybe you just haven't gotten enough flowers yet in your
life to decide."
    She felt herself blushing and moved to set down
her bag. "Maybe. But now you need to get up from there and let me
work."
    He chuckled, but got up from the chair and out
from behind the desk. "According to both Milton and Angelo, the delivery
from Pike and Sons was short and has to be dealt with as soon as possible
today. And you know, whenever both the designer and the carpenter are in
agreement it's like all the planets being in alignment or something, so I guess
we should listen to them. I'll leave you alone to get started."
    "William," she said, before he walked
out.
    "Yes?"
    "Thank for the flowers. They really are
lovely."
    He smiled that smile again. "You're welcome,
Beth."
    She stared at the spot where he'd been standing for
a minute, then shook herself and focused on the computer. She felt energized
and decided that Pike and Sons had no chance against her today.
    * * * *
    Sam went into Frank Grainger's hardware store
looking for pickaxes. He was writing and needed to know exactly how it felt to
swing a pickaxe, something he'd never done before.
    "Sam! Just the man I need to see," Frank
said.
    "Hang on, Frank. I need a pickaxe."
    "Oh sure, right over here." He led the
way to that aisle, and soon Sam was hefting a pickaxe with a grin on his face.
    "This is perfect. So what did you need me
for?"
    "Two things. First, don't you think we should
put a better door on that apartment? I was thinking there should be something
there that can't be broken down. That old door had never been replaced. You
never really think about the need for security here in Sully Point."
    "Yes, that's true. I agree with you. Let's get
a really good door for that apartment. Whoever uses it in the future will most
likely be living there alone, so they should feel secure. I know it will help
Beth to know that someone can't crash through the door like Benton did."
    The two men walked to the back of the store and
decided on a steel door that Frank had ordered as a specialty once for a
customer who never picked it up.
    "What was the second thing you needed to see
me about, Frank?"
    "Do you think Beth would be up to a family
dinner this weekend? Holly and Jason will be down and they have big news."
    "I'm sure she'd love it. You know she stayed
with Maggie last night, and I already heard from Maggie this morning that Beth
went in to her job. I think she's going to be okay."
    "Great!"
    "What's going on with this dinner?"
    "Holly and Jason...I'm not supposed to tell
anyone. We're to all gather together to hear it and meet...oops."
    "Meet who?"
    "Okay, I'll tell you, as long as you promise
not to tell anyone else."
    Sam nodded.
    "They've adopted a kid! Not a baby, but a kid
about six or seven I think."
    "Congratulations Grandpa! That's excellent
news." Sam knew that Holly and Jason couldn't have kids and had been
working on adopting. They had a house here in Sully Point but spent work weeks
in the city.
    "They want to surprise everyone. I'll be
doing a dinner on Saturday night. So tell Anna to start thinking of a dessert
she can bring. She does make the best ones."
    "Yes she does. And I'll tell her. That's
really good news."
    "Just remember, don't spread it around.
Except for Anna. You can go ahead and tell her."
    Sam laughed. "All right Frank. See you
later." As Sam walked out to his car, he felt happy for Holly and Jason.
They were good people and would do great with a kid. Holly was the oldest
Grainger child and had been thrust into the mother role for her siblings after
their