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store and her shifts at Ivan’s, it wasn’t usually more than a few
hours a day, but he anticipated his visits to her place with a sense
of excitement he hadn’t felt in years. Sometimes, Kristen and Josh
went with him. Other times, Joyce would shoo him out the door
with a wink, urging him to have himself a good time before he
headed over.
They seldom spent time at his house and when they did, it was
only for short periods. In his mind, he wanted to believe it was
because of the kids, that he wanted to take things slowly, but part
of him realized it also had to do with Carly. Though he knew he
loved Katie—and he grew more certain with every passing day—
he wasn’t sure he was ready for that just yet. Katie seemed to
understand his reluctance and didn’t seem to mind, if only
because it was easier to be alone at her place.
Even so, they’d yet to make love. Though he often found himself
imagining how wonderful it would be, especially in those
moments before sleep, he knew Katie wasn’t ready for that. They
both seemed to realize it would signal a change in their
relationship, a hopeful permanence of sorts. For now, it was
enough to kiss her, to feel her arms wrapped around him. He
loved the scent of jasmine shampoo in her hair and the way her
hand nestled so perfectly in his; the way their every touch was
charged with delicious anticipation, as if they were somehow
saving themselves for each other. He hadn’t slept with anyone
since his wife had died, and now he felt that in some way he had
unknowingly been waiting for Katie.
He took pleasure in showing her around the area. They walked
the waterfront and past the historic homes, examining the
architecture, and one weekend he took her to the Orton Plantation
Gardens, where they wandered among a thousand blooming
rosebushes. Afterward, they went to lunch at a small oceanfront
bistro at Caswell Beach, where they held hands across the table
like teenagers.