“Will you do me a favor and keep this conversation just between us?”
“What conversation?” She smiled at him.
After Justice and Franklin devoured the majority of the pie and drank multiple cups of coffee, they announced their leave. Justice held Adrienne’s hands in his, leaned down, and pressed a platonic kiss against her soft cheek.
“Good night, Adrienne. Thank you for a wonderful dinner and evening.”
“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure. Please don’t be strangers.” Adrienne looked at Franklin, expecting him to say something, but he merely inclined his head.
“Don’t worry,” Justice interjected in order to cover the awkward silence between Adrienne and Franklin. “I’ll come over so often for a homecooked meal you’ll get tired of me.”
Adrienne offered a sweet smile. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
* * *
At loose ends the following morning after Justice left for the station, Franklin decided to burn off his restless energy by going for a long run on the beach. Last night, Justice had noticed his reaction to Adrienne, damn him! He’d actually hugged him for being kind to their hostess. Justice mentioned they had the loss of their spouses to cancer in common, and maybe, just maybe, getting to know Adrienne and spending time with her would give Franklin a reason to stay in California. Justice wasn’t too proud to admit, selfishly, that he wanted his father with him. He’d said he and Franklin may not always see eye to eye, but they loved one another unconditionally.
Pushing aside his thoughts, he stopped intermittently to introduce himself to the Laguna Beach cops on duty, most of whom expressed their acceptance of their new chief. By the time he returned to the house, he realized running on the beach hadn’t helped to reduce the anxiety caused by the internal struggle between his need to remain faithful to his deceased wife and his need to feel a woman’s arms around him. Swearing aloud, damning his soul to hell for what he was about to do, Franklin took a shower and dressed in a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. Before he lost his nerve, he grabbed his car keys and wallet and left the house.
A few minutes later he strolled into Laguna Beach Realty, startling Adrienne who was speaking to a client on the phone. She lifted a finger to indicate she’d be a minute longer and returned to her conversation. After promising she’d have an answer for the client by the end of the day, she hung up and smiled at Franklin.
“Hi. What brings you by? Is everything all right at the house?”
Franklin quelled the rapid beating of his heart at the sight of her. She was as pretty as a bunch of wildflowers in bloom across a meadow in the springtime.
“Yes, yes, the house is great. I don’t think Justice needs that much room, but it makes him happy.” He paused, meeting her unwavering gaze. “I…I’d like to invite you to lunch. That is, if you’re free.”
“I am. Just let me get my purse.”
Franklin opened the passenger door and helped Adrienne into the seat. Once he settled behind the wheel, he asked, “Where would you like to eat?”
“There’s a wonderful bistro on the pier.”
“All right, then. Sounds good.”
Adrienne showed Franklin where to park, and they walked the short distance to the pier. A perky young woman wearing jeans and a bright yellow T-shirt advertising Sam’s Beach Club led them to a table overlooking the water and took their drink order. When their waitress returned with two glasses of lemonade, they chose blackened mahi fish sandwiches and French fries and handed their menus to her.
Alone, they fell silent a moment before Adrienne began softly, “I have to admit I’m curious why you invited me to lunch. The truth is, I don’t think you like me very much.”
Franklin studied the knot holes in the wooden table, unable to look at her. “I’m sorry if I gave you that impression, Adrienne, because that’s not how I feel. At all.”
That surprised her. “May I ask how youdofeel?”
Heat rose in him as his eyes finally met hers. “Alive.”
She nodded. “What do you miss the most, Franklin?”
“This. Having lunch. Enjoying companionship with someone. Sharing all the small moments that make up a day.”
Tears misted her eyes. “So do I. Do you recall that movie with Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon?Shall We Dance?There’s a line in it that really hit me. Sarandon’s character thinks her husband, Gere, is having an affair when he’s just taking dance lessons, so she hires a PI to follow him. When she’s told the truth, the PI asked why one gets married in the first place. Her reply? One gets married so we have a witness to our lives.A witness to our lives.”
Emotion choked her. Franklin reached out and touched her hand. Gazing at him through unshed tears, she concluded, “That’s what I miss. Having a witness to my life. Sometimes… Sometimes I feel invisible.”
Franklin opened his mouth to respond, but just then they were interrupted by the arrival of their meal.
By tacit agreement they dropped the subject of their spouses and moved on to other areas of their lives. Adrienne talked about her children, and though she proudly boasted of their accomplishments, a tincture of sadness echoed in her voice. Franklin got the impression they were unmindful of their responsibilities to her. It made him grateful for the relationship he had with Justice.
After they ate they took a leisurely stroll along the beach. Franklin held Adrienne’s hand, allowing its warmth to seep into him. He hoped he wasn’t misreading the signals she was sending him?the way she caressed his hand, the glow in her eyes, and the soft smile on her face. Well, he’d find out soon enough.
