heading for another table with the mass of colorful balloons floating above their heads.
“That’s a new version of a balloon man.” Nick reached for Steph’s balloon. “I’ll put them in the SUV, if you’d like.”
“They were darling,” she said, handing him hers. “I wonder why they’re giving them away?”
“To make us smile,” he said over his shoulder as he hurried away.
The helium made them difficult to pack away. They seemed to have a mind of their own, but Nick managed it, and when he returned, he held the bicycle for Steph. She’d worn capri pants so she had no worry about getting her pant leg caught in the chain. He remembered his mom wearing them, but she called them pedal pushers. He got a kick out of the name.
Steph mounted the bike, and he let go. She pushed herself forward with one foot and pumped the pedals. Off she went, wobbly at first, but when she stopped up ahead, she looked at him over her shoulder. “You’re right. As easy as falling off a log.”
He laughed at the old saying and took off on his bike. When he met her, they moved side by side and pedaled down the road.
“What’s that?” Steph pointed. “It’s charming.”
“The Community House. It’s used for banquets and wedding receptions.”
“Really. It’s a pretty setting.”
It was. He’d seen bridal parties outside the buildings occasionally.
Once past the pavilion and tennis courts the crowd lessened. The only sound was their wheels against the bike path and a warm breeze whipping past his ears. With sixteen acres of meadows, thickets, streams and woods, Nick knew they would find a quiet place to sit and enjoy the natural setting.
They followed Paint Creek wending its way through the park, and as they rounded a bend in the road, Nick spotteda grassy area that looked inviting. He motioned to Steph and then pulled ahead of her and stopped along the trail.
She pulled up beside him, and when he looked at her, his heart soared. Her hair was windblown and curls appeared on the ends. She wore it straight, and he wondered why. He liked her golden curls. The exhilaration added a glow to her cheeks, and the sun added platinum streaks to her hair.
“That was great.” Her eyes glinted. “Refreshing.”
“And you thought you couldn’t ride a bike.”
“I’m a doubter.” She turned up her nose. “I’ve always wanted to be like my friend Molly. She’s always optimistic, and she’s usually right.”
Nick wished he could be more positive, too. He opened the bike pack and drew out two soft drinks, pulled the tabs and gave one to Steph. She took a long drink while he grasped the plastic bag of cookies and motioned toward the grass. “Is it damp?”
She swung her leg over the bike and strode to the meadow, reaching down to feel the grassy area. “It’s warm and dry.” She sank onto the ground.
He settled beside her and unzipped the cookie bag. The scent of peanut butter and chocolate blended with the earthy aroma of the meadow and nearby thicket. As they sipped their soft drinks and nibbled on Steph’s great home-baked cookies, he decided to open up the subject of his mother. Once past that issue, he could turn the conversation to Steph’s faith.
Nick brushed the crumbs from his mouth, “When you talked about your mother’s death earlier, I could relate to your loss.”
Her lips tightened as concern grew on her face. “Your mom’s gone, too?”
He looked at the ground, then pressed forward. “No, but—” He tried to form the words. “She’s had a horriblestroke, and it feels like we’ve lost her. Her words are only a jumble. Martin’s a frequent visitor, but I tend to make myself scarce.” He shook his head. “I hate to admit this, but I want to be honest. That’s one of those problems I mentioned. I can do things for people, but when it comes to my mom or anything that’s tangled in emotion, I have to force myself to go.”
Steph didn’t respond at first, and Nick feared he’d made
“That’s a new version of a balloon man.” Nick reached for Steph’s balloon. “I’ll put them in the SUV, if you’d like.”
“They were darling,” she said, handing him hers. “I wonder why they’re giving them away?”
“To make us smile,” he said over his shoulder as he hurried away.
The helium made them difficult to pack away. They seemed to have a mind of their own, but Nick managed it, and when he returned, he held the bicycle for Steph. She’d worn capri pants so she had no worry about getting her pant leg caught in the chain. He remembered his mom wearing them, but she called them pedal pushers. He got a kick out of the name.
Steph mounted the bike, and he let go. She pushed herself forward with one foot and pumped the pedals. Off she went, wobbly at first, but when she stopped up ahead, she looked at him over her shoulder. “You’re right. As easy as falling off a log.”
He laughed at the old saying and took off on his bike. When he met her, they moved side by side and pedaled down the road.
“What’s that?” Steph pointed. “It’s charming.”
“The Community House. It’s used for banquets and wedding receptions.”
“Really. It’s a pretty setting.”
It was. He’d seen bridal parties outside the buildings occasionally.
Once past the pavilion and tennis courts the crowd lessened. The only sound was their wheels against the bike path and a warm breeze whipping past his ears. With sixteen acres of meadows, thickets, streams and woods, Nick knew they would find a quiet place to sit and enjoy the natural setting.
They followed Paint Creek wending its way through the park, and as they rounded a bend in the road, Nick spotteda grassy area that looked inviting. He motioned to Steph and then pulled ahead of her and stopped along the trail.
She pulled up beside him, and when he looked at her, his heart soared. Her hair was windblown and curls appeared on the ends. She wore it straight, and he wondered why. He liked her golden curls. The exhilaration added a glow to her cheeks, and the sun added platinum streaks to her hair.
“That was great.” Her eyes glinted. “Refreshing.”
“And you thought you couldn’t ride a bike.”
“I’m a doubter.” She turned up her nose. “I’ve always wanted to be like my friend Molly. She’s always optimistic, and she’s usually right.”
Nick wished he could be more positive, too. He opened the bike pack and drew out two soft drinks, pulled the tabs and gave one to Steph. She took a long drink while he grasped the plastic bag of cookies and motioned toward the grass. “Is it damp?”
She swung her leg over the bike and strode to the meadow, reaching down to feel the grassy area. “It’s warm and dry.” She sank onto the ground.
He settled beside her and unzipped the cookie bag. The scent of peanut butter and chocolate blended with the earthy aroma of the meadow and nearby thicket. As they sipped their soft drinks and nibbled on Steph’s great home-baked cookies, he decided to open up the subject of his mother. Once past that issue, he could turn the conversation to Steph’s faith.
Nick brushed the crumbs from his mouth, “When you talked about your mother’s death earlier, I could relate to your loss.”
Her lips tightened as concern grew on her face. “Your mom’s gone, too?”
He looked at the ground, then pressed forward. “No, but—” He tried to form the words. “She’s had a horriblestroke, and it feels like we’ve lost her. Her words are only a jumble. Martin’s a frequent visitor, but I tend to make myself scarce.” He shook his head. “I hate to admit this, but I want to be honest. That’s one of those problems I mentioned. I can do things for people, but when it comes to my mom or anything that’s tangled in emotion, I have to force myself to go.”
Steph didn’t respond at first, and Nick feared he’d made
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