8. Going To Be Alright

It'd taken all the way until Thursday for Knox and Sage to get together for dinner again.

He would have liked to meet sooner, but they both were busy. Him with a few jobs that he got held over working on and her with meetings one day and helping out in the store.

He hadn't known she did that, but she'd said everyone helped where they could when it was needed.

At least this time he got to pick her up for dinner.

He knocked on her door at five thirty, she opened it up quickly and was standing there in dark jeans that fit her body like a glove and a silky flowing navy shirt tucked in the front and hanging out a little in the back. On her feet was a pair of nude pumps.

It brought her a few inches closer to him.

"Hey," she said, reaching up and pulling his head down for a kiss.

When she lifted her mouth from his, he said, "Now that is a welcome I can get behind any time you want."

"Thanks," she said. "I don't normally do that, but you looked as if you could use it."

"Huh?" he asked.

She took a step back and grabbed her purse and put it on her shoulder. An orange leather with what looked to be flowers stamped into it. He noticed on his other dates she had jewelry on that had flowers too.

"I said that you look unsure of yourself for some reason and I wanted to give you a kiss and let you know that it's going to be all right. Or whatever is on your mind will be."

"Oh," he said. "Just work on my mind. A lot of big projects coming up."

"When are you going to start working in this building?" she asked.

"Next week," he said. "On another floor. The one next to you is the last. They are doing them one by one."

"Good," she said. "Maybe I can sneak home for lunch on one of the days and we can have a mini date."

He laughed. He could get on board with that too.

"Sounds like a plan for me. Are you ready?"

"I am," she said.

They took the elevator down to the main lobby and out to his truck. "I haven't been to Mona's before," he said. "I've heard a lot about it. I mean I did some work there for the old owners at one point."

"The Whitneys," she said. "So we can talk about a small world. Ren Whitney, it was his parents who owned the marina for years. Ren married Zane's sister."

"Okay," he said. Those names didn't mean much to him other than he knew Zane from around town and their businesses crossing. Since he wasn't from this area, it's not like he kept up on any gossip.

"Get the grin off your face. I know what you're thinking. There is more. Wesley Wright and his mother, Mona, bought the marina. Mona owns and runs the restaurant."

"Hence the name," he said tongue in cheek.

"Yep," she said. "And...drumroll...Wesley is married to Jasmine."

"Oh," he said. "Got it now. Jasmine that runs the greenhouses."

"That's her." He'd gotten a bit of a rundown on who the players were in the business on their last date.

"That is a bit of a small world."

"And you know Trace came here to research his book, but I never told you he was doing more. That he was trying to find some information on the Bloom sisters for Kate. In doing that he met Violet. They fell in love and that led to me being here."

"So like one of those six degree of separation type things?" he asked. Something he never thought much of and didn't think he believed in, but his father would often talk about that.

That things in life happen for a reason and there may never be an explanation as to why.

His father's death could be considered one of those things.

That he was finally getting close to the man again. Or as close as he could because he did believe one thing his mother had told him. That Dan Bradford wasn't a man that let many in.

But his father had been there for him when no one else would be. It's not like his father had to do it either with the way Knox had wiped him from his life for years.

He supposed forgiveness was a gift and it was one thing he was learning.

His father had forgiven him. He knew that.

It's just Knox was having a hard time forgiving himself.

"It is one of those things," she said. He pulled out of the parking lot and toward the restaurant.

"Do you believe in it?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure there is much not to believe. I've witnessed it. The world is a small crazy place. Reconnecting with you is a prime example. I mean what are the chances of that happening? Think of our history and it's been twenty years since I've seen you. Then you knock on my door and—surprise—you recognize me. Sorry about me not knowing it was you."

He laughed. "I'm glad you didn't know it was me. I'm not that kid anymore."

"I think you'll always be the same kid," she said. "You just don't look like him."

"You look a lot like you did back then," he said. "That is how I knew it was you." Maybe it was time to admit this. It wouldn't hurt. Seemed everything else he was doing with her so far was working. "You opened the door and I had this flashback of you, but the name on the condo was Poppy. Talk about confusing."

"Which explained why when I said my first name you finished off my last name."

"Exactly," he said.

"And here we are," she said. "So no reason to say it's hard to not believe in things when we are kind of living it. I believe in karma. Maybe this is our form of it."

He'd like to think that but wasn't quite sure what they had or where they were going.

No reason to rush it either. He knew that. They could just enjoy what they had.

They pulled into the parking lot shortly after, he parked and got out.

"They've done a lot of work here since I've been around," he said.

"It's beautiful inside. My coworker, Heather, is getting married here this Saturday."

Which meant she had plans. "We didn't have to come here tonight if you're going to be here Saturday," he said.

"I like coming here," she said. "They've got great food and Mona is awesome. She'll probably be working the hostess stand. She normally is around."

Which meant Sage had no problem putting their relationship out there for others to see. Others who knew her.

When they got inside, a classy older woman said, "Sage. It's so nice to see you."

"Hi, Mona," she said. "This is Knox Bradford. Knox, Mona Wright. We thought we'd come in for dinner tonight."

"I'm always glad to see familiar faces," Mona said while she shook his hand. "Let me bring you to a little quiet spot."

He noticed it was fairly busy for a Thursday night. But it was only mid-September and there were probably still a lot of people on the water stopping in or on vacation.

They were left alone and told a server would be over shortly.

"I guess you have no problem with people knowing we are dating."

He hoped that wasn't presumptuous on his part to say dating rather than a date.

"I don't have a problem with it," she said. "Do you?"

"No," he said. "Not like I've got too many people to tell or keep it from."

She frowned as if it just occurred to her. "I have a lot of people who tend to get into my business, but many know about our few dates already. Trace doesn't. He'll find out now I'm sure. Which is fine. I actually told Violet the other day because I didn't want her to find out from someone else."

"Does this mean we've got more dates lined up?" he asked.

"Of course," she said. "And I was asked if you were going to the wedding with me on Saturday, but I didn't ask you because I already replied I was going alone. Plus, I know what it's like to go to a wedding and not know anyone."

"Not a problem," he said. He would have gone but wouldn't have wanted to. He wasn't one for putting a suit on though had one in his closet.

"But I don't have plans tomorrow or Sunday," she said. "If you're around."

"I am," he said. "If I wasn't, then I'd make sure I was."

She smiled at him and it was the one he remembered twenty years ago that made him move forward when everything in his brain said she'd never give him the time of day.

But she had.

They'd talked.

They were friends.

They'd never be anything else though once his mother yanked him out of the school.

But here they were twenty years later and he had to tell himself that maybe his father was right.

Things happen for a reason.