Reluctant for the night to end, Wes wracked his brain for an activity to suggest they do that would keep their date going. They both were full so coffee wouldn’t be a good idea. He’d checked the movies earlier, but there were none appropriate for viewing. Not in his opinion, and from what he knew of Paige, felt certain she’d agree as well.

Bowling? He admittedly wasn’t very good and would embarrass himself. Even Myla, who adored him, wasn’t impressed by his skills in that arena. Skating? That’d be even worse. For being a star athlete in high school—captain of the soccer team—he possessed a surprisingly low level of coordination.

A paint night place had opened last week, but that required reservations. Even if there were walk-ins available, the next session started a half hour ago. He’d investigated it that afternoon for future date ideas.

The only thing that came to mind was a walk. Though the temperature had dropped with the cover of night, it wasn’t insufferable. Would Paige want to? No way to know except asking. Outside of the bistro, he paused instead of leading the way to the car. “Would you like to walk around town for a few minutes? If you’re not too cold.”

“I’d like that.” Her gaze shifted briefly to her clothing. “Between my coat and scarf, I’ll stay warm.”

They walked the square of the downtown area. Only two weeks into November, half the storefronts already had Christmas windows. Painted snow, garland draped inside, baubles hanging from the ceiling. Displays purposely arranged to sell more product.

Paige tightened the scarf around her neck. “I love Christmas, but I also love fall and Thanksgiving. My family complains about Christmas décor going up in November, but I think it’s the best of both worlds.” She pointed to a store ahead. “See, the handbag store still has fall up with the captivating reds and oranges, but next door, the jewelry store has a whimsical winter display.”

“That’s one way to look at it.” The cold began to nip at his fingers. He shoved his hands into his pockets, gleaning what warmth he could. “Personally, I fall into the no Christmas decorations until December camp, but it doesn’t bother me to see them early.”

“What does bother me is when ‘Christmas Sales’ are advertised beginning earlier and earlier. That’s when the commercialism takes over, and I get frustrated.”

“Have you noticed recently there have been more nativities around town and religious-themed outfitting?” He tipped his head in the direction of one he’d seen moments ago. “That gives me hope that our society is coming back to the true meaning of the holiday.”

“I haven’t, but I’ll start looking. How wonderful would that be?” A serene smile settled on her face. “Our church has a live nativity every year, and until I graduated high school, I always participated. One year I was Mary and rode on a donkey. It was only for a short time, yet it left a profound mark on me. I can only imagine how she felt, very pregnant, traveling all that way to Bethlehem.”

“My favorite part of the Christmas story has always been when the angels appear to the shepherds. It’s a fantastical image, and I’ve always thought it gives us a small glimpse of what heaven will be like.”

She shivered and fastened the top button of her coat that she’d previously left undone. “I can’t wait until Christmas, but I don’t want to rush through the next two weeks and forget Thanksgiving.”

“I have an idea. As we pass each store that’s still decorated for fall, let’s count how many turkeys are on each.”

Her eyes lit with intrigue. “Then what?”

He hadn’t thought that far—the idea had been impulsive. “Whichever one has the most, we’ll go there on our next date. It’s like a different version of the penny date.”

She raised a brow and smiled. “Next date?”

“Was I too presumptuous?” He bit his cheek waiting for her answer.

“Not at all.”

Infused with confidence, he reached for her hand, pleased when she didn’t pull away. They continued navigating the square, observing and counting the number of turkeys in each window. It was an absurd game, but it made them laugh.

When all stores had been accounted for, the winner was Lydia’s Bath and Beauty. He grinned at Paige. “I know where Mom’s present will come from this year.”

“You’re really going to come back and buy something?”

He nodded. “That was our rule. Plus, it’s my mom’s favorite store. She has lupus, and Lydia’s carries a line of bath salts that help her feel better when she has a flare-up.”

“My aunt has lupus and has mentioned something about salt baths. Maybe I’ll pick up some for her to try.”

“Mom loves them.” He saw her shiver then noticed her chattering teeth. “It’s getting too cold out here, even bundled up.”

“I tried to ignore it because I’m having fun, but it’s seeping into my bones.” She offered an apologetic glance.

They returned to the car, keeping silent on the way. Once Paige was settled inside, Wes got on the driver’s side and turned on the engine. A blast of cold air hit them. He turned down the heat until the engine had a chance to warm up. Within a mile, they had hot air, and he adjusted the vents to best warm them and then turned on the heated seats.

Paige rubbed her hands together. “The heat is amazing. I didn’t realize how cold I was until the hot air hit me.”

“Fall arrived late, but it sure came with a bang.”

He came to a four-way stop, braked to a complete standstill, and saw no vehicles approaching. Pressing his foot on the accelerator, he entered the intersection.

Paige’s scream pierced his ears. “Stop!”

His foot slammed against the brake pedal, and the car came to a stop, narrowly avoiding a collision with an SUV barreling through the intersection without its headlights on. There was no way the truck had stopped at the sign.

Now that the danger had fled, the seconds of pent-up fear released. Since no other cars were around, he put the car in park and turned on the hazard lights in case anyone approached. His heart thumped against his chest, and he sent a prayer to gratitude to God for protecting them. “How did you see him?”

“I happened to glance out in time to see the light from his cell phone. It looked like he was texting.” Her voice trembled, and it sounded like she gasped for air.

Staring over, he saw her hands shaking. “Thank the Lord you looked up.”

Visibly shaken, she only nodded and didn’t give a verbal response.

“Are you okay?” He narrowed his eyes, guarding her with concern. The ordeal had been terrifying, but they were safe. What was causing the extreme reaction from her?

“I will be.”

Once his heart returned to a normal pace, he turned off the hazards and drove again. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Paige’s unsteady hand. When they arrived at her home, she still displayed physical signs of fear and anxiousness. He hesitated to leave her alone in that condition.

He walked her to the door and saw tears in her eyes. That did it. He wasn’t going anywhere until she was settled. The close call had unleashed something in her, and he wouldn’t abandon her at a low point.

She wiped at her eye. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek. “Would you care for company?”

Nodding, she inserted her key in the doorknob and unlocked it. She pushed the door open and invited him to come in. “Do you drink tea? I could use a soothing cup of chamomile.”

He didn’t, but there was a first time for everything. “Sure. If you tell me where everything is, I can make it.”

“I’ve got it. Have a seat and relax.” Her voice was returning to normal.

After she went into the kitchen, Wes sat on the left side of her brown leather sofa. He looked around the room, taking in the living space. Contrary to the outside of her cabin, the inside had been decorated for autumn. Little woodland creatures sat on the bookshelves, and a pair of scarecrows sat on opposing ends of the television. A brown and orange flannel throw was folded over the sofa. The entire area created an atmosphere of coziness that matched Paige’s personality.

Her approaching footsteps drew him out of his thoughts.

She sat down on the other end of the sofa. “The tea kettle is on. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

“Are you feeling better?” He searched her gaze for any indication.

“Getting there.” She leaned into the corner of the sofa. “I’m sorry for getting all emotional. The close call resurrected a tragic memory.”

“Care to talk about it?”

“I had a childhood friend who, much like your sister, grew up with all the advantages a child could have, but in high school, joined the wrong crowd. Her life spiraled into a chaotic spin of drugs and alcohol.” Her bottom lip quivered. “One night, the summer after we graduated, she got behind the wheel of a car. She’d been drinking and shooting heroin and had no business driving. But she did and ran through an intersection. Slammed into a minivan, killing a young boy and herself.”

He swallowed the emotions balling in his throat. How easily that could have been Jenna. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s been ten years, but I’ll never forget when my parents sat me down to tell me the day after it happened.” More tears spilled over. “It’s all so senseless and preventable. That boy didn’t deserve to die because of Jessica’s terrible decision. And we could have died tonight because someone couldn’t take their eyes off their phone to pay attention to the road.”

All too well, he understood. He slid across the sofa and enveloped her in an embrace, letting her cry out the feelings bottled inside.

This feels right. Was it wrong to experience pleasure in holding her while she cried?

He hadn’t realized she’d stopped and had grabbed a tissue off the end table without moving out of his embrace. She dried her tears and peered at him with red-rimmed eyes. Despite her tearstained face, he found her beautiful. The tears showed her compassionate soul.

Locked in a gaze he couldn’t escape, he traced the trail of tears on her cheek. “Better?”

“Yes.”

The mood shifted from comforting to more. He no longer held her because she needed his soothing embrace. His arms stayed wrapped around her because it’s what they both wanted—to share a moment of closeness.

He pulled her closer, guided her mouth to his. Lowered his lips until they touched hers. The kiss was everything he hadn’t allowed himself to imagine. He deepened the kiss until a high-pitched squeal broke into their romantic interlude.

Paige jumped up, laughed nervously. “The tea kettle.”

He wasn’t too fond of the kettle right now, though he acknowledged it’s impeccable timing of protecting boundaries.

They drank their tea at the table, on separate sides, a little space needed. Even after adding honey and sugar, he wasn’t a fan of the tea. Not wanting to be rude, he stomached the entire cup.

Twenty minutes later, their conversation had turned to laughter. Paige smiled again, and the sorrow inflicted by the near accident had faded. He wished he didn’t have to leave, but the hour was late, and now that she was fine, there was no reason to remain past a decent time.

He lingered at the door to say his goodbyes, kept one hand on her arm. “What are your Thanksgiving plans?”

“My family always has a big mid-day dinner. All the local family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins come over.” Her eyes met his. “You and Myla should come. There’s always plenty.”

Selfish disappointment weighed on him. “We’re taking Myla to see her mom. It’s the first time they’ll see each other since Jenna was admitted.”

A soft smile stretched over her mouth. “That’s wonderful. I’ll pray they have a great visit.”

“Thanks.” An idea formed. “We’ll be home around six. Would you like to come over and share our dinner? It won't be homemade—Mom ordered it from a local restaurant for the first time ever, but with the drive to see Jenna, there won’t be time for her to make a full meal.”

“I’d love to. That’s usually the time the non-immediate family heads out so I wouldn’t feel bad leaving.”

“Great.” He dusted a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Goodnight.”