The following Monday morning, David stepped out of Henning’s Home Brew coffee shop in Lehi with six steaming cups of java and a plan up his sleeve. As he put on his sunglasses and walked to his truck, his steps felt a little lighter. Even the barista behind the counter, who he’d come to know on a first-name basis after his many trips to the shop, made a comment about him being more chipper than usual.

He couldn’t help it. He’d thought about Candice all weekend, and he decided the best excuse he could use to get inside her office first thing that morning was with a cup of coffee. He was determined to speak to her—and often—and he was going to do whatever it took to be there every time she turned around. He figured she would either get really tired of it and tell him to hit the road for good or she would admire his persistence and decide to go on a date with him.

He settled the cardboard carrier full of drinks on the passenger seat of his truck, and when he jumped inside, roared the engine to life, and drove to work, he chose not to dwell on conversation starters and just go with the flow. It was easier and far less intimidating that way, and he wanted Candice to feel at ease around him and not feel like she was talking to someone with a rehearsed speech.

He pulled into the lot at work and parked his vehicle, and his heart beat double-time when he saw Candice’s car just a couple of spaces down from his. David carefully removed the cup carrier from the passenger side and started for the entrance. Before knocking on her office door, he looked around to make sure no one was watching and straightened his tie and ran a hand through his hair and beard to flatten any stray strands. One last deep breath and he was knocking on Candice’s office door. When she called for him to enter, he slowly opened it and stepped inside, being extra careful not to spill anything.

“Good morning,” he said. “I was in Henning’s a little while ago, and I thought you might like some coffee.”

Candice stood as soon as he entered the room, and he nearly tripped over his own two feet when he saw her. She had on a navy-blue dress that hugged her curves, and she wore her hair down this time. It flowed in soft waves over her shoulders and around her neck, and David was momentarily tongue-tied. She gave him a bashful smile, but when he went to remove one of the cups from the carrier, she held out a hand to stop him.

“That is so sweet of you, David. I appreciate the thought, but I don’t drink coffee. I’m so sorry.”

He felt his face redden with embarrassment, but he shrugged it off. He could tell she truly felt bad for him, and so he kept his smile and acted casual. “It’s no problem. I’ll take it to the shop and give it to Braxton. That man drinks so much coffee, I’d be shocked if it didn’t run through his veins.”

His comment made her laugh, but he still didn’t detect anything in her demeanor that might insinuate she was the least bit interested in him. She fidgeted with the papers in her hand like she was anxious for him to leave, and she rarely made eye contact.

Feeling dejected, David turned to go so he wouldn’t make an even bigger fool out of himself. She thanked him again and he wished her a good day before making a hasty retreat. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he took off in the direction of the back door that would take him to the shop behind the main building.

As he walked through the corridors at MBC, he forced a smile when he met his coworkers. Two of them stopped him to ask a couple of questions about a construction project they were working on, and David tried not to let his solemn mood spill over into his work. He was normally a very upbeat and positive person, but his relationship with Candice, if you could even call it that, was starting to drag him down. There were times when he thought he detected a glimmer of interest on her part, but more often than not, he had no clue what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

As he exited through the back door and walked the short distance to the shop, he found several of his coworkers there, including Braxton, loading lumber and other supplies onto one of the company flatbed trucks. Braxton held a clipboard and pen in his hands, and he was busy bellowing orders to the other men while counting what was on the truck to make sure everything was in order.

If nothing else, at least he knew where he stood with Braxton. The two had formed a close friendship since David’s first day on the job, and it was nice having someone to talk to in a city where he was still practically a stranger. He’d become friends with Braxton’s wife, Lynda, and his eight-year-old daughter, Andrea, too, and he’d spent a few evenings eating dinner at their home. He enjoyed the laughs and conversation, and it certainly beat spending evenings alone at his house where the only thing there to keep him company was his next-door neighbor’s German shepherd, who insisted on using his front porch swing as a bed every night.

“Free coffee!” he yelled.

Braxton came running as soon as he saw the familiar green and brown Henning’s Home Brew cups in his hand. David wasn’t thirsty anymore, so he gave his coffee away, too, and it wasn’t long before the cups were gone. He threw the empty carrier in a nearby trashcan before splaying his hands through his hair and letting out a disgruntled groan.

“I don’t get it,” he exclaimed to Braxton, as soon as the other men left and he couldn’t be overheard. “I keep messing up every time I turn around. I can’t get anything right.”

Braxton stopped what he was doing and leaned against one of the forklifts for support before taking a sip from his cup. “What’s the matter with you? Did you run over someone’s pet this morning on your way to work?”

He flashed him a sarcastic grin, which David returned with an eye roll. “Is there something wrong with me, Braxton? I spent all weekend trying to come up with some way I could talk to Candice and win her over. So, I brought her some coffee this morning, and she told me she doesn’t even drink it.”

Braxton shrugged. “I could’ve told you that. I think she’s the only one around here who doesn’t care for it.”

David threw his hands in the air. He was beyond frustrated, but at least he had someone to vent to. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I guess she just doesn’t like me. Do I look funny? Do I smell bad?”

He sniffed his shirt and Braxton chuckled before taking another sip of his coffee. “I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.”

David gave him a curious look as he walked over and stood beside him. He leaned against the forklift and crossed his arms over his chest. “Then please explain to me what is going on because I’m out of answers.”

Braxton looked around to make sure none of the other men had wandered back over in their direction. “I didn’t feel like it was my place to mention it, but seeing that your head is about to explode, I guess I’ll go ahead and tell you. Candice was married once, and her husband, Barry, died last year. They have a six-year-old daughter named Sarah.”

David was stunned, and at first, he didn’t know how to respond. “I had no idea. She’s never mentioned it, and she doesn’t have any photos in her office, so I just assumed she wasn’t married.”

Braxton nodded. “She rarely talks about the accident or her private life. If I was a gambling man, I would bet that’s the reason why she acts the way she does and why she turned you down when you asked her out. She and Barry started dating when they were sophomores in high school, and they married not long after graduation. As far as I know, she hasn’t dated anyone since he died.”

David frowned. “That does explain a lot. Now I wish I hadn’t been so pushy.”

He felt embarrassed again, but this time for an entirely different reason, and he wanted more than anything to start over and do things differently. He’d never lost a loved one, so he had no idea what that must feel like, and he could only imagine the pain she and her daughter must’ve endured.

“She’s probably worried you’ll run for the hills if you find out she’s a single mother,” Braxton explained.

David fervently shook his head. “That doesn’t bother me at all. I like kids, and her circumstances don’t change the way I feel about her. Actually, it makes me admire her even more.”

Braxton took one last sip of coffee and threw his empty cup away. “If I could offer any advice, it would be to not give up. I’ve known Candice since kindergarten, and she’s a very sweet person. You might be just what she needs to help her move on and start dating again.”

David nodded. “I’m way too stubborn to give up, but I’m glad you told me what’s going on. I just wish Candice felt like she could open up to me about it. Hopefully, that will change with time. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

Braxton took out his clipboard again and continued assessing the lumber and supplies on the flatbed trailer. “So, what’s your next move? Are you going to try asking her out again?”

David thought for a moment. “I will ask her out, but this time I plan on doing things differently. I’d like to get to know Sarah, too, so give me some ideas where I could take her and Candice that both of them would enjoy.”

Braxton leaned against the trailer and crossed his ankles. He sorted through the papers on his clipboard until he came to an empty page and started writing. “Let’s see. There’s Antelope Island, which is a state park in Salt Lake City. There are a ton of things to do there like pedal boating, hiking, and boat tours. It stays busy year-round, but it’s a lot of fun. There are some parks in Lehi, too, with hiking trails and picnic areas. Of course, you could always go with the usual stuff like taking them to a movie or a museum. Take this home with you and look these places up online. You can find out all the information you need that way.”

He scribbled down Antelope Island and several other places before handing the sheet of paper to David, who glanced at it briefly before folding it and slipping it inside his shirt pocket. Braxton straightened the papers on his clipboard. “Okay,” he said. “Now that I’ve straightened out your love life, let’s get to work.”

David laughed. “Whatever you say.”