Part 12 (2/2)
”Go home? G.o.d no. I came to enjoy myself with you.”
”Good,” Beth said. ”I'm glad.”
As they started back toward the theater, the music reached an absolute peak. Abrupt silence was broken by applause. Doors opened. The audience started coming out for another intermission.
”Would you like more hot chocolate?” Decker asked.
”Actually, right now I could use some wine.”
”I'll join you.”
10.
Decker escorted Beth through her shadowy gate, into the flower-filled courtyard, pausing beneath the portal and the light that Beth had left on above her front door. She continued to hug her shawl tightly around her. Decker couldn't tell if that was from nervousness.
”You weren't kidding about how cool it can get at night, even in July.” Beth inhaled deeply, savoring something. ”What's that scent in the air? It smells almost like sage.”
”It's probably from the chamisa bushes that line your drive-way. They're related to sagebrush.”
Beth nodded, and Decker was certain now that she was indeed nervous. ”Well.” She held out her hand. ”Thank you for a wonderful evening.”
”My pleasure.” Decker shook hands with her. ”And again, I apologize for leaving you alone.”
Beth shrugged. ”I wasn't offended. Actually, I'm used to it. It's the sort of thing my husband did. He was always interrupting social evenings to take business calls or make them.”
”I'm sorry if I brought back painful memories.”
”It's not your fault. Don't worry about it.” Beth glanced down, then up. ”This was a big step for me. Last night and tonight are the first times since Ray died ...” She hesitated. ”... that I've gone out with another man.”
”I understand.”
”I often wondered if I'd be able to make myself go through with it,” Beth said. ”Not just the awkwardness of dating again after having been married for ten years, but even more ...” She hesitated again. ”The fear that I'd be disloyal to Ray.”
”Even though he's gone,” Decker said.
Beth nodded.
”Emotional ghosts,” Decker said.
”Exactly.”
”And?” Decker asked. ”How do you feel now?”
”You mean, aside from having flashbacks to being a nervous teenager on the doorstep saying good night to her first date?” Beth chuckled. ”I think...” She sobered. ”It's complicated.”
”I'm sure it is.”
”I'm glad I did it.” Beth took a long breath. ”No regrets. I meant what I said. Thank you for a wonderful evening.” She looked pleased with herself. ”Hey, I was even adult enough to do the asking, to invite you to go out with me.”
Decker laughed. ”I enjoyed being asked. If you'd let me, I'd like to return the favor.”
”Yes,” Beth said. ”Soon.”
”Soon,” Decker echoed, knowing that she meant she needed a little distance.
Beth pulled a key from a small purse and put it into the lock. In the foothills, coyotes howled. ”Good night.”
”Good night.”
11.
Wary, Decker checked for surveillance as he went home. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In the days to come, he remained vigilant in his search for anyone watching him, but his efforts achieved no results. McKittrick and his team were no longer in evidence. Perhaps Edward had relayed Decker's message. The surveillance had been called off.
FOUR.
1.
It seemed to happen slowly, but in retrospect, there was an inevitability about it that made Decker think time was hurrying them. He saw Beth often in the days to come, giving her advice about the mundane matters of where the best grocery stores were and how to find the nearest post office and whether there were real-life reasonably priced stores away from the expensive touristy boutiques near the Plaza.
Decker took Beth hiking up the arroyo next to St. John's College, past the Wilderness Gate subdivision, to the top of Atalaya Mountain. It was a measure of how good her physical condition was that she was able to complete the three-hour hike, even though her body had not yet fully adjusted to the high alt.i.tude. Decker took her to the ma.s.sive flea market that occurred on weekends on a field below the opera house. They went to the Indian cliff-dwelling ruins at Bandelier National Monument. They played tennis at the Sangre de Cristo Racquet Club. When they got tired of New Mexican food, they ate turkey meat loaf and gravy at Harry's Roadhouse. Often they just barbecued chicken at Beth's place or Decker's. They went to foreign movies at the Jean Cocteau Cinema and Coffee House. They went to Indian Market and the related auction at the Wheelwright Museum, only a short walk from Camino Lindo. They went to the horse races and the Pojoaque Pueblo casino. Then on Thursday, September 1, at eleven in the morning, Beth met Decker at the Santa Fe Abstract and t.i.tle company, signed doc.u.ments, handed over a check, and gained owners.h.i.+p of her house.
2.
”Let's celebrate,” Beth said.
”You're going to hate me for saying I've got several appointments I absolutely have to keep.”
”I didn't mean right now.” Beth nudged him. ”I might be stealing all your time, but I do admit, once in a while you have to make a living. I meant tonight. I'm sick of eating fat-free white meat all the time. Let's be sinful and barbecue two juicy T-bones. I'll bake some potatoes and make a salad.”
<script>