Free Evolving Dreams (New Beginnings Series) by Mandie Tepe Page A

a group of three women came into the shop laughing. “Be right with you, ladies,” Trish called. She walked around the counter and handed Meg a beautifully wrapped package containing her new shoes and the wrap. “Thanks for coming in, Meg. This was fun.”
    “Thank you ,” Meg said as she took the package from her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh! I have to go. My team meeting starts in about an hour so I’d better get back. Thanks again!” Then she gave Trish a quick hug and hustled out the door.
    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
    When Trace got home the next day, Meg was in the bathroom getting ready for their date. He knocked lightly on the door to let her know he would be out of the shower and ready to go shortly. When he walked back down the hall in charcoal dress slacks, a mutely striped gray shirt with a navy blazer, his hair still damp from his shower, Meg was just stepping out of her bedroom.
    He stopped in his tracks, “Whoa! You look beautiful. Maybe I should change—at least put on a tie.”
    Meg laughed, “No, you shouldn’t. You look beautiful.” And he did. The blues and grays of his shirt made his ocean-gray eyes glow.
    Trace shook his head. “That dress is something!” He came closer lifted her hand over her head and turned her in a slow circle. “Gorgeous.”
    “Trish gets the credit. She found the dress for me at her boutique.”
    “Well, as grateful as I am to Trish for helping you out, I don’t think she deserves the credit for how beautiful you look. Not that you don’t always look beautiful,” he added quickly. “But . . . man!”
    Meg picked up her bag and her wrap, then they walked out to his Jeep. “I hate to put you in my old Jeep looking as glamorous as you do.”
    Meg just laughed and hopped on in.
    They drove up the coast a while and pulled into the parking lot of what looked like a large houseboat surrounded by a dock. It was lovely—painted white with nautical blue trim and white twinkling lights threaded through fish nets that hung from the weathered dock railings. Trace pulled up to the entrance and one of two valet parking attendants jogged over to help Meg out of the passenger seat. Trace handed over his keys and accepted the claim ticket, then held out his arm for Meg. They walked up a short gangplank and under a rustic sign reading “The Harborview” arched over the door of the restaurant. Once inside, they were immediately seated on the open-water side of the room with large windows that overlooked the beginning of a spectacular sunset.
    They perused the menu for a few moments while the busboy filled their water glasses. “The surf and turf is my favorite, but everything is good here. What sounds good to you?” Trace asked.
    “I’m thinking the crab and lobster pasta,” she replied. “With a Caesar salad.”
    “Okay. Do you want wine?”
    “Just one glass, thanks. You choose.”
    Their waiter arrived just then and Trace ordered for them and added an appetizer of crab-stuffed mushrooms as well. After the waiter left to place their order, Trace leaned back in his chair and studied Meg.
    “It seems like we haven’t had a chance to spend much time together the last couple of days. You came in really late last night. How are the planning sessions coming along?”
    “They’re going well. Last night we assigned responsibilities to everyone so they’ll know what they should be concentrating on. How about you? How is your week going so far?”
    “Just routine—nothing new or exciting. Let’s not talk about work tonight. We talk about those things all the time. What else is new?”
    “Um . . . I heard from my mom. They’re having a good time on the cruise. I think she mainly called because she hadn’t been able to get in touch with my sister, Maura, this morning. Maura is in the third trimester of her pregnancy so my mom worries. Well, we all do. She had a hard time at the end of her