Page 35 of When Love Is Lost and Found

"I do? How did that happen?" I ask, wiping my face with the back of my hand.

"I don't know, but you didn't get it. It's right there."

"Where?" I ask, wiping my cheek again.

"No, right here," he says, wiping his cheek.

"Did I get it?"

"No. Here, let me."

He uses his thumb to wipe my cheek while his eyes linger on mine.

"You're beautiful," he says.

"Thank you."

"I can see why Jimmy fell in love with you."

***

"Knock, knock," I say through the closed screen door. "Anybody home?"

"Hi, Miss Sharon," Loren says, opening the door. "I just got home from church."

"Yeah, the Linders did, too."

"Jon introduced me to his parents this morning. I asked about you."

"I haven't been to church since Jimmy's funeral."

"I'm sorry," she says, reaching for my hand. "Come in and have some lemonade with me."

I sit at the table while she pours cold lemonade into two tall glasses.

"Mr. Linder and Jon are building Noah's swing set today, so I figured I'd come by to say hello."

"I went to the bank yesterday morning," Loren says, handing me the lemonade. "Patrick asked about you."

"Who?"

"Patrick, the loan officer at the bank."

"I'm sorry," I say. "That was almost a week ago. I can't believe he remembers me."

"You made quite an impression on him. He asked if Jon was your boyfriend."

"Jon? Really?"

"Yes, and when I told him he wasn't, he asked if you were dating anyone."

"Wow," I say, "and what did you tell him?"

"I told him you don't date."

"Thank you," I say, breathing a sigh of relief.

"No, no," she says, "that didn't dissuade him. He said he can wait until you do."

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