Page 24 of Sultry Nights

The bell over the door rang, and Hanna hurried out to see who had come in. And there stood Tisha.

Hanna hadn't seen her since that day at the thrift store.

She had those light green eyes, those thick dark lashes. Her hair was cut in such a severe, bob. Straight bangs, and then straight to just below her ears. The light color of her hair did nothing to soften the look.

It was severe looking and she couldn't help but think that Tisha would probably look more welcoming with a softer haircut.

But she seemed to like this aloof and unapproachable demeanor she wore. Maybe it was her armor. Maybe after getting a divorce, she needed something to make her feel empowered and maybe her hairstyle was it.

"Hi, Tisha. How can I help you today?"

"Well, I actually came by to see if you'd like to come to my place for lunch. I have some flooring I'd like you to look at. I have it left over, and I wondered if it would work for your house. And I would like you to see a couple pieces of furniture that I'm ready to get rid of in case you need them."

"Oh, wow. That's really so sweet of you. Thank you so much. I don't want you to feel like I'm a charity case or anything. It was just a mix-up at the thrift store."

Tisha shook her head and held her hand up. "No worries. I don't think you're a charity case. My son loves your cinnamon rolls, by the way, and talks about them all the time. And I remember meeting you and thinking that we are in somewhat of the same situation. Both of us divorced. Both of us have exes that leave a lot to be desired, if that can be said."

Hanna chuckled. “That can be said. That's actually the nicest thing that could be said."

Tisha nodded. “Perfect. Can I expect you at noon? I’ll have something made, although it probably won't be nearly as delicious as what you can make. But I will have lunch so that you can eat. I can show you the flooring and the kitchen table that I have. And I have a couple of other little, small things, and then I'll let you get back to work."

Hanna swallowed. "Thank you, Tisha. That's really very nice. I'll see if my mom can watch the bakery for me for about a half hour. Would that be enough time? I'm not even sure where you live, to be honest."

Tisha's smile crawled across her face. It was almost a little eerie. "I don't live far out of town."

She pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from her purse, and she scribbled down her address, then handed it to Hanna.

"I have a sign out front that says, 'Home of the Barkley’s.' Once you see that sign, you know you're at the right place. It'll only take you about five minutes to get out there. So don't worry about having to leave for too much time, and I will see you at noon."

"Thank you so much, Tisha. Thank you."

She swallowed. If her mom couldn't watch the bakery, maybe Jalyn could come over for a half hour. She watched Tisha's straight, rigid actually, back as she retreated. She almost glided across the floor and out the door.

She climbed into a Lexus, not the pickup truck she drove the other day.

Hanna sighed. Tisha Barkley was way out of her league. What was she even doing, having lunch with her?

It seemed like they were on two very different playing fields. But maybe she needed a friend. So Hanna would go. She stepped into the kitchen and saw her mom putting the pans away.

"Mom, are you able to watch the bakery around noon for half an hour? I've been invited to lunch."

"Oh, a date?"

"Well, not a date, like date date. It's a lady that I met at the thrift store the other night. She was actually bringing a beautiful bathroom vanity in to sell when I was trying to buy mine. And she gave it to me. And she stopped in just now. She wants to have lunch with me. So I thought I would go.”

"Oh, honey, that's really nice. Yes, of course. I can make time to watch the bakery for you. I love seeing you getting out and being social. Now, if you only could find a nice man to have a date with."

Hanna's cheeks burned brightly. She wasn't ready to tell her mom about Quinn. I mean, what could she tell her, anyway? They were just having their second dinner together. And that was it. They hadn't even kissed. So there was really nothing to tell her. And she sure didn't want to get her hopes up. My goodness, she was so excited for her to be with anyone other than Isaac.

At about five minutes to twelve, Hanna climbed into her car and headed toward Tisha's house. Her mind had waffled all morning. Should she go? Should she cancel? Should she go? Should she cancel?

In the end, she decided she needed to go. She had accepted an invitation. And by now, Tisha had probably put effort into making a lunch. So, as her parents had always taught her, follow through with your commitments. And she had committed to lunch. So she would follow through.

The drive just out of town was very pretty from the town limits. As soon as you exited the town proper, the scenery turned into farmlands, lush landscapes, and cows grazing.

It was nice. And it was pretty. She saw the road, according to Tisha's map, and she turned right onto that road. About a half mile down that road was the sign that said Welcome to the Barkley's. And she knew she'd found the right place.

She pulled into the tree-covered driveway. Foliage blocked the view of the house, but as soon as the trees cleared away, she saw a magnificent looking home. It was all brick and stone, two stories. The beautiful lanai on the front was welcoming. Four rocking chairs, set in twos with a table in between on one side of the lanai, and two with a table in between on the other.

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