Page 135 of The Merry Matchmaker

He gave Frankie back her charge card and put the receipt in the bag along with the book. Said nothing. Who knew whether she’d gotten through to him or not?

“I guess I’d better brave the cold and get back to the store,” she said. “Do think about hosting something here. I think it could be a lot of fun.”

“I will,” he said.

“Good.” And maybe, just maybe Elinor would come, and they’d start talking about books and drinking wine, and magic would happen.

Adele had her latte by the time Frankie returned and was perched behind the register, reading her latest novel. “Looks like the stuff’s starting to stick,” she greeted Frankie as she walked in. “Snowmageddon again.”

“I didn’t think we had any predicted for today,” said Frankie as she slipped off her coat.

“Surprise.”

“And not a good one. Shoppers are going to run for home and stay there.”

“Maybe you should close early,” Adele suggested.

“I’ll stay open a little longer,” Frankie said, and went to stow her coat and her book.

Adele handed Frankie her latte when she came back to put on her apron. “I’ll stay long enough to make sure you haven’t been poisoned,” she joked.

“Not funny.”

“How are things at the bookstore?” Adele asked.

Frankie smiled. “Good,” she said. “I think I managed to motivate William.”

Adele shook her head. “We shall see.”

The snow kept falling, and by two in the afternoon Adele had had enough. “I’m leaving. I hate driving in this stuff, and I don’t trust my snow tires.”

Frankie didn’t trust Adele’s driving. “I think you should definitely go home,” she said.

“You should, too.”

“I’ll stay a little longer. I can always get a ride home with Mitch.”

“You should let Elinor leave.”

“Where is she now?”

“I put her to work dusting the Christmas villages.”

Which were at the back of the shop. Which meant Elinor hadn’t seen the snow piling up yet. But once she did, she’d probably want to go, and Frankie wouldn’t blame her.

Although Elinor was used to snow. They’d stay open a while longer.

“Whatever you were concocting, it looks like it didn’t work. Don’t make that poor girl stay here all day when business is dead.”

“I won’t,” Frankie said.

Business wasn’t the only thing that was dead. So was Frankie’s hope that the seeds she’d sown in the bookstore would grow into action and William would come over with a party invitation. William’s brain was not fertile.

Maybe he hadn’t gotten the message. Maybe he needed a stronger one.

As soon as Adele left, Frankie grabbed her phone and brought up the number for Carol Reads, then called it.

William answered right away in his usual quiet, friendly voice.

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