Page 64 of More Than a Good Friend

Her smile widens. “Sure thing. Whatever you need.”

“Great. I have this friend, and she was in here weeks ago on a first date. The guy she was with was...” I’m not sure how to finish the sentence because I don’t want to make the guy sound like a complete loser. “Different.”

“I think maybe I know who you’re talking about. He wanted the friendlier side of the restaurant.”

“That’s him. Well, that was her date. My friend is the pretty lady who was with him. And at some point during the evening, she lost an earring. Has anyone turned one in?”

The hostess scans the restaurant. “Not that I know of, but the waitress from that night is working. Let me grab her.”

“Thanks so much.” While I wait, I look around the floor in the waiting area. The earring isn’t that big. It could be anywhere.

A blonde woman walks up and rests a hand on my arm. “Hi. You wanted me?”

“No. Not you. Information. I’m looking for an earring. Are you the waitress?”

She keeps her hand on my arm, which is weird. “I am. And she did leave it. Not on purpose. I found it in her chair, but the guy—her date—said he’d give it to her.”

“Bummer. Thanks.” I drop onto a bench outside the place. Finding her favorite earring seemed like such a great idea. But now the mood-ring dude has it. Goldie is never getting it back because she’d have to see him again, and I know she’d loathe that idea.

I stand and start walking back toward the truck. This was a bust.

As I turn the corner, a woman comes out of a shop and slams right into me. Her bags fall, and she starts yelling, “Look what you did. I dropped my stuff. If my shoes or jewelry got damaged, you’ll be paying for them.”

I pick up both bags and hand them to her. “You should watch where you’re going. Did you say jewelry?”

She rolls her eyes, then stomps away.

A clerk pokes her head out of the store where the rude lady came from. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good.” That’s when I notice that it’s a jewelry store. “Do y’all just sell stuff or do you make custom pieces?”

“Here, we sell stuff.” She steps out and closes the door. “But I can give you the name of a place that does made-to-order pieces. They aren’t open today.”

“That’d be great. My good friend lost an earring, and it was her favorite set.”

“How sweet. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” She pulls a pen out of her pocket. “Do you have any paper?”

“Just write it on my hand.” I hold it out.

She writes two numbers on my hand. “The store is the top one. And that one is mine in case you have any other questions.”

I tip my hat. “Thanks a bunch.”

As soon as I get to the truck, I need to put the store’s number in my phone because the first time I wash my hands, the number will vanish. And the other lady seemed nice, but I’m not collecting phone numbers right now.

* * *

I knockon Goldie’s door and wait for her to open instead of barging in. Just in case. Of what, I don’t know.

She yanks open the door. “You could’ve just come in. Unlike you, I don’t walk around my cabin half dressed.”

“Good to know.” I sniff the mouth-watering smell of buttered popcorn. “Did you do the thing where you let the butter bubble before pouring it over the popcorn?”

“Same as always. You cue up the movie, I’m going to grab a blanket.”

She’s always cold. I’m rarely cold. That to me sounds like a good match. I could warm her up. But I won’t say it like that because it sounds like an innuendo. And I don’t mean it that way.

I have the movie ready when she walks out, dragging her fuzzy blanket. “I’ve got the popcorn and the remote. I’m ready when you are.”

---