Page 64 of Dangerous December
The dimple in his left cheek deepened. “I always thought a dozen siblings would have been nice, so I could get lost in the crowd. Maybe I would have ended up following in Dad’s footsteps if he hadn’t harped on it so much.”
Their hands brushed as they walked and she veered away, but he caught her hand and held on for a few strides, then released his hold when they reached Main.
The stores weren’t yet open and the streets were nearly empty, save for the cars nosed to the curb in front of the Dancing Lily tearoom, which offered scones and French pastries during the morning hours.
“Do you have time for coffee?”
She looked up at the old-fashioned clock jutting out over the door to Ray’s Barbershop. The hands, shaped like scissors, were always at least twenty minutes fast, so it had to be close to ten. Still, she wavered before shaking her head. “I need to get back. The Happy Frogs day-care group is coming for a tour, so I need to get ready.”
“I bet that’ll be wild.”
“It is, but I love it. Kids that age are so precious.”
She hadn’t meant to sound wistful. She usually took care to keep her inner longing well hidden from family and friends, because they’d invariably urge her to date more—as if that would instantly lead to white picket fences, apple pies on the sill, and two or three perfect kids.
Only her mother and Dev knew the score in that regard. No happily-ever-afters, no stair-step kids with her long auburn curls, all lined up in their Sunday best for church each week.
They continued down the block, past the quilting shops, the high-end galleries, and the boutiques with price tags carefully hidden from the stares of passersby.
“So how come you haven’t remarried yet?”
She’d hoped he’d missed the wistful tone in her voice, and she’d just breathed an inner sigh of relief. Now, his question gave her a sucker punch in the middle.
“I...date. Occasionally. I’ve met wonderful guys and enjoyed their company, but I like my life as it is. I’m content, aren’t you?We both ended up with what we wanted, or we’d be leading totally different lives right now.” She wasbabblingand couldn’t seem to stop. “I mean...being single means you can do what you want, when you want, and not answer to anyone.”
At his continuing silence as they took a right and the Walker Building came into view, she ventured a quick glance at him.
At least he wasn’t laughing...or worse, radiating sympathy for the pathetic ex-wife who apparently had no life.
He stopped in front of the building, where a new forest-green sign was leaning against the front. “What do you think of the sign?”
Old-fashioned gilt letters swirled out the nameSloane Sports—nearly identical to the style of the sign over at the boarding house. “It’s beautiful. Great name, too...easy to remember.”
He stared down at her, his eyes intent and searching her own. “I really enjoyed walking with you. Maybe another time?”
“Just holler if you see me. I try to get out every day, rain or shine.”
He strolled away and she continued on to her store, reining in the temptation to look back.
Just a walk. A casual conversation.
Nothing more than she’d enjoy with anyone else in town...yet she could still feel the tingle in the hand he’d held, and still felt that little sense of loss when he’d released it.
There was no use denying it to herself. The old chemistry was still there, at least for her. It fanned brighter every time she ran into him, no matter how brief and innocuous the meeting. But she wouldn’t let it go further.
How hard was it going to be, with him establishing his business just down the street?
Her heart caught painfully at the thought. What would it be like when he brought a girlfriend back to town someday, or even a wife?
She closed her eyes. Said a little prayer.
Then she hurried on to her meeting with the Happy Frogs, and hoped she’d someday be able to forget her feelings for Devlin Sloane.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Beth cradled her mug of hot tea with both hands and studied Sophie’s worried expression. “You’ve just got one semester left, right? Surely things will work out.”
Sophie fingered the wedding rings she still wore on her left hand. “I hope so...but it’s all like a house of cards, just waiting for the first breeze. My financial aid is half what it was last year, and now the restaurant is cutting back its hours over the winter, because business has been slow.”
