Page 6 of Heartbeat

Sean swallowed his last bite, washed it down with another sip of coffee, and then looked up.

“Do you need me to pick up anything in town before I come home this evening?”

“There’s a list on the counter if you want to mess with it, but nothing urgent. I can take myself there anytime I want,” she said.

“I’ll take the list,” he said, and winked.

Shirley laughed. The only times Sean willingly agreed to a supermarket run were when he came home with a sack full of snacks. “What? Is your office stash running short?”

He grinned. “Something like that, and you can always call me if you think of something to add to it.”

“Since you’re out of your office here all day, what are you doing about your other clients?” she asked.

“I sent a blanket email telling them to leave details about what they need, and left a voicemail on my office phone, so if it rings, ignore it.” Then he got up and carried his dishes to the sink.

“Just leave them, son. I’ll clean up after you’re gone,” Shirley said.

“Okay, and thanks for breakfast. Be careful. Love you, and if you do go anywhere, just text me to let me know, okay?”

“Absolutely,” Shirley said, then watched him pocket the grocery list. She followed him to the living room, then stood in the doorway, watching as he crossed the frost-covered grass to get in the van. She shivered slightly from the chill in the air, but didn’t go back inside until he was out of her sight.

Chapter 2

The drive down the mountain was uneventful, and Sean was heading toward the main drag downtown on the east side of the tourist area when he caught a glimpse of the new sign on the front window of the business center.

A.LINCOLN,CPA

When they’d spoken on the phone, she’d introduced herself as Amalie.Ah-mah-lee.It was a beautiful name. It sounded French. He’d never heard it before. She’d sounded young, but identifying age by the sound of a voice was deceptive. He bypassed parking at the curb and headed for the parking lot behind the bank instead. It was five minutes past nine when he grabbed a large toolbox from his van and headed for the back entrance.

There was one person coming out of the insurance agency, and another entering the door from the street as he entered the hallway and kept walking all the way to the front, until he came to an office door with the same gold lettering on the glass.

The door was unlocked. He turned the knob and walked in.

She was standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips, obviously eyeing the layout of desks, cabinets, tables, and computers, but the only view he had of her was from the back—a tall, slender woman wearing skinny jeans and a sweatshirt hanging just below her hips, and with dark hair that fell way below her shoulders.

He cleared his throat.

“Miss Lincoln?”

Amalie jumped and turned. There was a fraction of a second when she felt a moment of recognition, and then she blinked, and the thought was gone.

Sean thought little of the white streak in her hair. He’d seen plenty of women with all kinds of color streaks, but he could have sworn they’d met before.

“I’m Sean Pope. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Slightly flustered, and trying not to stare at the giant man who’d just entered her office, she began talking to offset the awkwardness she felt.

“No, no. Totally my fault. I’ve moved that desk three times in the last twenty minutes, and I still don’t know if it’s where it needs to be. It’s as lost and out of order as I am,” she said.

Her simple admission of trying to fit what was into what is resonated.

Sean put his toolbox aside. “Tell me what you want moved.”

“Really? Thank you! I can help,” she said.

“No, ma’am. I have long arms and a strong back. What needs to be moved first?”

“I want a reception area, but right now, I’ll be on my own. As my business grows, I’ll hire staff as the need arises,” she said. “I was thinking this small desk could…”

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