Page 17 of Gary
“He has been in the shop twice already and we talked.” She laughed again, the sound breathless with wonder. “He is unbelievably cute, with all this black hair and piercing gray eyes and he is tall and muscular.
His shoulders are broad, and he has this way of looking at me as if he…” She shook her head. “But he has not been back, and I might be reading too much into something that’s not there. He is part Italian and just returned from that country.”
“You like him.”
“I like him. But…! Oh Mom!” She sighed softly. “It’s been a while since I have been interested in anyone that way. The breakup with Shaun was so painful. So much so, I made up my mind that I would never allow anyone that close again, not right now.”
Sharon placed a hand over her daughter’s and squeezed lightly. “That was a year ago and it’s time to get back out there. If that young man is good enough, I say go for it. Start out slow and work from there.”
She shook her head with a derisive laugh. “I am not even certain he is interested. Like I said, he has not been back.”
“I trust your instinct and I want to see my baby girl finding happiness. It’s my dream to see you married and having babies.”
Sadie laughed, eyes twinkling. “Mom, this guy is a stranger. It’s strange how you have us married and giving you grandkids.”
“One can but hope.” Leaning over, she kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Finish the snack and get some rest.”
“Thanks mom. I love you.”
“I love you too, honey.” She left and closed the door behind her.
Finishing the tea and cookies, Sadie put the tray away and gathered up the papers she had been working on.
She had to admit that he had made an impression. When he left abruptly two days ago, she had been disappointed. And had been staring at the door to see if he would visit. She might have misread the situation, but she was sure there was something between them.
She was by nature cautious and especially after what Shaun had done to her, it made her even more so. Shying away from the painful memories, she slid off the bed and went to the vanity mirror to deal with her hair.
Sitting on the stool, she stared at her reflection objectively. She was beautiful, that was something she knew without being vain. She had inherited her mother’s looks, and her father had oftenteased that God must have found favor with him as he was surrounded by the two most beautiful women in the world.
He had called her his princess and treated her like one. He had died three years ago, and she still missed him. She still expected him to walk into her room and ask about her day. The old house was demolished, and she was grateful for it because she did not think she could bear the memories behind those walls.
A freak accident. That was what the authorities had ruled his death as. A faulty electrical wiring had set the place ablaze. He was not supposed to be home. She had gone to work, and her mother was at school.
He was supposed to be at work at the accounting firm, but he had left early because he was not feeling well. The blessing was that he had died from a heart attack and not from the horrible fire. Some blessing, she thought bitterly.
Heaving out a breath, she tackled her hair.
*****
He came the next day. Sadie was just tidying up after the last customer, an elderly man who had sat at the table and engaged her in conversation while he slowly ate his croissant, loaded with bacon and cheese, and told her his life story and how active he had been in combat.
He had had two cups of chai tea and had eaten two more cranberry muffins before reluctantly leaving.
She was about to make herself some coffee when she heard the doorbell tinkle and there he was. Lord have mercy! The man was dangerously handsome and wearing all black.
Black sweater stretched across his wide shoulders and chest and the black jeans that highlighted his long legs. Black boots completed the ensemble, and his dark hair was windblown.
He stood there, just inside the doorway, his gray eyes meeting hers in a hypnotic gaze she could not break.
When he moved forward, she found the strength to greet him and was sure her smile wobbled. His masculine scent wafted up her nostrils and made her want to take a bite out of his strong neck.
“Hi.” His deep voice sent shivers all over her body.
“Hi, yourself.” She wanted to ask him where he had been and why he had not been in the last two days, but commonsense kept her from blurting it out. “The usual?”
“Before we get to that, there is something I need to say.”
He was married and wanted to have an affair. She was going to have to say no, as tempted as she was to say yes.