doorway of his back office. He looked handsome in his dark blue suit and striped tie.
“Morning.” He smiled, causing flurries to erupt in Maria’s stomach.
She put away her winter things and walked over to him. “Morning,” she murmured back. How she longed to touch his clean-shaven face or slip beneath his arm and rest her cheek against his solid chest. Instead she had to satisfy herself with standing as close as she dared in the company of the twins.
“Would you like to have lunch with me today?” he asked, his voice low.
She peered up at him. “Of course.”
“There’s just…” His smile had faded, replaced by an almost regretful look. “I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“Is everything all right? Does your mother mind that I’m coming to your aunt’s party tomorrow night?”
Dale shook his head and chuckled. “No, my mother is so thrilled you’re coming she can talk of little else.”
“Then what is it?” A whisper of concern blew through her, making her shiver.
“Nothing to worry about.” He linked his hand in hers, and when the twins weren’t looking, brought her fingers to his lips. His touch swept away any lingering worry.
Maria longed to stay there, at Dale’s side, but the bank door opened, signaling the start of what she felt certain would be a busy day. “All right, then. I’ll wait to hear at lunch.” She squeezed his hand and offered him a smile before he released her to go sit at her teller window.
The morning flew by in a frenzy of helping patrons, but Maria didn’t mind. She smiled and teased and wished everyone a “Merry Christmas,” confident nothing could mar her good mood today.
Near the lunch hour, the stream of people trickled to a scanty few, allowing Maria a good view of each person who came through the door. A young lady, near her own age, with glossy brown hair entered the bank and looked around as though searching for someone.
“May I help you?” Maria asked cheerfully when the girl approached her window. The fashionable cut of the girl’s winter coat and scarf clearly revealed she came from money.
The young woman nodded, shooting Maria a shy sort of smile. “Could you tell me where I may find Dale Emerson? This is the bank he manages, correct?”
A bit of her earlier nerves returned to the pit of Maria’s stomach, though she wasn’t sure why. “Yes, Mr. Emerson is the manager here.”
“Will you ask him if he has a few minutes to see Felicity? He’ll know who I am.”
Prickles of dread crawled up Maria’s spine, making the hairs on her neck stand up. What did Felicity want with Dale?
Maria swallowed her suddenly dry throat and pasted on a friendly expression. “One moment. I’ll see if he’s available.”
He loves you , she told herself as she moved past Lawrence and James, out the gate, and to the front office. Not Felicity.
Still, it took her a moment to wrestle memories of being Friedrick’s second choice from her mind before she could confidently knock at Dale’s door. She waited for his reply, then stepped inside.
“Maria?” He straightened in his chair, his gaze instantly warm. “Is it lunchtime already?”
“Not quite.” She partially shut the door behind her. “There’s a woman here to see you.”
“About a loan?”
Maria shook her head. Why should she fear Felicity’s presence? “Actually it’s Felicity who wants to see you.”
Surprise colored his face. “Felicity is here?”
“Yes. Do you want me to send her in?”
He reached up to loosen his tie, and this time, Maria didn’t have the heart to correct him. “I suppose.”
She turned to open the door.
“Maria?”
She glanced over her shoulder at him, once again struck by the realization of how wonderful a man he was. He embodied goodness, decency, wit, and confidence. And she couldn’t think of a handsomer face, patch or not.
“As soon as this meeting with Felicity is over, let’s you and I go get our lunch. All right?”
Maria
“Morning.” He smiled, causing flurries to erupt in Maria’s stomach.
She put away her winter things and walked over to him. “Morning,” she murmured back. How she longed to touch his clean-shaven face or slip beneath his arm and rest her cheek against his solid chest. Instead she had to satisfy herself with standing as close as she dared in the company of the twins.
“Would you like to have lunch with me today?” he asked, his voice low.
She peered up at him. “Of course.”
“There’s just…” His smile had faded, replaced by an almost regretful look. “I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“Is everything all right? Does your mother mind that I’m coming to your aunt’s party tomorrow night?”
Dale shook his head and chuckled. “No, my mother is so thrilled you’re coming she can talk of little else.”
“Then what is it?” A whisper of concern blew through her, making her shiver.
“Nothing to worry about.” He linked his hand in hers, and when the twins weren’t looking, brought her fingers to his lips. His touch swept away any lingering worry.
Maria longed to stay there, at Dale’s side, but the bank door opened, signaling the start of what she felt certain would be a busy day. “All right, then. I’ll wait to hear at lunch.” She squeezed his hand and offered him a smile before he released her to go sit at her teller window.
The morning flew by in a frenzy of helping patrons, but Maria didn’t mind. She smiled and teased and wished everyone a “Merry Christmas,” confident nothing could mar her good mood today.
Near the lunch hour, the stream of people trickled to a scanty few, allowing Maria a good view of each person who came through the door. A young lady, near her own age, with glossy brown hair entered the bank and looked around as though searching for someone.
“May I help you?” Maria asked cheerfully when the girl approached her window. The fashionable cut of the girl’s winter coat and scarf clearly revealed she came from money.
The young woman nodded, shooting Maria a shy sort of smile. “Could you tell me where I may find Dale Emerson? This is the bank he manages, correct?”
A bit of her earlier nerves returned to the pit of Maria’s stomach, though she wasn’t sure why. “Yes, Mr. Emerson is the manager here.”
“Will you ask him if he has a few minutes to see Felicity? He’ll know who I am.”
Prickles of dread crawled up Maria’s spine, making the hairs on her neck stand up. What did Felicity want with Dale?
Maria swallowed her suddenly dry throat and pasted on a friendly expression. “One moment. I’ll see if he’s available.”
He loves you , she told herself as she moved past Lawrence and James, out the gate, and to the front office. Not Felicity.
Still, it took her a moment to wrestle memories of being Friedrick’s second choice from her mind before she could confidently knock at Dale’s door. She waited for his reply, then stepped inside.
“Maria?” He straightened in his chair, his gaze instantly warm. “Is it lunchtime already?”
“Not quite.” She partially shut the door behind her. “There’s a woman here to see you.”
“About a loan?”
Maria shook her head. Why should she fear Felicity’s presence? “Actually it’s Felicity who wants to see you.”
Surprise colored his face. “Felicity is here?”
“Yes. Do you want me to send her in?”
He reached up to loosen his tie, and this time, Maria didn’t have the heart to correct him. “I suppose.”
She turned to open the door.
“Maria?”
She glanced over her shoulder at him, once again struck by the realization of how wonderful a man he was. He embodied goodness, decency, wit, and confidence. And she couldn’t think of a handsomer face, patch or not.
“As soon as this meeting with Felicity is over, let’s you and I go get our lunch. All right?”
Maria
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