to wash my hands.
“I can still see, girlie.” Her eyes widened. “You’ve got chocolate in your hair.”
“I know.” I tried stomping to the bathroom, winced at the pain in my ankle, and resorted to sulking as I pushed open the door. The sink seemed suddenly tiny. No way would my head fit under the faucet.
I grabbed a handful of paper towels and shoved them under running water then started the laborious job of pulling chocolate out of my curly hair. Great. One side now lay flat against my head, while the other curled in a riotous auburn display. Please, Lord, don’t let Mr. GQ visit the store again today.
Eight
I sat in the coffee bar the following Sunday nursing my favorite mocha and staring with hungry eyes at Ethan as he laughed at something Terri Lee said. Yep, it’s time to move on. The thought stabbed me in the heart. I pursed my lips around the straw, sipped—and slurped as Nate slid into the seat beside me.
He had made a habit of visiting the candy store each day since his first stop. Sometimes to make a purchase, more often to talk. He focused his conversations on Aunt Eunice but centered his attention on me. To be honest, the attention flattered me. I’d mooned after Ethan for so long that I’d put dating on a back burner.
“Good morning, Summer.”
“Good morning, Nate.” I took a daintier sip of my coffee and tried not to notice Ethan watching us.
“Summer.” Nate placed a hand over mine. His were soft, not the working hands Ethan possessed. “I’m hoping you’d do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight.”
“Dinner?” I yanked my gaze from Ethan and stared into the dark depths of Nate’s eyes.
“I know we don’t know each other well, but maybe we could remedy that with a quick meal at the diner to get to know each other better.”
“Uh, I, uh—” Terri Lee’s giggle drifted to me. I could not think of a single reason not to go out with Nate.
His face split with a broad grin, and he rose from his chair. “Great. I’ll pick you up at five.”
My eyes threatened to burst with tears. I mourned something I’d never had. I raised my gaze. Ethan stared at me, frowning. I lowered my head and rushed into the sanctuary seeking solace in the arms of my heavenly Father.
Since the diner ranked a three on the casual scale, I dressed in a pair of linen drawstring pants and tailored blouse for dinner. Aunt Eunice giggled like a teenager when I told her who’d invited me. Although I knew the scenery across the table would be nice, I couldn’t drum up a drop of excitement.
The doorbell rang, and Truly flew to the front door, vibrating the walls with her shrill barks. Aunt Eunice opened the door and ushered Nate inside. I took a deep breath and went to join them.
Nate stood at the foot of the stairs, one hand resting on the banister. He held a fistful of carnations in his other hand. I had to admit, the guy acted like a gentleman and he oozed charm. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the bell rang again, sending Truly into a frenzy.
Ethan stood peering through the glass panel. He didn’t look happy.
Aunt Eunice bustled from the kitchen, glancing at Nate before she opened the front door and stepped aside. “Ethan! How nice to see you.”
“Eunice.” He nodded at her. “Nate. Summer.” He extended a hand to Nate. “Y’all going somewhere?”
“To the diner.” Nate accepted the offered hand, clearly not perceptive to the tension in the air. “Summer accepted my invitation to dinner.”
Ethan’s eyes turned to blue ice. “Great. Have a good time.” He turned to Aunt Eunice. “Roy said you were having problems with a leaky faucet?”
“Yes. In the kitchen.”
I forced a smile, and Nate ushered me from the house. That’s the kind of luck I had. The kind where Ethan would show up as I left on a date. I mentally kicked myself. Why should I care if he was upset? Didn’t he just go out with Terri Lee?
Nate kept up a running conversation
“I can still see, girlie.” Her eyes widened. “You’ve got chocolate in your hair.”
“I know.” I tried stomping to the bathroom, winced at the pain in my ankle, and resorted to sulking as I pushed open the door. The sink seemed suddenly tiny. No way would my head fit under the faucet.
I grabbed a handful of paper towels and shoved them under running water then started the laborious job of pulling chocolate out of my curly hair. Great. One side now lay flat against my head, while the other curled in a riotous auburn display. Please, Lord, don’t let Mr. GQ visit the store again today.
Eight
I sat in the coffee bar the following Sunday nursing my favorite mocha and staring with hungry eyes at Ethan as he laughed at something Terri Lee said. Yep, it’s time to move on. The thought stabbed me in the heart. I pursed my lips around the straw, sipped—and slurped as Nate slid into the seat beside me.
He had made a habit of visiting the candy store each day since his first stop. Sometimes to make a purchase, more often to talk. He focused his conversations on Aunt Eunice but centered his attention on me. To be honest, the attention flattered me. I’d mooned after Ethan for so long that I’d put dating on a back burner.
“Good morning, Summer.”
“Good morning, Nate.” I took a daintier sip of my coffee and tried not to notice Ethan watching us.
“Summer.” Nate placed a hand over mine. His were soft, not the working hands Ethan possessed. “I’m hoping you’d do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight.”
“Dinner?” I yanked my gaze from Ethan and stared into the dark depths of Nate’s eyes.
“I know we don’t know each other well, but maybe we could remedy that with a quick meal at the diner to get to know each other better.”
“Uh, I, uh—” Terri Lee’s giggle drifted to me. I could not think of a single reason not to go out with Nate.
His face split with a broad grin, and he rose from his chair. “Great. I’ll pick you up at five.”
My eyes threatened to burst with tears. I mourned something I’d never had. I raised my gaze. Ethan stared at me, frowning. I lowered my head and rushed into the sanctuary seeking solace in the arms of my heavenly Father.
Since the diner ranked a three on the casual scale, I dressed in a pair of linen drawstring pants and tailored blouse for dinner. Aunt Eunice giggled like a teenager when I told her who’d invited me. Although I knew the scenery across the table would be nice, I couldn’t drum up a drop of excitement.
The doorbell rang, and Truly flew to the front door, vibrating the walls with her shrill barks. Aunt Eunice opened the door and ushered Nate inside. I took a deep breath and went to join them.
Nate stood at the foot of the stairs, one hand resting on the banister. He held a fistful of carnations in his other hand. I had to admit, the guy acted like a gentleman and he oozed charm. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the bell rang again, sending Truly into a frenzy.
Ethan stood peering through the glass panel. He didn’t look happy.
Aunt Eunice bustled from the kitchen, glancing at Nate before she opened the front door and stepped aside. “Ethan! How nice to see you.”
“Eunice.” He nodded at her. “Nate. Summer.” He extended a hand to Nate. “Y’all going somewhere?”
“To the diner.” Nate accepted the offered hand, clearly not perceptive to the tension in the air. “Summer accepted my invitation to dinner.”
Ethan’s eyes turned to blue ice. “Great. Have a good time.” He turned to Aunt Eunice. “Roy said you were having problems with a leaky faucet?”
“Yes. In the kitchen.”
I forced a smile, and Nate ushered me from the house. That’s the kind of luck I had. The kind where Ethan would show up as I left on a date. I mentally kicked myself. Why should I care if he was upset? Didn’t he just go out with Terri Lee?
Nate kept up a running conversation
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