“Randy, I’m flattered. That was unexpected.”
“I’m not saying it because you’re leaving. I mean it.”
“Where were you before you-know-who came and stole everything?”
“Maybe that’s why it happened. So we’d meet.”
She didn’t agree, and before he knew it he was talking again to fill the quiet space. “You can’t just close the door completely because of a professional con. You can trust yourself. You can trust me.”
“But I fell for it.”
“Anyone would have.”
“Randy, after losing my husband and everything he’d worked so hard for, to make sure I’d always be taken care of, how could I? It wasn’t just material things that the swindler took. He took my confidence and my good judgment. It’s really frightening.”
This wasn’t going how he’d hoped. Trying to lighten the mood, he said, “We got your truck back.”
“I know, and I really appreciate everything you’re doing, but the last thing I can do is trust myself to choose someone to date. You seem so nice, and you’ve been so helpful…”
“But it’s too soon?”
“And maybe there’ll never be another man in my life. I just don’t know.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I’m just being realistic. I had a wonderful marriage. Maybe thinking that can happen twice in one lifetime is just not realistic.”
“Don’t say no. Do tea or coffee when you’re in town. Check in once in a while on a nonofficial-business kind of way? I would come see you if you’d let me. Just see where things go?”
She tilted her head. “That sounds like more than just friends.”
“Says who? You’d do that with Sheila, right?”
“Yeah, but—”
“But then let’s just be good friends.”For now.
She sat there looking at him. Then she slowly nodded. “No harm in that, I suppose. If you can ever pull yourself away from work long enough to get away, come up to Chestnut Ridge and experience it. The fishing is great.”
“Don’t tempt me with a good time,” he said.
“Is that what I’m doing?”
“Maybe not intentionally. But friends, yes, definitely friends, and Iwillcome and fish at your house.”
“Great.” She looked pleased.
He was glad he hadn’t completely ruined the pseudo-date, no matter what she wanted to call it.
“So, tell me about this little mountain town that has you all excited.”
She poured another cup of tea from the cute blue pot and settled back in her chair. “It’s amazing. I fell in love with it instantly. I feel so at home and safe there.”
“Because your husband was from there.”
“No. I don’t think so, because we’d only gone there a couple of times, and he never spoke of Chestnut Ridge. It’s more than that. I feel empowered there. Maybe it’s because it’s kind of rustic. I have to walk, like, a football field to get to the house from where I park. And there are animals and birds. I don’t know. It’s really hard to explain. It’s just really different there.”
“In a good way?”
