“I literally live ten steps away.”
“It’s winter. It’s cold and slippery. I’d never let a woman find her way home.”
“Wow. Chauvinist much?”
“Not at all. It’s courteous. I do it for Mom and Grammie L. Why wouldn’t I do the same for you? Now, go inside before I freeze my toes off. Good night, Drinda. It was nice getting to know you.” Better than nice. She was sweet and funny.
“Good night, Ford.” She hurried down his steps, across the short distance to hers, jogged up, and unlocked the door. He didn’t go inside until she shut the door behind her.
A yawn hit him as he flipped his deadbolt. Wow. He was exhausted, yet he hadn’t noticed while they were talking. Interesting. He shut off the lights andtrudged wearily up the stairs, brushed his teeth, and crawled into his bed.
The night was silent except for the softsound of someone singing. He raised on one elbow. Drinda was belting out a tune next door. He’d never noticed she made any noise. She was a quiet neighbor. He leaned back down, a bit closer to the thick firewall separating their homes.
He drifted off some time after she sangBohemian Rhapsody.
Chapter Six
Annabelle, the owner of Belle’s Beauties, a lingerie shop down the street, burst through the door with a crooked smile and stamped the snow off her sturdy winter boots.
“Annabelle!” Drinda exclaimed. “I wasn’t expecting to see you. What are you doing here?” She rushed from behind the counter to embrace her friend. They’d grown close in the time since Drinda opened, but it was unusual for her to stop by in the middle of the morning.
“I really need coffee. Can I get my usual?” she asked in her sweet and sunny Australian accent. She unwrapped her purple scarf and unzipped her puffy fuchsia jacket. A shake of her auburn head sent a shower of fluffy snow drifting to the floor.
“One lofty caramel macchiato coming right up. Extra whipped cream today?” Her friend had a sweet tooth.
“You better believe it. I can’t stay long. I locked up the shop to come over. I’ve got ten minutes, max. But desperation was setting in.”
“What’s made you so desperate? Bad morning?”
“My coffee maker died. That was after I got stuck on my way to work. I can’t believe how much snow has accumulated in the past week.” She grimaced. “I called the tow truck, but it’s out by the lake. Somebody put their SUV into the ditch. I can’t believe Cherry Lake only has one working tow truck.”
“Yeah, although I hear Andre has ordered two more. How did you get unstuck?”
“I got lucky. Ford Lunghamer drove by.” She laughed. “I don’t know why I use his last name all the time. It’s not like there is more than one human Ford in town. Anyway, he called a couple of guys, and they pushed me out of the drift. He’s so swoony.” She clutched her chest and sighed.
“You totally should date him,” Drinda offered as she poured espresso into a takeout cup. She meant the words until she uttered them. Once they were out, an uneasy sensation settled in her heart.Was this jealousy? Couldn’t be.
“Date Ford? Not me. I mean, he’s hot and all but we tried dating last year before you moved here. We just didn’t click. Besides, I want a career now, and a husband and kids eventually. He wants a stay-at-home wife. That’s not going to be me ever! Ford will make a great father and husband. Just not for me.”
Drinda thought about Ford as she drizzled caramel overtop the foamy beverage. He was handsome, there was no denying that, and he was easy to talk to. But who wanted to be a stay-at-home mom these days? She didn’t have a problem with the idea if that’s what you wanted. It just wasn’t a future she envisioned for herself. Bringing her kids to work with her at the shop was more her style. They would grow up in the business, loving baking. Just like she did.
“Drinda. Drinda! I think that’s enough syrup!”
“What?” She tipped the squeeze bottle up and glanced at her friend.
“You’ve given me at least triple syrup. I’ll weigh six tons if I drink all that.”
“Sorry. I was distracted. My mind just isn’t where it should be today. I probably need coffee.Like a triple espresso.” As if anyone would believe a coffee shop owner was short on caffeine.
Annabelle’s eyes lit up. “You were thinking about a certain hunky fireman!”
Drinda mock sniffed. “That’s fire fighter, to be perfectly PC.”
“Pfft. Fireman, fire fighter? What’s the difference? Semantics. Language isn’t my big thing. I’m into slinky fabric and sexy lace.” She waggled her eyebrows up and down and struck a pinup pose.
“Here’s your drink. This one’s on me since I ruined it with too much syrup.” Besides that, she wanted to change the tide of the conversation.
“You can’t keep giving away drinks, but I’ll accept it. And there is no such thing as too much syrup. I might need a sandwich for later … to counteract the sugar crash that’ll hit me an hour from now. I think I’ll run to the deli and get one. Need anything?”
