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“I totally agree.”
“Well, if you’re ready . . . ?”
“I am.” She closed the door behind her, locked it, and put the key in her purse. She noticed when they got in Jeff’s sedate sedan that he looked uncomfortable and he was coughing.
“Mind a little air-conditioning, just to stir the air?” he asked, and he sounded hoarse.
Odd, air-conditioning in freezing temps, but she just smiled and nodded. “That’s fine.”
He turned it on and took a deep breath. He did stop coughing afterward.
* * *
The waitress was very nice. She laughed when Jeff explained that he was teaching Meadow what the waitress taught him.
“I’ll make sure I add words every time you come here,” she told him with twinkling black eyes. “What would you like?”
They gave their order and settled down with cups of hot jasmine tea. Meadow was enjoying herself until the front door bell tinkled and Dal Blake walked in with a striking brunette.
Jeff glowered toward them. “Dana,” he muttered.
“Excuse me?”
“Dana Conyers. She owns the local florist shop in Raven Springs,” he said, his eyes never leaving the brunette. “She’s a sweet woman. Sings in the choir at the Methodist church, teaches Sunday school, volunteers at the Sharing Place on Saturdays. Shame that she’s going around with a man who goes through women like handkerchiefs.”
That sounded bitter. She watched him watching the florist. He was a little too interested for a casual observer. It got more interesting when Dana Conyers saw him with Meadow and abruptly shifted her eyes back to Dal.
“The world’s full of women,” Jeff said under his breath. “Why does he have to go around with her?”
“She likes him,” Meadow said. “You can tell.”
He made a face. “He plays up to her. Brings her flowers. Takes her places. She’s never had a real beau. But he won’t marry her. He’s not the sort.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to get married,” she ventured.
“She loves kids.” He toyed with the spoon in his tea cup. “She volunteers at the Christmas party, giving out gifts to the children.”
“I see.” She didn’t, but it was something to say.
Dal had Dana by the elbow and was guiding her as they followed the waitress past the booth where Meadow and Jeff were sitting.
Dal raised both eyebrows. “I thought you didn’t date coworkers,” he told Jeff.
Jeff glowered at him. “It’s just supper.”
Dal shrugged. His dark eyes slid over Meadow in her pretty but conservative dress, down the length of her long hair.
She just smiled. She didn’t say a word.
“Do you give her more than one bullet for her gun?” Dal asked Jeff conversationally.
“Not nice.” Jeff wagged a finger at him.
“I’m Dana Conyers,” the brunette said to Meadow. “I think I’ve seen you around town.”
“I’m Jake Dawson’s daughter,” Meadow said.
“Oh, yes, we did the flowers for the funeral,” the other woman said. “I’m very sorry. He seemed like a nice person.”
