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“I would make Tea Total bigger and put in more food cabinets and offer high teas. But I’d also have an area in here for a book corner, and there’d be story time for kids, and still sell books.” He heard the excitement in her voice.
“Sounds like a good idea. You worked out a business plan?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Stop looking at the wall and look at me.”
She did, and he saw the excitement then. She wanted this bad.
“You talked to your aunts?”
She shook her head.
“So you’d put an opening in that wall?”
“I’m not sure if I would be allowed to, but yes, that would have to happen for it to work.”
“Where would the reading area be?”
She walked him around the space, pointing out things that told him she’d given the idea of merging the shops a great deal of thought.
“How would you pay for all this?” Ted asked when she was done.
“I guess I’d have to get a loan to do it.”
“Guess?”
She wandered to the window and looked out at the street. He saw the Buick at the same time as her, but dismissed it because it didn’t belong to anyone he knew. The driver window was open, and a man was looking out. Mandy tensed. Ted heard a whimpering noise.
“Mandy?” He reached her quickly. “What’s wrong?”
Her face was chalk white, fists clenched.
“Mandy!” He took her shoulders, turning her to face him. “What’s wrong?”
She clenched her eyes shut tight.
“It’s nothing.”
“This is not nothing.” Ted gave her a gentle shake.
“I—ah, just thought I saw someone.”
“Not a good someone, by that reaction. Who did you think you’d seen?”
“No one.” She looked at him, and he saw the lingering remnants of fear. “It’s no one. I was mistaken.”
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her hard. She was shaking.
“You’re strong in here, remember.” He eased back and tapped her forehead.
“I want to be.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“Him,” she whispered.
“Him who?”
