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“So, I hear you are having dinner at The Italian Affair?”
“Yes. Looking forward to a wonderful meal,” Ethan said.
Trinity reached under the counter for what I was sure would be a bag, but she caught us both off guard when she stood up and snapped a picture of the pair of us with her cell phone.
“What was that for?” I questioned, horrified.
“Oh, you know, need to have a picture of the two of you, in case something happens to you, Peggy.”
I rolled my eyes, but truthfully, I was ready to kill my best friend. I could feel my cheeks heating, but then Ethan let out a throaty chuckle. “Oh, Peggy, you never told me Trinity had such a great sense of humor.”
“Yeah, she must have just developed it,” I said, giving my friend a death stare. I didn’t want Ethan to know what I’d said to Trinity earlier today.
The three of us laughed as Trinity packaged up the book that Ethan purchased. “Have a great night!” she said as she handed him the bag.
“We will. I promise I’ll bring her back in one piece,” he said as we walked out the door.
I glanced back over my shoulder at my friend and met her eyes. She fanned herself and mouthed, “He’s hot.”
Of course, I rolled my eyes and made my way out the front door of her shop.
* * *
We’d eaten our dinner and were now enjoying the rest of the bottle of wine we’d ordered while we waited for dessert. Dinner had been amazing, and the conversation had flowed as easily as one of our letters.
“So, what do you think so far about Willow Valley?” I asked as I looked into his eyes.
“It’s smaller than what I’m used to, but it’s very warm and welcoming. It’s exactly how I imagined from your letters, and what Melinda had told me, to be honest.”
“Really.”
He nodded. “I could see myself settling here. It’s been wonderful to have my daughter back in my life. To be honest, this little town is growing on me.”
I smiled. “It has a way of doing that, for sure. Melinda is a wonderful girl. I think you may have been the reason she started the pen pal program, to be honest.”
“That would be my daughter. She’s been worried about me for a while, knowing I was getting ready to retire.”
I smiled. “It’s nice to have someone worry about you. Honestly, Ethan, she is a wonderful girl. She works hard. Brooke is lucky to have her at The Crispy Biscuit. I’d have hired her in a heartbeat if she hadn’t already been working for Brooke.”
For the first time since we’d sat down, the conversation grew quiet. I sat there, sipping on my wine, until Ethan cleared his throat.
“What was he like?” Ethan asked.
“Who?” I questioned.
“Darren. You barely spoke of him in your letters after the first one. I’ve told you a lot about Polly. Why don’t you tell me about him?”
I shifted in my seat, a little uncomfortable with the question. Some would think I was ashamed of Darren, or that he didn’t treat me well, but it couldn’t have been further from the truth. I cleared my throat. “Well, he was an amazing man. Outdoors oriented. He was a hard worker, rarely complained, and loved his fishing time.”
“How long were you together? I don’t think you told me.”
“We were only together six years, unfortunately. What about you and Polly?”
Ethan frowned as he looked at me, knowing full well he’d already told me they’d been married for fifteen before she passed away. In fact, he’d told me so many things about Polly, I felt as if I knew her. I just, for whatever reason, didn’t want to talk about Darren anymore.
“Peggy?”
“Hmm, yes.”
