by Tina Leonard
Grabbing his hat off the table, he all but stumbled out of the kitchen in his haste to depart.
She saw him to the door, but he was three steps ahead of her and barely acknowledged Arthur’s booming goodbye and Babs’s wave. Mr. Lexington and Crackers didn’t so much as stir from their place in the recliner.
Miranda returned to the kitchen, feeling quite satisfied with herself. Finally she’d gotten a reaction from Will. A small one, but there was no mistaking it. He was interested in her, and that was enough for now.
She had considered being less intimidating—her big personality didn’t appeal to everyone—only to change her mind. Will seemed to like her plenty fine the way she was, despite his wariness.
Nell came into the kitchen just as Miranda was closing the lid on the toolbox.
“Himey is finished with his bath, and Mrs. Litey’s napping. Took her medication without a fuss. What I’d give to have Will visit every day.”
Miranda thought the same thing.
“Leak fixed?” Nell inspected the cupboard under the sink.
“For now.”
“What a dirty trick you played on that poor unsuspecting man.”
“I did no such thing.” Miranda pretended naïveté.
Nell chuckled as she opened the refrigerator and removed items in preparation of dinner. “We both know you could have fixed that leak easy as him. Maybe easier.”
It was true. Miranda had grown up scrappy. There wasn’t much she couldn’t repair, be it mechanical, electrical or automotive.
“Men like feeling useful. I was merely feeding his ego.”
“Right.” Nell’s reply dripped sarcasm. “You wanted a reason to get close to him.”
“What if I did?”
Her friend and employee arranged chicken breasts in a baking pan. “Honey, if Will Dessaro hasn’t succumbed to your charms by now, I doubt he ever will.”
“I disagree.”
“Other than he’s handsome as sin, I’m not sure why you bother. There are plenty of other single men in town more than willing to walk into any trap you set.”
Miranda picked up the toolbox, planning on returning it to the garage. “I feel sorry for him. He can’t be happy living how he is. Alone and isolated.”
Nell covered the seasoned chicken with foil and popped the pan in the oven. “And you think you’re the one to draw him out?”
“Why not me? Besides, I owe him for helping me the day of the fire. It’s the least I can do.”
“Ah! I see. You’re returning a favor.”
“Exactly.”
“Favor, my foot,” Nell scoffed. “You like him. More than you want to admit.”
Miranda headed out the kitchen door, through the laundry room and to the garage, where she set the toolbox on a crowded shelf. Nell’s belly laugh trailed Miranda the entire way.
She wasn’t annoyed or offended. How could she be, when Nell’s assessment was spot on? She did like Will. Liked him more every time she saw him. And she wasn’t about to let a little case of shyness on his part get in their way.
Copyright © 2013 by Cathy McDavid
ISBN-13: 9781460321751
A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Copyright © 2013 by Tina Leonard
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