He pulled into the nearly empty lot of the market and jerked his truck into a slanting spot beside a mini-van. She was going to kill him. Maybe she was too pissed to care where he was. He could only hope.
He half-jogged to the double doors of the building. Yanking one open, he heard a startled yelp from the woman on the other side as she teetered trying regain her balance. He reached out gently gripping her arms and helping her maintain control of the two full brown paper bags she held.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you.”
His apology was met by light brown, almost gold eyes lined with black feathery lashes which opened wide in surprise. He froze. Long, shiny dark hair tumbled over her shoulders where it brushed softly against his hands.
He barely caught a glimpse of her this morning as he fought off her dog’s advances. It was probably a good thing because if he had gotten a good look at her, he would have been too stunned to keep Daphne from having her way with him.
He’d been watching her run past him for months, imagining what she was like. Now, for the second time today, she was right in front of him and all he could do was stand there and stare at her.
After what seemed like an eternity, a slow, shy smile teased its way onto her lips. He drug his eyes from hers to a soft, full mouth almost the same peachy pink color as his mother’s favorite peony. They began to move, offering glimpses of straight teeth the color of porcelain. She was talking. Oh shit, she was talking.
“-didn’t even look. So sorry.” She was apologizing to him.
“No. No, no. It was my fault. I was running late and… Just… I’m sorry.” He wanted to kick his own ass right now. He was acting like a kid, stumbling over his words the second he saw a pretty girl.
She smiled making his heart beat a little faster. “Well, thank you. I think I’m good now.”
Good now? Holy shit. He still had a hold of her. He released her arms and took a step back. “Good. Okay. Again, I’m really sorry.”
“I’m really sorry. This is the second time I’ve almost had you on your back.” She gave him another smile. Then her eyes widened. “I mean knocked you on your back.”
She squeezed her lips together for a second.
“Technically I went down the first time.”
She squinted her eyes. “I’m really sorry about that. She’s not usually so forward.”
He laughed. “She must have a thing for farmers.” Maybe her owner felt the same way.
She nodded back at the door. “Hope I didn’t make you too much later.”
Crap. He almost forgot his mother was waiting. “Oh, no. The damage was already done.”
They both stood for an awkward moment. “Well, have a good night.” She gave a little finger wave and headed into the parking lot.
“Thanks.” At the risk of appearing even weirder than he already did, he waited to be sure she made it safely to her car. She climbed into a minivan the same dark honey color as her eyes. The same van he’d parked beside less than five minutes earlier.
As she pulled away, he carefully pulled the door open again, shaking his head at himself. Damn he was rusty. He should have offered to help carry her bags. He should have let go of her before she had to practically ask. He should have introduced himself. He should have asked her name. He did none of those things. He was just weird. Awkward and weird.
Maybe getting his ass ripped by his mom would take his mind off how badly he’d just bombed with the woman he’d been secretly dreaming about for months. Suddenly the conversation he was dreading the last half hour seemed like a welcome diversion. He made his way through the emptying building ready for the lashing coming his way.
Seeing Nancy’s face, he made his way toward her. A man about her age was clearly enjoying her attention as she bagged some of her last remaining vegetables and chatted about her plans for the winter. She was just handing him his purchase when she saw Thomas. She quickly shoved the bag into the man’s hands, thanked him and headed her son’s way. The look on her face was no match for the foul one the abandoned suitor shot his way.
“Where have you been?” She threw her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “I have been trying to call you for an hour. You were supposed to be here early.” A finger came up to stop a few inches in front of his face. “How are we supposed to get all this crap out of here before they lock the place up?” The finger swung away as she poked it at her displays.
Holy cow she was worked up. “We’ll be fine.” He tried to sound as calm as possible. “I had some business that I needed to get done and it took longer than I expected. I’m really sorry.”
Her demeanor softened, incrementally. “It’s fine. If we need more time I’m sure Mike will be okay with it.” She leaned to look over his shoulder and gave a smile and a wave.
Thomas turned and gave Mike a nod he was sure went unseen, since the guy’s attention was focused entirely on Nancy. The pudgy fifty-something man straightened up, tried to suck in his considerable gut and gave Nancy a wink and a wave back. “I’m sure he will.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? He’s married you know.”
“Yeah. I don’t think he’s too worried about that.”
Nancy sighed loudly. “I am. Not that it would matter if he wasn’t. I can’t even imagine being underneath all that volume. I can’t breathe just thinking about it.” She began stacking empty crates into manageable piles.
“That’s disgusting.”
“I know, that’s what I’m saying.” She paused turning to face him. “It’s your fault anyway. You’re the one who says I should consider finding somebody. I just want you to know I’m trying. I’m saying I would consider him but he’s married and fat.”
Thomas followed her lead, helping stack crates. “Then let me be more specific. Try considering someone not married or fat.”
“What about you? Who are you considering?” She crossed her arms and stared at him, her gaze boring into his back as he bent over to collapse one of the large wooden stands used to display the crates.
He shrugged. “No one to consider.” That was a lie.
“Well that’s your fault.” She came to help him with the display stand. “If you were here on time you could have met Mina.”
“Mina?” That name sounded familiar.
“My friend. Mina. I told you about her.”
Thomas stopped what he was doing and stared at his mother. He swallowed hard. It couldn’t be.
Nancy kept organizing her displays oblivious to the mind fuck she was bringing down on him. “You just missed her. Probably passed her in the parking lot. I sent her home with two big bags of stuff. If you were here on time, you could have helped her carry it all to her car.”
Son of a bitch.
FIVE
Mina pulled her caramel colored minivan into the parking lot of Roy’s, her favorite diner in town. She was fifteen minutes early for her lunch date, and needed the time to look over some recent sales. She and Paul were finally on the home stretch with the house from hell and it was time to crunch numbers and come up with a price. Hopefully one that would get them a quick sale and out of Don’s jurisdiction ASAP.
Scanning the packed lot for a vacant spot to park her make-shift office, she caught a glimpse of a white city truck out of the corner of her eye.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She fished her cell out of her oversized and yet still somehow overstuffed purse.
“We need to pick someplace else.” She cruised through the lot and quickly headed back out the same way she came in. “Don is here and I really can’t handle him today.”
“Don’t feel like an extremely unsatisfying lunch of a burger, fries and a beefcake who can’t take no for an answer?” Her friend’s contagious laugh bursting through the line made Mina smile in spite of the fact that she was going to miss out on the crispy edged burger she spent all morning anticipating.
“What about the deli? I can be there in two minutes.”
“Excellent id
ea.” Not quite the burger she was dreaming of, but fresh tuna on homemade bread didn’t sound too bad either. She disconnected the phone and pulled the van back onto Main, hoping no one inside noticed her little detour.
It was beginning to feel like the harder she worked to get away from him, the closer Don got. All she’d been doing for the last week was avoiding him. He seemed to be everywhere. The grocery, the gas station, now the diner. She had to finish this damn house and get it sold before she lost her mind and told him where he could stick it. Every time she saw him it was getting harder and harder to resist the urge to stick it there for him.
The deli was only a couple of blocks away from Roy’s. Two minutes later she pulled into the lot, finding Nancy leaning against her car with a smile that turned to laughter the minute she saw Mina’s face.
“Rough day?”
“Rough week and I’m starving. Not a good look for me I guess.”
“Anything is a good look for you. You even manage to make these look good.” She reached over and picked at a cobweb tangled in Mina’s hair.
“I probably should have checked myself over before I headed this way.” She ran her hands through her hair, shaking it out. “I’ve got to get the house spotless so I can get it on the market next week.” She followed Nancy through the glass door into the surprisingly empty shop. The aroma of freshly baked bread hung heavy in the air.
“I thought you had to redo that whole place? Where in the hell did you find cobwebs?”
“The attic.” She was looking at the menu board when she heard a snort beside her.
“The attic?” It wasn’t just a snort. It was a laugh and a snort. Nancy was snaughling at her. “Who in the world cleans an attic? That’s like vacuuming a shed.”
“Some sheds have carpet in them.”
“Oh my God you’ve vacuumed a shed.”
“Well how the hell else was I gonna get it clean?”
Nancy leaned into her, bumping their shoulders together. “This is why we’re friends. You’re as crazy as I am.”
“There is no need for name calling missy. You-”
Their banter was interrupted by an impatient clearing of the throat that came from behind the counter. Both women turned their attention to the man waiting to take their order.
“Sorry Joe.” Nancy gave him a big smile and he softened immediately. “Can I have my usual?”
“You can have anything you want.” He smiled back and Mina was pretty sure he meant exactly what he said. Her friend however, seemed completely oblivious to the man’s obvious interest.
“Thanks Joe. You’re the best.”
Joe turned five shades of red as he grinned at Nancy like a love struck teenager. He stood gazing for a few seconds more before he remembered Mina.
She quickly ordered her tuna on toasted rye, and after filling her cup with crushed ice and red cream soda at the fountain, joined Nancy at a two-seater by the glass wall that made up the front of the restaurant and faced Main Street. “How’d the last day at the market go?”
The older woman heaved a sigh. “Not as well as I would have liked.”
Just then, Joe arrived at their table, a foam plate in each hand. He quickly plopped Mina’s sandwich down in front of her, and then carefully placed Nancy’s between the elbows she had gently resting on the table.
“Can I get you anything else?” he directed solely Nancy’s way.
“No. This looks great as always. Thank you.” Thankfully Nancy’s praise didn’t encourage him to stay and he made a hasty, almost embarrassed retreat to the kitchen.
“You probably make a killing with single middle-aged men.” Mina took a bite of her tuna. It was always good here, but today her sandwich was loaded with creamy pickle-y goodness. She glanced down and noticed double the normal amount of chips were overflowing her plate and a cup of delicious looking pasta salad she didn’t order was parked at her elbow.
“What do you mean?”
Mina glanced over her shoulder to be sure Joe was out of earshot. “I mean this.” She waved her hands above their lunch. “I mean him.” She threw a thumb in the general direction of the kitchen Joe disappeared into. “I mean,” she dropped her voice imitating Joe, “You can have anything you want Nancy. Anything.” She wiggled her eyebrows at her friend for emphasis.
“First of all, you just made poor Joe sound like a sexual deviant. Second, he and I have been friends since high school. Third, I come here all the time. He just wants a satisfied customer.”
“He wants to satisfy you alright.” Mina tested a forkful of what turned out to be the most amazing pasta salad she’d ever had as she chose to ignore the eyeballs needling into her from across the table. “And maybe you should let him. You seem a little uptight lately. It would probably do you some good. Clean out your cobwebs.”
“Look who’s talking!” Nancy pointed her plastic fork right in Mina’s face. “Your pipes could use a little cleaning of their own missy.”
She was right. It had been years. “Ugh. The only man around here showing any interest is Don, and trust me when I say the feeling is not mutual.”
“Donnie was so sweet when he was a kid. A scrawny little thing though.”
Mina gave Nancy a skeptical eyebrow. “Well he’s no longer scrawny or sweet.”
“Oh honey, I’ve seen him. He definitely left scrawny in the dust a long time ago.”
“Well hello Mrs. Robinson.”
Nancy’s eyes widened as she feigned innocence. “How could I not notice him? You could bounce quarters off his-”
“Satisfied?” Joe seemed to materialize out of nowhere.
Mina nearly choked on a bite of her sandwich. Nancy kicked at her under the table as she once again thanked Joe for their lunch assuring him it was wonderful like always. As he walked away with his chest puffed up Mina regained her composure.
“Missed opportunity. He probably would have taken you to the kitchen if you’d asked nicely.”
“I have no interest in Joe or any plans you think he might have for me and my cobwebs in his kitchen.” Nancy popped a chip in her mouth. “Besides, I’m sure the Health Department has regulations.”
Mina laughed out loud. “Horny men tend to ignore any and all rules and regulations.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Don’t forget commitments and wives.” Nancy took a noisy, gurgling sip then shook her cup, the lonely ice rattling around. She went to refill, leaving Mina to happily devour her lunch. She had been going since five this morning and was starving.
Nancy slid back into the seat across from her and checked her cell phone. A cloud passed over her friends face as she poked at her pasta salad.
“Everything okay?”
Nancy sighed. “I don’t know.”
Mina wasn’t used to seeing her friend anything but happy and upbeat. This sudden change was throwing her for a loop. Against her stomach’s wishes, she pushed her lunch to the side and leaned forward against the table. “What’s going on?”
Nancy rubbed her hands over her eyes and down her cheeks as she leaned back in her chair. “All the men in my life are absolutely driving me crazy.”
“All the men?”
“Thomas and Rich. Both the men. Unfortunately that is also all the men.”
“It is a little depressing when the only men in your life are biologically tied to you.” Mina thought of her Charlie. “Plus they know you are way less likely to kill them and they use that against you.”
Nancy sighed. “It’s not even really like that. Something’s going on with Rich and I’m pretty sure Thomas is trying to keep it from me.” Nancy glanced down at the sizeable amount of lunch she had left. “I’m gonna need a box.”
Mina began stacking the trash from her lunch into a pile in front of her while Nancy snagged a box off the counter and returned to the table. “Do you think it’s something serious?”
“I hope not, but I just don’t know.” She began transferring the contents of her plate into the foam container.
> “Why would he keep something from you? Especially if it’s serious.”
“He just wants to protect me.” Nancy shook her head. “I think he feels responsible for me.”
“I bet his wife loves that.”
Nancy’s brow wrinkled. “Oh, no. Thomas isn’t married. Rich is the one who’s married.” She closed the lid on her food container. “I hope one day Thomas finds the right woman, but I can only imagine him with someone very special.”
Nancy glanced up at her quickly. “He’s a wonderful man and would need an equally wonderful woman.”
Mina smiled. She would probably feel the same way when it came to Charlie. There was something about the mother-son relationship. All mothers thought only the best woman would be good enough for her son. It was probably why mother-in-law’s got such a bad rap.
She helped as Nancy gathered the trash pile and tossed it in the can near the door. As the bell tinkled on the glass door when they left, Joe came running from the back.
“Have a nice afternoon Nancy.”
Stepping out into the warm sun, Mina took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting the glow warm her skin. She loved the fall. There was something about the lingering warmth of the sun mixed with the crisp edge to the breeze that made her feel cozy and calm.
Nancy stepped beside her, joining Mina in appreciating the beautiful weather. “I wish the weather was like this last week. Even with it being the last day for the season, the rain kept people home.” She slid brown tortoise sunglasses over her eyes.
“Bad for you, good for me. I got a bunch of great stuff since everyone was still stocked when I got there.” The market was one of Mina’s favorite things about the town. It was one of the best she’d ever been to and she guessed Nancy had a lot to do with that.
“If you came earlier you would always get the good stuff.”
“I know. I lose track of time. After the kids get out of school it’s total chaos trying to get homework done, dinner on the table and run them to any activities they have going on.” She dug in her cavernous purse until she felt the cold steel of her keys. “I promise I’ll try harder next year.”
Run (Never Waste A Second Chance Book 1) Page 4
