How could he not? He’d been preoccupied by thoughts of Annabelle from the moment she walked into his house with that ridiculous spice map, but he didn’t want to speak of his frustration with the beautiful, frivolous Caroline.
“Come on back to the kitchen. I’ve made something for you.”
His nerves started getting to him. What a stupid idea to try to impress her with a spicy fruit punch instead of the safe option of a simple cup of tea.
“It smells good in here,” Annabelle said as she joined him in the kitchen.
It was a narrow room with a stove and shelving on one side and a small dining table on the other. The carafe of spice-infused citrus punch sat in the bucket of ice on the back counter. He poured her a tall glass over ice and watched carefully as she took her first sip. Her eyes widened, her brows rose. She took another sip and looked as if she wanted to levitate.
“Oh my heavens.Does your company sell this?”
“No. I never thought of such a thing.” Selling small bottles of spice was easier than the hassle of brewing and bottling, but it pleased him that she had capitalist tendencies hidden beneath her instinct to give things away for free. “It’s an interesting idea, though. I’ve moved into bottling with the vanilla extract. Perhaps there is potential in spiced fruit drinks. If there’s enough profit, I’ll consider it.”
“I think it’s wonderful that your sister gets to work in the White House,” Annabelle said as she settled herself at the dining table.
“Getsto work in the White House?” he asked skeptically.
“Yes, gets!” Her face glowed. “When I was a girl, I had a picture book about Washington and all its iconic buildings, like the Capitol and the White House.It told stories about the founding fathers and the risky years building the nation. It awakened something in me. I remember wanting to grow up and do something really great. I lived in Kansas, so I figured that meant raising a bumper crop of wheat.” She dissolved into laughter, but he loved watching her unabashed optimism.
“And now?” he asked.
“Now I’m actuallyhereand get to see those buildings almost every day. They’re more magnificent in person than in the books. Being here makes me proud to be an American.”
She was so innocent and wonderfully naïve, but it was part of her wholesome charm. “Have you had a chance to see all the places in your picture book?”
“All except Mount Vernon.”
He could remedy that. “It’s not far. Mount Vernon hosts an annual celebration on the Fourth of July,” he said. “There will be a brass band and fireworks in the evening. I would be happy to escort you and your sister.”
“You’d do that for us?”
He’d bring her pearls from the bottom of the ocean if she wanted them. “I would be honored to spend the day with the Larkin sisters.”
She stayed for hours while they finished the last of the spiced fruit punch, and it was the most delightful afternoon in his memory. Courting a woman couldn’t be this easy. Could it?
He silenced the warning bell in the back of his mind, for surely Annabelle was exactly what she appeared to be. At last he felt like he was coming home to something wonderful.
Nine
Annabelle was surprised to be summoned to Dr. Norwood’s office first thing on Monday morning. She hadn’t spoken to him since the day she’d given him the rare orchid from Windover Landing. In failing to locate the elusive original vanilla orchid, she’d lost her best shot at securing a permanent position here, but was it possible Dr. Norwood had found another opportunity for her?
Dr. Norwood’s secretary looked up from her desk when Annabelle entered the waiting room outside the director’s office. “Good, you’re here,” Miss Abernathy said. “No need to sit down. Both generals are already here, and they want to see you at once.”
Generals? Before Annabelle could process that odd remark, the secretary rapped on the closed door of Dr. Norwood’s office and cracked it open.
“Miss Larkin is here, sir.”
Annabelle was shown inside, bewildered to see two men in uniform rise to their feet as she entered. Dr. Norwood looked nervous as he introduced her to General Molinaro, a grim-faced man who nodded to her from a shadowy corner. The other man was General Cornell, whose grandfatherlyappearance and kindly smile made it easy to overlook his intimidating title. They both looked out of place here. Military spit and polish didn’t belong amidst an explosion of orchids, fossils, and books.
“Close the door, please,” Dr. Norwood instructed the secretary, whose curiosity seemed boundless as she slowly closed the door, peering through the narrowing gap the entire time.
The shadowy general spoke softly. “Is your secretary an eavesdropper?”
Dr. Norwood looked insulted. “Miss Abernathy has worked for this institution for thirty-five years.”
“She’s also nosy, and this is a private conversation,” General Molinaro said as he emerged from the shadows and crossed the room to yank open the door. “Miss Abernathy, please take your lunch break now.”
“But it’s nine thirty in the morning,” the secretary sputtered.
