“She doesn’t.” Charlotte took his hand and slid down from the seat. “She doesn’t trust anyone, and she starts out hating everyone until they prove they’re worthy of being liked.”
He stepped back a bit, and she followed. Once she was clear of the door, he pushed it closed and tucked her hand under his arm.
“She likesyou,though, right?”
Charlotte nodded and chuckled. “Yes. It took a few months to win her over, but we’re friends now. Sometimes she feels more like a mother than a friend, but — and don’t tell her I said this — I don’t mind. She’s a tough nut to crack, but she’s a good one to have in your corner.”
“Any advice on winning her over?”
She glanced at him with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “Nope. You’re on your own.”
“Well, considering how much she cares for you, she has to be someone special. I look forward to getting in her good graces.”
“You’re planning to be in town a while?”
He was sure she meant it as a joke. “You saying it’ll take a while to befriend her?”
“It might. With Ms. Miller, you never know.”
He returned her smile. “I’m planning to be in town for as long as it takes.”
“As long as it takes for what?”
“As long as it takes to find what I’m looking for.”
He squeezed the hand snaked around his arm and led her to the open door.
Chapter Eight
Charlotte accepted the shopping bag from the clerk with a shy smile. Her purchases weren’t heavy — deodorant, shampoo, a disposable razor, and more antibiotic ointment for her finger. All things she could have gotten at the box store along with her groceries and other essentials, but she liked shopping the mom-and-pop convenience store.
The same two clerks ran the cash register each time she came in. The store was never packed with customers. The prices were reasonable. And it gave her a sense of belonging, something she craved more and more with each day that passed.
Snuggling her coat closer to her body, she braced herself for the burst of cold assaulting her when the door opened. She stepped onto the sidewalk, marveling at how the temperature was frigid when the sun was so bright. Once the icy breeze died down, she found the walk along Main Street pleasant.
Many of the shops were closed on Sunday afternoon, but people milled about. She kept her head down, so no one would be tempted to speak with her. Not that she knew very many people. Even after living in Ivy Springs for a year, she led a solitary life, meeting and befriending only a select few. It was safer that way. Friends asked questions she wasn’t prepared toanswer. Others were content to gossip about her, but she’d never minded the gossip mill. There were times it came in handy.
The smell of baked goods and freshly brewed grounds drifted on the wind, her cue that she was close to the coffee shop and the spot where she parked her car. Drawing her keys from her coat pocket, she pointed the key fob in the direction of her car. Then she stumbled.
“Ben? What are you doing here?”
The man who occupied way too many of her thoughts lately leaned casually against the passenger door of her car. She hadn’t seen him since she sliced her finger, and he looked better in person than the fantasy living in her head.
His legs were stretched in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He held a to-go cup from the coffee shop in one hand while the other was hidden in the pocket of his bomber jacket. His wavy hair was tousled by the wind, giving him a sexy, rumpled vibe which warmed her insides. He flashed a smile at her rude question, and Charlotte felt her insides turn mushy.
“I recognized your car when I came out of the coffee shop. I wasn’t sure where you were or how long you’d be. But since I’m in no hurry, I thought I’d wait a few minutes on the chance that I would see you and say hello.”
She stood wide-eyed, shocked that he would, first, notice her car, and second, wait specifically for her. Unsure what to say, she forced her feet forward, unlocked the car doors, and deposited her purchases in the back behind the driver’s seat. Feeling him watching her expectantly, she finally met his gaze with a slight smile.
“Hi.” She barely refrained from cringing at her lame greeting.
Since his broken nose had healed enough for the bruising to disappear, she noticed how his eyes were darker than any she’d ever seen. Brown wasn’t an adequate description. They were blacker like a dark roast coffee, the depths intense but soft and tempting — an unsettling combination. He had twisted around to face her over the top of her car, and though the vehicle was between them, he was too close for her comfort.
“How’s the finger?”
She lifted the bandaged appendage. “Better, but the doctor wants to wait until next week to take out the stitches. It’s awkward having to work around it, but I’ve adjusted.”
He studied her for the next several minutes, a soft half-smile curving his lips. A flush crept up her neck, though she wasn’t sure why. The silence was awkward, at least for her, but his gaze wasn’t leering or inappropriate. It was just...direct, and she was unsure what he expected from her.
