She nodded but didn’t offer anything more.
“It’s nice to meet you. Do you mind if I call you Charlotte? You can call me Ben.”
His hands brushed hers as he took the towels, and she shivered at his warm touch. Certain he was aware of her reaction to him, she felt a flush stain her cheeks. She quickly dropped her arms to her sides.
“Of course. It’s nice to meet you. Let me or Wally know if you need anything else.”
Her tension eased when he started back to his room, but then he paused. Her heart thundered in her chest when he turned back in her direction.
“I realize I’m a stranger, and you have no reason to trust me. But my sisters-in-law would kick my ass if I didn’t tell you this. I’m probably going to be here for a few days, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. In fact, if you felt threatened or afraid, and I can help you in any way, please feel free to ask. I don’t have to know the details. I just know you shouldn’t have to be afraid while you’re at work.”
Charlotte felt a jolt as if someone shocked her with an electrical current.How did he know? Did Wally say something to him?She shook off the thought as soon as it crossed her mind. Wally wouldn’t betray her confidence. The stranger was just guessing. But why would he offer to help if he didn’t know?
He took his leave before she said a word or asked a question. Charlotte wasn’t sure how long she stood there gawking afterhim, but some time had passed before she pushed herself to get back to work.
Chapter Five
“Ispent almost a thousand dollars on flowers before she would agree to go out with me.”
“Why would I agree when I was making money off you? A woman’s gotta pay her bills.”
Ben chuckled as he listened to Nolan Wallace and Mona Hillyard go back and forth in describing how they met and what led to their first date. The two were an odd pair, from the way they looked to the way they acted.
Wally was average height with thinning hair and a full mustache. He was jovial but direct, a what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of person. Mona stood slightly taller than her boyfriend, with her light brown hair and lovely face showing little signs of age. She was poised and well-spoken with a hint of mischief in her eyes and voice. She gave the impression that she knew more than the average person but was too classy to point it out to anyone.
Since stepping into Mona’s home — a very neat one-story cottage-style house with antique furniture and flowers in every conceivable spot — Ben felt the couple’s vibrancy. The two were obviously in love, and though they teased each other mercilessly, they also never missed an opportunity to show they cared. A kisson the cheek, a hand to a back, a caress on an arm…all signs of a relationship which went deeper than companionship.
“What did you do with all the flowers?” Ben asked, enjoying the tale of romance where Wally met his match in the savvy florist.
“I got most of them,” Charlotte interjected quietly.
Ben swung his gaze to the woman sitting across from him, as he’d done almost constantly since they sat down to eat the feast Mona prepared. Passing dishes of fresh salad, perfectly seasoned pork chops, creamy mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls, he’d had many chances to look into Charlotte’s lovely eyes and brush his hands against hers. She seemed to withdraw from him each time, either because she felt the same pull he did or because she was uncomfortable with his attention. He wasn’t sure of the reason, but he didn’t like it. She hadn’t spoken much since they arrived, so the sound of her soft voice now was refreshing.
“Every woman in town got them,” Wally embellished. “The receptionist at the doctor’s office, the ladies at the senior center, and even some of the guests at the motel. God knows, I didn’t want them. They just gave me an excuse to talk to Mona. I would have spent every dime I had if it meant seeing her every day.”
Mona smiled at him lovingly, her blue eyes sparkling. “You gave the flowers to everybody but me. Did it ever occur to you that I might have said yes to a date if I’d gotten some flowers?”
Wally looked horrified at the suggestion. “I couldn’t give you your own flowers. That’d be like giving Charlotte a vacuum cleaner for her birthday. It’s a terrible gift.”
“You’re saying my flowers are terrible?”
Wally glared at Mona, but Ben saw the corner of his mouth twitch as if he was fighting a smile. “I’m saying you can have flowers whenever you want. I wanted anything I gave you to be special, so maybe you’d thank me in that special way you do.”
Mona rolled her eyes, and Ben laughed. He noted Charlotte’s blush at Wally’s innuendo, and Ben became fascinated with the way the light pink rose up her neck and infused her cheeks.
“On that note, I think it’s time for coffee and dessert. Who wants some of my homemade apple pie? It’s Wally’s favorite.”
“Add ice cream to mine, okay, babe?” Wally requested.
“Of course,” Mona said with a smile meant only for him. “Ben, what about you?”
He nodded in Mona’s direction. “Apple pie sounds great, and I wouldn’t mind ice cream on mine either as long as it’s vanilla.”
Mona scoffed. “As if I would put any other kind on my apple pie. What about you, Charlotte?”
Charlotte leaned back in her seat, a delicate hand placed over her trim abdomen. “I couldn’t eat another bite, so I’ll pass this time. Thanks, though.”
“I’ll wrap up a piece for you to take home for later.”
