“And I suggest you leave me alone before I throw this cup of coffee in your face,” she informed him with a wide smile that conveyed the fact she wasn’t kidding.
Challenge, mockery, and amusement all glittered from his dark eyes as he dipped his head in acknowledgment.“Good day, Miss Brown.”A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Good day.”Purposely she lowered her eyes to her desk.Her heart hammered wildly and her breath came in uneven gulps.Never had she disliked anyone so intensely.Lesley fumed with anger until she heard him turn and walk away.
During her lunch hour, Lesley had a date with Dale Wylie, a new-car salesman, at a local café for lunch.
“Hi, honey, how are things going?”He kissed her lightly on the cheek and slid into the booth, opposite Lesley.
Lesley’s gaze followed Dale.“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”
Dale looked up from the menu with that innocent look she detested.“Do what?”
“Come in here and act like we’re an old married couple,” she told him forcefully.“We’re friends, nothing more.I don’t like you giving people the impression there’s something more between us.”
Dale laid the menu aside.Ralf the single women in Coeur d’Alene would give anything to have the urbane and good-looking Dale interested in them.Why he’d picked her, Lesley didn’t know.They weren’t the least alike, didn’t share the same interests and often disagreed, especially about Lesley’s strong religious convictions.Maybe he thought of her as a challenge.She’d given up trying to guess.
“My, my, you must have had a difficult morning.”His blue eyes shone with sympathy.“Want to tell me about it?”
“I had a wonderful morning, thank you.”She hid her expressive eyes behind the menu.She wasn’t going to fool Dale, but talking about Daniels wouldn’t do any good, either.
Gratefully, he didn’t pursue the subject.Lesley doubted that he would: Dale’s interest revolved around Dale.
“You’ll be pleased to know I made a sale this morning.”
“Congratulations.Anyone I know?”She laid the menu aside, genuinely interested.
“I don’t think so.New fellow in town, Cole Daniels.”
Cole Daniels!Lesley’s hand tightened around the water glass.
“Interesting fellow, seemed to know a lot about cars.Paid cash.”
She nodded, hoping he wouldn’t notice the way she’d stiffened when he rolled off the name.So Daniels’ first name was Cole.It should have beenCold.
“I know him,” she said lightly, twisting the spoon with her fingers in nervous reaction.“Did he trade in that fancy sports car of his?”
“Sports car?No, he didn’t, he walked into the showroom.He didn’t have any wheels.”Dale’s mouth quirked briefly.“How do you know him?”
“He moved into the other half of the duplex.”
Dale’s look narrowed and he regarded her seriously.“I’m not sure I approve of the two of you living next to each other like that.”
“What?”Lesley swallowed a gasp of resentment.
“Separated from the rest of the town like that,” he hurried to explain.
“I’ll tell you what,” she began, deliberately setting the spoon aside and raising her eyes to his, “if you can figure a way to get him out of there, I wouldn’t object.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Not in the least.I find the man to be opinionated and irksome.Terry and I were such good friends, but I can’t imagine Cole Daniels and me ever getting along.”
“Well, in that case, I can’t see much of a problem.”
Men!Lesley felt like screaming.All they ever cared about was themselves.How could her sister be married and so happy?
“I’m not very hungry, Dale.If you don’t mind, I think I’ll skip lunch today.”She started to slide out of the booth.
