“Hi,” she said, her voice catching. She cleared her throat. “Uh, what can I help you with today?”
Landon slipped his hands into his pockets and looked around the store. “I think this is the first time I’ve been in your shop when it’s been empty.” He turned to her and smiled again.
“It happens.” Oh, that smile. It could melt a glacier. She found herself leaning forward, her waist pressed against the glass counter.
He stepped toward her until they were as close as they could be, considering the counter between them. “I’m not complaining.”
A ripple ran down her spine. Had he lowered his voice? Made it husky on purpose? Or was she imagining—more like wishing—he had? Or hoping that the way his piercing gray eyes held hers meant something?
More likely, her thoughts about the possibility of romance in her future had made her lose her mind, because a man like Landon would never be interested in a woman like her. He seemed the type to want a trophy girlfriend or wife. One who looked as impeccably perfect as he did.I’m not even in the ballpark.She didn’t think she was unattractive, but she wasn’t high fashion either. More like serviceable.Ugh.That didn’t sound appealing at all.
“Er, we have our spring bouquets on sale,” she said, focusing on her job instead of her inane thoughts. “Do you like daffodils?”
He put his palms on the counter, leaning even closer. “I’m not here to talk about daffodils.”
Sophie gulped. “Oh.”
Landon reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You look pretty today.”
She didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t look any different today than she did any other workday. She was wearing her pale blue denim work shirt over a red T-shirt, navy blue shorts, and comfortable shoes any granny would be proud to sport. That was her typical uniform. The only thing different was that she had a pink scrunchy holding back her long, curly hair instead of a blue one. Maybe she’d been mistaken about his preferences.
“Ah, thanks?” Why couldn’t she stop sounding like an idiot?
“Then again, you look pretty every day.”
Now she really didn’t know what to say. When was the last time anyone had said she was pretty? Probably April, and probably on Easter when she splurged and bought a new dress for church. Flattered and unnerved, she started straightening her business cards, which were already neatly displayed in a clear acrylic holder.
“I wondered if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight?”
The cards flipped out of her hands just as the chime sounded over the door. Joe Johnson walked inside, then paused as Landon turned around.
“Hey, Soph.” Joe waved as he strolled to the counter.
Sophie grimaced and grabbed at the cards littering the counter. No one called her Soph anymore, not even April. She wasn’t sure why some of the kids in high school had started calling her that in the first place, including Joe. Of course, hewouldn’t call her anything else, since they had rarely spoken to each other in the last fifteen years. “Joe.”
Landon frowned as Joe walked up next to him. “We’re kind of busy here.”
“Oh.” He took two steps to the side. “I’ll wait, then.”
Landon gave him a pointed look, then turned to Sophie. “Are we on for dinner tonight?”
For some reason, she was a bit embarrassed about being asked out in front of Joe. Which didn’t make sense. Why should she care what he thought? But she couldn’t help glancing at him and was surprised when she saw his easygoing expression turn dark.
“Sophie?”
She turned to Landon, then inexplicably to Joe again, struck by the contrast between them, and wondering why Joe was here. And why was he so upset?
“She can’t go out with you tonight,” Joe said.
“What?” both Sophie and Landon exclaimed.
“And why not?” Landon added.
“Because... she’s going out with me.”
***
To say his foray back into the dating world was going badly would be the world’s biggest understatement. Joe couldn’t believe the words that had flown out of his mouth. But he couldn’t help it. When he heard Landon asking Sophie out, he lost all sense. Not because he’d missed his chance to ask her himself, but because of all the men in Maple Falls—or the greater central Arkansas area, for that matter—Landon Ferrywas the last one she should ever consider dating. Or talking to. In fact, she’d be better off ignoring him altogether.
