But when he’d awakened that morning on his sofa, he’d been struck with a core of loneliness that had made him realize he was hungry for female companionship. He was hungry for Marlene’s companionship.
He walked into the store, pleased to see her standing behind the register. “Marlene,” he said in greeting.
“Frank, I was wondering if I was going to hear anything from you today.”
“Sorry it’s so late, but I wanted to make sure I had a solid answer for you.” He took several steps closer to the counter, noting how the light blue of her blouse intensified the glacier-blue of her eyes.
“And do you have a solid answer for me?” She leaned forward, appearing to vibrate with tension.
At that moment Frank wanted nothing more than to step around the counter and pull her into his arms to ease the tension, the faint whisper of fear that shimmered in the very depths of her eyes.
He couldn’t hold her to take away any fear, but he could do it by telling her what had happened throughout the day. “I definitely have a solid answer. It took me all day long, but after Michael had a long talk with his parents, and then realized you weren’t going to press charges, he confessed.”
He heard her audible sigh of relief and he continued, “He was mad at you and wanted to do something to vent his anger. Even though you have decided not to press charges, for the next four weeks Michael is going to be picking up trash along Main Street for three hours a day, three days a week. It was an agreement his parents encouraged him to take.”
She nodded, as if satisfied with the arrangement. “I’m just glad it’s all been resolved. Did he say why he keeps stealing food? I mean, honestly, he could have walked out our back door with all kinds of expensive items instead of just a box of bread and a couple of jars of apple butter.”
“Unfortunately, no matter how hard I pushed him the only answer I could get out of him about the food was that it was all for him.”
“Strange, but I guess growing young men eat a lot,” she replied.
“Trust me, my father used to complain that he needed two jobs just to buy groceries when I was younger. And speaking of my father, he’s retiring from the fire department next week and I’ve always teased him that when that time came I’d make sure he had a good rocking chair.”
She gestured toward the furniture section on the other side of the store. “We have several here if what you want is a good, sturdy Amish-made rocker.”
“That’s exactly what I’m looking for,” he replied and was pleased when she stepped out from behind the counter to walk with him to the furniture area.
As usual she looked cool and elegant in her pale blue blouse and a pair of tailored navy slacks. Small gold hoops hung from her ears, visible only when she tucked that shiny hair behind an ear.
“Abraham Zooker makes all the furniture we sell,” she said as she led him to three rocking chairs.
“I know Abraham and his work. I’ve got a couple of his pieces in my home.” He ran a hand over the top of one of the rockers, admiring the smoothness of the wood.
“This one is my favorite,” she said as she focused his attention on an old-fashioned platform rocker. Her features appeared warmer, more alive as she spoke of the chair. “It also has a footstool that goes with it, and it glides so smoothly. Go ahead, have a seat,” she encouraged him.
Self-consciously he eased down into the chair and rocked a couple of times and then stood. “It’s perfect. I’ll take it.”
“Abraham will be so pleased,” she replied. And then she smiled. It was the first time he’d seen a genuine smile curve her lips and light up her features, and the power of it punched him square in the gut with a starburst of heat.
“Uh, unfortunately, I can pay for it today, but I’ll have to come back tomorrow with my pickup truck to take it home.”
“That’s fine,” she replied as they walked back to the register.
The transaction was completed and still Frank lingered. “I thought this was about the time you closed up shop,” he said.
“During the summers we normally stay open until nine, but I’ve been shutting down around seven right now since the busy tourist trade hasn’t kicked in yet.”
“So I’m your last customer of the day.”
“It appears so.”
“Do you like Chinese food?”
She blinked twice, as if to process the abrupt change in the conversation. “I love it.”
“Could I interest you in having dinner with me at Chang Li’s?”
Her cheeks turned a dusty pink. “Oh, thank you for the invitation, but I don’t date.”
“Not even for a quick bite to eat?”
“No, not even for that.” She appeared to find the top of the counter fascinating.
Fierce disappointment swept through him. “No problem. It was just a thought. At least we managed to get to the bottom of your intruder last night, and Michael knows he’s on a short leash, as far as I’m concerned. The next time I hear about him being involved in any stealing or break-ins or destruction of property, I’ve let him know that he’ll face charges no matter what.”
“That’s good. It sounds like what he needs is a little tough love.” She finally met his gaze again.
“If you’re ready to leave, I’ll walk you to your car.” Surely there was no way she could turn down this gentlemanly request from him.
The smile had long ago fallen from her features and now she frowned, dancing a faint wrinkle across her forehead. “I’m parked out back.”
“That’s okay. You lock up or do whatever you need to do in here and I’ll see you to your car and then walk back around to mine.” He wasn’t sure why he was so insistent. He only knew a desire to get her to see him as more than a detective working on her missing aunt’s case.
She shrugged. “All right.” An awkward silence descended between them as she took a few minutes to close out the register and then lock the front doors.
He followed behind her through the huge storage room and then out the back door, where the sun had lowered in the sky. Her car was the only one in the small lot and as she reached it she unlocked the driver’s-side door and then turned to face him.
“Thank you for seeing me to my car, although it wasn’t really necessary.”
He nodded. “I know. It was just something I wanted to do.” He hesitated a moment. “Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind about getting some dinner? It doesn’t have to be tonight. You pick the night...whenever.”
“Positive, but I do appreciate the invitation.”
Frank shifted from one foot to the other, feeling like a hormone-driven teenager. “Is it me specifically or is it just a general rule that you don’t date?”
“Oh, Frank, it’s definitely not you.” She placed her hand on his arm, her touch warming him through the suit jacket he wore. “It’s just that I’ve already had my chance at a relationship and it was a dismal failure. I’m not in a place where I want to try it again with anyone.” She dropped her hand to her side.
“So, you don’t find me ugly or abhorrent or anything like that.”
He was rewarded by her laugh, a tinkling musical sound that mingled with the last calls of the day birds from the nearby woods.
“No, not at all.” Once again her cheeks blossomed with a faint pink color