“And what did I do with it when I went back and finally finished it? I went and worked at the garden center. Fat lot of good it did me there. Nobody needs a degree to water plants.”
“So tell me then, why did you bother? Why not take a year off and go travelling instead?”
Her big sister was more astute than April had given her credit for. April shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure.”
“Yes, you are. Think about it and don’t worry you’re going to hurt my feelings because you won’t.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re really annoying sometimes?”
Mari laughed and flicked her cleaning cloth over her shoulder. “Yes. Rake did all the time.” She perched on the couch and looked expectantly at April. “Talk.”
“Because I didn’t want to be the only sister who couldn’t hold her own, that’s why.” She dropped her head in embarrassment. “But when I got stuck into what I thought I wanted, I found I didn’t.”
Mari nodded her head. “And you kept looking for the ‘right thing’ until now?”
“Yeah. I guess that’s the best way to explain it. You see, what I want is all the above. So really, if you look at it logically, all those classes and jobs all led up to this one. Just that Dad doesn’t understand that.”
“I get it.”
“Well, I’m glad you do because Dad thinks I’m a scatterbrain. He’s going to be watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to throw my hands up in the air and walk out on yet another opportunity.” Life sometimes was entirely too difficult. “The only child that isn’t ‘normal’ and doing an appropriate profession in his eyes. I’m so screwed if I don’t get this right.”
“Not entirely but now’s your chance to prove everyone wrong. I wouldn’t have lent you the money if I didn’t think you could do it. What time are you picking up the keys?”
April looked at her oversized bright yellow watch with the Mickey Mouse face and jumped up. “Eeek, now!” She gave Mari a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out of the hotel, scurried toward the coffee shop squeezed in beside the hotel and her new premises and ran smack into someone walking out the door. Hot coffee splashed over her arm and she jumped back, a ripe curse rippling through the air.
Strong arms grabbed her, stopped her from falling. “Sorry, but I didn’t see you.”
The masculine voice barely registered as she tried to deal with the fallout. April struggled free from his arms, tugged off the coffee soaked poncho and dropped it on the ground. “Ow, that’s hot!” Her bare arm was red where the coffee had seeped through her favorite coverall.
“You came out of nowhere. I’m sorry. Let me have a look at that.” He reached for her but she ducked away, not willing to let him touch her.
“No, don’t. It’s okay now.” She waved her hand over her arm, trying to cool it with the breeze she created.
“I think it’s going to need more than that. At least let me take you into the coffee shop for an ice pack. It’s not serious but if you don’t cool it down, it’s going to hurt more, maybe even blister.” He reached for her again. “I’m a doctor. I do know what I’m talking about.”
April glanced at him. The serious eyes behind black rimmed glasses, the neat short-clipped hair, tidy trousers and pressed shirt. Even the tight knot of his subdued pale blue tie gave her a hint of the man beneath it. He had professional “something” written all over him. She should have guessed. “A doctor, huh?” A cute one at that.
“Dr. David Morrison.” He held out his hand and she smiled, grabbed it and shook. “Nice to meet you, I think.” She blew on her arm, wondered if ice wouldn’t be a bad idea. A loud woof startled her. She’d forgotten Hamish was sitting in her VW van, waiting for her. He hung his shaggy head out of the side window, his big eyes giving her his usual sad look.
“Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to leave you there for so long.” She turned to the doctor. “Look, I’m fine, honestly. I’ll put some cold water on it when I get into the shop.” She pointed down the street to where the estate agent stood patiently waiting for her, waving his hand in greeting.
“Miss, I really think I should put something on that sooner rather than later. Trust me on this. You’ll regret it if you don’t. It wouldn’t take a minute to tend to it.”
April ignored him and opened the door of her old van, slipped on Hamish’s lead and hurried down the pavement with her big dog loping along beside her. She pulled Hamish to a halt when she reached the realtor. “Sorry I’m late. Little bit of an accident.”
“That’s fine. Tom Clements. Nice to meet you in person at last.” The agent nodded, focusing on the drooling jaws of her dog. “I saw you bump into David. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“It’s nothing, really. I’ll put some aloe on it or some cold water. Now, how about letting me in the shop. I’m so excited I can hardly breathe.”
*
This colorful person was taking the shop next to his? David watched as Tommy Clements opened the door and her huge dog dragged her into the empty side of his building. David knew it’d been leased but didn’t know to whom. What an introduction. He leaned down and picked up the bright orange and green poncho she’d dropped on the pavement. The smell of coffee overlaid with something spicy and romantic wafted to his nose. How anyone wore anything this bright was a mystery to him. His eyes burned looking at it.
“David, I saw what happened.” The barista who’d made his early morning coffee came
