“We’ll see.” She put that nugget of information to the back of her mind. “I hoped you might share a glass of wine with me as an apology.” She unscrewed the wine and poured him a glass.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
The tone of his voice wasn’t exactly encouraging. Surely he wasn’t going to go and leave her here without joining her for a drink. That would be almost as embarrassing as the debacle this morning. But then, how was he to know what her normal chaotic life was like. “I know but I was in the wrong and I want to apologize. It would have been easier to carry on in my own sweet way but I gave myself a talking to and decided that wasn’t possible. We’re going to be working together as it were for the foreseeable future and I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot.”
His lips twitched and she regretted the words.
“Sorry. Wrong choice of words. Please, David, sit down and have a drink with me.”
For a moment, she was convinced he was going to refuse. “You’ve convinced me. Just one though because I have to get home.” He sat down. “Thank you.” He reached for the glass she passed over and took a sip. He raised his glass to her. “That’s a lovely wine. Let’s drink to, ah, shall we say, a happy work environment?” The reluctance in his voice wasn’t exactly encouraging but she pushed forward regardless.
“That’ll do it for me. To working together.”
*
Pink paint stained her short fingernails and she had a smear of a different shade on her forehead.
“Had a busy day then?” He glanced around but didn’t see anything matching that shade. Perhaps she’d used it in the women’s bathroom or better yet, in her own side of the building.
“You have no idea.” She brushed the wayward curls from her face and grinned.
The smile transformed her face and David noticed a familiar but long since forgotten sensation zip through his gut. April Moore might be slightly crazy but she was a very attractive young woman. Not that he was interested in her or anyone but it never hurt to make the observation. He was human after all.
“What made you move to Cherry Lake?” Sounded like a safe question to ask.
“Family. You know my sisters. Mari convinced me it would be a good move to finally put down roots and grow my business. I agreed and packed everything up and here I am.” She screwed up her face. “I didn’t get off to the best start but I’m hoping that will improve as I go along.”
“I’m sure it will. How much bad luck can one person have?” Knowing what little he did of April that might be a loaded question.
“Yeah, I know, right?” She giggled, then that turned to loud laughter which ended on a snort of some sort as she tried to bring it under control. “Sorry. But you’ll find out I guess.”
He sipped his wine, trepidation creeping up the back of his neck. He didn’t like the sound of that.
April ripped open the nuts and poured them into a dish from the kitchen. “What’s in the bag? Hamish seems to think it smells rather nice.”
He pulled the paper bag into the middle of the table and the wet black nose sniffing along the edge of the table dropped from sight. “Dog treats for Oscar from my mother.”
She smiled at him. “I got the idea this morning that you’re adverse to animals, David. Didn’t know you actually had a dog of your own.”
“No chance of that.” He pressed the flap of the bag down. “I have a small terrier, Oscar. My aunt left him to me when she passed on.”
April tilted her head, pursed her lips and made an “aw” sound. “That’s so sweet. No wonder Hamish likes you. He can smell another dog miles away.”
“With a nose that big, I’m not surprised.” He glanced down at Hamish and felt a twinge of guilt for being so judgmental. “Sorry, that was mean. Do you think he’d like a treat?” He unrolled the bag and put his hand inside and pulled out a piece of questionable looking doggie delight. His mother had assured him Oscar would thank him for it.
“I’m sure he’d love it.” She clicked her fingers. “Hamish, David has something for you.”
He balked. “You can give it to him. He’s your dog.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but you’re the one with the treat and, therefore, you should do the honors.”
Hamish came out from under the table and sat beside him, his lion colored eyes staring right at the treat in David’s hand. Drool oozed from the corners of his mouth and started to fall before a big tongue snaked out and swiped around his lips, the smacking sound going nowhere close to making David feel safe about his ridiculously impulsive offer.
“Stop teasing him and hand it over. I won’t be held responsible if he takes it from you.”
David held out the dried morsel expecting to lose his fingers but Hamish took it from his with a gentleness that surprised him. Maybe he was a big softie after all. He hadn’t thought of that.
“Good dog.” David patted his head breathing a sigh of relief. The laugh from the other side of the table went some way to making him feel like he’d won a hard fought point and the tension eased from his shoulders. “I can’t believe how gentle he is.”
“I did try to tell you.” She pulled out a chair, kicked off her shoes and lifted up her feet. April put them down with a sigh.
“That bad, eh?” He relaxed in
