“No reason. By the way, you can start streaking down First around noon. That’s prime traffic time.”
Beth turned a bright shade of red. “Guess I was distracted.”
Charlotte laughed. “Guess so. Care to share why?”
With a not-so-nonchalant gesture, Beth pointed to the window where an unfamiliar chestnut-haired man stood out front talking to Norman.
“Who is he?”
“A carpenter. Sort of a do-it-all kind of guy. He moved here from Albany. Joined the firemen too.” Beth sighed and absently lifted up a wrapped chocolate egg. “Isn’t he gorgeous?” Beth asked.
In Charlotte’s eyes he couldn’t compare to a certain dark-haired reporter, but for Beth, Charlotte saw potential. “He’s hot,” she agreed. However, Beth was coming off tremendous emotional pain. “But isn’t it too soon after … well, you know?”
“I’m not rushing into anything, but I can look, can’t I?”
Charlotte laughed. “You looking is a positive sign.”
Her friend nodded. “Besides, anything I do or don’t do now is with eyes wide open.”
Her eyes glittered in a way Charlotte hadn’t seen—ever. A lesson learned, she thought. A woman could, in fact, get over a man. Yet despite Beth’s ability to bounce back, Charlotte had her doubts it was as easy as Beth pretended. Still, she smiled, glad to hear her friend was thinking clearly, even as she was mooning over the hunk du jour. “Does he have a name?”
“Thomas Scalia. Exotic-sounding, isn’t it?” As Beth spoke, the man in question turned and faced the window, seeming to meet her steady stare. “He came up to me after the last baseball game. After you ditched me and ran.”
Charlotte didn’t reply to that dig. She’d already left a message on her mother’s answering machine that she wanted to meet with both her parents. Her insides had been churning nervously all day because they hadn’t called back and she was anxiously anticipating the moment.
As surprising as it seemed, Samson’s words had had an effect on her. So did Roman’s absence. She still wasn’t sure how to reconcile the coin toss with his real desires, but she knew in her heart she didn’t want them to be over.
The time had come to deal with her parents and her past. Otherwise she had no future.
“Oh, my God.” Beth’s squeal jarred Charlotte out of her self-absorbed thoughts, “He’s coming inside.”
Sure enough, the door opened and Thomas Scalia strode inside. He had the cocky, confident swagger she associated with a male in charge and Charlotte crossed her fingers. She didn’t want Beth to fall into the same trap with another dominating man who wanted to take control and change the beautiful person she was inside and out.
The bells above the door jingled behind him as he walked to the desk. “Afternoon, ladies.” He inclined his head in greeting. “Beth I already know.” He smiled, revealing dimples that had no effect on Charlotte, but obviously had Beth squirming in her seat. “But I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.” He glanced at Charlotte only briefly.
“Charlotte Bronson,” she said, extending her hand.
He shook it. “Thomas Scalia. But you can call me Tom.” He spoke to Charlotte, but his admiring gaze never left Beth’s flushed face.
Charlotte watched their wordless exchange with a combination of amusement and longing for Roman. She missed him with a desperation she hadn’t known she could feel, making their last meeting and all the hurtful words that had passed between them seem trivial. But there was nothing trivial about the coin toss and his feelings regarding commitment. Once Charlotte made peace with her own ghosts, there was still no guarantee he’d want to settle down. Especially now that he’d gone back on the road.
“So what can I get for you?” Beth’s voice resonated with a husky quality and brought Charlotte back to the present.
“Now, that’s a loaded question.” Thomas leaned closer.
Beth fingered the bowl of chocolates on the counter. Her hand shook as she lifted a wrapped chocolate egg in one hand. Charlotte watched in disbelief as Beth, the poised, accomplished flirt, popped a silver-wrapped chocolate Easter egg into her mouth with trembling hands.
“I admire a woman who’ll eat anything without regard to calories or weight,” Thomas said with a grin.
Beth spit the candy out and dropped her face into her palms.
Charlotte swallowed a giggle. Apparently even the most accomplished seductress got nervous around the right man. “I’m mortified,” Beth wailed, her voice muffled through her closed hands.
This time Charlotte did chuckle. Thomas whispered something low and obviously personal in Beth’s ear. As far as the two of them were concerned, no one else in the world existed. Time to make herself scarce, Charlotte thought.
She glanced at her watch. Four-thirty P.M. “You know what? It’s quiet today. Why don’t we lock up and leave early?”
“Perfect,” Thomas said to Beth. “I was hoping to entice you to join me for dinner. You’re more than welcome too, Charlotte,” he added politely, but she sensed the reluctance in his tone and grinned.
Beth shot her a pleading glance. Oh, no. No way would Charlotte be the third wheel at the start of a new romance. She’d let these two muddle through the embarrassing beginning on their own. Charlotte touched Beth’s hand for encouragement. Beth could handle this dinner with ease. As long as she unwrapped the butter pats first.
Charlotte forced a regretful shake of her head and began to gather her things. “Thanks anyway, but I have plans,” she lied. “But Beth is free. She told me as much this afternoon.” Charlotte felt Beth’s gaze shooting daggers at her, but she didn’t mind. Charlotte had more pressing problems. “I’ll lock up.”
“I won’t hear of it. You go on upstairs,” Beth said. “I’ll lock up behind me.”
Stalling. Charlotte recognized the tactic well. Beth obviously figured she and Romeo were safer in the shop than alone somewhere else. Little did Beth know all the erotic things that could happen in this shop. Charlotte and Roman did. Firsthand.
She swallowed over the lump in her throat caused by the memory.
