but she hadn’t seen them since their impromptu visit to her shop on Monday. Twice, she had had dinner with her father, and then she spent a couple of evenings sorting out her fall inventory, and finally it was Friday.
She closed her shop at six o’clock sharp. It had been a slow day, and she told herself to be thankful for that. In a couple of weeks, when the leaves started changing, tourists would flock to the area and she’d be busy enough. Just as she was about to head for home, her friend Sandy called.
“So, how are things going?”
Allison knew that Sandy meant well, but the sympathy in her tone was annoying. She purposefully made her voice upbeat and happy. “Fine. Everything’s great.”
“Got plans for tonight?”
Though she’d been looking forward to her evening alone, Allison hated to admit it. “No.”
“I could arrange a last-minute potluck at our place. Daniel has this friend I’ve been wanting to introduce to you.”
“Friend?”
“A guy, actually. Barry. He just split with his wife and…”
“No, thanks.” The matchmaking had begun. Allison had known it would be only a matter of time. “I’m not ready to start meeting new guys.”
“Are you sure?”
There was something in Sandy’s voice that hinted at facts that remained unspoken. “Why?”
“Tyler’s already met someone. They’re going out tonight. Gosh, Allison, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.”
“It’s okay. Really.” And it was. “I hope he has a good time.”
“You could come for dinner, anyway. I don’t have to invite Barry.”
“Thanks, Sandy, but it’s been a busy week at work.” Sort of. “And I have a lot of catching up to do at home.”
Once Sandy had accepted that she really was okay, that she wouldn’t be going home and crying her eyes out, Allison was able to leave the shop.
She wasn’t sure why she’d declined the invitation, when actually she was ready to start dating. It was just that the guy had to be someone special. He had to be…
“Oh, sorry!” As she rounded the corner to Robin Crescent, she almost tripped over Tory on her tricycle. Her father, hovering a foot or two behind her, apologized on his daughter’s behalf.
“We shouldn’t have been going so fast.”
“You weren’t,” she assured him. “It was the hedge. It blocked my view.”
He’d put a hand on Tory’s handlebars and now he steered her to the far side of the walk. He was a protective dad, Gavin Gray.
Also…kind of sexy.
He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off nice broad shoulders and a flat stomach. And why was she noticing?
She transferred her attention to his smiling daughter. Since showing her the miniatures, the little girl had warmed up considerably.
“Hi, Tory. It’s a great night for a bike ride. Having fun?”
“Yes.”
“How was the first week of school?” She knew she’d asked the wrong question when Tory’s smile faded instantly.
“It takes a while to get used to a new place and new people,” Gavin said diplomatically. “But we should let Allison go on her way, Tory. I’m sure she has things she needs to be doing.”
Allison had no things that needed doing, but she didn’t correct him. Every time she met him, Gavin seemed determined to keep their relationship pleasant but distant. She could have accepted that, but there were also times when she thought she read something else in his eyes.
Interest. Attraction.
Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
She said goodbye and went home to leftovers from her most recent dinner with her father. Less than an hour later, as she was contemplating her television options for the evening, she heard a knock at the door.
She was surprised to find Tory on her porch.
“Hi.” The little girl’s expression was expectant.
“Hi, Tory. Where’s your dad?”
“Talking on the phone.” Tory looked past her. “Do you have any of those toys you had at the store?”
“I do have a cool collection of salt and pepper shakers, but I’d better talk to your father first. Does he know where you are?”
She’d only just asked the question when she heard Gavin’s voice calling from next door. “Tory? Are you out here?”
Allison stepped out to the porch and waved at him. “She’s at my place.”
“Thank God.” He dashed over, shaking his head. “Tory, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to leave the house without telling me.”
“I didn’t cross the street, Daddy.”
He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. A fine sheen of moisture was visible on his forehead. Allison wouldn’t have blamed him for being upset, but he seemed more than that.
He took another breath. “Sorry for the interruption, Allison. Tory, we’d better go home and review a few rules before we watch our movie.”
“But Allison has something to show me.”
“Allison’s busy.”
Seeing the little girl’s face begin to crumple, Allison felt that she had to speak up. “She could stay for a while, if that’s okay with you.”
“But I’m sure you and your fiancé have plans.”
His assumption startled her. “Did someone tell you I was engaged?”
“I saw a wedding invitation on your porch. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read it.”
“No problem. But actually my fiancé and I recently split up. The invitations were delivered because I forgot to cancel with the printer.”
“Oh.” He looked at her speculatively, before assuming a polite, neutral expression again. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tired of sympathy, she purposefully misunderstood him. “It wasn’t a large order. We had planned on a small wedding.”
“I didn’t mean about the printer.” His eyes sparkled, amused.
“The broken engagement part is okay, too. Better to figure it out now than later.”
“If it didn’t feel right, then, yes.”
