The morning’s efforts had amounted to removing two valves and picking up the wrong-size wrenches time after time. At this rate, he’d never finish the job on time.
Concentrate. By fixing his attention on the tools, he managed to pick out the proper wrench this time. It slipped from his damp, greasy fingers and clattered to the floor. He wiped his hands on the rag and picked up the wrench.
Just thinking about Minnie made him sweat. She’d twisted things around so much this morning that he’d plumb forgot he wanted to ask her to the church supper tonight. Now he’d have to sit alone with the rest of the family. Hendrick had Mariah. Anna had Brandon. Even Ma Simmons had memories of her beloved late husband. He could only dream of having a gal to love, but he wanted just one. Minnie. He’d fallen for her the moment he set eyes on her, but she’d never given him the time of day. One chance. That was all he wanted. Just one chance.
“Peter?”
The most precious voice in the whole world yanked him out of misery and into a firestorm of hope. “Minnie. What are you doing here?”
She stood in the doorway between the office and the shop, looking so pretty he couldn’t rip his gaze from her. From the red plaid skirt to the matching hat, she could warm up the coldest heart. The snow dusting her shoulders and hat made her even more beautiful. He wiped his brow again.
“You busy?” Her gaze dropped to the floor, her boots dripping with melting snow.
“Not at all.”
She looked up hopefully. “I was wondering if you might reconsider.”
Peter quickly thought through what she might mean and came up empty. “Reconsider?”
“Hiring me.” She shrugged and tilted her head in that way of hers that drove him crazy. “Instead of Ruth. She’s going to New York, you see, and can’t do the upholstering that you wanted. But, if you’d give me a chance, I’d like to try.”
Peter’s heart nearly stopped. She wanted to work with him. His plan wasn’t dead at all.
She dropped her gaze. “I understand. You want someone experienced to help out your friend. Here I went and said I didn’t know how to do it and would do a horrible job and all—”
“All right.” He had to cut her off before she dug a bigger hole.
Her wide-eyed wonder shot an arrow straight into his heart. “You mean it? I can help?”
“Yeah.” Then a thought occurred to him. If she was willing to work with him, maybe she would agree to a little more. “Maybe you can come to the church supper with me.”
She blinked. “Tonight?”
“Yeah. We can, you know, talk things over.”
“Oh. We can’t do that now?”
Peter examined the wrench in his hands. “I suppose, but I’m pretty busy.”
“Oh. But it’s Ruth’s last night home, and we all want to be together. Daddy can’t go out, especially not in this heavy snow.”
Peter could have kicked himself. “I forgot.”
“You couldn’t know.” Her quick smile dazzled him. “I’ll stop by later, then. Your friend is bringing the car on Saturday?”
He nodded, unable to think of a word to say.
“Saturday, then.” She gave him a little wave before waltzing through the office and out of the building.
Peter watched her go, unable to move a muscle and not entirely sure what had just happened except that she wanted to work with him.
He finally had a chance.
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