Free Dad in Training by Gail Gaymer Martin Page B

wound? Could it be all over the loss of a dog or could it be something more? Something deeper?
    A sigh fluttered from her lungs, and she lifted her head. The clock warned her that lunchtime was passing. She couldn’t eat anyway, so what was the difference? She stood and slipped the telephone into her pocket and sank back into her chair.
     
    Brent heard the familiar jingle of his cell phone and dug it from his pocket. He read the caller ID. Molly, and on his cell phone. That confused him. The men eyed him as he flipped his cell open again.
    Dial tone. He read the screen. Missed call .
    Surprised at the tug of his heart, he slipped his phone back into his pocket. In a moment, it rang again. He pulled out the phone and opened the lid. The call failed again.
    He clutched the cell and rose. “Sorry. This is important.” He scanned the room and headed toward a window. Hopefully he’d get a better reception. He hit Dial and Molly’s numbers beeped in. After a short ring, he heard her hello.
    “Molly, this is Brent Runyan. I’m sorry about missing your calls. I had to move to a window.” The clang of silverware andchina along with the rumble of voices nearly blocked her voice.
    “I had to wait for a break to return your call. Sorry. I knew it was important.”
    Important. He’d never thought. Once again, his motive would disappoint her. He struggled to find his voice. “It’s hard to hear, Molly. I want to ask you some questions about your program, but this isn’t a good time.” He felt his chest tighten. “How about dinner?”
    “Dinner?”
    He pushed the receiver tighter against his ear. Her single word echoed silence. Dinner may have been too much for her. “Or any time. Any place, really. You choose. I’ll pick you up.” He’d been too brash. She’d been anxious the last time they’d talked and so hopeful. He knew he would only disappoint her again. His mouth opened to explain.
    “Okay, but,” she said, ending his thought to be forthright, “meet me at Cregar’s. It’s a coffee shop at Crooks and Auburn Road. You’ll see it.”
    What was this with Cregar’s? Ideas clicked through his head. “Okay, but why there?”
    “I want to show you something.”
    He heard a new lilt to her voice, and he could picture her large hazel eyes flashing the amazing sparks of green. The image squeezed against his chest. “Okay.” It wasn’t okay. He wanted to know what this was about.
    Molly’s voice had brightened. “I’ll see you later.”
    “Later,” he said, and the line went dead.
    What happened? He’d wanted some questions answered, and suddenly she’d tangled him in one of her spur-of-the-moment adventures. Images flashed in his mind—Molly and Fred at the Rochester factory with her friend who looked as dazed as he felt; Molly teaching her class with a firm but loving hand; Molly backing away in his office when he offended her. His heart melted. She did that to him. Todayshe’d sidetracked him, and now he could only speculate what she had in mind for him.
    He’d nearly fallen over his feet many times since he’d met her. She had a way about her. A delight he’d never seen in an adult before. Maybe he was in the wrong business. Molly loved her mission. He had no doubt about it. She’d do anything to make her dream come true, and he had to admire her for that, except he was part of that dream, and he could fail her. Business was business, and her scheme might make little sense to the board unless he could convince them otherwise.
    He filled his lungs and calmed himself. When he headed for the table, his coworkers were watching. He had to finish his lunch or cause suspicion, but right now his stomach objected. His delicious steak sandwich had been swept away by a pair of hazel-green eyes.
     
    Molly stared out the coffee shop window. Would this end with another fiasco, or would she make a point? She’d decided to take a chance again. The last one had blown up in her face, and this one could, too.