place on the table and emptied a couple of chairs, while he poured the coffee. It was the first break sheâd had all day.
âSo you work in a store.â She was surprised at his occupation. The boys complained all week of him spending too much time with his blueprints, and sheâd pegged him as being an engineer. âI guess we have more in common than noisy kids.â
âCould be.â He moved his Peace Lily to the sink and gave it a good soaking. She watched him remove the foil, letting the excess water drain through. For someone who knew nothing about flowers, he seemed to know what he was doing. Afterwards, he unpacked three boxes of dishes, putting them in the cabinets before joining her at the table.
âIâm a checker at Milnerâs Market,â she said, then remembered heâd been in her checkout line. âOf course, you already knew that.â
âAnd do you like it there?â A cookie disappeared into his mouth.
âItâs okay.â
âBut itâs not your lifeâs dream?â
Charlotte hugged the warm cup with both hands. Glancing up, she found herself staring into his probing blue eyes, wondering how much she could reveal before he burst out laughing the way her father-in-law had. She wasnât being fair to Jake, and she knew it. Any man whoâd offered to meet her at the clothesline for a good gossip deserved the truth.
âIâm also a cosmetologist,â she said, noting his puzzled expression. âJohn Milner offered me a job when our insurance coverage at Mitchâs firm ran out. I work part-time at the Beauty Boutique.â
âMilner?â Jake dropped into the chair to her right. Leaning back, he reached for another cookie, popping it into his mouth. The teasing light in his blue eyes dimmed. âIs he a special friend?â
She knew what he meant, but decided to take the high road. âOh, heâs special all right, one of the kindest men Iâve ever met. His wife thinks so too, so you can get your mind out of the gutter.â
âI didnât say anything.â
âFor your information, my husband won a difficult case for Mr. Milner several years ago, and this was his way of thanking him.â
âI wasnât prying.â His dark blue eyes filled with mischief. âYes, I was. You seeing anyone on a regular basis?â
âTwo girls, two jobs, and a mountain of bills⦠when am I supposed to have time for a man?â She flipped the tables. âWhat about you? Any special ladies in your life, right now?â
âToucheâ.â He laughed, avoiding her question. âHow long have you been a beautician?â
Was this a truce or just another tactic for prying into her personal life? She had nothing to hide, but some things were just hard to explain without making Mitch sound like a control freak. âAbout a year. I was in cosmetology school when Mitch and I married. I went back last year⦠got my diploma and passed State Boards.â
âGood for you.â He lifted the coffee mug in salute. âHereâs to determination.â
She was touched. It had taken a lot of hard work and no one, other than her parents, had cared. To her in-laws, anything short of a university degree was a waste of time.
âSomeday I plan to own a string of shops.â She waited for him to laugh at her dreams, but he didnât. Instead, he crossed his legs and relaxed, as if he was in for a long visit.
âWho watches the girls?â
âKimmie Jones,â she said, wondering if Jeremy had mentioned sitting to his dad. âShe works with me at the shop, but our hours are the same sometimes.â
âAnd then youâll need Jeremy.â
Heâd said it as a statement â a done deal from which heâd been excluded, and it wasnât what sheâd meant by asking the boy. It was time to smooth any feathers she might have ruffled. âOnly if