Free Perfectly Reasonable by Linda O'Connor Page A

Friday,” he said with false cheer.
    “Great. I’ll see you then.”
    He paused. “Would you like me to pick you up?”
    “That’s okay. It’ll be easier for me to meet you at O’Malley’s. I’ll be out and about anyway.”
    “Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you on Friday.” He reached behind her and opened her door.
    Margo held her breath when he moved toward her and released it on a sigh when he reached past. “Do . . . Do you want a ride?”
    He shook his head. “Nah. I’ll walk,” he said with a shrug. “It’s not far and the cold air will do me good. Drive safe.” He closed her door for her and stepped back with a wave.
    As she started the car, she watched him walk away, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. Her stomach churned. Good job, Margo. Way to make someone feel bad. What was wrong with keeping it professional? She couldn’t get involved with him. She couldn’t go there. She sighed as she watched him in the shadow of the streetlight. Too late.

Chapter 12
    Margo watched the snow fly. The flakes were falling softly and melting as they hit the ground. Time for snow tires, Margo thought.
    She wondered if the little blue hatchback even noticed. He slid to a stop when the light turned red and then fishtailed out of the intersection with the green. Time for some winter driving lessons, buddy. And a few lessons on safe lane changing wouldn’t hurt either. What was it about blue car drivers? Was it a blue hatchback sin to stay in one lane for more than a three-minute stretch? Maybe they were all a little paranoid and needed a reason to be constantly looking over their shoulder.
    She accelerated to get out of the hatchback’s blind spot and turned into the parking lot at Breaking Bread. She was a little earlier today. With Chloe’s help, the second coat of paint at their current job had gone on quickly, and they had to take a break so it could dry. She was out the door by three o’clock and had time to go home, have a bite to eat, and change.
    It was three forty-five when she pulled open the back door and walked in. Margo slipped off her coat and hung it up.
    “Hey, baby girl. Come on in out of the cold.” Hattie stood at the stove stirring an enormous pot.
    “Something smells delicious.” Margo leaned over the pot and inhaled the spicy steam. “Three bean soup?” she guessed.
    Hattie wrapped her free arm around Margo’s shoulders and gave a squeeze. “That it is. Three bean soup with corn bread.” She winked. “And butterscotch ripple ice cream for dessert.”
    Margo laughed. “I saw the goal. It was a good one.”
    A grin split Hattie’s face. “Ottie is very happy. He’s asking for dessert first.”
    “He could eat a full meal, and he’d still have room for butterscotch ripple.”
    They laughed together and Margo got to work setting out the dishes and preparing the table for the buffet.
    “He’s a nice boy, that Trace. I think he’s got his eyes on you. He’s mighty interested in your schedule.”
    Margo hid her wince. “He is a nice guy. I’m helping him apply to medicine.”
    “Are you now?” Hattie turned to look at her with a surprised glance.
    Margo tried not to blush. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but he asked–”
    “Of course you’ll be helpful. Who better to ask? Does all that revisiting put you in a mood to try it out again?” Hattie had never hid what she thought of Margo’s decision.
    “Not so far.”
    “We can always hope. Speaking of medicine, Ottie’s been complaining about his ear again.”
    “I could take a look. I could bring the otoscope in next week.”
    “I was hopin’ you’d offer. I snagged the otoscope and ear syringe from the clinic tonight before they closed. I told ’em I’d bring it back tomorrow, but they was happy to lend it. It’s there on the counter.”
    “Perfect. How much time until dinner?”
    “Twenty minutes. He’ll be bustin’ happy if you could help him hear again.”
    “Let me talk to