employees' zone and hurried toward the cafeteria. She paused momentarily when she spied Joe leaning against the wall next to the entrance.
It was so good to see him, her heart flipped over. She consciously calmed her breathing and continued toward him.
"Hello, stranger," she called, then realized she'd let the
joy slip into her voice.
Joe straightened and smiled, a deep welcoming smile that made her feel warm inside. He took both her hands into his own, and they stood grinning as foolishly as Cheshire cats.
When it appeared Joe would be happy to go on holding her hands without saying a word, Sharon asked, "Why are you hanging around the cafeteria door?"
"Just waiting to wish you luck."
A lock of black hair curled onto his forehead, and Sharon itched to smooth it back for him. Instead, she pulled her hands from his grasp and tucked them into her coat pocket.
"Thanks, I'm sure I'll need it. By the way, we all enjoyed the fire and hot chocolate last night. That was very thoughtful."
"My pleasure," he said in a tone that seemed to mean more than his words.
She remembered to inquire, "How was your Thanksgiving?"
He grimaced. "Actually, I tried cooking a turkey dinner for the first time. It wasn't too bad."
Sharon was appalled at the picture he described and regretted not inviting him to join them on their trip. She wondered what her parents would have said.
Joe must've guessed her thoughts from the look on her face. "Hey, don't worry about me."
She wasn't convinced. "You ate all alone? Are you sure you had turkey?"
Joe laughed, his white teeth in sharp contrast to his tanned complexion. "You don't think I can take care of myself?"
Sharon was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. She sounded like an overprotective mother...or wife.
Glancing at her watch, she said, "Well, I'd better get to work. I'd hate to be fired on the first day."
Joe stepped aside. "You'll do just fine. Enjoy. I'll see you later." With an encouraging wink, he headed for the front entrance.
She took a deep breath and went inside, grateful to be working for Esther Olson. The older woman could make anyone feel at ease. As far as Esther was concerned, the whole county was her family.
Esther spotted Sharon and grinned broadly. "Over here," she beckoned. "There's a closet in back for your coat. I'll get a uniform so you can change."
When Sharon had returned, wearing the light blue uniform with a navy apron, she watched in amazement as Esther bustled around the kitchen, issuing orders to the others.
"Sadie, you handle the main course while I show Sharon what to do." Addressing the plump woman standing next to the petite Sadie, she continued, "Delores, please start the dessert, and
Sharon will help with the fruit and vegetables as soon as I'm through with her."
They operated as a well-oiled machine, though it didn't take long for Sharon to realize they'd needed another worker. She had to ask a lot of questions, but was surprised how fast the morning flew by.
Soon, she stood at the serving counter dishing up the steamy sausage casserole to hungry youngsters. The din in the cafeteria quickly rose to a dull roar.
She'd all but forgotten Celia Moran was working at the school, too, until her neighbor paused in front of her.
Celia's black hair was pulled back and tied with a lavender scarf that matched her suit.
Sharon felt frumpy in her now food-stained uniform, but she straightened her shoulders and said, "Hello, Celia."
The Moran woman's lips curled into a malicious snarl. "Well, well, you can't seem to get out of the kitchen, can you?"
Sharon took a deep breath and held it while counting to ten. She counted to ten the second time, but it didn't do any good. She'd taken all she was going to take from Celia Moran.
"Why do you hate me, Celia? Is it because my husband didn't pick up on your
It was so good to see him, her heart flipped over. She consciously calmed her breathing and continued toward him.
"Hello, stranger," she called, then realized she'd let the
joy slip into her voice.
Joe straightened and smiled, a deep welcoming smile that made her feel warm inside. He took both her hands into his own, and they stood grinning as foolishly as Cheshire cats.
When it appeared Joe would be happy to go on holding her hands without saying a word, Sharon asked, "Why are you hanging around the cafeteria door?"
"Just waiting to wish you luck."
A lock of black hair curled onto his forehead, and Sharon itched to smooth it back for him. Instead, she pulled her hands from his grasp and tucked them into her coat pocket.
"Thanks, I'm sure I'll need it. By the way, we all enjoyed the fire and hot chocolate last night. That was very thoughtful."
"My pleasure," he said in a tone that seemed to mean more than his words.
She remembered to inquire, "How was your Thanksgiving?"
He grimaced. "Actually, I tried cooking a turkey dinner for the first time. It wasn't too bad."
Sharon was appalled at the picture he described and regretted not inviting him to join them on their trip. She wondered what her parents would have said.
Joe must've guessed her thoughts from the look on her face. "Hey, don't worry about me."
She wasn't convinced. "You ate all alone? Are you sure you had turkey?"
Joe laughed, his white teeth in sharp contrast to his tanned complexion. "You don't think I can take care of myself?"
Sharon was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. She sounded like an overprotective mother...or wife.
Glancing at her watch, she said, "Well, I'd better get to work. I'd hate to be fired on the first day."
Joe stepped aside. "You'll do just fine. Enjoy. I'll see you later." With an encouraging wink, he headed for the front entrance.
She took a deep breath and went inside, grateful to be working for Esther Olson. The older woman could make anyone feel at ease. As far as Esther was concerned, the whole county was her family.
Esther spotted Sharon and grinned broadly. "Over here," she beckoned. "There's a closet in back for your coat. I'll get a uniform so you can change."
When Sharon had returned, wearing the light blue uniform with a navy apron, she watched in amazement as Esther bustled around the kitchen, issuing orders to the others.
"Sadie, you handle the main course while I show Sharon what to do." Addressing the plump woman standing next to the petite Sadie, she continued, "Delores, please start the dessert, and
Sharon will help with the fruit and vegetables as soon as I'm through with her."
They operated as a well-oiled machine, though it didn't take long for Sharon to realize they'd needed another worker. She had to ask a lot of questions, but was surprised how fast the morning flew by.
Soon, she stood at the serving counter dishing up the steamy sausage casserole to hungry youngsters. The din in the cafeteria quickly rose to a dull roar.
She'd all but forgotten Celia Moran was working at the school, too, until her neighbor paused in front of her.
Celia's black hair was pulled back and tied with a lavender scarf that matched her suit.
Sharon felt frumpy in her now food-stained uniform, but she straightened her shoulders and said, "Hello, Celia."
The Moran woman's lips curled into a malicious snarl. "Well, well, you can't seem to get out of the kitchen, can you?"
Sharon took a deep breath and held it while counting to ten. She counted to ten the second time, but it didn't do any good. She'd taken all she was going to take from Celia Moran.
"Why do you hate me, Celia? Is it because my husband didn't pick up on your
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