picky,” she told him. “What sounds good to you?”
“I really haven’t been here long enough to know what’s available. Why don’t you decide? I’m open for anything.”
“Okay. How about Larkspur? It’s nice … kind of a bistro atmosphere.”
He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Spoken like a true woman: Never mind the food, how’s the ambiance?”
She cocked her head and grinned. “Oh, excuse me, did I mention they have great sandwiches?”
“No, you didn’t. But don’t mind me. I’m just giving you a hard time. Anything’s fine with me.”
When they walked into the restaurant’s lobby, the hostess met them with menus in hand.
“Would you care to sit on the patio?” the model-thin young woman asked. “We have the burners going, so it’s really quite comfortable out there.”
Joel raised his brows, tacitly leaving the decision with Melanie.
“It’d be fine with me. I’m dressed plenty warm,” she assured him, rubbing the sleeves of her wool-blend jacket. “And I love dining alfresco.”
“We’ll take the patio,” Joel told the hostess.
“Right this way, please.” She led them through the large dining room to the patio outside. Several other diners had already been seated at the umbrella-canopied tables. With the trees still leafless, they had a clear view of the river and the town’s spare winter skyline. The tall radiant burners on either side of their table kept the air temperature comfortable, and the hostess adjusted the table umbrella so that the sun warmed their shoulders.
When they were settled and the hostess had gone, Joel turned to Melanie. “So you’ve been at By Design for how many years now?”
“Going on seven—not counting the months I took off when Jerica was born. It’s the only place I’ve worked since I graduated from college.”
“That’s kind of unusual.”
She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know anything else. I take it your work history is a bit more checkered?”
He appeared startled by her question. Then he smiled and took a sip of his ice water. “Just a bit,” he said.
“Where did you work before coming to Silver Creek?”
He took several gulps of water and wiped his lips on the linen napkin before answering. “I … I taught English.” He cleared his throat.
“Oh yes. I remember reading that.”
“You read it? Where?”
“In the church bulletin, I think.”
“Oh yes … of course.”
“Where was it you taught?”
“At a small college. You … probably wouldn’t have heard of it. It was back East.”
“Ah, back where your English made sense to them?”
He warmed to her teasing. “Hey! My English is impeccable.”
“In the East, maybe.” She grinned at him and knew she was flirting again. What was it about Joel Ellington that brought out that annoying coyness in her? She pushed aside the thought that she had business lunches with male clients all the time and never felt the need to flirt as shamelessly as she was doing now.
A college-age server appeared at their table. “Good afternoon. My name is Alec, and I’ll be your server today.” Ah, saved by the waiter . “May I get you two something to drink?”
“I’ll have coffee, please … black,” she told him.
“The same,” Joel said. The waiter left, and Joel turned to Melanie again. “So, how’s your little girl? Jerica, isn’t it? That’s an interesting name.”
“She’s named after Jerry and Erika,” Melanie explained, warming to her favorite subject.
“Oh, sure. That makes sense.” He nodded his understanding. “She’s five, did you say? Does that mean she’s in kindergarten?”
“She’ll turn five in April. She won’t start school until next year. She attends Cornerstone’s preschool during the mornings.”
“Oh, I’ve probably seen her, then. The preschool kids keep things at the church pretty lively.”
“I’ll bet,” she laughed. “That’s another thing in favor of the new wing—it’ll move the kids a little
“I really haven’t been here long enough to know what’s available. Why don’t you decide? I’m open for anything.”
“Okay. How about Larkspur? It’s nice … kind of a bistro atmosphere.”
He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Spoken like a true woman: Never mind the food, how’s the ambiance?”
She cocked her head and grinned. “Oh, excuse me, did I mention they have great sandwiches?”
“No, you didn’t. But don’t mind me. I’m just giving you a hard time. Anything’s fine with me.”
When they walked into the restaurant’s lobby, the hostess met them with menus in hand.
“Would you care to sit on the patio?” the model-thin young woman asked. “We have the burners going, so it’s really quite comfortable out there.”
Joel raised his brows, tacitly leaving the decision with Melanie.
“It’d be fine with me. I’m dressed plenty warm,” she assured him, rubbing the sleeves of her wool-blend jacket. “And I love dining alfresco.”
“We’ll take the patio,” Joel told the hostess.
“Right this way, please.” She led them through the large dining room to the patio outside. Several other diners had already been seated at the umbrella-canopied tables. With the trees still leafless, they had a clear view of the river and the town’s spare winter skyline. The tall radiant burners on either side of their table kept the air temperature comfortable, and the hostess adjusted the table umbrella so that the sun warmed their shoulders.
When they were settled and the hostess had gone, Joel turned to Melanie. “So you’ve been at By Design for how many years now?”
“Going on seven—not counting the months I took off when Jerica was born. It’s the only place I’ve worked since I graduated from college.”
“That’s kind of unusual.”
She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know anything else. I take it your work history is a bit more checkered?”
He appeared startled by her question. Then he smiled and took a sip of his ice water. “Just a bit,” he said.
“Where did you work before coming to Silver Creek?”
He took several gulps of water and wiped his lips on the linen napkin before answering. “I … I taught English.” He cleared his throat.
“Oh yes. I remember reading that.”
“You read it? Where?”
“In the church bulletin, I think.”
“Oh yes … of course.”
“Where was it you taught?”
“At a small college. You … probably wouldn’t have heard of it. It was back East.”
“Ah, back where your English made sense to them?”
He warmed to her teasing. “Hey! My English is impeccable.”
“In the East, maybe.” She grinned at him and knew she was flirting again. What was it about Joel Ellington that brought out that annoying coyness in her? She pushed aside the thought that she had business lunches with male clients all the time and never felt the need to flirt as shamelessly as she was doing now.
A college-age server appeared at their table. “Good afternoon. My name is Alec, and I’ll be your server today.” Ah, saved by the waiter . “May I get you two something to drink?”
“I’ll have coffee, please … black,” she told him.
“The same,” Joel said. The waiter left, and Joel turned to Melanie again. “So, how’s your little girl? Jerica, isn’t it? That’s an interesting name.”
“She’s named after Jerry and Erika,” Melanie explained, warming to her favorite subject.
“Oh, sure. That makes sense.” He nodded his understanding. “She’s five, did you say? Does that mean she’s in kindergarten?”
“She’ll turn five in April. She won’t start school until next year. She attends Cornerstone’s preschool during the mornings.”
“Oh, I’ve probably seen her, then. The preschool kids keep things at the church pretty lively.”
“I’ll bet,” she laughed. “That’s another thing in favor of the new wing—it’ll move the kids a little
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