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Authors: Barbara Weitz
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she could weaken: Promised Grams shopping or wud.
His reply came within minutes: Bring her along. Last time I saw her in bakery she offered help.
What? Madeleine’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. How often did Jess stop at the bakery that he chit chatted with Grams? The sneaky scamp pretended she didn’t know him while grilling her about the date. Bottom line, no way did she want Grams involved.
And how well did Jess know her mom and dad? The cookie delivery appeared more suspect by the minute. Well meaning, and certainly supportive, her family had overstepped their bounds if they were matchmaking. This wasn’t a third world country, for Pete’s sake, where parents chose who you dated.
Okay, like Tamara said, Jess would be a fine pick if she was ready to date. But she wasn’t. Period. Discussion over. She blew out a loud sigh. Fine. She’d nip this in the bud. Two could play cat and mouse. Tomorrow was Friday. The only day Grams worked in the bakery. Let Jess ask her. Madeleine’s thumbs flew over the text keys: U hv 2 ask Grams. I promised. Her call.
Jess made another quick reply: OK.
Laughing out loud, she put her cell on the nightstand and got ready for bed with thoughts of Jess’s persistence. The grin wilted as her gaze slid to the wedding picture on the nightstand. She climbed into bed with the picture against her heart.
Tonight, she would not go to bed alone.
****
Jess spent the whole day anticipating this moment. Now he rolled his shoulders to ease away the kinks caused by his sneaky plan to see Madeleine again. It almost surprised him she showed up. “Sorry your grandmother got sick and couldn’t come. She seemed so eager this morning.”
“She’s not sick. She’s pushing us together. Where’s the list of names? I’ll make the labels.”
Bam . Shut down in the first minute. Madeleine would test his mettle for sure. His eyes shifted toward the computer on the shipping table and the high wheeled chair his shipping clerk used. “The program’s up on the screen. The list next to it. There’s only twenty names so we should be able to knock it out fast. I’ll pack while you type.”
Not alone in the warehouse, tool and die machines worked away in the background run by a small second shift in the shop. Jess got busy with his part of the project and could see Madeleine’s brow in a deep furrow as she tried to use the labeling system. “Troubles?”
“I’ve never used this system before.”
Jess moved around the large metal table with the remaining cookie tins and a stack of flat boxes he would assemble. He moved up behind her and pointed out the process as he spoke. “That’s all there is to it. Simple once you’ve done it. Try one.”
He could see her chest heaving as she typed and squinted. He should back off and give her some space, but he couldn’t make himself move. Everything about Madeleine drew him close in a need to be near. How he regretted not kissing her Saturday night. Boundaries set by her continual refusal to take their date further made a kiss out of the question. He’d have to wait for the perfect moment and not blow it. When a label spit from the printer, he grinned. “You’re a pro.”
“Can you make more than one label at a time?” She examined the label with a bar code stamped across it and moved a ruler down to the next name.
“There’s probably a way but I’m not sure how. My shipping clerk’s the expert, not I. Guess I’d better find out for next year.” Jess rested a hip against the table as he talked, watching her slender fingers zip across the computer keys with ease. Man, he’d never been able to type numbers that fast even with two hands.
“I’m good now. Thanks.” Madeleine squinted at the screen and went about her task. It left him no choice but to return to his side of the table and pack cookie tins. He held one for a few moments, admiring the angel image. More than once the sight of the angel’s wings spread protectively across
His reply came within minutes: Bring her along. Last time I saw her in bakery she offered help.
What? Madeleine’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. How often did Jess stop at the bakery that he chit chatted with Grams? The sneaky scamp pretended she didn’t know him while grilling her about the date. Bottom line, no way did she want Grams involved.
And how well did Jess know her mom and dad? The cookie delivery appeared more suspect by the minute. Well meaning, and certainly supportive, her family had overstepped their bounds if they were matchmaking. This wasn’t a third world country, for Pete’s sake, where parents chose who you dated.
Okay, like Tamara said, Jess would be a fine pick if she was ready to date. But she wasn’t. Period. Discussion over. She blew out a loud sigh. Fine. She’d nip this in the bud. Two could play cat and mouse. Tomorrow was Friday. The only day Grams worked in the bakery. Let Jess ask her. Madeleine’s thumbs flew over the text keys: U hv 2 ask Grams. I promised. Her call.
Jess made another quick reply: OK.
Laughing out loud, she put her cell on the nightstand and got ready for bed with thoughts of Jess’s persistence. The grin wilted as her gaze slid to the wedding picture on the nightstand. She climbed into bed with the picture against her heart.
Tonight, she would not go to bed alone.
****
Jess spent the whole day anticipating this moment. Now he rolled his shoulders to ease away the kinks caused by his sneaky plan to see Madeleine again. It almost surprised him she showed up. “Sorry your grandmother got sick and couldn’t come. She seemed so eager this morning.”
“She’s not sick. She’s pushing us together. Where’s the list of names? I’ll make the labels.”
Bam . Shut down in the first minute. Madeleine would test his mettle for sure. His eyes shifted toward the computer on the shipping table and the high wheeled chair his shipping clerk used. “The program’s up on the screen. The list next to it. There’s only twenty names so we should be able to knock it out fast. I’ll pack while you type.”
Not alone in the warehouse, tool and die machines worked away in the background run by a small second shift in the shop. Jess got busy with his part of the project and could see Madeleine’s brow in a deep furrow as she tried to use the labeling system. “Troubles?”
“I’ve never used this system before.”
Jess moved around the large metal table with the remaining cookie tins and a stack of flat boxes he would assemble. He moved up behind her and pointed out the process as he spoke. “That’s all there is to it. Simple once you’ve done it. Try one.”
He could see her chest heaving as she typed and squinted. He should back off and give her some space, but he couldn’t make himself move. Everything about Madeleine drew him close in a need to be near. How he regretted not kissing her Saturday night. Boundaries set by her continual refusal to take their date further made a kiss out of the question. He’d have to wait for the perfect moment and not blow it. When a label spit from the printer, he grinned. “You’re a pro.”
“Can you make more than one label at a time?” She examined the label with a bar code stamped across it and moved a ruler down to the next name.
“There’s probably a way but I’m not sure how. My shipping clerk’s the expert, not I. Guess I’d better find out for next year.” Jess rested a hip against the table as he talked, watching her slender fingers zip across the computer keys with ease. Man, he’d never been able to type numbers that fast even with two hands.
“I’m good now. Thanks.” Madeleine squinted at the screen and went about her task. It left him no choice but to return to his side of the table and pack cookie tins. He held one for a few moments, admiring the angel image. More than once the sight of the angel’s wings spread protectively across
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