I have you penciled in, she answered, and climbed inside her Jeep.
He moved closer, looped an arm over the top of her open car door and the other arm on the roof of the car. He crowded her senses with his presence. His smooth-as-chocolate eyes were so kind, yet mischief seemed to lurk at the edges.
Though he dressed conservatively in navy Dockers and a starched white, button-down shirt, she could feel his energy straining to be unleashed.
She started the engine. Was there something else?
He gave her a slow grin that she could feel all the way to her toes. Nope.
Okay, then. She tugged slightly on the door handle.
He shifted as if startled that he was blocking the way. Friday. Dont forget. He shut the door and stepped back.
As she drove away, she glanced in the rearview mirror and watched his tall, athletic form disappear inside the cottage. How could he eat that much junk and still look so good?
Her mouth twisted in a wry smile. She wasnt likely to forget about Friday.
On Friday, Mara raced home from her early-afternoon cleaning appointment at the Clarins house. She was hot and sweaty and nervous and expected at the cottage in a half hour.
Pastor Durand hadnt been at the cottage when shed returned yesterday in the late afternoon to clean as scheduled. And to her surprise, hed cleaned up the dirt hed tracked in the day before.
In fact, the whole cottage was tidy. Since she hadnt much to scrub, shed cleaned the oven, just in case he decided to heat up a casserole.
Then this morning, when shed arrived to work on the computer, hed been on his way out, dressed in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, looking young and carefree. Theyd set a time to meet later. She hadnt seen him since.
She didnt know what to expect from him today. Another leisurely stroll down Main Street? At least this time shed be mentally prepared to roll with his unpredictable ways.
She showered and changed into lightweight powder-blue pants and a tunic-style white cotton sweater. The phone in her room on the bedside table rang just as she finished brushing her teeth. Hello?
Hey, Mar, Donna here.
Mara rolled her eyes. As if she wouldnt recognize her childhood friends voice. Hey.
So, you going to give me the scoop or what?
Mara sat on the bed and propped the phone between her shoulder and ear while she put on her tennis shoes. Scoop?
Sue called. Said shed heard from her aunt, whod heard from Tina who works at the bakery that you were showing the new pastor around town yesterday. Andhes to die for.
Mara tied off the bow on her laces with a little more force than necessary. To die for! Please.
Well? Impatience simmered in Donnas voice.
Well, what? Yes, I showed the new pastor around town for a bit yesterday.
So is he good-looking or not? In the background Mara could hear a baby crying. Oops. Missys awake. Why dont you come over? Donna pleaded.
Cant. Have plans, but I promise after church on Sunday, Ill come by.
Donna huffed into the phone. Promises, promises.
Mara closed her eyes against the mild disappointment in Donnas voice. The crying got louder. Donna must have picked up the baby.
Sunday. I gotta go, Mara said.
Okay. But youd better come over!
I will. She hung up and then quickly made a note in her organizer to go see Donna.
Mara paused in front of the mirror in her bedroom and cringed. Her damp curls stuck out in all directions. In her top bureau drawer she grabbed a stretchy headband.
She couldnt remember the last time shed thought about taming her hair, and the fact that she wanted to now made her hands shake as she slipped the wide navy band over her head. How she looked shouldnt matter. It never had before. Before a certain young pastor barged into her life.
To die for! Give me a break.
Donna would get a kick out of knowing that Mara was fiddling with her hair. A pang of envy pierced Maras heart. She forced it way. She was truly happy for Donna. Her friend had married a good man and now had a baby. Mara loved her godchild, even though she wasnt quite comfortable with the little girl. Babies were fragile and unpredictable.
Tucking the band behind her ears, she grimaced at her reflection. She wasnt sure which was worseher curls unbound and flying all over the place, or pushed back into a sort of ring around her head. The tightness of the band made her decision. She yanked the thing off and threw it onto her twin bed.