Whispers Of The Heart. Ruth Scofield

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СКАЧАТЬ Well, here’s my new business card, just in case. Please feel free to give me a call if there’s anything I can do for you. I usually hang around until six or thereabouts on most business days.”

      “Thank you.”

      “There’s some nice places to eat down the block. Would you like to come out for a cup of coffee or a soda?”

      “Thank you again, but…no…I have so much to do.”

      “All right. Maybe another time more convenient.”

      His ready smile tilted, giving his features that unusual charm. Autumn thought her heart tilted just a bit along with it. Perhaps she should accept. Genuine friendship was a precious commodity, according to Uncle William.

      He turned as the elevator hummed downward. Now he’d have to wait for it to return.

      “Remember, I’m right across the street. Hyatt Architectural Services.”

      “Yes, I’ll remember.” She lifted his card, waving it to let him know she’d keep it.

      “I’m even around some Saturdays,” he said as the elevator returned and the doors opened.

      Two men, one slight of build and one huge, husky, blond giant stepped off, each carrying a tool chest. Behind them, a dolly held a stack of lumber, precut and stained.

      “Hello, Josh. Sam.” Brent greeted them as old acquaintances. “What are you two doing up here in the old center of town?”

      “Hiya, Brent,” the husky giant spoke. “Well, you know how it is. We go where the work is. Heard you were moving your offices. You coming into this building?”

      “I’m across the street. You men still working for Lenny?”

      “Yeah, he’s got us doing the go-backs on all the finishing work,” Josh, the slight, dark-headed one said with some disgust. “You still doing your house renovation?”

      “No, it’s complete. Got a couple of new projects I’m doing.”

      Autumn cleared her throat. Couldn’t these men chew the rag another time? All she wanted were her bookshelves. She’d already waited all day for them to arrive. Well, most of the afternoon, anyway.

      At the sound of her bid for attention, Josh turned her way. “You the lady who wants shelves?”

      “Yes, that’s right,” she replied, flashing a slight annoyance Brent’s way. “Won’t you come in? I’d like you to get started.”

      “I’ll let you boys go to work.” Brent nodded and stepped into the elevator. “See you around, Autumn. Stop over when you wrap it up, if you’ve a mind, guys. I might have something for you myself.”

      “Sure thing, Brent,” Josh agreed.

      Autumn retreated into her apartment, the carpenters following. An hour and a half later, she barely heard a light bell over the sound of pounding hammers. Her doorbell?

      At least this time she wore her shoes. Brent’s smile, only a tad apologetic, gave her the feeling he might have been born with it in place.

      “Sorry. My last time to interrupt you. At least for today.”

      “What is it?”

      “Sam’s phone isn’t working. His wife is having a baby and he’s needed. Lenny—his boss—called my place. It seemed just as easy to trot across the street as to find a new phone listing.”

      “Oh. Well, come in.” She swung the door wider and stepped back. A break in the noise gave her a chance to call over her shoulder. “Sam?”

      “Yeah?” Spotting Brent, Sam laid his power drill down and came forward, his blue eyes questioning.

      “Lenny’s been trying to reach you,” Brent told him. “Guess your phone’s on the blink and he missed you before you left the truck.”

      “Yeah, my two-year-old dunked it in the bathtub last night. What’s up?”

      “Your wife called. Lenny says not to worry, her mom’s with her, but Ashley wants you to meet her at the hospital. Seems you’re having a little girl this time?”

      “You’re joking me. The baby isn’t due for another month!”

      “Don’t know about that, Sam, but this is no joke.”

      Near panic in his eyes, Sam turned Autumn’s way. “Can I use your phone, miss?”

      “Certainly.” The worry in the young man’s gaze tugged at her heart. She pointed to the slim white cordless phone. “There, on the kitchen table.”

      As Sam bumped into an overstuffed chair in his hurry to get to the kitchen side of the room, Josh joined them, his hammer dangling from one hand. “What’s happening?”

      Brent explained.

      “Oh, man. Ashley’s had nothing but problems with this kid and it ain’t even born yet. Sam’s been chewing nails.”

      Sam ended the phone connection, his gaze clouding. “Josh, we have to go. Gotta pick up my truck so I can—”

      “Don’t waste time, Sam,” Brent said, taking a key from his ring and tossing it. “Here, take this. My car is the red sedan right behind my building. You’ll recognize it, it’s the same one I had last year when you fellows did that work for me. It has a phone. I’ll find you later.”

      “Thanks, Brent,” the blond giant said, catching the key out of the air. “I owe you one, buddy. Josh?”

      “Never mind me, man. Brent’s right, just get going. We’ll catch up with you later.”

      For a moment the apartment was silent as the three of them listened to the clatter of Sam’s descent down the stairs. He hadn’t waited for the elevator. Slowly, Autumn turned to glance at the two men remaining. The air around her felt like an anticlimax.

      “Well…I hope everything turns out all right,” she said. “For the baby and mother.”

      “Oh, I’m sure God and His angels are already on the job. Sam talks to Him every day. Never seen nothing like it,” Josh assured, shaking his head in puzzlement. “But Sam believes it.”

      “So he should,” Brent replied. “Nothing like firsthand experience to make a believer out of you. He and Ashley had a scare last year when Sam was in a car smash-up,” Brent said for her benefit.

      Then he turned to Josh. “Say, let me give you a hand with finishing Miss Barbour’s shelves, here.”

      “Uh, that’s very nice, but—” Autumn began.

      “Wouldn’t mind your help, Brent,” Josh accepted. “Just another hour should finish it up.”

      “Really, perhaps it should wait,” she insisted as the two moved past her into the studio. Against the wall without windows, brass brackets stretched from near the floor СКАЧАТЬ