The Sweetheart Deal. Syndi Powell

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СКАЧАТЬ how she wanted to believe those words.

      * * *

      ADAM HAWKINS’S PHONE rang twice before he had reached the bank. Because of the precarious conditions of the roads, he ignored it and continued on his way. He needed to get in early so he could get the sidewalks shoveled before customers arrived. He’d already called to ensure the plows had reached his parking lot, but the sidewalks were his responsibility. Welcome to small-town Northern Michigan.

      As much as he hated to admit it, returning to his hometown as bank manager was pretty gratifying. The people in town hadn’t thought he’d grow up to be much more than a thug, but he’d shown them. He’d become respectable, even wore a suit and tie. A man that his father should be proud of.

      Not that anyone seemed to have noticed the internal change in him. Not even his parents, who lived in the same town, but still refused to see him. They still saw the bully, though dressed in a suit. He pulled into the bank parking lot near the back, grabbed the shovel he’d stowed in the bed of his truck and walked carefully to the snow mounded on the sidewalks. Within minutes, he had a square foot of cement cleaned off and felt ready to quit and hire someone else to shovel the rest. Despite the deceptive white fluffy appearance, the snow was wet and heavy. His heart thumped loudly in his chest and his arms ached. Still, only thirty minutes remained until his employees would show, then another thirty for his first customers.

      Another car belonging to his teller Eva Stone arrived at the parking lot. When she got out of her car, she looked as though she had dressed for Alaska. She was wearing a thick parka with a hood fringed with faux fur, two scarves wound around her neck and fat mittens on her hands. She approached him slowly, carrying a shovel. She leaned back to look up into his face since she only reached halfway to his shoulder. “Did you hear about the roofs collapsing downtown?”

      Leave it to one of his employees to have the latest scoop. “What roofs?”

      “Several businesses on Lincoln are gone.” She shook her head then started to shovel small loads of snow. “It’s too bad about the Sweetheart.”

      Adam stared across the parking lot toward town. Megan, the baker, was a client of the bank’s both professionally and personally. He wondered if she was okay, then reminded himself that she seemed to want nothing to do with him since his return to Lake Mildred. When he ordered pastries for the staff meetings, her sister or another employee delivered them. The night he had stopped in to the bakery himself, she’d stayed in the kitchen for his entire visit until he’d left with his bread. And she never came by his office at the bank when she made her deposits. “Yes, too bad. What other businesses?”

      “Will wasn’t sure of the extent of the damage, but it’s huge.” She pushed the snow to the edge of the curb and leaned on her shovel. “The apartments, too. Lot of people homeless this morning.”

      Adam put his hand on Eva’s shoulder. “You don’t have to shovel the snow. I can take care of this.”

      “You saying I can’t?”

      The spark in her eyes made him wince. “No!” He cleared his throat and started over. “Once we get the snow cleared from the front door, I’d like you to get the branch ready for the day. Coffee brewed, hot water for tea. We’re sure to have a lot of visitors today.”

      “I can shovel snow, too. I’m not an invalid.”

      He’d seen proof of that himself. He held up a hand. “Didn’t say you were.”

      “Despite what my son says...” She continued to shovel the snow, and together they cleared a path to the door. She paused as Adam unlocked the front doors. Once opened, she disappeared inside. He glanced around the parking lot, then bent his head and continued shoveling the sidewalk.

      Finally finished, he shook the snow off himself, then entered the branch. He sniffed appreciatively and walked through the lobby, down the hall to the staff room. Eva turned and handed him a cup of hot coffee. “Black, two sugars.”

      “You’re too good to me, Eva.”

      “Someone has to take care of you bachelors.” She took a sip of her own tea, then nodded to the thermoses on the counter. “I made extra if you want to deliver them to the emergency workers downtown. I’m sure they could use a hot drink right about now. Do wonders for the bank’s image, no?”

      Adam nodded. When he’d taken the branch manager position, he’d inherited a mess both financially and publicly. The previous manager had been responsible for foreclosing on many homes in the area, known for his tough stance rather than his compassion. Adam’s district manager had warned him what he was walking into. Add that to his own past problems with the residents, and Eva was right. Giving out coffee would be only the beginning of what he needed to do. “I’ll drop them off as soon as Sandy arrives. Great idea, Eva.”

      She tapped her head. “Got a bunch of them locked up here.”

      Later that morning, Adam bundled up and once again trekked out into the frigid landscape. He carried the two thermoses and a plastic bag full of cups, stirrers and packets of cream and sugar. When he reached the corner of Main and Lincoln, he paused. It looked as if a bomb had exploded. He moved to the barricades and motioned to one of the workers. “I brought you guys coffee.”

      Keith walked over. “Thanks, man.”

      “Anyone get trapped?”

      “They’re getting the baker out now. She was there when the roof collapsed. And they’re still digging some of the tenants out at the apartments. In a weird way, it’s a good thing it happened so early in the morning. Less people around to get hurt.”

      Adam closed his eyes at the thought of Megan trapped under snow and ice. She had to be okay.

      Keith gave a grin. “I’m going to miss her double-chocolate muffins though. Those got me through many a shift.”

      “How long do you think it will take to get this cleaned up?”

      Keith looked back and shrugged. “Day or two. But longer to rebuild.” He accepted the thermoses and bags. “Appreciate it.”

      “Courtesy of the bank.”

      The man seemed to wince a little but returned to his crew with the coffee. Several turned to Adam and yelled their thanks. He nodded and turned to go back to the bank.

      And then he saw her.

      Megan emerged from the bakery, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and ambled between two emergency workers. Her sister ran to her and put her arms around her. She didn’t look as if she’d been badly injured. He hoped she wasn’t.

      Before now he hadn’t noticed that the Sweetheart was smack-dab in the middle of the most damage. He thought of the bank where he’d be needed. But his feet betrayed him as he walked slowly until he stood in front of her. “I’m sorry about the Sweetheart, Megan. But I’m glad you’re all right.”

      She glanced up sharply at him then shifted away. Her sister, Kelly, rolled her eyes. “I’ll bet you’re sorry. Go find someone else to harass.”

      Okay, maybe he’d deserved that before, but he’d changed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “When you’re ready to discuss rebuilding...”

      Megan СКАЧАТЬ