A Soldier's Valentine. Jenna Mindel

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СКАЧАТЬ was not only her landlord, but a neighboring store owner. Acting on her attraction would be tricky at best and not very smart. If they got involved and the relationship went south, Ginger wouldn’t stick around. She’d bolt. Even with Zach’s increased rent, this was the cheapest place in town. She didn’t want to lose her business because of a bad romantic entanglement.

      And something about the surly Captain Zach screamed bad romantic entanglement.

      Annie dug for a twenty from her purse to pay for the tea. “Are you still going tonight?”

      Ginger counted back the change. “Tonight?”

      “Dinner party at the Zelinskys’, remember? Matthew said you’d agreed to go.”

      “Oh, yeah. I forgot for a minute, but I’ll be there.”

      If Annie needed her, Ginger wasn’t about to let her down, even though she’d promised before she’d thought it through. Before she’d felt this twitchiness toward Zach.

      At home would he smile more? Laugh, even? She didn’t want to miss that. But then again, maybe she should.

      “Maybe you and Zach can ride together.”

      “Right.” But Ginger’s stomach flipped. That’d be awkward.

      Matthew joined them, looking antsy to leave. “Ready?”

      “We’re going to lunch where we’re having the wedding. Final details and all that,” Annie explained.

      “Have fun.” Ginger glanced at Matthew and laughed. He didn’t look as if he cared about details. He looked like a man who wanted to get married. She walked them to the door and waved as they left.

      A throng of customers had come in while Annie and Matthew were in her store. Not locals, but tourists—skiers maybe, obviously up for the weekend. They looked over Zach’s work. Some picked up an ornament or two and were ready to buy them. Where was he?

      Ginger made a move toward the shoppers when Zach appeared with a basket of small multicolored glass hearts. He gave her a nod and placed the basket on his checkout counter.

      The three women in the store hurried over.

      “These are so cute,” one said.

      “Adorable.”

      “How much?”

      Zach hesitated. “Uh, ten.”

      “I’ll take four.”

      Ginger hoped they wouldn’t clean him out before she got a look at them. But then more customers came in and some wanted tea. Then Brady from the chamber stopped by to check on her progress with the local merchants, and by the time Ginger had a chance to scoot back over to Zach’s shop, it was closing time. Her favorite time of the day.

      She locked her front door, watched the snow fall beneath the illumination of the streetlamps outside and sighed. Today had been a pretty good day for sales. And pathetic when she considered four measly purchases a good day.

      “Tired?” Zach leaned against the slider, basket in hand. His eyes looked red, as if maybe he’d missed a night’s sleep. He looked tired, yet asked about her.

      “Not too bad. What about you?”

      “I’m tired of waiting on customers.”

      Ginger laughed. “Better get used to it.”

      “Yeah.” He held out the basket. “Here.”

      She inched closer and peeked inside. Only four glass hearts remained. “For me?”

      “You’ve really helped me out.” His deep voice caressed her ears. “Thanks.”

      Ginger pulled out one small red heart with a clear loop at the top. “Well, thank you. You’re not charging enough for these, by the way.”

      Zach shrugged. “Take them all. I’ll make more. They’re not hard to do.”

      “This one is fine. I haven’t seen you blow glass. When are you making things?”

      “Evenings and sometimes late at night.”

      “No wonder you’re tired,” Ginger teased.

      A shadow crossed over his features but was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “I’ll figure it out.”

      Did she imagine that haunted look?

      Ginger clutched the pretty glass heart in her hand. “Thanks for this. I think you should use these in your window.”

      “Again with the window. You’re like a dog on a bone.”

      She made a face. Maybe Zach was all bark. He’d given her a heart and that felt pretty good.

      He shifted his stance and then cleared his throat. “I understand you’ve been invited to my folks’ party.”

      Ginger’s heart raced. “Yes.”

      “Are you going?” His blue eyes pierced hers.

      Didn’t he want her to? Surely, Annie would understand if she bailed at the last minute. “Uh...”

      “If you are, ride with me.” That sounded more like an order than a request.

      “I can drive.” Did Captain Zach think she couldn’t manage on her own? It was only ten miles away.

      Ginger glanced at the snow piling up on the sidewalks out front. The forecast called for heavy bands of lake effect through the night. “I mean, I don’t want to put you out. I have to be up early in the morning, so I can only stay for a bit.”

      “I won’t be long.” His voice sounded so stern and irritated. “No sense both of us driving in this weather.”

      She looked into his tired blue eyes and found herself nodding. “Okay, but I have to change. What time do you want to leave?”

      “An hour.”

      “Deal.” Ginger reached out to pull the slider closed.

      Zach stopped her. “This isn’t a date or anything.”

      She tipped her head. Good grief, did he want her to go or not? “I don’t have to go?”

      “That’s not what I meant.”

      Ginger placed her hands on her hips. “Then what did you mean?”

      His eyes narrowed, but he raised his hands in surrender. “Nothing. Forget it.”

      Yeah, right. “Fine.”

      “Good. I’ll see you in an hour.”

      Ginger closed the slider with a hard snap.

      What a jerk! Not СКАЧАТЬ