A Flicker of Doubt - Tim Myers [44]
He nodded. “This sounds perfect I’ll buy this, too, so I can give Mother an example of what she should be shooting for.” He looked embarrassed for a moment when he asked, “It is for sale, isn’t it?’
“If you see it here, it’s for sale. The only thing we need to haggle over is the price.”
As I rang up his purchases, he said, “Can she come by if she’s having trouble?”
“I give free advice, but if she’s interested, we also teach candlemaking classes here at the store.”
“That sounds great,” he said. “I’m glad I stopped in.”
I handed him his change. “Me, too. Let me know how she likes candlemaking.”
“Oh, I will.” He took a few steps toward the door, then asked, “Is the owner here today? I’d like to tell her what a good job you’re doing.”
“I’m the owner myself,” I said, “And I appreciate the compliment.”
“I complain when the service is bad, so I fed it’s my duty to praise where it’s merited. Good day.”
Goodness help me if I didn’t reply, “Good day to you, sir.”
After he was gone, I fielded a few telephone calls, waited on half a dozen of our regular customers and had a generally good time operating my candleshop.
I was running the reports from the register, happy with the afternoon’s events, when the front door opened. I’d forgotten to lock it, and a customer right now would throw off my report and cause me an extra half hour of work.
When I saw the look of dogged determination on Erin Lane’s face, I was suddenly sorry it wasn’t a customer after all.
Chapter 12
“That look can’t be good for me,” I said. “What’s going on?”
“We’re going out on the river,” she said. I felt a wave of dread chill me. “I’m not interested, but thanks for asking.”
“Harrison Black, don’t you realize the only way you get over being thrown off a horse is to climb right back up on one?”
I pretended to look around. “If you’ve got a horse, I’m willing to ride it, but I’m not going kayaking again.”
“You’re being unreasonable, Harrison.”
“I think it makes perfect sense,” I said. I’m not getting back in that kayak, and that’s final.”
“If you won’t kayak, how about taking a canoe out with me? It’s not the same as paddling alone.”
I’m not sure I’m even willing to do that,” I said, remembering the sound of the dull thud on the hull as it hit Becka’s body.
“If I bring a canoe here, will you go for a ride with me? It doesn’t have to be long. I just want you back on the water. Please, Harrison? It’s important to me.”
“Why?” I asked, sincerely interested in her concern. “Why do you care if I ever paddle again?”
“Because it’s my life, and we’re getting to be friends. I don’t want this to come between us.”
I tore the tape off the report and laid it on my till. “Erin, this doesn’t have anything to do with you. Can’t you understand how I feel?”
“Of course I can. I can’t even imagine how horrible the experience must have been for you, but I also know how much you love being out on the water. Come on, Harrison, ten minutes, that’s all I’m asking for.”
“I don’t know,” I said, still unsure about how I felt.
“Tell you what, you do this for me, and if you don’t enjoy yourself, I’ll never ask you to go back on the water again.”
I. thought about it a few seconds, then said, “Fine, I’ll try it. The next time I have some free time, I’ll go with you.”
She smiled broadly. “I was hoping you’d say that I have a canoe on the back of my truck. We can be in the water in five minutes.”
“Hey, you set me up,” I said. I gestured to the report and the till full of money. “I can’t leave right now, honest I have to balance my books, make the deposit and get something to eat another time, okay?”
She looked stubborn. “If I let you weasel out of this Bow, I’ll never get you out on the water again. Take your lime, do what you need to do, and then we’ll go paddling.”
“You’re not going to give up until I do this, are you?”
She stood firm. “I’m glad you’re finally getting the picture.”
I shoved the till and the report under