expect. But everyone makes choices.” He reached for his drink as the waiter set it on the table. “I used to be on the road all the time. Travel doesn’t exactly lend itself to a solid relationship.”
Kristine fidgeted. That was the truth. What would Ethan say, if he knew it was her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary? That her husband was five hundred miles away?
They were silent for a moment. Then his eyes fell on the magazine. “Oh,” he said, surprised. “Look at that.”
“New Caledonia.” Kristine turned the picture toward him. “Have you been?”
Sheepishly, he pointed at the photo credit. “Actually, yes. I shot that.”
“What?” Amazed, Kristine studied the pictures. Aquamarine water, billowing white sails, comical fish . . . Wow. It was hard to imagine the man sitting across from her capturing all of this with just the lens of a camera. It showed a depth that she hadn’t given him credit for.
“Ethan, these are great.” She regarded him with a new respect. “Why on earth are you working in my store?”
“It’s time to put down some roots. I’m getting old. You know what I mean?”
Kristine shook her head. “Nope. I just turned thirty.”
The laugh lines around his mouth twitched. “I would have guessed twenty-one.”
“Ah.” Kristine touched her glass to his. “Touché.”
Ethan ran his hands through his thick black hair. There were a few silver strands around his temples, which she liked. It gave a little imperfection to his perfection. “Getting older is a funny thing. It’s made me feel this need to settle somewhere, to become part of a community. And I love the store. You’ve done a great job, Kristine. It’s really given the neighborhood some badly needed texture.”
“Thank you,” she practically whispered. It was a nice thing to hear. Owning the store was a lot of effort, and sometimes Kristine wondered if it mattered to anyone at all. “You know, I envy you,” she said slowly, touching the sleek magazine cover. “When I was younger, I wanted to join the Peace Corps. See the world.”
“You didn’t do it?”
“No, I got married instead.” Immediately, she felt guilty. “I don’t mean it like that. I just . . . If I really wanted to join the Peace Corps, I would have done it.”
“There’s still time.” Ethan lifted his glass. “There’s always time.”
The waiter arrived then with a perfectly browned, roasted hen. Garlic, rosemary and delicious goodness wafted up from the plate. Waving her knife and fork at Ethan, Kristine surprised herself by saying, “You should order something. Otherwise, I’ll feel bad for taking down this whole thing in front of you.”
“I’ll have the mussels and truffle fries,” Ethan told the waiter, without looking at a menu. “You have to try a fry,” he said, giving her a quick wink. “It might make up for the fact that you’ve never been to Paris.”
“I’ve had them.” Kristine surveyed the familiar restaurant. “This is my favorite place.”
“Mine, too,” he said.
They smiled at each other.
Just then, a jazz band took the stage. The snare drum set the rhythm and a woman sang a song in French, her voice low and earthy. Kristine and Ethan turned their attention to the stage.
As a sultry breeze blew through the windows, Kristine felt happy for the first time all day. Life was so funny. She’d started out the evening upset about her anniversary and in the process, surprised herself by finding a friend.
Four
Glancing at the Enfield clock on the mantel, June was pleased to see that it was only nine o’clock in the morning. She’d slept later than usual, because she’d stayed up reading a mystery story. She’d solved the mystery by page thirty-six but had to keep reading to see if she was right.
Sunshine peeked through her heavy curtains. It brightened the Oriental throw rugs and antique furniture, beckoning her outside. June planned to spend the day in her garden because, after a wonderful weekend with her family, the house would feel much too big.
Crossing through the parlor and into the kitchen, June pushed open the heavy screen and stepped outside. Her first thought was whether or not she should see if the tomatoes were overripe on the vine. Her second thought was, “Aaack!”
A piercing light was shining in her eyes like a laser beam from outer space. June blinked, covering her eyes and splaying her fingers. Just over the stone fence separating her yard from Charley Montgomery’s sat a gazebo with a bright copper roof. It shimmered like a newly minted penny.
“I cannot believe that man,”