puffed out as he stuffed the strings into a bag. “We’re all going to miss her when she graduates next semester.”
“Where do you go?”
“McNeil Stone College of Music.”
Henrik frowned. “Isn’t that over by the Xcel Center in St. Paul?”
“Yeah,” Max exclaimed. “It’s just a few blocks away. That school is awesome.”
Henrik studied the joy radiating from the youth. Had he ever felt that? So excited about what he did that he couldn’t wait to do it or even talk about it?
If he had, he couldn’t remember it now. Not even for hockey.
“Cool.” He took his items. “I’ll be sure to hunt you down when I decide to look at guitars.”
“Great.” Max followed him to the door. “This is the best music store in the area. Are you from around here? I don’t remember seeing you before. Not that you haven’t been here before. I’ve only been working here for six months. I love—”
“I will,” Henrik cut him off so he could get away. “Thanks for the help.” He lifted the bag to indicate his purchase. “I’ll see you around.”
“Right.” Max glanced back at the empty store. “Have a good night.”
“You too.”
Henrik ducked out the door before the kid started talking again. The sun was still pretty high in the sky as the last of the long days dwindled away to the encroaching winter. The chilly early evening air was nice on his heated skin when he strolled down the sidewalk in front of the strip mall, cars whizzing by on the busy street beyond.
He’d been to this music store a few times, but he usually shopped at the one closer to his home. Maybe his need for a longer drive would pay off in more than a few guitar strings.
He spotted Jacqui sitting by the window in the coffee shop at the end of the strip mall. She was bent over a book, a sandwich held aloft in her hand. Her hair was tucked behind her ear, soft curls tumbling down over her shoulder. A ray of sun tugged out the subtle blond highlights that wove through the strands, a detailed he’d missed in the store.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed and matched the rosy shade of her lips. Her features were an interesting mix of large and delicate, a pert nose offset by a wide mouth and large, deep-set eyes.
She took a bite of her sandwich then swiped a napkin over her lips, completely absorbed in her book. There was nothing fancy about her at all. Her black sweater was nice but not designer or cashmere. The same went for her jeans. His mother had driven her fashion sense into her children at a young age. Grenicks didn’t know how to discount shop.
Jacqui was about as opposite from the women he dated as he could get. Her makeup was hardly noticeable. Her lips natural instead of covered in waxy-tasting color. His tongue snaked out to wet his own lips. What would hers taste like?
What was he doing here? He didn’t have a chance in hell of dating her. It’d be better if he just forgot about her. That Glaciers’ party was only a few days away. He’d get a new girl there. One who fit his lifestyle. His interest in Jacqui was a fluke of timing, that was all. A combination of Patricia leaving and hearing Jacqui playing “The Tempest” had jerked him back to a time before...
Jacqui whipped her head up then, eyes nailing his through the glass. Damn. He’d been caught staring—again. He cringed then forced a smile. His stomach clenched around the nerves that balled within it, and he got his feet moving. What had he expected to accomplish by following her? She obviously wasn’t interested in him. She’d made that perfectly clear.
Yet her touch had lingered on his arm and no matter how she’d tried to cover it, she had run away. Something had spooked her, and it wasn’t anything he’d done. Said maybe, with his stupid pickup line. The cheesy come-on probably would’ve worked on the women he was used to dating.
And wasn’t it another point in her favor that it hadn’t worked on her?
Instead of heading to his car, he found himself opening the door to the coffee shop. The rich scent of ground coffee and baked goods hit his nose and had him inhaling to savor the aroma. He stood just inside the doorway, debating what to do, when Jacqui turned around in her chair and waved him over.
Was that relief that loosened