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The sofa in the display window invited customers to come inside and get comfortable. Blankets and pillows had been artfully arranged around a tray holding a pretty teapot and two china mugs.
As she’d done in her own home, in this window Allison had created a heartwarming sense of “home.” The exact kind of home he intended to design himself, now that he was starting his own business.
The exact kind of home he wanted to live in, as well.
“Can we go inside, Daddy?”
He was curious to see more, too.
A bell chimed as he opened the door. A well-dressed woman in her forties stood at a table in the back, flipping through a book of fabric samples. Though he couldn’t see Allison, he could hear her speaking. “I think I’ve got just the thing. Hang on a minute.”
Tory spotted a cabinet filled with miniature figurines of people, animals and birds. She squealed with pleasure. “Can I look, Daddy?”
He went to the cabinet with her, noting the ones she seemed to like the most. Her birthday was in October. The miniatures would make a terrific gift.
“These are more expensive,” Allison said, “but just feel them. Pure raw silk. Scrumptious.” She stepped into his line of vision as she set another heavy book of samples before her customer. “If you want to take these home to see them in your bedroom, you can sign them out.”
She glanced up and the moment she spotted him her spine stiffened and her cheeks turned pink.
He smiled. “My daughter is fascinated by your miniatures.”
“Is Tory here?” She went over to the cabinet. “Hi, Tory. Let me unlock this for you.”
Allison’s customer in the back decided she wanted to borrow both fabric books and so Allison left Tory with the figurines as she made a note of the woman’s name and the books she’d taken. When she came back to Tory, she removed a figurine of a woman in Victorian dress from the cabinet.
“This one’s my favorite. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Gavin left the two of them to talk and wandered farther into the shop, drawn by the unique merchandise and the clever displays. Every time he doubled back, he discovered something new.
Several things here would look great at home, he thought. That mirror. The blue-and-red rug. A leather ottoman. At least he thought they would look great. He didn’t entirely trust his own instincts on this. Though he had a good eye for design, soft furnishings had never held much interest for him.
As he browsed, he could hear the murmur of Allison and Tory’s conversation. He was astonished by how much his daughter had to say. She’d barely looked at Allison when they’d met on moving day, and it usually took her a long time to warm up to strangers.
Finally, he had to interrupt. “We should be getting home, Tory.” Allison looked up at him. She had cat’s eyes, green and curious. “I hope we didn’t take up too much of your time.”
“Absolutely not. It’s been fun.” Allison locked the cabinet with an old-fashioned brass key. He focused on her hands, small and delicate, with long fingers and nicely kept nails. The real kind, not the shiny fake ones with white tips that the women in his office back in Hartford had favored.
Tory said goodbye and thanks, without any prompting from her father. It was only as they were walking along the sidewalk toward home that one little detail struck him.
Allison hadn’t been wearing an engagement ring.
CHAPTER THREE
THE WEEK FELT LONG to Allison. She thought about her new neighbors often, but she hadn’t seen them since their impromptu visit to her shop on Monday. Twice, she had had dinner with her father, and then she spent a couple of evenings sorting out her fall inventory, and finally it was Friday.
She closed her shop at six o’clock sharp. It had been a slow day, and she told herself to be thankful for that. In a couple of weeks, when the leaves started changing, tourists would flock to the area and she’d be busy enough. Just as she was about to head for home, her friend Sandy called.
“So, how are things going?”
Allison knew that Sandy meant well, but the sympathy in her tone was annoying. She purposefully made her voice upbeat and happy. “Fine. Everything’s great.”
“Got plans for tonight?”
Though she’d been looking forward to her evening alone, Allison hated to admit it. “No.”
“I could arrange a last-minute potluck at our place. Daniel has this friend I’ve been wanting to introduce to you.”
“Friend?”
“A guy, actually. Barry. He just split with his wife and…”
“No, thanks.” The matchmaking had begun. Allison had known it would be only a matter of time. “I’m not ready to start meeting new guys.”
“Are you sure?”
There was something in Sandy’s voice that hinted at facts that remained unspoken. “Why?”
“Tyler’s already met someone. They’re going out tonight. Gosh, Allison, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.”
“It’s okay. Really.” And it was. “I hope he has a good time.”
“You could come for dinner, anyway. I don’t have to invite Barry.”
“Thanks, Sandy, but it’s been a busy week at work.” Sort of. “And I have a lot of catching up to do at home.”
Once Sandy had accepted that she really was okay, that she wouldn’t be going home and crying her eyes out, Allison was able to leave the shop.
She wasn’t sure why she’d declined the invitation, when actually she was ready to start dating. It was just that the guy had to be someone special. He had to be…
“Oh, sorry!” As she rounded the corner to Robin Crescent, she almost tripped over Tory on her tricycle. Her father, hovering a foot or two behind her, apologized on his daughter’s behalf.
“We shouldn’t have been going so fast.”
“You weren’t,” she assured him. “It was the hedge. It blocked my view.”
He’d put a hand on Tory’s handlebars and now he steered her to the far side of the walk. He was a protective dad, Gavin Gray.
Also…kind of sexy.
He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off nice broad shoulders and a flat stomach. And why was she noticing?
She transferred her attention to his smiling daughter. Since showing her the miniatures, the little girl had warmed up considerably.
“Hi, Tory. It’s a great night for a bike ride. Having fun?”
“Yes.”
“How was the first week of school?” She knew she’d asked the wrong question when Tory’s smile faded instantly.
“It takes a while to get used to a new place and new people,” Gavin said diplomatically. “But we should let Allison go on her way, Tory. I’m sure she has things she needs to be doing.”
Allison had no things that needed doing, but she didn’t correct him. Every time she met him, Gavin seemed determined to keep their relationship pleasant but distant. She could have accepted that, but there were also times when she thought she read something else in his eyes.
Interest. Attraction.
Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
She said goodbye and went home to leftovers from her most recent dinner with her father. Less than an hour later, as she was contemplating her television options for the evening, she heard a knock at the door.
She was surprised to find Tory on her porch.
“Hi.” The little girl’s expression was expectant.
“Hi, Tory. Where’s your dad?”
“Talking on the phone.” Tory looked past her. “Do you have any of those toys you had at the store?”
“I do have a cool collection of salt and pepper shakers, but I’d better talk to your father first. Does he know where you are?”
She’d only just asked the question when she heard Gavin’s voice calling from next door. “Tory? Are you out here?”
Allison stepped out to the porch and waved at him. “She’s at my place.”
“Thank God.” He dashed over, shaking his head. “Tory, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to leave the house without telling me.”
“I didn’t cross the street, Daddy.”
He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. A fine sheen of moisture was visible on his forehead. Allison wouldn’t have blamed him for being upset, but he seemed more than that.
He took another breath. “Sorry for the interruption, Allison. Tory, we’d better go home and review a few rules before we watch our movie.”
“But Allison has something to show me.”
“Allison’s busy.”
Seeing the little girl’s face begin to crumple, Allison felt that she had to speak up. “She could stay for a while, if that’s okay with you.”
“But I’m sure you and your fiancé have plans.”
His assumption startled her. “Did someone tell you I was engaged?”
“I saw a wedding invitation on your porch. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read it.”
“No problem. But actually my fiancé and I recently split up. The invitations were delivered because I forgot to cancel with the printer.”
“Oh.” He looked at her speculatively, before assuming a polite, neutral expression again. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tired of sympathy, she purposefully misunderstood him. “It wasn’t a large order. We had planned on a small wedding.”
“I didn’t mean about the printer.” His eyes sparkled, amused.
“The broken engagement part is okay, too. Better to figure it out now than later.”
“If it didn’t feel right, then, yes.”
She paused, wondering what his story was. She’d assumed he was divorced, but she’d seen no indication that he shared custody with Tory’s mother.
So maybe he was widowed.
“Can I see the toys now?” Tory was tired of a conversation that she couldn’t really follow.
“Tory, we’re interrupting….”
“I was going to show her my collection of salt and pepper shakers. They’re based on characters from nursery rhymes. I thought she’d get a kick out of them.”
“I’m sure she would, but…”
“And then I thought we’d bake cookies,” Allison added on impulse.
Tory’s eyes grew round.
“Maybe another night.” Gavin took his daughter’s hand, but she didn’t move when he tried to lead her away.
“Daddy, please?”
How could he resist that face? Allison certainly couldn’t. “Really, Gavin, I’d love to have her company.”
He must have seen that she was sincere, because a moment later he relented. “Fine.”
Tory produced a brilliant smile.
“See that cupboard?” Allison pointed to the hutch in the dining room. “That’s where I keep the salt and pepper shakers. Try and guess which nursery rhymes they match.”
“Okay!” Tory dashed off and a moment later she called out, “I see Jack and Jill. And Puss in Boots.”
“Good work, Tory. I’ll be there in a minute to get them down for you.” She smiled at Gavin. “Don’t worry. We’re going to have fun.”
She could tell it took some effort for him to leave alone. Recalling his earlier anxiety, Allison wondered if there was a reason he was so protective.
Did it have anything to do with the missing mother?
Allison set aside her curiosity and resolved to have a good time with Tory. She let the child play with the salt and pepper shakers for a while and when she’d tired of that, they went to the kitchen to mix cookie dough.
“What kind should we make?” Allison asked.
Tory shook her head. “You pick.”
“Oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip?”
