sank as a man walked in, nudged the door shut, and looked around as if he’d never seen the store before. Soon, his gaze went to her and he smiled.
Oh, God, he wants to talk.
Deb took a deep breath and told herself to relax. She forced a smile and wanted to say, “Can I help you?” but nothing came out. Her mouth hung open and she clamped it shut as soon as she realized she was tongue-tied.
Her heart was beating fast enough that it felt like a jack-hammer in her chest and she grasped the edge of the table in front of her as if she’d fall down without its support.
Maybe she would.
The man shuffled toward her but looked around the store as he did it. When he got to the counter, he said, “Don’t recognize you. New?”
She nodded, not trusting herself to try to speak again. She cursed herself internally.
He looked like he was about 40, dark hair, handsome, a set of twinkle-eyes and a smile that looked like he must always wear it.
“Shy?”
She nodded again and let out a long breath. “I’ve been here a few weeks, but it’s—”
“Hard. I can tell. Don’t worry, I’m a nice guy. I actually work at a music store much like this one. I just like to get out once in a while and see what’s new with the competition. Mind if I look around?”
He smiled again and she felt her body freeze.
She shook her head and forced herself to add, “Coffee?”
“Not just now, thanks. Come on over with me.”
He held out his hand to her, but her body wanted to be a granite statue. Then his smile widened even more, and she somehow felt the courage. She reached and took his hand and they walked over to the guitar section.
“You must play. What type of music do you like?”
“Recent rock,” she whispered.
He looked at the selection and picked up an old acoustic Rebel. Classic form, black, sleek. “Beauty.” He glided his hands along the grain and held it up to the light. “Nice and true.”
Then he started to play a song. It sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Funny and serious at the same time, a road trip, summer love, full of laugh and love.
She found herself smiling and nodding along with the beat. When he was done, she asked, “What’s that one? I don’t recognize it.”
It was the longest she’d ever talked to a customer.
“I wrote it. Summer Drive . It was one of my biggest hits, back in the day.
“You sang that? For real?”
He laughed. “You bet.”
She knew her mouth was open but not because of fear this time. She was 21 and had never met anybody famous before, and this guy must be famous.
“Have you had lots of hit songs?”
“Enough.”
He put the guitar down and looked right into her eyes. She felt her face flush at the attention.
“Want to know a secret?”
She nodded and bit her lower lip, her shyness overtaking her again.
“Go get your iPad and find the state lottery site.”
It took her a few minutes. She mostly only used her tablet for reading.
When she found it, she turned it around so he could see it.
“Check the Lottery numbers from three weeks ago.” He pointed at the item in the menu and she tapped with her fingers to find what he suggested.
“See the winning numbers?”
She nodded.
He pulled out his wallet and took out a crinkled lottery ticket. She stared in surprise when she saw that the numbers matched.
The man kept a ticket in his wallet that was worth $1,320,239.
She didn’t know what to say, but astonishment must have shown all over her face. He laughed and put the ticket back.
“Gotta go. Maybe next time I’ll take you up on that cup of coffee.” He took her hand and kissed it.
She watched as he left the store, wishing she at least had had the courage to ask his name.
Chapter 7
July 10
Cindy Gail McKay went through school sandwiched between her two brighter siblings. Her older sister Wendy and her younger brother Randy were both the brightest kids in their class all the way through their school
Oh, God, he wants to talk.
Deb took a deep breath and told herself to relax. She forced a smile and wanted to say, “Can I help you?” but nothing came out. Her mouth hung open and she clamped it shut as soon as she realized she was tongue-tied.
Her heart was beating fast enough that it felt like a jack-hammer in her chest and she grasped the edge of the table in front of her as if she’d fall down without its support.
Maybe she would.
The man shuffled toward her but looked around the store as he did it. When he got to the counter, he said, “Don’t recognize you. New?”
She nodded, not trusting herself to try to speak again. She cursed herself internally.
He looked like he was about 40, dark hair, handsome, a set of twinkle-eyes and a smile that looked like he must always wear it.
“Shy?”
She nodded again and let out a long breath. “I’ve been here a few weeks, but it’s—”
“Hard. I can tell. Don’t worry, I’m a nice guy. I actually work at a music store much like this one. I just like to get out once in a while and see what’s new with the competition. Mind if I look around?”
He smiled again and she felt her body freeze.
She shook her head and forced herself to add, “Coffee?”
“Not just now, thanks. Come on over with me.”
He held out his hand to her, but her body wanted to be a granite statue. Then his smile widened even more, and she somehow felt the courage. She reached and took his hand and they walked over to the guitar section.
“You must play. What type of music do you like?”
“Recent rock,” she whispered.
He looked at the selection and picked up an old acoustic Rebel. Classic form, black, sleek. “Beauty.” He glided his hands along the grain and held it up to the light. “Nice and true.”
Then he started to play a song. It sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Funny and serious at the same time, a road trip, summer love, full of laugh and love.
She found herself smiling and nodding along with the beat. When he was done, she asked, “What’s that one? I don’t recognize it.”
It was the longest she’d ever talked to a customer.
“I wrote it. Summer Drive . It was one of my biggest hits, back in the day.
“You sang that? For real?”
He laughed. “You bet.”
She knew her mouth was open but not because of fear this time. She was 21 and had never met anybody famous before, and this guy must be famous.
“Have you had lots of hit songs?”
“Enough.”
He put the guitar down and looked right into her eyes. She felt her face flush at the attention.
“Want to know a secret?”
She nodded and bit her lower lip, her shyness overtaking her again.
“Go get your iPad and find the state lottery site.”
It took her a few minutes. She mostly only used her tablet for reading.
When she found it, she turned it around so he could see it.
“Check the Lottery numbers from three weeks ago.” He pointed at the item in the menu and she tapped with her fingers to find what he suggested.
“See the winning numbers?”
She nodded.
He pulled out his wallet and took out a crinkled lottery ticket. She stared in surprise when she saw that the numbers matched.
The man kept a ticket in his wallet that was worth $1,320,239.
She didn’t know what to say, but astonishment must have shown all over her face. He laughed and put the ticket back.
“Gotta go. Maybe next time I’ll take you up on that cup of coffee.” He took her hand and kissed it.
She watched as he left the store, wishing she at least had had the courage to ask his name.
Chapter 7
July 10
Cindy Gail McKay went through school sandwiched between her two brighter siblings. Her older sister Wendy and her younger brother Randy were both the brightest kids in their class all the way through their school
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