relationship."
"I'm a coward. Intimacy scares me. I'm afraid if it goes wrong, I won't be able to escape."
Her friend studied her for a moment. "I've worked for you what—two years now? I know you. I hate what you're doing to yourself." She paused, considering. "Lynn, let's see, how can I put this? Imagine everybody has a box to hold memories for when you get old. If you don't start living, when you open yours and look inside, all you'll see are dreams you've murdered in the interest of being safe."
Lynn's small laugh did nothing to lessen her discomfort. She hated talking about her personal life, but Violet pursued a subject relentlessly when making a point.
"You can choose to take a risk, with hopes of a life filled with love and laughter, or you can choose safe, and the only outcome will be a lonely death."
"I can't jump into a relationship like you can."
"Then take it slow. I'm not saying you have to hook up on the first date." She paused, searching for the right words. "You have so much love to give, Lynn, it breaks my heart to see you flush it all away. Give yourself a chance."
Hesitating, not sure if she wanted to share D.G. with anyone, she said, "That guy you saw me with waited on us when I ate at the Kensington last week, and when he looked at me and smiled, I felt a rush all the way down to my toes."
"Oh, now we're talking. And? Go on," Violet said, all eagerness.
"I kind of screwed up. Janine flirted in her usual gross way, embarrassing us all, and I got mad. She made a crack about me not being interested in men and I sounded off about not wanting to get involved with the summer help—you know, men who drift away once the season is over."
"Not good, but he didn't know that." Violet looked at Lynn's face. "Uh oh. He heard you. What does that have to do with the fund raiser?"
"When I saw him there, I felt the same, you know, attraction, only worse. God, Violet, he's the only man who has made me feel this giddy since high school."
"Hold on. I see some hope here."
"I'm afraid not. He reminded me, very rudely, of my little rant at the Kensington and I got mad and told him off. Then, to make it worse, I pushed Janine on him."
"Oh, Lordy. I see what you mean. Janine is lethal. She eats the unwary for breakfast. Don't give up on him, girlfriend. The way he looked at you, believe me, there was something there."
Chapter Seven
Sarah preyed on Lindsay's mind that afternoon while she shopped in the produce section of the town's only supermarket. While she wandered past bins of fruit, she thought again of how lonely the girl looked. Where was her dad? Didn't he care that she suffered? Mentally shrugging, she turned her attention to business, nodding to friends as she examined the last of the summer tomatoes.
Grocery shopping in Eureka Springs ranked as a social event. Most of the locals went there to get the latest news before it came out in the paper. The town's weekly newspaper, considered the major source of news, was published every Thursday. Residents learned of coming events and the city council's doings, but the tourists loved it for the police reports. Eureka Springs had very little crime, and most of that not serious, but every call to police dispatch was studiously recorded, along with the disposition of the complaint. Reports like: '4:14 a.m. Resident filed complaint. Large bird was making loud noises in tree outside window. When officer arrived, rooster had departed.'
She stopped to examine a display of eggplant.
"You don't want that one. It's a female."
She knew the voice behind her. Her insides fluttered. Turning, she saw D.G. Martin. It had been a few days since the supper. Her opinion of him hadn't changed; the man was still a jerk, but her heart leaped when she looked into his chocolate eyes, their edges crinkled with humor.
He was casually dressed in jeans and a faded, red t-shirt with 'Arlington Park Racetrack' on the front, no doubt a relic from his former life, reminding her of
"I'm a coward. Intimacy scares me. I'm afraid if it goes wrong, I won't be able to escape."
Her friend studied her for a moment. "I've worked for you what—two years now? I know you. I hate what you're doing to yourself." She paused, considering. "Lynn, let's see, how can I put this? Imagine everybody has a box to hold memories for when you get old. If you don't start living, when you open yours and look inside, all you'll see are dreams you've murdered in the interest of being safe."
Lynn's small laugh did nothing to lessen her discomfort. She hated talking about her personal life, but Violet pursued a subject relentlessly when making a point.
"You can choose to take a risk, with hopes of a life filled with love and laughter, or you can choose safe, and the only outcome will be a lonely death."
"I can't jump into a relationship like you can."
"Then take it slow. I'm not saying you have to hook up on the first date." She paused, searching for the right words. "You have so much love to give, Lynn, it breaks my heart to see you flush it all away. Give yourself a chance."
Hesitating, not sure if she wanted to share D.G. with anyone, she said, "That guy you saw me with waited on us when I ate at the Kensington last week, and when he looked at me and smiled, I felt a rush all the way down to my toes."
"Oh, now we're talking. And? Go on," Violet said, all eagerness.
"I kind of screwed up. Janine flirted in her usual gross way, embarrassing us all, and I got mad. She made a crack about me not being interested in men and I sounded off about not wanting to get involved with the summer help—you know, men who drift away once the season is over."
"Not good, but he didn't know that." Violet looked at Lynn's face. "Uh oh. He heard you. What does that have to do with the fund raiser?"
"When I saw him there, I felt the same, you know, attraction, only worse. God, Violet, he's the only man who has made me feel this giddy since high school."
"Hold on. I see some hope here."
"I'm afraid not. He reminded me, very rudely, of my little rant at the Kensington and I got mad and told him off. Then, to make it worse, I pushed Janine on him."
"Oh, Lordy. I see what you mean. Janine is lethal. She eats the unwary for breakfast. Don't give up on him, girlfriend. The way he looked at you, believe me, there was something there."
Chapter Seven
Sarah preyed on Lindsay's mind that afternoon while she shopped in the produce section of the town's only supermarket. While she wandered past bins of fruit, she thought again of how lonely the girl looked. Where was her dad? Didn't he care that she suffered? Mentally shrugging, she turned her attention to business, nodding to friends as she examined the last of the summer tomatoes.
Grocery shopping in Eureka Springs ranked as a social event. Most of the locals went there to get the latest news before it came out in the paper. The town's weekly newspaper, considered the major source of news, was published every Thursday. Residents learned of coming events and the city council's doings, but the tourists loved it for the police reports. Eureka Springs had very little crime, and most of that not serious, but every call to police dispatch was studiously recorded, along with the disposition of the complaint. Reports like: '4:14 a.m. Resident filed complaint. Large bird was making loud noises in tree outside window. When officer arrived, rooster had departed.'
She stopped to examine a display of eggplant.
"You don't want that one. It's a female."
She knew the voice behind her. Her insides fluttered. Turning, she saw D.G. Martin. It had been a few days since the supper. Her opinion of him hadn't changed; the man was still a jerk, but her heart leaped when she looked into his chocolate eyes, their edges crinkled with humor.
He was casually dressed in jeans and a faded, red t-shirt with 'Arlington Park Racetrack' on the front, no doubt a relic from his former life, reminding her of
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