The money would come in the next few months and the hefty payments would be a thing of the past. Life would be perfect if only her family and Simon would leave her alone.
She wouldn’t have to work at all once she had that money, but she wanted to. Antiques called to her on a deep level. She loved finding a beautiful piece and matching it with just the right owner. Didn’t matter if it cost twenty dollars or twenty thousand. The feeling was the same.
Voices reached her as she opened the inner door to Past Promises. “Yes, ma’am. The inlay on that table is cherry wood. It’s a good quality piece. They don’t make furniture like this anymore. You can see the craftsmanship in the way the table is constructed.”
Her stomach settled and she crept inside, setting her glass on the counter as Levi bent down to listen to the elderly lady he was talking to. He glanced her way and sent her a beseeching look even though he looked to be in control of the situation.
It was in that moment that she completely lost her heart to Levi Mann. She knew he hadn’t known anything about antiques when he’d started helping with the renovations. He’d told her so. He was always asking her questions. But more than that, he listened to the answers. Listened to her when she prattled on and on about antique tables and dishes and silverware.
He was a remarkable man.
Taking pity on him, she strode forward. “Good morning.”
“This is Mrs. Perry.” Levi took the elderly lady’s arm and escorted her toward Linda.
“I’m Linda Fletcher, the owner of Past Promises.” Saying it aloud made her tingle all over. She smiled as she took Mrs. Perry’s hand in hers. “Would you like a cup of tea or coffee while you browse?”
“My, yes.” Her eyes twinkled behind gold wire-rimmed glasses. “A cup of tea would be lovely. The young man here was just telling me all about the Piecrust table in the corner. It would look perfect in my entryway.”
Linda barely contained her grin. It was funny to hear Levi referred to as a young man. “It’s a beautiful piece. I acquired it at an estate sale in Vermont. It belonged to a prominent family.”
“Excuse me, ladies. I’ll be going now.” Levi inclined his head and headed for the front door. The bell jangled as he left.
Linda realized she was watching him and glanced down at Mrs. Perry, who was watching him too. The older lady looked at her and grinned. “If I was thirty years younger, I’d give you a run for your money with that one.”
Linda laughed, delighted with her customer. “I imagine you would.”
She hitched her large purse over her arm and looked away as Levi drifted out of sight down Main Street. “But it wouldn’t matter. That boy only has eyes for you.”
Pleasure suffused Linda. It was much different from the earlier pleasure. That was physical. This was emotional.
Caution, she warned herself. She loved Levi and he cared for her, but he wasn’t staying. That had been made clear from the very beginning.
Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy what they had while he was here. It was going to hurt when he left. It was too late for her to pull back and protect her heart.
It had been too late from the moment they’d met.
“Let’s get you a cup of tea, Mrs. Perry. Then we can discuss the table and anything else you’re interested in.”
The older lady gazed up the road where Levi had gone. “We’ll start with the table and see where that goes.”
Chapter Eight
Linda was ecstatic as the clock ticked toward half past four. Her sales today had been incredible. Mrs. Perry had not only purchased the table, but two matching Waterford Crystal vases and a Spode tea set. And hers hadn’t been the only good sale of the day.
A couple from out of state had purchased a complete table setting for eight of Johnson Brothers china, after the woman realized it was the same pattern her grandmother had owned. The original dishes had been lost in a fire twenty years ago and the woman was thrilled to find a complete set.
A businessman passing through had been pleased to discover an antique game table for his study. She’d also sold several board games and trinkets to locals. All in all, it had been her best day yet. And it wasn’t over.
She wished Levi were here so she could share it with him. Later, she promised herself. They’d celebrate later. She owed Levi for this morning and was looking forward to paying up. Her nipples tightened and she tried to ignore the hungry feeling pulsing between her thighs. No doubt about it, she was horny.
There was no other word for it.
She almost laughed aloud. For the first time in years, she felt good. She felt free of her family, free from her past. This was the life she had made for herself and she loved every aspect of it.
Amanda had shown up with lunch today. She’d left the part-timer she’d hired in charge of her antiquarian bookstore, By the Book, and had brought thick turkey sandwiches topped with lettuce, tomato and mustard on twelve-grain bread. Milk and a double chocolate chocolate chip cookie from Jamesville’s amazing bakery, Delicious Delights, had rounded out the meal.
For Linda, it had been nice to sit at the counter and chat with her friend. Shopping traffic had been slow during lunch and she’d only had to deal with one customer while they’d been eating. It was hard to believe Amanda was happily married. Not too long ago, they’d both been single.
Linda was happy for her friend, but she felt a twinge of jealousy deep in her soul. Amanda had Jonah. Cyndi had Shamus. She had Levi. For now.
She shoved that thought away, determined not to destroy the happiness Levi gave her by wallowing in self-pity. Every day with him was an unexpected gift. She’d never thought to find a man she could trust and love. Until Levi.
The move to Jamesville had been one of the best decisions she’d ever made. She had a home, a business, friends, a life, and for now, a lover. And she’d just had her best day of sales.
Grinning, she carried a box out of the stockroom. It was filled with Royal Albert china, a place setting for eight that would look perfect on the dining table to replace the set she’d sold earlier today. She also needed to redo the “gaming” area as she’d sold the table and several of the games today. She was glad she was heading out to two estate sales this weekend. She needed some new merchandise, especially with the summer season fast approaching.
Humming to herself, she unpacked the box and set the china on the table. Tiny flowers rimmed the edges of the white plates and decorated the teacups and saucers. When she was done, she stood back and surveyed the arrangement. Whirling around, she went to a shelf and plucked a vintage hand-crocheted doily and a Victorian silver tea service and carried them back, setting them up in the center of the table. Much better.
Business was slower this time of day, but Linda didn’t mind. It gave her time to work on displays or catch up with paperwork. She wondered if she had anything in her refrigerator she could cook for dinner tonight. In spite of her substantial lunch, she was starving. There was a package of chicken breasts in her freezer that she could thaw in the microwave. They wouldn’t take long to bake. She could make some rice and open a bag of frozen carrots and peas to go with it.
Dinner decided on, she headed toward the next display. She didn’t have another games table, but she did have a small drop-leaf table in the storage room that would work.
The phone rang and she hurried across the room, picking it up on the second ring. “Past Promises.”
“May I speak with Linda Fletcher?”
“This is Linda Fletcher.”
“Ms. Fletcher, this is Harvey Spokes.”
“Yes, Mr. Spokes.” It was her grandmother’s lawyer, now her lawyer. This had to be about the disbursement of her grandmother’s estate. Finally, the waiting was over.