LITMIR.BIZ

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Shana got over her shock, she had to acknowledge that the kid was ruthless in achieving her goals. She went directly for the jugular. But Shana kept her response light. “After a day like this one, that’s certainly true.”

      On Saturday morning, Jazmine agreed to come down to the ice-cream parlor with her. In fact, Shana had no choice but to bring her. Catherine, her employee, wouldn’t be in until that afternoon.

      At this point Catherine was only part-time, but with the summer traffic, business was picking up and she’d need a second part-time employee. As the season progressed and the parlor was open later in the evening, she’d add more staff. The Olsens had told her that her biggest expense would be the staff payroll and warned her not to hire more people than she needed. Shana had taken their words to heart, doing as much as she could herself.

      “Can I bring my Rollerblades?” Jazmine asked, standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

      “Sure.” Shana hated the thought of Jazmine hanging around the restaurant all day with nothing to do. Since Lincoln Park was directly across the street, there’d be plenty of paved sidewalks for her to skate. It would be a good opportunity to meet other girls her age, too.

      By noon the parlor was crowded. Shana worked the pizza side and Catherine, a grandmotherly woman in her early sixties, dealt with the ice-cream orders. Catherine had been recommended by the Olsens and was great with kids. Shana had already learned a lot from her.

      A young red-haired man with two children about three and five came in and ordered a vegetarian pizza and sodas. While Shana assembled the pizza, she watched the man with his kids, admiring the way he entertained them with inventive games.

      Jazmine rolled into the parlor, stopped to take off her skates and before long was deep in conversation with the father and his two kids. Shana couldn’t hear what was being said, but she saw the man glance in her direction and nod.

      A couple of minutes later, Jazmine joined Shana in the kitchen, which was open to the main part of the restaurant.

      “Hi,” Shana said, sliding the hot pizza from the oven onto the metal pan. As she sliced it, the scent of the tomato sauce and cheese and oregano wafted toward her.

      “He’s single.”

      “Who?” Shana asked distractedly as she set the pizza on the counter. “Do you want to take this out to the guy with the kids?” she asked.

      “Can I?” Jazmine beamed at being asked to help out.

      Her niece carefully carried the pizza to the table and brought extra napkins. She chatted with the man and his children for a few more minutes, then hurried back to Shana, who was busy preparing additional pizzas. “He asked me to introduce you.”

      “What?”

      Jazmine’s eyes widened with impatience. “I was telling you earlier. He’s divorced and he wants to meet you.”

      “Who? The guy over there with the kids?”

      “Do you see any other guy in here?”

      The restaurant had any number of patrons at the moment, but the young father was the only man—and the only customer looking in her direction. He saluted her with a pizza slice.

      Flustered, Shana whirled around and glared at Jazmine. “Exactly what did you say to him?”

      “Me? I didn’t say anything—well, I did mention that you broke up with Brad, but that was only because he asked. He said he’s been in here before.”

      Shana didn’t remember him.

      “I told him that my uncle Adam said you’re the kind of woman who needs a man in your life.”

      Shana’s heart stopped. “You didn’t!”

      “No.” Jazmine hooted with laughter. “But I thought it would get a rise out of you.”

      The kid seemed to think she was being funny, but Shana wasn’t laughing.

      “Are you interested? Because if you are, let’s go say hello to him. If you’re not, it’s no big deal.”

      Shana needed to think about this. “Promise me you didn’t tell him I’m single.”

      “I did, and I said you were looking for a husband,” Jazmine said gleefully. “You don’t mind, do you?”

      Shana felt the blood drain out of her face. Slowly turning her head, she saw the father still watching her. She jerked around again and noticed that Jazmine was grinning from ear to ear.

      “Gotcha,” she said and doubled over laughing.

      Shana was glad someone found her embarrassment amusing.

       Chapter Seven

      Jazmine had her nose pressed against the living room window early on Sunday afternoon, waiting for her uncle Adam. He’d phoned the previous Monday, promising to take her out for the day. He’d mentioned the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, where there was a large Dale Chihuly exhibit.

      Shana was almost as eager to see the lieutenant commander as her niece was, but for distinctly different reasons. She had a thing or two she wanted to say; he didn’t know it yet, but the lieutenant commander was about to get an earful. How dare he suggest she needed a man! Every time she thought about it, her irritation grew—until she realized she couldn’t keep quiet for even one more day.

      At twelve-forty-seven precisely, Jazmine dashed away from the window and announced, “He’s here!”

      “Good.” Shana resisted the urge to race outside and confront him then and there. She’d need to bide her time. She’d waited this long—ten whole days. What was another five minutes?

      Jazmine held the screen door open, swinging it wide in welcome. “You aren’t late or anything,” she boasted so eagerly it was endearing.

      “Hiya, kiddo,” Adam greeted Jazmine and gave her a big hug. “It’s good to see you.”

      “You, too! It didn’t seem like Sunday would ever get here.”

      Shana stepped forward, saying, “Hello, Adam,” in cool, level tones.

      He grinned boyishly and for an instant Shana faltered. But no, she wasn’t about to let him dazzle her with one of his smiles. Not this time. Her defenses were up. As far as she was concerned, he had some serious explaining to do. Still, she had to admit this guy was gorgeous. Well, gorgeous might be a slight exaggeration, but with those broad shoulders and the way his T-shirt fit snugly across his chest, she couldn’t very well ignore the obvious. His arm was out of the sling now.

      “You’d better grab a sweater,” Shana suggested and Jazmine instantly flew out of the room, eager to comply so they could leave.

      This was the minute Shana had been waiting for. “It’s time you and I had a little talk,” she said, crossing her arms.

      “Sure,” he said with another of those easy grins.

      Again she faltered, nearly swayed by his smile, but the effect didn’t last. “I want you to know I didn’t appreciate the comment you made about me being—and I quote—‘the kind of woman who needs a man.’”

      To his credit, his gaze didn’t waver. “Jazmine told you that, did she?”

      So it was true. “As a matter of fact, Jazmine has repeated it any number of times.”

      “I see.” He glanced toward the bedroom door; Jazmine hadn’t come out yet.

      Shana sincerely hoped she’d embarrassed him. He deserved it. “I don’t know where you get off making comments like that but I have a few things to say to you.”

      “Go right ahead.” He gestured as though granting her permission to speak. That must be how it was in the military, she thought. These officers

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