LITMIR.BIZ

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he’s intelligent and hardworking and wonderful with kids.

      I just hope keeping Jazmine for the next six months will convince you that you want children of your own.

      I can tell how close the two of you are getting just from the e-mails. It’s almost enough to make me jealous!

      Your e-mails mean the world to me. Keep them coming.

      Love,

      Ali

      It didn’t take long for Ali to get a response. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the time difference or if she happened to catch her sister at the computer.

      Sent: June 21

      From: [email protected]

      To: [email protected]

      Subject: Commander, you say?

      Dear Ali,

      No, you didn’t mention anyone named Commander Dillon. What gives? Is he all right? I assume he must be. But the fact that you’re saying anything at all tells me you’re interested in him. This is a development worth watching. I know, I know, all shipboard romances are strictly taboo. But tell me more!

      I’m afraid I made an idiot of myself in front of Adam this morning. Trust me, any romantic interest he might have felt toward me is deader than roadkill. I’m such a fool.

      All right, all right, I’ll tell you what I did, but you’ve got to promise not to mention it again. I decided he should be aware of Jazmine’s little scheme. That seems only fair, don’t you think?

      In retrospect, I still feel it needed to be said but maybe I didn’t handle it in the best possible way. When I assured him I wasn’t interested in him, I came off sounding like…I don’t know what. I keep saying it, but this isn’t the right time for me to get involved. It really isn’t, not with just starting this business.

      And guess what? Another guy, who was recently divorced, came in later this afternoon and asked me out. I turned him down using the same excuse and felt terrible. (By the way, it’s thanks to the little matchmaker that he knew I was single.)

      Oh, and did I mention Brad phoned? Let me tell you that was a short conversation. If I needed confirmation that I did the right thing in breaking up with him, our conversation was it.

      Hearing from you is wonderful. Both Jazmine and I miss you terribly. I never realized how much effort went into being a parent. Don’t get me wrong, Jazz is one fabulous kid and I’m crazy about her, but I didn’t have any idea how much my life would change when she came to live with me.

      You’re right, Ali, I’m absolutely certain now that I want to be a mother one day. That’s a bit intimidating, though. With everything that’s happened in the last few months, I’ve pushed all thoughts of another relationship out of my mind. I still think I need to wait a while. Is that a biological clock I hear ticking? Not to worry, I have plenty of time. Lots of women have children when they’re in their mid or even late thirties these days.

      Nevertheless, I need a while to clear my head. Adam’s attractive, for sure, and I might be interested in Tim if he wasn’t so hung up on his ex-wife. (Tim’s the divorced father I mentioned earlier.)

      Write back soon and tell me more about this commander guy. He sounds like one of those muckymuck officers. Is that good or bad?

      Love ya, Shana

      Ali read the e-mail through twice and discovered she was smiling when she finished. She wasn’t going to give up on Shana and Adam just yet.

       Chapter Eleven

      “It’s summer,” Jazmine announced the first Monday after the end of school. “Uncle Adam’s got three days off. We should all do something special to celebrate.”

      Shana hated to discourage Jazmine’s enthusiasm, but she couldn’t leave her restaurant on a whim. “Do something?” she repeated. “Like what?”

      That was all the invitation Jazmine needed. She hopped onto the barstool and rested her arms on the counter. “When my dad was stationed in Italy, he took me to Florence right after school was out. We had so much fun, and I saw Michelangelo’s David. It’s really cool, you know?”

      “We have some interesting museums in the area,” Shana suggested, but her heart wasn’t in it. Given her druthers, of which she had few, she would opt to visit Victoria, British Columbia. She’d heard it was a lovely city and very English in style.

      Jazmine sighed and shook her head. “I’ve been to dozens of museums, but that feels too much like a school outing. This should be special.”

      “What about an amusement park?” Perhaps on Sunday Shana could stuff herself into a swimsuit, make Jazmine promise not to take her picture, and they could head for the local water park.

      Again Jazmine was less than excited. “I suppose, but I’m looking for something that’s not so…ordinary. Everyone goes to parks. This is a celebration. I survived a new school, made friends and Aunt Shana’s still speaking to me.” She giggled as she said this, and Shana laughed, too.

      “We had a bit of a rough start,” Shana acknowledged.

      “It took me a while to adjust,” Jazmine admitted in turn. “Uncle Adam helped me.”

      “With what, exactly?” She recalled the backpack advice, and the fact that he’d apparently told her to stop matchmaking—hadn’t he?—but she didn’t know what else he’d said.

      “Never mind.” Jazmine slid off the barstool. “That’s an idea—I’ll call Uncle Adam.”

      “To do what?” Shana asked, but her question went unanswered as Jazmine hurried toward the phone.

      “You should take a day just for the two of you,” Catherine suggested, apparently listening in on their conversation. “You’ve been here nearly every day for weeks.”

      “New business-owners don’t take days off,” Shana said. It was true that she’d spent every day at the restaurant, although she’d taken brief breaks and nearly one whole Sunday the week before. She’d felt like a new woman afterward. The thought of one entire twentyfour hour period when she didn’t have her hands in pizza dough or her face in a three-gallon container of ice cream sounded heavenly. Getting away was just the respite she needed.

      “It isn’t for you as much as your niece,” Catherine continued. “Kind of a reward for doing so well.”

      Shana knew she was right. Against the odds, Jazmine had succeeded in adapting to a new school and a new home, and she’d made friends.

      A few minutes later, Jazmine set the phone aside and raced over to Shana. “Uncle Adam suggested visiting Victoria, B.C.,” she said breathlessly. “I’ve never been there and he said it’s a wonderful day trip.”

      “That does sound nice,” Shana said wistfully. She was astonished at the way Adam’s suggestion reflected her own earlier musings about Victoria. It was almost eerie.

      “He wants to talk to you,” Jazmine said. She ran to get the portable phone and handed it to Shana.

      Shana walked into the back room, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She’d moussed it into submission that morning, but whole sections were already attempting a breakout.

      “Hello,” she said and hoped her voice didn’t betray her feelings. She thought about this man far too often and had an intense love-hate relationship with him that he knew nothing about. She was attracted to him and yet she didn’t want to be. The fact that he—

      “Shana?” Adam said, cutting into her thoughts.

      “I’m here,” she said primly.

      “That’s a great idea of Jazmine’s. You can come, can’t you?”

      “To Victoria, you mean?

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