Page 49 of Romance and Peppermint Lattes
Nolan scowled at him. “You looking for a rematch?”
“Any time you want.”
“Not today.” Shaking his head, Nolan slowly pushed the sleeves of his sweatshirt past his elbows.
“Right,” Eddie said with a knowing laugh. “I didn’t think so, with your woman here and all.”
“Maryanne isn’t my woman,” Nolan informed him curtly, his frown darkening.
“Right,” Eddie responded. “Hey, dude, this is me, Eddie. Can’t fool me! You practically went comatose when you saw her. I don’t blame you, though. She ain’t bad. So when are you two getting married?”
ChapterNine
“I’ve changed my mind,” Barbara announced at closing time Monday evening.
Maryanne was busy refilling the salt and pepper shakers and reloading the napkin holders. “About what?” she asked absently, stuffing napkins into the small chrome canisters.
“You and Nolan.”
If Barbara hadn’t had Maryanne’s attention earlier, she did now. Nolan had left the restaurant about forty minutes earlier, after having his customary meal of chili and coffee. He’d barely said two words to Maryanne the whole time he was there. He’d buried his face in the evening edition of theSunand done a brilliant job of pretending he didn’t know her.
“What about us?” Maryanne’s expression might have remained aloof, but her heart was pounding furiously.
“Since the night of our pity party, I’ve had a change of heart. You’re exactly the right kind of woman for Nolan. The two of you... balance each other. At first I agreed with Carol. My opinion of Nolan isn’t as negative as hers, but you have to remember that those two work for rival papers. At any rate, I was concerned. Youarereally sweet.”
Maryanne winced at the “sweet.” It rather sounded as though friendship with her was like falling into a jar of honey.
“And now?”
“I don’t know exactly what changed my mind. Partly it was watching Nolan when he was here. I got quite a kick out of him.”
“How do you mean?”
Barbara’s grin was broad as she continued to wipe the counter. “I swear that man couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”
Maryanne was puzzled. “What are you talking about? Nolan didn’t look my way even once.”
“Oh, he’d scowl every time you were close, but behind that cross expression of his was an intensity I’ve never seen in him before. It was like he had to come in and get his daily fix of you.”
Maryanne’s heart couldn’t decide whether to lift with happiness or sink with doubt. “You’re wrong. Other than ordering his meal, he didn’t speak to me at all. I might as well have been a robot.”
“That’s what he’d like you to believe.”
“He was reading the paper,” Maryanne said. “The same way he reads it every time he comes here.”
“Correction,” Barbara said, and her face broke into a spontaneous smile. “Hepretendedto be reading the paper, but when you weren’t looking his eyes were following you like a hawk.”
“Oh, Barbara, really?” It seemed almost more than she dared hope for. He’d hardly spoken to her in the past few days, and he seemed to be avoiding her. The kids in the park had taken to teasing them about being “in love” and asking pointed questions, and Nolan had practically fallen all over himself denying that they were anything other than friends.
“It’s more than just the way he was watching you,” Barbara said, slipping on to a stool. “Have you read his columns the past couple of weeks?”
Naturally Maryanne had, more impressed by his work every time she did. The range of his talent and the power of his writing were unmistakable. Within a few years, if not sooner, she expected his newspaper column to be picked up for syndication.
“Lately, I’ve noticed something unusual about his writing,” Barbara said, still clutching the dishrag. “That cynical edge of his—it isn’t quite as sharp. His writing’s less sarcastic now. I heard one of my customers comment earlier today that Nolan’s going soft on us. I hadn’t thought about it much until then, but Ernie’s right. I don’t know what’s made the difference, but I figure it must be love. Oh, I doubt there’s much in this life that’s going to change Nolan Adams. He’ll always be stubborn as a mule, headstrong and temperamental. That’s just part of his nature. But mark my words, he’s in love.”
“What you said earlier, about us being so different...”
“You are, with you so nice and all, and Nolan such a grouch. At least he likes to pretend he’s one. You and I know better, but most folks don’t.”
