Page 2 of Letter for Two
A sap? Not at all. She liked him even more knowing he had a sense of fairness and a touch of sentimentality.
“So we should try to find Eleanor?” Sophia asked, casually throwing in theweto see if he’d object.
“We absolutely should.”
A bubble of excitement started in her stomach. “How do we do that? She probably hasn’t lived here in decades. We don’t even have a last name.” Between the two of them, they’d used the wordwefour times in four sentences.
He shrugged. “It’ll take some time. But wouldn’t it be worth it to get this letter to Eleanor?”
Time. Time with Ethan Williams.“Let’s do it.”
He smiled, and Sophia swore she saw a sparkle of light shimmering off his pearly white teeth. The man was perfect and, at the moment, romantically oblivious to her. He was friendly, but not interested. Perhaps while they searched for the mysterious Eleanor, she’d find a way to get him to notice her as more than merely the neighbor he exchanged mail with.
“When do you have an evening free for researching?” Ethan asked.
For researching.That was a disappointing phrase to hear tacked on to the end of that particular sentence. Still, she’d take it. “Tomorrow?” she suggested.
“Sounds good.” He grabbed his stack of mail and stood. “If you provide the computer expertise, I’ll provide dinner.”
She tried to act casual. “Oh, do you cook?”
He nodded. “I think you’ll be impressed.”
“Tomorrow night then.” She stood as well, taking her mail and the sixty-year-old envelope. “It’s a— deal.” She barely stopped herself from saying “date.”
Maybe, just maybe, while they searched for Eleanor, she’d figure a way to snap up Ethan’s attention as well.
Chapter Two
Ethan could cook a couple dozen dishes that would impress even the pickiest foodie. He’d finally found a way to ask Sophia over for dinner without seeming like a creepy housemate stalker, and he had nothing remotely impressive to serve. It hadn’t even occurred to him that being on his second twelve-hour shift in two days, with a third looming on the horizon, would mean dinner would have to be something out of the freezer.
He pulled the two-serving-sized lasagna from the oven. The pan was hot enough to nearly burn his hand through the hot pad. He dropped it on the stove top, shaking the heat off his fingers.
“This is pathetic.”
He glanced at the clock. She’d be here in a few minutes. The table was set, and he’d cleaned up the place. Ethan slipped down the hall to take a quick look at himself in the bathroom mirror. He’d looked better. But back-to-back twelves took a toll on aperson. He mussed his hair a little with his fingers. Better. At least he wasn’t in scrubs.
The bell rang in the very next moment.Sophia.
He looked his reflection dead in the eye. “Don’t blow this. It may be your only chance.”
Ethan kept his posture casual. He was already afraid he reeked of desperation; there was no pointlookingdesperate as well.
He pulled open the front door. There stood Sophia in a black skirt and blue top. She looked amazing in blue.
“Hey.”That was stupid.He jumped right to, “Come on in.”
“Smells good.” Sophia smiled as she stepped inside. She had a great smile. A really great smile. “Lasagna?”
He nodded, walking beside her on the way to the kitchen. “And steamed broccoli.” He hoped she liked broccoli.
Ethan moved the lasagna from the stovetop to the table.
“Is this the fancy meal you bragged you were going to cook?” Sophia asked, eying the pan.
“I ran out of time,” he confessed. “I had a five-to-five shift today.”
“I’m not complaining. Frozen Italian food happens to be one of my specialties as well. Though microwavable enchiladas is my signature dish.”
