Michael’s eyebrows rose. “You know another way?”
“Absolutely, I’m a very good cook. I’ll tell you what. Tomorrow, I’ll fix your coffee my way. I’ll need to obtain some supplies from the fabric store first.”
“The fabric store?” He shook his head and grinned as he pulled out a loaf of bread and sliced it. Next, he took butter and a jar of jam out of the small ice box. After a few minutes, he moved the coffee pot off the burner, and let the hot liquid settle. He glanced at Heidi as he worked. “Why are you such a great cook?”
“Cooking was the only activity my parents allowed.”
Michael spread butter and jam on his bread and took a bite. “Why?”
“My doctor told Mother and Papa to keep my activities restricted. While everyone else skipped rope, and played with their dolls and balls, I couldn’t leave the house.”
His gut twisted at an image of a small, blonde haired girl, with her face pressed up against the window, watching the other kids play. Don’t think about that. Keep your focus on the fact that she’s only your employee. He got up and poured coffee into a cup, adding sugar and cream.
“When I begged to have something else to do besides painting and embroidering, which I’m horrible at, Mother let me try cooking.” She smiled brightly. “I became very good at it. I studied cookery books Mother had, and then pestered her to go to the library for more.”
“And a new chef emerged.” Michael chuckled and took a sip of coffee. He winced when the grounds hit his mouth.
“See, Mr. Henderson, my coffee won’t have grounds in it.” She teased.
“This I have to see.”
Michael finished his breakfast, and rose to place the dishes and cup into the small sink next to the ice box. “Time to open the store. And I think we should address each other by our given names since we will be working side by side each day.”
Heat rose to her face, but she nodded her agreement.
As he moved through the store, taking off dust covers, and turning on lights, he quickly told Heidi her duties. “You’ll need to wait on customers, take their payment and make change. The cash register is on the countertop by the door. You may also have to mix sodas for the kids who come in after school. I’ll show you how to do that.” He walked to the front door, pulled up the shade and flipped the Open sign. His hands on his hips, he turned to her. “One more thing. Ordinarily, dusting would be one of your jobs, but given your lung problem, I’ll do that.”
“Oh no. That’s not necessary.” Her eyes widened in panic.
“It’s not a problem, Heidi. Dust is the worst thing for asthma. I’ve been doing the dusting all along, anyway, because Mrs. O’Reilly couldn’t handle it very often due to her arthritis.” His lips turned up in a soft smile. “It will be all right. I don’t want you to stress yourself.”
A bell chimed, and Madeline Parker with her two children hugging her skirts entered the store. “Michael, I need more cough syrup for Martin.” She motioned to a young boy, coughing into his hand.
“Right away.” He moved behind the counter, and spoke over his shoulder as he reached for a jar of liquid. “Madeline, Miss Heidi Lester is my new employee.” He nodded in her direction. “She will be taking Mrs. O’Reilly’s place. Miss Lester, this is Mrs. Parker.”
Madeline smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Lester. I hope you enjoy your new job.”
Heidi’s eyes lit up at Michael’s words. “Thank you, I’m sure I will.”
Michael slid a funnel into a small bottle and ladled the medicine from the jar as the little boy coughed again.
***
The clock on the wall stood at five minutes to twelve when Michael screwed the top on a bottle of throat drops, and set the medicine aside for delivery later in the day. He stretched the muscles in his back, and watched his new employee tie a string around the package she wrapped for a customer. In a few minutes, he would close the store for lunch. So far the morning had gone well. Heidi made up for any lack of experience with enthusiasm. All the customers loved her, and she basked in their admiration. Strange woman, almost like she’d had very little approval in her life.
The sound of the doorbell caught his attention. Hopefully, this customer wouldn’t keep them long. His stomach reminded him he needed food. Maybe he would invite Heidi to join him at the coffee shop. She’d had no breakfast, and didn’t seem to have brought any lunch with her.
“Heidi!” The man who’d just entered shouted, anger in his voice. He stood about five foot ten, with red hair, and while not exactly rotund, he hadn’t missed many meals. Michael frowned as his gaze moved from the man to Heidi who stood stock still, her face as pale as new snow. With a barely audible sigh, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she sank to the floor in a faint.
“Who the devil are you?” Michael barked as he sped around the counter and reached for her.
“Sir, unhand Miss Lester this minute!” The man demanded, drawing himself up. “I am Mr. Clarence Manfred. And that woman is my fiancée.”
Chapter Three
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Michael shot back, as he grabbed a vial of smelling salts and picked Heidi off the floor. The woman weighed nothing.
“Sir, I demand you set Miss Lester down.” Clarence followed closely behind Michael as he carried her limp form to the back of the store.