A Package Deal by Robin Patchen

Author:Robin Patchen [Patchen, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robin Patchen

Chapter 10

Jo called on local businesses again Monday morning. Visiting Carter's workshop on Thursday had given her an idea. There were a lot of those kinds of buildings on the back streets of Ross—warehouses with non-descriptive names that, whatever they did, must have shipping needs. Didn't most businesses? It was one of the reasons she'd decided on a UPS franchise. Just about every business and most regular folks needed to ship stuff. She hadn't wanted to buy a franchise that required a lot of employees, nor had she had the cash to open a Sonic or McDonald's. Not only that, but the UPS Store was open business hours—not that she loved working six days a week, but what else did she have to do? She was responsible for only one employee right now. If she kept working on it, the business would come.

So she knocked on doors, met a lot of men in work clothes who greeted her with greasy and calloused handshakes. Mostly kind folks who listened politely to her spiel and sometimes even promised to stop in the store. She found one business that seemed very interested, a business that did a lot of shipping, so her morning hadn't been wasted. She was back in the store by eleven to help Andrew with the lunch rush. More visitors today, folks mailing packages for Christmas, brown boxes filled with everything from iPads to stuffed animals to Christmas fudge. Funny how the packaging said so little about its contents.

She imagined Carter for the millionth time that day, considered his beautiful packaging. Based on their conversation Friday night, his insides were just as nice.

The weirdest thing was, he seemed interested. In her. For real, even after she'd told him about the cancer diagnosis. Not that he knew everything. She'd never told anybody the whole truth about her condition, about what the chemotherapy had done to her body, not even her mother. If things got serious between them, she'd tell him the truth, so he could move on to another woman, one less damaged. Because a man like Carter deserved a healthy woman, not someone like her.

But today, they were having lunch, and what could be more innocent than that?

It was a beautiful November day with sunny skies and temperatures in the sixties, so she was surprised when he parked his truck on the street in front of her store. He stepped inside a moment later, smiled when he caught her eye. "You ready?"

She waved good-bye to Andrew and followed him out. "I figured we'd walk to Murphy's again. You have better plans?"

He held his passenger door open. "I wanted to show you something, if that's okay."

She slid inside, noticed the large sack in the center of the bench seat, and considered peeking. She was sure she could smell french fries and longed to pop one in her mouth. She managed to restrain herself.

He climbed in beside her. "I took the liberty of getting us lunch. I hope you don't mind. I got a couple of burgers, but I got you a salad, too, 'cause I know you like that.

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