Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(45)

“I don’t,” she blurted out, interrupting him.

He smiled briefly. “Would you care to join me? I generally have a glass of wine on Friday evenings. My wife and I …” He hesitated at the mention of his wife.

“I’d enjoy that very much.” The dear man had no idea how she’d been hoping for such an invitation.

“There’s a nice bar in the Four Seasons,” he suggested. “Shall I meet you there?”

“Sure.” He could have suggested they rendezvous on the moon and she would have found a way to get there.

“Shall we say,” he paused and glanced at his watch. “Thirty minutes?”

“Perfect.”

He turned away then, and Robin waited until he was out of sight before she broke into a dance, thrusting her arms into the air and turning around in a complete circle.

Chapter 17

Saturday morning, with bright sunshine streaming into her bedroom window, Libby glanced at the digital readout of the clock next to her bed and groaned. Her eyes stung from lack of sleep. Tossing aside the blankets, she crawled out of bed and brewed herself a cup of strong coffee.

Phillip had called three times. She hadn’t answered her phone or listened to the messages. He was a great guy and she enjoyed his company, but he was a distraction. After her last disastrous job interview, Libby had decided she needed to focus.

The interview with Alice Rabe kept playing through her mind. It showed like an old-time silent movie, the frames flickering before her. No way around it, she’d blown her best chance at getting a job. After waiting for months for an opportunity like this she’d sabotaged herself. Libby no longer knew who she was. The determined, dedicated attorney or the volunteer who loved babies but couldn’t make it to an interview on time. Libby wondered what her mother would think of her now.

And she could only imagine the damage she’d done to her relationship with Robin.

After standing under a cold shower for several minutes, she was awake enough to face the day. With errands to run, she left her condo at eight, determined to finish as quickly as possible and be back before noon. She needed to talk to Phillip, and explain, difficult as it was sure to be, that she couldn’t be involved with him.

At ten she stopped by the yarn store. Libby hoped Lydia would be able to update her on what had happened since she’d taken Ava to lunch. She hadn’t managed to get through to the young teen, but perhaps Lydia had succeeded where she had failed. The more Libby thought about Ava, the stronger the urge was to take the girl under her wing and help her. She was so young and vulnerable. Libby couldn’t help worrying about what would become of her. Apparently her grandmother was completely oblivious.

Both Lydia and Casey were at the yarn store when Libby arrived. She hadn’t brought her knitting because she feared that, too, had become a distraction from her job search.

“Hi, Libby,” Casey called out, exuberantly waving her arm from the back of the shop.

Already the shop was crowded with customers, and both Lydia and her sister, Margaret, were preoccupied. Libby walked to the back of the room to join Casey.

“You’re certainly in a good mood,” Libby said when Casey beamed her a huge smile.

The teenager patted the chair next to her, welcoming Libby’s company.

“Mom’s taking me school shopping tomorrow. I’m using the money I earned helping in the shop.”

Libby sat down next to her. “Have you seen Ava lately?”

Casey nodded. “Yeah, she was here yesterday.”

“Did she say anything?”

Casey set aside her crochet project. “About the talk you had with her?”

Libby nodded.

“Not really. How’d it go?” Casey leaned forward, eagerly anticipating the details, it seemed.

“We did talk a little, but unfortunately not much.”

“When I asked her about it all she said was that she enjoyed lunch.”

That was only somewhat encouraging.

“Did she mention when she’d be visiting the shop again?” Libby could casually drop by at the same time. If she continued to develop the relationship, she might be able to convince Ava to make a doctor’s appointment. She could accompany the young teen and pay for the visit. If Ava was willing, Libby would even offer to go with her when she told her grandmother about the pregnancy. The point was, Ava couldn’t ignore the obvious for much longer. Decisions had to be made, and Libby wanted to be Ava’s advocate, wanted to help her deal with the complexities of her situation. Besides, someone needed to find out if Ava continued to be sexually active and warn her that there could be other consequences.

The bell chimed as someone either left or entered the shop. Libby didn’t pay much attention until Casey said, “Libby, isn’t that your doctor friend?”

Libby whirled around. Sure enough, Phillip was inside A Good Yarn, looking about as uncomfortable as a man in a shop full of women could get. His gaze shot straight to her. His eyes narrowed as he made his way to the back of the store.

Even if it meant winning the Washington State lottery, Libby couldn’t have spoken a word. Her mouth was as dry as a sand dune. She wanted to know what he was doing here. It soon became obvious he’d come looking for her. She groaned inwardly; she wasn’t quite ready to face him.

“Did you turn your cell phone off?” he asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down.