Close to You

continued.
“You had someone passing out flyers in front of my café. I’m sure
it was a mistake.”
    “ I don’t believe there’s
any regulation that says I can’t pass out flyers on the
street.”
    Eve blinked at the frigid tone. “No,
but—”
    “ And you don’t own the
sidewalk, do you?” The woman arched a haughty eyebrow.
    Irritation bit at her.
“No.”
    “ Well then.” She tipped her
head, condescension oozing off her in waves. “Is that
all?”
    No, it wasn’t all, but she didn’t want
to alienate her neighbor. There had to be a way to melt Margaret’s
cold exterior. She was probably a nice woman on the
inside.
    “ Goodbye then.” She closed
the door quietly but firmly in her face.
    “ Or not,” Eve muttered. She
frowned at the teahouse and walked back to her shop, feeling better
the moment she stepped instead. The warm, homey air enveloped her,
ridding her of the chill she’d gotten.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Margaret started walking out of
necessity after Harry’s death. It was either that or go
insane.
    She hadn’t continued because she loved
it. It wasn’t for the nature, or the exercise benefits. If she
didn’t walk, she wouldn’t know what to do with herself in the
morning.
    Truth be told, she hated walking. San
Francisco was cold and foggy most of the year, especially in the
Presidio, and the smell of the eucalyptus trees made her
sneeze.
    Today she was especially eager to get
home. Her day was planned: shower, change, and work. She thought
about the pile of bills she had waiting for her and felt her
stomach clench. But later she had a phone appointment with Carmen
McKnight, Daniela Rossi’s publicist.
    It’d taken some research and a few
calls, but she’d finally managed to get Ms. McKnight’s phone
number. The woman had been loathe to give her the time of day, but
Margaret didn’t take no for an answer.
    She planned on getting this cookbook
party too.
    For the first time since she opened
Crumpet she felt charged with purpose, only this time it was fueled
by fear. When she thought of losing her business to Grounds for
Thought she felt a choking panic grip her throat. She pumped her
arms and legs faster.
    And why wouldn’t her customers go
there? Grounds for Thought did everything right: the atmosphere,
the staff, and the pastries. Simply delicious. As much as she hated
the café, she’d still thought about going back every morning this
week. She hated the idea of giving the woman her hard earned money,
but those baked goods…
    She couldn’t compete with
that.
    And that girl, Eve, was definitely
determined. Margaret would have admired her in any other
circumstance.
    In the dark of the night, Margaret
considered letting Crumpet go. But then she woke up and couldn’t
imagine what she’d do without it. She’d fade and become more of a
ghost than she already was.
    Determined, she picked up her pace,
not stopping even when she got to the top of the hill. Hugging the
right side, she strode through the Presidio Golf Course parking lot
to the spot where the homeless man camped out. Like every morning,
she set a meal out for him without disturbing his slumber and
walked on. Out Arguello Gate, to the right, four blocks, and then
she’d be home.
    A golf ball bounced in front of her,
startling her out of autopilot. She stopped and watched it bounce
twice more before it rolled under a car.
    “ Sorry about
that.”
    She looked left to see a smiling man
jog toward her. He waved one hand apologetically and held a golf
club in the other. If the golf club wasn’t indication enough that
he was a golfer, he wore orange plaid pants that hurt her
eyes.
    Instead of going after his ball, he
stopped directly in front of her, cutting her off from finishing
her walk. When he smiled, he looked like an older George
Clooney.
    “ I have a confession to
make,” he said.
    “ I’m not a
priest.”
    “ Thank God for that. I’m
getting old, but I hope I’m not so old that I mistake a priest for
a beautiful woman.” He laughed, the sound warm and rich as though
it came from the warmest part of his soul.
    That laugh could thaw a woman
out.
    Startled by that thought, she reached
for her pearls. She didn’t care what he could or couldn’t do. She
stepped around him and kept walking.
    He fell in step next to her. “That had
to be the best shot of my life, even though it’s going to cost me
my game. I aimed my golf ball to stop you. I can’t believe it
worked, and I didn’t hit