First Impressions

materials?”
    “The carpentry work.”
    “Why?”
    “I hired him to do it.”
    Donna gritted her teeth. “Why?”
    “Because he’s a carpenter.”
    “Shane!”
    Valiantly, Shane controlled a grin. “Look, he’s out of work, he’s talented, I needed someone who’d work under union scale, so . . .” She spread her hands.
    “What have you found out about him?” Donna demanded the right to fresh news.
    “Not much.” Shane wrinkled her nose. “Nothing, really. He doesn’t say much.”
    Donna gave her a knowing smirk. “I already knew that.”
    A quick grin was Shane’s response. “Well, he can be downright rude when he wants to. He has a lot of pride and a marvelous smile that he doesn’t use nearly enough. Strong hands,” she murmured, then brought herself back. “And a streak of reluctant kindness. I think he can laugh at himself, but he’s forgotten how. I know he’s a workhorse because when the wind’s right I can hear him hammering and sawing at all hours.” She glanced out the window in the direction of the path. “I’m in love with him.”
    “Yes, but what—” Donna caught her breath and choked on it. “
What!
”
    “I’m in love with him,” Shane repeated with an amused smile. “Would you like some water?”
    For nearly a full minute, Donna only stared at her. She’s joking, she told herself. But by Shane’s expression, she saw her friend was perfectly serious. It was her duty, Donna decided, as a married woman starting on her second child, to point out the dangers of this kind of thinking.
    “Shane,” she began in a patient, maternal tone, “you only just met the man. Now—”
    “I knew it the minute I set my eyes on him,” Shane interrupted calmly. “I’m going to marry him.”
    “Marry him!” Beyond words, Donna could only come up with sputters. Indulgently, Shane rose to pour her some water. “He—he asked you to marry him?”
    “No, of course not.” Shane chuckled at the idea as she handed Donna a glass. “He only just met me.”
    In an attempt to understand Shane’s logic, Donna closed her eyes and concentrated. “I’m confused,” she said at length.
    “I said I was going to marry him,” Shane explained, taking her seat again. “He doesn’t know it yet. First I have to wait for him to fall in love with me.”
    After setting the untouched water aside, Donna gave her a stern look. “Shane, I think you’re under more strain than you realize.”
    “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought,” Shane answered, ignoring Donna’s comment. “Number one, why would I have fallen in love with him in the blink of an eye if it wasn’t right? It must be right, so number two, sooner or later he’s going to fall in love with me.”
    Donna followed the pattern of thought and found it filled with snags. “And how are you going to make him do that?”
    “Oh, I can’t make him,” Shane said reasonably. Her voice was both serene and confident. “He’ll have to fall in love with me just as I am and in his own time—the same way I fell in love with him.”
    “Well, you’ve had some nutty ideas before, Shane Abbott, but this is the top.” Donna folded her arms over her chest. “You’re planning on marrying a man you’ve known barely a week who doesn’t know he’s going to marry you, and you’re just going to sit patiently by until he gets the idea.”
    Shane thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s about it.”
    “It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Donna stated, then let out a surprised laugh. “And knowing you, it’ll probably work.”
    “I’m counting on it.”
    Leaning forward, Donna took Shane’s hands in hers. “Why do you love him, Shane?”
    “I don’t know,” she answered immediately. “That’s another reason I’m sure it’s right. I know almost nothing about him except he’s not a comfortable man. He’ll hurt me and make me cry.”
    “Then why—”
    “He’ll make me laugh too,” Shane interrupted. “And make me furious.” She smiled a little, but her eyes were very serious. “I don’t think he’ll ever make me feel—inadequate. And when I’m near him, I
know.
That’s enough for me.”
    “Yes.” Donna nodded, giving Shane’s hands a squeeze. “It would be. You’re the most loving person I’ve ever known. And the most trusting. Those are wonderful traits, Shane, and—well, dangerous. I only wish we knew more about him,” she added in a mutter.
    “He has secrets,” Shane