13- Like an Cinderella

Sometimes, between the cost of an item and indecision, it was several
months before she made a purchase. One memorable year, she bought a
miniature stove, in which she could actually bake cookies, albeit very tiny ones.
Her excitement over that purchase should probably have been a clue about the
direction her life was likely to take.
Back on the street, they ran into Mr. Lee standing outside of Henderson’s his
gaze locked on an elaborate train display in the window. The expression on his
face was surprisingly wistful for a man whose every boyhood whim had
probably been fulfilled.
Caitlyn slipped up beside him, her gaze every bit asfascinated as his. “It’s a
really cool train, isn’t it?”
Surprised, he glanced down at her, then grinned. “It sure is. Do you like
trains?”
Caitlyn nodded. “But I like dolls better. Aunt Hazel is going to buy me a
Barbie if they have the one I want.”
Mr. Lee’s gaze shifted until it met Hazel’s reflected in the window. “Isthat
so?”“It’s not an expensive toy,” Hazel said defensively.
He frowned at her. “Did I suggest it was?”
“No. Never mind. Come on, Caitlyn. Let’ssee if they have the doll you
want.”
The little girl gazed up at Mr. Lee. “You can come, too, if you want,” she said
politely. “I’ll bet they have lots more trains inside.”
“Maybe I will take a look,” Mr. Lee said, ignoring the frown Hazel directed
athim.
Inside, Nell Henderson rushed out from behind the counter to give Hazel a
hug. “And thisis your family,” she enthused. “How lovely that you’ve brought
them in.”
“Actually, this is Emma’s daughter, Caitlyn. You remember Emma, don’t
you?”
“Well, of course. The two of you were in here often enough, right along with
Cassie, Lauren and Karen.” She beamed at Mr. Lee. “They were some of my
best customers, at least until they discovered boys. Then I lost them to the
cosmetics counter over at the drugstore.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Mr. Lee said. “They’re all beautiful enough without
makeup.”
Nell chuckled. “Oh, honey, you have found yourself a jewel.”
“Mr. Lee and I are not married,” Hazel said irritably. “We’re not involved.
We’renot anything.”
That threw the older woman for little more than a heartbeat. “Well then, you
should work on changing that. A gallant man is a rarity these days. You should
hang on to him if you’re lucky enough to find one.”
“Something to keep in mind,” Mr. Lee said, regarding her with amusement.
Bored with the adult conversation, Caitlyn wandered over to the dolls. She
was back in seconds, clutching a Barbie in a fancy ball gown.
“Thisisthe one I’ve been wanting and wanting,” she announced to Hazel.
Hazel hunkered down beside her. “She is beautiful,” she agreed. “You’re sure
this is what you want?”
Caitlyn’s head bobbed, then she cast a shy look at Mr. Lee. “What do you
think?
Isn’t she beautiful?”
But Mr. Lee’s gaze waslocked on Hazel, not the doll, when he murmured,
“Yes,she certainly is.”
Hazel’s cheeks burned. “I thought you wanted to look at the trains,” she
grumbled.
“I’ll come with you,” Caitlyn offered, tucking her hand into Mr. Lee’s.
“I’vebeen here before. I can show you where they are.”
Hazel watched the two of them disappear at the end of the aisle, then sighed.
When she looked up, Nell Henderson was grinning.
“Can’t say that I blame you for sighing over that one. If I were thirty years
younger, I’d give you a run for your money.”
“There is nothing between Mr. Lee and me,” Hazel repeated very firmly.
Nell shook her head. “Then that’s a real pity, especially since the man looks
at you as if you were the most fascinating creature he’s ever come across. I
haven’t seen a look like that since the night my Herbie, God rest his soul, swept
me off my feet.”
Hazel recalled belatedly that Herb Henderson had died just over a year ago.
“You must miss him,” she said sympathetically.
“Every day of my life,” Nell agreed. “But I have my memories. That’s
something you ought to think about. Grab as many memories as you can, Hazel.
They’re what carry you through during the difficult times. Otherwise, all you’ll
have are regrets. You don’t want the last two words you whisper on your
deathbed to be if only.”
Hazel heard Caitlyn’s giggle, then Mr. Lee’s lower rumble of laughter.
They were sweet sounds. She was already regretting that she had no claim to
Mr. Lee orto any family of her own, for that matter. Lately, she’d had no time to
think aboutany future outside of Café Tuscany. With the restaurant’sfate so much
in doubt, she was forced to face the fact that without it her life would be
unbearably empty.
She gave Nell’s hand a squeeze, then went after Caitlyn and Mr. Lee. She
foundthem both watching an intricate labyrinth of miniature train tracks as half
a dozen tiny engines sped around them on what appeared certain to be a collision
course. But of course it wasn’t. At the last second Mr. Lee touched the controls
and switched the tracks, sending the various trains safely past each other.
“Do you collect trains?” Hazel asked him.
He shook his head and shut down those on the display. “Never had one.”
“Why not? It’s obvious you want one.”
“As a kid, there were better uses for our money. Now I don’t have the time to fiddle with a hobby.”
“You know what they say about all work and no play, don’t you?”
He regarded her seriously. “That it gets the job done?”
She groaned. “No, that it makesfor a very dull guy.”
A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. “You think I’m boring?”
She knew exactly how he intended to prove otherwise, and a part of her
wanted him to demonstrate, but there was Caitlyn to consider, and Nell. “Not
boring, just limited. Under other circumstances, I might be tempted to try to
change that.”
“Oh? How?”
“Let me think about it,” she said. “Maybe one of these days I’ll give you a
list of my recommendations. Will you pay any attention to them?”
“I might,” he said solemnly. “What would my reward be?”
“More fun,” she said at once.
He grinned. “You’ll have to provide more incentive than that.”
“Such as?”
“Will I get the girl?”
Hazel shuddered at the penetrating look in his eyes. “I suppose that
depends.”“On?”
“How badly you want her.”
“I’m beginning to wonder about that myself.”
He said it in a way that made Hazel’s breath hitch in her throat. She was
thankful Caitlyn chose that moment to reach for her hand and give it a tug.
“Aunt Hazel, since you’re buying me a toy, why don’t you buy one for Mr.
O’Donnell, too?”
“Histoys are too expensive,” Hazel said.
“That’sright,” Mr. Lee agreed, his gaze locked with hers. “In fact,
somethingtells me they’re priceless.”