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“Yeah, why?”
“Um, no reason, just curiosity. I used to know a Marina and it’s not that common of a name.”
“That’s true,” Jenna said brightly as she led him around the store while they searched each of the cute corners.
“This Marina—” Wade went on. “Sheisthe one who lost a phone, right?”
“Yes, she called her number from my phone, hoping someone would answer. And you did!” Jenna said brightly.
“What’s your number?” Wade asked next.
Marina could hear him pull the cell out from his pocket and turn it on. Why didn’t she ever put a lock code on it? Laziness.
“Stop for a second,” Jenna said. “I’ll call it again.”
There were a series of soft beeps while Jenna punched in the number.
A moment later, the phone in Wade’s hand began to ring, sounding obnoxiously loud in the quiet store.
“Bingo,” Wade said, speaking from a distance of a mere ten feet from Marina’s hiding spot. “That’s the number that came up at the cemetery. The number I answered of the woman who had lost her phone. Found it in a pile of dead leaves.”
“Yes, Marina was there a couple of hours ago visiting her grandmother’s grave. Must have fallen out of her back pocket. It happens all the time.”
“Interesting,” Wade mused. “Sounds like the Marina I used to know, too.”
“Hey,” Jenna suddenly said. “Looks like I have customers next door, and my help is out sick today. You’re welcome to get a coffee or other drink—my treat—while we wait for Marina to show up.”
“That’s nice of you,” Wade said in that sexy deep voice of his. Marina closed her eyes, remembering how that voice was like melted gooey chocolate. “I’ll come over in a sec, look around abit, and wait for her to emerge from the back room, like you mentioned.”
Marina shivered at the memory of his voice whispering in her ear. The memory –hearing him now after so long—was so powerful she wanted to weep.
She shook her head tostopthinking about old memories of Wade.
“Sounds good,” Jenna said brightly. And left. Fast. Why didn’t she drag Wade with her and force him to get a drink?
Marina suppressed a moan, holding a fist to her mouth. She wanted to shift on the cold, hard tile floor, but didn’t dare move. How long could she remain hiding here without her entire body going numb?
The antique store went completely silent. Maybe he had actually left with Jenna, although she hadn’t heard his footsteps following her.
Then she heard the sound of movement coming closer and closer. She remained still as a statue. He’d never spot her in this dark corner, would he?
All of a sudden, his voice softly called, “Marina? Marina, where are you?”
Keeping her eyes shut, Marina determined that she wouldnotrespond. It all felt so silly and stupid now.Whycouldn’t he just leave the cell phone by the register and leave? After all, he’d confirmed that it belonged to her.
The sound of his jeans whispering while he slowly walked the store stopped. There was silence.
She waited for a full minute, then took a peek to see where he was. Perhaps she could crawl into the storage room and hide in a cardboard box until he left.
The next instant, Marina gasped, rearing back in shock.
Wade had crouched right in front of her, elbows on his knees, fingers clasped together, gazing at her. And he was smiling. Those perfectly straight, pearly whites like a thing of beauty.
“Hello, Marina,” he said softly. “Long time no see.”
“Is it really you?” she whispered hoarsely, as if Wade had just come back from the dead. “Where did you come from? How can you behere?”
He gave her one of his old, saucy grins. That grin she loved. The grin she had tried to forget. “Well, I was at the cemetery visiting my brother and found this cell phone. I talked to the owner, and here I am.”
