Page 136 of The Fix-Up

In the true crime section, I browsed the books before pulling one out to look at it more closely.

“I’ve heard that one’s pretty good,” a man’s voice said right next to me. “Although I also heard he had a thing for clowns.”

I gasped and fumbled the book. It landed with a thud on the floor between us.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He bent down and picked up the book. His fingers brushed my hand when he passed it back to me. I stared at the spot, fascinated by the zap of electricity that one small touch seemed to produce.

“Are you my blind date?” I asked breathlessly.

“You’re the woman in the red dress.” He leaned down and whispered, “You look beautiful, Eleanor.”

“Thank you.” He was in a gray suit, his dark hair combed into submission. Navy-blue eyes stared back at me through dark-rimmed glasses. He looked good in that suit. I wondered if he’d wear a toolbelt with it if I asked nicely.

“Thanks for agreeing to go out with me,” he said. “I’m new to town.”

“You are?” My voice was barely above a whisper. But I hardly had the strength to talk; all that energy was needed to keep me standing upright. I placed a hand on a bookshelf to steady myself.

“Yes, my brother and I just moved here. I lived here for a few months not long ago. In fact, I think we’ve even met.”

“I think so, too.”

“My brother loves it here. Asked every single day if we were coming back. I thought he wanted to live back at our house in Austin. But it turns out, he just wanted to be wherever I was.”

I smiled slowly. “He sounds like a great brother.”

“He definitely is. So, we sold our house and moved to Two Harts. We found a little house to rent for the time being. We’re looking for a fresh start.”

I cleared my throat. “I did that a few years ago. Came to Two Harts for a fresh start.”

“How’d that work out for you?” he asked, his voice low and calm, the exact opposite of what was happening inside me right now.

“It worked out pretty well, actually. But why Two Harts?”

“Did you know it was number two hundred and eighty-seven on the list of three hundred best places to live in nineteen eighty-seven?”

I grinned. “I have seen the plaque, even.”

“Well, there you go. Your mayor is persistent, too.”

“Ali?” What had she done?

“See, I have a plan. I’m hoping to open a group home for adults with disabilities and she thinks that would be a great addition to Two Harts, so she wooed me. It will take some time, though.”

I smiled. “That sounds like an amazing idea.”

“Actually, I’m looking for some land. I’ve heard someone around here has twenty acres of land lying around. You know anything about that?”

“I just might.” My heart beat wildly as hope raced through me. “But why did you decide to jump into the dating pool so quickly?”

“Oh, that’s easy. There’s a woman who stole my heart here in Two Harts. I’m not sure if she’ll have me, but I’m planning onmaking sure she knows exactly how I feel about her every single day.”

“Something tells me you’ll win her over.” I straightened and held out my hand, my pulse fluttering. “I’m at a disadvantage here. You know my name. What did you say yours was?”

He smiled slowly and I felt it in my toes. “Gilbert Dalton.” He tilted his head to the side, his eyes warm and soft. “But you? You can call me Gil.”

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