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Tori.”
    â€œTori, can you start on the dishes?” Krista asked. “I’m not sure I’ve got the energy.”
    â€œSure.”
    Krista finished making Luke’s sandwich, garnished the plate with a pickle and a few olives and put a mini scoop of fruit salad in a dish. She placed it in front of him.
    â€œHow much?” he said.
    â€œOn the house.”
    He glanced into her eyes. “I can’t do that.”
    â€œWhy not?” Krista asked.
    â€œIt’s freeloading. Let me at least do the dishes after I eat.”
    â€œGreat idea!” Tori said, drying her hands and rushing off into the dining room.
    â€œNo, really I couldn’t—”
    â€œSure she could,” Tatum said, putting her arm around Krista’s shoulder. “In case you haven’t noticed, she has a hard time accepting help from people.”
    â€œWise guy,” Krista said.
    â€œIt’s true.” Tatum smiled and breezed out of the kitchen.
    â€œNice kids,” Luke said.
    â€œThey consider me their auntie.”
    â€œWell, Auntie, I’d really like to do your dishes in exchange for lunch. And anything else I can do to help, just say the word. Okay?”
    â€œSure.”
    Krista went to clean up the stainless steel prep counter. Her insides warmed at the thought of how nice it was to have a man care about her.
    Then she reminded herself he was here for work, and part of his job required him to stick close and catch whoever was working in tandem with the drug cartel.
    She rinsed off the prep table with bleach water and started on the dishes.
    â€œHey, hey, that’s my job,” Luke said.
    â€œI’ll leave some for you, no worries.”
    The back door opened and Alan stepped into the kitchen. He glared at Luke. “You’re still here?”
    â€œI work here.”
    â€œYeah, right.” He turned his back to Luke and went to Krista. “Hey, I wanted to make sure you were doing okay.”
    He touched her arm and she tried not to recoil. Alan wasn’t a bad guy, just not a guy she wanted touching her. She knew he wanted more than she had to give him, and she didn’t want to encourage the affection.
    â€œI’m fine, thanks.”
    â€œReally? Because I was worried this morning.”
    â€œThanks, just tired.” She stepped away from him and rearranged the tea jars. Maybe if she kept her distance he’d get the message.
    She didn’t want to be rude, but she wasn’t sure how to handle this situation. She’d been clear with him months ago that she wasn’t interested, that she wasn’t ready to get serious. With anybody.
    Which wasn’t exactly true. If she found the right man, a Christian man as devoted to God as he was to Krista, well, she’d definitely consider. Only there weren’t a lot of single guys of her generation left in Wentworth. Most of her classmates had gone off to college, landed important jobs in the city and didn’t return home.
    â€œBusiness run smoothly this morning?” Alan asked, eyeing the tables out front.
    â€œSure, why?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s your first day back and you’ve got to be exhausted. I mean with your long travel day and early morning…”
    God give me patience.
    If he kept reminding her how tired she was, she was going to pass out right here on the hardwood floor.
    She turned to him. “I’m fine, Alan, really. And I appreciate your concern. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to finish up these dishes, so I can close early this afternoon.”
    She smiled brightly and hoped she’d been nice about her obvious attempt to kick him out of her space.
    â€œI’ll check on you tonight.” He reached out to touch her shoulder.
    â€œGreat, thanks.”
    The phone rang, saving her from having to rudely pull away.
    She sidestepped Alan to answer the phone. “Grace’s Tea Shop.”
    â€œYes, this is Thunder