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his memories or fill him with regret. Why did it do that to her? “You know what I think? Doing something impetuous might be just what you need. What do you say? Let me take you to dinner?”
    Her eyes crawled up and down his body, evaluating him. She was putting Harry’s lessons on reading people to good use. Erich’s pulse quickened, but then being near Bess always did that.
    She shook her head and laughed, mocking his joy. “Why would you do such a thing?”
    Because I love you, Bess. “I’m new in town and want to make friends.”
    “With an older woman and a widow to boot?” Back again was the doubtful cynic.
    “With a beautiful, spunky woman.”
    “Flattery may breed a fool, Mr. Welch, but I won’t be swindled.”
    “I have no intention—”
    Her waving hand cut him off. “I heard you tell Will you don’t even have a place to stay. You have more important concerns than a frivolous dinner with me.”
    His lip curled between his teeth. As much as he enjoyed playing cat and mouse, she’d checked him with reality. Even if she agreed to spend time with him, the few coins jingling in his pocket wouldn’t buy either of them more than a cup of coffee, let alone a meal for both.
    Erich was about to suggest a walk in the park – something they could do on his limited budget – but was interrupted by the sound of a rubber ball hitting the tile floor. It brushed against his leg, and he bent over and picked up the ball.
    A small boy with dark, disheveled hair and big brown eyes ran up, tugged on his pant leg and reached up to him. After returning the toy to its rightful owner, Erich patted the child’s shoulder. His mother mumbled a thank you as she bustled by them, guiding the child out of the diner.
    With the distraction out of the way, Erich tried to make headway with Bess, when the bell sounded again. Erich froze. He’d been caught doing the one thing he was warned against. Will’s voice filled the room. “I’m paying you to wash dishes, Erich.”
    “I was just taking care of your customer,” he replied, rounding the corner.
    “Mrs. Houdini’s coffee is just fine. Mr. Hanson is waiting for you at the hardware store. I just bought a cot. I figured until you can save up a paycheck or two, you might be just as comfortable sleeping in the store room. I’d have brought it back myself, but the clerk had to get it down off the top shelf. Go on. Pick it up.”
    And just that quick, one problem was solved. Not having to pay for a room would give him more assets in his pursuit of Bess. Most would have found Will’s offer of a place to lay his head strange, but Erich knew it wasn’t out of the norm. Harry’s soul was littered with memories of the man taking in and nurturing abandoned kittens and helping the less fortunate. Will considered Erich just another stray. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”
    The gruff man’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. “Thank me by doing the job I hired you to do.”
    Erich returned the pot to the warmer. The clank of glass hitting the metal reminded him some things are fragile and need a gentle hand, like forging a relationship with Bess. Pushing too hard and too fast would only cause any chance of success to shatter. He was a stranger in her eyes and needed to remember that.
    As he untied his apron, he heard Will say to Bess, “I asked them about your furnace. The guy they recommended is out of town for a week.”
    “Oh dear,” she replied. “I really didn’t want to take Gail up on her offer. She and Martin have done too much for me already, but I’m running out of options.”
    That god-forsaken furnace. And Gail Cooper? If there were two things Harry could count on it was that old thing breaking down, and that wolf in sheep’s clothing taking advantage of the situation, but he knew an opening when he saw it. “I know my way around a furnace, Mrs. Houdini. If you’d like, I can take a look at it.”
    She sized him up with curiosity. The scrutiny might have