A FRIENDLY INVASION

Got a customer, Will thought as he caught sight of the red Chevy Trail Blazer parked directly in front of Nickerson Office Supplies. But Rose can handle it... He started across the street, toward Norske Knickknacks. No traffic was coming. About halfway across he paused and glanced back at the red SUV. Saskatchewan license. Bumper sticker that read FOLLOW ME TO THE TRUCKERS’ PARADISE. Truckers’ Paradise? Uff da. His mind raced back to that summer day when he had stopped in there for lunch on a brief jaunt north of the border. Danielle. In his mind’s eye he could see her face. Truck stop waitress extraordinaire. They had hit off instantly. When it came time to pay the bill they exchanged email addresses. They kept in touch now and then. He always intended to drive the hour and a half north to the little Canadian bordertown and see her again. But somehow or other Jenine had always managed to talk him out of it. That in spite of his insistence that it was just a platonic friendship and nothing more. Gotta check this out. He made an about face and headed toward his own store. If it’s someone who frequents the Truckers’ Paradise, chances are it’s someone who would know Danielle.
Once inside the store he was in for a shock. No, not a bad kind of shock. This was a shock of the pleasant kind.
“Will!” She rushed up to him and gave him a positively smothering hug.
“Danielle! It’s you!” For several seconds he held her close to him. “You’re here!”
“Yes. I...”
“What’re you doing here?”
“I brought you a Christmas present...” Her voice carried a certain playful lilt as she let loose a wry smile.

From Let’s Make It Merry Christmas, Chapter 14, “Gnome Invasion”. Hmmmmm... What’s this all about? Does Jenine have some competition here? Check it out in Let’s Make It Merry Christmas, and you’ll meet this alluring young lady in Ranch Park and Viking It Is, too. They’re all in paperback and Kindle from Amazon.com and also in Nook and Kobo editions.

R. L. Anderson, author, Will Nickerson Mysteries.