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By noon the parlor was crowded Shana worked the pizza side and Catherine, a grandmotherly woman in her early sixties, dealt with the ice-cream orders Catherine had been recoreat with kids Shana had already learned a lot fro red-haired man with two children about three and five caetarian pizza and sodas While Shana asse the way he entertained theames

Jazmine rolled into the parlor, stopped to take off her skates and before long was deep in conversation with the father and his two kids Shana couldn’t hear as being said, but she saw the lance in her direction and nod

A couple of minutes later, Jazmine joined Shana in the kitchen, which was open to thethe hot pizza from the oven onto the metal pan As she sliced it, the scent of the toano wafted toward her

"He’s single"

"Who?" Shana asked distractedly as she set the pizza on the counter "Do you want to take this out to the guy with the kids?" she asked

"Can I?" Jaz asked to help out

Her niece carefully carried the pizza to the table and brought extra napkins She chatted with the man and his children for a few moreadditional pizzas "He asked me to introduce you"

"What?"

Jaz you earlier He’s divorced and he wants to uy over there with the kids?"

"Do you see any other guy in here?"

The restaurant had any nu father was the onlyin her direction He saluted her with a pizza slice

Flustered, Shana whirled around and glared at Jazmine "Exactly what did you say to hi--well, I did mention that you broke up with Brad, but that was only because he asked He said he’s been in here before"

Shana didn’t remember him

"I told him that my uncle Adam said you’re the kind of woman who needs a man in your life"

Shana’s heart stopped "You didn’t!"

"No" Jazet a rise out of you"

The kid see

"Are you interested? Because if you are, let’s go say hello to hi deal"

Shana needed to think about this "Prole"

"I did, and I said you were looking for a husband," Jazleefully "You don’t mind, do you?"

Shana felt the blood drain out of her face Slowly turning her head, she saw the father still watching her She jerked around again and noticed that Jaz fro

Shana was glad so

Chapter Seven

Jaz roo for her uncle Ada to take her out for the day He’d mentioned the Museue Dale Chihuly exhibit

Shana was aler to see the lieutenant commander as her niece was, but for distinctly different reasons She had a thing or two she wanted to say; he didn’t know it yet, but the lieutenant coest she needed a rew--until she realized she couldn’t keep quiet for even one more day

At twelve-forty-seven precisely, Jazmine dashed away from theand announced, "He’s here!"

"Good" Shana resisted the urge to race outside and confront him then and there She’d need to bide her ti--ten whole days What was another fiveit wide in welcoerly it was endearing

"Hiya, kiddo," Adaood to see you"

"You, too! It didn’t seeet here"