Her Secret Valentine, Part 3...

Her Secret Valentine (a Craftie Ladies Continuing Valentine Romance)

Today’s Installment by Teri Wilson

The bell above the door of Cupid’s Corner Creamery chimed as Nancy crossed the threshold. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, which was ridiculous really. She’d thought about Ted a few times since the bowling alley outing, but it wasn’t as though she’d been pining away for him or anything. He hadn’t even been to the church singles group since before New Year’s Day.

Still, it would be nice to know if he’d been the one to send the gifts. As secret admirers went, he would be a nice one. Not that Nancy knew a thing about secret admirers. She’d had one for all of two days.

“Hi, welcome to Cupid’s Corner Creamery!” A woman in a frilly pink apron greeted Nancy from behind the counter. “Can I help you?”

Nancy’s cheeks grew warm. She hadn’t expected an employee. Every time she’d set her designer-clad foot in the ice cream parlor, Ted had been the one to scoop up her ice cream.

The woman smiled at her and waved at the colorful selection of ice cream in the freezer with a Vanna White-style flick of her wrist.  “We have over a dozen flavors to choose from today, along with two sugar-free, fat-free varieties.”

Fat free.

Nancy sucked in her stomach before she even realized what she was doing. Good grief, she was a nervous wreck.

She glanced at the choices and couldn’t help but notice the ironic lack of spumoni.

“Mint chocolate chip, please. Just one scoop.” She smiled and took an exploratory glance around the shop while she waited for her ice cream.

“Here you go.” The woman handed her the cone.  “I’ll ring that up for you.”

Nancy took the ice cream and gnawed at her bottom lip. She was running out of time. It wasn’t as if she could stand around ordering cone after cone until Ted showed up.

She took a deep breath. “Is Ted here?”

“Oh no, I’m sorry. He’s not here right now.” The woman smiled.

It was then that Nancy noticed her nametag. Mint chocolate chip ice cream began to melt down her hand while she stared at the name emblazoned on it.

Donna Spumoni.

Surely that didn’t mean what she thought it meant.

“Perhaps I can help you instead.” Donna Spumoni smiled again. It was a nice smile. A pretty smile. Nancy couldn’t help but wonder if she could bowl, too.  “I’m his wife.”