* * * *
Hank thanked Cassie Resendez as she arrived at their table with a bright smile and their coffees, along with a pretty cupcake for Veronica and a kolache for him. “I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Divine, Miss Benedict. Word’s been getting around about you being in town.”
Cassie glanced at Hank and he caught her wink and knew that word was evidently also getting around that she was with Hank and Travis, and he was okay with that. He’d made his choice and he was well satisfied with it.
“Thank you, Cassie,” Veronica said, smiling up at her as she adjusted her eyeglasses. “I’ve grown to love Divine in a very short time.”
It was obvious in the light in her eyes that Veronica meant it as she spoke the words. Hearing that brought him great pleasure. The revelation that she was loved and cared for by him and Travis, and that she was precious to other people in Divine as well, had been monumental for her, and it showed in her demeanor. Gone was the nervous, flustered young woman. She’d been replaced by someone who was truly embracing her uniqueness and accepting the love of others. Helping her to find the acceptance she needed was gratifying to the Dom in him. Whatever she needed, he wanted to give to her.
He’d escorted her through every shop in the downtown district, enjoying each new discovery and seeing it through her eyes, especially at Violet’s Emporium.
She’d gasped as they’d entered through the door on the side street. Violet had been a busy lady, decorating for Christmas, judging by the festooned interior. Veronica had turned in a circle as she took in the sheer volume of the books, new and used, stocked on shelves, stacked on tables, accessed on high shelves against the walls by ladders, on rolling racks, and in bins. There were also locking cabinets containing collector’s editions and first editions.
“Heaven has book stacks like these. I’m sure of it,” Veronica had whispered in awe. She’d even looked a little teary.
Violet had winked at him from behind her curving library-style counter as she exited her office.
“Hello, Hank. Who is your beautiful friend?”
Veronica turned at Violet’s voice and rushed up to the counter. “Is this store yours? It’s like something from a fantasy. I could spend a year in here and never get tired of looking.”
Violet giggled as she rested her forearms on the counter and nodded, her golden ringlets bobbing around her shoulders. “Yes, I inherited the old True Value Hardware building from my Uncle Robert when he passed a couple of years ago. I’m so sorry. I’m forgetting my manners.” She held out her hand to shake. “I’m Violet. And you look very familiar…”
Veronica took her hand and shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Violet. I’m Veronica Benedict.”
Violet’s gaze slid off to the side and Hank smiled the instant her eyes grew big and she squealed with excitement. She came out from behind the counter and led Veronica at a trot over to the extensive romance novel section of the bookstore and pointed at a whole section of her books resting on the shelves. “Would you do a signing?” Violet blurted, making Veronica giggle.
“I would love to.”
They spoke to each other at a mile a minute, talking over each other, answering each other’s questions at the same time, laughing and nodding, and Veronica promised to do a holiday signing, since she now planned to stay indefinitely in Divine. When Veronica said as much, Hank’s chest had swelled with happiness.
They’d stopped in at Cheaver’s and he’d purchased a cowgirl hat from Rosemary Garner for Veronica, a pearl-gray ladies’ Stetson, to match his at her request, and she looked good wearing it, too. Everywhere she’d gone, she’d found acceptance, and Hank had been proud of his town and profoundly grateful that Tabitha Lester had been absent.
Watching her chat with Violet and Rosemary, and with Cassie now in the coffee shop, Hank could see her fitting in there in Divine, as she made another friend.
“We even had a man asking if anyone had met you, and if they knew where you were staying while you were here.” Cassie said with a concerned glance at Hank.
That news got Hank’s attention. “What did you tell him?”