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burglar. He could do a lot better than a failing camera shop. Not a wise choice.”
    “No,” she said, trying to smile and breathe at the same time, and doing both badly. “I mean, no, I didn’t see anyone in your shop.” She hesitated. She liked his eyes. They would have been plain old hazel green eyes in someone else, but in this man they were alive with light and perception—like a pair of mystical stones from another time and place. “But then, no, you’re right too. Robbing a camera shop wouldn’t be as profitable as robbing ... oh, say ... the bank across the street from it.”
    He grinned.
    There. She’d won her prize, and the butterflies in her stomach were a testament. Or was that simply an impersonal smile of amusement? She could see immediately that further experimentation would be necessary to determine exactly when he was smiling a smile meant specifically for her.
    “But then, robbing isn’t a wise occupation to begin with, so ...” Her voice trailed off as she suddenly realized that she’d painted herself into a corner with a lame topic of conversation. What could she possibly say to him now? She’d never get that smile if she let him walk away once more thinking her completely devoid of intelligent conversation.
Alter your life by altering your attitudes. Attitude is mind-set. You deserve it. It’s yours.
    “Ah ... but ... I’m glad I ran into you. I ... I didn’t thank you earlier for helping me. I was already late getting back to work. I could have been chasing oranges all over the parking lot if you hadn’t come along.”
    “I’m glad I was there,” he said, patting his pockets, reaching into one without looking away from her. “I was hoping to run into you, too, actually. I found these in the shop and thought you might be able to use them.” He held up a wad of crumpled plastic bags. “You still need to get those groceries out of your car somehow.”
    Smiling, she glanced from the bags to his face. “I do. I ...” The smoldering light in his eyes held her, mesmerized her. Her mind was a blank. “I ... Thank you. It was kind of you to think of me. Thank you very much.” Stunned stupid, she took the bags. “I really appreciate this.”
    There. A stranger being nice to her for no reason at all. And what did he know about her? Only what he’d seen that morning—she’d been ill-tempered and rude. Being too nice never intrigued men like him—anger and frustration had caught his attention. Success is ninety percent attitude. And hadn’t she just seen that in Joleen’s office? And wasn’t the man impressed with it?
    He shrugged. “They were laying around. I stuffed them in my pocket in case I saw you again.” He’d never been good at pussyfooting. “Actually, I could have just tied them to the door handle of your car, but I’ve been pacing the parking lot waiting for you to come out.”
    “You have?” She vacillated between fear and excitement. She hoped neither reaction showed on her face.
    “I was hoping I could talk you into having dinner with me sometime.”
    “Me?” she asked, speaking before she could untangle her thoughts. He was more than impressed by her new attitude, he was attracted to it. Excitement churned in her belly. Endless possibilities were lining up in the back of her mind.
    He nodded, then glanced about uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. I’m not very good at things like this. I’m used to taking the direct approach, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage in the subtle art of pursuing women. But the fact is, I’ve been wanting to meet you for a while, and if I don’t ask you out now, I may not be able to come up with another good excuse to talk to you.”
    Pursuing women? He wanted to pursue her ? She stared at him for a second or two, then laughed. “Well, that certainly is a direct approach,” she said, turning and walking slowly toward the parking lot. Be cool. Be blasé, she thought, adjusting her attitude. Men pick you up like this all