“Oh, no, no. You heard exactly right,” Anja said. “Getting him a fountain pen for Valentine’s Day is a great idea.”

The woman beamed. “So do you have one you can recommend?”

Anja opened her mouth to give her several options when the store’s phone rang. She glanced toward the counter. That was probably Herr Schneider calling to check if his order had come in.

“Go take the call,” Susanne said. “I’ve got this.”

Anja gave her an are-you-sure look, which Susanne answered with a smile and a nod. It hadn’t been that long ago that Anja wouldn’t have trusted her with a customer, but she felt bad about doubting Susanne when she’d been late, so she didn’t want to do it a second time. After a quick pat to Susanne’s arm, she hurried to the counter, picked up the phone, and carried it to the back room so Susanne and the customer could talk without being bothered.

It was indeed Herr Schneider, and she only needed a minute to assure him that his order had arrived and could be picked up any time. When she returned to the sales area, Susanne and the customer stood next to the unlocked display case. The woman held a Pelikan Classic M205 and admired its pretty marble swirls from all sides.

Oh no. That pen wouldn’t work for her boyfriend at all. It was too small and too light for most men.

But before she could cross the room and say so, Susanne shook her head. “I don’t think that one is going to work. Men usually prefer a more substantial pen with a longer barrel and a thicker grip section. They have bigger hands, so a dainty pen is going to make them cramp up if they write for a longer period of time.”

Wow. Anja paused in the doorway and watched with a stunned smile as Susanne handed the woman a Pelikan Souverän M805. Apparently, Susanne had listened attentively whenever Anja had explained their pens to customers.

The woman laughed. “So size does matter after all.”

Susanne chuckled, and the sound warmed Anja all over. “It does when it comes to pens.”

“I like it.” The woman studied the pen. “How much is it?”

Again, Anja resisted the urge to step in and supply the information.

Susanne glanced at the tag inside of the glass case. “This one is four hundred and thirty euros.”

The woman let out a little gasp. “I’m not sure I want to spend that much. The relationship is still pretty new, and I don’t want him to think that I’m trying for too much, too soon.”