Page 13 of Romancing the Rude Guy

“Really?”

“No! It’s a joke. A bad one,” I mutter. “Not being able to use my legs is obviously the worst part.” I hold up my hand and point the yellow banana in it at her. “But parking is up there too. You wouldn’t believe how many jackasses park in the handicap spots despite not needing them.”

“I’m sorry.”

My brows arch. “Do you do it?”

Alice jerks back and frowns. “No!”

“Then don’t be sorry. Stay being you.” I take a bite of my sandwich and wish I had put some spicy mustard on the ham, but on the off chance I got to kiss her, I didn’t want to my breath to turn her off.

She finishes up her apple and packs her trash back into her purple insulated lunch bag.

“This has to be one of the cheapest dates I’ve ever had.”

Her entire body trembles with her laughter and I could watch her smile and laugh all day if given the chance.

Shaking her head, her long blonde hair dances around her shoulders and she smiles. “You’re welcome.”

Praying I don’t have food in my teeth, I smile back and ask, “Do you work near here?”

“I do. I like coming here for lunch any chance I get. What about you?”

Before I can answer, she hurries on. “I don’t even know what you do.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a professional football player.”

She rolls her eyes.

“I’m a financial advisor.”

“Is your office around here?

I laugh. “My office is my house.”

“Is it far from here?”

Grinning, I peel my banana. “No, it’s not that far. Besides, I like to drive.”

“You drive?” she asks looking incredulous and then immediately blushes a bright red that would do a cherry proud.

My grin widens. “I do. Even after the accident, I couldn’t wait to get back to driving. I just wanted something to be normal again.”

Emotions flicker across her face as she nibbles on her lower lip.

“You can ask,” I prompt, expecting her to ask about the accident.

She surprises me, though.

“How do you drive? I thought-” Pausing, she gestures toward the wheelchair. “I assumed you couldn’t use your legs.”

“I can’t.” I thump my right leg. “I have extremely limited sensations. They’re sporadic and more annoying than useful.”

Taking a final bite of my banana, I drop the peel on my bag and hold up my hands. “Thankfully, my hands and fingers work just fine. I use hand controls in my car.”

Grinning, I stuff the peel and my sandwich baggie back in my lunch bag. “Lovely invention, hand controls. I think I cried the first time I used them.”

My mind flashes back to that day and my smile grows. “Good thing Jake the installer must be used to people blubbering because he didn’t even bat an eye. He patted my arm and told me to fire the engine up because he didn’t have all day.”

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