Page 299 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

Grandpa Collins cleared his throat, reminding us he stood nearby. “Eva, I just invited this young man to have lunch with us tomorrow. It’s the least we can do. I’m making my special meatloaf. I hope you’re okay with that?”

Disbelief splashed onto her face and she opened her mouth opened to say something, but then she closed it. Then her expression warmed. “Whatever you want, Grandpa. This is your vacation. If you want to cook and invite people over, that’s fine with me.”

A couple strode up and gave Eva a small tube of lotion that probably got scattered when her purse fell.

“I’m trying to find you the perfect criminal.” Grandpa Collins muttered to himself as Eva thanked the couple.

Suspicion rose in me. I didn’t get any bad vibes from Grandpa Collins, but what exactly did he mean by finding the “perfect criminal?” Those two words didn’t go well together.

Despite that, I wanted a chance with Eva. And if I had to deal with an insane and unpredictable man, I’d do it. I was that desperate to know Eva.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Eva smiled at me. “Let’s exchange contact information so you know where to come for lunch.”

We exchanged numbers, and I discovered she lived two blocks from me. How did I not bump into her all this time? She lived so close to me and yet she appeared out of reach.

Until now.

Five

EVA

Grandpa was more cheerful after yesterday’s frightening incident. He hummed and sang while preparing the meatloaf. He didn’t even let me help with the salad.

I couldn’t believe he invited a stranger to lunch. Well, actually I could. But I couldn’t believe he invited a stranger to my home without asking me first. I wasn’t angry about it. It was how he grew up. He trusted people easily. He believed everyone had a good heart and good intentions, but I knew better.

His kind gesture was okay for where he lived because he knew everyone in his rural town. But here in the big city, there were all kinds of people lurking around, and not all of them were nice. I didn’t have the heart to disappoint him. How many more years did I have left with him? So if cooking for me and a stranger made him happy, I was fine with that.

There was one thing Grandpa was good at, and that was his intuition. He kind of knew things, and he was usually right about them. My grandma used to say he had psychic abilities. He knew she’d be his wife when they met in college.

Had he tapped into his gut when he invited Kain for lunch? Or had he been under the spell of gratitude for the irresistible man with tattoos on his arms? When Kain had come into the flower shop the last time, I hadn’t noticed all the ink. I’d never been attracted to men with ink, but it suited him, made him more . . . alluring.

You were just too scared to admit it before.

Kain wasn’t a real “stranger.” He was the dimple guy who had asked me out. The guy I’d rejected.

Would he visit my flower shop again?

My shop.

One day I’d have my own flower boutique where I could expand it according to my vision. But that would have to wait another five years. I needed to save up the funds.

Nerves stirred in me as though a hundred hummingbirds flew inside my stomach.

Focus on lunch.

My scattered mind wandered back to the lunch date. The police detective, Sean, appeared to know Kain as well. All these details added to my decision to allow Kain into my home.

Though I had rejected him, his face popped into my head too often. What if I had said yes? Where would we be now? He was a handsome older man, so I was certain he’d moved on. Men like him didn’t wait around for someone like me. I’d been told I was stunning, but there were a lot of stunning women in town.

Kain had a gorgeous face with fine features and piercing gray eyes. His body looked like it was made of iron from all the muscles bulging under his shirt. How in the world did he run so fast in those jeans anyway?

What else was he skilled at? My loins tightened at the thought.

Did he have a girlfriend? Why was I thinking about him like this after I had rejected him? What was wrong with me? It was as if my body and my mind disagreed on what I wanted. Did I want to know him? My body screamed yes, but my mind told my heart to be careful.

This was lunch. That was it. There was nothing more to it.

Then why had I spent an hour looking through my closet for the perfect casual dress to wear today? Why did I put in extra time for makeup? I even dabbed some perfume on me.

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