Page 32 of In Spades

“Someone needs to tell Logan that,” I mumbled under my breath.

“What was that?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I said, waving my hand dismissively. “Can I ask what led to you being placed in foster care?”

He smiled. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

8

WILLIAM

“Idon’t know if I’m there yet,” Kristin said, staring down at her plate as she picked at the remnants of her salad. When she finally lifted her face, pain reflected in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

I reached across the table and took her hand. “Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to be sorry.”

Her stiff hand slowly relaxed, and she laced her fingers through mine. “I’m just used to dealing with everything myself. I don’t like depending on others.” She laughed nervously. “Or sharing things.”

“Not even what was bothering you this morning?”

She shook her head. “I don’t do well with the whole trust thing.”

“Is that why you haven’t agreed to our date yet?”

There was a nervous smile on her lips. “Maybe.”

“Maybe,” I mused. “I might take it personally if you don’t give me a chance to get to know you.”

“That sounds like a you problem.”

I studied her face. She was barely holding it together. I didn’t want to add more pain to her load. “I’m just teasing. If you don’t want to go out, I respect that. I won’t press it.”

Kristin gave a genuine smile this time, the corners of those pretty eyes crinkling. It made my heart swell. Seeing her smile was like spotting a flash of lightning. I wanted to see it again.

“Fine,” she clipped. “You asked me how old I was, so now I’m asking you. How old are you, Will Solomon?”

“Thirty-eight.”

She choked on her water, jerking her hand away like she had been burned. “Jesus. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“What?”

She pressed her palms to her flushed cheeks. “I didn’t think you were that much older than me. But you’re, like, my parents’ age.”

“And?” I pressed, having already done the math.

Thirteen years wasn’t nothing, but I’d also never been drawn to someone the way I was to Kristin Boyd. I didn’t give a shit what other people thought about seeing me with a twenty-five-year-old woman. I wanted to see her as much as she’d let me.

She wouldn’t get out of answering this time.

Kristin stammered. She’d never been so flustered around me before.

“So, you have thought about our date.” I couldn’t keep the satisfied smile off my face as I scraped the bottom of the takeout container. “The age thing wouldn’t bother you if you hadn’t.”

Kristin took a long drink of water.

“You can stall all you want,” I chided. “I’m a patient man.”

She glared at me before relenting. “Maybe I’ve thought about it.”

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