Page 93 of When Love Is Lost and Found

"I'm inviting you to lunch."

"Can I bring Susan?"

The glint in her eyes flickers for an instant, but she recovers quickly.

"You and Susan broke up."

"How do you know that?"

"Cara told me Susan was moving back to California. The breakup was just a guess. See you at Loren's in an hour."

"I never said yes."

"You never said no, either."

"So you're going to assume?"

"I made a peach cobbler last night. I hope it's still your favorite."

She smiles and walks away. I want to go after her and tell her I'm not going, but I don't move because I know there's no way I'm going to stand her up.

***

When she opens the back door, she smiles a genuine smile that almost melts my defenses. Almost.

"I brought vanilla ice cream for the cobbler."

"Come in," she says, pushing the screen door open.

I walk in and over to the refrigerator to put the ice cream in the freezer.

"Do you want iced tea or lemonade?"

"I'll have lemonade. What about you?"

"I'll have some lemonade too."

I pull the pitcher of lemonade out of the refrigerator and two glasses from the cupboard.

After pouring some lemonade into each glass, I put them on the table and sit.

Sharon is wearing a tank top and denim shorts that show off her long, lean legs. She's moving around the kitchen, putting together what she'll need to make lunch.

"I bought a panini press earlier this week," she says. "I thought I'd try it today. Is roast beef and cheese okay?"

"Can I help with anything?"

"Since this is a hot sandwich, I think a green salad would go well with it."

"Okay. I'll make a salad."

I walk back to the refrigerator and grab lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, and shredded carrots.

"Here's a tomato," she says, "I got some at the farmers’ market."

Our fingers touch when she hands it to me, and I feel a jolt of electricity course through me.

She plugs in the sandwich press, turns the dial on, and then leans against the counter. God, I want to touch her, but I refuse.

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