Page 22 of A Little More

Lexi held them close to his face, waving them around like a tempting treat. “C’mon, show her. When you borrowed them earlier, Ms. Peggy mentioned how much you looked like your dad. I’m sure that was a compliment.” She looked at her glasses. “Although, I’m hoping she only meant their square shape. You would need a different frame. Pink isn’t your color.”

Gina stumbled out of the booth. “I’ll let y’all two finish up. I can go sit down the way with Katie.” She hurried off, giving Nash a once over with her last glance over her shoulder but without the heat.

“I’ll have you know that those glasses are nothing like my dad’s.” He held up the ticket, squinting. “And I don’t wear my readers unless I’m going over paperwork.”

“My ploy worked, though.”

“The town will be petitioning me to be put in a retirement home by the end of the day with the way Gina’s tongue wags.” Nash set down a twenty-dollar bill and started to rise out of the booth. He made a loud groan.

“That’s overdoing it a little, isn’t it?”

He rubbed his lower back. “Who says I’m overdoing it? That fire was rough this morning.”

She laughed. Freedom to be herself delighted her. Nothing could happen, after all. She’d make sure of that. “Thank you for lunch. You really don’t need to buy my meal every time we eat.”

He shrugged but didn’t acknowledge her otherwise.

“Why don’t I go meet the surveyor, and you can go do whatever it is you do.”

“No. I’ll stay with you.”

“Nash, I handle these sorts of things all the time by myself. You approved the sketch and interior, now we need the technical specs. That typically doesn’t involve the client.” She’d never had a client involved past the design stage other than giving updates or once decorating started. Sometimes she acted as a liaison between the engineers and interior designers to the client.

He held open the restaurant door, his hand lightly resting on her lower back as she passed through first. In a throaty whisper, he said, “If you’re in town, I’ll stay with you.”

Her breath caught. His voice made her want to curl up beside him in the dark. He could recite damn nursery rhymes to her, and it’d turn her on.

How did his simple touches, probably second nature to him, cause such strong reactions? Last weekend she’d had a date with a man who’d tried to kiss her goodnight, and she gracefully avoided him. Charlie had leaned in for the kiss, eyes already closed, and she’d turned her head.

Now, she resembled a pining teenager. If Nash only knew how much she wanted him to touch her. She couldn’t tell him, though. Wanting it didn’t matter since it wasn’t allowed. Her boss would fire her on the spot. Zero tolerance for mixing relationships with work.

He opened her truck door, and she waited for him to reach for her again. He didn’t. That disappointed her more than necessary.

Statem reminded her of Mayberry. The bed and breakfast across the street from the diner, a three-story Victorian home, gray siding with bright white trim, looked like a dollhouse. The wrap around porch held a dozen white rocking chairs she imagined filled up often. Too bad they were closed. She’d have loved to stay there.

Near it stood a low, brick building that housed the Sheriff’s Department. Nash had explained that was where Dewey, his friend he’d introduced her to this morning, worked when not helping him on the farm.

He drove toward the work site, out of town a few miles and closer to the interstate, pointing out who lived where including his own driveway. And then the town disappeared, and they were surrounded by pine trees and dirt fields once again.

Their afternoon together shifted away from the flirting and into a platonic, business atmosphere while they interacted with the surveyor. The day ended at his mom’s house for dinner.

Lexi had never experienced a family dinner when it came to a client. Working closely with clients usually ended with a friendship that gradually disappeared as time went by. But, with Nash and his mom, part of Lexi knew that she’d miss them after this was finished.

Maintaining a friendship with Nash would be impossible on her end, though. She wanted more and knew she couldn’t have it. Looking for a future with him would be pointless.

“Dinner was delicious, Ms. Peggy.” Lexi stood beside Nash’s mom at the sink, drying the dishes as soon as they were washed. “And I really appreciate you letting me stay here. I found another hotel two towns over.”

“Nonsense. You’ll stay here. You’re a pleasure to have in the house. I was wondering, do you cook, honey?” She handed her the bowl she’d used to make homemade mashed potatoes. “Any special dish you like to make? Swapping recipes is a pastime of mine.”

“Not really.” Lexi grimaced. “I tend to burn things.”

Ms. Peggy moved to wash the next dish. “I can share some easy recipes with you. In fact, I’ll show you one tomorrow night.”

What else could she do but smile and nod? Her view of cooking wouldn’t change with one hands-on demonstration, no matter how easy the process. Ordering a fresh salad or soup from the bistro at the bottom of her condo building beat out spending an hour in front of the stove.

Hopefully, Julien wouldn’t ask too many questions while in town tomorrow. She’d keep it to herself that she decided to stay with her client’s mother instead of a hotel and be sure to send her ex-co-worker, Lionel, a thank you card. Without him screwing his client, a widow she’d heard, Julien wouldn’t feel compelled to comecheck-upon her.

“Nash enjoys home-cooked meals.”

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