Page 103 of Recipe for Rivals

Because it was in my apartment.

CHAPTER THIRTY

DUSTY

Honestly,I hadn’t thought through the fact that a date night at my house meant the possibility of beinginmy house. Of course Nova would need to use the bathroom. Of course she would notice that my table was missing. Of course she was smart enough to put those things together.

What I didn’t expect was that she wouldn’t say anything about it. It was worse this way. I would rather know exactly where her head was at than have to guess.

The truck was silent. My mind ran our moment on the deck in a loop. Part of me wished I’d just kissed her, but it was important to communicate I was happy to go as slowly as she needed. I wasn’t going anywhere. As impatient as I felt, we really did have all the time in the world.

My hand snaked across the center console and ran down her wrist, taking her hand. Maybe I couldn’t kiss her until she was ready, but I could try to hold her hand.

Nova didn’t pull her fingers away. “Is this the kind of small town I’ve seen in all those Hallmark movies, where two people announce they’re dating and the next thing you know, the mayor is congratulating them on their engagement?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen that one,” I said, shifting her hand so it fit perfectly in mine. “But I’m interested to know if this means we’re dating.”

Nova started to pull her hand free. She was skittish tonight. Noted.

I held fast. “Okay, no pressure. We don’t have to define anything right now.”

“I shouldn’t have used that word. My kids—you know, I still haven’t talked to them. Alice asked me the other day if you were my boyfriend.”

My heart was already beating wildly, but those words sent it into overdrive. “What did you tell her?”

“No,” she said. “Because you aren’t. I should have asked what she thought about it then, but I didn’t. Too chicken, I guess.”

I was just glad she still let me hold her hand.

She plucked at her skirt with her free fingers. “Maybe we don’t have to worry about it yet.”

“Can people know that we came together?”

“Is ‘people’ Gracie Mae?” she asked.

“She’s one of them.”

“You know, at some point you have to tell her yourself. You call these people your friends, but can you really consider someone a close friend if you can’t tell them how you truly feel?”

My pride stung, but she was right. I kept hoping someone else would step in and tell Gracie Mae to back off, that she would read the signs I was putting out to her and make the choice herself to understand I wasn’t interested. But it was the coward’s way.

“I wondered if I was just another Gracie Mae for a hot second,” Nova said, surprising me.

“What does that even mean?”

“You know, you’re a flirt. I’ve seen how you put your armaround her at the diner. You can’t really blame the woman for holding out hope.” She looked out the window. “Part of me wondered if I was reading into your teasing the wrong way, too. But that was anxiety talking, and I saw the light.”

“You aren’t,” I said as boldly as I could. “I’m hoping to get that mayoral endorsement soon.”

Nova laughed. “Good thing this isn’t a Hallmark movie or we’d have ninety minutes to fall in love.”

I squeezed her fingers gently. We could take all the time she needed.

Me? I didn’t need more time. I knew how I felt about her.

“Are you hoping to keep us a secret for now?” I asked, a little afraid of her answer.

Nova seemed to consider the question. Or maybe she was formulating an answer. “No. I wouldn’t have agreed to go out with you if I was afraid of what people would say.”

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