Page 37 of Falling for the Grumpy Stranger

I smiled. “And that’s why it’s solovelybeing part of the Lovely clan.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

RHETT

The waves below crashed so hard against the rocks, it looked like multiple explosions in quick succession. I was standing a good fifty feet up from the rocky shore, but I could still feel the cold mist from the turbulent water. There I was again, back where I started just days before, before Ella walked into my life and lifted me out of the darkness. Now I’d sunk back into it, even farther and deeper than before. She’d left before I could explain myself. I couldn’t blame her. I would have done the same. Who wants to start a relationship with a partner who has heavy weights hanging around his neck. I didn’t see any point in burdening her with everything happening in my life. She was light and air and everything good. I was none of those things.

I was sure I’d done the right thing, letting her go. I hadn’t meant for the separation to be permanent, but she seemed to want nothing less. It seemed Christine had once again managed to pry away any ounce of happiness in my life. She was notoriously good at it.

My stomach churned like the sea below. The cold was seeping into my bones, and hunger gnawed at my gut. I dragged my gaze away from the stormy water below and headed in the direction of Juniper Road. It figured I’d managed to get tangledup with a woman whose sister ran the only decent food place in town. I was getting tired of boxed mac and cheese and canned soup. But that was about the extent of what my kitchen would allow. The renovation seemed so far away now. I couldn’t even think about it at this point. And it seemed the whole damn foundation had to be replaced first before anything could happen inside. Maybe the stories were right. Maybe the place really was cursed.

I reached the café and hesitated, thinking I might just go back home for soup. Then two customers walked out, and the smell of grilled onions and bacon followed them. My mouth watered, and my stomach told me to go inside or else.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. Ella’s sister looked up from wiping a table. She smiled and leaned to look past me. “Afternoon, Rhett, is Ella with you?”

“Uh, no, not today.” I hated having to lie, but I was sure Aria would hear soon enough about the big loser on the hill. I pointed to a table, and she nodded. She brought over a menu, but I waved my hand. “I smelled bacon and onions on the way in,” I said.

Aria had a big, bright smile like Ella. The Lovely sisters were certainly that. “That would be Dex’s special bacon and onion double burger.”

“Yep, that’ll do. And a chocolate shake.”

“Perfect.” She picked up the menu. “I’ll bring you a glass of water.” As she turned to leave, a light bulb flickered on and off. She stared up at it in dismay. “Ah, so you’re still pulling shenanigans, are ya?” She looked at me. “I don’t usually talk to my light fixtures, but this one has been especially ornery today. I’ll go get the water.” The bulb flickered in tempo with her steps as she walked away.

Her giant boyfriend slash cook came out from the kitchen with a new lightbulb. Aria handed him a glass of water onhis way out. She motioned toward me. Dex’s expression got instantly suspicious.

Dex was across the room in three long strides and placed the glass down hard on the table. It seemed his attitude toward me hadn’t changed. He’d be even more rude once he learned how Ella’s and my friendship ended. He didn’t need a stool or ladder to reach the bulb on the light strand above the table. The whole thing was awkward because the bulb was almost directly over me. I was relieved when he finished the task. I expected him to walk away, without a word. The scenario I was hoping for.

Instead, he yanked out a chair and sat down. “Medium or rare?” he asked dryly.

“Excuse me?”

“Medium or rare.” His head tilted toward the kitchen. “The burger?”

“Oh right. Sorry. I’ve just never had a chef sit down at the table to ask me how to cook my burger.”

“First time for everything,” he said. He looked pointedly at the other empty chair at the table. “Where’s Ella today?”

“Not sure.” It seemed he was going to keep playing the protective older brother role, but I wasn’t in the mood.

He didn’t care for my curt answer. He sat forward. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled back, and he had a big lion tattoo on his equally big forearm. I sat forward too to let him know I wasn’t intimidated. “Look,” he started.

“No, you look.” He’d gotten me on entirely the wrong day. “I’ll just tell you what I think and then if you want to take a swing, go ahead. I won’t even try to block it. I care about Ella Lovely. Obviously, you do, too, and you’ve taken on the role of protector for Aria and her sisters. Ella is one of the most incredible women I’ve ever met, and I wouldn’t ever do anything to harm her. In fact, the opposite. If anyone came near her or tried to hurt her, there’d be hell to pay.” He kept a stonyexpression, but I sensed that I was speaking his language. “I helped Ella with her writing assignment that just happened to be about that wreck of a house I bought up on the hill. She’s found all she needs, and while I hope we remain friends, I’m leaving that up to her.” I sat back, satisfied with my speech. “Go ahead. Take a swing.” I braced for the possibility of getting my teeth knocked out. Instead, his meaty hand slid across the table.

I stared at it for a second and finally concluded that he wanted to shake. I placed my hand in his.

“Glad to have you on my team,” he said with a lopsided grin. “Now, rare or medium?”

“Medium,” I stuttered, still stunned at how the conversation ended.

I watched him walk across the room. Aria was suddenly standing at the entrance of the kitchen with her hands on her hips and her brow arched. “Your only task was to put in a new lightbulb,” she said sternly.

Dex pulled the bad bulb out of his apron pocket. “Yep, took care of it.” He walked past her into the kitchen.

Aria glanced my way with a worried brow. I waved to let her know it was all good. A few minutes later she returned with a thick chocolate shake. It was her turn to pull out a chair. This time, instead of a scrutinizing, angry look, I got a sympathetic one.

“Ella, she’s kind of flighty when it comes to men. Don’t take it personally. It’s just the way she is.”

“Thanks.” I wasn’t about to give her the details of what’d happened this morning. It was easier to go with the flow. “She’s busy with her writing, and I’ve got the house. Maybe, in the future, there’ll be time.”

---