Page 8 of It Happened Duo

“Oh, that’s right. You left the small town behind to venture here. So, how are you finding New York City?”

A flash of red fingernails raked her locks behindone ear, showing off a small dangling gold hoop from an earlobe made for kissing. Shame I wouldn’t be the man kissing it.

She shrugged. “Pricey. Crowded. Busy. But there’s an energy here I don’t find back home, like a constant hum underlying everything.”

“This city never, ever sleeps, so they say.”

“Now you’re quoting a cheesy line from a famous song about the city?” Her tease amused me.

“I’d bet no one ever wrote a song about Honey Springs.”

“Holly Creek,” she corrected with a smirk. “If they did, it’d be a Christmas tune because the town takes its annual Christmas in July celebration very seriously. Oh, it’s amazing, like right out of a Hallmark movie! Everything you’d want for the holidays. The scent of pumpkin pie, pine trees lit up everywhere, the songs of the season playing from speakers on the street, and a calendar packed with all sorts of festivities. The town is famous for our Christmas spirit,” she finished with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Clearly, she loved Heart Falls, or wherever she was from. All the more reason she needed to go back to where she came from to be happy. Why, I’d be doing her a favor, forcing her out of the deli so she could do just that.

“Is the town famous or has it just found a way to capitalize on a holiday to bring in the tourists?” I countered skeptically.

She rolled her eyes while a corner of her mouth lifted. “You can’t believe a town could simply be a joy to visit for the friendly spirit and cheer the townspeople deliver?”

“Sure they can...while also selling all sorts of Christmasparaphernalia and fattening their wallets. It’s marketing 101, sweetheart.” I finished off my drink.

“I suppose they taught you that in whatever Ivy League school you attended?”

“Damn right. Graduated Columbia with an MBA. How about you?” God, Iwassounding rather arrogant.

She crossed her arms. “I graduated from the school of life. I learned everything I need to know from running my mother’s diner for years.”

“And that makes you think you’d be able to run a successful deli in Manhattan?” I raised an eyebrow. Without sounding too patronizing, I knew she’d have her work cut out for her...not that I cared.

“I’ll bet, while you were cramming for tests in some stuffy university library, I was dealing with real-life situations and trying to figure out how to please the public while still being profitable.”

I hated to admit; she impressed me. “You’re pretty confident of your experience, aren’t you?”

Her chin tilted up. “I am. Food has always been a part of my life. Mom made cooking a fun family time, then when she opened the diner, that became a family affair, but so much more. The diner has always been the heart and soul of our community. That’s why I couldn’t leave when?—”

“One minute left,” the DJ announced, and the music faded back in.

She looked down, almost appearing sad, and when she emerged with a slight smile, blinking rapidly, her green eyes glistened brighter, as if wet briefly by tears. I heldher gaze and couldn’t look away, suddenly wanting anything to take away this sad moment for her.

“Anyway, Rex, our time’s almost up. I don’t know if I impressed you, but...” She shook her head and finished her wine.

I halfway hated for this to end. “Out of every woman in the room, you did, if it makes you feel better.”

Her chuckle lightened her mood and a coy smile replaced any trace of sadness I thought was there. “So…you’re saying you’d like to talk more during the mingling to follow?”

Oh, yes.Shit, I shouldn’t, and needed a quick excuse. “Sorry. I have to rush out to...another date.” Yep, that’s the excuse guaranteed to put her off for good. Now I wasn’t only arrogant, but a jerk, too.

As the timer buzzed and the volume of the music increased, she smacked her lips. We rose from our seats, like everyone else. Waitstaff brought out trays of hors d’oeuvres and people moved toward the bar for more alcohol to bolster them up for the next phase after speed dating—mingling and dancing.

“Well then,” she stood and straightened her dress, but grinned at me, still killing me with her small town kindness. “See you around, I guess.”

I nodded and watched her sashay away, with a full view of her nice ass and lean legs, out of my life, and toward her friends.

Archer clapped a hand on my shoulder. “I know whoIwant to talk with.Maisy.And it looked like you and hersister were having an interesting chat. Let’s go over there before anyone else gets to them.”

I caught Chelsea’s gaze across the way and wished more than anything I could follow. “Yeah. Sorry, buddy. Something’s come up. I need to head out.”

“What? The night’s just getting interesting. A wingman doesn’t leave in the middle of?—”

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