Page 43 of Cross Check Hearts

I watch Declan over the top of my menu as he scans his, and the urge to thank him for rescuing me from Aaron tugs at the tip of my tongue, but I hesitate because I’m not sure if I should say anything. I still don’t really know what’s going on between us, and I know this probably won’t be the last time I have some sort of interaction with Aaron so I don’t want to give Declan the wrong idea.

“What’s on your mind?” he asks without looking up at me.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, I noticed you watching me. And you got all quiet. You get this little crease between your eyebrows when you’re overthinking something.”

I let out a little laugh, surprised that he’s somehow picked up on yet another one of my habits. On the one hand, I can’t believe he’s so in tune with me already that he’d notice something like that, but on the other, I’m glad he is. A lot of people in my life are interested in what I’m doing, but it often feels like it’s because they have their own agenda.

There’s not a doubt in my mind that my mother and my father care about me, but lately it’s felt like they’re only paying attention to what’s going on in my life because they care more about seeing me become a lawyer and get married—preferably to someone well-off and “worthy” of me, whatever that means—than they care about how I’m actually doing. Aaron is obviously angling hard for the job, and as our less-than-comfortable dinner earlier proved to me, he’s much more interested in how I’d complement him than being with me forme.

But Declan isn’t like that at all.

He’s refreshingly genuine, like he’s here spending time with me because he really wants to be, not because he’s trying to butter me up for anything or get something out of me other than getting to know me. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to be seen so clearly. There’s no denying I’m attracted to him—I couldn’t even if I tried—but that attraction freaks me out too because it feels like the more I give in to it, the more dangerous this thing between us gets.

I can’t keep toeing this line forever, because I know eventually one of us is going to do something to screw it up.

“See what I mean?” He cocks his head to one side. “You got all quiet again.”

“Oh. Um…” I clear my throat. “I was just going to thank you for saving me from a bad dinner, that’s all.”

He gives me a smile that makes my stomach flip. “Anytime. Glad I could be of help.”

Mercifully, the bartender returns with our drinks and slides them across the table to us, saving me from myself. I take a much-needed sip and smile as it tingles down the back of my throat.

“Are we ready to order, or do you still need a few minutes?” the bartender asks.

“I’m ready if you are,” Declan says, and I nod, so he gestures for me to go ahead.

“I’ll have the chicken tenders, please.”

“Excellent choice. What kind of dip do you want for those?”

“Honey mustard.”

“And are fries okay?”

“They’re perfect,” I tell the bartender and pass him my menu.

“And what about you, my guy?”

“I’ll do the burger and fries. All the toppings are fine.”

“Got it, I’ll put everything in. Shouldn’t be long,” the bartender says and ducks back behind the bar to put in our order. Declan runs a finger up and down the side of his glass, leaving streaks in the condensation.

“So was it really that bad?” he asks, and I laugh.

“It wasn’t the worst night I’ve ever had, but yeah, it wasn’t going anywhere good. Every time I tried to share something he just turned the conversation back to himself.”

Declan winces. “Ugh, I hate when guys do that crap, especially to women. Did he even ask you anything about you?”

“Yeah, but I’d barely get the words out before he was talking about himself again, going on about how he’s going to be made partner at his firm and we’re going to be a power couple and all of this other crap.”

“Sounds like a real gem. I’m even more glad I pulled the plug for you.”

“My thanks were sincere,” I say and raise my glass to him before I take another sip. He raises his back and drinks as well.

“You feel like playing a little game?” he asks when he’s finished.

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