Page 13 of Dare to Love

I couldn’t glance up at him, scared at what I might see if I did so I kept my eyes directly on the berries that I had picked. “Just thinking about Paisley. She has this sixth sense for showing up whenever something’s going on.”

“And is something going on?” His voice dropped lower, sending a shiver down my spine despite the warm day. I ignored the question, plucking another raspberry instead.

“Last time I went through a breakup, she showed up at my door with ice cream and wine before I’d even told her about it.Sometimes I think she’s psychic like she knows what’s going on in my mind. It’s sometimes the small things, like she knows that I will be panicking over what’s happening with my little shop and the fact I’m giving myself more free time now.” I blurted out knowing that of all the people I could have told Reid would be the one who’d probably be the most likely to understand.

“Good friends are like that. Grant’s the same way. He always seems to know when I need a distraction or someone to talk to. Worse is the guy can read every single thing about me—some would say it’s a perk—I’d say a curse at times. Problem with our careers, hey!” Reid admitted before he swallowed harshly.

It seemed ironic how two opposites got on so well. We joked and laughed as we worked and somewhere along the way, I found myself opening up, sharing pieces of my life I hadn’t planned on. I told him about how I signed up to my first food show only eighteen months after finding my grandmother’s cooking book and how I had been terrified to display my pieces of work for strangers to judge. About the summer I spent backpacking through Europe only six months later and how I honed my skills in a patisserie as I explored the local cafés.

Reid nodded, his expression thoughtful. “It’s like you just knew you’d had your calling. I had the same feeling I had the first time I helped on my first case. There’s something about the way everyone’s emotions settle when a case finalizes and each party receives the exact settlement requested. It gave them the sense of a new sense of life and the start of a future they’d been searching for.”

“Is that why you came back to Starlight Bay?” I asked, genuinely curious watching Reid as he hesitated for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

“Partly. After my dad got sick it just seemed like the natural choice. But also... I missed this place. The big city has its charms but there’s something special about the small-town roots andsupporting every couple and surrounding family rather than just the big ones.” He uttered.

“Even the gossips who can’t mind their own business?” I teased before gulping knowing that I may have taken that a step too far. “Sorry, I just. I know—divorce isn’t a laughing matter but it can happen for a good reason sometimes as well as the bad ones.” I shrugged nonchalantly.

“Especially them,” he laughed. “You never have to wonder where you stand in a small town. For better or worse, everyone lets you know. I guess that’s another positive point of everyone knowing who you are. I mean what was I now—the grumpy asshole of a lawyer.”

My face reddened at that remark as I dropped my head lower hoping the ground would swallow me up. Reid would never let me forget that I referred to him as that as I considered his words wondering if this was our way of communication or just me pushing for him to bite back and push me away. Was I actually thinking he would stick around or run away? He’d never been someone known before to want a woman before after all. Why would I be someone of any interest? I added another handful of berries to my basket keeping my gaze fixed away from him. “I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with that aspect of Starlight Bay. Sometimes I just want to be anonymous, you know? But then there are days when Paisley hears on the grapevine that I sneezed at the Post Office and comes bearing a care package a few hours later from the local shops, and I remember why I stay here.”

“That’s exactly it. The good outweighs the bad.” Reid replied back with a warm smile. “You can’t help being drawn here.”

We fell into another comfortable silence moving through the rows with practiced ease until we neared the end of the field and I realized my basket was almost full, as was Reid’s.

“Looks like we might tie,” I observed, feeling a strange mix of disappointment and relief.

“We can’t have that,” Reid said with mock seriousness. “Where’s the fun without a clear winner?” I laughed.

“So, what do you propose? A raspberry-eating contest to break the tie?” I asked curiously.

“Tempting, but I have a better idea.” He nodded toward a bench at the edge of the field. “Let’s take a break. The competition can wait.”

We made our way to the wooden bench nestled beneath an old oak tree. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves casting dappled shadows across our skin as we set our baskets down and stretched our muscles watching other couples and families move through the berry fields. I found myself studying a young couple a few rows away, their heads bent close together as they shared a raspberry, laughing when the juice stained their lips red. It was playful, sweet and completely unguarded. I instantly wanted that. God, Iwantedthat with Reid. We may have still been finding out, tiptoeing what was becoming of this thing between us but the passions and desire was already there. Hot and insistent.

“Can I ask you something?” Reid’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, making me suddenly turn my body toward him, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Always. What’s on your mind?” I asked.

“What happened with your ex? The one before all this started.” Reid’s expression was gentle, maybe even a bit curious at my train of thought as I looked down at my stained fingers, picking at a hangnail as I considered how to answer.

“Jason,” I said finally. “We were together for almost three years. He was... safe. Predictable. Until he wasn’t.” I admitted.

“What happened?” Reid asked, tipping his head to the side, his jaw clenched slightly as he uttered the words.

I sighed loudly as the familiar ache in my chest echoed. “He got a job offer in LA telling me that he wanted to go alone and that we’d unfortunately just grown apart.” I whispered. “Three days later I had turned up at his office about to tell him I’d give up the dream for him only to find him fucking his new business partner against the floor to ceiling windows in his office. He didn’t even stop just waved at me.” I let out a sob as a tear rolled down my cheek. “He was more bothered in ensuring his dick got some action.”

“I’ve no words. I’m sorry. That’s…” He shook his head as his eyes darkened and he scooted toward me wrapping his arm around me. “He’s an idiot. A complete fool to treat you like that.”

“Thanks. I mean, it worked out for the best. We were comfortable, but not... not passionate, I guess.” I exclaimed as Reid leaned forward and swiped away the tear with his thumb and sucked it into his mouth. “Still hurt, though.” I uttered the words on a breathless whisper.

“Of course it did,” Reid said softly. “Betrayal always does.”

“You sound like you speak from experience.” I uttered back, lifting my head to glance into his swirling gray captivating pools.

It was his turn to look away. “I used to have a fiancée, Alexandra.” He huffed out in pain. “I found out she was cheating with my opposition three weeks before the wedding.”

“Reid,” I breathed out instinctively, reaching for his hand. “That’s awful.” He shrugged his shoulders but I could see the hurt still lingered in his eyes.

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