Page 13 of Thinking It Over

I shook my head immediately. “No, I’m all good. A little spaced out and tired. But never too tired for a walk with the promise of ice cream.”

He seemed satisfied with my answer when his frown evened out, and he returned his attention to navigating through the traffic lights now we were in town.

Once he’d parked, Austin placed Penny on her lead, and we headed to the fenced park. He held the gate open for me, and I smiled in thanks. Safely in the secure area, Austin removed Penny’s lead, and she jetted away, heading toward a group of trees.

The park was pleasantly quiet and much larger than the one I’d driven by in Kirkby.

“Are you still up for a drive this weekend somewhere?” Austin cut through the companionable quiet as we strolled a loop around the area.

His question made me pause a moment as I tried to organize my thoughts. “Yes…,” I started, still needing time to gather myself, but it was clear I was trailing off.

Austin shot me a tentative glance. “It sounds like there’s a but to that response.”

An apologetic smile tilted my lips. “I didn’t really intend there to be.” I looked ahead, twisting my lips a little. “Can I be honest with you?” I swallowed my nerves, knowing I had to be real and open.

“I’d like it if you were.” The response was quickly offered.

I spied a bench up ahead. It seemed like a good place to pause. Seeming to understand my intent, Austin followed my lead, and we were soon sitting. Penny bounded over before I started to speak, dropping a stick she’d picked up along the way. The stick thenwent flying through the air, courtesy of Austin’s strong arm.

“Actually,” I finally said, “as well as being honest with you, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

I angled myself toward him a little. The shade of the tree we sat under cast half his face in shadow. The only light spilled through the leaves, dancing across his skin. He really was a gorgeous man. “The two of us spending time with each other, is that going to be a problem at work for you or for me?” My gaze roamed his face, returning to his eyes as I spoke, waiting for his reaction and his response.

While I had little experience with relationships, I had enough common sense to know that it was important to be clear and ensure we were on the same page. There was still a possibility that my attraction to him was completely one-sided. But I had to know, so I didn’t mess this up, especially considering the precarious balance of our positions at work.

Understanding registered on his face almost immediately. His gaze softened as his eyes connected with mine.

“I’m going to be honest. I’m attracted to you,” he admitted, much to my surprise and relief. A bubble of anticipation flickered through me. “But that doesn’t mean I have any expectations. We barely know eachother, but from what I’ve seen and do know, I’d like to change that and spend more time with you.” He paused, though appeared unfinished. Not sure if he was waiting for a reaction from me or not, I went ahead and smiled at him in encouragement, allowing him to finish off.

“I’m an openly gay man at work… in this community. With that in mind, I have to be extra careful about how I conduct my private life.” He shrugged, and I nodded, completely understanding his situation. “It means I wouldn’t want to be public in town or at school until I was sure about where a relationship was going, so discretion would be essential but absolutely not forever.” His eyes remained glued to mine. “There are no rules beyond discretion and appropriate professional behavior at work.”

A relieved exhale spilled out of me.

While I had the hots for Austin, I wasn’t sure starting something with the man beyond forming a friendship was worth the risk. A week of knowing the guy wasn’t enough to make me lose this amazing opportunity to finally get my career on track.

“And how about you?” he asked. Austin had been remarkably at ease when he’d explained his position, but as soon as he asked his question, his shoulders stiffened a little.

“Well,” I started, my lips lifting, “I’m going to be honest that I’m attracted to you too.”

The flash of his white teeth as he grinned made my heartbeat pick up speed.

“I’d also like to take a drive with you this weekend and get to know you better. Discretion, I can totally get behind. Kirkby is a damn sight smaller than this town, so I know all too well how the rumor mill works.”

Austin’s chest lifted and dropped, his shoulders easing as he rubbed Penny’s ears now she was back with her stick. “I’d like that too,” he said.

A quick glance in the direction of a parking lot showed a woman with her dog about to enter. Austin stood. “You good to keep walking the loop?”

“Definitely,” I answered, picking up Penny’s stick and throwing it for her.

She raced to get it, skidding to a stop as soon as her paws were almost on top of the wood. As Penny angled to grab it, the gate clanged shut, dragging Penny’s attention away. Her ears twitched, and a moment later, she charged toward the newcomers.

“Is she okay to do that?”

Austin laughed. “Yeah. It’s Matilda and her dog, Sammy. They’re good friends.” And he was absolutely right. The dogs greeted each other with familiarity and lots of butt sniffing. Austin lifted his hand and waved atMatilda, who waved back. She made a beeline for a bench, and as soon as she sat, she opened the paperback she’d been carrying.

Austin and I fell in step together as we continued our walk. It was refreshing to stretch my legs after spending so much time indoors all week. Not that working in the café meant a lot of time outdoors. But the spring breeze was welcome. Stretching my legs and the steady pace we kept felt great.

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