Page 49 of Call it Fate

Oh, why did he have to go back to using my nickname?I couldn’t hold back the little smile that pulled at my lips. “Good morning.”

“Are you busy?”

“Not really. I usually take Monday mornings off.”

“I see.”

“See what?”

“Your lack of response means you were trying to think of a reason to say no to my lunch offer. Hence the reason I called, so I can convince you. “

We’d never spent time together without Iain. “You know Iain’s at school today, right?”

His sigh sounded frustrated. “And that means his mother and I can’t have lunch together?”

“No, but—”

“I thought if we had lunch together without him around, we could figure out a schedule or something so I could still spend time with him.”

“Oh.” That made sense. “I guess so, then.”

His chuckle sent another spark through me. Once upon a time, making him laugh had been a highlight of my days. “Don’t sound so enthusiastic.”

I added my laughter to his. “Sorry.”

“There’s another reason.”

There was?

“Told you a few nights ago, Iain isn’t the only one I want to spend time with. I missed both of you yesterday.”

Oh! “Iain asked where you were this morning.”

“Is he the only one who missed me? Even just a little?”

“Mama mentioned it,” I teased.

His soft chuckle came through the line. “And how about you?”

“I might have noticed you were gone.”

“It’s a start. So…lunch?”

“Okay.”

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Simply Ruth’s? At noon?”

“Sounds good.”

He hung up, and I slowly put my phone back on my desk.

“What’s got you lookin’ so pleased?” Mama asked as she passed the reception desk where I was sitting.

There was no point in hiding where I was going. She’d find out anyway. “I’m meeting Zach at Ruth’s.”

“Oh?”

I shook my head at her interest. “We’re just going to figure out a plan for him to see Iain now that he’s not staying here.”

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