Page 30 of Accidentally Sliding Into A Second Chance

He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, and his smile widens, making my stomach flip. “No, but when your sister-in-law is Ava Norris, you get used to a bit of gossip.” He grabs the handle on the door and holds it open, a tinkling sound announcing our arrival. “Ladies first.”

“Thank you.” A woodsy scent fills my senses as I pass by him before it’s quickly replaced with the smell of fresh ground coffee beans. Disappointment wages with relief. “That’s right. I keep forgetting that Duncan is married to Ava.”

“No. Well, yes. But Ava is Fiona’s twin sister. So there’s always been a bit of talk.” I meet his gaze, and a flicker of sadness races across his expression before it disappears. “But when Duncan and Ava started fa—umm—dating, things got really crazy. I’msorry that you’ve been pulled into the drama that my life has become.”

I don’t miss the way he stumbled over phrasing his sentence, but I’m not sure exactly how to address it. “You’re definitely making my new job interesting,” I tease before walking toward the counter.

“What can I get for you today?” The young man at the register asks.

“Can I get a lavender chamomile tea on ice?” Turning to look over my shoulder, I find David reading the menu items.

“And you, sir?”

“I’d like a green tea?” He questions, then looks at me, and I lift a shoulder, chuckling. More firmly, he says. “I’d like a green tea.”

“You got it,” he says, entering our items. “Do you want anything else?”

Shaking my head, I look toward David. “I’m good.”

I reach for my wallet when he pulls out a twenty-dollar bill. “I got this,” he says, handing it over the counter.

“Thank you,” I say, fiddling with my purse and walking to where our drinks will be delivered.

David paying for me is a polite gesture, but it’s also one that’s making my stomach flutter.

Not a date!

Warmth spreads across the side of my body as David comes over to me, and I slowly breathe in and out.

“Thank you.” I smile at our barista when my tea on ice is placed in front of me.

“Thank you,” David echoes before turning to me. A strand of hair falls in front of his eye, and it takes all of my control not to sweep it to the side. “Ready?”

Wrapping a hand around my cup, I lift the straw to my mouth with my other hand, nod, and then follow him to the door.

The soft murmur of the coffee shop fades as we make our way onto the street.

Footsteps fill the silence as we head toward the entrance of Maple Grove Park, and I gasp when my gaze lands on the blooming serviceberry trees.

“Beautiful, right? This is my favorite time of year,” David says softly, then points. “Do you want to sit on that bench over there?”

“Do you mind if we walk for a bit?” I ask, not sure I can handle sitting so close to him at the moment.

“Not at all.” His voice is calm, but from the corner of my eye, I see him toying with the tea label. Glancing over at him, I notice his lips are tight.

Looks like I’m not the only one nervous. Rather than delve right into work, I decide to focus on something else. “Tell me about Scarlett and Emmy. How has the past week been?”

The corner of his mouth lifts, and he rubs a hand over his face before a wide grin takes over his face, and he chuckles. “It’s been…interesting.”

My forehead pulls. “How so?”

“Well, I feel like I adopted a dog that is a mini Scarlett. They are both determined, outspoken, and like to make their presence known.”

“Sounds like Emmy found the perfect home.” David reaches a hand into his pocket, pulls out his phone, and touches the screen before sliding it over to me. The smile on both of their faces staring back at me has my heart squeezing. “Oh my.”

“I know, right?” He grins as I hand him the phone back. “I don’t know how I would’ve survived this last week without Ava and Duncan to help me.”

“You’re lucky to have them.” A pang of loneliness grips me at the realization that I don’t have anyone anymore. Aunt Dottie was my last living relation.

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