Page 30 of Fumbled Beginning

I swallowed my wine, not knowing what to say to that. My willpower was slipping fast, so I purposely steered the conversation in another direction. The man made me more nervous than a cat in a room filled with rocking chairs.

“I’ve been here a few times, but I’ve never appreciated how nice it is.”

JP had a few sitting areas, a fire pit, a beautiful in-ground pool, and a hot tub. There were trails with a lake out back, making it feel like a secluded paradise.

“It’s one of the few things I’ve spent my money on. Unlike a lot of the other guys, this is the only home I own. I made it exactly as I wanted it.”

“What about the home where you grew up? Does your family still live there?”

He peered up at me from beneath his thick lashes. His eyes were the prettiest blueish-green I’d ever seen. I could get lost in those eyes.

“A few do.”

I laughed. “That’s pretty vague.”

He slowly sipped his wine. “Not much to talk about. I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York where everyone knew your business.” He sat back in his seat. “The winters suck and the sun probably shines about five days a year.”

“Sounds like you miss it.” My tone was heavy with sarcasm.

“I miss the summers and the fall. There are a few people I miss, but not enough to make me want to move back. There isn’t anything left for me. My life is here now.”

Okay. I knew how to take a hint. That topic was off-limits. “Tell me about college. Did you like playing for Penn State?”

“Ahh…Google me, did you?”

I laughed. “No, I’ve seen you wearing a lot of Penn State gear and it’s not a very well-kept secret.”

“Are you sure you never crushed on me?” he teased, popping a cracker into his mouth.

“I hate to bruise that big ego of yours, but no.”

“Really?” His hand went to his chest. “Not even a small one?”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Sorry, but I only had eyes for Rhett.”

His jaw popped open. “There is no fucking way.”

“Oh, come on. You know all the girls love Rhett.” He shot me a scowl, and I felt bad for teasing him. “He’s got that swagger; the right amount of confidence and he isn’t bad to look at either.”

“I think it’s best if you stop talking now.”

“I’m just teasing you.” I lifted my gaze to the night sky and swallowed hard. “If you want the honest truth, I never allowed myself to think of you as anything other than Maverick’s friend. It wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to you, it was the exact opposite. I always felt that there was something between us, but I convinced myself it was safer to keep you at a distance.”

His eyes softened in understanding. “I’m really glad you decided to give me a chance.”

“Me too.” I smiled.

JP and I talked and laughed throughout our entire meal. Going into this date, I had no idea what to expect. One thing was for certain, though: I liked him a lot. He was unlike any guy I’ve dated, and I could see myself becoming completely consumed by him.

He held out his hand. “Are you ready for dessert?”

I followed him over to the table next to the fire pit, where he had all the fixings for s’mores set up.

He handed me a marshmallow, and I lowered my skewer over the open flame. I was one of those people who was impatient. I liked to cook mine fast and preferred it burnt. JP, on the other hand, held his stick high over the fire and was constantly rotating his stick with a focus that made me laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“You look very serious over there,” I said, licking the gooey goodness off my fingers. I’ve already roasted three marshmallows, and he was still on his first one with the level of patience of a brain surgeon.

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