Page 26 of Kiss My Glass
“Hell, no,” I say. “I’m in, boots and all!”
My enthusiasm lands badly. Frankie’s face closes up like a clam.
“I won’t rush this,” she says. “I won’t be pressured. Understood?”
“It’ll take the time it takes.” I nod my assent. “I’m good with that.”
She eyes me, warily. “Why are you good with it? You have a choice, you know.”
“I do,” I agree. “And I choose to do this at your speed.”
Frankie still doesn’t seem convinced, so I add, “Just because I live in L.A. and like cars, doesn’t mean I’m addicted to the fast lane. Sure, my work keeps me busy – at times I’m hustling like a crazy man – but I always carve out time for stillness and peace. Sometimes I like nothing better than to sit on a tree stump and listen to the birds. Call me Opie or Abner, I don’t mind.”
To my amazement, Frankie gives me a smile, a dazzlingly gorgeous one. It takes all my effort not to pull her into my arms and kiss her for a really long time.
I settle for asking, “So what now?”
“Now,” she says, “we head back home and go our separate ways. Tomorrow morning, we can share our top four … activities with each other.”
She puts the car in gear and pulls back out onto the road. This day has improved immensely, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
At least, I think I am.
ChapterFifteen
FRANKIE
“What. The hell. Is pickleball?”
Danny and I have swapped lists. We’re at the kitchen table. He’s already drunk two mugs of Shelby’s coffee but looks like he could do with a third.
Mind you?—
“Does this say ‘running’?”
“Or hiking,” Danny replies, with a grin. “Great hill trails around here.”
Beyond the kitchen door, I hear urgent whispers. Nate and Shelby left the room after breakfast but now they’re back.
“Youask,” Nate mutters to Shelby.
“No,you,” insists Shelby. “Invalid, remember?”
“You can both do it,” I call out. “Danny and I have nothing to hide.”
“We don’t?” Danny gazes at me, alarmed. “Do we really want this to be broadcast across the entire Flora Valley community?”
“It will be anyway,” I shrug. “Chiara’s got spies everywhere.”
“Probably bugged this whole house,” agrees Danny, glumly.
His mouth does that cute pout thing. He will never know how close I came yesterday to launching myself at him and kissing him passionately. I hung on to enough self-control to avoid making a fool of myself that way, but not enough to avoid coming out with the crazy “getting to know you” plan.
I blame Chiara. It’s totally her fault that I did the most irrational thing in my life since buying my Karmann Ghia. Okay, so I do love that car. But I refuse to think too far ahead about what might happen with Danny. I don’t trust easily enough to take more than cautious baby steps. Baby hiking steps by the look of it. Because running is absolutely out of the question.
Nate and Shelby sidle into the room and take a seat each at the table. Nate stares at Danny and Shelby stares at me. Danny catches my eye, and we share a smile.
“I hate you two already,” says Nate. “Tell us what’s going on or I’ll withhold privileges.”
