Page 30 of Crossroads of Innocence
The thought of eating made her wrinkle her nose. “Not really, but I suppose I should eat something. Mia left food on the counter.”
Wade chuckled, the sound warm and soothing through the thin door. “Hard to miss that. Once I hear the shower turn off, I’ll set everything out. Take your time.”
Grinning, she twisted the knobs in the tub until she found the perfect water temperature. She undressed, careful to lay out her clothes so they wouldn’t get wet, then stepped under the warm spray of water. Lifting her arms, she worked her hands through her hair, making sure to rinse out all the dye. Slivers of chemicals and miscolored water circled the drain. The vise squeezing her lungs loosened by a fraction, allowing herself to finally pull in a full breath.
She had a long way to go to find herself again, but she’d finally taken the first small step.
The scents of garlic and parmesan floated from the covered dishes Wade had set on the table, combining with the odd smell coming from the bathroom. He’d wanted to ask Jude what hell was going on in there, but the question was more than a little invasive.
He glanced at his watch, and his stomach growled. Not quite 4:00 pm, even though he swore that couldn’t be right. The amount of stress and anxiety heaped on his shoulders, making his body ache as though he’d been the one physically assaulted, made it seem like the hour should be much later. Add to that he hadn’t eaten more than a protein bar, and he was tempted to shovel food on his plate and dig in.
He glanced at his watch a second time, as if checking the time would hurry Jude. He’d waited for the water to stop in the bathroom before preparing the meal. Okay, not preparing, more like displaying. He’d set the small, round table with plates and silverware, filling two glasses with water. He’d scooped the chicken alfredo into a white dish and covered it to keep it warm, then heated up the garlic bread Mia made from scratch in the oven.
He’d elected to put the rest of the food she’d brought in the fridge. He knew Jude would eat chicken alfredo whether she was hungry or not, and the rest of the food would keep for another day or two.
The sound of a creaking door turned him toward the bathroom, and his jaw dropped.
Jude stood with a wicked smile on her make-up free face, her long, blond hair flowing around her shoulders in luxurious curls he’d do anything to run his fingers through.
He rose, hand over his heart, and words evaded him. She looked so much more like the girl he used to know with her natural color back. Memories he’d held at bay finally broke down the dam and poured over him.
She twirled a long piece of hair around her index finger and rubbed her bare foot over her calf. “Do you like it?”
With words still not coming, he nodded.
“Well…say something,” she said, a laugh catching in her throat.
He coughed, clearing his airways. “You’re beautiful. I mean, you were with the pink hair too, but this…this is you.”
The wickedness vanished from her grin, replaced with an almost shy quality that made her look so damn vulnerable. “I agree. I mean, not with the beautiful part.” She batted a hand through the air as if that were ludicrous. “But being more me. Mia picked up the color when she went shopping. I couldn’t resist.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” He couldn’t keep his eyes off her, his mind from straying as pictures flickered in his brain like a black and white home video.
She leaned to the side as if to look around him. “What’s all that?”
“Oh,” he said, suddenly remembering the meal and how hungry he was. “One of the many meals Mia brought over was Chicken Alfredo. I hope it’s okay that’s what I set out for us. If not, there’s a casserole of some kind and a chicken pot pie and some homemade soup. I can heat up whatever you like.”
Her eyes lit and she crossed over to the table. “This is perfect and smells amazing.”
He bit back a sigh of relief.Stop rambling on and acting like this is the first time you’ve seen a beautiful woman—first time you’ve spent time alone with Jude.
Macey darted from her spot on the couch and pranced around Jude’s legs.
Laughing, Jude gave her a pat on the head. “Sorry, girl. I don’t share my food.”
He chuckled and took a seat as she settled into the chair across from him. Leaning forward, he snatched up her plate and filled it with pasta then added a slice of bread before handing it over. “Do you need anything else?”
Typically, he’d offer wine with a meal like this, maybe even light a candle or two, but this wasn’t a date. And after all the affection they’d given each other over the course of a very stressful day, he had to keep some boundaries in place. Even if he didn’t want to.
Shaking her head, she waited for him to fill his own plate before spearing a piece of chicken and slipping it into her mouth. “Oh. My. God,” she moaned.
He tightened his jaw to keep his mouth from falling open and focused on taking his own bite. His thoughts echoed Jude’s sentiment, but he kept them to himself.
“Mia said she got this from her restaurant,” Jude said. “How long has that been around?”
“Not long. A few months at most. But the place is always busy.” He hadn’t made it to Homespun as much as he’d have liked, but whenever he managed to grab a meal there, he was always impressed.
Jude frowned. “Has that created any issues with the Chill N’ Grill? I mean, the town’s not that big. Does having another restaurant cut into your profits?”
