Page 34 of No Going Back
Over the past week, Dianna had offered up bits and pieces of the life she had before coming to Moss Creek. He still didn’t have a real clear picture of exactly what it was like, but he was starting to worry he could guess.
“I can’t imagine anyone wanting to walk all over you.” He wasn’t sure what to say. How to reassure Dianna everything really would be fine. Even if he was the one who had to make sure it was fine.
There was no way he would ever let anyone take advantage of this woman. If he had to haul their asses out of town himself, Dianna would never have to worry about her business.
She lifted her eyes to his face, holding his gaze. “It makes me really happy to hear you say that. I’ve been working really hard to try to be,” she paused, her brows pinching together, “different than I used to be.”
Griffin returned her smile. “Me too.”
It was the common ground that kept them both carefully navigating the situation. Each of them was working hard not to repeat the mistakes of their past, and in some way it felt like they were in it together.
Even if they technically had to stay apart.
Dianna aimed the tines of her fork at his plate. “You should eat that before it gets cold. Gravy gets a funny texture when it cools down.”
Griffin took an obliging bite, carefully talking around the mouthful. “I would eat your gravy off the floor. Just so we’re clear.”
Dianna laughed, her head tipping back as the sound filled the room. The way it moved through the space was unexpected. The only noise he’d really heard in this place was the ear-splitting drone of power tools and his own curses when something didn’t go the way he wanted it to. But Dianna’s laugh sounded lighter here. Airier. Almost magical in a way. Which was a weird fucking thing to think her laughter sounded like.
But that’s exactly how it was.
They easily fell into comfortable conversation as they ate, just like they did every morning when he stopped by to join her for coffee. Dianna asked questions about his plans for the house and offered up what she knew about its former owner.
“Vera loved to feed the birds.” She smiled, the expression a little wistful. “I’ve heard she was kind of a crab to most people, but she was always a sweetheart to me. We would both sit out in the yard and watch the birds at the feeders, and when I was testing out recipes for The Baking Rack I would bring her all my overflow.”
“So what I’m hearing is, it’s going to be good to be your neighbor.” Griffin set his empty plate aside, sliding it onto the box serving as a nightstand.
“Unfortunately for you, I’ve already worked the kinks out of most of my recipes, so it’ll only be good to be my neighbor if I try to come up with something new to add to my rotation.” Her mouth pressed into a contemplative line. “But I think if I try to take anything out there might be anarchy, so that might not happen for a while.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing it’s not just your baking skills I’m interested in.” While he meant it as a tease, it was one that admittedly toed the line between them. But he was getting real fucking sick of that damn thing anyway. The moments he shared with Dianna were the best of his day. Ones he looked forward to from the time she left in the mornings until she came home at night.
Dianna’s dark eyes met his, holding as the silence between them dragged out.
And then they were both moving, bodies meeting, hands and arms tangling, as her empty plate slid to the floor.
It had been barely over a week since he’d kissed her, but it felt like fucking forever. Her lips were soft and sweet as they parted, her tongue carrying a hint of the gravy’s richness as it slicked against his.
“Hello? Anybody home?” Troy’s deep voice seemed to echo through the house, the surprise of it sending them both in opposite directions, putting as much distance between them as possible.
Dianna quickly collected the plates, stacking them on one hand and heading for the door just as Troy and Amelie peeked into the bedroom.
“Hey!” Dianna kept moving, turning sideways to get past them. “I just brought breakfast to bribe your dad to let me see the place.” She didn’t even glance his way as she flashed a warm smile at his son and daughter-in-law. “I’ll leave you guys to your tour.”
Before he could blink she was gone, walking out without so much as a wave in his direction.
Amelie watched her go, waiting until the front door closed to turn back. She thumbed over one shoulder in the direction Dianna left. “Does Dianna live around here?”
He resisted the urge to shift on his feet. “She does.”
Amelie’s eyes opened wide. “Lucky you.” She rested one hand on her barely protruding belly. “She bring you the leftovers at the end of the day?”
Griffin struggled not to think of what he’d prefer to get from Dianna at the end of the day. “I don’t think she has much left over.”
Amelie pushed out her lower lip. “Not surprising. Everything she makes is so damn good it always sells out.”
Troy was quiet at his wife’s side, watching him a little too closely. “I’m surprised you didn’t tell us Dianna lived close.”
Griffin shrugged. “I guess it didn’t occur to me.” He motioned to the hall. “Did you guys want to check the place out?”
