Page 34 of The Ruse of Romancing
“Sounds reasonable to me. Just let me grab my water from my car.” I couldn’t keep from grinning as I walked across the parking lot. Today was going even better than I could have imagined, and it was just getting started.
Chapter 18
Dani
“Oh.My.Gosh!”Imoaned as I took a bite of the gooey, melty, cheesy goodness in front of me. Honestly, I should have probably been embarrassed by the sounds I was making, but I was too busy falling in love with a sandwich. After touring the cheese factory and reading about the care that went into making the cheese and other products the dairy offered at the different museum-like stations that filled the tour, I knew the food would be good, but I hadn’t been prepared for this level of good. I could genuinely move to Oregon for the food alone.
Baked goods and cheese, what more did a girl need?
Of course, the man in front of me watching me eat like an uncivilized animal didn’t hurt things either as he laughed and offered me a napkin.
I flushed and accepted the napkin to dab away a piece of cheese stuck to my chin. I also took the time to remind myself to calm down and eat like a proper lady, instead of like someone who’d never seen utensils before.
“I told you it was good,” he said with a self-satisfied grin before biting into his own sandwich. “If you’re ever in the area around dinner time, there’s a restaurant down the street that makes deep-fried cheese curds with this cheese, and they are life changing.”
I grabbed his arm, stopping him from taking another bite.
“Seriously? You can’t tell me that and then not give me the name of the restaurant so we can plan a day to come back and try it.”
It was only when Allen turned to raise one of his very dark, expressive eyebrows at me that I registered what I said. It was a good thing I wasn’t trying to play cool or hard to get because I’d just blown that possibility right out of the water.
“Maybe I don’t want to give you the restaurant name because it’ll give me a reason to text you later, after I ask for your phone number.”
Be still my beating heart! The man was smooth, I’d give him that much. Almost as smooth as the scoop of ice cream I’d be getting later once I was done eating this amazing sandwich.
A girl could live on dairy alone, right?
We ate in companionable quiet, both of us enjoying our food. I soaked in the setting with its high ceilings and feel of an upscale cafeteria. The restaurant part of the factory consisted of long tables with wood tops and walls of windows outlined by metal. It was a bright, open space perfect for the many tourists that clearly passed through regularly.
“What was your favorite part?” Allen asked. He finished his sandwich and wiped his fingers on a napkin, his attention trained on me. It was something I’d realized he was very good at on our drive when he’d asked me more about my job as a writer and the dynamics with my publisher. He was such a good listener that I hadn’t felt even the least bit self-conscious as Irambled about the publishing process and how I’d ended up at Rose & Quill.
I swallowed my current bite before responding.
“You mean besides this sandwich?” I asked, holding up the last couple of bites that remained. I’d probably have to come back this way just for the sandwich. The factory was a good twenty-minute drive away from where I was staying, but definitely worth it, especially if I used it as bribery to get myself to write.
“Yes, besides the sandwich I’m worried you’re going to start writing odes to.”
I snorted a laugh. “I’m not that kind of writer. Poetry really isn’t my thing; just ask my junior high English teacher.” I still cringed thinking about the angsty words I’d penned at the time. “But if I can’t say this sandwich was my favorite, then it was definitely the free samples on the tour. I’m going to have to buy some of that white cheddar when I get back to town. It was incredible!”
I’d nearly bought some when we reached the gift store at the end of the tour, but Allen had assured me the grocery stores in this area all carried this particular brand, so I didn’t have to worry about the cheese getting warm and going bad while we lingered over lunch and drove back. So instead of cheese, I’d selected a magnet with the dairy’s logo on it to take home with me as a token from one of the best days I’d had in a long time.
“I guess I should have seen that coming,” Allen said, resting his elbows on the table and leaning toward me. “It’s good to know the way to your heart just might be through your stomach.”
“I mean, it’s notnotthe way to my heart,” I said with a shrug that I hoped came across carefree. In reality, my insides were dancing with excitement at the continued interest I saw on Allen’s face. It appeared I hadn’t scared him away yet, though he still hadn’t asked for my number despite hinting at using itmultiple times during the drive here and throughout the tour. What was he waiting for?
I finished my sandwich and Allen gathered our garbage, depositing the trash as we made our way past the ice cream counter.
“You still want a scoop?” Allen asked, pausing at the back of the line.
Even though I’d been dreaming of a scoop only moments before, the last couple bites of sandwich had left me feeling full and satisfied. “Unfortunately, I didn’t leave room for dessert.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to bring you back for a scoop of ice cream in addition to those cheese curds,” he said as he held the door for me and followed me outside.
The Oregon sun had shown up today, making it the warmest day of my trip so far. It wasn’t hot by Utah standards, but I’d had to remove my sweatshirt, leaving me in a worn-out t-shirt with my college mascot on the chest. Not the most flattering attire in the world. I needed to reevaluate my wardrobe if I was going to keep spending time with Allen.
“Where to next?” Allen asked, turning to me with his hands down next to his sides. They seemed to be hanging in invitation.
And while I knew it was bold and he probably was just standing there, I decided to take a chance. Walking past him, I slipped my fingers in his and pulled him to the car, not releasing his hand when he started to follow. Instead, I held fast, enjoying the contact.
