Page 16 of A Lonely Road
He clinked his glass against mine before settling into the seat beside me. “Cheers to that. I worked as a bartender after college, but I’m no chef. Bea does some amazing things in that kitchen.I know enough about cooking to keep myself fed, that’s about it.”
When he flashed another brilliant smile, I knew there wasn’t a chance in hell I'd be able to keep him at a distance.
No, I would just have to be ready for damage control.
Chapter Eight
Jake
Shehummedalittle,then fell silent. I wondered if direct questions about her own past would cause her to bolt or clam up—I had no desire to watch those walls shoot up around her again, not when I finally seemed to be making some progress, even if I wanted desperately to know if there was something more behind her panic attack after the incident at The Mermaid.
“Hey,” I said after a few minutes, still feeling more than a little chagrined, “I really am sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have teased you. I give you my word that I’m not pushing for anything romantic if you’re not interested, but I would really like us to be friends.”
Friends. How innocuous the word sounded, so sweet anduncomplicated.
“To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I’m very good in the friendship department,” she admitted quietly.
I shook my head as I took another sip of lemonade. “I don’t believe that for a second. Seems more likely that you’re afraid to take the risk.”
“Why do you say that?”
Maybe she meant for the question to sound casual, but instead it came out in a terrified squeak. Her body had gone completely still, except for a tiny tremor in the hand holding her lemonade.
With my gaze on the hawthorn at the back of the yard instead of on the woman panicking by my side, I spoke as gently as possible. “You’re not cold, Nora, or even unfriendly. Your commitment to that car out front shows you’ve got a loyal streak a mile wide. Not everyone is an open book like me.” I shot her a smile. “Some folks are just slow to trust. There’s nothing wrong with that. The best things in life are worth working for.”
She eyed me cautiously for a second, then she smiled and my heart stuttered in my chest. “You’re a very philosophical man, you know. If you’re really sure you want to be friends with me, then I’ll try. I can’t promise more than that.”
I was inordinately pleased with her answer, but the arrival of a gawky young delivery boy interrupted our conversation. When I presented Nora with a steaming slice of mushroom pizza, her sigh had my insides igniting. Even the sheepish little grin she sent in my direction before taking her first bite was appealing.
Get yourself under control,I told myself firmly as I sat back down beside her.You just promised her friendship, you jackass.
We ate in silence until I got up to fetch each of us another slice.
“Is that a koi pond?” she asked, gesturing toward the back corner of the yard with her plate.
“It is, yes, but there aren’t any fish in there yet. I bought the house a few years back and it’s been a work in progress ever since. It’s easier to deal with messing up drywall than living things. I don’t know the first thing about keeping fish alive. I guess I’ll have to learn, or maybe turn it into a little water feature. Wouldn’t a waterfall look nice back there?”
“It would.”
I cocked my head thoughtfully. “Someday I’d love to adopt a dog, though.”
“Me too,” she said quietly. “And if my apartment is anything to go by, you’re amazing at renovations. I’m sure the house will be up to snuff in no time.”
“I do what I can,” I replied, struggling not to preen at the compliment.
“How do you find the time along with running the restaurant? That seems like a full-time job in itself.”
I shrugged. “Labor of love, I guess.”
“Your sister was right about one thing,” Nora mused.
“That I’m a truly excellent catch?”
She laughed, a rich, musical sound that I was beginning to find addictive. “That you’re very handy,” shecorrected.
As much as my gut told me to resist asking personal questions, I grew more desperate toknowher. “I’ll take that as a compliment. So,” I said, as casually as possible, “what about you? Small town or city girl?”
Though she went silent for a moment, I was delighted when she didn’t freeze up on me. “Little bit of everything, actually,” she said softly. “I was a Navy brat. We moved around a lot.”
