Page 16 of More Than Words
It was a sight that did something to me.Something I had no business feeling.
I cleared my throat and glanced away.“What about apple pie?”
“It’s a rare exception,” she said seriously.“But give me a cinnamon coffee cake or vanilla scone any day over something with fruit in it.”
Interesting.It was a detail I filed away in the back of my mind.
I nodded my head toward her notebook.“Working on a few ideas for the big day?”
She blushed and shrugged, suddenly shy.
The shifts in her personality were fascinating.Now that she’d let her guard down a little and wasn’t yelling at me for making too much noise or mess, Delaney seemed softer.More approachable.Kind of sweet even.
I wouldn’t deny that I enjoyed her feisty side, but I liked this version of her, too.
Hell, maybe I just liked Delaney.
“I actually have a few ideas,” she said after a moment.“But…I think I just thought of something better.”
“Better?”I leaned in, intrigued.
“What if we did beer pairings with genres?”
“Genres?”
“Like an IPA with thriller.A sour with horror.A wheat ale with romance.That kind of thing.Match the flavor profiles with the feel of the books.”
“You know your beers.”
She shrugged.“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
Truthfully, I’d pegged her more for a rosé or chardonnay kind of lady, but I didn’t bother saying it out loud.Instead, I focused on what was truly a brilliant idea.
“That’s actually…genius,” I said truthfully.“Maybe a dark stout with a historical saga.Or a cozy mystery with something kind of spiced…” My mind drifted to the few brews I currently had back in my shed and mentally calculated what I could get done in time.
“You know your books.”She crossed her arms and smiled, her turn to be surprised.
“You didn’t think I would?”
“I guess, I…” She laughed and went with the truth.“No,” she admitted.“I didn’t peg you for much of a reader.”
If I were being entirely honest, it had been a while since I’d had time to sit down with a novel and read for fun.But it didn’t mean I didn’t like it.“When I have the time, I’m a science fiction fan.”
“Wheel of TimeorGame of Thrones?”
“I have to pick one?”
She nodded.
“Wheel of Time.Easy.”
The smile that slowly crossed her lips and lit up her face was the first warm, genuine one I’d seen from her.The fact that something I’d said had brought it out of her filled me with pleasure.
“I think this could be a pretty good partnership, Delaney.”
She tilted her head.“I’m still not entirely convinced.”
“Ouch.”
