Page 15 of Wine and Research
Stupid as it was, Elle had been scared.
Her reaction to Jeremy was stronger than her reaction to any man in her life, even her childhood sweetheart, Callum, and she’d married him.
Of course, she’d also divorced him after her mother had died. Her death had driven home two facts.
One—everyone Elle had ever loved had died.
And two—she was a jinx. A death dealer.
Her mother was seven months pregnant when Elle’s Navy SEAL father had been killed in action. Elle had been seven when her brother died, and twenty-one when her mother passed. She didn’t need to be a math wizard to see the numbers on the wall.
Her lifespan was winding down. The fourteenth anniversary of her mother’s death was in four years, and if the pattern held true, it meant four more years until she joined her family.
Deep down, Elle knew this thinking was irrational and crazy, but she wasn’t about to take a chance with people’s lives or with their hearts.
Her ex-husband had tried to reason with her, but when he’d decided to join the Navy with the intent of becoming a SEAL like her father, she couldn’t let him join while married to her. Couldn’t let him join with one foot in the grave.
God, she’d felt so guilty over it. Still did, but he hadn’t put up much fight, and looking back on it now, he’d actually let her go with shocking ease, and she felt relief instead of pain. Perhaps they weren’t the right match anyway. But the fact that he was still a SEAL and still alive proved she’d made the right decision for them both.
A relationship with her could be deadly. Either she would die, or her partner would, and on the off chance she was right, Elle preferred to not put herself or anyone else through unnecessary pain. She’d guarded her heart ever since.
Except in her novels. She lived vicariously through her characters, creating the happily-ever-afters she could never risk.
Friendship with Jeremy?
Not a good idea.
As it was, Elle was taking a chance developing friendships with Sophia and several other people in town. The last thing she needed was to add Jeremy to that list.
Given their chemistry, though, that friendship could lead to more, a lot more, and that could be dangerous.
Still, for a split second in his car, Elle had been tempted. So tempted. More than once today, she’d wondered if she could act on their chemistry but keep her heart out of it. After all, she’d been successful in the past. Of course, the two times she’d twisted sheets since her divorce had been with men who only wanted a good time with no strings.
Even though Jeremy didn’t come off as the relationship kind of guy, Elle felt he was too responsible to have a bunch of flings.
But if she was wrong, then maybe…
Shaking her head and her idiotic thoughts with it, Elle glanced at her reflection in her rearview mirror, just as she had at the start of her day.
“Quit wasting your time on foolishness,” she told herself before getting out of her car and walking around the front of the brick building to the entrance, covered by a green fabric awning.
As she entered, her stomach growled at the delicious aroma of marinara, garlic, and melted cheese filling the air, reminding her she hadn’t eaten lunch today.
After leaving Jeremy, she’d gone to the cabin and actually written a few snippets of scenes, and some dialogue, which had been much more important than food.
But now, she could reward herself.
She glanced around the large dining room with a myriad of tables covered in red-checkered tablecloths, a large bar along the back wall, and a pick-up counter up front. A clock in the shape of Italy hung on the wall across from the bar where several men she recognized, and several she didn’t, sat having a beer, with Nico bartending.
His family owned the place, and he worked there around his time spent in the guard and firefighting. His sister, Evie, managed the place and was one of the friends Elle was supposedto meet for dinner, but judging by the fact she was manning the cash register and wore a red T-shirt with the restaurant’s logo on it, she had to assume they were going to be a woman short tonight.
“Hi, Elle,” Evie greeted with a smile from behind the pick-up counter. “We had two call-offs tonight, so I’ll have to just visit with you all in spurts. The girls are at our usual table. I’ll be by to grab your orders shortly.”
She smiled back. “Okay, but I’m pretty sure you already know mine.”
Evie chuckled and her caramel-colored eyes filled with warmth. “Lasagna and breadsticks.”
“Got it on the first try.”
