Page 35 of The One I Love

“Well, Amos.” Britt picked up the menu, even though she’d already reviewed it online and made her decision. “What’s good here?”

“Depends on what you’re in the mood to eat.” He took a sip of water, his intense gaze never leaving her face. “I ordered the Tex-Mex burger with the sweet potato fries. It’s their signature burger.”

A waitress appeared tableside, pad in hand and one eye on the kitchen.

“I’ll have the same as him.” Britt briefly considered adding a drink, but decided it would cost too much. “And tap water, no ice.”

“I’ll get this in right away.” The young woman scooped up the menu, glanced at Amos and lifted a brow. “Another beer?”

Amos shot Britt a glance. “Only if you’ll join me. My treat.”

She hesitated for only a second. “Sure. Thanks.”

“Make that two, Mary.” Amos offered the waitress a warm smile.

“You know her?” Britt’s gaze followed the blonde as she hurried off.

Surprise flickered across his face. “No. Why do you ask?”

“You called her by name.”

“She introduced herself when she took my order.” He shrugged. “Seems like common courtesy to remember it.”

Mary soon returned with two bottles of Modelo Negra. After checking Britt’s identification, she set them on the table.

Britt lifted the bottle, turned it around to read the label. “I’m not much of a fan of dark beer.”

“To new adventures.” Amos held up his bottle, and seeing where he was going with this, Britt clanked her bottle against his.

“And to new friends,” he added.

“Thanks for the beer.” She took a cautious sip and found herself relaxing as the caramelly sweetness slid down her throat.

“It’s similar to a Vienna lager,” he told her. “Malt-focused.”

“It’s good.” She took another sip. “I bet it goes great with Tex-Mex.”

“One reviewer said it’s bold enough to retain flavor against rich dishes, but doesn’t overpower.”

“You know your beers.”

His lips quirked upward. “I’m one of those guys who knows a little about a lot of things.”

The keen intelligence in those liquid-blue depths told Britt he knew quite a bit. “What is it you do, Amos?”

“You mean other than eat Tex-Mex burgers, drink beer and spend time with pretty women?”

She couldn’t help but smile. The man was so darn affable.

Taking a long pull of beer, he didn’t continue until the bottle was back on the table. “I’m good with my hands and know my way around a hammer. Have you seen Silver Creek?”

Britt assumed he was referring to the building a couple of blocks away, rather than the town of the same name just west of Denver. “It’s an amazing structure. Are you working on it?”

“I am.” He sat back in his chair and studied her. “Enough about me. Tell me about Britt.”

“Here you go.” Mary returned with a plate in each hand and a bottle of ketchup under one arm. “That’s ranch in those metal cups in case you prefer that over ketchup for your sweet potato fries.”

“My order came out at the same time as his.” Britt couldn’t hide her pleasure. “That’s incredible.”

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