Page 31 of One Unexpected Gift

Letting her off the hook, he stepped away to pour himself a glass of water. When he returned, he asked, “What brings you ladies by right before closing time? Not that I mind.”

“We needed to get out of the house.” Charlie took a sip of her drink.

“Rough day?”

“You know how it is in the hospitality business. Not everyone is hospitable.”

Charlie owned the Black Fly Diner. The rundown place had been run by Owen’s mom and had seen better days. Since Charlie took over and spruced up the place, it was a constant buzz of breakfast and brunch goers.

Since she closed at two every day and that’s when his business got busier, there was no competition between the two. He served drinks and games while she made the meanest omelets and French Toast he’d ever tasted.

“I can’t imagine anyone complaining about your eggs.”

“I know, right? This cute little geriatric couple complained the entire time about not having more dining options in Angel Springs and having to settle for the Black Fly Diner. I mean, way to insult me.”

“Did you tell them you owned the place?”

“Yup.” She took another sip. “And then they subtly accused me of sabotaging the way for other restaurants so I’d get more business.”

“Ouch.”

“I asked them how their meal was, and they said it was delicious, but they were filing a complaint about me with the town hall.”

Nick laughed. “Can they even do that?”

“Who knows. They own a chateau on Sugarloaf and are up for a few weeks to redecorate. They were tired of the restaurants in the area and had heard about our cute little town, so they ventured to Angel Springs.”

“It was nice of you to take Charlie out,” Nick said to Skylar who had been uncharacteristically quiet.

“More like she dragged me out. I was already in my pajamas and ready for bed.”

He couldn’t help his gaze from dropping to her cleavage that pressed against her navy blue shirt. It wasn’t anything fancy. A long T-shirt, but the way the V dipped between her breasts hinting at what lay beneath had him more worked up than getting a lap dance at Chuck Vernon’s bachelor party last year.

Nick returned his gaze to Skylar’s soft lips and darted his tongue out to lick his own. She nibbled on her bottom lip before letting it go so it could quirk up in a sassy grin.

“You okay?” She blinked seductively at him, her dark lashes framing her green eyes.

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Just thankful you have a friend like Charlie.”

“I’m going to use the restroom. You two don’t do anything I wouldn’t do while I’m gone. Which basically means the sky’s the limit. No pun intended.” Charlie hopped off her stool and whispered loudly in Skylar’s ear, “Go for it, hun.”

“As long as I’ve known her, she’s never held back her thoughts.” Nick picked up his burger and took a bite.

“I’m usually the same way.”

He wasn’t surprised. She’d made it more than clear last year how much she wanted him, but this time was different. She was more... aloof.

“What happened to change that?”

Skylar looked over her shoulder toward the direction Charlie had gone and scratched the back of her neck. “Life,” she said with a sad smile.

Nick didn’t like her far away stare. He reached for her hand. “Are you okay?”

“I am. I will be.”

He rounded the bar and took the stool Charlie had vacated, straddling it so his knees brushed against her thigh. He pushed her hair back over her shoulder and then cupped her chin, tilting it so she faced him.

“Skylar. Are you in some kind of trouble??

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