Page 22 of Love on the Line

Like hell he wouldn’t worry about it. He’d somehow hurt her.

Sally slid their check on the table and boxed the leftover bun. Wyatt dropped some bills on the slip, leaving a generous tip. “Thanks, everything was great.”

Anne fumbled with her purse, pulling out her wallet. “Please, let me pay half.”

“Call me old-fashioned, but I invited you, so my treat.”

“Well, thank you.” Anne quickly slid out of the booth and reached for her coat. He had to hurry to grab a sleeve and help her into it.

She picked up the box and thanked him again but avoided eye contact. Damn. His stomach fell to the floor. What had happened? They’d been getting along great, and then he’d told her he might move to the opposite coast, she’d brought up a baby, and he’d somehow insulted her.

Cold air blasted them when they left the diner. Anne crossed her arms and hugged her coat tight. Something he’d like to do, but that wasn’t in the cards. She’d closed herself off.

Nerves fired in his chest. He didn’t do nerves. Not on the field, not with women, not ever. Except big time now. Because despite the abrupt ending in the coffee shop, the thought of not seeing Anne again did unnerve him.

Once again out of words, he crutched his way to her car. Every step making him more determined to lose the damn things.

She hit the unlock button and gave him a polite smile, only it contrasted with the depth of emotion in her crystal-blue eyes. The same ones that had teared up minutes ago over the loss of his mother.

“Thanks for everything.” She cinched her coat tighter.

“Sure.” He fumbled for the right words to say because his gut said he was about to blow it big time. Maybe he needed a grand gesture. Offer to take her some place special. The other women he’d dated liked to dress up and hit the town.

“I better get going.” She reached for the door handle.

He leaned back on his crutches. “Hey, there’s a hot new restaurant in Baltimore that opened up a couple of months ago. It’s booked solid and nearly impossible to get a reservation, but I’m sure I could swing it. What do you think? Would you like to go?”

“Mm.” She shook her head. “I heard about that place. It’s out of my price range, though, and I’d feel bad if you picked up that tab. But thanks.”

Crap. That backfired. He had more money than he knew what to do with, but something told him that wouldn’t matter to her. Should have figured as much when she’d wanted to split the diner bill.

As she opened the door, his pulse raced. He’d never met anyone like her. No pretense, no games, and the way she’d prepared for the date? Priceless. He had to find a way to see her again. Maybe casual would work. “Listen, I’m not looking for anything serious. Can we just catch a bite some place local then?”

She looked away for a long moment, took a deep breath, then faced him. “The truth is, I had a breakup not long ago, and I’m not sure I’m ready to date. I really shouldn’t have gone out with you. I’m so sorry.”

So that’s why she had those sad eyes. He backed up a step to give her some space. “We can go as slow as you want. Slow as molasses, uphill, in the Syracuse snowbelt. Please, just give me a chance?”

She hesitated, and every second tightened the muscles holding his heart.

Uncertainty flickered in her eyes, and she worried her lower lip with her teeth. “I’m not sure about this, but I guess we can—”

“Yesss.” Excitement and relief knocked the breath he’d been holding out of him. His crutch slipped from under his arm and he fell forward, right into the car door, which slammed against her shin.

“Ouch,” she cried out as the back of her head hit the roof.

Holy shit, what a fucking klutz. He tossed the crutch to the side and grabbed the door handle, yanking it open farther. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

She rubbed her head with one hand and her shin with the other, hunched over in obvious pain. “I’ll…be fine.”

“Here, let me help you.”

He took a step around the door, but she whipped a hand up and said, “No, just stay where you are. Don’t move.”

Christ she must think him a total, uncoordinated dork. He winced. “Do you want me to get some ice from the diner?”

“No, that’s okay.” She eased into the driver’s seat and dragged her legs in, glancing up at him. “Thanks for the tea.”

Ugh. This must be what his students felt like when they got a bad grade on a health test. A total failure. “And the headache and the bruised shin? I’m really sorry.”

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