Page 30 of Love in the Storm

He rolled his eyes at her impulse to serve but played along. “Water, please.”

She turned and grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with tap water. “I promise these dishes are clean.”

When she slid the glass onto the bar beside him, she smiled. “Can I get you anything else, sir?”

He rested his elbows on the bar and locked his gaze with hers. “Have you ever been a waitress?” She played the part too well to be someone who didn’t know the ins and outs of the service industry.

But a shadow immediately darkened the light in her eyes at his question. “Yeah, once upon a time.” She turned her back to him and closed the mayonnaise jar and deli meat container.

Teetering on the edge of caution, Asa let the failed conversation go. Why didn’t Lyric want to talk about herself? He knew she had a sister, and he knew where she worked and went to church, but everything else about her was shrouded in mystery. Was she a private person, or was she just not comfortable talking with him?

They were still strangers. They’d met less than a day ago. Why did it feel like longer? Was it the forced proximity? The helpfulness on both sides? The instinctual team mentality they’d slipped into?

Whatever it was, he didn’t like the walls she was putting up. The rational and careful thing to do would be to keep his own distance, but logic and reasoning didn’t live here.

Lyric grabbed her plate and slid onto the stool beside him. “I tried, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep my eyes open much longer.”

“Take a nap,” Asa said before filling his mouth with the sandwich.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

Watch you sleepwasn’t a good answer. “Probably read. I saw a Louis L’Amour book on the shelf upstairs.”

“Sounds incredibly entertaining.”

Asa chuckled and nudged her shoulder with his. “When was the last time you read a book?”

Lyric tapped a fingertip against her cheek. “High school.”

He pinched his lips between his teeth to hide his smile.

“Are you judging me? When was the last timeyouread a book?”

“You got me there. Probably in the academy.”

“When was that?” she asked.

Asa squinted up at the fancy light fixture that hung above the bar. “About fifteen years ago.”

“Ha! I graduated from high school eleven years ago, and I know I readDraculain my last semester.”

“You win, but I’m going to change that while you nap.”

Lyric yawned again, and Asa did the same.

She stood, taking her plate with still half a sandwich left to the garbage can. “I’m not worried. I saw that book you’re talking about, and it’ll take you a month to read it. Plus, I bet you fall asleep too.”

“Want to make that an official bet? I bet I canstay awake and read a hundred pages while you sleep.”

She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a confident smirk. “Loser makes dinner?”

“And dessert.”

Lyric’s eyes widened, clearly intrigued by the mention of treats. “You’re on.”

They shook on it, and Lyric waved a hand over her head as she sauntered toward one of the bedrooms. “Good night!”

As soon as he heard the bedroom door close, Asa left the remaining chips on his plate and rushed up the stairs, suddenly realizing one hundred pages might be impossible if Lyric decided to only take a twenty-minute nap.

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