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“That’s okay, neither do I,” I said, inhaling the intoxicating scent of her hair. “We leave that to Soren.”
“Soren dances?”
“Like nobody’s business. It’s weird, right?”
“I would have guessed you or Thad, not Soren,” Elliot said.
“Soren’s a complicated person. A dichotomy if there ever was one. He’s actually really tender under all that gruffness. Not thathe would ever show that to anyone but us. Even then, he keeps a lot in.”
We’d managed to find our own private spot on the floor, and the music was soft enough we could hear each other. As long as we danced close together, which I was only too happy to do.
She peeked up at me. “Have you ever met someone you have one impression of and then they turn out to be something entirely different?”
“Sure,” I said. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was remembering the first time I ever met you.”
“Yeah?” What had she thought? Did I even want to know?
“I was super nervous. I wanted the job so badly and didn’t want to mess up the opportunity. And I might have noticed how handsome and charming you were. Are. When I first saw you in person, what with all of this.” She gestured toward my hair. Or was it my face? “I thought you’d have a terrible temper and throw things around when you got mad.”
“Wait, what’s all of this?” I asked, laughing.
“Your vibe. And hair. And, you know, you’re hip and cool, plus extremely talented. All recipes for a real jerk. In my experience, at least.”
“Like the chefs on television?” I asked.
“I worked for two that were like that. Trust me, it’s not only on television. Regardless, you’re patient and nice. Even when things don’t go perfectly. So I was wrong.”
“I have Mama to answer to, and she would not take kindly to unkindness.”
“What did you think of me when I first got here?” Elliot’s big eyes continued to stare up at me, vulnerable and open.
“I thought you were one heck of a pastry chef,” I said, not ready to admit I’d been infatuated with her from the first moment.
“Is that all?”
I shook my head, smiling. “Not all. I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen.”
“You did not.”
“I did. Total truth,” I said. “But I figured you were the type who liked bad boys. Not geeky chefs.”
“You notice me? Other than my work.”
“I notice everything. Especially you.”
She was quiet for a moment. I loved having her in my arms. If the song never ended, I’d be happy.
“I’ve been to way too much therapy to be interested in the wrong kind of men,” she said, breaking the silence between us.
“Therapy?” Interesting. Had she had some kind of trauma? I wanted to ask what had caused her to go but sensed it was a delicate subject.
“Have you ever been?” Elliot asked.
“Yep. After my real father died, Mama had us all go.”
“Did it help?”
