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I groaned and shook my head before sliding behind the wheel of my car. “No pressure.”
“Only a little,” he said with a chuckle and stepped back, watching me drive off to my date. With Tara.
It didn’t make sense to be so nervous about a date with a woman I’d technically already had a date with, even though it wasn’t planned. And it made even less sense when I had no plans to get serious about Tara or anyone else.
“Exactly.” I kept up the mental pep talk until I pulled into the public parking lot and walked to the nondescript warehouse building where I found Tara waiting out front. “I really would have preferred to pick you up,” I told her as I approached.
She rolled her eyes towards the sky and let out an indulgent sigh. “I’m sure you would have, but my cousin, Ry’s stepson had a big science fair in Tulip, and I promised I’d show up to watch him win it all, which he totally did.” Her smile was wide and genuine and filled with pride.
“Does everyone in this town have some connection to Tulip?” Maybe it was some weird small town quirk where they were all linked like that six degrees of separation game.
Tara laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know about everyone, but a few people do, yeah. Is that weird or something?”
“I don’t know, is it?” I was happy she didn’t give me any side eye about holding the door open for her. It was the polite thing to do and the view was…amazing.
“How far are you from home?”
“Pretty far from Maine, I’d say. And Maryland.”
Tara was skeptical and let out a sharp laugh. “Not Montana or Minnesota?”
I shrugged again. “I grew up in Maine until my folks split and then I bounced between Maine and Maryland until I left for college.” It hadn’t been easy, but I had friends who’d had a more difficult time navigating life during and after nasty divorces.
“Which place did you like better?” I’d been expecting sympathy or maybe pity, but I learned quickly that wasn’t Tara’s style.
“They each had their charms. In Maine there’s lot to get up to in terms of hiking and fishing, boat activities, and lots of outdoors to do things away from prying adult eyes. Maryland was the city with all that has to offer. I’m starting to think Pilgrim is the right speed for me.”
“That’s surprising for a guy like you.”
“Yeah? What kind of guy is that?”
Tara looked around the lobby, trying to figure out what we were about to do, but to her credit she hadn’t asked any questions. “Young. Single. Wealthy. Reasonably good looking. Small town life seems like it would bore you.”
“I thought the same thing until I moved here. Trust me when I tell you that Pilgrim has just as many quirky characters and weirdos as the big city, plus less crime.”
She cut a glance at me and laughed. “Okay, now you’re just trying to butter me up.”
“Jacobs?”
“That’s us.” I grabbed Tara’s hand and tugged her down the dimly lit hall and into the Victorian library.
“What’s this?”
I smiled and turned to the guy in the polo shirt. “An escape room,” he said easily and went through instructions and rules before leaving us alone and locking the door behind him.
“An escape room?” She looked around the room, taking in all the details of the place as a slow smile spread across her face. “Good job, Chris. Let’s do this!”
I knew inviting a police officer to hunt for clues and figure out a puzzle was a good idea, but I had no idea it would be met with such excitement. Tara bounced around the library, pulling out books and lifting candlesticks in search of clues. Her energy was contagious, and I found myself just as excited to find the next clue that would unlock the door to the sitting room and finally, the one that would give us the keys to escape.
“Victory!” Tara punched the air and did a little booty shake that drew my eye to her curves and the way her hips moved back and forth. “That was awesome. Fairly easy, but fun. Very fun.” Her flushed cheeks gave her a youthful appeal that I hadn’t seen on her since moving to town.
“Wanna go again?” I was only half joking, but her energy boosted me up too, made me kind of want to take another crack at it.
“As fun as it was, I’m kind of hungry. What’s next?” Tara froze about two steps ahead of me. “Should I make mention of the fact that I eat, or is that a dating no-no?”
Her question took me by surprise and I blinked as my brows dipped in confusion. “Women don’t eat? That’s news to me.”
“I eat, so I’m just letting you know up front that I will be ordering a salad as a starter, and then a real meal.” Her gaze focused on mine, almost as if to make sure I understood what she was saying.
