Chapter 6
Gabe has this sexyfive o’clock shadow covering his sharp jaw line. I am suddenly wondering why Iever had a crush on Chris Hemsworth when dark haired guys are clearly muchhotter.
“I didn’t mean tointerrupt your call,” he says.
I shrug his wordsaway. “No worries. I was only on the phone so I wouldn’t be alone.”
He grins, like hefinds my confession sweet instead of pathetic. “I was actually planning to eatalone, and then I saw you and thought I’d take a chance.”
“Where’s those guysyou were with?” I ask. Our waitress asks if he’s ready to order, and he doesn’tbother looking at the menu. He just tells her he’ll have the same salad I’mhaving. Luckily, I’m a slow eater, so he has plenty of time to catch up to me.
After our waitressleaves to fill his order, he turns back to me. “My cousins are hitting up astrip club,” he says with an extra dose of sarcasm. “Because clearly whenyou’re on a business trip, you’re supposed to act like a scumbag.”
I laugh. “Somethingtells me you didn’t want them to go with you on this trip.”
He nods and letsout an exhausted sigh. “I’d be thrilled to have tworealbusiness partners join me, but in this case … not so much. Ithought they’d learn something, but they’re not even attempting to learn.”
“Do you work withthem?” I ask, even though I don’t really care. I want to move the conversationover to more interesting topics, like: girlfriends, and more specifically—doeshe have one.
“Yeah, kind of. Ihired them to work with me just to please my mom and aunt, but they’re completescrewups. I’m tempted to send them home now just so I can focus.”
“That’s nice of youto hire them,” I say, staring at my fork. All that confidence I had a minuteago is getting hard to hold onto. I can feel my self-esteem struggling to keepa smile on my face. I like this talk. I like being around him. I can’t let mystupid emotions get in the way and make me ruin this.
“We’re oppositesthat way,” I say with a smile. “I’m here alone and wishing I’d brought myfriend who works with me. It’s boring being alone.”
He rests on hiselbows, and I notice how sexy his forearms are. The muscles bulge out from hissleeves, which he’s rolled halfway up his arm. Damn, this guy is hot. I wish Icould sneak a picture of him to show Livi.
“Well, I’m here allweekend,” he says with a grin. “If you get bored, feel free to grab me.”
I nod toward wherehis nametag had been earlier, but he’s not wearing it now. “You’re in realestate, right? I doubt you’ll have fun in any of the panels I’m going to.”
“I don’t know aboutthat … real estate is similar to baking.”
I take a sip of mytea and hold back my silly grin. “Oh yeah? How so?”
He thinks about ita moment and then sits up straight in his chair. “Okay … well, I’ve gotnothing. But that’s just because I can’t think properly when I’m dining with agorgeous woman.”
I swallow.
Did he really justsay that?
Oh God, I’m so gladthis stupid restaurant is dark in here, or else he’ll be able to see theembarrassingly deep red my cheeks are turning.
He bites the bottomof his lip slightly. “Was that too much?”
I shake my head andtell myself to talk.Words! They’reuseful tools, so use them, Alexa!!
“It’s totallyfine,” I say.
The way he’sstaring at me makes my whole body burn with lust. I know guys and I know howthey’re typically wired – sex is all they care about. But there’s somethingdifferent about Gabe. He’s looking at me like he enjoys what he sees. Like, Idon’t know—like he appreciates it. Like he appreciatesme.
The waitress bringshis food out and we eat in silence for a little while, only talking randomly aboutsmall things. I’m dying to get back to that flirtatious banter, but it’s kindof weird to flirt when you’re eating a salad.
“So how’d you getinto baking?” he asks me. I’ve been asked this question a million times before,and most people just say it to be polite. But Gabe looks like he’s interestedin my answer.
“I’ve always lovedbaking,” I say, resting my fork on my plate because I’m done eating. “Mygrandma and mom used to bake all the time and they’d let me help, even when Iwas too young to be any good at it. Then, well I just never stopped. I got intoculinary school and after I graduated, I knew I wanted to own my own bakery.I’ve never been so sure of anything else in my life.”
Gabe’s eyes shinefrom the glow of the fancy amber lights overhead. “That’s really amazing. Now Ifeel stupid telling you about my job.”
