Page 21 of A Simple Love

Ihadn’t expected to see Oliver at the diner this morning. I’d assumed he was gone for another one of his meetings. Or to the ranch. But sitting in a booth, looking far too handsome for Richton, he was larger-than-life. The man he was having breakfast with was good-looking, but he had nothing on Oliver. Oliver was masculine, broad-shouldered, his hair slightly wild, his scruff thick. He wore a plaid shirt and looked relaxed in the simple setting. His friend was slicker, his light hair brushed off his forehead, clean-shaven. Somehow, he screamed rich, his hair too precise, his clothing perfect, as if a wrinkle wouldn’t dare show up on the fabric that draped his body. He seemed slightly out of place—a city dweller. Maybe that was why I didn’t find him as attractive as Oliver.

I tried to ignore them both, but I was finding it hard to do so. Especially the way Oliver was acting.

Why was he staring like that? Every time I looked up, his eyes were on me. Watching. Incredibly intense. His eyes were an unbelievable shade of blue that seemed to lighten and darken with his mood. I could always read his temperament with his eye color when we were younger. And as he matured, he emoted his feelings on-screen with his gazes. Longing. Anger. Sadness. Joy.

But this level of intensity, I had never seen prior to now. I tried to concentrate on my conversation with Quinn and John. The vast number of pies she was going to need. The request she had for hundreds of cookies. John teasing her about being starstruck. But each time my gaze would drift past them to Oliver, he was already looking. Even while he conversed with his very good-looking breakfast companion. He had seemed displeased when his friend offered me his card, although I wasn’t sure why. It was only to call him if I changed my mind about being an extra.

Maybe Oliver wanted me to ask him instead of Derek. Or was it Daniel?

A discreet glance at the card I’d slipped into my pocket showed me it was neither. Davis.

I wanted to laugh. I was so fixated on Oliver, I couldn’t even recall the other man’s name. What if he had wanted me to reach out for something other than being an extra? Maybe I’d mistaken the signs. I shook my head at the thought. I was rusty at relationships. Dating and I were not great friends, and I couldn’t recall the last one I had been on. Probably back in Toronto. Before my life fell apart.

“What do you think?” Quinn asked, finally able to sit down for more than a minute after John left and the crowd eased. “A big cookie-baking party here? With so many hands, we could get all the batters done, then use the ovens to bake, and we can freeze them to keep them fresh.”

“I can take some home too. My ovens hold a lot, and I have the extra freezer too.”

She chuckled. “With the number of pies they want, your freezer is going to be full. When Mr. Director behind us tasted the pie the other day, he was determined to add them to the catering on the days I’m handling it.”

“How often?”

“Every Friday. He has a nice lunch every Friday while they’re filming. He has a standard catering place for the other days. But it’s five hundred cookies and twenty pies included, if you’re willing.” She leaned closer and dropped her voice. “And maybe a hot date or two with a sexy Hollywood celebrity.”

“Oliver and I are just friends.”

She widened her eyes, looking amused. “I meant Davis, but interesting that your first thought was of your ex.”

“Oh, um…”

She laughed. “Not that I can blame you.” Once again, she dropped her voice. “My goodness, that man is sexy. Those eyes. And I could feel him staring at you.”

“You could not.”

“Well, I saw his reflection in the mirror behind you. Same thing. He watched you.”

“I hurt my foot yesterday. He was being nice.”

She snorted. “Nice. Right. I felt the heat. Whatever happened between the two of you isn’t over.”

“We were kids. It’s long in the past.”

“That’s why he couldn’t stop staring and why you watched him leave, looking like someone kicked your puppy. You barely noticed the other good-looking man who was interested.”

“Stop it.”

“Just calling it like I see it.”

“You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

“Uh-huh. I’ll remind you of this conversation at a later date.”

I threw up my hands. “Even if there was interest, he lives in LA. I live here in Richton. He’s famous and wealthy and lives an extravagant lifestyle of parties and premieres. He has women hanging all over him. I bake pies and am an accountant. I can’t recall the last date I was on. We couldn’t be more different.”

“Maybe he wants more.”

“Maybe I can’t give him that.”

She stood. “Okay, I’ll drop it. But sometimes, appearances are deceiving. You, of all people, should know that, Kassie. You learned it the hard way. Maybe Oliver needs quiet and one person more than he needs crowds and glory.”