Page 10 of Searching for Love

“So, something good came of your misdeeds. Trust me, nothing good ever came of me replacing a mascot’s ram head with that from a life-sized stuffed bear.” He chuckled.

They’d grown up so close to each other, but talking with him for the next hour, she realized how different their childhoods had been.

While she had been sheltered and raised by a village of townspeople here in Pride, Lucas had struggled with a broken family. According to him, he’d had a difficult time staying out of trouble while he raised himself. Later, he spent most of his time helping to raise his sister while his mother worked several jobs.

After she and Wyatt were born, Avery’s mother hadn’t worked a job for years. Then, when Avery got her first job, her mother had started managing the accounting for the fire department. Her father said it was to help him out so he didn’t have to do it, but they all knew that her mother was going stir-crazy without much to do now that she and her brother were grown.

Shortly after that, several other businesses in town signed her mother on to do their books, and currently, her mother was the accountant for a dozen small businesses in Pride.

“Who is going to do your books?” she asked, leaning on the counter. “My mother is an accountant.”

Lucas shifted slightly. “Then she’s hired. I haven’t thought much beyond fixing all of this up first. I can handle the basics, I have in past jobs, but owning a place, it’s different.”

She leaned back. “You do have a name picked out for the business, right?”

He shrugged. “Lucas’s?” It came out more as a question than an answer.

“Are you asking me?” she asked with a chuckle. He nodded slightly. “Okay, you need a name.” She glanced around the room, narrowing her eyes slightly as she imagined his vision. Bright colored booths, colorful glass lights overhead, gleaming hardwood floors, and bright pictures on the walls.

Once everything was done, it would be so colorful. So cheerful. So bright.

“Whatever you decide, it should be as cheerful as you plan on making it in here,” she said, a million ideas flooding her mind. Then she snapped her fingers. “What was your grandfather’s band’s name?”

He tilted his head and then laughed. “Bandidas de Amor. The love bandits.”

She laughed. “I bet they broke a lot of hearts.”

He nodded. “The living members still do.”

“Well, it’s a great name for a band of male singers, but not a restaurant.” She started pacing behind the counter. “I suppose the name will come to you. We can start a list.” She walked over to the old chalkboard that still hung behind the countertop and wrote down a few of her favorite ideas. She added a couple that Lucas suggested. “We can have your family and friends vote on their favorite,” she suggested.

“Sounds great,” he said quietly.

“Unless you have something you like the most?” she asked. She put a tick mark by her favorite, then set the chalk down. Buen Provecho, which translated to “enjoy your meal.”

He walked over and put another check by her choice. “It’s something my grandpa always says before a meal.” He smiled. “Do you speak Spanish?”

“Sí, un poco.” She held up her fingers pinched together, indicating a little bit.

He smiled. “Thanks to my grandpa, I know enough to be dangerous.” His smile turned her knees weak.

How was she supposed to concentrate around his family the next day if he kept smiling at her like that?

“I think we’re done for the evening. We’ve lost the light and there’s no power down here yet,” he said, dusting off his hands. “How about we head over to Baked and I’ll buy you a pizza for your efforts?”

“Sounds good. I’ll just go freshen up first.” She motioned towards the bathroom.

They were only a block and a half from Baked Pizzeria. Still, Lucas managed to make her laugh so much in that short distance that her sides hurt.

She enjoyed his humor as much as she enjoyed seeing the heat fill his eyes when she flirted with him. She wondered if she was looking at him like that too whenever he leaned close, lowered his voice, and said nice things to her.

She’d never felt so much for someone so quickly. That thought sort of scared her. Falling for someone so fast. Was it possible? After all, she’d been searching for love her entire life.