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“Listen, Madison—I’m in Little Rock, visiting my aunt and uncle for the holiday. So maybe—well, I thought maybe you and I could see each other while I’m here. If you want to, of course. And if you have time. If not, I’ll understand.”
He was here. In her town. And he wanted to see her.
She swallowed hard, trying to get her whirling emotions under control so she could think clearly. She couldn’t imagine why she was reacting so dramatically to this call. Maybe she was just more tired than she had realized. “When would you like to get together?”
“Now.” The answer was immediate, and a bit husky. “But I can wait until it’s a good time for you.”
She made herself pause for a few moments, trying to be sure she was making the right choice, and for the right reasons. That she was aware of all the possible complications and repercussions of whichever decision she made. And then she nodded, as if he could see her through his phone. “Just one request.”
He sounded resigned when he said, “I know. You want to keep it secret if we see each other.”
She couldn’t help but smile a little at his tone. “No, it’s not that.”
“Then what’s the request?”
“Food. I’m starving and there’s nothing in my fridge except mustard, outdated yogurt and one lonely egg.”
A laugh was in his voice when he said, “I think I can do a little better than that.”
She gave him her address.
“I’ll be there in half an hour,” he promised and disconnected without saying anything else.
Half an hour. After five and a half weeks, she would see him again in half an hour. She jumped to her feet, aware that she was scruffy and bedraggled from a long day at work. She wouldn’t overdo it, but it wouldn’t hurt to brush her hair and freshen up a little.
After fussing with her appearance, she made a quick dash through the apartment, straightening pillows, hiding bills and junk mail, rinsing a coffee cup and stashing it in the dishwasher. Should she make a pot of coffee? Was it too late? Maybe Jason would prefer a drink. Did she have anything on hand? Was the half bottle of white wine in her fridge still drinkable?
Jason’s arrival sent the questions out of her head.
He stood outside her door, a half smile on his lips, a searching look in his eyes. “I hope Chinese is okay. I de
bated between that or pizza.”
During the past weeks she had half convinced herself that Jason wasn’t as attractive as she’d remembered, that she had idealized her memories of him. She saw now that the memories hadn’t begun to do him justice.
“I love Chinese food,” she assured him, standing aside to let him enter. Aromatic bags dangled from his hands. It appeared as though he’d brought enough food for a half dozen people.
“When I said I was starving, I didn’t mean it quite that literally,” she teased, motioning toward the dining table in her small, open apartment.
Dumping the bags, he chuckled. “I wasn’t sure what you liked. Anything left over can be reheated for later.”
“I should make some tea. Oolong goes well with Chinese. I’m pretty sure I have some in the—”
“I’d love some tea,” he interrupted gently, moving toward her. “But first—”
She melted into his arms. As he’d said, the food could always be reheated later.
They got around to eating. Eventually. Sitting at her table wearing only his jeans and unbuttoned shirt, Jason scooped noodles with bamboo chopsticks and ate them while admiring Madison as she enjoyed her fried rice. Her hair was tumbled around her fresh-scrubbed face and she wore the short, black silk robe she’d worn in Dallas. She looked so beautiful it was hard to concentrate on the food.
“I wasn’t sure if you would be glad to see me,” he confessed.
She glanced meaningfully at their state of near undress. “I hope I managed to reassure you on that count.”
Thinking back over the past hour, he smiled. “Yeah. Though I might need a reminder or two.”
Her little giggle made him grin before he filled his mouth with another bite of noodles. He was relieved the food was good; he’d had to depend on directions and reviews found on his phone since he wasn’t familiar with Little Rock take-out restaurants.
“Is your aunt expecting you back soon?”
