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Megan noticed he looked away, but didn’t pry.
“I’m interested to know more about you,” he said, sipping his coffee, which was black and smelled divine.
“I think I told you everything. There’s not much.”
It was so much easier to keep the conversation off her and on him, but clearly he knew that trick too. His smile deepened into one corner of his mouth—was that a dimple? He knew what he was doing when he flicked an eyebrow up in inquiry.
“I have a lot of pets.”
That got his attention. “That explains your interest in the chicken coop conversation. What do you have?”
“Well, I have two cats, one turtle, and two birds, but I’d really like a dog, and yeah, I’d love chickens. I want to be a vet someday, so I hope maybe I could have something like your ranch with horses, pigs, and goats.”
“I guess your grandma wasn’t a fan of animals and you’re getting it out now?”
“Yes and no. She didn’t like them in the house, so anything had to stay outside. We had an old gray tabby cat who lived under the porch for a long time. She didn’t shoo him away when he came up to her while she would rock, so I took that as high praise.”
Megan twisted her hands in her lap and fought against her vulnerability. “I had a stutter and was very shy. As you might have picked up, Grandma was very overprotective, which was great, and I can’t blame her, but I didn’t have a lot of close friends growing up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Megan nodded and continued while blowing out a breath. “Animals make sense to me. I never know if I’m saying the right thing or talking too little or too much, and they always seem so appreciative, like they’re really listening and can understand. It also makes me feel not as alone.”
The second the last word was out, she wanted to reach out into the air and pluck it back, but there was no such way to do that.
She felt her cheeks redden with color, and to avoid his eyes she took a long sip of her shake and pretended to be nonchalant.
“She was all you had.”
Megan licked her lips and nodded. “I guess you see why helping your dad wasn’t as altruistic as you made it seem. He was good company.”
“You have a lot of friends now. The cop and the other one—”
“Paramedic. That’s Laura.”
“Right, and you said you’re the only female in your station.”
He sniffed as he said it and took another sip of coffee.
“It’s not like that. They’re a bunch of brothers who don’t really talk to me. I went out with one, but only twice. It didn’t really go anywhere. Like I said earlier, I don’t have a lot of experience with…” She waved her hand in the air between them.
“What do you mean?”
Megan took a breath and decided to come clean. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
CHAPTER20
Troy froze.
Megan put down her tea and kept talking in a rush of words he was trying to cling to and digest, grabbing bits and pieces. For someone who didn’t like talking, she was doing a lot right now, like it had been pent-up and she was waiting to release it all.
“Grandma was very protective… I was very shy… Prom was so awkward… I’m a pretty late bloomer, but have always wanted the real deal, so maybe it’s best.”
Was Megan a virgin?
While his brain tried to catch up and put the pieces in the right place, he nodded because it felt like the right thing to do. How was this possible? She was drop-dead gorgeous.
Sitting across from him now, her red hair—a color he was so thankful hecouldsee—shimmered in the light. Her ivory hands were slim but strong and darted nervously here and there. First they were in her lap, then by her earring, then she was straightening the spoon she hadn’t used.
