AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dread dropped like a fat raindrop into her stomach. She hoped like hell Clint didn't have romance on his mind. She didn't know what was going on. Just that morning Jamison had called to invite her and Charlie out for pizza tonight. Oh, the irony of all those times she couldn't get a date.
Jake yelled at Birdie and then jogged to catch up with the kids, who were headed to the face-painting booth.
Clint hit the control on his chair and headed toward a grassy area containing several empty picnic tables. Eva fell into line beside him.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, maneuvering past a group of women holding up maps and pointing out the various vendors. "I just wanted to talk to you about the race."
"Why? Are you worried you haven't trained hard enough?"
"No. I'm good on that. I'm actually thinking of withdrawing. I feel there are other areas in my life that need some attention."
"Oh, well, I enjoyed training with you."
"I'm not quitting the gym. I've just been thinking about making some decisions in regards to my future. Living with my dad has been miserable these past few years. Mom was a buffer between us, and since she died, it's been... tedious. I love him, but he's difficult."
"He's Murphy," she said with a wry smile.
"Indeed," Clint agreed, coming to a halt beside an empty table. "He's been thinking of retiring from the company, and I don't want to run it. Being a tire man was never my plan, so I've been reassessing things, you know."
"I do. Life can throw curveballs. Sometimes they're named Charlie."
Clint smiled, and again Eva was reminded how good-looking the man was. "Yeah, exactly. So the reason I'm thinking of pulling out of the race is I received acknowledgment of my acceptance into grad school at LSU. I'll start in January."
"Wow, Clint. That's awesome. Congratulations."
When he smiled, he looked younger. Or maybe it was the spark of determination in his eyes. "Thanks. I'm going to work on my MBA and look for opportunities with companies in New Orleans or somewhere close. I'm determined to make a move in my life. I can't keep doing the books for Dad's company and spinning my wheels here."
"I'm excited for you, Clint.” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. She intended on letting go but he held it fast.
“And I'm hoping you might be open to being part of that moving forward."
Uh-oh. "What do you mean?"
"Well, to be honest, I've grown really attached to having you around. You're pretty much the ray of sunshine in my otherwise gloomy existence."
Oh, shit.
No one had ever called her a ray of sunshine. No, she'd never been sunny, happy, and blinding. She was more mild and overcast. And for him to say she lit up his gloomy existence, well, that was hard to shoot down. She couldn't tell Clint she wasn't interested now- not after his admission. It would be akin to knocking a bird nest from a tree or yanking up a newly budding flower. Cruel as a hard frost.
"Well, thank you." What else could she say, really?
"So I wondered if you might be interested in something more, too?" he asked, looking up at her with an expression that broke her heart. So yearning. So damn, damn yearning. "I'd like to actually take you on a date. No Charlie. Or Jake."
"You've caught me off guard. I've never really thought-"
"I know. Me neither. But it makes sense. We're two young, fairly attractive-" he gave her a smile "-well, at least I am."
She hiccupped a laugh.
"Why shouldn't we see what happens? We're already friends, and they say that's the best place to start in a relationship," he finished.
"Yeah, I've heard the same thing," Eva said, looking out at the families laughing with one another. Well, a few parents were fussing at their kids. Such was the nature of a family. Eva was learning that quickly. "But you can't design love, Clint. Just because it makes sense on paper doesn't mean it's the right thing to do."·
"I'm not designing a relationship, Eva. You're such an incredible person."
"No, I'm not. I'm a regular person. There just aren't that many single gals left in that one-horse town."
