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Hannah pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her smile.
His eyes twinkled as he added, “You turned around.”
She waited. She was hardly going to admit that she was interested. Wait. She wasn’t!
He lifted a shoulder. “And now we’re here. Two strangers in a crowded airport. Now that I’ve seen you again, I figure I have to check if fate is on our side.”
She laughed. “Do you realize that you’re venturing dangerously close to creepy territory?”
He blew out a sigh and nodded, his smile never faltering. “I do. But it’s a risk I’m prepared to take. Let’s find out if fate is on our side; wanna?”
“And how exactly are we going to do that?” He was cute – and charming – but her inner critic was ready to write him off as a creep and walk away.
He held up his boarding pass and waved it. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
She laughed again. “Getting creepier.”
He chuckled. “Nah. Just having fun. Whatever is written on these will show us what fate has decreed. Do you need to go in one direction while I go in the other? Will this just be a brief moment that will make us smile when we remember it?” The warmth of his smile washed over her. “Or will it be the beginning of a beautiful friendship? We won’t know until we compare boarding passes.”
She nodded. He was right. She had a little time, but she needed to head to her gate soon, and it was a long trek. If he needed to head in the opposite direction, they’d have to say goodbye, and each be on their way. She held up her boarding pass. “Okay. Let fate decide.”
He held his pass out, and once she had hold of it, she gave him hers. Her heart leaped into her mouth when she read it. She looked up to find his smile looking a little more hesitant than before. That was a relief. If he’d looked cocky, she would have been nervous – perhaps she still should.
“San Francisco?”
She nodded. “Flight 2128?”
He nodded back, looking more serious. “I promise you I didn’t know. I feel like a creep now but seriously, this isn’t a set up.”
She studied his face. He looked as surprised as she felt. She could do what her brother would no doubt tell her she should and distance herself immediately or she could roll with it. They were in a crowded airport, after all. She wasn’t in any danger. She held her hand out for her boarding pass and gave his back.
“I believe you. Shall we?” She gestured toward the walkway.
“If you’re sure?” His smile was back but he still looked hesitant.
“If you’re a decent human being, then I’m sure.”
“Yeah. I’m a decent human being.” He gave her a rueful smile. “If you don’t count hitting on hot chicks at the airport.”
She laughed as she stepped onto the walkway. “Do you make a habit of this then? Do you have girlfriends all over the country that you picked up in airports?”
“Nope. I can assure you that this is the first time I’ve played boarding pass roulette. And no girlfriend.”
He didn’t need to tell her that, not unless he was … no. He was just making conversation. He stood a little closer to her and rested his hand on the moving handrail just behind her. It wasn’t close enough to be inappropriate, but it was close enough to send little shivers up and down her neck. When she looked up into his eyes, her tummy flipped over. But there was no way she should be wondering if he wanted a girlfriend.
Chapter Two
When they reached the gate, Grady scanned the seating area. There were still a few seats empty, but he didn’t feel like trying to get to know Hannah while sitting shoulder to shoulder with fellow passengers. He spotted a café a little way back up the concourse.
“Can I get you a drink?”
She raised her eyebrows and looked around. “Don’t you have to drive when you land?”
“I do, but I was thinking more along the lines of a coffee.” He smiled as he pointed to the café. “Unless you need something stronger?”
“Oh, that place looks good, but I’ll have to find something other than coffee. I can’t live without it in the morning, but I can’t drink it at this time in the evening – I’d be up all night.”
Grady forced himself not to think about the ways he’d like to keep her up all night. Her gaze flickered to his and then away again – making him wonder if she was thinking along the same lines. He needed to cool it. Even if she were thinking about a night between the sheets with him, it didn’t matter. It couldn’t happen. He was starting to regret letting Monty goad him into this. Hannah was hot, there was no question about it. But she was … nice, too. Nice was too small a word, but he could see her being a friend. Could see her hanging out with Molly and Chelsea and the rest of the girls. And that was about as crazy a thought as he’d ever had. He’d gone after her because she looked like the kind of woman who wouldn’t be interested in him for anything more than a night. And he didn’t even have a night to offer her. When he landed back in San Francisco, he’d drive straight home to Napa and pick Ava up from Molly’s. Then this little trip – all thirty-six hours of it – would be over, and he’d be back into his life of single dad. Even if he was only Ava’s uncle, he still did everything he could to be the best dad possible for her.
