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And then maybe we could have a quiet dinner together.
Brooke nodded, her eyes a little uneasy.
Was it possible she both wanted and feared being alone with me? If so, why?
When they finished, Cammie asked, “Can we play outside?”
“Sure,” I said, eager to get Brooke alone.
They both scrambled off the chairs and raced outside.
Brooke took their plates, and I cleaned the countertop from the shredded cheese and pieces of meatballs they’d left behind.
“Did you want spaghetti?” I asked.
“That sounds great.” She took Hunter’s place at the island.
I plated our food and uncorked the wine. Pouring hers, I said, “We can have a few sips, at least.”
“Pretend we’re adults,” Brooke joked.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d relaxed, much less shared a meal with a woman. Ever since Maria died, all I could think about was being there for Cammie. Making all the necessary decisions to ensure she was okay.
I was content to eat a meal with Brooke. We ate in silence for a few minutes before I got the courage to ask what I wanted to know. “Are you dating anyone?”
Brooke swirled her spaghetti around her fork like she was seven, her lips twitching. “If I were, I think he’d have a problem with me doing this.”
Sharing a meal was intimate, even with kids playing nearby. It was exactly what I’d hoped for.
“What about you?” she asked before snapping her mouth shut like she hadn’t wanted to ask but couldn’t help it.
“I’ve been pretty focused on Cammie. I have a new business, and I need to find us a place to live.” It was a tall order, and I had no business even asking Brooke who she was dating when I didn’t have time to be the man for her.
Brooke’s expression fell slightly. “That’s understandable. You’ve had a rough year.”
“You could say that, but at the same time, it’s nice to be back in my hometown. Everything’s familiar yet different.”
I was talking about her, but I wasn’t sure if she’d get the hint. She was the same girl I used to know with hidden depths—depths I was desperate to explore.
“This is nice,” she said, taking a sip of her wine, and I wanted to taste it from her lips rather than my glass.
I smiled conspiratorially. “We should enjoy this. We only have a few more seconds before Cammie asks us to play.”
Brooke laughed. Whatever stress she was holding on to when she arrived melted away in front of me. Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes crinkled with mirth.
She crossed one leg over the other, and I was entranced with her long legs, the ease with which she slid a strand of hair out of her face.
I wanted to touch her. I wanted to taste her.
“You’d better eat, then,” Brooke chided softly, gesturing her fork toward my plate.
“It’s hard to eat when I’m in such good company with a beautiful woman.”
Her cheeks flushed even more. “You don’t mean that.”
“I have no business wanting you, not when our shops are in direct competition, not with our history, but I do.”
Her eyes widened just as the sliding glass door opened.
