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Delaney held the axe out in front of her body to remind herself exactly where she needed to release it. Right in front. Just the right spot. Like Goldilocks. She always hated that story. What kind of brat sleeps in all the beds and eats all the food in a stranger’s house?
Shaking the thought from her head, she hefted the axe into the air, blew out a slow breath, and threw it. It barely caught the edge of the outer ring, but it landed with that oh-so-satisfying thwack the way James’s two had, and she jumped up and down, pumping her fist in the air.
When she turned back to face him, he was watching her, smiling wide, and her insides melted. In all her years, she’d never had someone look at her in a way that made her melt like that.
“See? Practice!”
She retrieved the axe from the wall and hung it back in its place when the waiter brought their cheese fries and set them between their drinks. Rounding the skinny table, she reclaimed her stool and popped a fry into her mouth with a groan.
“Cheese fries are one of the most underrated foods on the planet.”
“A favorite of yours?” he wondered.
“The best. I basically lived off these in college.” She paused with a fry halfway to her mouth and braced herself for the litany of questions that usually accompanied a statement like that. Questions she wasn’t prepared to answer.
“I never went to college myself,” he said instead. “But there was this diner my cousins and I would go to when Declan finally got his license. They had the best bacon cheeseburgers I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Can’t go wrong with a good bacon cheeseburger.” She chewed the fry slowly, trying to think of a question she could ask that wouldn’t prompt an inquisition into her past. “What made you want to open the pub?”
He smiled, but it was edged with sadness. “Maura always wanted to open one. She used to design menus and floor plans for it in her spare time.”
“How come you never did it when you were married? Sorry, that’s none of my business.”
“No.” He linked his fingers with hers and brought her knuckles to his lips. “It’s a fair question. Truth is, we weren’t married all that long. She was killed the day after our wedding.” When Delaney gasped, James squeezed her fingers. “A freak accident.”
The way he said it made her wonder if there was more to the story, but she didn’t want to pry. It wasn’t her place.
“I bought the building on what would have been our first wedding anniversary.” She nodded. “Yeah, you might know that if you really did google me. It was something they loved to include in all the articles.”
“I think it’s sweet. To remember her that way. Is it…” She bit her lip, unsure how to word her question or if she should even ask it.
“Is it what?”
“Is it weird to have me there? In a place you built to remember her by?”
James cupped the back of her neck and drew her in until their lips were a scant inch apart. “No. It’s not weird.” He kissed her long and deep, teasing his tongue along her upper lip. “I think Maura would have liked you. A lot. Why? Is it weird for you?”
“To be honest, I don’t think about it much.” She grimaced. “That sounded callous.”
“No, it didn’t. You didn’t know her. She and I existed long before I met you.” He took a swig of beer. “What’s the hardest lesson you’ve ever learned?”
“That’s a deep question for a first date.”
He chuckled and swiped a fry through the pile of sour cream on top of the fries. “Would you rather me ask where you grew up or how many brothers or sisters you have or something?”
Absolutely not. She plucked her lower lip with her fingers while she considered his question. The hardest lesson she’d ever learned. She dragged her eyes up to his face.
“People will always show you who they are. It’s best to believe them the first time.”
The silence sat heavily between them, punctuated by the soft thud of axes hitting their targets and cheers from the other lanes as players won and lost their games.
“I don’t know who hurt you, Delaney. But I never will. You’re safe with me.”
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she slid off her stool to stand between his legs, cupping his face in her palms. She didn’t need him to say it out loud to believe it, she believed in actions more than words, but the fact that he would offer it up made her wonder if they really could have the more she’d started to let herself want.
“I know. I couldn’t have stayed if I didn’t believe that deep down. You’re a good man, James Callahan.” Something flashed in his eyes, but he masked it quickly, and she frowned. “Maybe you don’t believe me, but you are. Whatever else might be true about you, you’re good, and that’s what I care about.”
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, sighing when his arms came around her waist and held her close. He made her want to unburden herself, to spill out all of her secrets and see if he would still want her.
