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“Ha!” he exclaims, and I jump at the sudden laugh. “A hundred and two. Can you believe it?”
I totally can. “No, I can’t.”
“The secret is to eat well and exercise,” he tells me conspiratorially, as if he’s giving me the answer to all the secrets of the universe. “And to make love often.”
I choke on my water as I burst out laughing. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Let’s not scare Sophie off on her first day, Mr. Wilson,” Allie says, amusement in her tone.
“Oh, bah!” he yells with a wave of his hand. “She’s a grown woman, isn’t she? Lovemaking is a wonderful part of life; nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Alright, that’s probably enough,” she says with a smile. “Would you like some more coffee?”
“Of course, I do. What a silly question.”
The restof the day goes by in a flurry. I meet so many new people that I’m having a hard time remembering their names. But I’m actually enjoying myself. I wasn’t so sure I would. Right before I’m supposed to leave for the day, Pauline finds me and Allie.
“So,” she begins, “everything go okay today?”
“I think so,” I tell her.I hope so.
“She’s been great,” Allie says. “The residents love her already.”
“Oh, I’m so glad!” Pauline cheers and pats me on the shoulder. “I hope you’ll like it here, Sophie. I think it’s very important that my staff members are happy, so don’t hesitate to come to me if there are any issues.”
I nod. “I will. Thank you.”
I’m over the moon as I head back to my place from the seniors’ home, pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed myself. I decide to reward myself with some coffee on my way home from work. Not that I don’t have to worry about money, but I figure I can afford such a small luxury. I get my latte and am just about to head back outside when I freeze. Tanner is right outside the door!
And he’s looking at me.
CHAPTER 14
Ialmost consider not going outside, but that’s just ridiculous. We both live in this small town; we were bound to run into each other at some point. I take a deep breath, then I put a smile on my face as I step outside.
“Tanner,” I say his name, keeping my tone light. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” he says back, and I can smell his cologne with how close we’re standing. Ugh, I had almost forgotten how gorgeous he is. “How have you been?” he asks.
“Oh, great! I actually got a new job,” I tell him. “First day today.”
“Really?” He actually looks happy for me. “What’s the job?”
“Caregiver over at the North Pole Home for Seniors,” I say. “Maybe not the most glamorous job, but…” I stop myself. Why am I putting down the job I actually really like? “But as you said, things don’t always have to be glamorous to be enjoyed.”
“Right.” He hesitates, and then he continues. “You want to talk for a bit? I’d love to catch up.”
I probably shouldn’t. “Okay, sure.”
“Just let me get a coffee, and we can take a walk or something.”
My heart is racing when he goes into the coffee shop. I can’t believe I’ve run into him like this. He looks so good, and I hope I don’t look too rough after my day at the seniors’ home. Not that it matters, anyway; we’re not together anymore. I can look as rough as I want.
He comes back outside after just a few minutes, and we start walking down the street. There are people everywhere, mostly tourists who have come to the North Pole for the holiday. There’s Christmas music coming from the different shops, and the ground is covered with snow. It’s beautiful, I have to admit.
Tanner glances over at me, and our eyes meet for a second. He smiles as I look away again.
“So,” Tanner says, “I’ve seen you online.”
