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“I have excellent hearing, a near-perfect memory, and you and my brothers talked markets and investments as often as you talked sports, racing and girls.”
“Oh.” His gaze dropped to the silverware on the table and she was pretty sure he actually blushed at her voicing out loud her knowledge of her brother and his escapades with the female of the species. “Yes, I’m still in finance.”
The buzzer on the oven sounded and she pulled the lasagna out and carried it over to the trivet on the table. A few moments more and their dinner was served. Seated across the table from him, she couldn’t decide if she was disappointed or grateful for the distance.
Lifting her wine glass, she touched it to his. “To lasagna.”
His glass clinked against hers. “To chance encounters.”
Yes, she thought. Thank heaven for the fates.
“This is amazing.” Jack gazed up at her as strings of mozzarella dangled from his fork. “Even Hazel’s lasagna can’t beat this. I can’t imagine the long version.”
“I’ll have to make it for you some day when there’s more time.”
“I’d like that.” His smile softened, his fork stilled and his gaze tore through her like a heated bolt of lightening.
“Thank you.” Breaking the hold his gaze had on her, she looked down at her fork, carefully stabbing at a morsel of dinner. “I noticed a park around the corner. I think I’ve got some nice contrast shots with the city photos– but the park struck me as having lots of possibilities for capturing something more. Tomorrow I was thinking of going there and taking a few photos.” She dared to meet his gaze again. “Care to join me?”
“I’d love to.”
The smile that took over her face matched the bright grin Jack flashed at her. She had no idea why she’d invited him. Until she’d opened her mouth, she hadn’t even remembered the park or thought of taking pictures. Now she needed every ounce of decorum she possessed not to jump to her feet and hug him, beyond delighted that he wanted to spend more time with her. Not eat her cooking, not help out the baby sister of the family, but just be with her. How cool was that?
Chapter Ten
“Squirrel!” Jack’s head snapped to the right, his arm pointing in the same direction.
“You sound like that dog from the kid’s movie.” Siobhan didn’t try to hide her amusement at Jack’s antics.
Lifting his hands in the air, he flashed a toothy grin and shrugged. “You said you wanted squirrels.”
“I did.” On her belly, camera pointed in the direction Jack had pointed, Siobhan took a picture of a squirrel who’d become curious, holding a nut in his front claws, the little guy—or gal—inched closer and closer to her, stopping only yards away. She snapped away until the sound of the shutter drove the squirrel to run to the nearest tree for safety. “That one was close.”
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen such a curious squirrel.” Jack had sat on the grass only a foot or so away from her. “If you feed them, I bet even more would dare to come closer.”
Siobhan shook her head. “That’s cheating. I like to get the ones who will come closer on their own. Those have the most personality and will do more interesting things. Sometimes.”
“If you say so.” Humor laced his words.
Only now did she realize that he’d remained frozen to allow her the close-up shot before speaking. Considering she’d dragged him out here on a lark, with no plans in mind, he was being a good sport about just hanging with her as she searched out the more interesting photos of city wildlife.
Houston was a big place. Though she was familiar with the surrounding up-and-coming areas in general, this was the first time she’d stumbled across this particular park. She rather liked it. Heavy with woods on one side and a somewhat forgotten playground on the other, in between the park sported a large swath of grass with enough space for kids to play soccer, adults and their dogs to play Frisbee or fetch, and plenty of room to spare.
On her elbows, Siobhan eased herself up, spotting a woman sitting on a mat with her legs crossed, her eyes closed. Rolled-up mats perched beside her in a pyramid.
“Ooh, look.”
Jack’s gaze narrowed as he looked off in the distance. Shaking his head, he turned to her. “More squirrels?”
“Yoga.”
“Yoga?”
“Yep.” She packed away her camera and then smiled up at him. “We should join them. It’ll be fun.”
“Fun?” He chuckled lightly. “For an old lady maybe.”
“Old lady?” She glared at him. “Yoga has excellent health benefits. Lowers stress, builds core strength, keeps you limber.”
