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"Can I get you some water or anything else?"
"No. No. I'm okay… Thank you."
He studies me for a moment. "Change of plans," he announces.
"You're ending the date?" I say meekly, only half kidding.
"Not on your life." He pulls out his cell phone. "But I am bringing the pancakes to us."
* * *
Half an hour later, my tiny dining table is covered by what I'm pretty sure is every variety of pancake the Pancake Pantry sells.
I've fully recovered, thankfully.
I don't know why I got faint, but after excusing myself to splash some water on my face and do some circular breathing to calm down, I feel a lot better.
So despite the less-than-stellar start—which was entirely my fault—the date is actually going pretty well.
I think.
So, uh, this could be my first date.
Okay, it totallyismy first date, so all I'm going by is the fact that Branum is still here. He could've split after I nearly blacked out, but instead he ordered a truckload of food, and now we're sitting here, eating and talking.
That counts as a good date, right?
"What made you come to Thickehead?" Branum asks, opening another container of pancakes. The man has an appetite.
"I like small towns," I tell him. "I got the job in the library before I arrived, so I thought I'd give it six months to see if I like it."
"How long have you been here?"
"Almost two months."
"And your verdict? Do you like it?… Are you going to stay?"
Heat swirls in his eyes, and I like it… It almost feels like he wants me to stay. Unless I'm imagining it because that's what I'dliketo believe.
"I think I will," I answer, cutting into my blueberry pancake. "It's not a bad place, despite the badly signed hiking trails that lead unsuspecting people onto private property."
Branum smiles as he chews. "I'll let the ranger know."
"What about you? Have you always lived here?"
"No. My dad and my brothers, we moved around a lot. This was one of many places we briefly passed through. But I liked it so much I came back."
"You own the timber yard, don't you?"
He chuckles. "God, this really is a small town. I do." Then he directs his gleaming eyes at me. "And you're into birdwatching?"
I almost choke on my pancake. "How do you know that?"
"Small town. You remember a guy called Eddie?"
"Of course. I ran into him when I got here. Nice guy."
"He is. He's also dating my brother. When I told them I'd be spending more time at the library, Eddie mentioned he suggested the hiking trail near my place to you."
