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“Fair enough.”
“Can I get you anything else?”
“Can I also get an apple cinnamon scone and one of those fancy lattes Jade always orders?”
“Sucking up to Jade?”
“Is it that obvious?” I chuckle, reaching into my back pocket for my wallet.
“Only to someone who knows you and your daughter very well.”
“That would be you and everyone else in town.”
Living in a small town has its perks. Everyone is there for each other when you need them. Katie and her parents moved in next door to us when Jade was five or six years old, and she was the perfect age for babysitting. Although I never went out on dates, I had the occasional business dinner or late night at the office. Katie was a great option when last-minute things came up. Living next door made it easier for her and Jade to spend timetogether, and I never had to worry about there not being someone right there if something happened. It was a win-win for both of us.
“By the way, her name is Audrey. She just moved here from Texas with her daughter to help Bristol at the yoga studio,” Katie says, her eyes shifting toward the woman before a sly smile spreads across her face.
“Who?”
“The woman sitting in the corner that you haven’t stopped staring at since you walked in here.”
“Was I that obvious?” I chuckle, gripping the back of my neck in embarrassment.
“Only to someone who’s paying attention,” Katie replies, placing the two drinks into a carrier and sliding it across the counter before handing me a bag with Jade’s treat inside. “You should go talk to her.”
“I don’t date.”
“Who said anything about a date? Everyone needs friends.”
“Friends? Maybe,” I respond quickly and grab my purchases, turning on my heels to head toward the door.
I focus on the door, needing to get out of here as quickly as possible and far away from this mystery woman and all the emotions her appearance has stirred up inside me. Instead, I take a hard left and head toward her. It’s as if I’m moving on autopilot, having no idea how I made it to the opposite side of the café without making a complete fool of myself.
I stop just short of colliding with her table, standingthere, waiting for her to look up at me, but her eyes are focused on her phone. My stomach knots as my palms sweat, wondering what the hell I’m doing here. I haven’t had a conversation with a member of the opposite sex, who wasn’t a friend or family member, since Lydia passed. Am I supposed to get her phone number or ask Bristol for information about her before even trying to talk to her? I have no idea what I’m doing, but instead of turning around and heading out the door, I clear my throat, hoping to get her attention.
“Hello.” She smiles brightly, a dimple appearing on her right cheek.
My brain seems to cease all function the moment our eyes meet. She’s even more beautiful up close. She looks to be around my age, evident by the way her brown skin crinkles around her eyes, her curly hair lands just below her shoulder blades, with hints of gold and red shimmering in the sunlight that is coming through the window beside her, and a nice pair of slightly pink, pouty lips call to me. I stand transfixed by her beauty, unable to find a way to stop her from leaving. Every part of my being wants to be near her, yearning to hear the sound of her voice.
I open and close my mouth a few times, trying to find my voice, before I finally manage to greet her properly.
“Hi,” I choke out. The gravelly sound of my voice has me clearing my throat. “I noticed you sitting here all alone and was wondering if you’d like some company?”
What the hell?This woman knows nothing aboutme, and here I am, throwing myself at her like a hormonal teenage boy. I swallow hard, unable to tear my eyes away from her as her smile slowly begins to fade.
“Umm, that’s nice of you, but I really should get going.” Her eyebrows pull down in concern as she grabs her bag from the chair beside her and pushes back from the table.
She has every right to be wary of me. Hell, if Jade was in this situation, I’d tell her to run, not walk, in the other direction and never look back. I should give her some space, but it’s as if we are two magnets being drawn closer to each other. There’s just something about her that makes me want to say something to reassure her that I mean no harm.
“I’m not a creep. I noticed you sitting here the moment I walked into the café, and I haven’t been able to stop looking at you. I know it sounds weird, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave here without saying hello.”
My hand tightens around the drink carrier, worried that she’s going to walk away without saying another word, but she does the exact opposite.
“How sweet.” Her cheeks pink slightly as she flashes me a shy smile. “My name is Audrey Wilde. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she whispers softly, her caramel-colored eyes locking with mine.
“Hello, Audrey.” I place the bag and coffee on the table before reaching out my hand toward her. “I’m Connor Bennett. And the pleasure is all mine.”
She places her hand gently in mine. As soon as ourskin connects, an electric current sizzles up my arm. Her eyes widen in surprise as she pulls her lip between her teeth before dropping her head downward. The spot over my heart aches at the thought of not being able to catch another glimpse of her beautiful eyes. My hand moves on its own, resting my finger below her chin and forcing her to look at me a second time.
