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Daniel huffs. “He lived up to it in more ways than one. The guy is nearly as big as me.”
“And Julia is…”
“About your height. A little smaller.” Daniel’s throat bobs.
The fantasy of Daniel pulling me into his shop and taking me hard against the wall, overpowering my small body with his strong frame, flashes before my eyes.
“Did he give you the impression he’d use his size against her?” The question is meant to bring me back to the issue at hand but all I can think about is Daniel using his size against me. I inch forward just to get a better feel for him to pull from later when I’m alone.
“No. The little time I had with him, he seemed like a respectable young man. But living together? She’s only eighteen.”
Close enough now, I lay my hand on Daniel’s forearm.
A shiver runs up my spine. What would my dad think about Daniel? Me spending time with a man old enough to be my father?
I do know and my response would be the same as Julia’s.I’m an adult. I make my own decisions.
“You’re not going to like this but I think you should let her go.”
“I know. It’s just… I don’t know how.”
What Daniel needs is a good distraction.
I look around the shop. He has an amazing built-in distraction. Normally, I would suggest he throw himself into his work. That isn’t always the best way to handle stress. It usually just replaces the old stress with a new one. At least, that’s what it’s done for me lately. But I’m not sure he views his work as work, the way I do. The way he displays his product, he loves what he does.
My heart twists tightening my chest.
Quit it. You’re here for Daniel, not self-examination.
“How do you get your mind off of things you don’t want to think about?” Daniel asks.
“Bake. Like… A lot.” I could use a few hours with the oven now. Forget the hectic night I had and how much I’m dreading going back to it tomorrow. “I have a deep freeze full of cookies. They make great gifts though. Haven't had to panic about what to bring to a party or family gathering, ever. How about you?”
“Well, I usually throw some clay but I'm already overstocked.”
My cheeks twitch with a smile betting I know why he’s overstocked. I have the freezer full of cookies for the same reason.
Butterflies flutter in my chest imagining him sitting at his wheel trying to forget me and failing. Wondering if his nights have ended with his hand in his pants as many times as my hand has ended up down mine.
I take a slow, deep breath.
I need a distraction worse than ever now.
“But baking sounds nice. Maybe I should try that.”
“You could take some of it to Julia as a peace offering.”
“Too bad I’m probably about as good at baking as I am at making gumbo.”
“I could help.”
“You just got off of work. You’ve been cooking all day. You don’t—”
“Baking is the opposite of work for me.”
We stand in silence for a long moment. So long, I begin to wonder if he isn’t going to take me up on my offer. An offer I shouldn’t have made and he should refuse. But I hope with all my heart he won’t. After the way I behaved the last time I saw him, I was sure I’d never see him again. Even though I’ve come to terms with it, I don’t want to go back to never seeing him again. Not yet.
“Daniel, I’m sorry about the other night. I—”
