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That afternoon,Kat was searching the kitchen fridge for a snack when footsteps heralded Tione’s arrival.
“There’s a mini bacon and egg pie in the warmer beneath the oven,” he said.
She immediately headed over to collect it. “You’re a lifesaver.” She took a bite. The pie was warm and hearty and filling. “Everything set for dinner?”
“As much as it can be.” He backed her to the counter, resting his palms on either side of her body, and stared down into her eyes. If another man had done this, she might think it was a come-on, but this was just Tione trying to figure out what was going on in her head. Good luck to him. She didn’t know herself. “Are you sure you’ll be all right if I leave for the evening? I don’t mind hanging around to keep you company.”
“I’ll be okay,” she replied with a half-hearted laugh. “Go and swindle Logan’s money out of him.”
“Yeah, about that.” He moved away and looked uncomfortable. “I think I’ll be the one getting swindled. Logan invited the city boy to join poker night on a regular basis.”
Kat pressed her lips together and stared at a dirty spot on the wall over his shoulder. Why did everyone insist on telling her about Sterling freaking Knight?
“You all good?” he asked, cautious.
“Fine,” she bit out.
“Uh-oh.”
“No, really.” She dialed the intensity back. “Good for you. Maybe you’ll be conned out of some of that stash of money you keep in the bank.”
His eyes glinted. “Dream on, Hopa. You’re just jealous you’re not invited.”
She sauntered to the door. “I wouldn’t want to come anyway.”
Especially not now that Sterling would be there. That didn’t stop her palms from sweating or her heart from pounding more violently than a jackhammer at the realization that Sterling really wasn’t going anywhere.
He was here to stay.
* * *
For the secondFriday in a row, Sterling sat around a table with Logan, Tione, Jack and Shane. Logan’s younger brother Kyle had also joined them. He wondered if this was how it would be for the foreseeable future, ending every week with a friendly game of poker before walking the short distance to his new home. He’d rented a place beside The Refuge, which was the quirky name for the retirement community, and he’d learned it was also the base of operations for the Bridge Club.
“This week, I’m the only one who refills my glass,” he said, eyeballing the other men.
Shane had the grace to look guilty. Tione, Logan and Jack just exchanged conspiratorial grins.
“Don’t tell me Logan pulled his usual trick on you,” Kyle said.
“If by that you mean my smooth induction of newbies into the bachelor’s club of Haven Bay, yes,” Logan replied. “Yes, I did.”
“And I missed it?” Kyle sighed and ran a hand over his golden buzz cut. “Damn.”
Jack shuffled the cards, cut the deck, and dealt. Shane and Sterling ponied up the big and little blinds, and the first hand started.
“How’s the website coming along?” Logan asked, referring to the site Kyle had been designing, with Sterling’s guidance, for the better part of the day. It turned out that in addition to being the local librarian, Kyle had a background in IT. The two of them had been working together at the library, with brief interruptions when customers needed assistance.
“It’s looking great,” Sterling told him. “Kyle is better than some of the pros I’ve worked with.”
Kyle’s cheeks reddened. Sterling had already discovered that the librarian, though built like a tank with a military-style haircut, was shy and didn’t like attention.
“He has his moments,” Jack agreed. “He did my website as well, although it’ll need an update once you’ve finished overhauling my business plan.”
Kyle turned even redder. “I’m happy to help, but you guys do remember that Tione actually is a web designer, right?”
Tione grunted. “Not anymore. Been there, done that, not going back. You’re it, I’m afraid.”
Sterling’s curiosity piqued. “If you’re a qualified web designer, why do you work as a cook?”
