Abbie grinned.“You should just ask her.I bet she’ll say yes.From what I hear, everyone who works for her takes turns asking for a night off whenever Clay’s singing.”
“I’ll see,” said Savannah.
Jake was glad that Abbie didn’t push.Instead, she leaned in to hug Savannah.When she stepped back, she said, “Right.I’m not trying to take over – promise.I hope you’ll come, but if you don’t, you guys will have to come over to hang out one Sunday afternoon soon, how about that?Elle and Donovan usually come, some of the others do as well.You two are welcome.”
Ivan turned to Jake.“Yeah, you should come.I’ll give you a call.”
And on that note, Abbie said, “We’ll stop holding you up.Have a great day.”
He and Savannah laughed at the way she took hold of Ivan’s hand and dragged him away.Ivan looked back at them with a smile.
“You’d think I was the one who’d held you up.”
“It’s okay,” Savannah reassured him.“I know what she’s like.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders again as they continued to the café.
“Would you even want to go watch Clay sing?”she asked.
“Hell yeah!”He gave her a puzzled look.“Does that question mean we’ve never talked about music?”
She nodded slowly, looking thoughtful.“I guess it does.I can’t say that I know what kind of music you like.”
“There’s not much I don’t like, but since I moved here, I’m country all the way – it’s hard not to be.”
She grinned.“It is, isn’t it?I mean, I like other stuff too, but…” She shrugged.“Country’s my favorite.And Clay’s…”
He gave her a mock stern look.“Are you going to tell me you’re like most of the female population around here and have a crush on him?”
Her cheeks turned pink as she laughed.“I won’t deny it.He might be older, but yeah.”She shrugged.“He’s a good-looking guy.”
“So I hear.”
He laughed when she dug her fingers into his side.
“You’re not jealous, are you?”
“Maybe a little.Although at this rate, I feel like I should reassure you that I’m not a jealous guy in general.”
She gave him a puzzled look.
“I’ve already joked about being envious of your Camaro; now there’s Clay.I feel like I’m not painting myself in the best light here.”
She laughed.“Oh, it’s okay.I know you’re only joking.”
“I am, but…” He had to be careful how he worded it, but he needed to add, “I’m not jealous.I’m not possessive, I don’t think — at least not in any kind of overbearing way.But I am…” His throat went dry when she looked up at him.“I’m…” How the hell to say it without making it sound …?“I think what I’m trying to say is that I’m a one-woman kind of man.And I hope that you’re a one-man kind of woman.”
He felt himself exhale when she grinned.“Honestly?I haven’t been an any-man kind of woman for the longest time, but… but if you’re saying that if we start seeing each other, you want it to be exclusive, then yeah, I agree.Me too.”
He grinned back at her.“Awesome.”
They’d reached the café now, and he held the door open for her to go in ahead of him.It hadn’t occurred to him to ask her about being exclusive, because as far as he was concerned, there was no point otherwise.But he loved that she’d brought it up and made clear where she stood – especially since she stood right in the same place he did.
~ ~ ~
Once they were seated in a booth in the back of the café, Savannah peeked at Jake while he studied the menu.He was such a great guy.She’d thought he was hot from the second she first saw him, but it was more than that.Sure, he was good-looking, but that didn’t account for much as far as she was concerned.
Rick had been handsome too—charming, even—but he was a despicable human being.She gave a little shudder.She wasn’t going to let thoughts of him steal a second of her time with Jake.
