“Do I look as twisted up as I feel?” He huffed and pulled her in for a hug. “Yes, I’m okay.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “Can I take a rain-check on dinner tonight? I need to talk to Becca about something.”
She kissed him on the mouth. “Of course. Was that all you wanted?”
Not at all. “I have twenty-three minutes.” His fingers tangled with hers, bringing her hand to his chest. “I thought we could spent at least seventeen of them making out.”
* * *
By four in the afternoon,Kerry was done with her day. And hungry, because her lunch had been abandoned for something even better than a salad. Since she was suddenly on her own for dinner, she headed to Mac’s. Apparently late afternoon was the time to come. The parking lot was nearly empty and inside she had her pick of booths.
In the corner was Adam Kincaid, brooding over a cup of coffee. The twisted look on his face reminded her of his oldest brother, and her heart softened.
“Do you want some company?”
He glanced up, ever so quick, then glared back at his coffee. This wasn’t like him, at least not any version of Adam she’d ever seen before.
“Sorry for interrupting.”
But before she could step back, he jerked his head up again. “No, stay.” He dragged in a long, sobering breath. “I’d love company.”
She slid into the opposite side of the booth and grabbed a menu. “Can I ask what has you all out of sorts?”
“Can I swear you to secrecy?”
That made her pause. Could he? “Secret from whom?”
“My brother.” Adam held her gaze. It was a knowing look, but also an understanding one. It wasn’t a secret that she was seeing Owen.
Just how tender her heart was towards him, though…that might be a secret still. But if she read between the lines correctly, it was one Adam had her number on. She took a deep breath. “It depends. Is it about Becca?”
Adam shook his head vigorously. “Hell no.”
“What’s going on?”
He shoved a folded piece of paper across the table at her. When she opened it, it took her a minute to process what she was reading. “You’ve been accepted into an accelerated fire school program?”
“It starts in January. I applied late, and was sure I was way down the waiting list. But…” He wiped his hand across his mouth, then gave a shrug, his expression incredulous. “I guess I got lucky.”
“Adam, this is great.” She set the letter down and looked at him, really looked at him. “Isn’t it great? Does Owen not know that you applied?”
He made a face. “No. He knows I want it, though. But I didn’t think I’d get in until next year, and now suddenly it’s around the corner, and…”
“Ah.” She wasn’t sure she should get involved in Kincaid business. The old Kerry wouldn’t have. But if this was yet another thing Owen would be dealing with, she wanted to know. “Are you going to tell him soon?”
“As soon as I work up the courage.” He slid the menu over to her, ending that part of the conversation. “I’ve already ordered.”
She flipped it open, but her thoughts were stuck on all the different worries Owen had to juggle. It was a minor miracle they’d had so much time together in the last week, but that wouldn’t be standard.
I miss you during the day. He’d said it, but she was thinking it at the same time. He’d stirred up feelings she didn’t know she was capable of having. This fling was already deeper and more intense than she usually allowed her dating life to get, and it had happened in such a short time—if you didn’t count the months of longing when he’d been off-limits and grumpy.
Maybe she needed to shift her perspective on the start and end dates of their relationship. It wasn’t like they started at zero when he asked her out. That had been a culmination in and of itself—taking their relationship to the next level, a healthier, happier one to be sure.
“Do you know what you want?”
Kerry snapped the menu closed. Not only did she not know what she wanted, she was terrified to look at that question too closely just in case she didn’t like the answer. But the waitress wasn’t talking about Owen. Food—she needed an answer about food. “What’s the soup of the day?” Kerry asked, trying to buy some time and play it cool.
“Tomato bisque.”
“I’ll take a cheeseburger—Swiss cheese, please—and a Greek salad on the side.”
