He grunted, starving. “It’s been a while for me too. I get so busy with work I usually get something on the way.”
She looked him over. “You shouldn’t get fast food. With that big body, you need real nutrition.”
He gave a mock sigh, not looking at her as he studied the menu. “If only I had someone to cook for me. Or serve me. The way my favorite bartender used to.”
“Ha ha. Laugh it up, but with those big feet, you know you have a lot of belly to fill.”
“Are you saying I have a big stomach?” He patted his abs.
“Oh stop. You know your stomach is like a washboard,” she muttered and shoved her nose in the menu. “It’s like a six-pack and a twelve-pack had a baby and made your abs.”
“Ja.I am so strong, like ox,” he said, his accent deliberately thick.
She snickered.
“This breakfast for us, I’m paying.”
She looked as if she wanted to argue, but he gave her his stern look, the one that said he wasn’t budging. “Fine. You want to pay? Next meal is on me.”
“Deal.” And people thought he wasn’t good with women. He’d just gotten yet another date out of her without trying.
They ordered, and the waiter brought them both coffee. Rena took hers black, which surprised him as he doctored his with cream and sugar. He would have thought someone with a sweet tooth like hers would want something to ease the bitter taste.
She snorted. “Wuss. A real woman drinks her coffee black.”
“Then it’s good I’m not a real woman.”
She crossed her eyes at him. “So how do you do the animal thing?”
“What?”
“You’re an animal charmer. Why don’t you volunteer at shelters or with the vet?”
He sighed. “I like animals, and I’d like to help. But I am so busy with work I have no time.”
“I understand that.” She sighed with him. “I’ve been working my tail off to open my own salon. I’m so happy to have it, but I worry a lot. Stress over bills, over clients, over weird noises in the parking lot.” She grinned. “That dog took years off my life last night. I think he’s the one who ate your gift, by the way. That’s if you gave me caramel corn, which can’t be good for his teeth.”
He frowned. “You went out in the parking lot by yourself last night? Alone?”
“I have pepper spray.”
“It’s not safe.”
“Axel, I—”
“Tonight, I’ll walk you out. When are you done?”
She studied him, and he wondered what she saw. But her smile, when it came, warmed him from the inside out. “You care about me, don’t you?”
Was the woman serious? “Ja,” he said slowly. “Is there some reason you think I do not?”
Her smile widened, taking up her face. “You’re really working on being my valentine, aren’t you?”
Which reminded him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “For you.”
She lit up, a fan of presents as her uncle had mentioned. Axel planned to get her something every day until February 14th.
She opened it up and stared. “Wow. Um. This is great.” She gave him a weird smile. “What is it?”
