Her cheeks flush and she lowers her gaze.
“God, I’m so bad at this.” She drops her burger onto the plate. “I’m totally dominating the conversation. What about you? What’s your favorite color?”
“I’m a sucker for the clear, bright blue of a mid-summer sky. The kind that’s so captivating you can’t tear your eyes away from it, and you wouldn’t want to, even if you could, because it makes you so damn happy.”
If she realizes I’m describing her eyes, she doesn’t let it show.
“Well, that was oddly specific. Let’s see…”
She sweeps her tongue across her lower lip and my cock stiffens.
Christ.
The hold this woman has on me should be illegal.
“I already know you’re shit at dancing, football is a means to an end, and you don’t play favorites with the farm animals, at least not that you’ll admit.” She shoots me the side-eye and I smirk because we both know I have favorites. “What else are you passionate about? "
The obvious answer is sitting directly across from me, but since admitting it would likely have her calling for the check, I go with the safe answer.
“Willow Bend. The farm has been in my family for five generations and it’s my life. I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else after graduation. Hell, if my mom and grandmother hadn’t insisted on higher education, I’d be at home right now working the land with them.”
Of course, then I never would’ve met Piper, so maybe they had the right idea after all.
She nods slowly. “So it’s just the three of you?”
“Yeah.” I shove my plate away. “My grandfather was killed in a farming accident when I was twelve, so it’s just been me, mom and Gran for the last ten years.”
“Oh, Brady.” Her eyes soften, and she reaches for my hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was tough at first.” Talking about my grandfather never gets easier. Pops was the only father I’ve ever known, and he taught me everything I know about being a good man. “Farming is a challenging business in the best of times and stepping into his shoes wasn’t easy, but I’ve done everything I can to lighten the load for my mom and Gran.”
For all the good it’s done lately.
“I’m sure they appreciate it, but you were just a boy. They couldn’t expect that of you.”
“No, I’m sure they didn’t, but Pops did. He was old fashioned that way.” If I close my eyes, I can still see his pale, sweaty face as he whispered his last words. “He told me to take care of them, and that’s what I’ve done.”
The look of pity on her face is a gut punch, but I can’t bring myself to regret sharing this piece of myself.
A half-smile lights Piper’s face. “I suppose that explains your protective nature.”
“I suppose it does, which reminds me…” I slide my placemat out from under my plate. It’s a thin sheet of ivory paper featuring the brewery’s logo and homemade brews in black print. “I didn’t have time to stop after class, but I promised my grandmother I’d bring you flowers.”
“Oh, you didn’t—”
“I know I didn’t have to,” I say, folding the placemat in half. “But it’s tradition.”
She watches in silence as I deftly transform the sheet of paper with only my memory to guide me.
When I’m done, I offer it to her. “A lily just for you, Piper Lilian Reynolds.”
“This is amazing!” Her eyes go wide and she laughs as she accepts the paper flower. “How did you do that?”
“There weren’t any other kids around to play with while I was growing up, so I taught myself origami.” I grin, recalling the long hours and endless papercuts it took to master the basic shapes. “If you ever need paper animals for your classroom, I’m your guy.”
Piper tips her head back and laughs, revealing the long column of her throat. “You, Brady Vaughn, are full of surprises.”
“Darlin’, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
