But that wasn't unusual around Ruth.
She was constantly making him a little breathless.
Ruth leaned in, bumping her shoulder against his arm. "Katie and I will protect you from all the smiling."
He raised a brow at that, and Katie thought his resulting expression was hilarious. She laughed behind her hand trying to hide it, but instead of silent laughter she snorted, loud enough to turn a few heads even with the bouncy music coming through the speakers.
"Katie?" He tried to be stern with his daughter, but it was a losing battle.
The moment Ruth started to laugh, he had to fight off the unexpected need to laugh, too.
He fought it.
But he lost.
He was wiping away tears at some point, but he was making a mess of it using his fingers and then the back of his hand.
It wasn't until he felt something touch his face that his laughter started to ease.
"Here, let me help." Ruth's soothing voice met his ears, and he felt her gently touch on his face. Fine cotton.
He let out a breath and opened his eyes, smiling at Ruth dried the tears on his cheeks with a handkerchief.
When she was done, she lifted her hand away, but he caught it quickly on his own.
Her eyes widened with surprise, and he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her fingertips.
Ruth seemed to have been stunned into silence.
His daughter?
Not so much.
Katie groaned out loud. "Dad," she sighed, "you're putting all the other guys in here to shame."
Nick turned to look at his daughter and watched as she twirled her hand in the air and touched the back of her hand to her forehead.
"The romance! It's so sweet!"
Ruth started to pull her hand free, but he held on.
"Nick..."
The look she gave him said she was at least mildly embarrassed, but she was smiling, too.
And that smile reached her eyes.
Those beautiful eyes.
Nick leaned in and whispered to her. "Do you want me to let go of your hand? I will, if you want me to."
Ruth looked over at Katie and he did, too.
His daughter was poring over the menu, her eyes wide and her stomach growling.
She wasn't paying any attention to them.
Ruth turned her focus back to him and her smile lit up her face.
