Whether she was here for the summer or not, I still didn’t think starting anything up with her was a good idea. It annoyed me how I still couldn’t shake the remnants of the worst moments of my divorce or the bitterness buried so deep inside that it seemed like a permanent part of me now.
But I could take a beautiful woman to the supermarket and allow myself an hour or two before I had to convince myself that I wasn’t supposed to enjoy it.
6
CLAUDIA
Okay,this was ridiculous.
In between sneaking glances at Jude as he drove, I tried to remember the last time anyone had made me nervous. Well, maybe not nervous, but definitely anxious. Other than when Jude had pulled me over, I couldn’t recall anything before it—at least not in my adult life. Maybe that was still it. He would always be the cop pulling me over for doing something wrong, so anytime I’d be in his presence, I’d always feel somehow on the spot.
When I let my gaze linger on him as his strong fingers flexed on the steering wheel, I was sucked into the masculine beauty of his profile. Jude could’ve been on a magazine or on one of the covers of the books Peyton had gotten me into. He had a strong jaw with a delicious, cropped layer of stubble, bottomless blue eyes, and the most gorgeous smile I’d ever seen for the three glorious seconds he’d shown it to me.
He was a picture-perfect mystery that I couldn’t figure out, but I had the burning need to keep trying, if for no other reason than to get him to smile again.
I was so fixated on him and why he was giving me a ride in the first place, I was surprised when we pulled into the gravel-covered parking lot behind the market. I’d never had any issue making conversation, but I hadn’t said a word to him after he’d asked me to call him Jude.
“Well, that was quick,” I chirped, shooting Jude a grin before I stepped out of the cab. “Like I said, I’ll only be a minute.”
“Take your time,” he said, not looking up from where he was texting on his phone. His brows furrowed until something on the screen made him shake his head.
“Everything okay?” I asked, keeping my distance so as not to be tempted to glance over his shoulder to see who he might’ve been texting.
I shouldn’t have been so interested in a text message that was none of my business by a man I barely knew. Was it a woman? Peyton said he’d had a bad divorce but never mentioned if he was seeing someone. He didn’t seem like the type of guy who would offer a woman a ride if he was taken, but this was just a ride. We were two people heading to the same place, not on a date. I rolled my eyes at myself as I smoothed the edge of my sundress.
I shouldn’t be reading so much into a polite gesture. Jude intrigued me, but at the same time, I was afraid to push and press my luck. Poking into things that didn’t concern me was not only natural to me, it was a favorite pastime. I had been having fun in my attempts to goad Jude in the yard, but I needed to tread lightly or he’d avoid me altogether.
Why did the thought of that sting?
“Checking on my father and asking him if he wanted anything else besides what I told him was on the list.”
“Is he okay?” I asked.
Jude nodded and let out a long sigh.
“He said to make sure I took my time, so I assume so.”
I couldn’t help the laugh slipping out of me. Jude’s mouth tilted into an almost crooked smile.
“He’s not wrong. The both of us need space. He wants to move into the assisted-living facility in town, but he needs to be better on his feet before he can do that,” he told me as he shoved his phone into his pocket.
“Listen, about the park, I’m sorry if I offended you or made you uncomfortable.”
I squinted at him. “Did I look offended and uncomfortable? I told you, it was fun and I didn’t mind. Mary always gives Peyton and me these looks of disdain when she sees us.”
“Does she?” Jude cocked a brow at me. “For what?”
“I think she’s mad at Peyton for ending up with Jake, and now I’m driving down the back roads withyou.” I batted my eyelashes. “She thinks we’re corrupting the whole town, and it’s pretty cool to think about.”
“Well, be that as it may,” he said, a tiny smile ghosting across his mouth, “I shouldn’t have pushed you into that without asking. It’s not only Mary’s daughter. Everyone seems to want to save me from being single and…” He trailed off, raking a hand through his gorgeous dark hair that somehow looked even better after he messed it up.
“You don’t want to be saved. Well,” I said, lifting a shoulder, “I don’t know when I’m leaving, but I can help you out when you need it.”
“Help me?” He squinted at me. “Claudia, it’s nice of you to say that, but I can’t make you—”
“You’re not making me. I’m offering. What’s the big deal?”
Other than that pretending with Jude would only make me more attracted to him and he’d just told me he was off-limits? Not a big deal at all.
