“I think you know me better than you think. I knowyoupretty well.”
She arches an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat. “Oh, do you?”
“Yeah, your favorite movie isThe Proposal.Your favorite color is yellow because of the sunflowers you and your mom grow in the little garden behind the big house every year. You’re always cold, but—and you’ll deny this—your favorite food in the world is ice cream.” She bites her lip to stifle her smile, and it stirs up something in my chest. “You constantly put pressure on yourself to be the perfect daughter, the perfect rancher, the perfect everything to everyone, but you’re tired. And while you do a great job of hiding it,Istill see it.”
The smile she was hiding no longer needs to be hidden because it’s long gone. She picks at her crumpled napkin on the table, and silence falls over us.Crap.I definitely crossed a line.
Setting her napkin down, she leans toward me. “Your favorite color is green, and your favorite movie is the originalTop Gun. You’re obsessed with any song by John Michael Montgomery. You have a scar from when you and Charlie built a rope swing along the creek, right here—” She reachesout, setting my body on fire when she traces a finger along my collarbone. “You’d never admit it, but you have a deadly fear of snakes. You’ve always stayed away from committed relationships, which I think stems from some sort of messed-up fear that you’re not good enough to commit, butIsee you, and I can tell you you’re wrong.”
Whoa, she might know me better than I know myself.
I lean back against the booth, crossing my arms. “I’m not afraid of snakes.”
“You totally are! I’ve seen you scream and run like a little girl.”
“Yeah, probably when I was ten.”
“Jax, I didn’t meet you until you were a sophomore in high school.” She giggles.
“You’re a liar.”
“I never lie.”
The waitress brings us the two sundaes we ordered, and Lauren gleefully digs in. I can’t resist sneaking glances at her as she daintily spoons her fudgy chocolate ice cream, closing her eyes as she savors it and lets it melt in her mouth.
Between bites, she says, “You never answered me. Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
My instinct is to deflect. Any time a woman tried to get too personal, that’s what I would do. I’ve never wanted to be close with someone, but this is Lauren. She’s felt familiar since the day I met her, so I do something I’ve never done before. I break the one rule I’ve always had. Only, it doesn’t feel like breaking the rules with Lauren. It feels like I’m finally finding my way.
Chapter Ten
Lauren
I’mcertain Jax is about to close down. He has this look like he wants to run away, but slowly, that look fades. His eyes soften, and he leans toward me.
“Promise not to judge me?”
I nod, too eager to hear what he has to say.
“Not a soul knows this, so you should feel privileged.”
“What is it? Just tell me.”
He holds up a finger. “You can’t laugh.”
“I won’t.” I’m hanging off the edge of the booth now, my elbows resting on the table.
He spoons some ice cream, taking his time with it before he finally admits, “When I’m having a bad day, I like to watchBachelor in Paradise.”
I bite my lip but epically fail at holding in my chuckle.
“You promised you wouldn’t laugh!”
“Actually, I didn’tpromiseanything.”
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, holding up hisspoon. “At least let me explain myself before you judge me too much.”
“I’m not judging at all. I just didn’t expect it from you. Please go ahead and explain. I’d love to hear about why you love the show.”
