By the time I got off the phone with Bee, I was ninety-eight percent sure that rumors would be flying about Vanessa and me within minutes. There was no pulling one over on that damn old woman even if I tried.
The percentage went to one hundred when I answered the door and saw Jo––Bee's granddaughter––on the other side.
"So"—Jo rocked back on her heels—"you and Vanessa, huh?"
I gave her my sternest look, but it didn't seem to phase Jo one bit.
"I'm only here because of what happened."
Gossip in this town ran rampant, so I didn't have to explain what I meant by that.
"So you say, but we all see the way you look at her." Jo gave me a cheeky grin.
I snapped my head back like she had slapped me. "What the hell does that mean?"
I thought for sure I had kept my feelings for Vanessa under wraps. I didn't think even the guys at my company, except for Aaron, had any idea I looked at her that way.
"Oh come on. A woman as gorgeous as Vanessa, how couldn't you take notice."
"Of course I know how beautiful she is, but that doesn't mean anything."
Lies. It was all lies.
"Oh please. You look at her like you want her to be your next meal. Always have."
What the fuck?!
I did not.
Wait? Did I?
Shit, I didn't have time to overthink this. I needed the damn food.
"I think you're seeing things."
"And I think you have the case of the denials, but what do I know. I'm just a lowly server who sees too much."
She did see too much, but that was a topic for another day.
"Can I have my meal now before it gets cold?"
Jo gave me another cheeky grin. "Sure thing." She handed over the bag, but if I thought that was the end of the discussion, I was sadly mistaken. "Maybe next time, it will be Vanessa you eat."
Jo turned around and pranced down the steps with a chuckle following in her wake. I didn't even have a good comeback to that, so I kept my mouth shut.
I closed the door with a loud click and nearly jumped out of my skin when Vanessa spoke, "Was that Jo from the diner?"
I had been so focused on the conversation with Jo that I hadn't heard Vanessa approach, and that was unlike me.
I spun around and found Vanessa standing a few feet away from me twisting her hands in front of her. I hoped like hell she hadn't heard what Jo said. Otherwise I might die from embarrassment, and that was saying something since normally it took a lot to embarrass me. "It was. I ordered us some food since there weren't many options in the kitchen."
"Yeah, I forgot to get a delivery from Ivan this week."
"That's okay. I wasn't sure what you wanted from the diner, so I asked Bee, and she assured me you would love the surprise she sent over."
Vanessa smiled. "Bee spoils me."
I was beginning to see everyone in town spoiled her. She seemed to have that effect on everyone, including myself.
