“You must be in shock,” Mauve said, glancing up at the server as she set their glasses of wine on the table.
They ordered their meals. They almost always got the same thing. Soup of the day and a side salad for Reese. A burger for Mauve. The girl could eat like a teenage boy and never gain an ounce of weight. Really, if she weren’t so sweet, she would be easy to dislike.
“Did he say why he was home?” Mauve asked.
Reese took a sip of wine. “No, actually. But I did a little digging.”
“And?” Mauve raised her eyebrows.
“I found an article on line about him. He had a really bad accident doing a stunt. Apparently, he almost died. Forced him into retirement.”
“Interesting. Given how he left, I wouldn’t have guessed he’d come back here.”
“His mother had a house on the Hayes family property,” Reese said. “Maybe he’s going to live there. I don’t know. All I know is, in some kind of cruel twist of fate, he’s back. The man who ran away from me I will now see every day.”
“Maybe you’ll finally get to ask him what the heck happened.”
“I doubt he’ll tell me what really went on in that head of his. He wasn’t exactly communicative.”
“His mother dying so unexpectedly had to be hard.” She raised her hands. “Not that I’m trying to defend him.”
“I know it was hard for him, but that didn’t give him an excuse to treat me as he—” Reese stopped mid-sentence, her stomach lurching. Roan Hayes had just stepped into The Moose, wearing jeans that fit him just right and a black turtleneck sweater that clung to every muscle of his ridiculously muscular chest. “It’s him,” Reese said under her breath. “Don’t turn around. He’s coming this way.”
Mauve’s eyes widened but she kept her cool. Reese, on the other hand, had started sweating and she felt almost sick. Why? Why now? After all this time?
He sauntered over to their table, hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Hey again, Reese.”
She mumbled a reply, not able to meet his eyes.
“I’m Roan Hayes,” he said to Mauve. “An old friend of Reese’s.”
“Oh, I know who you are.” Mauve introduced herself. “A current friend of Reese’s.”
An old friend? The nerve of this man, acting like it had been a casual high school crush instead of the all-consuming lovethat had crushed her heart. That had been her mistake. She’d thought he’d felt the same way. What a fool she’d been.
“Nice to meet you,” Roan said to Mauve. “You didn’t grow up here, right?”
“No, Reese and I met in New York.” Mauve gave him a tight smile. “I fell in love with Sugarville Grove while visiting Reese and moved here after my no-good husband cheated with our next door neighbor.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your no-good husband,” Roan said. “His loss, I’m sure.”
Mauve’s mouth twitched as if she wanted to smile, but she was too loyal to Reese for that. “You’re right about that. Anyway, I love it here.”
“The place has endless charm,” Roan said. “I’d forgotten how much it looks like a movie set here during the holidays.” He glanced at Reese just as she glanced up at him. Their eyes caught for a moment before she returned her gaze toward her wine glass.
“Yes, well, our dinner’s coming soon,” Reese said. “Enjoy your evening.”
“Sure thing. Nice to meet you, Mauve,” Roan said.
“You too,” Mauve said politely but with a tinge of coldness in her tone.
“See you around,” Roan said, before heading toward a spot at the bar.
“This is how it’s going to be now,” Reese said, wanting to cry. “He’ll be everywhere.”
“This town suddenly feels way too small,” Mauve said. “But who cares about him? He’s just someone from your past. No big deal.”
Even though neither of them believed that for a second, Reese nodded. “Sure. No big deal.”
