I huff a laugh. “If only my agent agreed with you.”
“Agent?”
I nod. “Mike thinks enough time has passed and I should get back on the marketing trail. Book signings, conferences, interviews… all things to put me back in the public eye and ensure I hit the bestseller lists again. Maybe an Agatha Award.”
“Wow.” Felix’s eyes are wide as he studies me.
Shit!I’ve let the cat out of the bag. “Yeah, um… I’ve got one or two of those under my belt.”
“No, I don’t meanwowabout any awards. I meanwowthat he thinks you can turn off your emotions on schedule.” His hand rubs a small circle on my thigh.
I meet his eyes, floored by the understanding I see there. I nod and place a hand over his.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I came here to get away from all that—the expectations, the pressure to produce another bestseller. After Mark died, I just couldn’t do it anymore. I needed an escape.”
“I’d like to hear more about him.”
“Yeah?”
Felix’s expression relaxes. “Sure. You said you’d been travelling?” He grabs the thermos and pours hot chocolate into chipped enamel mugs.
I take the mug and wrap my hand around its warmth. Soon I’m sharing tales of a trip to Bali and adventures to see some temples.
“It sounds amazing,” Felix says.
“I’ve never seen Mark move so fast, but the monkeys ran off with the lens cap, cheeky little shits,” I finish.
Felix’s laughter is light and bright, and I join in. It’s good to reminisce without the familiar ache of loneliness.
We finish the hot chocolate sharing vacation stories until Felix reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Come on. It’s getting cold and we’ve got nearly an hour’s walk back.”
We pack up the remnants of the picnic and head back onto the trail. The thought of spending another hour in Felix’s company puts a spring in my step, but all too soon, we’re back at my cabin.
We look at each other as we stand on the porch. The moment is heavy with possibility. My heart pounds as I turn to Felix. “Thank you for today. For… everything.” I have no idea how to put my thoughts into words. I feel like I’ve turned some sort of corner.
Felix’s eyes sparkle as he smiles. “I had an amazing afternoon. Perhaps we can get together again soon?”
I want to—so much. He’s younger than me, but we have a connection and I can’t deny the powerful attraction. Before I can overthink it, I take his hand in mine. It’s not a friendly handshake, I’m clasping his hand because I want—no, Ineedthe connection. “I’d really like that,” I say.
His grin tells me everything I need to know. He squeezes my hand, his thumb tracing small circles over my skin, sending a shiver through me. Slowly, he reaches up and brushes a lock of hair back from my forehead. His fingers trail down the side of my face in a feather-light caress that makes my breath hitch.
“Kit,” he murmurs, his voice a whisper. “Can I?”
My heart pounds in anticipation. I give the slightest nod. He leans in, closing the distance between us. His lips meet mine, soft and tentative at first. My eyes drift shut as I return the kiss, reveling in the sweet sensation. We break apart, foreheads touching, as my pulse races.
I want nothing more than to pull Felix into my arms, but he steps back. His smile is gentle, his words whispered. “See you soon, Kit.”
He backs away with a smile, then turns and takes the porch steps two at a time. I watch him cross the yard. He doesn’t turn around but lifts a hand into the air as if he knows I’m still watching.
I grin as I go inside. For the first time in a long while, I’m looking forward to what tomorrow brings.
Chapter Twelve
Felix
The last week has been the best I can remember for a long time. I laugh to myself—I’ve been getting up at the crack of dawn and working my ass off, but I’ve spent the evenings with Kit and they’ve been the highlight of my day. Who’d have thought I’d get so much enjoyment from simply watching a movie, or playing a game of Monopoly? The only disappointment is there have been no repeats of the kiss we shared. But I promised myself I’d take it slowly, let Kit lead the way. He’s like a skittish colt I don’t want to scare away.
Today’s shift was brutal. Every person in Collier’s Creek seemed in need of coffee and I’m exhausted from hours spent behind the espresso machine. Will deserved time off to spend with his son, but next time I’m getting one of the part-timers to pick up his shift. My feet ache as I make the way around the cabin, picking up clothes from the floor of the bedroom, and heading to the washer. I flick on the light because it’s gotten so dark—weird because it’s only four in the afternoon. I shove the clothes into the machine and add some Tide just as the rain starts.Damn!I was going to give Uncle Shawn a hand fixing the gate, but from the ferocity of the drops on the tin roof, that won’t be happening. Not unless I want to get drenched.
