Then I saw the tear in his sleeve. “Oh, damn! I've ruined your shirt.” I touched the tear.
Ace looked at it. “It's fine. Worth it to meet you.”
I blushed. When was the last time that had happened? I couldn't remember.
“I usually meet men in less violent ways.” I glanced at Bruno. “Do you live around here?”
“Yes, just down the street a bit. Are you visiting or did you just move in? I thought this house was empty.”
“I just moved in. It's nice to meet one of my neighbors.”
“If you need someone to show you around the neighborhood, let me know.”
“I'd love that. Uh, how about I buy you some breakfast and maybe a new shirt? I was on my way to get something to eat.”
“Bruno and I were on our way to the park. You could join us.”
“I'm really hungry.” I looked down the street. Audubon Park was literally a house away from me. I didn't mind the walk, but I needed food to be at the end.
“There's the clubhouse. We can get breakfast there.”
“The clubhouse?”
“You've never been there?”
“No.”
“It's not too far. I think you'll be fine, even with your heels. We'll stick to the path.”
“All right. Just give me a second to put the car back in the drive.”
“Sure.”
I parked the car, grabbed my purse, locked up, and joined Ace. “All right.”
Ace crooked his arm and offered it to me. Yeah, there are some things to love about the South.
I took his arm, and we strolled around the corner, past the front of my house, past my neighbor's house, and there wasthe park. Lush, full of happy people, and bright with the day. There was even a lake. We crossed from the street and onto the grass, went straight to the path, and followed it along the lake. Soon, an island became visible in the middle of the lake.
“Have you been out to the bird preserve?” Ace asked.
It was so normal—walking with him and talking about birds—that it took me a second to process.
“The island?” I asked. “No, not yet.”
“Perhaps we could go on a day when you're wearing more appropriate shoes.”
“The suggestion of a second outing before we've even had breakfast,” I mused. “Hmm, I think I'll wait and see how the meal goes. Perhaps you'll find the courage to simply ask me out.”
Ace burst out laughing. “I guess that was a cowardly way to ask. My apologies. You're a higher class of woman than I normally meet. I'll have to adjust my approach.”
“That might help.” As we came around the curve of the lake, I sighed. “The lake is lovely. I prefer smaller bodies of water to the ocean.”
“They call it a lagoon.”
“No, they don't.”
“Oh, yes, they do,” he drawled. “Names are so important here. Give something a grand name and it takes on a little of that grandeur.”
