“One day, Ellie Asche, I’ll hear those pipes.”
I rubbed his arm consolingly and a little flirtatiously. “Sure, dear. Whatever you say.”
The last few sips of coffee were cold and unappetizing. I twisted my lips into a wry smile. “I guess it’s about time for our coffee date to be over. I promised Todd I’d meet him after class to go grocery shopping. Both of our pantries are bare.”
“Alas, dear lady. The grocery cart calls thee.”
I giggled at his ridiculous accent. “We should do this again sometime. I’d like to learn more about growing up on a farm.”
“And I’ll think of ways to get you to sing for me.” He winked.
“You can try.” I snorted. “Thank you for the coffee.”
He reached over and lifted my hand, giving it the lightest brushing of a kiss. The intimate gesture caused my chest to rise and fall rapidly. I controlled my breathing. He didn’t need to know how he affected me. “You’re welcome, sweet lady. Can I offer you a ride to the grocery store?”
“No, thank you,” I said, shy after his kiss. “I brought my car today.”
“Then, goodbye. I’ll text you about another date.”
“Sounds wonderful.” My face held a goofy smile. With dreamy eyes, I watched him walk away. My gaze lingered on his backside and the way it curved in his well-tailored suit for a moment longer than propriety called for, then I turned and practically skipped to my car. I couldn’t wait to fill Todd in. It’d been an exciting day, and it wasn’t even noon yet.
Chapter Eight
“Then,he kissed my hand and said he’d text me to make another date!” Todd and I rounded out our grocery trip in the produce department, loading up on fresh fruits and veggies.
“How do you get yourself into these sorts of situations?” he asked as he thumped on a watermelon. His voice sounded jealous. “I mean, up until my whirlwind courtship with Rick, my love life has always been bor-ring. Thank God for that man.”
“How has mine been eventful? This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me!” I grabbed a bag to hold several cucumbers. “I’ve never mixed into a love triangle… hell, this isn’t even a love triangle! It’s a love square!”
“Darlin’, this love thing you’ve got going on is more interesting than anything else we have in our lives right now, so enjoy the ride while it lasts.” He placed a bag of onions in the cart.
“Secretly, I’m hoping to hear from Wes tonight.”
“Grab the bull by the horns and call him yourself!”
I stopped short, hand halfway to the apples. “I couldn’t do that!”
“Why the hell not?” Todd added a few more apples to my bag before tying it off.
“I don’t know! I never have.”
“Now’s a great time to start. Text him when you get home and tell him to be over at six for dinner. You’re cooking for him. Then, the ball will be in his court.” He spoke with his hands, waving them around. “Make your lasagna. It’s to die for.”
“But it’s such a simple meal. Shouldn’t I make something more complicated?” Would my lasagna impress him enough to make him think I could cook everything as well as I could cook lasagna?
Todd turned to the checkout. “It is simple, but it’s delicious. And make your homemade cheesy garlic bread to go with it. I’ll be expecting leftovers for dinner tomorrow night, please and thank you.”
My metaphorical backbone straightened itself, and I turned the cart toward the dairy. “Let’s go get some cheese then. I didn’t get enough to make lasagna.”
“Now you’re talking. Do you have enough garlic?”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “I always have enough garlic.”
Once I found all the ingredients I could possibly need, we checked out and headed home. I started the lasagna the minute I got home, knowing it would taste better if I put it in the fridge to set for a few hours before reheating it for dinner.
Todd turned up soon after I got there. He must’ve put his groceries up and headed over right away.
“Did you text him yet?”
