Chapter 6
Anthony leaned backin his seat before reaching for his red-tinted plastic cup. The root beer was long gone, but the ice remained. He tipped it back and let a few ice pebbles tumble into hismouth.
“I would never have guessed we’d find pizza this good in Wyoming,” Kira said, reaching for her own glass. “Steaks, yes. Comfort foods, sure. Butpizza?”
Anthony grinned. “I’m glad you liked it. I know what you mean. But this place really has it all. If it’s not in Cobble Creek, whateveritmight be, you’re sure to find it in Duckdale Hollow. And it’s nice because it’s only thirty minutesaway.”
“Thatisnice.” She shook a few ice pebbles into her mouth before scanning theroom.
Duckdale’s Pizzeriahad an entirely different feel to it than the diner. While Tony’s Diner relied heavily on bright light—either natural or florescent—this place offered a pub-type ambiance. The place was what he’d call dark overall, with scarce lighting placed along the walls while candlelight glowed at each table, whether occupied ornot.
Tonight, he liked the low light. It made things feel more intimate.Private.
Throughout dinner, the two enjoyed playful banter and light conversation, just like he’d suggested. But as they finished up, he figured it was time to tap into somethingmore.
“So you just have the one sister, is that right?” heasked.
“Right,” Kira said with a nod. “It’s me; my dad; my older, more responsible sister, Marissa; and of course, half a dozen aunts and a list of great-aunts that goes onforever.”
“So, lots of women,huh?”
She nodded. “Thanks to a few guy cousins, the Moretti line won’t stop here. But I’m still hoping for a few little ones of my own, keep the line going on this end too—even if they don’t take on my lastname.”
Anthony grinned, a bit of warmth stirring in his belly. He liked hearing that Kira planned to start a family some day. It was hard not to get ahead of himself, as he had the tendency to do. Especially considering it took a certain type of woman to appreciate small-town living. And it seemed they were becoming a raresort.
“What about you?” she asked. “Do you plan to have kids? Maybe have a little bambino to take over the diner for you oneday?”
He nodded. “Definitely.” Though Anthony knew that desire alone didn’t mean it would happen. His father may have gotten part of what he wanted, but he’d lost something very important along the way. And whether his old man accepted it or not, Mom’s leaving was no fault of his own. “What do you say we go … how did you put it—knockpins?”
Kira crunched on her ice. “Sounds good tome.”
As they left the restaurant, Anthony rested a hand at Kira’s lower back. And though the fabric of her blouse was cool, warmth radiated from her skin just beneathit.
Kira nudged into him, gently, as they took slow, lazy strides across the lot. A soft, tangy scent filled the breath he inhaled. He could swear it helped curb the briskness of the air. Warm, sweet, andtempting.
“Thanks again for the pizza,” she said. “I wonder if they’ll deliver to CobbleCreek.”
Anthony snagged his keys from his pocket and gave the unlock button a press. “They do,” he assured, “for the rightprice.”
She laughed. “Then I guess I better start booking some sittings.” She took his hand and climbed into the passenger seat. “Of course, Idoknow of this quaint little diner across the street from me. I’ve heard their food isn’t toobad.”
Anthony gently closed her door, then shook his head in disapproval from the other side of theglass.
Kira only grinned. Unrepentant, that one. He made his way behind the wheel and fired the thing up as she spoke up once more. “I’ve heard that one of the best things about the diner is the good-looking guy who owns theplace.”
Anthony stretched his arm across the seat, glancing over his shoulder as he backed out. “Is that right? So do you agree with them—that the owner’s attractive?” He shifted gears, cranked the wheel, and weaved through the cars parked in thelot.
“He’s allright, I guess.” She laughed. “You know you’re gorgeous, rebelboy.”
After following the bending road toward the bowling alley, Anthony scanned the packed lot. “Maybe we should’ve considered that it’s Saturday night. It’s going to be pretty crowded. Are you sure you still want tobowl?”
Kira shrugged. “Sure. If you are. A little crowd never hurt anyone. In fact, some peopleenjoybeing in crowdedplaces.”
“True,” Anthony said as he pulled into an empty stall. He shut the engine off and turned to face her. Beside the truck, a towering sign stood. A giant bowling ball with a cluster of scattering pins flashed and glowed. The light grazed Kira’s pretty face as he asked her one very important thing. “Areyousomeone who likes big crowds?” He gulped once the question left his lips. Already his heart was pounding out some sort of drumroll for theresponse.
Kira glanced up at the flashing pins before setting her eyes on him. “Of course,” she said. “I’m asextrovertas it gets.” She unlatched her buckle and pushed open her door before Anthony had time to think. Suddenly she was climbing down. She peeked into the cab of the truck, the lower half of her body out of sight due to the height of his truck. “Stay there,” she said. “It’s my turn to come get the door foryou.”
Her comment earned a reluctant chuckle, but inside, Anthony was working to digest Kira’s comment.An extrovert to the max? Loved big crowds?She’d never last in CobbleCreek.
Suddenly his door flew open, revealing a very beautiful woman with a contagious smile extending an arm toward him. “The pins await us, my champion. Shallwe?”
Another laugh snuck out. “Sure.” Anthony would follow through with the night, and he’d enjoy it as best he could. But should he bother getting to know her? Risk losing his heart to someone who’d flee Cobble Creek before the next New Year came around? He wasn’t so sure that heshould.
