“What did he say?”
“Nothing fit for your ears.”
“Oh,” she commented, her words hollow.
Jack stopped on the sidewalk and turned to face her.“Look, Andrea, I know I should apologize for making a scene like I did, but I’m not sorry.I know you want to berate me for what I did, but can you please hold off until I’ve cooled off a bit?”
“What he said really upset you.”
Jack started walking again, needing the exertion to ease his anger.“It did.No one should be talking about you like that.”
“You know, no one has ever come to my defense like that before.”
“Really?That’s a shame.”Jack suddenly stopped walking, his gaze traveling up and down the sidewalk, not because he was lost but because he wasn’t ready for their night to end.“Are you set on going back home now?”
“Why?”That wasn’t a no.
“I was thinking if you’re up to it, we could go for a walk on the beach.”
Andrea’s lips pulled up into a smile.“I’d like that.”
Chapter 14
Andrea navigated them through the streets that led to the beach.It was dark with only the sidewalk lights and the buildings to their right to guide them.She kicked off her sandals and carried them in her right hand.Michael took his shoes and socks off and rolled his pant legs up to mid-calf.He carried his shoes in his left hand.
Their free hands dangled between each other.Was he trying to get them to hold hands?It was way too soon for something like that, not that she was even considering holding his hand.
“Please don’t get angry with me, but I’m curious about something.”
“About what?”
“What was it that turned you away from finding love or even a man in your life?”
“Who said there was something that turned me away from it?”
“You seem very bitter toward men.Well, all men except Ben.”
Yeah, her view of Ben was quickly changing.She didn’t know what he’d said, but it couldn’t have been good for Michael to get so defensive of her.A fact that she still found shocking.She wasn’t lying when she’d said no one had ever come to her defense before.Not her family or friends.Andrea had always been alone.“I can’t say I have a positive view on Ben anymore.”She didn’t know what was said, but Michael had been ready to go to battle and defend her honor.It was cute that he would even do that for her.No one had ever done that before.She was normally left on her own.
“Good, you could do better.”
“Are you going to suggest yourself?”
“Why, are you interested?”
“No,” she denied.Andrea had walked herself into that one.
“Will you tell me?”
“About why I’m not interested?”she asked, purposely misunderstanding him.
“No, why you don’t date.”
“Like I said, I don’t have time.”It was an age-old excuse that she was accustomed to using.
“For the right person, I’m sure you’d make it.”
True.It wasn’t like anything she couldn’t change.Her days and nights weren’t completely consumed by work.She just made it that way, so she was always kept busy.Busy meant she didn’t have time to think.
