Max hated that he’d become the person people in town had speculated about over these past months. Now, as he walked down the café side of the street toward Goldie’s, he felt as if everyone was watching him, maybe snapping photos to send to those who weren’t watching. He could feel the questioning looks but kept his head down. Let them wonder what he was up to.
The red sports car was still sitting out front. How long had that man been in there? By the time Max reached the café, he figured Goldie could have already sold the place to the prospective buyer. As slow as he was walking, the deal could be done before he reached the front door.
His stomach rumbled disagreeably as he stopped to glance in the window. Past the for-sale sign, he spotted Goldie behind the counter. She was leaning toward the dark-haired man sitting on the stool—the same one who’d climbed out of the sports car out front much earlier.
He sucked in breath, feeling as if he’d been punched in the stomach. She was laughing as if the man had said something extremely funny. He hadn’t seen her smile, let alone laugh, in months, but then again, he’d made a point of not seeing her at all if he could help it.
She looked up as if sensing him and quickly looked away. If she hadn’t spotted him, he might have turned tail and rushed back to his office. Just the thought made him furious with himself. He’d been a lot of things, but a coward hadn’t been one of them until recently. Determined, he opened the diner door and stepped in. Cool air met him, carrying with it just a hint of Goldie’s perfume mixed with what he realized was the sports car man’s aftershave before he caught the smell of today’s special. His stomach roiled and he knew he wouldn’t be able to eat a bite.
Goldie looked up, pinning him to the spot. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling. With excruciating pain, he was reminded of a time when he’d put that sparkle in her eyes as well as that heat in her cheeks. This had been a huge mistake, but what little self-esteem he had left wouldn’t let him turn and run.
Letting the door close behind him, he dragged his gaze away from her and walked to the farthest booth. He felt both of their gazes follow him the whole way. Taking a seat facing backtoward the door and the man at the counter, he tried to catch his breath.
“If you’ll excuse me, Donovan,” Goldie said. They were already on a first-name basis? Was that a catch in her voice?
Max watched her pick up a menu and grab a glass to fill it with ice water before she headed toward him. The man she’d called Donovan also watched her with a look that made Max growl under his breath. He had to remind himself that Goldie wasn’t his, never had been since he’d never gotten around to asking her to marry him. So why did he want to slam his fist into the man’s handsome face?
Goldie set down the glass of water and the menu. No smile. No greeting. Since the menu hadn’t changed in years, her bringing him one was like a slap in the face. Did she really think he’d forgotten what was on it after only a matter of months?
“The special today is meat loaf, carrots and mashed potatoes,” she said as if it was just another day, and he was just another customer who didn’t know that it had been the special every Wednesday since she’d opened the café. “Do you need a moment?”
He didn’t bother to pick up the menu. Nor had he needed to hear the special. “The special, please,” he said, irritated to hear his voice crack. He hadn’t thought about what it would be like seeing her this up close again—let alone feeling the ghosts of their many previous lunches together. The citrusy scent of her perfume brought back too many dark nights with her curled up in his arms.
“Anything to drink?” she asked as she picked up the menu without meeting his gaze. During the five years they were together, she knew what he liked without asking. Had she really thought his tastes had changed?
“Iced tea.”
She gave a nod and turned before he could say another word.
This was worse than the cold shoulder. It was as if she’d completely forgotten him as she put up his order, then went back down by the man at the counter. Max couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they seemed to have gotten awfully close since the man had driven into town.
He watched Goldie lean closer to Donovan and whisper something. Whatever it was, the man seemed surprised and took a few moments before he looked in Max’s direction, taking in his sheriff’s uniform and star.
There was an arrogance in Donovan’s blue eyes before he turned back to Goldie and laughed. She joined him, her laugh not as long, before pouring a tall glass of iced tea and heading back toward Max’s table.
“Your lunch special should be right out,” she said as she set down the glass of iced tea and started to turn away.
He grabbed her slim wrist to stop her. “Goldie?” She froze before turning slowly to look at him as if she’d forgotten who he was for a moment. “Are you really selling the place?”
“I am,” she said as she gently pulled her wrist free. “There’s nothing left for me here.” The bell at the pass-thru dinged, signaling that his meal was up. “That will be your lunch.” With that she walked away.
When she returned with his plate of food, a group of locals entered the café, giving her the perfect excuse to hurry away to wait on them. As if she needed an excuse. She didn’t seem rattled at all to see him in the café after all this time.
Max looked down at the food. Even as his stomach growled, he told himself he wouldn’t be able to eat a bite. But he made himself. It wasn’t like he could get up and leave without eating at least some of it. He loved her meat loaf, but today it tasted like sawdust. He forced down as much as he could as he pretended not to watch her flirting with the stranger at the counter.
The realization struck him hard.Goldie was moving on. He’d told himself that’s what he wanted, but watching it happen before his very eyes was more unbearable than he’d ever imagined.
By the time he finished what he could of his meal, he had indigestion. Donovan had finally left, but only to drive across the street apparently to check into a room at the hotel. Before the man left the café, Max had heard him ask Goldie to have a late dinner with him at the hotel—and she’d accepted.
“Someone interested in buying the café?” he asked when she came back to his table to refill his tea glass. She gave him a confused look. “The man who was sitting at the counter. I believe you called him Donovan. He one of the potential buyers?”
“Oh,” she said, smiling as if to herself. “No, he just came in for lunch.”
“Seems he’s staying in town,” Max said, even as hard as it was to get the words out.
“Does seem that way, doesn’t it,” Goldie said and smiled before she turned and left his table.
Chapter Four
