“They go back generations in this town. Aaron was a year ahead of me in school. He was kind of dorky as a kid, but he grew up to be pretty hot.”
An understatement if ever there was one.
“Did you ever go out with him?”
“No. He went off to college and I met Dennis. Unfortunately.” Lauren made a face. “A guy like Aaron would have been a much better choice. He comes across as solid and dependable and caring, don’t you think?”
No question about it.
But waxing too enthusiastic could create the wrong impression.
“He seems nice, but I’ve only exchanged a few words with him.” She tried for a noncommittal tone.
“You may have the opportunity for a longer conversation if he keeps showing up at rehearsals.” Lauren set her napkin on the table. “Are you ready for dessert? I found a batch of lemon squares in the freezer that I made a while back.”
“I’m in.”
The conversation moved on to other subjects as they indulged in the sweet treat. But even sweeter than their dessert?
The notion of an actual conversation with Isabel’s dad.
Which was silly.
Yes, he had rugged good looks. Yes, he appeared to have all the stellar qualities Lauren had mentioned. Yes, he’d spiked her interest meter.
But this wasn’t the time or the place to get carried away by hormones. She was here to help her sister recover and to refurbish their relationship.
Period.
So letting a handsome stranger catch her fancy was a no-no.
A rule she would do well to remember if she and Isabel’s father did end up having another encounter down the road.
14
He didn’t need to be here.
So why was he spending his Tuesday evening in Grace Christian’s fellowship hall instead of doing the load of laundry waiting for him at home or fixing the garage door that was sticking or prepping for what was going to no doubt be a tense meeting at the mill tomorrow with Wade?
Mashing his lips together, Aaron readjusted the screen on his laptop with more force than necessary.
The answer, of course, was right in front of him.
Devyn Lee.
As the New York City ballerina walked the cast through the blocking she’d put together for one of the major production numbers, his focus was on her—not Isabel. He may have used his daughter as an excuse to tag along tonight, but in truth his moral support was superfluous. She was more enthused about the show than he or Gramp could ever have imagined.
And unless he was reading her wrong, that was due in large part to Devyn Lee. His daughter was as enamored with the graceful ballerina as he was.
Except Devyn didn’t look much like a ballerina tonight, in her sweatshirt and leggings and messy ponytail.
She just looked appealing.
Aaron dipped his chin on the pretense of studying his laptop screen, but the specs for the new edger Martin had asked him to evaluate weren’t computing. It was hard to think about poly belt drive systems, mandrels, and knurled drive rolls with a gorgeous woman front and center.
Especially if that woman paused as she moved among the cast members and said something to your daughter that lit up her face ... and melted your heart.
Which made no sense.
