Gratitude washed over her face as she nodded at him. “I do feel much better now, thanks. I just don’t want you to feel sorry for me.”
“I don’t feel sorry for you. You’ve had to deal with some hard situations.” He paused. “I wish I had your strength.”
“You wish you had my strength? You must have missed the earlier show.” Annika shook her head.
Daniel fixed her in his gaze. “That was no show—it was real—sometimes you have to cry and swear. That takes strength.” Again, he was great at giving advice. Just don’t ask him to actually apply it himself. “You’re...well, you’re stronger than you think.”
She did not break eye contact, but did flash him a smile, and it was the most pleasant of electrical currents that flared through him again. It was like a drug. And possibly just as addictive.
“What were you saying?”
“Oh, just to rest your hand. Grab your bag.” He jutted his chin toward the door. “I can drive your car home.”
“It’s just a cut. I’ll be fine.” She examined her bandaged hand as if seeing it for the first time.
“Just acut?” Daniel ran a hand through his hair. “You have seven stitches in there.”
“It’s my left hand.” Annika shrugged, but her eyes seemed glued to him. She cleared her throat. “And besides, I can’t leave Phil by himself. They have to clean up and serve customers. Bobby’s been covering for me, so I need to send him home.”
Daniel sighed. “Okay. Let’s go.” He started for the bar.
“Go where?”
“Into the bar.” He opened the door and waited for her.
“Aren’t you going home?” Brown eyes widened and she didn’t move.
“No, I’m going to be your other hand.”Or any other part she needed him to be.
Annika jerked her head back, her mouth dropping open for a moment, before she curved it into a smile. “You’re what?”
Daniel flushed. “I’ll carry your tray, so you can rest that hand.”
“I can carry it. I do it every day.” But she was still smiling.
“I know you can.” Daniel couldn’t meet her eyes. She obviously didn’t know he’d been watching her all this time. “But today, you’ll bust open my handiwork. I worked hard on those stitches, and I’ll be damned if you wreck them.”
She pursed her lips together as if she didn’t believe carrying the tray would harm her in any way. But her voice was surprisingly soft. “You should go home.”
“So should you,” he answered, as something quiet but real passed between them. He wondered once again what her lips would taste like when he kissed her. The way she looked at him, he was sure her thoughts were the same.
Annika broke the silence that built between them. “Well, I suppose that’s how friends help each other.”
“Um, yeah, sure.” Daniel nodded. “We did decide we were friends.”Damn it.He didn’t want to befriendswith Annika. Though he didn’t really think he could be anything more. He simply needed to stop thinking about kissing her.
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t spill anything.”
Daniel chuckled as she passed. “As if.”
LUCKILY, ANNIKA’SSHIFThad only three hours left in it. Unfortunately, they were the busiest three hours of the night. Annika donned her apron and started taking table orders. Daniel waited by the bar. The first of Annika’s orders was filled, and Daniel grabbed the tray before Annika could protest.
True to his word, Daniel carried all of Annika’s drink and food orders and did not so much as spill a drop anywhere. While Annika did not seem any less irritated with her shadow, she did at least seem grateful.
By 1:00 a.m. the stragglers had left, and Annika went into the kitchen to help Mrs. P. with the next day’s menu.
Daniel found himself standing in front of the bar piano. It was an older upright with a dark wood finish, covered in a thin layer of dust. As far as he knew, no one played it anymore. Bobby had mentioned that it used to be played every night, but none of the current employees knew how to play.
His muscles tensed at the familiar keys. He used to play for Sara when she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—sleep. The last time he played was the night before...well, the last time he played for her was the last time he’d played.
