Was it foolish?
Unwise?
Of course.
Did it stop her from being drawn to him?
Absolutely not.
She didn’t like the way he made her feel, as though she were teetering on the edge of a cliff.No guy had ever made her feel that way; uncertain, confused, restless.She couldn’t open her heart, especially to someone she didn’t know…couldn’t figure out…and didn’t exactly trust.Of course, the best way to control the unwanted emotions was to avoid the guy.But right now, he was her customer, and there was no avoiding him.
6
Katie had just finished grilling vegetables and was about to eat when she heard the engine.No one bothered to come out this way unless it was Uncle Jack making a delivery or picking up soups.But her gut told her she knew who it was, and her ridiculous heart flip-flopped.Three times.
She peeked out the window, spotted Ian Finnegan’s long, lean body moving toward the cabin, a delivery bag in his right arm.She waited for him to knock before she opened the door, made certain she didn’t smile.“Again?What do you want now?”That comment was meant to let him know she didn’t want him here, didn’t want whatever he was offering.Not groceries.Not his smiles.Not extra conversation.
But the darn guy’s blue eyes lit up as a smile pulled across his face, making him way too attractive.“Is this you in a bad mood?Because if so, I think I might have just the thing to get rid of it.”
“I’m not in a bad mood.This is me telling you that I don’t like you showing up, bombarding me with your presence, and–”
The laugh made her realize how ridiculous she sounded, and that brought out a full-on scowl.
“Bombarded?I’ve been accused of a lot of things but bombarding someone has never been on the list.”Another laugh.“I brought dinner.I thought maybe we could sit out on your deck and–”
“No.No, we can’t.You need to leave.”Dinner?That was a kind gesture, but Ian Finnegan didn’t seem the type to do anything for the sake of pure kindness.No, the guy had a motive.What did he want?What–
“I’m sorry I didn’t call.I would have, but I don’t have your phone number.”His voice shifted, turned low.“Can we at least exchange phone numbers?If we do that, then I can text you and make sure I’m notbombardingyou with my presence.”
There are moments in a person’s life when they realize their next action or reaction could change the course of their future.Katie sensed this, opened her mouth to tell him she would not give him her phone number or anything else.Certainly not her time, but what fell out was something completely different.“Why are you really here?You could knock on just about any door in town, and word has it you’d get an offer for dinner, a drink, and everything in between.I’m not offering anything.So why me?”
His dark brows pinched together, his expression a mix of confusion and annoyance.“Damn if I can figure it out.I’ve never met anyone like you, and for some inexplicable reason, I want to get to know you.Spending time with you the other night was one of the first times I’ve been able to just be myself.Do you know how exhausting it is to always be ‘on’?”
Yes, she did.“Keep talking.”
“I think you know what it’s like to have to act a certain way and you know the cost of that.Of course, you took the better road and turned into a saint.Not me.I chose the sinner route, but that gets old, and I’m tired of it.Maybe I want to find a way out.And maybe—” his eyes burned into her, seared her soul, “—you can help me.Maybe we can help each other.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, tried to sort fact from possibility, truth from lies.Maybe theycouldhelp each other.Katie didn’t consider why they couldn’t just be friends, or what would happen if they were more than that.When he was around, her world shifted, blurred promise and possibility, light and dark…truth and lies.She didn’t consider the many traps and dangerous risks awaiting if she let Ian Finnegan into her life.
And she definitely should have.
“Does anyone ever say no to you?”She meant it as a joke and an observation that she doubted anyone did.But his answer surprised her.
“Not usually, but sometimes I wish they would.”His voice downshifted to a rumble, no doubt similar to the sound of the car engines he worked on.“Except for you.I’m hoping you’ll let me in.”
Let him in?To her home…to her life…into her heart?She’d never been good at playing games or being clever, especially where guys were concerned.There’d only been one quasi-boyfriend her senior year in high school, but she broke things off when he began recommending clothing choices and how she should spend her free time, which was not in a garden or creating soups.Don’t you ever get tired of digging in the dirt and stirring pots in a hot kitchen?Don’t you ever want to have fun?Go to a party?Live life?
Shehadbeen living life and shewashappy.And the fact that he couldn’t see it was enough for her to end things.Why had he thought it necessary to change her?Why did people always want to change each other instead of accepting the quirks, the failings, the good and bad?
“I just grilled some vegetables and I was about to fix the rest of my dinner.”She peered at the bag, spotted the logo for Harry’s Folly.“But something tells me what you brought is way more interesting than zucchini and mushrooms.”
He laughed.“Does that mean I’m invited inside?”
She couldn’t hide the lightness in her voice when she spoke.“Food from Harry’s will get you an invite every time.”
“Good to know.”He stepped inside, headed toward the kitchen.“There’s nothing wrong with zucchini and mushrooms.Add these to one of Harry’s pasta dishes, and it puts a whole different spin on the meal.”
He did have a point.“I take it you’ve been working your way through Harry’s menu?”
