“Windows are meant to lookoutof, Mitch. Not into. One act is something completely normal; the other is super creepy.”
She had him there. “I wasn’t spying or anything weird. Promise. I was just headed back from my shift and was about to go inside for the night when I saw your lights flicker out. That’s all.”
“Not spending the night at the firehouse again tonight?”
Had he told her he’d stayed there the night before? He couldn’t recall that conversation.
“Not tonight,” was his reply, maintaining eye contact, silently urging her to share what was on her mind without fully spelling it out. “Anyway, goodnight, Faith.”
He turned around.
“Do you…?” Faith softly cleared her throat and started again. “Do you want to come in for a glass of wine? I opened a bottle and if I don’t share it with someone, I run the risk of drinking it all by myself.”
“You’d drink a full bottle of wine if someone didn’t stop you?” That would be a lot, even for a big guy like him.
“I mean, I can cut myself off.” She waggled her head and her shoulders emphatically. “I’m not a lush or anything. I was just—”
“Looking for a reason to invite me in?” he said for her.
“No!” she blurted. “I wasn’t doing that.”
“But it sounds like you were.”
“You know what? Never mind. Forget I even offered.”
Why was he sabotaging this? Mitch had wanted to spend more time with Faith. It was the entire reason he’d paused on the landing, after all.
“Iamreally thirsty,” he backpedaled in the hopes her offer still stood. “I could use a glass or two of wine.”
“Wine’s not really the best for hydration. You probably need something with electrolytes, and unfortunately, I’m all out of those types of drinks.”
Yep. She was totally rescinding the invitation. Mitch could kick himself for his oversight.
“But I do have water.” Faith’s innocent look made a morsel of hope bloom within him. Maybe he hadn’t completely ruinedeverything.
“I like water.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he echoed. “Water’s good.”
“Maybe wineandwater?”
“To balance each other out,” he agreed, following her into her apartment when she opened the door and led the way inside.
“To balance each other out,” Faith reiterated with a decisive nod of her head.
Mitch hoped that maybe, just maybe this little peace offering was the beginning of a new balance in their friendship, too.
CHAPTER 6
“You did not.”
“I did. All over both Mary and baby Jesus.” Mitch sat with his big arm bracketing the back of the sofa, his wingspan so large it crossed two cushions. “It’s how I got the nickname Bethlehem Barfer.”
“Kids can be so cruel. And nerves can be so unforgiving.” Leaning forward, Faith gripped the neck of the nearly empty merlot bottle and poured herself a few guzzles worth before reaching across the table to top off Mitch’s glass. “I thought the nickname Shrimp was bad.”
“Shrimp?”
