“Listen, Maddy, I wanted to explain about tonight. I know how that had to look after what I said yesterday—”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Connor.”
With two sisters and a mother, he was pretty good at reading women. “Is that a fact? Because you seem a little cross with me.”
She gave her head a shake, and the quick hitch of her shoulder said,I have no idea what you’re talking about.But her bland smile was too carefully arranged, her couldn’t-care-less countenance forced. He’d seen this look before on every woman in his life.
***
Maddy wiped a hand across her sweaty forehead, wishing Connor would just leave. His persistence to explain made her feel foolish for caring so much. Probably made her look jealous. And she wasn’t. She had no reason to be jealous.
“My sister set me up with a friend,” Connor continued.
“That’s fine.” Maddy waved away his words. “Really. None of my business. She seemed great. Did you have a good time?”
The planes of his face hardened, a shadow flickering in his jaw. He looked toward the crashing surf. His profile was striking, she had to admit. A strong forehead, perfectly proportioned nose, and that wavy hair stirring in the wind.
When he looked back at her, his gray eyes were like storm clouds, threatening rain. “Obviously it’s not fine. Please hear me out. I don’t want you to think I lied to you; it’s true that I haven’t gone on a date in years. That was my first since my wife passed away. Lexie thought it was high time I get back out there, and she set me up with a friend. That’s all.”
A fist tightened around Maddy’s heart at the raw honesty on Connor’s face. A flood of warmth spread through her limbs. If she’d felt foolish before, she felt like a complete idiot now. Her eyes fell to the mower.
“After what you’ve been through recently I just wanted to clear the air with you.” He bent his knees until he made eye contact.
There was something earnest and searching in his gaze. As if he wanted to see clear down to her soul. It drew her like a magnet, and she was helpless against its pull.
“Are we okay?” he asked. “You believe me?”
She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Sorry I was a little edgy with you.”
His mouth relaxed in a rueful smile. “I get it, Maddy. You’re just learning to trust again—both yourself and others. That can make a person wary. You don’t really know me, but I don’t make a habit of lying. If you hang around long enough, you’ll see that’s true.”
“Fair enough.” Her heart was palpitating at his focused attention. She pulled her gaze away from his and shifted the topic. “Thank you for the champagne tonight. That was thoughtful.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’d only ever had the cheap stuff you get at New Year’s Eve celebrations. There’s a big difference.”
“Glad you liked it. I hope you had a nice birthday.”
“I did. The meal was delicious and my sisters behaved. That’s about as much as I can ask for.”
“The least they could do for your birthday.”
“And your date?” Maddy hated herself a little for asking, but she had a perverse desire to know. “It seemed to be going well.”
“Yeah... She was nice.” He nodded slowly, but there was uncertainty in his tone.
“She’s a friend of Lexie’s? She looked older than your sister.”
“Not really a friend. Johanna is her advisor at the university.” His lips turned up in a wry grin. “They got to talking, and Lexie became convinced she’d met my perfect match.”
“Well, you never know. Maybe she is.”
“I don’t think so. But how do you go about getting that point across to a perfectly nice woman after only one date, huh? Help a guy out. I’m a little out of practice here.”
“Not a match made in heaven then?”
“She’s great, really she is. Just not for me, you know? Is it all right to just let it end a quiet death, or do I have to tell her that? Please say I don’t have to tell her that.”
