Johanna blinked in surprise. The question caught her off guard because it sounded sincere rather than conversational.
“She’s good.”
“She still making those sweet potato pies every Thanksgiving?”
A reluctant smile touched Johanna’s mouth. “Unfortunately.”
Blaze looked personally offended. “Unfortunately?”
“That woman believes butter is a personality trait.”
His laughter rolled out warm and deep enough to loosen something tight inside her chest. And suddenly she was laughing too.
The tension between them eased almost immediately after that.
The waiter returned to take their order. Johanna chose blackened salmon with roasted potatoes while Blaze ordered a ribeye cooked medium rare.
Predictable.
Once the waiter disappeared again, Blaze leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You happy, Jo?” The question came with surprising force.
Johanna looked at him carefully. No teasing remained in his expression now. No flirtation either. He looked genuinely curious, as though her answer mattered more than the conversation itself.
The problem was… she didn’t entirely know the truth anymore.
“My life is good,” she answered carefully.
Blaze noticed the distinction immediately. “That wasn’t what I asked.”
Johanna sighed softly. “You always do that.”
“Do what?”
She threw up her hand in a dismissive wave. “Listen too closely.”
His gaze held hers without wavering. “Only with you.”
Heaven help me.
There he went again, saying things that slipped beneath her skin before she had time to defend herself.
Johanna traced one finger along the stem of her wine glass. “I’m comfortable,” she admitted after a moment.
Understanding flickered quietly across Blaze’s face. “And you think comfortable is enough?”
Johanna looked back toward the ocean. At one time, she absolutely did.
After Blaze left, comfort became safety. Predictability meant control. Safe relationships didn’t devastate you emotionally or leave you questioning your worth after they ended. Comfortable people stayed manageable.
But sitting across from Blaze now… comfort suddenly felt suspiciously close to loneliness.
The realization unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
“You know what your problem is?” Blaze asked softly.
Johanna narrowed her eyes immediately. “No, but I’m sureyou’re gonna tell me.”
