Page 56 of Hard to Lose

He smirks and that has my insides firing awake—but it’s not as if they aren’t already. I mean, look at him.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, gentlemen and gentlemen, and ladies and ladies, your timer starts . . . now.”

“And the pressure is on,” I stand and stare at the blank canvas in front of me, a mini panic attack starting over what to paint. It doesn’t help that our easels are staggered so that every time I look at the edge of it, Gunner is in the background, his good looks distracting me.

And yet, I have to paint him or something that reminds me of him, when my painting abilities are subpar to my LEGO-building abilities.

“The first five minutes are up, so it’s time for a date detail. Tell your date the one pet peeve you have. Like the one thing they could do that would annoy you.”

“Ladies first,” Gunner says with narrowed eyes as he studies me.

“Seriously?” I ask, suddenly hating being put on the spot.

“I’ll go first next time,” he says and continues to work on what he’s painting of me. “We’ll switch.” He darts his eyes my way. “So what’s yours?”

“There are so many to choose from.” I laugh and realize so far Gunner hasn’t done any of them. “I’ll go with slurping soup or the milk when someone eats cereal. The sounds drive me absolutely batty.”

“Make note to self,” Gunner says, as he mock writes down a note.

“And yours? What’s your pet peeve?”

His eyes meet mine and amusement sparkles in them. “I get absolutely annoyed, furious, when someone cooks naked with just an apron and heels on.”

“What?” I laugh as I stare at his grin.

“I mean, it’s so unsanitary and most times the meal never ends up getting made because . . . well, for obvious reasons.”

“Obvious reasons?” I ask and am on the receiving end of a devilish smile for an answer. “And do you get annoyed with this behavior often?”

“No, but I can simply imagine how aggravating it would be to stand by and watch this happen. Bending over to put a roast in the oven distracts the meal recipient from actually focusing on the meal to be had.”

I erupt in laughter and don’t care that everyone turns our way. “Such a travesty, when I’m sure he ends up enjoying or eating a whole different type of meal entirely.”

“It’s a travesty that should absolutely not be done.”

I laugh as we stare at each other, flirting with our eyes, before turning back to our paintings. My painting, I might add, that will confuse anyone in the room but will make Gunner laugh.

Within what feels like seconds the bell rings again, and the chatter quiets as Mimi takes her “stage” again. “Okay, next question. The first time you met the person sitting across from you, what one thing attracted you to them?”

I turn from looking at Mimi to Gunner and wish I could frame the look he’s giving me forever. There’s quiet intensity laced with amused adoration, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more seen in my life.

“That’s easy,” he says. “Your confidence. The sound of your laugh. The way you gave it right back to me . . . and then I got to know you, and it was all of those things and then some.”

“Thank you.” I’m not one hundred percent certain why tears burn my eyes, but I pretend they’re not there and smile softly at him. “For me it was your kindness, your smile, your biceps”—I shrug unapologetically—” and the way you looked at me.”

“How did I look at you?” he asks.

“Like I was the only woman in the room.”

His smile softens as does his expression, before he gives a shy lift of his shoulders and turns back to his easel.

I stare at my canvas for a minute but swear I don’t see a single brushstroke I’ve made. I’m too busy thinking of Gunner and how in this short amount of time he’s become so important to me.

. . . and then I got to know you, and it was all of those things and then some. And part of that has to do with his ability to win me over with his kindness. Genuineness.

Right after that comes my typical refrain—the one that says I’m too busy for him, for whatever this is—but this time I push it away. Maybe Kelly is right. Maybe I need to step back from the stress and endless lists and simply enjoy myself for a bit.

Enjoy Gunner.