Page 11 of Only Be Mine

This man was either insane or dangerously charming.

“…Sure,” I said, before I could talk myself out of it.

We drove in what I decided to call comfortable silence. John kept sneaking glances at me. I pretended not to notice while my stomach pretended not to care.

“So,” he asked finally, “you live close?”

“A couple houses from where your dog tackled me.”

His eyebrows shot up. “No kidding? I’m a few blocks over. Small world.”

He pulled into a small parking lot before I realized where we were.

A rustic wooden sign hung over the door. Eat at Moe’s

I’d never been here before.

He rolled down the window a crack, then hopped out and jogged around to open my door.

My brain malfunctioned for a full second. Men didn’t do that for me. Not the ones I usually hooked up with anyway.

“Ready?” he asked, leaving Baby in the truck.

Inside, the place smelled like coffee, waffles, and nostalgia. I loved it instantly.

We were shown to a table in the back, and he pulled out my chair.

Who was this man?

“Were you going to come to The Scot & Barrel tonight?” he asked, sipping his water.

I dropped my eyes to the menu. “I…”

“It’s okay,” he said gently, rescuing me. “I didn’t think you would.”

Something in me bristled. “You don’t know me.”

“No,” he agreed easily, “but that’s what talking is for.”

My heart did a weird, traitorous flutter. I swallowed. “Can we… start over?”

His smile softened. “I’d like that.”

I held out my hand. “Hi. I’m Cate Larkin.”

“John Rosewood,” he said, shaking it. “Nice to meet you.”

It really was.

We ordered - a cheeseburger and fries for me, waffles for him, and chicken fingers to-go for Baby - and the tension eased.

“So,” he asked, “what do you do for fun?”

“I like going out,” I said instantly. “Every Friday night. Well… except last night. Amy dragged me to that haunted house.”

He tried not to laugh. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was awful,” I countered. “Don’t you forget it.”