Page 76 of Here & Now

She gazed at him intently, and he wondered what was going on behind those pretty eyes. “Life is full of changes, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “The possibilities are endless. That’s what makes it so exciting.”

“And terrifying,” she said with a light laugh.

“What about you? Do you think you’ll live in Michigan forever?”

She hesitated for a moment, and he felt a flicker of hope. Was she considering moving here instead? He knew how much she loved the house, but it was probably just wishful thinking.

“I used to think so.”

He waited for her to say more, but it never came.

“Anyway, I should probably clear these dishes.” She stood, marking an end to the conversation.

“I’ll help.”

She didn’t argue, and together they made quick work of clearing the table. She’d gone quiet again, so he decided a change of subject was in order.

“What’s your next article going to be about?” he said while she transferred the leftover lasagna to a storage container.

“Gene’s Books. I think my audience will enjoy reading about it.”

“Great idea.”

“I also want to write an article about all the great restaurants on the island, including the Over Easy Café and The Mucky Duck.”

“I know someone you can interview at The Mucky Duck.”

“I bet it’s a woman,” she teased.

“I went to school with her, and she’s been waitressing there a long time. Marco has a huge crush on her,” he added. He wanted her to know this had nothing to do with him.

“What’s her name?”

“Tessa.”

“She’s the one who waited on me.”

He nodded. “She’s great. I think you’d really like her.” An idea sprang to mind, and before he could stop himself, he blurted it out. “Maybe we could go there for dinner sometime, and you could talk to her then.”

He held his breath while she considered it.

“Okay,” she finally said, and he exhaled.

If she’d noticed he hadn’t suggested interviewing Jason at the Over Easy Cafe, she didn’t call him out on it. “There are a lot of other restaurants we could go to.”

She tilted her head and smiled. “We?”

“Hey, a guy’s gotta eat.”

She laughed. “Speaking of food, are you ready for dessert?”

He patted his stomach. “Not yet.”

“Why don’t we take our wine into the living room while we wait for our food to settle?”

At least she wasn’t in a hurry to get rid of him. “Sounds good to me.”

She topped off their wine glasses. Then she reached around her waist and untied her apron. Swinging her hair to one side, she reached for the tie at her neck.

On impulse, he came up behind her. “I’ll get it.”

He expected her to refuse his help, but instead, she dipped her head down to give him better access.

He gazed at the smattering of freckles on her neck and shoulders and resisted the temptation to touch them. As he slowly loosened the tie at her neck, his fingertips lightly grazed her skin. She shivered in response. Somehow, he kept himself in check as he untied the knot and lowered the strings over her shoulders.

Time stood still as they stood there, neither speaking nor moving. Then, ever so slowly, she turned to face him. Her chest brushed against his, and the apron fell to the floor.

She raised her arms and twined them around his neck, and he slid his around her waist and tugged her forward.

He would never have imagined what happened next…