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“Is the sun hot?” he teased.
“You’re hilarious.”
“I try.” He broke into another smile as he settled the groceries onto her countertop. “Yes, we’re having steak, corn and sweet potato fries.”
Libby, in turn, beamed so bright it was almost blinding. “I think my stomach just did a happy dance.”
Zach fought the urge to pull her into his arms and show her his own version of a happy dance.
Easy.
“I’m getting real good at guessing the things you like, aren’t I? First Chinese, now steak,” he boasted. “Maybe it’s a sign we’re meant to be.”
“Or maybe you just got lucky,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Whoa, easy there, darlin’... this isn’t a date, remember?” he joked. He didn’t think he’d ever get sick of seeing those rosy cheeks burn.
“On that note.” She swivelled on her heel. “I’m gonna go put my work stuff away. Then I’ll come help you.” Libby couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He knew she felt it too. Every accidental touch, every shared laugh, every smile exchanged made the air crackle. Made it hard to breathe.
You have to be patient, remember? You’re giving her time to catch up.
Despite the reminder, he wasn’t feeling very patient.
Tough shit.
It was tough shit. But he had no other choice but to man up and unpack the groceries. He had a woman to get to know and a dinner to cook.
By the time Libby returned, he’d made good progress. The fries were in the air fryer and the corn was on the grill. All that was left to do was fry up some steaks.
“Smells good in here,” she declared.
“Thanks.” He peered up to find her watching him intently. One hip rested against the kitchen counter. “Should be ready soon. You get all your work done?” he asked through the satisfying sizzles from the steak now echoing around the room.
“Yup, that big project I told you about, well, I stayed up late last night finishing it off, so it was an easy day today. I just got on with some work for existing clients.” His eyes followed her as she reached into the top cupboard and pulled out some plates. “What about you, were you working today?”
Dragging his eyes away from her, he returned his attention to the pan as Libby began setting the table. “Not today, no. I work four days on, four days off, twelve-hour shifts. I’m back on the rota tomorrow, then my next day off is Wednesday.”
“Damn, twelve hours. Day or night?”
“Days, eight till eight.” As Zach flipped the steaks, his stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl as the tantalising aroma hit his nostrils.
Thankfully, Libby didn’t seem to notice, she was too busy clinking cutlery against the wooden surface behind him. “Wow. Long day. Do you sleep at the station?”
“Sometimes, yeah. I don’t always finish on time, and it makes sense to crash there when that happens. They’ve got everything I need after a shift – a bed, a shower and a kitchen full of food.”
“Makes sense,” she agreed. She’d moved on to clinking glasses.
Steaks done, it was time to eat. Using the dishes Libby had thoughtfully placed next to him, Zach started to serve up the food. Once he’d finished piling their plates, he brought them over to the table. A table, to his surprise, Libby had adorned with candles, napkins and an array of condiments.
Cody was right. This was basically a date. She just didn’t want to admit it.
“I poured myself some wine, but I didn’t know if you drank wine, so I didn’t pour you any. Do you like wine? If not, I think I have some soda ... or some vodka. I didn’t really think to buy beer. I bet you like beer?” She was babbling now. Nervous babbling. He noticed the nearer he got, the more flustered she became. He loved every second of it.
Patience, he reminded himself.
“This all looks so good,” she exclaimed as he settled her plate in front of her. “Thank you.”
His smile had been cartoon-wide since she’d stepped into the kitchen. He didn’t think it was possible for it to get any bigger. But one look at her admiring his food and just like that, it stretched.
