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“She’s the best. She’s super smart and gorgeous, but best of all is her work ethic. She’s only sixteen, and I swear, she’d quit high school to work full time for me if she thought she could get away with it. She loves the shop.” I smile over at him. “So, yeah, she’s a good girl.”
“That’s all I can ask for.”
Ryan sips his water, and I rest my chin in my hand, watching him. All the Wild siblings have the most amazing hazel eyes and dark hair. They’re all beautiful. But there’s something extra special about the man sitting across from me.
“So.” He leans forward on his elbows and lowers his voice. There aren’t a ton of people in here tonight, but I appreciate Ryan’s need for privacy. “You wanted me to call.”
Now it’s my cheeks that darken. I can feel it happening, and I know he can see it because I didn’t put on any foundation today.
“I get that leaving when I did and then saying later that I wish you’d called is sending a mixed message,” I reply, my voice also low. “And I apologize for that.”
“Why did you leave?”
I frown down into my wine, taking a sip for courage. “Because you were sleeping so peacefully, and I didn’t want to wake you?”
He narrows his eyes. “Bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit; you did look peaceful.” I set the glass down and shake my head as I try to decide what to say. “I’m pretty sure we said that it was a onetime deal before we even left the wedding reception.”
“No, we didn’t.”
I squint my eyes at him, remembering that night close to a year ago. “I think we did. We were flirting, and you whispered in my ear that you wanted one night with me.”
“I said that I wanted to take you home for the night,” he says with a scowl. “Not that it would only be for one night.”
Frowning, I blink over at him. “Are you sure?”
“I remember every fucking detail about that night as if it were five minutes ago.” His jaw tightens, and his shoulders tense. “Are you telling me that you walked out on me because of a misunderstanding?”
“And you didn’t call because you thought that I’d bailed.” I can’t help but laugh. “Well, at least we got that cleared up. We didn’t have any problem at all communicating the rest of the night.”
Ryan was excellent at telling me what he was going to do, what he wanted me to do, and how I made him feel.
It was the sexiest night of my life.
“I’d like to take you out. On a date.”
I sober and blink over at him, distracted when I hear Jake yell out, “Yes! Got it!”
“You do?”
“Yeah, Polly, I do. What night works for you?”
“I close the shop every night at six.” I swallow a sip of wine. “But what about Jake?”
“He’s almost sixteen. He doesn’t need a babysitter. How about Tuesday night?”
I mentally scan my calendar and then nod. “I’m free Tuesday night.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Heather makes her way through the dining room with our pies balanced perfectly on the flat of her hands. Jake slides into the booth next to Ryan just as she sets them on the table between us. She gives us plates and silverware and grins. “Be right back with the breadsticks.”
“This smells so good,” Jake says. “I worked up an appetite playing pinball.”
I can’t help but smile at the teenager as he grabs a slice of pizza and takes a big bite.
“Good?” I ask as I set a slice on my plate.
