Page 64 of One Kind Soul

“I know, but you guys are going above and beyond today.” He nudged menus in their direction. “Now order.”

“You better do as he says,” Landon said. “He nearly wrestled the two of us over paying.” He motioned to himself and Donovan.

“And I would have won that match.” Christian picked up a fry and wagged it at them. “I got the stitches out of my leg the other day and am now back to my usual one-hundred-twenty percent.”

“Looks as if you’ll need to be firing on all engines,” Ben said. “You really think that escaped prisoner is to blame for the store?”

“It sounds crazy when you say escaped prisoner here in Maplehaven,” Christian said, “but I’m not excluding it as a possibility. Nicole is totally convinced.”

“Her sister is also a sensitive subject,” Donovan said. “I didn’t know the woman had a rap sheet that extensive. Tessa had mentioned Nicole and her sister didn’t communicate, but I never thought jail was involved.”

And jail is the least of it. The verbal abuse Lynda had inflicted upon Nicole was far worse. That shit had caused a beautiful person—inside and out—to doubt her worth. Christian wanted to change that perception for Nicole and he’d been making progress. Hopefully the extra week would be enough time to make her see how much value she truly had.

“So back to my original question,” Landon said. “How did you get Nicole to blow another week of vacation on you?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Christian said. “She was the one who came up with that idea. I simply agreed it was a fantastic notion.”

“You mean you didn’t have to beg her?” Donovan asked.

“Does Christian have to beg a woman for anything?” Ben joked.

His brothers and Jared laughed and Christian put down his burger he’d picked up. “You know what, guys? It’s time I came clean.”

“Clean about what?” Jared asked.

“Clean about me and women.” He pushed his plate away a bit. “You want to know the real reason I don’t date a woman more than once?”

“Because you’re a player,” Landon said.

“A total flirt,” Donovan added.

“Mr. Right Now,” Ben offered.

Christian slid his gaze to Jared. “Go ahead. It’s your turn.”

“Umm . . . because the world is a buffet of gorgeous women and you’re trying to taste ’em all?”

They all laughed. Except for Christian who let them get it out of their systems.

“No,” he said when the knuckleheads quieted. “It’s because after one date, the women just want to be friends.”

Total crickets at his table as the four other men gaped at him in disbelief.

“Good one,” Landon finally said.

“I . . . I don’t think he’s kidding,” Donovan said. “Are you?”

Christian shook his head. “No, brother, I am not. Every woman I’ve dated so far has put me in The Friend Group after one, maybe two dates. It pissed me off, honestly, but now that I’ve met Nicole, I think I get it. The connection she and I have is nothing like what I felt on dates with these other chicks. Not even close.”

“Holy shit,” Donovan said slowly. “You love her.”

“I love Nicole,” Christian said, trying out the words and feeling their rightness. “Yeah, I do. I love Nicole.”

Landon clapped him on the back. “Aww, Donovan, our little bro is having a grown-up revelation.”

“About time.” Donovan raised his glass of root beer. “Welcome to the next level.”

Christian tapped his ginger ale to Donovan’s drink then took a sizable gulp, his throat suddenly gone dry at his announcement.