Page 40 of Falling for the Wrong Guy

“Wish there was something exciting to tell you to add to my autobiography, but you already know a lot about me with just those few details. However, I did spend some time in Taiwan, working in a hotel, and I rented out surfboards to tourists on a beach in Australia for a year. I also worked as a mountain guide in the Alps.”

She laughed. “Gee, I wish I had something exciting to add to my autobiography,” she said in a deep voice.

“I don’t sound like that,” I said. “Do I?”

Aria laughed. “You’ve had an amazing life already. Quite the nomad.”

“That’s me. Never planting roots, as my mom likes to say.”

“Kellan said your mom lives in Connecticut with her sister. I met her once on a FaceTime chat.” Aria’s lips turned down. “She’s going to hate me now.”

“Nah, she doesn’t keep that tight of a watch on what Kel and I are up to. I was close to Dad, and Kel was closer to Mom, but once we grew into adults, she was too busy with her new life on the East Coast.” I leaned back and looked at her. “What about you? I know that you own a café and you were dating my brother and you risk life and limb to make sure Oscar gets his sandwiches. You have four younger sisters … oh, and you’re terrible at changing lightbulbs …”

She laughed again. It was definitely a sound I was starting to love.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I continued.

“Hmm, I love to dip pieces of chocolate in peanut butter. I don’t like clowns but then who does? I’m not the biggest fan of ice cream.” She nodded at my surprised look. “Weird, I know.” Her brown eyes turned up in thought. “And sometimes I wish I’d been born second or third because while it comes with some perks, being the oldest is hard. And a boy named Dylan Harmon was my first real kiss, and by real, I mean it was on the mouth. We were fourteen. It happened after a school dance, and as far as I was concerned, we were destined to be together from that moment on, right up until I spotted him buying Emily Saunders a hot dog at the baseball game a week later. Then he reached for her hand, and my devastation was complete.”

“Dylan was an idiot,” Dex said.

“I agree.” She took a bite of quiche and held up her empty fork. “Brilliant by the way. You were right about the smoky gouda. Since we’re telling our deepest secrets ...” she started.

I raised a brow at her. “Deepest? Really? Not sure if a kiss after a school dance could be labeleddeepest.”

“So, you’re not going to tell me what you were looking for out on the cove,” she said.

I pushed the salad around with my fork. “I won’t get into specifics—mostly for your safety,” I added, then instantly regretted using that phrase.

Aria sat up straighter. “Those two thugs? Are they looking for the same thing?”

“They were. It’s something of great value, but I don’t think you have to worry about them anymore. They left town with empty pockets, disappointed frowns and a severely sprained ankle.”

“Then the danger is gone, right?”

I hated that the conversation had gone this direction. These were the kinds of details about my life that gave credence to everything Kellan said and thought about me. “I can’t be a hundred percent sure. Like I said, the thing I’m looking for is worth a lot of money.” I put down my fork and took hold of her hand. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or your sisters or this café.” I meant every word.

Her brown gaze went through me and settled right in my chest.

“This all feels a little nuts, a little impulsive. I only just broke up with your brother this morning. I’ve still got earrings to return. Throw in the extra thorny detail that you’re going to be my employee—” Her laugh sounded sad. “Just saying all that out loud feels like the biggest load of dirty laundry ever thrown into one basket.” She curled her thumb around my hand to hold it tighter. “We’re going to take this slow, right? I’m still in a state of shock about everything and?—”

“Slow as you want, Aria. One day at a time, as my old man used to say.”

Strands of her shiny copper hair had come loose from the knot at the back of her head. I reached over and pushed the ones hanging over her cheek back behind her ear. My fingers brushed her soft skin lightly and lingered behind her ear.

She closed her eyes and sighed softly at my touch. Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away, and she opened her eyes. “Is that part of your going slow plan? Because we might be working with different definitions.”

“That’s my idea of going slow, but feel free to tell me to back off when needed,” I said.

She reached for my hand again. “I’m pretty sure that won’t happen often. I hate to bring up a mood killer, but I need to clean up the catastrophe I made.”

“Yep, that’s a mood killer, but I can top it. I’ve got to cut onions. But first, I’ll help you put your café back together.”

ChapterTwenty-Six

Aria

We made plans. It seemed a little insane considering we’d been together all day and because I’d made it clear I wanted to go slow, but when Dex offered a motorcycle ride along the coast, I couldn’t resist. It sounded cold and kind of nuts, but I hadn’t done anything wild in a long time.

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