Page 34 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“In case you’ve been wondering why I haven’t invited you over before,” I said as I closed the door behind me, “Sadie was right about them scaring you off.”

He laughed and reached for me, pulling me in to his embrace. “If you promise not to judge me by my parents when you meet them, I’ll promise to not hold your family against you either.”

I tilted my head back to look up at him. “It’s a deal.” I pushed up on my toes and pressed my lips to his. They still tasted sweet like the cherry pie we’d had for dessert. “I’m sorry for the most horrible Valentine’s date in history.”

“No apology necessary.” One of his hands slid up my back and into my hair, weaving around in the curls and deepening the kiss. I responded warmly, trying to ignore the hands in my hair. It should have been cute and romantic, but it was a distraction.

I gently ended the kiss and tried to casually pull my head away, causing his hand to drop. I didn’t want to offend him, so I snuggled up against him, resting my cheek on his shoulder and wrapping my arms around his waist.

“I don’t deserve someone as nice as you,” I said.

He squeezed me tight. “I wish we had more time together tonight, but the weatherman says there’s a snow storm coming in, so I’d better head home. It’s not fun driving through the pass in a blizzard.”

I nodded. “Thanks for dinner.”

I leaned back and kissed him again, this time trying to express how grateful I was for him without actually saying any words. I kept hoping the right words would come, but so far they’d stayed tucked away inside of me, and I couldn’t find them anywhere.

* * * * *

The next morning when I told Kelly about Sadie’s behavior at dinner, her reaction completely vindicated my anger. “I can’t believe you didn’t slap her across her sassy little mouth.” She stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing. Her voice carried over the sounds of cooking happening behind us through the kitchen window.

“Oh, she got an earful after Blaine left. She’s not getting any meals out of me for a while,” I responded. I knew the ire I still felt over my sister’s behavior could be heard in my voice, so I tried to tamp it down around the customers even though we were standing out of the way. “I do everything for her. The least she could do is be nice to him.”

Kelly pinched her lips together and wagged a finger in my face. “She’s being a terrible sister, and that’s the truth.”

“She didn’t used to be,” I replied. “She used to be so sweet.” I had been so excited when she was born. I was seven and I’d been wishing for a sibling for years. She’d been my little buddy for a really long time. “I don’t know what changed.”

“She became a teenager. A beautiful one at that.”

“Beauty doesn’t have to equal evil,” I stated.

Kelly laughed and gave me an impromptu hug. “You’re right. It’s just that somewhere in the middle of being a teenager you should have to go through a dog ugly phase to keep you humble. It’s against nature to be as flawless as your sister when you’re that age. It’s warped her mind.”

“Well, having our father disappear didn’t help either,” I mumbled in a moment of insight. The teen years had been rough on me, but I’d had solid parents at home supporting me through it. Maybe I needed to cut Sadie some slack. It was worth pondering, at the very least.

I heard the bell above the diner door jangle before I had a chance to run my insight past Kelly. A customer had come in, and I was in charge of seating them. I zig-zagged around the drink station and stuttered to an awkward stop when Connor appeared before me. He was wearing a ball cap and a jacket, and he’d brought in with him the smell of cold morning air and a hint of something orange scented. His light eyes caught mine from under the brim and zoned in as though he was trying to read what I was thinking. I blinked and looked to the side where a woman was standing next to him. I’d never seen her before, but I doubted she’d ever had an ugly phase in her life. She was wearing tight jeans and a fitted top with high boots and hair that made girls all over the world jealous.

“Hi. Welcome to Jake’s. Two today?” I said as I reached for menus.

“Just one,” Connor replied.

I glanced up in time to see him look over at the lady as though he’d been surprised to find her standing there.

“If you’re alone and I’m alone, maybe we could eat together,” she said to him in an undertone that would have melted an ice sculpture.

My chin pulled back as though I’d physically felt the flirtation myself. Her eyes caressed him from head to toe, taking in all the things that had attracted women to him since his last pimple had faded. Tall, athletic, and colored so differently from most people, he was fascinating to look at, I had to admit. If I wasn’t so against it, I’d love to figure out all those colors and transfer them to canvas.

I snapped back to attention and waved the menus. “So, two then?” I asked.

Connor’s eyes swung back to me and he shook his head. “Just one.”

The woman looked to me, and we shared an equally disbelieving glance. Neither of us could understand why he’d turned her down. If I could have picked out the type of woman Connor Hunt would go for, she would be it. She knew it, and I knew it, and it was like the world had tilted off its axis a bit.

I cleared my throat. “Okay. Ma’am, if you’ll follow me?” My voice was sympathetic, and she offered me a kind look. I guided her to a small side booth and came back for Connor, careful to lead him to a booth in a different area.

“What was that all about?” Connor asked as he followed me. He was walking so close behind me that I was worried he’d step on my heel.

“You just shot that lady down cold.” I gestured to a booth and he slid in.

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