Page 28 of His Build

“She’s a happily married woman now, with two of the cutest nephews ever to come out of Barkley Falls. Doesn’t stop the fact of the facts.”

“The fact of the—” Graydon stammered, looking so painfully awkward that Lucy had to stifle a laugh.

She stepped in to rescue him. “Toby gave me a list of his favorite shops to hit up.”

“Oh great,” Graydon said, clearly relieved for the subject change. “Well, we better get going, huh?” he said, looking suddenly very eager to leave.

“Bye Toby,” she called as they went out the doors. Toby winked at her devilishly.

“He did that on purpose,” Graydon said, as they got in the truck. “Didn’t he?”

“Did what?”

“Embarrassed me,” he grinned.

“Yup.”

They both laughed, and whatever awkwardness she’d been worried about slipped down at least a couple of notches.

* * *

It was onlywhen they’d pulled onto the highway that Lucy realized that between swimming and talking to Sadie, she’d forgotten to eat breakfast.

When she asked Graydon if he wouldn’t mind if they stopped to pick up a muffin on the way, he’d suggested they stop for a quick breakfast at Aubrey’s before hitting the road. “You’ll love it,” he said. “Promise.”

“I’ve already avowed myself of Aubrey’s burgers for takeout several times,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t ask her how many times. It was a lot.

“Graydon Mitchell,” called the middle aged woman behind the counter, whose nametag pronounced her Aubrey herself.

Aubrey was a classic diner mom-slash-waitress with a poufy head of bottle-red hair and a big, rosy-cheeked smile. She looked like she was born to work in a diner. She also looked like she wanted to wrap Graydon up in a bear hug. Instead, she glanced at Lucy and smiled.

“Good morning, young lady. Nice to have another redhead in these parts.”

Lucy smiled, though she felt her cheeks burn as several patrons next to them angled their heads in their direction.

“Sorry,” Aubrey said, leaning in. “Sometimes I forget how much everyone loves to stare at a redhead. I’m just so used to it.” She flipped her hair back in mock boastfulness.

Lucy couldn’t help but laugh. “You’d think I’d get used to it, being one my whole life.”

Aubrey led them to one of the empty booths at the end of the diner and gave Lucy a wink before walking away.

“I recommend the flapjacks,” Graydon said, pushing his menu aside and folding his hands behind his head. He looked like he was stretching out in bed.

Just thinking the wordbedreminded Lucy of being in hers at the motel that morning. The sun streaming in from the big diner window lit up his face just like it had in the dream; just like it had made his whole naked body glow…

She picked up her menu, hiding her face behind it. “Flapjacks, huh?”

“You okay?” Graydon asked from behind the laminated cardboard.

“Fine.” She kept the menu in front of her face. “What did you say was good?”

There was a pause, and he said, “Flapjacks.”

Shit.She’d just said that.

“You mean pancakes,” she said, skipping over her gaffe. That awkward-o-meter was ramping back up into the red zone.

“Yeah, those. You’ll find them—” he gently lifted the menu from her hands and flipped it the right way up. “Here.” He pointed to the breakfast section. “

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