Page 4 of Cedarwood Manny

Nathan pushed one of the cups toward Adrien. “Like I’ve never done anything along those lines? I have.” He sipped his coffee. “I tripped into a glass door and broke it. Screwed up my face, too.”

He wasn’t sure how to respond. “Wow.”

“Oh yeah. See this scar?” He pointed to a thin line bisecting his cheek. “I survived, but I’ll never model.” He shrugged. “I never wanted to be a model, but still. If I can move on, you can, too.”

“True.” Getting upset over coffee wasn’t that important. He hadn’t done permanent damage. “I’m still sorry.”

“I know and appreciate it.” Nathan wound his fingers around his cup. “Do you come here often?”

He stared at Nathan’s hands. Adrien had a thing for men with strong but manicured hands. Nathan flexed his fingers. For a moment, Adrien’s mind wandered. He wondered what it would feel like to have Nathan’s palms on his chest or to lace his fingers with Nathan’s.Heaven? Possible.A tingle shot through him. He hadn’t thought about being with anyone in so long. He didn’t know Nathan, and yet he wanted to touch him.Crazy.

“Adrien?”

He met Nathan’s gaze again. “Sorry.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. My mind wandered.” He gritted his teeth and tried to smile.So much for being smooth.“I don’t visit here as much as I’d like.” He sighed. Steam swirled from his coffee cup and the dark liquid reflected the ceiling tiles. He stared at the pattern, rather than looking at Nathan. “I’m usually working.”Instead of parenting.Jesus, he needed to re-evaluate his life.

“I’m glad you came in today.” Nathan hummed along with the song on the radio. “Do you like music?”

“Some. I’m more of a jazz instrumental kind of a guy than being into the current stuff. I like songs from the thirties and forties.” He blew across the top of his cup, then sipped his coffee and watched Nathan. “You?”

“I’m partial to the current songs, yeah, but I spent time in musical theater, so I’m a sucker for showtunes of any age.” Nathan swept his gaze over Adrien. “You’re in business attire. Are you an accountant?”

“No.” He laughed and relaxed a bit. He sucked at financials. “My accountant would string me up if I tried to balance my books.”

“Lawyer?”

He shook his head. Did he look like he worked in the legal field? He’d never seen himself as anything besides a dentist.

Nathan crinkled his nose. “You don’t strike me as a stuffy businessman or someone in the stock market. Are you a doctor?”

“Kind of.”

“Really? Huh. I wouldn’t have thought you were.” Nathan tipped his head and his brow furrowed. “I’d have guessed you were a teacher before a doctor.”

“Why?”

“You seem very scheduled.”

“I am.” He needed his timetables.

“Well, then I wasn’t far off.”

The connection forming between him and Nathan dictated that Adrien should tell the truth. He hated to mislead his friends and potential lovers. Was there a chance Adrien might be his lover? Anything was possible. “No, you’re not. I’m a dentist.”

“No kidding.”

He’d been honest. Nathan sagged a bit in his seat. Was that defeat in his eyes? Adrien wasn’t sure, but it felt like defeat. “You’re not into dentists? It’s okay. I’m not the favorite of too many people. Dentists tend to equal pain, drills and bills. I’ve heard all the bad jokes and snide remarks. I’ve gotten death threats because patients didn’t appreciate their bill or the suggestion they might need a root canal. I’ve been struck, bitten and cursed at and there’s little anyone can do to shock me.” He met Nathan’s wide-eyed gaze.Well, shit.He’d disclosed too much and babbled.

“You’re single, aren’t you?” Nathan asked.

“It shows, doesn’t it?” He needed to curtail his nerdy, defensive streak.

“It does.” Nathan smiled and his dimple deepened in his left cheek.

Adrien expected something patronizing from Nathan. When he didn’t get a further response, he nodded once. “Well, it’s been fun, but I should go. I bet you’re the life of a party since you’re approachable. Are you?” He paused. He’d made no sense and had been condescending when he wasn’t trying to be. “I mean, are you single?”

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