Page 10 of Sweet Spot

I made my way back inside. Mei frowned as soon as she saw me. “No.”

“No what?”

“You’re taking a job.” Her frown deepened.

“What makes you say that?”

Her finger made a circle through the air. “You’ve got your work face on. Dr. Kate James.”

I scrunched my nose and wiggled my lips. “No I don’t.”

She sighed. “After this one you’re taking two months off and we’re going to Greece together.”

“Greece?”

“Or somewhere else exciting and far away from your work. I don’t care where. Oh! We could do Italy! Wine and food for two straight weeks!”

I paused. That actually sounded fantastic. “Let me find out what this job is and whether I even want to take it. Either way, we’re planning that trip.”

Mei lit up. “Deal.”

“I wasn’t aware we were making a deal.” I kissed the top of her head as I moved past her to say goodbye to Jeri.

“No! You can’t go! It’s my birthday!”

“We have had food, drinks, presents, and cake. What part am I missing?” Plus I was tired. Really tired. The emotional rollercoaster of the whole night had taken its toll and I wanted my pajamas.

She pouted. “Fine. But drive safe. Maybe one day we’ll lure you to our side of town with our sexy men.”

I dropped a kiss on her cheek and glanced at the bar. Isaac was gone. For some silly reason my heart dropped into my stomach with disappointment. “Have a good rest of the night. Be safe.”

“Yes mom.”

I said goodbye to everyone else, waved to Mark, and came to stop when I realized Isaac wasn’t gone. He stood beside the door, hands in his pockets, waiting.

For me?

He straightened as soon as he saw me. “Hey. I saw that you were leaving and wanted to say goodbye too.”

I got all warm and tingly and my heart skipped a beat. “A work thing came up.”

He nodded once. “I have a work thing, too. I’ll be out of town for the next month, unfortunately.” His voice was smooth and calming. “But I thought maybe when I get back you could meet me at Loretta’s? March 31st at seven? I know that sounds strangely specific, but it’s the day I get back.”

Strangely specific was also strangely romantic. A month would give me time to get this job off the ground—if I took it—and time to figure out my weird prejudice towards men with scruffy beards and flip flops. Or maybe I’d learn it really was a thing for me and meeting Isaac again just wasn’t in the cards.

“Loretta’s. March 31st. Seven,” I said with a nod as my nerves went wild.

He gave me another of his soft smiles. “It really was very nice to meet you, Kate. Have a good night.”

“You too, Isaac.”

He held the door open for me and bowed as I walked past. The man definitely had a silly streak. “Drive safe.” He began whistling as he shuffled down the sidewalk and jogged through the intersection, across the street to the neighborhood of canals and expensive houses on the Intercoastal.

Isaac might be scruffy looking, but there had to be a lot more to him than that. I did love a good mystery and this night had given me two.

4

Kate

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