Page 60 of One Sweet Match Up

“The enchanted one?”

He smiled over at the few afternoon customers still milling about, lowering his voice. “Yeah. It was in there this morning.”

She took his cue to exercise discretion. “I thought you were getting rid of it,” she whispered.

“I’ve been meaning to take it over to Sheila’s, I just haven’t gotten around to it.” Truth be told, he didn’t want to get rid of it. He wasn’t quite sure, but every item seemed to link him back to Zoe. He didn’t know what Mary was trying to accomplish, but he wasn’t ready to part with the purse yet.

Every night before he turned out the light on his nightstand, he checked to see if there was anything inside, and then repeated the process the second he rolled out of bed.

Nothing had appeared since his old basketball jersey. However, this morning, when he pulled the purse out from underneath his bed, he’d found the quart of oil.

How it related to him and Zoe he wasn’t sure.

Rachel finished her sandwich. “Maybe Mary wants you to change her oil.” She scrunched her nose. “Did they even have cars back then?”

He rolled his eyes.

“So, where’s your partner?”

His heart raced at the mention of Zoe. It’d been an exhilarating week, working together, and he could tell this morning Zoe was losing a little steam. “I told her to take a lunch break. Get some fresh air.” He looked down at his phone. That was two hours ago. He wasn’t worried, but in a couple of hours the dinner crowd would start coming in. It’d be hard to cook and serve alone.

Plus, he wanted her here. Working side by side had been awesome. He loved watching her chatting up the customers and talking up his cooking, and the way she cheered every time a customer won one of the donated prizes.

The town was falling for Zoe Mathews.

He was falling for her, too.

Hard.

Working with Zoe had been the most fun he’d had in a very long time with any woman.

She was an awesome help in the kitchen, too, often prepping the meat and vegetables. Every so often he had to curb the impulse to reach out and pull her into his arms and kiss her crazy, and yeah, he fantasized what it would be like to scoop her into his arms and take her right then and there.

He didn’t like keeping things professional one bit, but after she disappeared the night of the basketball game, he’d thought long and hard. For some reason, their attraction frightened her.

So, he did the most selfless thing he could think of and backed off. It’s not what he wanted, but it was clear it’s what she needed. He’d give her some room. Focus all of his attention on their business, and hopefully, over the next two weeks, she’d see that he wasn’t a guy she needed to bolt from.

It had killed him to not admit he was insanely attracted to her, but she wasn’t ready. That much was obvious. So, he decided he’d take it slow.

Real slow.

Like a painful snail’s pace slow.

A total first for him. Normally, he didn’t have to wait for any woman, but Zoe wasn’t just any woman. His feelings for her were moving well beyond physical attraction.

The last couple of days reinforced how he felt. They’d laughed and joked while working together on his new menu. Really, it wastheirmenu. She’d been the one to tell him his broccoli and cheese soup had fallen flat with the cheese he’d selected and that his beef barley soup would taste a hundred percent better with more dried thyme.

She had mad culinary skills. That was for sure. When he asked her where she learned to cook, her cheeks went an adorable soft pink and she’d only offered “around” as her response.

“Earth to Donovan.” Rachel’s hand in front of him snapped him back to attention.

“Sorry.”

His sister’s knowing grin suggested she knew he was daydreaming about Zoe. His twin had a keen sense. “So, did I win one of your big prizes?” she asked.

“Don’t know. Check the bottom of your soup cup.”

Rachel picked it up and held it high in the air. “Oh my God. I won!” she squealed.

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