Page 46 of The Wish List
“Sorry,” she murmured. “I’m not quite used to the new dimensions of my body.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Sometimes tired but mainly good. As long as I have access to a bathroom every five minutes, things are going well.”
“You’ve proven a clump of trees works,” he said with a laugh. It seemed so long ago since the night they’d met.
“You thought I was up to no good,” she said, smoothing the hair away from his face.
“I thought you might need assistance,” he countered.
“Rescuing,” she murmured. “I bet you see a lot of damsels in distress.” She’d meant the comment as a joke but color bloomed in Ash’s cheeks. Trinity had a feeling that he would have ducked away if she wasn’t wielding scissors.
“Not exactly.”
“Oh, my gosh. You do. Do single women in this town speed on purpose so you’ll pull them over?” She snipped and asked the question, then pulled back to gauge his reaction.
“That only happened once,” he muttered. “Maybe twice.”
She grinned, but her amusement was quickly followed by disappointment. Ash probably had every available woman in Magnolia lusting after him. Despite his dinner invitation, there was no way he’d be interested in a soon-to-be single mom who’d lost her way in the world.
“Not every woman in town is impressed by me.” Ash gave her a meaningful look, and it was Trinity’s turn to blush.
“You’re impressive.” She was pregnant, not dead. She could appreciate a handsome man, especially one who was also kind and a good father.
“The dinner invitation still stands,” he told her.
She sifted her fingers through his thick hair. “I don’t understand why you’d even ask me out. I’m not easy, Ash.”
He looked horrified. “I never thought you were.”
She laughed despite herself. “I don’t mean that kind of easy. I’m complicated. My life right now is complicated.”
“I’m the single father of a soon-to-be teenage girl,” he reminded her. “One who is talking about trying her hand behind the wheel despite being nowhere near old enough for a license. Let’s not forget the fact that I live with my late wife’s mother. What would make you think that I’m afraid of complications?”
“You should be.” Trinity suddenly felt much older than her twenty-seven years. “You should be finding excuses to let your hair down a little, hypothetically speaking. You’re a stand-up guy. That much is crystal clear. You deserve something in your life that’s easy.”
He reached out and touched her elbow, then moved his hand slowly until his fingers circled her wrist. Somehow she understood he was making the touch measured and gentle because that’s what she needed. His thoughtfulness made her silly heart fling itself against her rib cage.
“I keep telling you, Trin. My feelings for you are simple. I like you. Easy enough. I’m not asking for anything but dinner. Just dinner.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse again, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to take for herself the advice she’d given him. Her feelings for Ash might be complicated, but they also came without having to make an effort. She yearned to explore them more deeply.
“Dinner,” she said. “One dinner. Someplace casual.”
“Italian? Il Rigatone has a new chef. I’ve heard everything on the menu is even better than before.”
“That was the restaurant we used to go to as kids for family celebrations, at least before my dad left.”
He still held her wrist, and she pulled away slightly, telling herself she was only curious as to what his response might be. He released her without hesitation, and she smiled.
“Il Rigatone would be lovely.”
His grin was so boyishly charming Trinity realized she didn’t have a chance of resisting him.
“I’m off at five on Monday,” he said. “Michaela has dance class until seven thirty, and I have to pick her up. Could we time it around her schedule? I know that sounds—”
She pressed a finger to his soft lips. “That sounds perfect.” She placed her scissors on the counter and lifted a jar of pomade. “I’m guessing you’re not a hair-product guy?”
