Page 50 of The Heart Shot
“I’ll take care of the check. I’ll see you soon?”
She stilled, her coat halfway on. “You tell me.”
A small smile bent my lips. “Yes, I’ll see you soon. We have two more dates.”
Elsie cocked her head. “This didn’t count?”
Pushing out of my chair, I stepped around the table and helped her the rest of the way into her coat. My fingers grazed hers and something electric crackled between us. She glanced over her shoulder, her lips only inches from mine. All it would take was a shifting of my weight to kiss her.
As much as I wanted to, I didn’t want the first time to be surrounded by people at Dina’s. I cleared my throat and stepped back, putting my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t pull her into my arms.
“Oh no.” I smiled, taking a step back. “This wasn’t a date. This was just…hanging out.”
Elsie fidgeted with her coat buttons, avoiding my gaze. Her fingers trembled, and she struggled to get the wooden buttons through the proper holes.Unable to resist, I stilled her hands with my own, buttoning her up one by one, before I put a finger to her chin and tilted her head up to look at me.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Elsie.”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “I think it’s better if I am.”
I opened my mouth to ask why, but she pulled away from me, and a sudden cold smothered me in her absence.
“Thanks for dinner, Jameson.”
Before I could say anything else, she tucked her hands into her coat pockets and hurried into the chilly autumn evening, taking my heart and all rational thoughts with her.
Elsie
Rain poured from the sky the next day, giving the air that typical crisp but musty fall scent. Meridel’s only gas station was packed with people as I waited in a long line of cars for my turn to fill up. Twenty minutes— and a mental note not to visit Gas & Things at lunch time—later, I finally made it to a pump. By then, almost everyone had come and gone, so I didn’t feel bad about running inside to grab a quick snack before filling up my car.
The scent of gas station coffee and fresh donuts lingered in the air, making my stomach rumble. I snagged two donuts from the case—a chocolate glazed one and a cinnamon sugar bear claw—paid, then headed back to my car. I was too busy stuffing my face to pay much attention to my surroundings, at least until a shadow moved into my peripheral.
My first thought was of those news reports from years ago warning of women getting kidnapped at the pump. So, of course, what was my natural defensive response?
I spun around like a ninja and chucked the donut at the person’s head.
I also may or may not have screamed, “WA-CHAW!” like a kid practicing karate, though I’d plead the fifth if I was ever asked to confirm or deny doing so.
The donut flew through the air, smacking into the kidnapper’s cheek before breaking into a bunch of pitiful pieces on the ground.
I probably should have been embarrassed that my first response to a kidnapper was a flying donut to the face instead of running for my life, but all thoughts fell out of my head as I turned to find Jameson with a cheek now covered in cinnamon sugar.
“Nice to see you too, Elsie,” Jameson laughed. “Sorry for startling you.”
I put a hand to my chest. “I thought you were a kidnapper.”
He arched a brow. “Do you often fear getting snatched in broad daylight while eating a donut?”
I crossed my arms and snapped back, “It never hurts to be prepared.”
“Oh yes, your donut definitely would have stopped somebody trying to steal you away.”
The gas nozzle made athunkas it finished filling, causing me to flinch.It then got stuck in my car as I tried to pull it out. I gave it a few good yanks before it finally sprung free, and I stumbled backward. An amused smile twisted Jameson’s lips as he watched me.
I really needed to stop doing embarrassing things around him or my face would perpetually feel on fire for the rest of my life.When I finally got the pump situated, and the gas cap on my car closed, I turned to him with hands on my hips.
“So, you’re not trying to steal me?”
His response was quick. “Maybe just your heart.”
