Page 9 of Accidentally Falling
Ihate when my deadline has a deadline, but there’s nothing I can do about that right now—not without bottomless French fries and six hours of uninterrupted focus.
Good thing I can fix at least one of those things right now.
Slipping into Boots on Bar and Grill, I hustle past all the patrons, wave to the owner, Jude, who never waves back, and find my usual booth in the corner.
Perfect.
The first time I saw Jude, I’d been unable to form words, completely dumbstruck by how incredibly good-looking he is—ruggedly masculine with a mouth that’s more likely to smirk than smile.
A panty-melting one.
And I’m still not immune to his hotness. Every time I walk in here I think I’m over it, but alas, Jude Rhodes is just all sorts of dangerous and I’ve never done anything dangerous in my life.
I wonder what that would be like.
I wonder whathewould be like.
“How long today?” His deep voice makes me jump as he sets a soda water with lime down on a worn coaster in front of me.
“How long for what?” I ask, surprised he’s engaging in conversation not related to my food or drink order.
“How long are you writing?”
Tilting my head from side to side, I smile. “About six hours give or take. I’ll be sure to get out of here if it starts filling up. I don’t want to take up your table.”
“It’s fine. You want fries?”
“Yes, please.”
“You know we have other food on the menu, right?”
“I know,” I respond as I narrow my eyes. “I get takeout from here all the time.” When he just blinks at me, I huff, “I eat the fries with a fork so I don’t get the keys of my laptop all greasy.”
“That’s why we give you napkins,” he deadpans and I roll my eyes.
“Yes, but you can’t get the grease off with a napkin. You have towashyour hands and if I had to do that after every fry I’d never get anything done.”
“Riveting.”
“Hey, you asked. It’s the same reason I can’t eat a burger or anything else really. Fries are enough to keep me going andyourshappen to be delicious.”
The corner of his eye crinkles the tiniest bit and I feel my cheeks heat.Oh my God, I just told Jude he’s delicious.
Technically I said his fries were delicious, but I feel like he knows what I was really thinking.
“You’ll have yourdeliciousfries soon, Tennessee.” His southern drawl makes the whole thing sound incredibly dirty and I am here for it.
“Tennessee?” He nods to the sweatshirt I’m wearing anddid he just give me a nickname?Breathe, Arden. “Oh, I bought this when I found out my biological father and half sister were from Tennessee.”
I press my lips together because that was completely an overshare and it sounds ridiculous to admit that out loud.
But finding Ellison and Evan Mills was like finding a piece of myself I never knew was missing. I’d gone online and bought the first sweatshirt that popped up, just something tangible to remind me that I’d taken the first step and there was no going back.
“Your fries will be out in a minute,” he says as “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver comes over the speaker—rather prophetic.
“Thanks, Country Rhodes,” I say cheerily, my smile widening when he scowls. “Get it? Country roads but Rhodes like?—”
“Yeah, put that together,” he grumbles with a wave of his hand when he turns to leave.
