Page 27 of Home Team Advantage
The opportunity was just too good to resist. His feet moved accordingly. Closer. Closer. He could see her tense, her eyes practically drilling holes into the pages of that book to avoid acknowledging him. It was amusing—and a little humbling, if he was honest.
Sorry, sweetheart. I’m not going away that easily.
“Anna? Fancy meeting you here.”
Not really. Pine Ridge was a small town. She didn’t know it yet, but they were going to have a lot of “chance” encounters. Especially since he’d decided she was his mission for the foreseeable future.
She sighed softly, as if in resignation. To her credit, when she lowered her book, her expression hid the irritation her still-tense shoulders did not. “Oh, hi.”
“Do you mind if I join you?”
A hesitation. If he didn’t have an ulterior motive, he would have taken it for the polite rejection it was. Maybe. There was some truth to the belief that men loved the chase. A woman who wasn’t easily attainable was ten times more interesting than a woman who was, and he did so enjoy a challenge, celibacy rule or not.
He stood by the table expectantly, giving her his best golden retriever puppy imitation.
“Sure,” she said finally, summoning another almost-believable smile as she closed her book and slipped it back into her bag.
“Great.” He slid in across from her. The waitress came by almost immediately. “No need for a menu,” he told her while keeping his eyes solely on Anna. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”
Anna raised a brow—the biggest reaction he’d gotten from her yet. He felt like popping a fist pump.
“A bit risky, don’t you think?” she asked once the waitress left. “What if I ordered something you don’t like?”
He flashed her a practiced smile. “I like living on the edge, and you seem like a woman who makes good choices.”
She flinched a little at that. He pretended not to notice and stored it away for later consideration.
“So, did Mrs. C finally give you an afternoon off?”
“She’s with her friends. I’m just killing time until they’re done.”
“So, when do you have time off?”
She inclined her head to the side. “Why?”
“Just curious,” he said with a shrug. “I thought since you’re new to the area, I could show you around.”
A small smile. “That’s what GPS is for.”
“If you know exactly where you want to go, sure, GPS will get you there. But it won’t provide the inside intel on the hidden gems our little valley has to offer. You know, best places to eat, see, have fun.”
The server arrived at that moment with their orders, which happened to be the daily special—half a turkey club, fries, and a cup of chicken pastina soup. It was an excellent choice.
“For example,” he continued, popping a fry into his mouth, “if you wanted a truly exceptional burger, you’d go to Dragonfire. And cinnamon rolls? None better than O’Leary’s.”
She said nothing, choosing instead to focus on her soup. He kept the inane conversation going in the hopes of getting her to relax, but by the time he finished his plate, she remained as quiet and reserved as ever.
“Didn’t like the sandwich?” he asked, pointing to her half-eaten club.
“I underestimated the portions.” She looked at her watch. “I have to go,” she said abruptly. She wrapped her untouched sandwich in paper napkins, then stuffed it into her bag.
“Wait, let me give you my number.”
She blinked. “What for?”
“In case you need help or something. Neighbors, remember?”
She considered that for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”
