Page 10 of Love at First Slice
He was flirting! Right? That was flirting? I wasn’t sure. I was hardly ever on the receiving end of it.
“It’s usually always great company,” I said and winced, hoping he didn’t take offense. “But I think you’re right. This year, it’s better.”
“You sound a little surprised by that,” he noted, leaning in a little closer. His scent enveloped me, and I wanted to moan. Or sit right on his lap and bury my face in the spot where his neck and shoulder met and take a good ole whiff.
“Abby?”
“What?” I blinked, trying to get myself under control.Stop thinking about sniffing him!I chastised myself.
“You sound surprised about the good company,” he repeated. I chewed on the inside of my cheek.
“Maybe.” I shrugged, feeling guilty about how much I had bitched about having extra people at our get-together.
I forced myself to look around. There was nothing but smiling faces. Everyone talking and laughing, obviously enjoying themselves.The more the merrier.Maybe they’d been right about that?
“But in a good way,” I added, shyly looking back at him.
“What do you do?” I blinked.
“Do?” I repeated like an idiot.
“For work.”
“Oh.” I opened and shut my mouth.
He was a principal, in charge of a whole bunch of people.
He’d have been one for a while if he had done it in a whole other state. He was a professional who had gone to college. For all I knew, he probably had his masters, maybe a doctorate.
And me? Jesus, why did I suddenly feel like I fell short? This was when whatever attraction had lured him to talk to me would shatter.Oh well… it was nice while it lasted.
“I’m an event coordinator at the ski resort,” I shared, my tone tight.
“By the lake?” he asked, loosening something inside of me.
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“That’s cool.” He smiled easily, like he wasn’t disappointed. I tilted my head.
“Yeah? You think so?” I asked, slightly suspicious.
“I mean, do you like what you do?” Those beautiful brown eyes never wavered from mine for even a second.
“I love it,” I responded honestly. His gaze softened, almost like he was relieved, glad even, that I enjoyed what I did.
“That’s all that matters. Finding something you’re passionate about.” He winked. “Tell me about event coordinating.”
“Oh…” No one had ever really asked me about my job. Not even the girls. “I do all sorts of things,” I said, trying not to bore him.
“Weddings?” he guessed.
“Of course!” I smiled, and his hand tightened over mine. “Especially now under the new ownership and after the renovations they did. But it’s not just weddings, which I do love planning, but I do corporate events, big and small?—“
“Like what?” he asked, genuinely interested.
“From meetings to team bonding retreats and everything in between.”
“Wow, that can’t be easy.” He almost seemed… impressed. By me!
