Page 13 of One Christmas Eve
It was killing Preston to pretend he hadn’t heard what Zoe had been saying to Carly when he first walked onto the dock.
Don’t be disgusting, Zoe.
It was none of his business and he was one hundred percent sure it was something Zoe would never have said if she’d known he was standing within earshot, so he was stuck with the pretense of being oblivious.
He’d decided he needed to go out at least one night a week to start building up a social life. He was quickly becoming something of a lunchtime regular at the Cedar Street Café, but—even though he wasn’t much of a drinker—he knew local spots with some kind of bar were the easiest places to strike up casual conversations with people.
And from what he’d heard, the Dock—despite its rather uninspired name—was a local favorite not only because the food was good, but because they offered access to outdoor seating year-round.
After asking for a beer, which he intended to nurse throughout his meal, he started looking over what the bartender told him was a limited off-season menu. That was when Noah had approached him and introduced himself, saying he’d seen Preston a couple of times at a distance, but wanted to say hello.
A few minutes later, Preston was sitting on the chilly deck at a table for four, and one of the chairs was occupied by the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about.
And if he didn’t do something soon, he was facing the very real possibility he and Zoe would spend this entire evening together without actually speaking directly to one another.
“So were you all born and raised here?” he asked when there was a lull in the conversation.
“We were,” Noah said, gesturing between himself and Carly.
“My parents met in college,” Zoe said, “and they both got good jobs in the area, so I was born and raised in western New York. But I spent all of my summers here. My parents used our grandparents like an extended summer camp, which I loved.”
“And you moved here as an adult?” For some reason, he wanted to know everything about her.
“After my divorce,” she answered quietly, and he internally winced. He wasn’t very good at this.
“Zoe and I always talked about owning a bookstore when we were kids,” Carly said, not subtle in her attempt to steer the conversation away from the rocks. “She showed up one day and said it was time, and here we are.”
“It’s a great store, so I’m glad you guys did it.”
Zoe smiled—and made real, voluntary eye contact with him for the first time tonight. “If we don’t have a book you’re looking for, just let us know and we can order it for you.”
“I like to read in bed to unwind, so I’ll definitely be a frequent customer.”
“We have a lot of books that are good for reading in bed,” Zoe said, that challenging sparkle back in full force.
“Hey, Carly and I need food.” Noah’s voice jerked Preston’s focus away from Zoe’s eyes and he realized that, in less than a minute, he’d totally forgotten those two were there. “Wings and fries for everybody?”
“Sounds good,” Zoe said, and then she looked at Preston. “You okay with buffalo?”
“Sure, if you’re sure you guys don’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Carly stood with Noah. “Do we want them delivered out here or do we want to move inside to eat?”
When Zoe gave him a questioning look, Preston shrugged. “Wherever you’re most comfortable works for me.”
“It’s turning the corner from chilly to cold, so why don’t you guys order and get a table and we’ll be in in a few minutes.”
Preston pretended he didn’t see the look Carly gave Zoe before she followed her husband inside, but he was secretly thrilled about it. Clearly she must like him if she was encouraging her cousin to...whatever she was silently suggesting Zoe do with him.
“So about these books I can read in bed,” he said once they were alone. “Will they be annotated versions?”
She laughed, and the air had cooled enough so her breath made a fine mist. “Did you enjoyFalling for the Renegade Rancher?”
“I did. Especially the parts you marked with sticky notes.”
“Now you know a little more about what I recommend.”
“Yes, I do.” He tilted his head. “I think we have similar taste in...books.”
