“Well, you found me,” I said, sounding breathless to my own ears. I didn’t run often, but I imagined that was what I’d sound like after a marathon.
“I can grab it and bring it to you if you can tell me where you parked.”
“So, you didn’t come here just to kiss me again?” I asked, puzzled by the complete change in topic.
“That was just a nice hope. One that I hadn’t stopped thinking about since I kissed you yesterday.” My gaze dipped downward at the realization that I had affected him the same way that he had affected me. I’d never imagined a kiss could hold that kind of power.
“So, the binder?” he prompted with a gentle squeeze at my waist.
I shook my head slightly and brought my attention back to Colton. A thought launched in my head, one that I was probably going to regret, but I found myself asking anyway.
“We have family dinner on Saturday nights. I know you mentioned you don’t cook and I thought, maybe, if you wanted, you could. . .I don’t know-”
“Are you asking me to come to dinner tonight?”
“Yes. I mean, no. I mean. . .you could bring the binder to the house. And I know my dad would love to hear-” The man silenced me with another kiss. This one was quick but no less heated.
“Stop talking,” he commanded as he pulled back. “I would love to join your family for dinner tonight.”
I had a secret suspicion he had chosen those words carefully.
Abruptly, Colton requested to walk me to my car and he followed dutifully until we reached the spot I snagged on the street.
“Dinner is at six,” I added as I opened the driver’s side door and turned to face him.
Colton’s eyes darted around the street, probably taking in the number of people milling about. We weren’t secluded as we had been before.
Reaching out, he gently squeezed the hand that hung loosely at my hip, then gestured for me to get in the car with a small tilt of his head. “I’ll see you then.”
In the car, my hand shook as I pressed the ignition button to start the car and it took all my strength not to turn my head to watch Colton as I pulled out of the parking spot. But I snuck a few glances in my rearview mirror, wondering what kind of mistake I had just made.
From my purse I heard my phone buzz and then the Bluetooth in the car prompted to read aloud the message. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the okay button.
“From Alex. Lucy, you got some explaining to do.”
Yeah, I was definitely going to regret asking him to join us for dinner. I just wasn’t sure if that was on my behalf or his.
Quickly I darted into the parking lot for Chuck’s Grocery and dialed my mom, who picked up immediately.
“Autumn, is everything okay?”
“Yeah. . .um. . .do we need anything from the store?”
“I don’t think so. Why?”
“Well, um. . .” I began, knowing I was about to be on the receiving end of my mother’s high-pitched squeal. “I invited our new neighbor to join us for dinner.”
“Eeep!” And there it was. I had to yank the phone back from my ear until she settled down.
“Mom. Mom. Mom!” I finally shouted to get her attention. She’d started rambling on incoherently about weddings and grandchildren. “Do we need anything else from the store?”
“No, dear. We’re having steak kabobs. We have plenty. Oh, I am just so excited. Now hurry home. I can’t wait to hear everything.” Mom quickly ended the call and I debated on turning around and heading back to the ranch. Instead, I made my way into Chuck’s in search of a bottle of wine, knowing that I was going to be subjected to my mother and sisters for the next few hours.
I searched the shelves and snagged a bottle of red that I adored but quickly grabbed a second bottle as well. There was a good chance I was going to need it.
Chapter Eleven – Colton
The sun set just beyond a valley between the mountain ranges. It projected oranges and reds throughout the clouds on the darkening evening, and I couldn’t help but relish in its glory. My reasons for ending up in Ashfield were mine and mine alone. I’d left the world believing that it was a way to escape the storm that was brewing in New York related to my ex-girlfriend and retirement, but that wasn’t all. Only my agent knew of the last straw that led me to Eastern Tennessee and that alone was a fluke.
