But would he continue to be when the filming started and she was gone more than she was home, and their schedules rivalled each other for work hours each week? Could he handle that? Or did he need her to just be his Liv, waiting for him to take down her ponytail at the end of the day?
At the booth, Greg noticed them before she could start the introductions, and he slid out of the booth to stand. “This must be Rafe,” he said, extending his hand.
Rafe glanced at her as he returned the handshake and Olivia blushed. “I don’t think I talk about you all that much.”
Ashley laughed. “No, but when you do mention him, you do that—“ she gestured at Olivia’s pink cheeks. “It’s cute.”
“Rafe, this is Greg DeCecco and Ashley Patterson.”
“Nice to meet you both. Liv has done a great job of selling your movie here, we’re all excited.”
“She’s something else. It’s too bad we can’t steal her away to come work with us full-time.” Greg shrugged. “Glad we have her on our team for this project, anyway.”
Rafe didn’t say anything, but from the way his hand tightened around her waist, Olivia knew he’d heard exactly what had just been said.
Her heart pounded in her chest. “Well, we should finish up…”
Greg sat again, and Rafe tugged her hand. “Walk me out.”
On the steps outside, she propped one hand on her hip and gave him a sassy smile. “Back to the office, walk me out…you’re getting bossy.”
He shook his head slowly, his eyes full of heat and his lips curling into a smile. “Nope, you’re not going to change the subject.”
“Change it from what? We weren’t talking about anything.”
“Did they offer you a full-time job in the city?”
“No.” Not exactly. “It didn’t get that far in the conversation.”
“Good.” Her eyes flared wide at that and he grinned. “I’m a selfish man, Liv. This isn’t news. I want you, and I want to stay here.”
She wanted to ask him what he’d do if she actually did take a job in the city. Had anything changed? But she wasn’t that strong. There was only one answer she wanted to hear, and she wasn’t sure it would be what he would offer.
— SEVENTEEN —
PINE HARBOUR responded to the town meeting with the enthusiasm of school children at a birthday party. She’d even seen her in-laws in the crowd, and Rafe’s dad had given her a nice wave. Anne studiously read the flyer Ashley had handed out at the door and avoided making eye contact.
So it was a big surprise the following Tuesday when she ran into Rafe’s mother at the bank and she stopped to talk. Olivia had just run in to the use the bank machine, and Anne had been inside. For a moment, Olivia wondered if she could just crawl into a deposit envelope and hide, but then her mother-in-law said her name and all pretence of ignorance was lost.
“Anne, how are you?”
“Fine, dear. Just done work?”
No, but it didn’t matter. She nodded because that was easier than explaining she was heading out to take pictures of a parking lot off the highway halfway to Tobermory. Anne wouldn’t think that was real work, let alonebetterwork than the diner. “Nice warm snap we’re having, eh?”
“Indeed. Gianni and Tom have gone hunting for a few days.”
“Right. Shame that Rafe couldn’t get the time off, it sounded like a good trip.” Olivia winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She’d violated the first rule of daughter-in-law conversation following: never offer extraneous information.
“You and Rafe are spending a lot of time together again.”
Well, in for a penny… “Yes.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
Olivia shrugged.
Anne pursed her lips together as if she was tossing up the merits of saying anything further. Luck was not on Olivia’s side, because her mother-in-law decided to weigh in. “You don’t want your heart broken again, dear.”
