Hilary turned her face toward his and let her lips linger on his mouth.
“Love and lavender. I like that,” she said, then drew back. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d already grabbed a quick breakfast of yogurt and a cinnamon-raisin bagel, her go-to meal on mornings when they had guests. But he didn’t know her routine. There was still so much to learn about each other.
They’d taken it slow over the last year, visiting every month, texting and calling, getting to know each other in the tempered way of long-distance romances. She told him more about her life growing up in California and her short marriage to Will. He shared the details of Felicia’s betrayal and his dreams for Lavender Lane Farms. The more they talked, the easier it was for Hilary to picture her future.
Since the heartfelt talk with Jorie after the conference last year, Hilary had less anxiety about helping with the inn, at least temporarily. After she returned from the trip to visit her family, Hilary breathed easier and enjoyed the process of getting the inn ready for guests. She and Jorie welcomed their first booking seven months ago, a husband and wife celebrating their wedding anniversary. Since then, the six bedrooms were mostly filled, especially on weekends when the fall colors drew travelers through Redville and the surrounding state forests. The busyness of prepping for opening transitioned to an equally full calendar of hosting guests, but her new duties soothed her. She still dreamed of returning to schoolwork, but for now she was content.
Dane pulled out the nearest chair. “For you.”
Hilary smiled, trying to keep the laughter from bubbling up. His formality tickled her. Their weekends consisted mostly of carry-out pizza or Thai at home, depending on if they were in Clove or Redville, and meals bought on their Saturday road trips around the countryside. They relished their alone time since it was rare. Sit-down meals with their extended families were even more scarce.
“Thank you.” She reached toward the silver serving dish again. “What do we have here?”
Dane’s hand covered hers in an instant. “Patience. We have all morning.” He pushed her yogurt closer. “Let’s start with this.”
She studied him. Dane was up to something again. His understated sense of humor always surprised her. Sometimes she didn’t catch on until she heard the familiar “Hil, it’s a joke.” She always played along, but she didn’t want any more yogurt now. She’d eaten enough during her first breakfast. Reluctantly, she picked up her spoon.
Dane avoided looking at her by busying himself with pouring juice, floating the napkin to his lap, and fiddling with his silverware. As hard as he tried, Hilary still saw the hint of merriment in the wrinkles near his eyes.
“What do you have planned for today after I leave?” he asked. Dane sipped his coffee and looked out the window in a show of nonchalance. He wasn’t fooling anyone.
Fine. She’d go with the flow. Let him think he could pull one over on her. She didn’t know what the surprise was, but the suspense in the room was thick.
“All the rooms are booked for tonight too. So I have to run to town for groceries. Then maybe help Jorie with the rooms she hasn’t finished.”
“And tomorrow?”
She sighed. The serving dish drew her attention again. Was her surprise under there? He’d made such a show of not letting her take off the lid. Twice.
“More of the same. Meal prep, cleaning. I’ll probably round up some apples for baking.”
“I take it the inn is pretty full for the rest of the week?”
“It’s October. We’ve been booked for weeks.” She might as well be carrying on a conversation with the serving dish since she couldn’t take her eyes from it. She’d bet her bank account the surprise lay under the lid. Plus, this small talk of his was obviously a stall tactic.
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I bet you’ll be ready for a break after the month is over.”
“I’m ready for one now.” Hilary huffed and thumbed toward the dining room. “Someone keeps pushing everything off on me.” She really should check on the guests if only to clear away dishes.
“Like what?”
Her patience exhausted, Hilary needed to know what he hid in the serving dish and she needed to know right now.
She stood, leaning over the table. “Listen, I’m just going to look under this lid.”
Before he could stop her, she whipped off the lid, clanging it against the juice pitcher. Dane steadied it before it toppled.
He laughed. “Whoa! If I’d known you were this hungry, we could have eaten first and talked later.”
Hilary stared dumbly at the pancakes. “This is it?”
“I thought you loved pancakes?” Dane’s eyes were wide, the corners of his mouth downturned.
Embarrassment lit her face on fire. Hilary rolled her shoulders. She really needed a mental reset.
“I’m sorry. I thought—”
“What?” he asked as he used his fork to set a pancake on her plate.
