"Thanks, Jesse, but I think I'll be just fine," she said instead, giving him a genuine smile. "You're a pretty good big brother, you know."
He returned her smile. "I'm trying. But seriously, I'm fully prepared to punch a dude if he hurts my little sister."
Abby laughed. How things had changed for her in such a short amount of time. Who knew how nice it would be to have a big brother ready to go to bat for her?
"I'll keep that in mind. But I think going out for ice cream is a perfectly safe thing."
"So you have a date with him? Hmm. I wonder if Lissa is up for ice cream tonight? You know, her pregnancy cravings can just pop up out of nowhere." Jesse smiled mischievously.
Abby's mouth dropped open. "You wouldn't!"
"I wouldn't. But Lissa would. Which is why I'll cut you a break and keep your date to myself for now."
She sighed in relief. The last thing she wanted was an audience when she went out with Ethan. Slugging Jesse playfully on the shoulder, she shook her head. "You are something else."
He shrugged. "Oh, I've been meaning to ask you. Mom and Dad want to know if you want to come for dinner on Sunday."
"They want to know? Or just your mom?" Denise Kincade had gone out of her way from Abby's first appearance in town to try to make her feel welcome. The same couldn't be said about her father Charles. It was odd, really, that the woman he had cheated on would be more welcoming to her than her own father. He had been less than thrilled to find out he had a grown child by Abby's mother, a woman he hadn't seen in twenty-six years.
Jesse shrugged again, this time with a bit more discomfort. "Well, it was Mom's idea, but Dad seemed like he was on board. He even said something about making it a regular occurrence."
That did take her by surprise. "Seriously? Huh. Who would have thought?" She tried to play it off with a laugh, but she and Jesse both knew how hard it had been these past few months to know that Charles Kincade would probably have preferred it if she'd never shown up on his doorstep.
"I'm the last one to defend that man, Ab. You know that. But I'm starting to wonder if he's regretting some of his choices now that he's getting older."
Abby knew there was no love lost between Jesse and their father. She often wondered if she'd gotten the better end of the deal having grown up without him, rather than enduring some of the things Jesse had told her about his childhood.
"Well, regardless, you know I'll be there. What time?"
"Two." He glanced around the empty store. "Why don't you go ahead and cut out of here? There won't be much business on a Friday night. Start your weekend early." The store was doing well enough now that they'd been able to hire local teens to help out on the weekends, giving Abby full weekends off.
"Sounds good to me," she replied. On an impulse, she reached out and hugged her brother around the neck. "Thanks for everything. It's good to know you're there to take someone out if he breaks my heart." She gave him a crooked smile.
Jesse cracked his knuckles. "Always happy to be of service."
Laughing, Abby grabbed her purse from under the counter and headed for the door, calling over her shoulder, "See you Sunday!"
As she climbed into her car and started home, the nerves in her stomach resurfaced as she thought of her date with Ethan. But unlike her typical nerves of dread and fear, this time she only felt excitement and anticipation. Maybe she was recovering better than she thought.
CHAPTER SIX
Ethan checked his reflection in the mirror once more before he headed upstairs to pick up Abby, this time grabbing a ball cap that hung on a hook and pulling it down over his hair. He was still trying to make sure he didn't push Abby away, so he didn't want to look like he was trying too hard. Ice cream at Kate's Diner didn't require more than shorts and a t-shirt. Casual was good, right?
At the last minute he yanked it off and threw it on the couch as he walked out the door. He was being ridiculous. Since when had he worried about what he wore on a date? Rolling his eyes, he took the stairs up to her floor two at a time, then knocked on her door.
When she opened it and smiled up at him, his pulse kicked into overdrive.
"Hey, gorgeous." He couldn't stop himself from reaching out to toy with a strand of her silky hair. She'd left it down again, just the way he liked it.
"Hey yourself. Come on in. I just have to grab my bag." She stepped back and gestured for him to come in, then turned and disappeared into the bedroom.
It was the first time Ethan had been back in her apartment since the day she moved in, and he took a minute to look around. It didn't look too different in the living room. No couch. No real decorations. She had added a couple barstools at the open counter that connected to the kitchen. He could see a coffee pot next to the sink. The boxes were all gone, but there was surprisingly little set out to give him an indication of her life.
She walked back out of the bedroom with a purse slung over her shoulder and he took in her outfit. She wore a thin, lightweight sweater and short white shorts. He couldn't stop himself from noticing just how long the shorts made her legs look.
When he realized he was staring, he dragged his eyes back to her face and found her watching him with pursed lips and a cocked eyebrow. "Do I meet your approval?"
He grinned and closed the distance between them. "Do you even have to ask?" He snaked an arm around her waist and leaned down until their lips were a mere inch apart. "You're beautiful."
A smile spread across her face as she tilted her head up slightly. "You're not so bad yourself."
Ethan wanted nothing more than to skip the ice cream all together and stay right where they were, but he if he wanted her to know that he was interested in more than just kissing her—no matter how inviting those lips were—they needed to get going.
He brushed his lips lightly over hers, then said, "Let's go."
Once in his car, he rolled down the windows. The weather was gorgeous. The hot day had faded into a breezy late summer evening.
"So, tell me," he began as he pulled the Porsche onto the main road. "Do you not believe in couches or television?"
Abby laughed, but he saw her shift uncomfortably from the corner of his eye. "I just didn't bring much with me when I moved here. I don't really need that much, to be honest. I was living in an extended stay when I first got here while I decided if I'd be here long term. Then when Lissa moved out, I decided I might as well get a place. I guess I'll get around to decorating. It just hasn't been a priority."
"So you decided to stay long term, then?" He was surprised by how very much he wanted her to say yes.
She nodded. "This is where my family is now. And I'm liking it more than I thought."
He wanted to ask her more about her family, not to be nosy, but just because he found he wanted to know everything about her. She was still such a mystery. But he didn't want to pry, so he chose his words carefully.
"I'm sure Jesse was excited to meet you. Did you grow up an only child too?"
She bit down on her lip and looked out the window, not saying anything for a minute. He saw her take a deep breath, then she turned back to him.
"It was just me and my mom growing up." She gave him a small smile. "I actually always wanted a sibling, so it's kind of bittersweet. I have him now, but we've missed all of our lives together up until now."
Ethan didn't know how he would feel in her position. He'd been an only child, too. "I can't imagine the shock it must have been."
She nodded, her eyes far away. "It was pretty surreal. I almost didn't believe my mom when she told me. She was on her deathbed and hadn't been very coherent for a few days. But she told me that I had a brother and that I would find all the details in a letter in her lock box." She took a deep breath. "It was all in there. How she and Charles Kincade had a brief affair and how she never told him about me. She hadn't known at first that he was married, and once she did, she didn't want to break up his family.
"But she also didn't want me to be left alone in the world.
She was all I had after... Well, it was just me and her. So she wanted me to at least know that I had family out there."
They had just arrived at Kate's Diner, and Ethan pulled into a parking spot and cut off the engine, then reached for Abby's hand. He didn't know what to say that wouldn't sound trite, so he just laced his fingers through hers and squeezed gently.
Abby took another deep breath and met his eyes. Whatever she saw there must have given her comfort because she smiled at him and squeezed back. "Coming here was actually one of the best decisions I've made in a while. It wasn't the kind of welcome I expected from Charles—my dad—but I'm finding some really great people. Lissa, Jesse, Cassie. I haven't had that in a really long time." She gave him a playful grin. "And you aren't too bad."
Ethan laughed. "Hopefully after you eat this world famous ice cream, you'll be worshiping the ground I walk on for bringing you here."
"You're setting the bar pretty high. You know not to mess with a girl and her dessert, right? If this ice cream isn't all it's cracked up to be, you may have blown your shot."
"And if it is?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"That remains to be seen."
He opened his door. "Then what are we waiting for?" He walked around to open the door for her and help her from the car, then slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close to him, kissing the top of her head.
"I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject," he murmured. "I'm sorry."
Looking up at him, she shook her head. "It's fine. It actually wasn't as difficult to talk about as I expected. And you didn't really ask. I didn't have to tell you any of that."
He stopped and turned her to face him just before they reached the door of the diner. "I'm glad you did. I want to get to know you, Abby. But I won't push."
Something like relief flickered in her eyes, and she gave him a small smile. "Thanks for that. This is all very out of the ordinary for me. Now let's go see what all the hype is about this ice cream."
She flashed him a grin and reached for the door to the diner, going in before he had a chance to say anything else. He was glad she had opened up some to him, but he was equally relieved that she seemed to be able to turn the heavy conversation around and was ready to have a fun night. He tried to ignore the feelings she stirred up in him, but she was making it more difficult by the moment for him to convince himself that he could spend time with her and not get in over his head. There was just something about her that drew him in, tugged at his heart in a way that he'd never experienced.
It flew in the face of everything he had said he would do. Or rather, wouldn't do. He'd told himself he couldn't get involved with someone again. The risk was too high. They could both end up hurt, and hurting someone else—especially Abby—was the last thing he wanted. The problem was, the more time he spent with her, the more he realized he could easily fall for her in nanosecond.
If he hadn't already.
***
It was a huge accomplishment. Not only was she out on a date, but she had managed to talk about something personal and not retreat behind her walls. What was it about Ethan that always seemed to put her at ease? At least mentally. Because physically, just being near him had her blood buzzing in her ears.
Abby chose a booth at the back of the diner, hoping they would have at least a little privacy, and she sat down facing away from the main part of the restaurant, expecting Ethan to take the other side of the booth. But no, he slid in right next to her, his broad shoulders and long legs invading her personal space. Not that she minded in the least.
When he slung his arm over the back of the booth, she snuggled in closer as they waited for the ice cream that he ordered. The choices had been so overwhelming, so she'd left it up to him.
"I still can't believe we're having ice cream for dinner," she said.
"Yep, living on the edge, that's what we're doing." Ethan laughed, tickling her ribs until she squirmed away from him and backed up to the wall so she could get a better view of his face. God, was he hot. It looked like he hadn't shaved that morning, and the stubble only made his jawline even more defined. His hair was just long enough that it looked a little messy, and her fingers itched for her to run them through the sun-streaked waves.
Abby shook her head and glanced around the restaurant at what some of the other customers were eating. "Giving ourselves stomachaches is what we're doing if those orders are any indication of what we're getting."
"Just you wait." He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trail down to the ends, not taking his eyes from hers.
She felt a delicious shiver race through her and wished he would kiss her, even though they were around all these people. Being with Ethan seemed to make her forget everything else but him.
"So, I've been thinking," he began, still playing with the ends of her hair. "I asked you the other day to think about that beach trip."
Wishing she had a good reason to say no, because really she just wanted to say yes, Abby picked up the menu and pretended to look it over again, making a noncommittal sound.
"Have you?"
"I've been so busy I haven't had much time to think." About anything other than you, she added silently. What was she supposed to say? That she'd love to go, but she was scared out of her mind of getting out in the ocean ever again?
"I know it sounds kind of crazy to ask you to go away with me when we haven't even known each other for a week. But there will be lots of other people there at the house we rented. You'll have your own room. And I promise I'm not a psycho serial killer." He gave her a winning smile, as if that would convince her, and she laughed.
Oddly enough, that wasn't the problem. It should have concerned her that she wasn't worried about going off with someone she'd just met. But it didn't. She trusted Ethan. What she didn't trust was herself.
She'd thought plenty about it over the last few days. And while she was making a huge effort to let go of some of her fears and see what this thing was between the two of them, she didn't know if she was ready for that. Especially if it involved facing one of her even bigger fears.
Pulling the menu from her hands, Ethan caught her eyes. "Look, I'm not going to push you about this either. I want you to come. A lot. But I'll totally get it if you aren't ready for that."
Abby sighed. "It's not that. Even if I do question my judgment about running off with a near stranger." She smiled to let him know she was joking. How could she phrase this without having to dredge up memories she wanted to let lie? "It's just that when I left California, there were a lot of memories I wanted to leave behind. I don't know if going to a beach right now is a great idea for me."
He nodded, though she could see his disappointment. "Well, if you change your mind..."
Just then the waitress appeared with their ice cream, and Abby gasped, wide-eyed, covering her mouth with her hands. That was the most ridiculous dessert she had ever seen in her life.
What had to be ten scoops of all different kinds of ice cream were piled into an over-sized martini glass, covered with whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate, strawberry and caramel syrup, and topped with sprinkles, cherries, and what looked like chips made of waffle cone. It was every kids' dream.
The waitress set two spoons down beside it and smiled at them before leaving them alone again. Abby turned her still-huge eyes on Ethan.
"You've got to be joking. There is no way we can eat all this."
"Speak for yourself, sweetheart." He winked and scooped up the hugest bite ever, then shoved it into his mouth, closing his eyes and groaning.
Abby couldn't keep the laugh from bubbling out. "Were you deprived of sweets as a kid? Because you are enjoying this far too much."
He opened one eye and stared at her for minute before swallowing the massive bite. "Maybe. But don't judge until you try this." He scooped up a bite nearly as big as the one he'd just taken, getting at least three flavors of ice cream, all the syrups, a dollop of whipped c
ream and a cherry on the spoon, then held the spoon out to her.
She waved her hands in front of it. "No way. There is no way I can eat that." She couldn't stop laughing.
"Just try it." He edged the spoon closer to her mouth. "Don't make me tickle you again."
Covering her eyes with her hands, Abby managed to get her laughter under control, then peeked through her fingers at the crazy big spoonful of pure sugar Ethan was still waving in front of her.
"You're unbelievable."
He winked. "So I've heard. Now open up. It's starting to melt."
Abby lowered her hands and eyed the ice cream. She plucked the cherry off the top, and even though the amount of ice cream on that spoon was still ridiculous, she just might be able to fit it in her mouth.
With one final giggle, she opened her mouth and leaned toward Ethan. Somehow she managed to get the ice cream off the spoon without making a huge mess, but there were definitely traces of whipped cream on her lips. It was delicious, but she struggled to keep her mouth closed because of the laughter that threatened to take over again. Finally she was able to swallow the bite—not that it was anything close to actual bite-size—and she popped the cherry into her mouth.
"See?" Ethan said. "Delicious, right?" He held a waffle cone chip up to her lips, and she took a little nibble, nodding.
"Yeah," she said, once she had finally swallowed it all. "But I stand by my former statement. There is no way we can eat all that."
He shrugged. "It's all part of the experience. You can officially consider yourself a resident of Willow Valley now that you've had one of Kate's desserts."
"I had no idea that was part of the criteria."
He reached toward her mouth and gently wiped his thumb across the corner of her lips, then licked the whipped cream off his finger. "Can't let any go to waste."
Abby rolled her eyes. "God forbid."
She reached for her own spoon and dug in, and they both enjoyed it until they couldn't eat another bite. She had to stop way before Ethan. To her complete shock, he devoured it all, down to the very last bit in the bottom.
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