“That’s not really your business.”
“He made a move on you.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “I got that much from the conversation.”
“Still not your business.”
Based on the interaction he’d witnessed, she’d turned Ted down, so he let it go. “What do you want to do first—eat or talk?”
Her brow furrowed. “We can’t do both at the same time?”
“Nope. I’m not spilling my guts in some restaurant full of unfamiliars.”
“Oh.” Her expression turned pensive. “We could get takeout and find a place where we can talk while we eat.”
“There’s a park on the Ohio River by the levee.” He warmed to the idea. “I think I have an old blanket in the tool chest in back. We can have a picnic.” Steering the truck onto the exit toward Evansville, he processed the fact that he was happy. Paige did that for him, even when she bullied him into being a better man. Too bad she’d only be around for another week. Damn. He was in trouble, because it was going to sting like a bitch when she left.
Paige hadn’t been able to take her eyes off Ryan since she opened the door for him. Lord, he was one good-looking cowboy. His eyes had been devastating enough; the rest of the package did her in. When he smiled, one side of his mouth curved down slightly, while the other quirked up. The overall effect was entirely too sexy and kissable to resist. Plus, he had that double-dimple thing going for him. One set bracketed that adorable crooked mouth, and the other indented his upper cheeks. Even his long hair turned her on. He wore it neatly brushed and tied back today. Along with the Stetson, jeans, and boots, it made him look like he’d walked straight off the set of an old western movie. Hot. She was having a difficult time keeping her hands to herself. Hadn’t she sworn to be only a friend?
Hmmm. Maybe friends with benefits? No. Not a good idea. She wouldn’t be able to keep her heart out of it, and it wouldn’t be fair to him. She turned to watch the passing scenery. It took about two minutes before she couldn’t resist the pull he exerted over her and turned back to stare some more.
“You have something on your mind, darlin’?”
She managed to tear her gaze from him. “I have lots of things on my mind. Why?”
“You keep looking at me like that, and I’m going to have to pull over somewhere and kiss you again.”
“Kissing is your one-size-fits-all solution to everything now? Maybe it’s time to shop for a new bag of tricks.” She made the mistake of looking back just in time to catch one of his dimpled, lopsided grins. Her heart ratcheted up a notch, and her mouth went dry.
Her phone started chirping her mother’s ringtone. Crap. She didn’t want to lie today. It was too nice out, and all she wanted to do was enjoy the day. She fished her cell out of her purse and hit Ignore. Maybe she’d get lucky and her mom would leave a message instead of calling back.
Ryan sent her a sideways look. “Who don’t you want to talk to, Paige?”
“That was my mom.” She squirmed under the intensity of his blue-eyed scrutiny. “I thought we were going to get our lunch before we launched into my petty problems.”
Ryan shrugged a shoulder. “I can wait.”
Good. She turned to face the approaching city, and a billboard caught her attention. “Hey, look at that.” She pointed. “The World’s Toughest Rodeo is going to be in Evansville next weekend.” She grinned at Ryan. “I’ve never been. You grew up on a ranch, right? Did you go to lots of rodeos?”
“You’re looking at a junior saddle bronc champion three years running.” He tipped his hat at her. “My uncle and cousins will probably be there. They raise rodeo bulls. In fact, six out of the past ten years, the Malloys have been named Stock Contractor of the Year.”
“Cool. Let’s get tickets. I’d love to see a rodeo, and you can visit with your uncle and cousins.”
Ryan glanced at the billboard they were about to pass. His expression turned inscrutable. “Aren’t you leaving next weekend?”
She averted her face so he couldn’t see how the reminder affected her. What did she have to go home to? Facing her parents and friends with no job? “I can leave on Sunday. That leaves Friday or Saturday for the rodeo.”
“I haven’t seen any of my family since I left the VA hospital,” he murmured. “I don’t know if it’s such a good idea right now.”
“What? Oh, Ryan.” Thoughts of his suicide letter brought a lump to her throat. How long had he been estranged from his family? “Don’t you think they’d appreciate knowing where you are, and—”
“You don’t understand,” he snapped.
“Help me to understand, then.” She put her hand on his shoulder, reveling in the hard muscle under her palm. He didn’t answer, and she took her hand away and surveyed the approaching city as they entered the outskirts of Evansville. “There’s a deli in that strip mall to the right. Let’s stop and pick up some food.”
His jaw muscle twitched and his expression kept its closed-for-business look as he turned into the lot and parked. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet and took out some cash. “Would you mind doing this part? Get me whatever you’re having. I’m not picky.” He handed her some cash, and his Adam’s apple moved up and down. He’d gone pale, and a fine sheen of perspiration covered his forehead.
“Are you OK?” Paige ran her hand over his shoulder again. He covered it with his and squeezed.
“I will be.”
He glanced at her, and she caught the panic in his eyes.
“Go on, now. I’m hungry.”
She didn’t want to leave him until whatever he was going through passed. “Ryan—”
“I’ll be fine,” he gritted out.
“Sure you will.” She could apply some of that one-size-fits-all strategy too. She scooted over, cupped his face with both hands, and kissed him. The sudden intake of his breath and the instinctive pull back only firmed her determination. She ran her tongue over the tight seam of his mouth until he groaned and opened for her. He took over in a big hurry. Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her close. Relief and a whole lot of heat sluiced through her.
She broke the kiss to nuzzle along his neck to his ear. He smelled so damn good. She inhaled, with her face planted in the sweet spot just beneath his ear. Too bad that scent couldn’t be bottled. She’d take a whiff a few times a day at least. “Better?”
The low chuckle coming from him caused a butterfly riot in her middle—and lower.
“Yeah, I guess you could say I’m better.” He stroked her hair. “I could get addicted to your kisses, Paige.”
That last part came out almost a whisper, his tone hesitant, vulnerable. Her heart wrapped around his words and took them in deep. Blinking hard, she forced herself to back out of his arms. She couldn’t fall for Ryan Malloy. She had plans, and staying in Perfect was not one of them. “Food.” She slid over and opened the door. “I’ll be right back.”
It was still too early for the lunch crowd; there weren’t any other customers in the deli. Which was a good thing, because she didn’t want to interact with anyone. She placed her order and used the wait time to get herself back under control.
Paige crossed the lot and climbed back into the truck with the bags and bottles. She found Ryan staring at another shop and followed his gaze to…the Quilter’s Depot? A colorful quilt in a starburst pattern hung in the window. “What are you looking at?”
He nodded toward the display. “Would you mind if I went into that shop for a minute?”
She glanced at him in surprise. “You want to take up quilting?”
“I just want to check something out.”
“Sure.” She set their lunch stuff on the seat. Curious, she reached for the door handle. “Let’s go.”
The shop had an old-fashioned metal bell that tinkled when they walked in. More quilts hung from dowels along the walls, and bolts of fabric formed aisles on either side, arranged according to color. Quilting frames of various sizes, thread, needles, and batti
ng took up the rear, along with a large display of books. Paige followed Ryan as he checked out each quilt. An older woman with silver hair and a tape measure dangling around her neck approached them.
“May I help you?” She smiled a warm welcome.
Ryan’s gaze didn’t leave the array of quilts. “Are these for sale?”
“They are. All of them are handmade and locally produced by the Amish.”
“Are there templates or some kind of pattern book for something like that?” He pointed to one of the quilts.
“That particular pattern is called Drunkard’s Path, and yes, we have several books containing templates for that design and many others.”
“How much is the Drunkard’s Path quilt?”
“Ryan, what are you thinking?” His sudden intensity mystified her. He practically vibrated with focused attention on whatever it was that had caught his attention.
“I’m thinking I might take up quilting.” He grinned at her and reached for her hand.
Her breath tangled in her chest on its way out at the teasing sparkle in his eyes. “Really?” She cleared her throat, embarrassed by her breathless tone.
The salesclerk turned a tag attached to the quilt. “This one is four hundred and fifty. Would you like to look at some of the pattern books?”
“I would, and I’ll take the quilt.”
Dazed, Paige let Ryan lead her to the rear of the store and stood a few paces behind him while he and the older woman went through a number of the pattern books and packages of plastic templates. What was this sudden fascination all about? She followed him to the cash register with his armload of stuff and waited while he and the salesclerk took his new, very expensive bedspread down from its place, folded it up, and added it to the pile of templates and books stacked on the counter. He pulled a card from his wallet and handed it over.
A smile lit his face, and excitement shone from his eyes as he handed Paige the sack holding his new books. He thanked the storekeeper, snatched up his wrapped quilt, and headed for the door.
She hurried to keep up. “What’s with the sudden interest in quilting?”
He opened his truck door and tucked the quilt behind the seats, then reached for the plastic bag she held. “I have an idea.”
“Are you going to share it?” He was still smiling, and she loved seeing him this way.
“Sure, when I’ve had some time to work it through.” He put his hands on her waist and brushed a quick kiss across her forehead. “I’m starving. Let’s head to the park.”
Still curious, she climbed in and tried to figure out what his idea might be. He navigated through the city like he knew the area. “How do you know your way around so well?”
“I studied Google maps on my computer the other day.” He shrugged. “After lunch, we have to head to Waterford Avenue. That’s where the VA outpatient clinic is located. I need to make a couple of appointments.”
“Noah’s idea or yours?”
“It’s a stipulation to my remaining employed.” He shot her a wry look. “But it’s time.”
He quickly averted his gaze, and she reached out to cover his hand where it rested on the gearshift. She didn’t say anything, just twined her fingers with his, hoping he understood how glad she was to know that he’d be getting the help and support he needed.
Ten minutes later, they pulled into a metered parking spot next to an expanse of green bordering the Ohio River. Picnic tables dotted the park, along with large oak and maple trees heavy with bursting leaf buds. Ryan went to the back of his truck for the blanket, and she gathered their lunch and climbed out. “Have you been here before?”
He nodded. “I did a little exploring a few weeks ago. Come on, darlin’. I know the perfect spot.”
She followed him to a huge old oak. He spread the blanket and then took the bottles of water from her. Dropping their bagged lunches on the blanket, Paige lowered herself and settled against the trunk. The fresh spring air filled her lungs, and the sun warmed her skin. Her stomach growled, and she reached for one of the white paper bags. “I got one turkey with Swiss cheese and one ham-and-cheddar sandwich. I figured we could share them both.” She started pulling out food. “We also have chips, fresh fruit, and coleslaw.”
Ryan scooted up to lean on the trunk beside her, and their shoulders, hips, and thighs touched. Heat flooded her cheeks. She fussed with the bags to avoid looking at him and handed him a packet with plastic utensils and a napkin. “Dig in.”
He took a bite out of his half of the ham sandwich and nudged her with his elbow. “You first,” he said around his mouthful.
Gazing out at the surrounding park, she wondered how to tell her story without sounding like a pathetic fool.
“I won’t judge, sweetheart. I promise. Cowboy’s honor.”
“Speaking of cowboys, I really want to go to that rodeo. If you won’t go with me, I’ll find someone who will.”
“Like Ted?” He stiffened beside her.
She gave him a noncommittal shrug and picked at her fruit salad. Not nice. Using Ted as a delay tactic or to manipulate Ryan was beneath her. She swung her gaze to his. “I was thinking more along the lines of Ceejay and Lucinda. A girls’ day out.”
He relaxed. “I’ll take you, but I don’t want to go hunting down my relatives.”
“All right. I won’t force the issue.”
“Start talking, little girl. We have a deal.”
Her appetite disappeared, and her stomach knotted. “Why do I have to go first?”
“Because you read my letter without permission. You snooped. You start.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “I worked at a manufacturing company for large construction equipment.” She launched into her tale of woe. “Anthony Rutger, this coworker of mine, offered to take one of the bids I’d worked on to the courier waiting in the lobby. I was on the phone with a client at the time.” She blew out a breath as memories of that day came back to her. “He’d also offered to drop a couple of my bids into the outgoing mailbox a few times. I trusted him.” She shrugged. “Turns out he set me up. He never gave the envelope to the courier and delayed putting my bids in the mail. Because of my naïveté, we lost a big account, and I had a few complaints against me for lateness. I got fired from my very first real job.”
Unwilling to meet his eyes, she stared toward the river. “I am currently unemployed, as in completely without an income.” She waited for him to say something. When he didn’t, she turned to find him deep in thought. “Say something.”
“There’s more to this story, right?”
“Does there have to be more?” She picked at the sandwich in her lap.
“Paige…”
Several tense seconds ticked by. The intensity of his perusal brought heat rushing to her face. “Oh, all right. Anthony and I were dating. I should’ve known something was up when he insisted we keep our relationship a secret. I…I’m such a fool. I even thought we had a future together,” she mumbled as mortification burned a hole through her.
“You loved this Anthony fellow?”
“No.” She fussed with her water bottle. “I thought I did, but afterward, I didn’t feel heartbroken, only angry.”
“Do you want me to head up to Philly and rearrange his face for you?”
The intensity of his brilliant blue gaze kicked her pulse into overdrive. He meant it. Ryan’s anger on her behalf warmed her, and all the bunched muscles in her neck and shoulders relaxed. “No, but thank you for that.” The sudden sting of tears made her blink, and he reached for her hand.
“You didn’t deserve what happened, Paige. The only thing you’re guilty of is trusting the wrong man. That’s not your bad—it’s his.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “If it’s any comfort, everyone gets fired at least once in their lifetime. Hell, it’s kind of a rite of passage.”
She chuffed out a teary chortle and swiped at her eyes. “Not Harvard graduates. Not Langfords.” She sniffed. “I…I can’t tell my parents until I’m back on my f
eet.”
“Why is that?”
How could she tell him she didn’t measure up in her father’s eyes? She didn’t want Ryan to see her that way. “They spent a lot on my education, and I don’t want to disappoint them. Once I have a new job, then I’ll tell them.” Or at least she’d tell them part of it. All they had to know was that she’d left Ramsey & Weil for something better. Not a complete lie. Ryan scrutinized her again. She fidgeted with the plastic utensil packet.
“OK, now, see, some of this doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”
“Like?” She peered at him through her soggy lashes.
“Like why you feel you have to hide this from your family, for one thing. From what I know about Noah, your family would be nothing but supportive. Plus, I’m having a hard time visualizing you working for a company that produces large construction equipment.” He tipped his head down to meet her gaze. “Why construction? I see you more as…”
“As what?” She stiffened. “Fluff? Are you saying you don’t think I’m capable of succeeding in that kind of industry? Because—”
“Hoh, boy. I hit a nerve.” He drew back, and his eyes widened. “I believe you could be a success at anything you set your mind to, darlin’. I’m just trying to understand what motivates you.”
“I’m not fluff.” Or at least, she didn’t want to be. “And I’m not a spoiled little rich girl either.” She jutted out her chin in challenge. Ryan chuckled, and that mouth of his melted her insides into…marshmallow fluff. Dammit.
“Hell no, you aren’t.” He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. “Who made you feel that way?”
Her heart put up a fuss, and her palms grew damp. Did she want to bare it all? No, but hadn’t she barged into his apartment to find him passed out and clutching an empty whisky bottle? Not to mention that letter she’d read without permission. She owed him the same degree of revelation if she meant to be his friend. “All right, here’s the thing.” She sucked in a calming breath. “Has Noah told you much about the family business?”
The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two) Page 9