by Ali Parker
“I’m not alone.” I shrugged. “I have my mom and Garret. And my dog, Hazel. I have some old friends and a few loyal customers. Trust me, Diana, I’m never alone.”
“You know what I mean.” Diana sighed. “I’d love to see you find someone. To find love. To get married. To have a couple of babies.”
“Maybe someday,” I said. “But definitely not now.”
Diana shook her head. She smiled at me in an annoyed, loving way. It was a smile I’d grown accustomed to. My mom and Garret both used it when talking about my nonexistent love life. It was as if everyone had suddenly decided it was time for me to get married, and I’d somehow missed the memo.
I said goodbye to Diana and went for another long walk on the beach. I’d meant what I said. I was perfectly happy being single, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake what Diana had said. Even more strange, my thoughts of Declan had returned with a vengeance. I couldn’t seem to shake myself free of him as I walked.
I was happy with my life. I was happy being single, being free from any romantic entanglements. I was proud of myself for staying a virgin, for not falling into bed with the first boy I met like so many other girls. I loved my life.
But if that were true, then why couldn’t I stop thinking about Declan Gamble?
15
Declan
“Are you up?” I asked, inching open Mila’s door.
“Of course,” she said brightly.
When I stepped inside, I was shocked to see her already dressed and with her backpack thrown over her shoulders. Her hair was somewhat combed. Her eyes looked clear and perfectly normal. It was as if she’d never been sick.
“What are you doing?” I frowned.
“Getting ready for school,” she said. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I thought you might want to stay home for another day. Make sure you’re really feeling better.”
“I feel fine, Dad.” She rolled her eyes, and I knew she meant it. She was no longer calling me “Daddy,” which meant she was definitely returning to normal.
“Are you sure?” I asked anyway. “Because I don’t want to get a call halfway through the day that you’re throwing up again.”
“You won’t,” she said confidently. “I’m fine. All better.”
“Okay.”
Mila turned and gave me a tight hug. She squeezed with as much strength as she could muster and then pulled away and looked up at me with a satisfied grin.
“See?” she said. “Could I do that if I was still sick?”
“Fine.” I laughed. “If you’re so ready to go back, then let’s go. I’ll drive you.”
“I can take the bus,” Mila said.
“Nope.” I shook my head. “You were puking your guts out two days ago. If you want to go to school, fine, but I’m driving you.”
“Okay.” Mila shrugged and led the way downstairs.
We hopped in my newly fixed truck, and I drove her to school. She talked my ear off the whole way there, and I finally had to admit that she was right. She was perfectly fine.
“I think I’d be best at shortstop, don’t you?” she asked. “I mean, I could do second base. Or even first. But shortstop is totally where I belong. No one else on the team would be able to cover it half as well as me. I’m not being cocky or anything. It’s just the truth.”
“You’ll play whatever position your coach tells you to,” I said. “And you won’t complain.”
“But he’ll put me at shortstop, right?” she asked. “I mean, he’d be crazy not to.”
She chattered away until we pulled up to the school. I parked the truck and walked around to open her door.
“Why are you walking me in?” Mila asked. “I know the way.”
“Let me do things my way, would you?”
“Okay. But, I’m not a baby anymore, you know.” Mila rolled her eyes again, but she held my hand as we walked through the front doors of the school.
I walked her all the way to her classroom. She hugged me goodbye and ran over to her table while I found her teacher, Mrs. Henderson.
“Mr. Gamble,” she said with a smile. “What can I do for you this morning?”
“I just wanted to walk Mila in,” I said. “She had a rough weekend.”
“I’m sure,” Mrs. Henderson said thoughtfully. “She was pretty sick on Friday.”
“Can you keep a close eye on her today?” I asked. “Call me if anything happens?”
“Of course,” she said. “But she seems perfectly fine now.”
“I worry,” I said simply.
Mrs. Henderson nodded her understanding and then slipped away to start class. I left the school, not sure what to do next.
I’d planned to keep Mila home for the day. I thought I would spend the morning with her and then call the babysitter so I could go to Tanner Bikes and talk to Alex. I’d been thinking about it on and off all weekend.
With Mila back in school, it seemed pointless to miss work. There was too much to do for me to waste an entire day.
But I still wanted to see Alex.
Her face had occupied my thoughts for days. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those green eyes. Her dark hair haunted my dreams. It was all I could do to focus on something, anything else.
I decided I’d go home and get dressed before heading to Tanner Bikes and taking Alex to an early lunch. It was the least I could do to say thank you for all her help with the truck. After that, I’d go to the office for the second half of the day. It was the perfect compromise.
When I pulled up to Tanner Bikes a few hours later, my hands were shaking. I gripped the steering wheel tighter and turned into a parking spot. There was no reason for me to feel so nervous. It was lunch. Besides, I didn’t even know if she would agree to go.
I got out of the truck and walked slowly up to the shop. The garage was open, but no one was inside. There wasn’t a single bike in any of the bays. I told myself I wouldn’t make this about business, but I couldn’t help but wonder how much financial trouble they were really in.
From the look of the garage, business wasn’t just slow. It was nonexistent. The last time I’d been there, Alex had at least had a few bikes to work on. Now, it was completely empty.
I shook myself and went inside the office. This wasn’t about Gamble Realty. I wasn’t there to acquire the property. I was there to see Alex, nothing more.
Garret was standing behind the counter when I walked inside. The second he saw me, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed together into a thin, angry line. He looked like he might fly over the counter and kick my ass just for breathing.
“Is Alex around?” I asked.
Garret’s eyes narrowed even more. I could tell there was a war raging inside his head. Part of him was longing to punch me, and another part was determined to remain professional. I wasn’t sure which side would win, but before I could find out, Alex appeared behind him.
“Declan,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
While Garret’s anger was obvious, Alex’s was subtle. She looked more surprised than anything, but her expression was hard. Guarded.
“I’m not here about business,” I said before either of them could ask. “I came by to say thank you.”
“Thank you?” Garret asked suspiciously.
“Alex helped me the other day,” I said.
“I fixed his truck,” she said simply.
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “So, that’s why I’m here. I just wanted to say thank you for all your help. If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know how long we would have been stuck on the side of the road.”
“How’s Mila?” Alex asked. “Is she still sick?”
“She’s better.” I smiled. “I took her to school this morning, so she’s good.”
“That’s great.” Alex’s smile was barely visible. Her lips pulled up at the corners of her mouth and then immediately fell again.
I wasn’t surprised that Alex remembered Mila. She struck me as the ty
pe of woman who remembered everything. She had an eye for detail that most people lacked. Still, it sent a wave of heat shooting through my chest to hear her say Mila’s name with so much compassion in her voice.
“Have you had lunch?” I asked before I could lose my nerve.
“Lunch?” Alex blinked.
“Yeah,” I said. “You know, the meal between breakfast and dinner.”
“I know what lunch is, smart-ass.”
I laughed and looked down at the floor. When I looked back up, she was eyeing me suspiciously. This wasn’t a woman who made things easy.
“I’d like to take you to lunch,” I said. “It’s the least I can do after all your help. Mila would probably still be sick if you hadn’t fixed the truck.”
“It was nothing,” Alex said. “I didn’t—”
“You did,” I said. “All I wanted was to get her home, and you’re the reason I could. So please, let me buy you lunch to say thank you.”
Alex was already shaking her head before I finished talking. Her mind was made up. My heart sank, but I tried not to show it.
“I have a lot of work to do,” Alex said. “I really shouldn’t.”
“The garage is empty,” I said without thinking. “You can’t be that busy.”
An angry glint flashed in Alex’s eyes. I knew what she was thinking. She didn’t want to have lunch with me because she thought I would try to buy the shop. She expected me to turn lunch into a business meeting.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” I said quickly. “I meant you obviously have some free time, that’s all.”
She just stared at me with “bullshit” written all over her face.
“Alex,” I said. “I meant what I said before. I’m not here for business. Right now, I’m not Declan Gamble of Gamble Realty, all right? I’m just Declan.”
She sighed and shook her head. I knew I hadn’t gotten through her defenses. She was too skeptical to believe anything I said. The last thing I wanted was to be a dick and push her into something she didn’t want.
“All right,” I said. I held up my hands in surrender. “I get it. Maybe next time.”
I smiled at Alex and nodded at Garret before turning toward the door. I’d barely made it two steps when Garret’s voice stopped me.
“Go,” he said. I turned around to see him look at Alex. “I can cover the shop. You should go.”
“I couldn’t,” Alex said.
“Of course, you can,” Garret said. “I can handle things here.”
Alex and Garret had what I could only assume was a silent conversation. I wondered for a second if they were family. They seemed to have their own wavelength as they communicated with nothing but a look.
“Okay,” Alex finally said. “If you both insist.”
A sudden surge of excitement ran through my body. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt in years. When Alex grabbed her keys and walked around the counter, my entire body vibrated with energy. I was downright giddy at the prospect of taking this woman to lunch.
“Where are we going?” Alex asked.
“There’s an Italian place a few miles away,” I said. “Sound good?”
“Sure.” Alex shrugged. “You’ll have to drive, though. I brought my bike today.”
“Not a problem.”
I held the door open for her. She stepped outside, and I turned back to face Garret. He was watching me with a father-like glare. This time, though, his thoughts didn’t appear to be violent. He no longer looked ready to tear me apart. He just seemed concerned.
“Thank you,” I said to him.
“Wasn’t for you.”
He turned around and slipped into the back office before I could say anything else. When I stepped outside, Alex was already halfway to my truck. I hurried to catch up and quickly grabbed the passenger side door handle before she could reach it.
“Here,” I said.
I pulled open the door so she could climb inside. She looked surprised, but she shook it off and got inside. I closed the door behind her and felt my hands begin to shake again as I walked around the front of the truck.
What was it about this woman that made me so nervous? This wasn’t even a date, but it felt like one. I could barely keep my thoughts straight as I climbed behind the wheel and put the key in the ignition.
“You really don’t have to do this, you know,” Alex said. “A simple ‘thank you’ would have been fine.”
“I know.” I shrugged. “But everything is better with food.”
Alex smiled, and I felt my breath catch in my chest. I’d only seen her smile once before - when she’d met Mila. That smile was kind and cautious. This one was different.
I cleared my throat and kept driving, determined to keep my cool and not act like a bumbling idiot all through lunch.
16
Alex
This was a side of Declan I hadn’t seen before. He opened every door for me. At the shop. At his truck. And at the restaurant. It was like being a gentleman was ingrained in his DNA. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone but my father held a door for me. It was strange and oddly nice, but I didn’t trust it. I didn’t trust him.
We sat down at a table near the back, and our waitress brought over a basket of bread. She took our drink orders and then left us to look over the menu. Declan and I kept glancing at each other in that awkward way people do on first dates. I hated myself for playing into it because this wasn’t a date. It was the furthest thing from a date. Wasn’t it?
“So, why this place?” I asked, unable to take the silence for another second.
Declan shrugged. “We bought the property two years ago. We just sold it to the new owners six months ago. It’s impressive that they’re already up and running. Plus, the food is incredible.”
I felt my face and my neck tighten. Of course, Gamble Realty bought and resold this building. Why else would Declan have picked it for our lunch? This wasn’t about saying thank you. He was just trying to convince me to sell the shop.
Anger bubbled up inside of me, but I shoved it down. Declan swore this lunch wasn’t about business. He hadn’t once mentioned buying Tanner Bikes. I didn’t want to be a bitch and attack him again. At least not until he deserved it.
“What exactly is it you do?” I asked, keeping my tone as light as possible.
“Well,” Declan said. “It’s pretty simple. We’re a realty company that specializes in buying, renovating, and selling different properties all over Virginia. We primarily work out of Virginia Beach, but my brother and I take trips all over the state in search of new and old properties.”
“That sounds,” I couldn’t find the right word at first. “Boring.”
“It is.” Declan laughed. “Most days, I hate it.”
“Then, why do you do it?” I asked.
“It’s a family business,” Declan said. “My father owned the company for years. He always wanted me to take over one day, but I refused. I enlisted in the Army when I was eighteen, but when my dad died, I decided to come back home and run the company.”
I wanted to ask a million more questions. Why did he decide to come back? Was it only because his father died, or was there more to it? And why did he join the military so young? Was he running away from his family, or did he feel a natural pull to the service?
I couldn’t believe how curious I was about this man. We’d only just met and already, I felt a need to know everything.
“I’m sure your father would be proud of you,” I said. My tone was polite and cordial. It didn’t give away anything I was thinking.
No matter how much I wanted to keep talking, I was afraid to pry. There was something about Declan that drew me in. I’d already spent so much time thinking about him. I was afraid if I found out more about him, my interest would only grow.
“How was the military?” I asked. It felt like the safest, least personal question.
“It was great,” Declan said. His eyes lit up in a way I’d never seen before. “I loved being in th
e Army. And I was good at it, which helped.”
“You joined at eighteen?” I asked
Declan nodded. “On my birthday,” he said.
“Wow.” I laughed. “You were eager.”
“You have no idea,” Declan said. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The Army was the only option for me. If things hadn’t changed, I probably would have stayed in until retirement.”
“But you wanted to honor your father,” I said.
“Something like that.”
Declan looked down at the table. Again, my desire to find out more was sparked. I could barely contain all the questions I had. His blue eyes were like steel when they finally looked back up. He’d put up a wall, and I hated it. I longed to reach over and rip it down brick by brick, but I couldn’t. My own defenses were too strong to let me get that close.
We ordered our food, and it was brought to us within minutes. The restaurant worked like a machine. Declan was right, the food was incredible. I had to stifle a moan after the first bite.
“Holy shit,” I said with a mouthful of chicken parmesan.
“Right?” Declan said with a laugh. “I told you. It’s insane.”
“You were right,” I said. “I could eat this for every meal.”
“I basically do,” Declan said. “I make Samson come here for lunch way too often.”
“Does Mila like it?” I asked.
That was all it took. Declan launched into stories about his daughter. His blue eyes were practically sparkling as he told me story after story. We talked about her Little League team and how excited she was for the season to start. He told me all about how much she loved the beach and how she’d learned to swim when she was only two years old.
“I’m sorry,” he said after almost half an hour. “I’m talking too much.”
“I don’t mind,” I said. “She seems really great.”
“She is,” Declan said. “She’s a total brat sometimes, though.”
I laughed. “I think all kids are.”
“You should have heard her this morning,” Declan said. “She told me she’s the only person on her team who could possibly play shortstop. Apparently, everyone else just sucks too much.”