9. Claire
9
CLAIRE
“ D erek?”
Okay, my eyes aren’t that bad.
It was him, lifting his hand to wave at me.
Talk about déjà vu.
I smiled, surprised to run into him on Main Street. Just passing the spot where the vendor with the jellies had been set up, I felt another flicker of connection to him. This was where Naomi saw me. Where we’d walked past.
This rugged, sexy man was still a stranger to me, mostly, but already, I was filing memories in a bank to revisit later. Over the weekend, I’d replayed the visions of how he almost smiled. And how sincerely he asked me to get a hot beverage with him.
It wasn’t fair that I’d bump into him now, here, when I had a meeting to get to.
I really would rather talk to him again. I’d love a chance to try to make him smile. Something suggested that he didn’t do it often, or at least not when it wasn’t directed toward his darling daughter.
“Derek,” I greeted. “It is you.”
“Still haven’t made that eye appointment yet, huh?” he teased as we met each other on the sidewalk.
I laughed lightly. “No. I haven’t.” The only appointments I’d focused on making were ones with sellers around here. Like the owner who’d agreed to meet me at the coffee shop smack in the middle of Preston to discuss some of their land along the river.
“Sorry. That’s not right.” He shook his head and swiped his hand through the air, as if wanting to clear it. “I shouldn’t tease about that. It’s none of my business.”
“Oh, no.” I laid my hand on his forearm, needing all of his attention to keep him from feeling guilty. “It’s no worries. Truly. It’s sort of… an inside joke about me. Everyone teases me about needing glasses.”
He huffed a slight laugh. “That doesn’t make it okay for me to jump on the bandwagon.”
“Nah. No worries. No hard feelings.” I couldn’t help but glance at my watch. Dammit. If I lingered any longer, I’d be late to meet that owner who might want to sell their land. “And I really do need to make an appointment. As soon as the holidays are over.” I nodded, smiling wide.
He cocked his head to the side, seeming curious. “Is there a reason you haven’t made an appointment?”
“Yeah.” I laughed once. “Too busy working.”
“It’s not that you’re afraid of having to wear glasses, is it?”
I shook my head. Glasses would take some adjustment, but I’d manage. “I actually did have them when I was younger. I was farsighted back in second grade, but then I outgrew it.” I shrugged. “Just too busy to make an appointment.”
It was kind of sweet that he’d ask after me like that, almost like he wanted to make sure I was taking care of myself.
And on that note… I hated to sound like a broken record, telling him that I had to go for my job. “Listen, as glad as I am to run into you again, now’s not an ideal time.” I winced, hating that I had to excuse myself already. It wasn’t often that people could lure me away from focusing on business, but he did. He tempted me to be uncharacteristically late for a change, just so we could chat a little longer. I didn’t know what kind of superpower he possessed, but it was potent and strong. I was addicted to the allure of being in his presence and enjoying the glow of knowing he’d noticed me.
“It isn’t?” He looked at his watch, furrowing his brow.
“No. I’m supposed to be meeting a prospective seller. Well, a person I’ve contacted to discuss some details about a property in Preston.”
He nodded.
“And unfortunately, I’ll be late to meet them if I don’t get to the coffee shop.”
“Wouldn’t want to be late to a meeting,” he quipped, backing up toward the door and giving me space to pass him.
“Oh, that would be unforgivable,” I replied.
“Hmm. Since we’re both right here,” he said, reaching for the door handle and pulling it, “and I firmly believe in ladies first, it seems that I would be the late party to arrive.” With a ghost of a smile, he brandished his hand for me to enter before him.
“Huh?” I smiled, charmed by his gentlemanly gesture of opening a door for me like that. It sadly wasn’t common anymore—not just men holding doors for women, but anyone letting another precede them in this day of hurrying and hustling everywhere.
What hustle? This isn’t the city.
I had yet to reacclimate to this slower, non-rushed lifestyle.
“Go ahead,” he said as I walked in. “You can be on time, and I’ll be late.”
Wait. That makes no sense. Why’s he ? —
I spun to face him as he followed me inside. “Are you…?”
He smiled then, slow and sexy, almost smug in making sure I was surprised. “I’m the person you’re here to talk to.”
“You’re the one I emailed? The person behind Tocs, Inc?”
“Tocs, which is the inverse of Scot?” he replied, walking further into the warm, cozy shop full of the best aromas on earth—coffee, bitter yet mellow.
“Wow.” I laughed to cover the shock of my surprise. I hadn’t counted on him being the owner. “What a surprise. A pleasant one.”
“So, do you forgive me?” he asked playfully, gesturing at a table.
“Forgive you?” I asked as I took a seat.
He jerked a thumb toward the door. “For being late.”
I smiled. “I’d hardly call that late.”
“Good.”
So he owned all those acres along the river? I was kind of curious why he didn’t mention it at the market when I said I was here to check out land.
Well, why would he? We’d only just met. Discussing land ownership within five minutes of meeting wasn’t the norm.
I breathed easier, calmer, just to see him again. He sure was fine to look at. Handsome despite the beard. I wasn’t a fan of them, usually, but on him… He was sexy as hell. Like he worked with those big, callused hands I hadn’t forgotten the feel of yet since the market. Like he knew exactly how to use them, too.
“Sorry to trick you,” he said.
“No. You didn’t.” I smiled again. “Lots of owners are covered by names and corporation titles.” I flicked my hand up, as if to gesture that it wasn’t an issue. “I’m just glad.”
“To talk to me again?” he teased.
I nodded, but turned it into a shrug. “Well, yes. But also just because I wasn’t ghosted. You wouldn’t believe how many people can agree to discuss a property and flake out. Or they never intend to sell and just want to play around with negotiations.”
He furrowed his brow, looking down at the table. “Huh. Well. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Still trying to get me a hot cocoa, huh?”
One corner of his mouth lifted up in a smile. “Whatever you’d like.”
“Sure. I, uh, let me look.” I pulled the menu over, but I wasn’t ready for a server to cast a shadow over our table that quickly.
We just walked in. Hold on. They have servers here? Not a counter where you order from a barista?
I glanced up, first noticing Derek’s pained smirk. The blonde standing at our table didn’t seem to be a barista or any coffee shop type of employee. She had a lanyard draped around her neck, but I couldn’t see what the plastic ID card said.
“Derek,” she greeted, not even looking at me. “I didn’t know you’d be in here today.”
He raised his brows. “I’m… not even sure how to reply to that. Why would you know my whereabouts on a random Wednesday?”
I bit my lower lip, keeping my gaze down. Talk about awkward…
“Oh. Well, when we were supposed to go to that movie one time, you said that Wednesdays were your busiest days of the week, when you help Nicky at his workshop. So… I guess I’m kind of confused.”
I peeked a look at her, realizing she’d encroached further, setting her hand on his shoulder and leaning in.
Possessive, much?
“I said Wednesdays can be busy,” he replied calmly. “I’m confused why you need to know?—”
“Oh, you joker.” She laughed a high-pitched titter. “We can just plan for another night to go to the movies.”
Wow. Asking him out when we’re here to chat.
“Ms. Ford.” He cleared his throat.
“Oh, gosh. Enough with that formal stuff.” She giggled. “Unless you want me to call you Sir …” she purred.
I laughed once, looking away. Whoa.
“You’re interrupting us here,” he said dully, gesturing at me across the table from him.
“Oh.” She frowned at me, as though she’d just now noticed he wasn’t seated by himself. “Oh, I didn’t realize. I didn’t see ya there.” She smiled quickly, squeezing his shoulder before she released it with a lingering rub. “I just popped in to grab a coffee order for the teachers’ lounge.” She gazed at him again as she turned. “See ya later, sexy man.”
“Wow. Um. You know, if this?—”
He groaned, shaking his head. “Sorry about that.”
“If you’re?—”
“No. Trust me. Nothing to worry about there.”
Are you sure? I nodded, glad when he showed me his phone, indicating that he already had the app to place an order.
I tapped in the coffee I’d like, and once he put his in, the order was sent.
“All right. Where were we?” he asked, giving me his full attention. I couldn’t give mine, though. Not when another woman on the other side of the coffee shop seemed hell-bent on snagging his.
“Um.” I cringed a bit and pointed for him to look.
He sighed, turning slightly to glance at the pair of women seated toward the back. As soon as he could’ve made eye contact, they waved profusely, giving him naughty smiles.
“You know,” I said diplomatically while trying to snuff my laughter, “it’s occurring to me that this might not be an ideal location to have a serious talk.”
He sighed, shaking his head sadly. “Sorry. They’re…”
“Interested?” I guessed.
“My sister tries to play matchmaker,” he groused. “ All the time.”
“Ah.” I smiled as our drinks were brought out. “Thank y?—”
“Here ya go, handsome.” She set his drink down and did the same thing the blonde had, putting her hand on his shoulder and dragging it down his arm.
He stared at me, stoic and unimpressed.
I lost the fight with the laughter in my chest.
“It’s not funny,” he said, deadpan.
“No. No, it’s not.” Yet, I laughed.
“It’s making me nervous that they sell a love potion in their drinks here.”
He sighed heavily, setting his elbow on the table, and slumped until his chin rested in his hand.
“Sorry if I’m posing a threat.” I shrugged as I sipped my drink. “I didn’t realize that our talking here would look like a… date.”
Brightening into a wry smile, he chuckled and sat up straighter. “What would be so bad about that?”
I choked on my sip of hot coffee, perfectly spiced with pumpkin and nutmeg. “What?”
“What if you were here on a date with me?”
Working my mouth open and closed, I stumbled on a reply.
“Would it be so bad?”
I smirked. “To be on a date? With someone like you?”
“Not someone like me. With me .”
I narrowed my eyes, slightly confused but amused. “Are you fishing for compliments or something like that?”
“No.” He smiled, waiting for my reply.
“I… Um…” My cheeks were going to hurt from all this grinning. “I think this conversation is going off on a tangent I haven’t considered.”
That was the truth. I was surprised to see him show up for this meeting, but this veering off into talking about dating was a bigger, more confusing turn than I felt like I could keep up with.
It would be very nice to date someone calm and not pervy like him. And it would be exciting to have the freedom to daydream about how good it would be to be with a man who looked like he could manage a woman’s pleasure…
But wouldn’t that blur the lines?
Wouldn’t it be too awkward with my wanting his land?