Prologue
Prologue
“ H ey, pretty face. Back again?”
The waitress leaned over the counter, tipping her head and bestowing a friendly smile as she made her inspection.
“I can’t get enough meatloaf,” he said, but it wasn’t the truth. The truth was that he couldn’t get enough of her. Fresh-faced and blond with apple blossom cheeks and bright blue eyes, she wasn’t his usual sort. Maybe that was why he was so captivated. She looked like the girl next door, but only if you lived next to a farm. That sold milk. And maybe cheese. She was not beautiful, not hot, but so adorable his eyes almost teared up every time he glanced at her. And he glanced a lot, so much it was shocking that she didn’t seem to notice.
She had marked him as a pretty boy navy brat the minute he walked in, and maybe he was. The navy was his life, and it was possible he was a tad too into his bicep development, especially since becoming a SEAL. But for this girl, he’d be willing to set it all aside. Smitten was the correct term, and he was so far gone he hadn’t said a word about her to any of his teammates. That was how he knew he meant it, because for the first time since joining the team, he found something he wanted to keep all to himself. Or rather someone.
The bell over the door chimed. His waitress turned to look and froze, blinking a couple of times. He regarded her look with jealousy because it was a look women usually bestowed on him. Not this girl, though. No matter how many hints he’d dropped, no matter how hard he flirted nothing ever came of it. He thought maybe she had a serious boyfriend, seeing as how she was a local. And either her boyfriend had just entered or he wasn’t as good as he thought because she definitely had the look, and it definitely wasn’t for him.
“So here’s where you’ve been disappearing,” a too-familiar voice said as a hand clapped him on the back, bestowing a knowing squeeze. The newcomer took the stool next to him and picked up a menu. “What’s good?”
“I think he’s partial to the meatloaf,” the waitress said. His waitress. And now she was smiling shyly, not at him, but at the man to his right, his best friend.
“I can see why. Jay.” He put down his menu and jutted his hand.
The waitress glanced at it a second before tentatively offering hers in return. “Jordan.”
“And I guess you know my buddy here, Gaines.” He was still holding Jordan’s hand. Why was he still holding Jordan’s hand? Gaines stared at their combined hands, his overheated imagination picturing the arcs of electricity being traded back and forth.
Jordan glanced at him, distracted. “Actually no. I never learned his name. Hello, Gaines. Nice to finally meet you.” She finally withdrew her hand from Jay and offered it to him.
Gaines took her hand, noting its softness, its delicate smallness compared to his. He gave her his best smile, one that usually worked wonders, but it was lost on her; her attention had already returned to Jay.
“I guess I’ll have the meatloaf,” Jay said, eyes never leaving Jordan’s.
“I guess I’ll go get it,” she said, but she made no move to turn away.
Gaines sighed and made a mental note of the exact moment his hopes and dreams imploded and turned to dust.