Chapter 6
Six
“Lunch or groceries first?” Sebastian asked.
Laurel’s stomach chose that moment to growl. “I believe the jury has spoken.”
“Lunch it is.” He whipped into the first vacant space he found on Main Street. “The diner’s a couple blocks up.”
“I don’t mind the walk.”
Slipping out of the truck, they fell into step, shoulder-to-shoulder.
Because he itched to thread his fingers with hers, Sebastian shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
He didn’t need to get used to easy, date-like behavior with her.
This thing between them was time-limited.
Plus, small towns were gossip central. No matter how much confidence Laurel had that Logan wouldn’t bat an eye at their involvement, Sebastian would just as soon word of them being cozied up together didn’t get back to him.
Eden’s Ridge was decked out for Christmas, with pre-lit wreaths on all the street lights and a banner stretching across Main Street announcing some Christmas Bazaar the following week.
Store windows were all holidayed up, with spray-on snow frosting the glass and a whole range of Christmas trees, reindeer, and Santas, in all manner of setups, reminding everybody of the season.
Laurel’s smile seemed to grow wider with every store they passed. “Okay, this town is seriously cute. All it needs is a blanket of snow and it would be the perfect setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie.”
Sebastian hadn’t given a lot of thought to Eden’s Ridge since he’d moved here.
When he’d separated from the Army, he’d come to see Porter for some R and R, and stayed for the job.
The town itself hadn’t played much role in his decision.
In truth, he didn’t need to leave the farm for much, other than stopping by the feed and farm supply.
With all the produce and meat produced by Maxwell Organics, he rarely even had to come into town for groceries.
Logan couldn’t afford to pay him much of a salary, but the trade-off of a roof over his head and most of the food he ate more than made up for it.
His expenses beyond that were minimal. Sebastian wasn’t a social guy and didn’t have a clue what kind of stuff there was to do.
Though, since Harrison and Ty had relocated here, too, Porter usually managed to drag them all out for a beer and a meal a couple times a month.
It was fun to see everything through Laurel’s eyes. She tried to look everywhere at once, her step bouncing with excitement as they strolled. She stopped to admire some blown glass…thing in the front window of Moonbeams and Sweet Dreams, the florist and gift shop. “Oh, this is lovely.”
Sebastian didn’t have any idea what it was, but he supposed the vivid colors, bleeding one into the next, were pretty.
“I’ll have to come back to do my Christmas shopping.”
“I figured you were the type to have an itemized list that was all checked off by Halloween.”
Laurel laughed. “You would be wrong. If it didn’t have a grade attached to it, I haven’t thought about it in years. I actually have picked up a couple of gifts already, but when I left Nashville, I hadn’t planned on staying until Christmas. I need to get on that.”
“Isn’t that what ’s two-day shipping is for?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you one of those people who waits until practically Christmas Eve to do your shopping?”
He didn’t want to admit he just didn’t have many people to buy for, so it wasn’t an issue. “Are you kidding? That would require I people. I’m not getting out in that madness. C’mon. I’m starving.” Taking hold of her elbow, he steered her toward the diner.
Crystal’s was the perfect, old-school, greasy spoon, with a black and white checkerboard floor and a lot of chrome and worn vinyl.
The scent of grease and onions hit Sebastian as soon as he walked in the door and his own belly gave a grizzly bear growl.
The place was packed with the lingering after-church crowd.
Laurel moved ahead of him, making a beeline for the last remaining booth.
She slid in on the far side, close to the kitchen—the seat he wanted, so he could see the door.
He hesitated, debating whether to sit beside her for the best tactical position or take the opposite side and feel his skin crawl the entire meal, every time the door opened.
Cozy it is.
“Scoot over.”
Surprised pleasure flickered over Laurel’s face, when he slid in next to her.
He realized his mistake almost instantly.
These booths weren’t big, not for a guy his size.
Sharing one side meant they were pressed together from shoulder to knee.
Awareness prickled his skin as she shifted, tucking an arm through his and tipping her head to his shoulder in a sort of mini-hug.
It felt damned good to have her there, all snugged up against him, but the closeness was wreaking havoc on his good intentions.
He nodded toward the condiment stand. “Grab a menu.”
Laurel leaned forward, her hand slipping down his arm to rest on his leg.
She left it there as she held the menu where they could both see, commenting the various options that sounded good.
Sebastian didn’t hear a word because the warmth of her hand on his thigh had him mentally reciting past Kentucky Derby winners to keep from embarrassing himself in public.
“Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you here.”
Just fucking perfect.
Ty stood at the edge of their table, deputy’s hat in hand, his lips twitching into a smile, as he took in their cozy position.
His sharp blue gaze dropped to where Laurel’s hand rested on Sebastian’s leg and the smile morphed into a full-out grin as he drew God knew what conclusions.
“Are you gonna introduce me to your lady friend?”
No matter how much Sebastian wanted to shoot off an eat-shit-and-die glare, he couldn’t say a damned thing. Because this was the first real sign he’d seen of the man Ty used to be, and he didn’t want to shut his friend down. No matter what kind of hell he was about to catch.
As the silence stretched on too long, Laurel smoothly unwound her arm and looked to Sebastian for cues, but he could feel the fresh tension where her thigh touched his.
Shit.
“This is Laurel Maxwell. Laurel, this is Ty Brooks, one of my friends from Army days.”
“Nice to meet you, Ty.” It was the well-trained debutante reaching across him to offer her hand.
“Maxwell. Like Maxwell Organics Maxwell?”
“Logan’s my brother. I came up for his wedding this weekend, and I’m sticking around to dog-sit while he’s on his honeymoon.”
“Oh, so you’re staying out at the farm, helping Sebastian out?” He went brows up in an expression that was probably supposed to be innocent.
“Dude, you’re really gonna have to work on your interrogation skills,” Sebastian told him.
The arrival of their waitress cut off Ty’s retort. As she took their drink orders, Sebastian caught Ty’s eye and switched to eyebrow speech. Drop it.
Fine. For now. But I expect details later.
Sebastian scowled. You’re such a girl.
With a sound somewhere between a grunt and a laugh, Ty plunked his hat on his head. “Well, I best be getting back out there. I’m on duty. Y’all have a nice lunch. Laurel, it was good to meet you.”
She lifted her hand in a wave.
Sebastian nodded. “Later, man.”
They both watched as Ty zipped up his Sheriff’s Department coat and stepped outside.
Laurel pursed her lips. “You’re gonna be hearing about this later, aren’t you?”
“Oh yeah.”
She winced. “Sorry.”
Wanting to put her back at ease, Sebastian mustered a smile. “It’s nothing I can’t manage.”
Their waitress came back with their drinks, and took their lunch order. They both got the Sunday Special: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
As soon as she was gone, Laurel shifted in the seat, back against the wall, so she could face him. “So you and Ty were in the Army together?”
“Yeah.” She was clearly waiting for more.
He didn’t want to talk about his own time in the Army.
But he knew he needed to give her something.
“He’s the last of our group to get out. Got injured from a roadside bomb and decided not to go back.
” That had more to do with losing his best friend to that IED than his own injuries, but that wasn’t his story to tell.
“And now he’s a deputy here?”
He nodded, sipping at his sweet tea. “Just started a couple months back.”
“Did you ever think of switching over to law enforcement?”
“Not my thing. It’d require dealing with people, and I’d rather not.”
She huffed a laugh. “You aren’t doing so bad with me.”
“You’re not people.”
The arrival of their food provided a natural break to the conversation, and when he steered things away from his service for the rest of the meal, she didn’t pursue it. They continued to stick to easier topics as they walked the three blocks back to Garden of Eden for groceries.
Sebastian grabbed a buggy. “You can’t be serious.”
“As a heart attack.”
“You seriously like Elvis?”
“Come on now. I’m from Memphis. It’s practically a requirement for residency.”
“Tell me you’ve at least picked up some better musical taste since you moved to Nashville,” he begged.
“Such as?”
“I don’t know. You’re living in the country music capital of the world. You’ve gotta be appreciating some of that.”
“I do have a soft spot for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood,” she admitted.
Sebastian mimed wiping his brow. “Oh, good. We can still be friends.”
“Sebastian!”
The familiar female voice had his hands fisting on the handle of the shopping cart. Of course. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.
Laurel only had time to widen her eyes before they were set upon.
“You’ve been hiding.” Ivy swooped in for a hug.
Sebastian squeezed her back, relieved to see she wasn’t alone. “Of course, I have. You keep using me for manual labor when I don’t.”
“It was one time! Okay, maybe two, but we’re moved in now.” She turned to Laurel, her eyes dancing with interest. “And who is this?”