Chapter 4
Sophia
Raider is snoring softly on the floor when Gavin returns. He takes one look at his dog and laughs.
“Guess he’s decided he’s off the clock for the night,” he says.
“How about you,” I ask. “Are you off the clock, too?”
He runs a hand through his dark hair. “Do you want us to go?”
“Not even a little bit,” I admit.
I adjust the towel around the bag of peas on my ankle. The swelling has not gotten worse, but it definitely has not improved either.
“Does it hurt?” Gavin asks.
“It’s throbbing.”
“Do you have any OTC pain meds?”
“There’s Ibuprofen in the bathroom cabinet.”
“I’ll grab some for you.” He returns a moment later with the bottle. “What would you like to drink?”
“Tap water’s fine.”
He washes his hands, grabs a few ice cubes from the freezer, and fills the glass with water. Then he returns to my side, handing me the pills and the glass.
“You hungry?” I ask.
He runs a hand through his dark hair. “Want me to fix you something?”
“I asked if you were hungry.”
A faint smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. “You always this stubborn?”
“Only when people try to avoid answering simple questions.”
I push up from the chair and reach for the table to steady myself.
“Sit down,” he says immediately.
“I’m fine.”
“Your ankle looks like shit.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re still beautiful. Your ankle, though…”
Warmth spreads through my body. Gavin Holt just called me beautiful. “A busted ankle won’t keep me from being a good hostess, and we both need to eat.”
His eyes move to my ankle. “I’m not letting you stand on that. No way.”
I sigh. “You’re going to be very bossy about this, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Raider lifts his head like he approves of that answer.
I sit and lean back in the chair. “Fine. There’s leftover garden vegetable soup in the fridge.”
Gavin opens the refrigerator and pulls the container out and sets it on the counter. “You grow everything in this?”
“Yep.”
“Impressive.”
“Thank you.”
He heats the soup on the stove while I watch from the table. The kitchen fills with the smell of tomatoes, herbs, and garlic. Gavin moves easily around the small space, like he has been here before. He finds bowls without asking and grabs two spoons from the drawer.
A girl could get used to this…
He places a bowl in front of me and tells me to eat. So, I do. The soup is warm and comforting after the long evening.
He sits across from me and takes a spoonful of his own. For a few minutes we eat quietly. Raider sighs from the rug.
I glance at Gavin.
“So… you’ve been coming to my booth at the farmer’s market for nearly a year.”
His eyes meet mine. “Every week for just over eight months.”
“That’s a lot of eggs.”
“I eat a lot of eggs.”
“Other venders sell eggs, too.”
He shrugs. “Yours are the best.”
“I’ll be sure to tell the chickens you think so.” I take a deep breath. “I always wondered why you never really talked to me.”
“I’m not great at small talk. Never have been.”
I study him across the table. “Who made the report tonight? About my truck.”
He sets his spoon down. “No one. I saw your truck, and I recognized your farm logo on the side. So, I went to look for you.”
“Oh.” The way he says it makes my chest feel warm. I shift my foot slightly and wince.
A look of concern crosses his face. “Still hurts?”
“Yes.”
“Let me see.”
Before I can protest he moves his chair beside mine and crouches again. His hands are warm and steady as he unwraps the towel. “I think some of the swelling has gone down. The Ibuprofen should kick in soon.”
He wraps the towel again and rests the ice back against my ankle. For a moment neither of us moves. Raider watches from the rug.
I become very aware of how close Gavin is. Of how his shoulder nearly touches my knee. Of the quiet focus in his expression.
“You know,” I say softly, “this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.”
“Yes.”
“And all I had to do was get a little sprained ankle to make it happen.”
He narrows his eyes. “Don’t make a habit of getting injured.”
I laugh quietly. “Well, if that’s what it takes.”
His eyes lift to mine. “You scared me tonight.”
His expression shifts slightly, like he did not mean to say that out loud.
My heart skips a beat. “You were worried about me?”
“Yes.”
He does not hesitate. The honesty in that single word makes my stomach flutter.
“I didn’t know that.”
“You didn’t know a lot of things.”
“Such as?”
He studies me for a second. “Such as the fact that I’ve been trying not to stare at you every Saturday morning for months.”
My breath catches. “Oh.”
Raider thumps his tail once against the rug. Neither of us looks away.
Gavin’s voice drops a little. “It’s impossible not to notice you.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks. “Did you happen to see me staring back?”
The room grows still. The kitchen light casts a soft glow across the table and the jars on the shelves. Gavin’s hand rests lightly against the side of my chair. Close enough that if I moved an inch it would touch mine.