went right through him. “I—”
“It’s all right. I get it.” Starting off toward his truck, she squared her shoulders. “I’m not as flighty or as fragile as you might think. Or I didn’t used to be, anyway. I’m suffering a delayed reaction to everything that happened because I haven’t had time to process it is all. That’s fairly common with PTSD.” She swung his truck door open and climbed in. “I’m not going to freak out or run away, and you don’t have to walk around on eggshells when you’re with me. Don’t forget. I was a soldier for eight years.”
“Ah, yes. The exclusive I’m-a-veteran-and-you’re-not
club
.” Sunday dinner felt like a brick in his stomach. “I’m familiar.”
Once he settled into the driver’s seat, she flashed him a disgruntled look. “That’s not what I meant, Ted.”
“Whatever.” The knot tightening his chest made breathing difficult. The day had started out so well. How had it gone to hell so quickly? Why were things spewing out of his mouth like he had a busted filter?
“I just meant I’m tougher than you think.”
“I’m sure you are.” He gripped the steering wheel. “The groceries and stuff? I wanted to do those things for you. Just for the record, Noah said you wouldn’t accept them if I made it seem personal. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be paying me back for any of it.” He glanced at her. Color rose to her cheeks, and hermouth formed a surprised O. Was she pleased or dismayed? He couldn’t tell. “How tough are you?”
Her brow furrowed. “Why do you ask?”
Might as well go for broke, since he’d already ruined the day. “Kyle asked Brenda out for a date.”
Confusion clouded her face. “Yeah, so?”
“Brenda said she’d only go out with him if it was a double date with you. Kyle asked me to be your date.” He turned to catch the play of emotions dancing across her face. None of them resembled
tough
. “Any idea why she’d do that?”
Cory looked everywhere but at him. “Because she’s a bossy, meddling, pushy friend who
thinks
she’s helping me.” Her lips compressed into a straight line. “It’s something we used to do when we were in high school. I’ll explain, but only after you’ve seen where I grew up. Don’t want to tip my hand in the big wager and all. You don’t have to do this, Ted. I’m sure Kyle and Brenda will do fine without us.” She propped an elbow on the window frame and rested her chin on her fist, turning to face the countryside.
“But I want to. We’re going bowling. I enjoy bowling immensely. So, again—how tough are you?”
“I don’t want to date you…or anybody.” She tensed. “It’s not you, it’s just—”
“Fair enough. I get it.” Even if it did suck the
hopeful
right out of his Sunday. “We can go as friends. I never said anything about wanting to date you either. Kyle asked me to do this favor, and I said I’d talk to you about it.”
“As friends, then. Nothing more.”
Damn.
He’d just set himself up for an evening of torture. “Right. Nothing more.”
CHAPTER FIVE
H ER AFTERNOON WITH T ED STILL fresh in her mind, Cory sat on the couch in her apartment and held her cell phone to her ear. Might as well get the bet thing settled once and for all. After she made arrangements with her mom, she’d have the rest of her Sunday for laundry and getting ready for the coming week. “Hey, Mom, how are you?”
“I’m good, baby. You still enjoyin’ that new job?”
“I am.” She realized with a start that she meant it. She really liked her job and the freedom L&L gave her to do it her way. “It’s challenging, and the people I work with are great. In fact that’s one of the reasons I’m calling. I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh?”
“Would you be interested in having some company for dinner one evening this week? It would be me and a friend.” Her mother’s resources were limited, and asking for anything sent guilt pinging through her.
“It’s all right. I get it.” Starting off toward his truck, she squared her shoulders. “I’m not as flighty or as fragile as you might think. Or I didn’t used to be, anyway. I’m suffering a delayed reaction to everything that happened because I haven’t had time to process it is all. That’s fairly common with PTSD.” She swung his truck door open and climbed in. “I’m not going to freak out or run away, and you don’t have to walk around on eggshells when you’re with me. Don’t forget. I was a soldier for eight years.”
“Ah, yes. The exclusive I’m-a-veteran-and-you’re-not
club
.” Sunday dinner felt like a brick in his stomach. “I’m familiar.”
Once he settled into the driver’s seat, she flashed him a disgruntled look. “That’s not what I meant, Ted.”
“Whatever.” The knot tightening his chest made breathing difficult. The day had started out so well. How had it gone to hell so quickly? Why were things spewing out of his mouth like he had a busted filter?
“I just meant I’m tougher than you think.”
“I’m sure you are.” He gripped the steering wheel. “The groceries and stuff? I wanted to do those things for you. Just for the record, Noah said you wouldn’t accept them if I made it seem personal. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be paying me back for any of it.” He glanced at her. Color rose to her cheeks, and hermouth formed a surprised O. Was she pleased or dismayed? He couldn’t tell. “How tough are you?”
Her brow furrowed. “Why do you ask?”
Might as well go for broke, since he’d already ruined the day. “Kyle asked Brenda out for a date.”
Confusion clouded her face. “Yeah, so?”
“Brenda said she’d only go out with him if it was a double date with you. Kyle asked me to be your date.” He turned to catch the play of emotions dancing across her face. None of them resembled
tough
. “Any idea why she’d do that?”
Cory looked everywhere but at him. “Because she’s a bossy, meddling, pushy friend who
thinks
she’s helping me.” Her lips compressed into a straight line. “It’s something we used to do when we were in high school. I’ll explain, but only after you’ve seen where I grew up. Don’t want to tip my hand in the big wager and all. You don’t have to do this, Ted. I’m sure Kyle and Brenda will do fine without us.” She propped an elbow on the window frame and rested her chin on her fist, turning to face the countryside.
“But I want to. We’re going bowling. I enjoy bowling immensely. So, again—how tough are you?”
“I don’t want to date you…or anybody.” She tensed. “It’s not you, it’s just—”
“Fair enough. I get it.” Even if it did suck the
hopeful
right out of his Sunday. “We can go as friends. I never said anything about wanting to date you either. Kyle asked me to do this favor, and I said I’d talk to you about it.”
“As friends, then. Nothing more.”
Damn.
He’d just set himself up for an evening of torture. “Right. Nothing more.”
CHAPTER FIVE
H ER AFTERNOON WITH T ED STILL fresh in her mind, Cory sat on the couch in her apartment and held her cell phone to her ear. Might as well get the bet thing settled once and for all. After she made arrangements with her mom, she’d have the rest of her Sunday for laundry and getting ready for the coming week. “Hey, Mom, how are you?”
“I’m good, baby. You still enjoyin’ that new job?”
“I am.” She realized with a start that she meant it. She really liked her job and the freedom L&L gave her to do it her way. “It’s challenging, and the people I work with are great. In fact that’s one of the reasons I’m calling. I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh?”
“Would you be interested in having some company for dinner one evening this week? It would be me and a friend.” Her mother’s resources were limited, and asking for anything sent guilt pinging through her.
Similar Books
