“And when you saw them in town, what made you think she was a date and not just a friend?”
Laura thought about it. “Honestly?”
He grinned. “Not much point in anything else. I'm not asking for my benefit, I'm trying to help you figure it out.”
She sighed. “Well, I suppose. If I'm honest. It was just the shock factor and a little jealousy. I was coming back here wondering if I'd see him.”
“The two of you didn't have anything lined up?”
“No. The last time I saw him didn't end well, and the last time I spoke to him he told me to call him.”
“And you didn't?”
“No.”
“Because?”
Oh, what the hell? She'd told him this much and he really did seem to want to help. Like he'd said—she needed to talk to someone. “Because, with Smoke, it's like it's all a game, a competition. Neither of us wants to admit that the other might have the upper hand. Neither of us wants to lose.”
Michael smiled. “So you rather lose him than lose to him?”
She pursed her lips, but said nothing.
“You might want to think about that one, darl'. Cos I've got a feeling. This game the two of you are playing? It's a long way from over.”
***
S moke parked the truck in the square and got out. He waited for Rochelle to pull up alongside.
“I can't wait to talk to Jason,” she said as she got out of the car. “He's going to be so pleased!”
Smoke smiled. “Yeah, I think this could really work.”
“It will! Come on, let me buy you lunch to celebrate, then I need to get back for the kids. My mom can't keep them this afternoon.”
“Do you want to leave it and get back to them? I'm not that hungry.”
Rochelle laughed. “Neither am I! I'm too excited to eat, but I said I'd buy you lunch. Even if we just get a drink or something, we should celebrate. I really want to thank you.”
Smoke nodded, he knew how much the gesture meant to her. Even though he'd rather go home and catch up on some of the sleep he'd lost last night, he didn't want to refuse her. “Okay.”
Ben greeted them at the hostess station. He was looking shifty again; Smoke still couldn't figure the guy out.
“Hey! We're pretty busy today. There are a few high tops free inside though. Follow me.” He started towards the bar, but Rochelle didn't follow.
“Look,” she said. “There's a table free, right by the water, Ben. Can we have that? It's such a pretty day, I really don't want to sit inside.”
Ben came back looking even shiftier now. What was his problem? Smoke looked outside to where Rochelle was pointing. Oh. That was the problem! The empty table was next to a couple—Laura and that Australian guy. Damn! Ben looked at him, giving him the choice of what to do. Smoke shrugged. He wasn't going to run a second time. Ben gave him an apologetic look then led them out onto the deck. Smoke's throat was dry, his heart was racing. He had to get a grip. She was just a woman he'd slept with. No big deal. He'd been in this situation before—many a time.
Laura had her back to them, he couldn't see her face. They were almost at the table before the guy noticed them. He surprised the hell out of Smoke by grinning and then winking at him! Jesus! Okay, so you got the girl! Ever hear of being gracious in victory, jerk? Smoke gritted his teeth and nodded curtly. The guy gave the tiniest shake of his head and shot a look at Laura then back at Smoke. What the hell was he trying to say? Laura turned, a smile lit up her face when she saw him, then faded away when she looked at Rochelle.
“Michael!” squealed Rochelle. “How are you? And how's Ethan? The kids are dying to have him over.”
He stood up and greeted her with a hug. Did everyone know each other in this town?
“I'm just great, darl'. And you? And how about that husband of yours? Is he flying?” As Michael said that he gave Laura a meaningful look. What was he trying to do? Reassure her that Rochelle wasn't competition? Dumbass! As if Laura would feel threatened by any
Laura thought about it. “Honestly?”
He grinned. “Not much point in anything else. I'm not asking for my benefit, I'm trying to help you figure it out.”
She sighed. “Well, I suppose. If I'm honest. It was just the shock factor and a little jealousy. I was coming back here wondering if I'd see him.”
“The two of you didn't have anything lined up?”
“No. The last time I saw him didn't end well, and the last time I spoke to him he told me to call him.”
“And you didn't?”
“No.”
“Because?”
Oh, what the hell? She'd told him this much and he really did seem to want to help. Like he'd said—she needed to talk to someone. “Because, with Smoke, it's like it's all a game, a competition. Neither of us wants to admit that the other might have the upper hand. Neither of us wants to lose.”
Michael smiled. “So you rather lose him than lose to him?”
She pursed her lips, but said nothing.
“You might want to think about that one, darl'. Cos I've got a feeling. This game the two of you are playing? It's a long way from over.”
***
S moke parked the truck in the square and got out. He waited for Rochelle to pull up alongside.
“I can't wait to talk to Jason,” she said as she got out of the car. “He's going to be so pleased!”
Smoke smiled. “Yeah, I think this could really work.”
“It will! Come on, let me buy you lunch to celebrate, then I need to get back for the kids. My mom can't keep them this afternoon.”
“Do you want to leave it and get back to them? I'm not that hungry.”
Rochelle laughed. “Neither am I! I'm too excited to eat, but I said I'd buy you lunch. Even if we just get a drink or something, we should celebrate. I really want to thank you.”
Smoke nodded, he knew how much the gesture meant to her. Even though he'd rather go home and catch up on some of the sleep he'd lost last night, he didn't want to refuse her. “Okay.”
Ben greeted them at the hostess station. He was looking shifty again; Smoke still couldn't figure the guy out.
“Hey! We're pretty busy today. There are a few high tops free inside though. Follow me.” He started towards the bar, but Rochelle didn't follow.
“Look,” she said. “There's a table free, right by the water, Ben. Can we have that? It's such a pretty day, I really don't want to sit inside.”
Ben came back looking even shiftier now. What was his problem? Smoke looked outside to where Rochelle was pointing. Oh. That was the problem! The empty table was next to a couple—Laura and that Australian guy. Damn! Ben looked at him, giving him the choice of what to do. Smoke shrugged. He wasn't going to run a second time. Ben gave him an apologetic look then led them out onto the deck. Smoke's throat was dry, his heart was racing. He had to get a grip. She was just a woman he'd slept with. No big deal. He'd been in this situation before—many a time.
Laura had her back to them, he couldn't see her face. They were almost at the table before the guy noticed them. He surprised the hell out of Smoke by grinning and then winking at him! Jesus! Okay, so you got the girl! Ever hear of being gracious in victory, jerk? Smoke gritted his teeth and nodded curtly. The guy gave the tiniest shake of his head and shot a look at Laura then back at Smoke. What the hell was he trying to say? Laura turned, a smile lit up her face when she saw him, then faded away when she looked at Rochelle.
“Michael!” squealed Rochelle. “How are you? And how's Ethan? The kids are dying to have him over.”
He stood up and greeted her with a hug. Did everyone know each other in this town?
“I'm just great, darl'. And you? And how about that husband of yours? Is he flying?” As Michael said that he gave Laura a meaningful look. What was he trying to do? Reassure her that Rochelle wasn't competition? Dumbass! As if Laura would feel threatened by any
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