Her Charming Heartbreaker by Sonia Parin Page B

could see
him making an effort to keep his amusement under control.
    “In my defense, I never
said anything about actually cooking food.”
    “I’m sure there was an
underlying intention implied.” Theo gave her a stern, no-nonsense
look.
    Ben shook his head.
“You shouldn’t read too much into what girls say because it’ll do
your head in.”
    “Where did you hear
that?” Theo asked.
    “Her brother, Mitch.
He’s always saying stuff like that.”
    “Okay, guys. We need to
make a serious decision here. Do we eat our pizza at the dinner
table or on the lumpy couch while watching the movie?”
    “Cushions on the floor
in front of the TV,” Ben suggested.
    “That sounds like a
fair compromise. I’m game. It can’t be worse than the couch,” Eddie
said.
    Theo groaned under his
breath. “I can guarantee nothing is worse than that couch.”
    Ben whooped with joy
and rushed off to organize the cushions.
    “Did we actually reach
a decision about the movie?”
    Eddie chuckled. “Yes.
You’re a man who’s easily pleased.”
    “And you’re suggesting
I’m not.”
    “Shall I quote your
complaints? You know, the ones about me not actually peeling and
cutting things and putting them in a pot and slaving over a hot
stove and then getting to have final say over the movie we
watch?”
    “I was only
contributing to the conversation. I didn’t intend for any of it to
be taken as a personal affront on your character.”
    “Nice backpedaling, Mr.
Kendrick. Did you just remember I’m standing between you and the
prospect of having to wade your way through an evening entertaining
a young boy who could talk you under the table?”
    “More or less. I’ll
admit I feel my head is bobbing on the surface but at risk of
sinking. Your presence here is appreciated. I’ll try to be on my
best behavior for the rest of the evening. And to show how grateful
I am, I’ll wash the dishes and dispose of the empty pizza box. You
won’t even have to remind me to do it.”
    “Tonight promises to be
more interesting than I ever anticipated.”
     
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
     
    “Can we go in now?”
    Theo looked at his
watch and frowned. “Eddie said she’d be here at ten. Let’s give her
a few more minutes.”
    “I have a voracious
appetite,” Ben complained.
    “You have a what?”
    Ben rolled his eyes.
“It’s my mom’s doing. She insists I try using a different word
every day to expand my vocabulary. This week we’re doing the letter
v. Today, it’s voracious. Well, it was actually Monday’s word but I
didn’t...” Ben kicked the ground with the tip of his snicker, “I
didn’t get the chance to use it then because I had breakfast, a
packed lunch and dinner at the same time as every other day.” He
gave him a pointed look loaded with accusations of child
mistreatment.
    “Why don’t you put on
your valiant veneer and go in and find a vacant table.”
    Ben didn’t wait to be
told twice and took off at a trot.
    “And get a table by the
bookcases,” Theo called out. “That way you can work on being a
voracious reader.”
    Theo would have
followed Ben in to the café, if only to keep him company. No doubt
the ban still stood. But he actually wanted to see Eddie walk
toward him. There was something incredibly tantalizing about her
walk. Casual. Easy. Sexy, in a confident sort of way. He’d bet
anything she wasn’t even aware of it. The thought kept him
entertained until he saw her coming out of the pub.
    She skipped across the
street, her lips stretched into a smile as if she’d just thought of
something amusing. Theo slipped his hands inside his pockets. He’d
give anything to know what she was thinking about.
    If he drew up a
timeline of his life, the day he’d arrived in Eden and met Eddie
would be highlighted, signaling a turning point.
    “That’s a head
scratching thought if ever I heard one,” he said under his breath.
But he couldn’t argue with it. He smiled and shook his head. The
smile spread