City.”
I nodded. “I probably look different without my uniform.”
“I knew I’d seen those cheeks before.” Mrs. Berezin reached out and pinched my face.
I stood still as possible as this random lady pinched my cheeks as if I were a toddler. And my first thought wasn’t even to question her odd action. My first thought was “What’s wrong with my cheeks?”
“Her cheeks are super cute,” Auden said, “but you don’t have to touch them, Gram.”
As if finally realizing her mistake, Mrs. Berezin dropped her arms to her side. “That was so rude. I’m sorry.”
“No problem,” I said through a smile.
“My grandma’s losing it,” Auden whispered as she walked by.
I didn’t smile, because I couldn’t tell if she was being funny or telling the truth.
“Ready for a quick lunch?” Jason asked.
“Speaking of lunch,” I began, reaching into my purse to retrieve my phone, the only thing I had with a clock, “I don’t know if I have time.”
Instead of letting me dig it out, Jason took my hand. “I called in an order earlier and had Taco Chico deliver it to your office.”
A refreshing calm spread through me, impressed yet again with this man who understood my concerns and cared about my schedule.
Jason could teach Tim a thing or two about being a man, that’s for sure.
—
“That was so good,” I said after Jason and I had finished the lunches he’d had delivered to the office. My stomach was about to burst.
“I don’t think I can move,” he groaned, sinking lower into his chair and spreading his legs in front of him.
I liked how comfortable he always seemed no matter where he was. I liked people who were comfortable with themselves and with the world. I wasn’t quite there yet.
“Do you eat lunch at the Berezins’ a lot?” I’d been dying to ask him since we left the courthouse.
“Usually about once a week. Why?”
“I don’t know. I just got the impression that you weren’t close with them. Like they were Auden’s grandparents, not yours.”
“I’m trying. I mean, I’m not sitting on Viktor’s lap and asking him to read me books,” Jason joked. “But I’m trying to get to know them.”
I reached over and touched his hand. “I think it’s really cool. I’m sorry I’ve cut in to that time.” I paused as the next words stuck in my throat. “I really appreciate you thinking of me and my schedule.”
“I want to spend every minute I can with you, Indie. You’ve taken over my thoughts.” Jason’s eyes were soft, and his lips curled into a smile.
I couldn’t think of a snappy reply, because he had me all warm and gooey after taking me to his sister’s wedding and having lunch brought in. “I like spending time with you, too,” I admitted.
“I know what your life is like. I know you have a million things to think about and work around. I want to make sure you never feel pressured or uncomfortable. I know how much courage it takes to let someone into your life again after being hurt.”
“Have you been hurt?”
Jason took a breath. “I don’t know if hurt is the word.” He stretched his arms above his head, then lowered them and folded them in front of his chest. “I dated a girl in college for a year and a half.”
“What happened?”
“I thought it was more than it was. I thought we were moving toward living together after graduation.” He chuckled. “She didn’t feel the same.”
“Did you love her?” I blurted out. I wasn’t jealous, just curious. Okay, a little jealous. Everyone has a past. Hell, I had a kid from my past relationship.
Jason squinted. “I don’t know.” He paused. “I know that sounds really stupid. I never wanted to twist my schedule to see her, or use every lunch hour to meet up with her. She didn’t run through my head every second like you do.”
Warmth rushed to my cheeks and I pressed my lips together to keep my composure. “Busted,” I whispered.
“So busted.” Jason leaned toward me. He slid
I nodded. “I probably look different without my uniform.”
“I knew I’d seen those cheeks before.” Mrs. Berezin reached out and pinched my face.
I stood still as possible as this random lady pinched my cheeks as if I were a toddler. And my first thought wasn’t even to question her odd action. My first thought was “What’s wrong with my cheeks?”
“Her cheeks are super cute,” Auden said, “but you don’t have to touch them, Gram.”
As if finally realizing her mistake, Mrs. Berezin dropped her arms to her side. “That was so rude. I’m sorry.”
“No problem,” I said through a smile.
“My grandma’s losing it,” Auden whispered as she walked by.
I didn’t smile, because I couldn’t tell if she was being funny or telling the truth.
“Ready for a quick lunch?” Jason asked.
“Speaking of lunch,” I began, reaching into my purse to retrieve my phone, the only thing I had with a clock, “I don’t know if I have time.”
Instead of letting me dig it out, Jason took my hand. “I called in an order earlier and had Taco Chico deliver it to your office.”
A refreshing calm spread through me, impressed yet again with this man who understood my concerns and cared about my schedule.
Jason could teach Tim a thing or two about being a man, that’s for sure.
—
“That was so good,” I said after Jason and I had finished the lunches he’d had delivered to the office. My stomach was about to burst.
“I don’t think I can move,” he groaned, sinking lower into his chair and spreading his legs in front of him.
I liked how comfortable he always seemed no matter where he was. I liked people who were comfortable with themselves and with the world. I wasn’t quite there yet.
“Do you eat lunch at the Berezins’ a lot?” I’d been dying to ask him since we left the courthouse.
“Usually about once a week. Why?”
“I don’t know. I just got the impression that you weren’t close with them. Like they were Auden’s grandparents, not yours.”
“I’m trying. I mean, I’m not sitting on Viktor’s lap and asking him to read me books,” Jason joked. “But I’m trying to get to know them.”
I reached over and touched his hand. “I think it’s really cool. I’m sorry I’ve cut in to that time.” I paused as the next words stuck in my throat. “I really appreciate you thinking of me and my schedule.”
“I want to spend every minute I can with you, Indie. You’ve taken over my thoughts.” Jason’s eyes were soft, and his lips curled into a smile.
I couldn’t think of a snappy reply, because he had me all warm and gooey after taking me to his sister’s wedding and having lunch brought in. “I like spending time with you, too,” I admitted.
“I know what your life is like. I know you have a million things to think about and work around. I want to make sure you never feel pressured or uncomfortable. I know how much courage it takes to let someone into your life again after being hurt.”
“Have you been hurt?”
Jason took a breath. “I don’t know if hurt is the word.” He stretched his arms above his head, then lowered them and folded them in front of his chest. “I dated a girl in college for a year and a half.”
“What happened?”
“I thought it was more than it was. I thought we were moving toward living together after graduation.” He chuckled. “She didn’t feel the same.”
“Did you love her?” I blurted out. I wasn’t jealous, just curious. Okay, a little jealous. Everyone has a past. Hell, I had a kid from my past relationship.
Jason squinted. “I don’t know.” He paused. “I know that sounds really stupid. I never wanted to twist my schedule to see her, or use every lunch hour to meet up with her. She didn’t run through my head every second like you do.”
Warmth rushed to my cheeks and I pressed my lips together to keep my composure. “Busted,” I whispered.
“So busted.” Jason leaned toward me. He slid
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