rush in like this and try to sweep her off her feet.”
“It’s been a year. I think she’s ready to have her own life again. And I’m not rushing in. I’ve known her for over a decade, even if we were apart for several years. I don’t think you and I really have much to say to each other. Either say your piece and bow out or tell me bluntly that you intend to compete with me.” He wanted to point out that he was contradicting his promise to Susan, but mentioning that they’d discussed him might make the situation worse. He wanted to end this and get upstairs before they were heard.
“Then consider this a very blunt declaration.” He threw his wallet on the table and took off his watch before rolling up his sleeves. He headed for the stairs, but he turned at the last minute. “Just remember that I’m her friend and you’re her boyfriend. The levels of trust are very different.”
Erik nodded, and David went up the stairs. He quickly followed him. He agreed with David, and normally he might’ve been worried. He’d been honest with Susan, and he had no intention of playing childish games. He had the feeling David’s obvious jealousy would trip him up sooner or later. He’d have to be on his toes to be sure he didn’t stumble as well.
* * * *
Susan watched David with interest. The woman at the bar was cackling her head off at whatever he was saying. “Well, she’s very pretty.”
Jeremiah made a face. “Not pretty enough to justify all that.”
Erik looked like he was trying to hide a smirk, but she couldn’t be sure.
“At least he’s talking to a woman,” Susan said. “Maybe she’s not the best candidate, but if he meets some new people maybe someone will turn up.”
David leaned closer to the woman and smiled, saying something else. She laughed even louder, and then she gestured to the bartender. He handed her a piece of paper, and she scribbled something down.
“I think he just got her phone number!” Susan said. She looked at Erik. “If he starts bringing her over to the cabin, I’m moving in with you!”
“If only it were that easy, I’d set both your friends up with frightful cacklers,” Erik said.
She and Jeremiah burst into a fit of laughter. Jeremiah recovered first. “Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not that desperate. Not yet, anyway.”
“Oh really?” Susan said, holding back a fresh laugh.
He looked at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That girl who wouldn’t stop calling?”
Jeremiah groaned. “Girl is right.” He turned to Erik. “She was twenty-two and absolutely crazy to settle down. I’m not against it, but we didn’t click. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I thought she’d tire of me on her own.”
Susan shook her head chidingly and turned to Erik. “He wouldn’t sleep with her, which of course was good since he wasn’t serious, but the problem was that was the very thing that made her believe he was serious. She thought he was being a gentleman because he saw her as his future wife.”
Erik chuckled. “What fun! And how did that end?”
Susan and Jeremiah looked at each other. “She’s dating the minister at the Episcopal church. It’s been implied they’re about to get engaged,” she said.
“Really?” Erik asked.
Jeremiah nodded. “And that’s great. It also shows that I am not desperate, so your point backfired on you. If I were, I would have jumped at the chance.”
“I meant you paying her any attention at all showed at least a tiny bit of desperation. She batted her lashes, and you couldn’t resist asking her out. You should’ve recognized the signs right away. And how young she was. You two were not on the same level.”
He shook his head. “If you say so. She seemed very mature to me.”
David slid back into the booth next to Jeremiah. He held up the piece of paper like a prize. “Success!”
Susan raised her eyebrows. “You sure about that?”
David looked straight into her eyes. “And why
“It’s been a year. I think she’s ready to have her own life again. And I’m not rushing in. I’ve known her for over a decade, even if we were apart for several years. I don’t think you and I really have much to say to each other. Either say your piece and bow out or tell me bluntly that you intend to compete with me.” He wanted to point out that he was contradicting his promise to Susan, but mentioning that they’d discussed him might make the situation worse. He wanted to end this and get upstairs before they were heard.
“Then consider this a very blunt declaration.” He threw his wallet on the table and took off his watch before rolling up his sleeves. He headed for the stairs, but he turned at the last minute. “Just remember that I’m her friend and you’re her boyfriend. The levels of trust are very different.”
Erik nodded, and David went up the stairs. He quickly followed him. He agreed with David, and normally he might’ve been worried. He’d been honest with Susan, and he had no intention of playing childish games. He had the feeling David’s obvious jealousy would trip him up sooner or later. He’d have to be on his toes to be sure he didn’t stumble as well.
* * * *
Susan watched David with interest. The woman at the bar was cackling her head off at whatever he was saying. “Well, she’s very pretty.”
Jeremiah made a face. “Not pretty enough to justify all that.”
Erik looked like he was trying to hide a smirk, but she couldn’t be sure.
“At least he’s talking to a woman,” Susan said. “Maybe she’s not the best candidate, but if he meets some new people maybe someone will turn up.”
David leaned closer to the woman and smiled, saying something else. She laughed even louder, and then she gestured to the bartender. He handed her a piece of paper, and she scribbled something down.
“I think he just got her phone number!” Susan said. She looked at Erik. “If he starts bringing her over to the cabin, I’m moving in with you!”
“If only it were that easy, I’d set both your friends up with frightful cacklers,” Erik said.
She and Jeremiah burst into a fit of laughter. Jeremiah recovered first. “Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not that desperate. Not yet, anyway.”
“Oh really?” Susan said, holding back a fresh laugh.
He looked at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That girl who wouldn’t stop calling?”
Jeremiah groaned. “Girl is right.” He turned to Erik. “She was twenty-two and absolutely crazy to settle down. I’m not against it, but we didn’t click. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I thought she’d tire of me on her own.”
Susan shook her head chidingly and turned to Erik. “He wouldn’t sleep with her, which of course was good since he wasn’t serious, but the problem was that was the very thing that made her believe he was serious. She thought he was being a gentleman because he saw her as his future wife.”
Erik chuckled. “What fun! And how did that end?”
Susan and Jeremiah looked at each other. “She’s dating the minister at the Episcopal church. It’s been implied they’re about to get engaged,” she said.
“Really?” Erik asked.
Jeremiah nodded. “And that’s great. It also shows that I am not desperate, so your point backfired on you. If I were, I would have jumped at the chance.”
“I meant you paying her any attention at all showed at least a tiny bit of desperation. She batted her lashes, and you couldn’t resist asking her out. You should’ve recognized the signs right away. And how young she was. You two were not on the same level.”
He shook his head. “If you say so. She seemed very mature to me.”
David slid back into the booth next to Jeremiah. He held up the piece of paper like a prize. “Success!”
Susan raised her eyebrows. “You sure about that?”
David looked straight into her eyes. “And why
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