Jane blinked in surprise. What?
“Oh I think I have a handle on love, hearts and life,” he said in a calm voice that belied what she’d just seen in his eyes. “See, I was in love with a gorgeous red head and I screwed it up. I messed it all up so bad she went and fell in love with another man. My best friend Michael thinks I’m an idiot now and his new wife can’t stand me. And here I am, alone with my restaurant. No love. No life. One broken heart.”
Jane sat up and leaned over the table toward Rob. “Wow, for a minute there, it almost felt like you were human.”
Rob laughed and closed his eyes. “Come on, spill it. What’s going on?”
Jane opened her mouth but the waitress appeared, setting her salad and a bread plate in front of her.
“Teresa, bring me out a bowl of clam chowder and a Coke,” Rob said, getting comfortable.
Jane took a bite of her salad and smiled at the flavors bursting in her mouth. “ Mmm , I love the pepperoncini and feta.”
Rob nodded and reached over and snagged one of her cherry tomatoes. “We aim to please.”
Jane took another bite and studied Rob. Could she really bare her soul to Rob Downing of all people? She breathed in the divine smells coming from the kitchen and gave in. Why not?
“I’m in love with a man who might have feelings for me but who is determined to not love me back. It’s killing me and I can’t get over him. Nothing works and I feel like I’m dying inside,” she blurted out, watching as Rob stared at her with a half-smile.
“Looks like you and I are in the same boat then. No wonder you came here today. You were probably drawn here like a magnet.”
Jane took another bite of her salad and the waitress brought Rob’s soup and her gnocchi. She took a bite and groaned in pleasure. “This is amazing.”
Rob took a bite of his chowder and nodded. “See what you girls have been missing out on by boycotting my restaurant? So you were dating Garrett, right? It’s called re-bounding. You just keep dating until you find the person who can get your mind off the person you really love.”
Jane put her fork down and massaged her temples. “Yeah, well, that’s a cold way of putting it, but I tried. In the process I ended up hurting a really great guy. I can’t do that again. I know what pain feels like. I’m not going to lead on somebody else just in the hopes that it will somehow get my mind off of Tate,” she said and then closed her eyes in irritation. She’d just let slip the ammunition Rob could use to annihilate her.
Rob grinned as he took a sip of water. “Officer Tate Matafeo, defender of the Kendall sisters, public servant and all around good guy. What’s the matter? Why wouldn’t he go out with you? You’re cute in your own way.”
Jane blinked at him unsmiling and shook her head. “And you wonder why you’re alone Rob. But yeah, it’s Tate. I can’t tell you why, that’s his personal business, but he’s decided that I’m not good for him, or he’s not good for me. Either way, I’m a mess.”
Rob reached over and took a bite of gnocchi and frowned. “So we’re both in the same miserable state. I get to watch Kit get married and you get to watch Tate do whatever Tate does without you. Life’s fun, huh?”
Jane grimaced and took another bite smiling as her taste buds took over and her mind stopped working for a minute. “I can’t believe this, but your gnocchi is actually making me feel a little better for some reason. I might have to start coming here every
“Oh I think I have a handle on love, hearts and life,” he said in a calm voice that belied what she’d just seen in his eyes. “See, I was in love with a gorgeous red head and I screwed it up. I messed it all up so bad she went and fell in love with another man. My best friend Michael thinks I’m an idiot now and his new wife can’t stand me. And here I am, alone with my restaurant. No love. No life. One broken heart.”
Jane sat up and leaned over the table toward Rob. “Wow, for a minute there, it almost felt like you were human.”
Rob laughed and closed his eyes. “Come on, spill it. What’s going on?”
Jane opened her mouth but the waitress appeared, setting her salad and a bread plate in front of her.
“Teresa, bring me out a bowl of clam chowder and a Coke,” Rob said, getting comfortable.
Jane took a bite of her salad and smiled at the flavors bursting in her mouth. “ Mmm , I love the pepperoncini and feta.”
Rob nodded and reached over and snagged one of her cherry tomatoes. “We aim to please.”
Jane took another bite and studied Rob. Could she really bare her soul to Rob Downing of all people? She breathed in the divine smells coming from the kitchen and gave in. Why not?
“I’m in love with a man who might have feelings for me but who is determined to not love me back. It’s killing me and I can’t get over him. Nothing works and I feel like I’m dying inside,” she blurted out, watching as Rob stared at her with a half-smile.
“Looks like you and I are in the same boat then. No wonder you came here today. You were probably drawn here like a magnet.”
Jane took another bite of her salad and the waitress brought Rob’s soup and her gnocchi. She took a bite and groaned in pleasure. “This is amazing.”
Rob took a bite of his chowder and nodded. “See what you girls have been missing out on by boycotting my restaurant? So you were dating Garrett, right? It’s called re-bounding. You just keep dating until you find the person who can get your mind off the person you really love.”
Jane put her fork down and massaged her temples. “Yeah, well, that’s a cold way of putting it, but I tried. In the process I ended up hurting a really great guy. I can’t do that again. I know what pain feels like. I’m not going to lead on somebody else just in the hopes that it will somehow get my mind off of Tate,” she said and then closed her eyes in irritation. She’d just let slip the ammunition Rob could use to annihilate her.
Rob grinned as he took a sip of water. “Officer Tate Matafeo, defender of the Kendall sisters, public servant and all around good guy. What’s the matter? Why wouldn’t he go out with you? You’re cute in your own way.”
Jane blinked at him unsmiling and shook her head. “And you wonder why you’re alone Rob. But yeah, it’s Tate. I can’t tell you why, that’s his personal business, but he’s decided that I’m not good for him, or he’s not good for me. Either way, I’m a mess.”
Rob reached over and took a bite of gnocchi and frowned. “So we’re both in the same miserable state. I get to watch Kit get married and you get to watch Tate do whatever Tate does without you. Life’s fun, huh?”
Jane grimaced and took another bite smiling as her taste buds took over and her mind stopped working for a minute. “I can’t believe this, but your gnocchi is actually making me feel a little better for some reason. I might have to start coming here every
Similar Books
