Page 34 of Guarding Over You
“Deal.”
Blaze walked back to his place. Didn’t run, didn’t jog, didn’t even increase his stride. Just strutted back like he did around the hospital from one room to the next to get his work done.
Maybe he wanted to move faster to get his answers, but he knew enough to tread carefully.
The fact that Arden trusted him enough to open up that she’d had a bad day was more than he expected. It was more likely she’d clam up and change her mind when he returned.
But when he walked back ten minutes later, she was on the porch step again, a plate full of spaghetti and two meatballs, with a napkin, fork and two bottles of water sitting next to her.
He sat on the step by her. “I’ve got to get some chairs out here,” she said. “Sorry about this.”
“It’s fine. I never sit on my front porch. I enjoy being in the back.” Fewer eyes. There were some neighbors walking around now. One person waved, but otherwise not too bad.
“I’ll make sure I get an umbrella like you’ve got for my table so I’m not getting burned or blinded.”
“It helps.” He dug into the spaghetti, twirling it on his fork and taking a massive bite. “Good,” he said, chewing.
She smiled. “It’s not from a jar. I promise. I make as many things homemade as I can even if I’m heating Tyson chicken strips for my daughter.”
“Have you tried breading your own and cooking them instead? Calling them another name. I don’t know, freezing them that way so she thinks they aren’t yours?”
“Now that is brilliant and I’m disappointed I haven’t thought of it myself, but I’m going to. Thanks.”
He shrugged. “Hope it works.”
He was waiting for her to make the first step toward her bad day, but the longer the silence went on, the more he figured he was right. She changed her mind and there was only so muchfrivolous talk he could come up with, like breading her own chicken strips.
“About earlier.”
“Be more specific? Could be earlier with our lunch, which was great, or earlier when your day turned sour after that awesome twenty minutes with me.”
Her head went back, her neck exposed, the laugh bubbling out of her mouth. “You’re full of yourself. I should have known, being a cocky doctor and all.”
“There you go.” He nudged her arm with his elbow. They were sitting close enough, so why not?
Though few would say he was full of himself. Cocky, yes. All of his siblings were, but he’d never thought he was better than anyone else.
Never thought nothing and no one could touch him.
What he had and where he got resulted from hard work and nothing more.
“I got a call from my ex this afternoon. That normally sets me off.”
“Sorry about that. The one scene I witnessed told me you had a decent handle on the situation.”
Best not to say otherwise and get her back up.
“I try. I’m sure you’re curious.”
“I’m curious by nature, but I won’t pry.”
“I think that is why it’s easy to talk to you. You don’t push. You don’t even nudge. You leave it out there and patiently let the mouse come to you for the nibble.”
He laughed and covered his mouth. “I was with you until the last part. Now I’m thinking you’re afraid I’m the trap ready to catch you.”
Maybe he would. In a much different context.
If he weren’t interested, he wouldn’t be sitting here next to her and would be at his house with his feet up watching mindless TV.
