Page 144 of Tangled with the Tight End

“The guys were bummed you weren’t at lunch. I told them we already ate together, but they still teased me that I had chased you off.”

“Not a chance,” I assure him.

He smiles, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

“Tired?” I ask, softening my voice.

He fills the passenger side of my car with his massive frame, but when he lays back like that, he looks almost boyish.

“Mmm hmm,” he says. “Are you coming over for dinner?”

“I have book club.”

He sits up. “So I have to go twenty-four hours without seeing you?”

“Think you’ll survive?”

He flops back into the chair. “Barely.”

I laugh.

“Sure. Laugh at my misery, Winona.”

“Declan?”

“Hmmm?”

“I’d rather be with you tonight.”

“Come over after?”

“Let me see how tired I am. I had a long day.”

“Fair. If you decide you can’t come over, call me.”

“That, I can do.” I glance over at him. “I want to.”

He rests while I drive and after I drop him home, I head home to clean up from my day and grab the pan of hashbrown casserole Cass threw together. She’s already waiting for me when I walk in.

“Got your book and the casserole,” Cass says.

“I still need to shower, give me ten.”

“The life of Winona for Hire,” she says with a laugh, setting the casserole on the entry table and our books next to it.

“Not gonna lie,” I say with a smile. “These days, I’m feeling pretty good about my life.”

“Does that have to do with a certain football player?”

“Among other things, yes.”

“I’m so happy for you, Winona—and not because he’s on the Thunder.”

“I’m sure your fanatic love of that team has nothing to do with it.”

“Nothing at all.” She winks.

I shower and we head over to Moss and Maple. When we walk into the bookshop, the sound of voices greets us from the back room.