“Southern cooking can do that to you. We do have some good eatin’ going on here, that’s for sure.”
She leaned back on the seat and looked over at Gil. His profile was etched in the low light from the dashboard. A handsome man. Rugged features. A wicked, wicked smile she was doing her best to avoid.
Just then he turned towards her and flashed that seductive grin. Yes, that’s the one to avoid.
She cleared her throat. “So, besides eating, what do you do for fun around here?” Would he know that was her way of asking if he was dating anyone?
“You mean, since Comfort Crossing is such a small town, there must not be much to do?”
“No, I didn’t mean that at all.” Not at all.
“Well, most of my time is spent running the Feed and Seed. Either working there, or doing the books, or tax stuff.”
“You must have some free time.”
“I take some time off. Go fishing. Read a book. Fix things up on my house. It seems like it’s in constant need of one thing or the other. It was my parents’ house. When I inherited it, I moved into it. It’s close to the store, about a block away. Just seemed to make sense at the time. Then I figured out that not much had been done with the upkeep in the last fifteen years or so. It’s an uphill battle, but things are coming around. Besides, it lets me indulge in my one and only weakness.”
“Only one, huh?” She grinned at him.
“I collect power tools like a woman collects shoes. I have a garage full of power tools. Table saw. Planer. Radial arm saw. Router. It’s kind of my weakness when it comes to buying things for myself. I redid the kitchen and made all the cabinets.”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
“I find woodworking is a good way to relax.” Gil turned the radio volume lower. “So, what do you do for fun?”
“Me?” What did she do for fun? She couldn’t remember the last time—before tonight—that she’d had any fun. Not for a long time. It was all work, then it had been taking care of her mother, then after… well then it had been dealing with her mother’s estate. “I don’t know. I used to read a lot. Used to like to sketch.”
“You dating anyone?”
Well, wasn’t that a direct approach to finding out the dating answer? “No, not now.” Not ever. Well, she’d date, but she wasn’t going to get in deep with anyone again. It just wasn’t worth it.
“Recent break up? You sound a little bitter.”
Bitter? Her? “Yes. Recent.”
“Do you miss him?”
Really, he was going to go down this path of questions? Couldn’t he leave well enough alone?
Gil looked at her expectantly.
“Nope. Not a bit.” Actually she didn’t miss Justin. She missed having someone to talk and go places with, but how could she miss someone who had dumped her right when she needed him? You didn’t miss someone like that, you said good riddance. You learned your lesson and moved on. You didn’t repeat your mistakes and she prided herself on being a quick learner.
Time for Gil to pay the piper. “So, are you seeing anyone?” Madeline asked.
A tense silence hung between them, like Gil was trying to choose his words.
“No. I’m not. Haven’t for over a year. It just doesn’t fit into my life very well.”
~ * ~
No kidding it didn’t fit into his life now. Why he’d thought that Crystal was someone to fall for was one of those questions he didn’t even like to ask himself. She’d been fun. Always fun. He’d tried to make time for her. He’d fallen for her hard. Like a schoolboy with his first crush. Only he’d been old enough to know better.
She’d lived and worked in New Orleans. He’d made the hour or so drive over to New Orleans at least once a week to see her. She’d rarely come over to Comfort Crossing, but then most of their social life had been based in New Orleans. Fund raisers she was involved in. Her crowd of city friends. The big-city whirlwind of activities had sometimes exhausted him, but he’d been so smitten with her, he’d thought eventually things would calm down and they’d spend more time just being together without a constant need for a social life.
They’d dated for three years. Three. He’d thought they were headed to settling down, raising kids, spending their life together. Then, when he’d gotten up the nerve to ask her to marry him, she’d laughed. He could still remember the surprising jolt of hot hurt and embarrassment.
He could remember her exact words.
“Honey, I’m not going to settle down with you in Comfort Crossing. I’m not leaving New Orleans. I’d never be happy in some tiny little town. I thought we were just having fun.” He could still hear the sound of her honey soft southern drawl as she cut him to pieces.