“By taking care of me. I’m lucky the furnace went out in the rental. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come into my life when you did.”
Was it only friendship she was looking for? After last night, the situation with Lourdes was a little confusing. The attraction they’d felt didn’t seem to have disappeared with sobriety—not that he was going to let an attraction to the wrong woman, or anything else, trip him up again. “I’m sure you have other friends who would’ve supported you.”
“It wouldn’t be the same. I’ve been too busy, too insulated by my work to socialize very much. And they would all have had an opinion. You don’t push me to break up with Derrick or give him another chance. You’re neutral yet supportive. Perfect.”
Did she really believe that? Because he was far from neutral, and that concerned him. “I don’t know Derrick. Otherwise, I’d probably be giving you more advice. So please don’t feel you have to do anything for me in return. I’ve been set up on dates before. Many times. It never works.”
“It’ll work this time. You’ll see. Go thirty. You’ll thank me in the end.”
She seemed so convinced. He could tell he wasn’t going to talk her out of it. He wasn’t all that motivated to resist, anyway. He liked having her interested in his love life, even if it was ostensibly to find him someone else. So he decided to let her have her fun. He’d just shoot down anyone who didn’t look promising. He could do that until Lourdes lost interest, couldn’t he? It wouldn’t be long before she was back in Nashville, trying to restore her career instead of finding him a wife. He doubted she’d be able to spare a thought for him then.
With a roll of his eyes, he said, “Fine, go thirty,” and left.
9
Noelle called while Kyle was at the grocery store.
“I can’t believe you have Lourdes Bennett at your house,” she said as soon as he answered.
He’d taken her call only because he felt he should thank her for the meal—and so he could tell her he’d drop off her dishes. He didn’t want to give her any excuse to come back to his place. If he timed it well, he could leave the dishes on her doorstep while she was at work. “She’s begging for privacy, Noelle. You’ll let her have it, won’t you?”
“Of course! I won’t tell a soul.”
He was willing to bet she’d already told many souls. It was probably all she could talk about at work. “I mean it.”
“Stop being so grumpy. If word gets out, it won’t be my fault.”
“Yes, it will,” he insisted. “You’re the only one who knows she’s here.”
“I’m not the only one!”
Instead of grabbing a cart and entering the store, he moved off to one side, away from the automatic doors. “If you know that, you’ve talked to someone about her.”
“Just Olivia. My sister. You trust her, don’t you? You must, since you told her yourself.”
He sighed as he dragged a hand through his hair. “All I’m saying is that...Lourdes doesn’t want to be bothered, okay?”
“Then maybe you should quit telling people she’s here!”
“I just told the people I trust.” Noelle must’ve brought it up to Olivia, because Olivia wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise.
“Me, too!”
That tic in his eye started up again. “Fine. Whatever,” he said. “I don’t want to argue about it. All I’m asking for is your discretion. Anyway, thanks for the meal last night.”
“You liked it?” She seemed so delighted to hear this, she let him change the subject without complaint.
“I did. It was great. Really.”
“See? I know how to please you. I remember every detail.”
He wrestled with the revulsion that welled up. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly why he was feeling so negative toward her when she’d done him a good deed. Except that he suspected she had an ulterior motive. Ignoring the part about knowing how to please him, since he could easily guess that she was hinting at his sexual preferences and not his food preferences, he moved on. “I’ll drop the dishes by later. Do you work tonight?”