Josh nudged her elbow. “What’s going on?”
She hadn’t realized she was biting her lip until Josh spoke to her. She released it and pasted on a bright smile. “What do you mean?” She picked up a fry, dipped it in sauce, and took a definitive bite.
“Last time I saw you with that guy, you were at the tree lighting. Then the whole thing with the mystery baby happened. Now he walks in and you’re wound tighter than a watch. What am I missing?”
“Nothing.” She deliberately ignored looking over at the corner where Dave and his buddies had taken their seats. “Once the cops left, Dave went home. He came back to the office the next morning and gave me a lift back to my place. That’s all.”
Josh was so quiet she stopped dipping her fry and put it on her plate before turning to face him. “What?”
“Did he do something he shouldn’t have?”
There was a protective note in Josh’s voice that grated on her nerves. She frowned at him. “What is it with the men in this town, anyway? You sound as bad as Todd Smith.”
But her sharp reply and frown did nothing to deter Josh. “I work with you. I care about you. You’re a single woman. I just like to protect my friends, that’s all. And if this guy is bothering you, I’ve got your back.”
“Me too,” Robin piped up from across the table.
“It’s not like that,” she answered, laughing tightly. “Besides, I can handle myself, I promise. Right now I just need something to eat. Like my sweet potato fries that are getting cold.”
The topic was set aside as they finished their meal, even though Charlie was always aware of Dave back in the far corner, talking and laughing with his pals. Charlie actually thought she might be able to scoot out of the pub and tackle her shopping, and when Josh paid their bill for lunch, she stood and reached for her coat and scarf while Robin excused herself to go to the bathroom.
Charlie’s hand was nearly in the second sleeve when the weight of her coat disappeared and the hole of her sleeve shifted into a more accessible position. Her tummy flipped over as she realized it had to be Dave, standing close behind her. She shrugged the coat over her shoulders and took a breath. She could do this. She could have a conversation with him without wanting to rip his clothes off.
She turned around and realized she was wrong. He was just so … everything.
“Hey,” he said quietly, and her tongue felt thick in her mouth as she struggled to find something cool to say.
“Hi.”
It could have been worse. What was it about him that turned her into an idiot?
“How’ve you been?”
“Fine. You?”
“Not so great, as it happens.”
“Oh?” She relaxed a little. “Did you get the cold that’s going around? I’ve been seeing people in the office all week.”
“No,” he said quietly, his gaze locked on hers. “I’ve been wanting to call you since Tuesday, and keep convincing myself I shouldn’t.”
Boom. Forget relaxed. All her senses went on high alert again.
“Dave, I…”
“And that’s why. I didn’t want to hear you turn me down or scramble to find an excuse to say no.”
She wanted to explain, but it would sound so terribly juvenile to admit to him that she’d watched him for weeks during her lunch hour. That he’d been her guilty little pleasure, a kind of escape from the day-to-day real world. It would sound creepy. Neither was it possible to bring up the other reason—that she was looking for a husband and father to her as-yet unborn children and didn’t think he was that guy. Talk about putting the cart before the horse … That would be enough to send any man running for the hills.
“Anyway, have a nice weekend, Charlie. It was good to see you.” He peeked into the stroller and a soft smile curved his lips. “You too, sprout,” he said quietly, and she melted all over again.
And that should have been the end of it. Except she didn’t want him to walk away. What she wanted to do was break free for once from the only kind of existence she’d ever known. One based on pros and cons and logic and safety and security. The one that never took risks. She’d bought the requisite dollhouse cottage on the sea in an idyllic small town with the perfect job, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together to find the life she craved.
Which, she was quickly realizing, was simply setting herself up for failure.
“Dave?”
He turned back.
“Look, uh…” Wow, she sounded so eloquent and composed. She tried a weak smile. “Do you want to take a walk or something?”
His gaze warmed. “I thought you’d never ask. Let me ditch the guys and grab my jacket.”
Robin came from the bathroom. “Oh, you’re ready. Shall we go?”
“You go ahead,” Charlie said. “Daniel and I are going to catch up on some shopping.”