A Charming Single Dad by Heatherly Bell

Author:Heatherly Bell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-01-31T16:21:18+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

There were two establishments in town. The Mexican restaurant was filled, harboring at least some current refugees of the Highway 10 closure. When the first restaurant had a two-hour wait to be seated, they drove to the second one, and waited an hour.

“I’m going to order the juiciest cheeseburger they have,” Rafe said, viewing the menu. “French fries, Coca-Cola and a banana split sundae.”

“Good grief, where do you put it all?”

She viewed the menu, torn between the choice between the healthy meal and getting what she wanted. A plain burger and crunchy warm fries.

“Order whatever you want. It’s on me.”

She snapped her menu shut. “I think I’ll splurge tonight and join you in the heart attack special.”

“Anything you want.”

Not anything she wanted. She couldn’t rewind time and get back the last few years, knowing Rafe had been stuck in an unhappy marriage. She’d broken up with Geoff when it had become clear she didn’t love him enough. But she couldn’t imagine marrying anyone while being in love with someone else. Yet that had been Rafe. Missing her when he was married to Liz. Maribel had been right about one thing: Liz had gotten what she wanted. What she probably hadn’t expected was that Jordan would make it easy.

The waitress came and took their orders and Jordan busied herself by checking out the decor in this greasy spoon diner. Early Americana, clearly. The booths were classic vinyl red, ripped in places, complete with well-worn Formica tables. She was surprised they didn’t have a jukebox in the corner.

“Will you answer a question for me?” Rafe spoke, forcing her to look at him.

Bad idea. She went back to staring at the decor. Not at Rafe, his beard stubble and windblown hair giving him the air of a devilish rogue. When everyone decided earlier that he would drive Jordan, he’d changed from his board shorts into dark jeans and still wore the same black T-shirt. It seemed possibly a size too small, which was beginning to irritate her. She didn’t want to notice these things. Things like Rafe’s taut muscles and the ripped physique of a man who didn’t spend a lot of time on the couch. Or at his desk.

“Go ahead. Ask. It’s not like we’re going anywhere.”

“Are you and Geoff done for good?”

This was the last question she thought he’d ask her. “Yes. We are.”

“No chance of reconciliation?”

Since that was pretty much what she’d suggested to him about Liz, she had it coming. It was an intrusive, personal question, but on the other hand, this was Rafe. She’d allow it.

“Like I said, I need to be on my own for a while. No. There’s no chance.”

“Do you love him?”

“I thought I did.” She pierced him with the glare she’d perfected when dealing with caterers who arrived late. “I thought he loved me, too, but it obviously wasn’t enough to marry me. Maybe I just never wanted to wind up alone.”

“You wouldn’t be the first couple who married for that reason. Maybe you had common goals, a similar vision.

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