Page 53 of First Bride to Fall
He stood and carried his tea over, settling in beside her. She set down her knitting and then opened her purse and tucked it away.
“Looks like you’re almost finished with that hat.”
“Yeah.”
“It will look good on you.”
“Oh no, it’s not for…me.”
His eyebrows arched. “Boyfriend?”
She playfully shoved his arm. “I haven’t got one of those. I told you.”
“That just goes to show how lame the guys in Majestic are.”
She laughed. “Well, in that case, the women are pretty lame, too.”
His dark eyes sparkled. “Where’ve you been hiding all of my life?”
She could have saidin plain view, but she didn’t. “I haven’t been hiding. I’ve been right here.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t really know you before.” He sighed and studied the ceiling. “Think of all that time wasted.”
She giggled. “How do you know the timing wasn’t right until now? Maybe we were just polishing up our game-playing skills and our sparkling personalities first.”
He chuckled. “You, Nell Delaney, might have a point.”
“Besides which.” She grinned up at him. “Now that I’ve thoroughly trounced you in Scrabble, there’s nothing to say we can’t have a rematch.”
“I’d be up for that,” he said with a grin.
“Hmm, good thing I sensed an opening in your super busy schedule.”
“My schedule’s not that busy.”
“Not dating much, huh?”
“Not at the moment.”
She frowned, insecurities niggling at her. Of course he was dating—some. He’d only said he didn’t have a girlfriend, not that he was a monk. Grant was the least monk-like looking person she knew. “You’ve probably had loads of other girlfriends before now.”
“I wouldn’t say ‘loads.’” He shrugged. “I’ve had a few.” He turned to her. “You?”
“I’ve had a few girlfriends, too, but I mostly hang out with my sisters.”
He chuckled at her reply, and his eyes glinted. “You’re avoiding my question.”
Yeah, she was. How embarrassing to reveal her romantic history.
Which basically didn’t exist.
“All right,” she finally said. “I was involved with someone briefly, but in the end it didn’t go anywhere.”
“I can’t say that I’m sorry.” He sipped from his tea. “Who was he?”
She blinked at the bluntness of the question.
“I’m sorry,” he said, backpedaling. “You don’t have to—”
