table. His dark eyes narrowed indignantly. “You’re laughing at me now?”
“I’m just having a hard time understanding how you didn’t know you were the romantic hero to most Green Valley girls.”
“Including you?” He arched his eyebrows in what was almost a challenge.
“Well, only in the most routine of ways. I never liked to go along with the crowd. And to tell you the truth, I had more of a crush on your brother.”
She had no idea why she’d said that. It was the truth, but it wasn’t the kind of thing a woman should say to a man on a date. That was always Ruth’s problem. She had no good instincts on flirting or seduction or attraction. She always just said whatever came to mind.
To her relief, Carter didn’t look offended. He glanced over his shoulder toward Lincoln behind the bar. “Of course you did.”
“What does that mean?” Ruth asked, genuinely curious.
He gave a brief shrug and didn’t answer. Instead, he said in a different tone, “So we were going through the date preliminaries before we got distracted. Savannah said you’re an interior decorator?”
“Yes. I worked for Frye and Handel in Charlotte for several years, but when my mom got sick last year, I wanted to get closer to Green Valley.”
“Savannah mentioned that. She died?” His voice was gentle, but she liked the matter-of-factness of the question. He wasn’t trying to sugarcoat what simply couldn’t be made pretty.
Ruth nodded. She wasn’t by nature a big crier, but it was still too close to her mother’s death. She’d start tearing up if she let herself think about it too deeply. So she pushed through with the conversation. “I tried to get one of the local designers to take me on, but no one wanted me. So I decided to set up a business on my own here in Green Valley.”
“That’s got to be pretty tough.”
“It is. I had a couple of big jobs to begin with, thanks to my old boss, so I had a good start, but I’ve got to round up some more clients soon or I’ll have to rethink things. That’s actually why I reached out to Savannah last week. I was hoping she could recommend me to some Green Valley folks for jobs. All my contacts are in Charlotte since that’s where I was working, but Green Valley is full of people who have plenty of extra money to spend on interior design. I’d like to get more connected. So I asked Savannah for some business, and instead she gets me a blind date with you.” Ruth assumed it was clear from her tone that she was teasing and not resentful. She wasn’t superclose to Savannah, but she appreciated the other woman and liked having her as a friend.
“I can hook you up with some folks,” Carter said casually, after taking the last swallow of his beer. “Half the people I know are always redoing their houses, including my mom.”
“But you don’t even know if I’m any good!”
“Of course you’re good.” He frowned at her. “Why wouldn’t you be good?”
“I am. But you don’t know that. I’d appreciate anyone you want to recommend me to, but maybe I could show you my portfolio first so you’d know what you’re recommending.”
“Sure. That would be fine. But I’m sure you’re good already. You just give off that vibe.”
“What vibe?”
“That vibe of being smart and knowing what you’re doing. Confident.”
“Ah.” The words were a compliment, but they subdued some of Ruth’s flutters anyway. She’d lived her life being competent. Doing well at most of what she tried. She wasn’t a genius, and she wasn’t uniquely talented. But she was a quick thinker and an organized person, which had translated into being good at school and competent at tasks. But it also meant it was impossible for her to give off the sweet, helpless, feminine aura that guys seemed to like so much.
Before her mother died, she’d always told Ruth that guys liked girls they could take care of, and that was why she was often overlooked by men. It wasn’t because there was anything wrong with her. It was because they didn’t think she needed them.
Ruth had no reason not to believe that, but it was a little disappointing that Carter had the same impression about her. A guy as warm and gentle as Carter would definitely want a sweet, helpless female he could take care of. One who would make him feel strong.