Just One Night Together (Flatiron Five Fitness #3) - Deborah Cooke Page 0,36

through the loss of the man who was more important to her than life itself.”

Damon sobered and waited.

Haley whisked the eggs while the skillet heated. “I picked her up every morning, and I held her tight every night. I didn’t know anyone could cry that much. She tried to put on a good face for friends and family, but she poured her heart out to me.” Haley frowned as she felt her own tears rise at the memory. “I decided then that I would never ever permit myself to be that vulnerable.” She shook her head. “I was sixteen when I chose to be the one with the career. I’d put everything into my job and that would make me happy—and no one could ever take it away from me.”

It wasn’t the whole truth, although it was true as far as it went. She quickly put out the dishes and cutlery, then put some bread in the toaster.

“But that’s not true,” Damon protested. “People lose their jobs all the time.”

“Can you slice this, please?” she asked, giving him a tomato, a cutting board and a knife. He did as requested.

“But nurses can always find a position somewhere. Look around: I’m ready to go anywhere at any time. I have all the credentials I need and more.”

“That’s what you meant when you said you take care of yourself.”

“Absolutely.”

“But isn’t it lonely?”

“I work too much to be lonely.”

Damon arched a brow, looking skeptical as he finished slicing the tomato. “So, here’s the other side of the story. My dad died when I was six and my mom was devastated by the loss. He was the love of her life and she never stopped mourning him. But I took the opposite lesson from that. I believe that when you find someone to love, you should love them with all your might, because no one knows how long you’ll have.”

Haley gave him a look. “You do not.” She stirred the eggs, which were cooking quickly, then got down some plates. She pushed down the button on the toaster, then began to serve the eggs.

“What?” He seemed to be startled that she was challenging him.

“You don’t believe that. You can’t believe that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re alone, and I don’t believe that a man like you would be alone unless he chose to be alone.” She offered him the plate of eggs and he held her gaze for a minute before taking the plate.

“Extenuating circumstances,” he said and averted his gaze. “This looks great.”

“Uh huh.” Haley gave him a plate with toast and the butter dish. “Jam? Peanut butter?”

“Neither, thanks.” He took a bite. “Okay, you might be converting me. This is really good. Thank you.”

Haley gave him a wicked smile as she came around the counter to take the other seat. She sighed. “I like it so much better when you say thanks the other way.”

Damon chuckled and gestured to the couch. “If we end up there tonight, doesn’t that mean we have a thing?”

“No, it means you’ve said thanks. Again. No more and no less.”

He made a growly sound of disagreement but was too busy eating to argue.

Haley knew the opportunity to explain wouldn’t last but she wanted him to know that she really didn’t expect a long term commitment. “It’s like mermaids.”

“Mermaids?”

“I can like the idea of mermaids without believing they actually exist or that I’m going to meet one when I go to the beach.”

“Okay.”

“I can even like the idea that other people believe in mermaids without believing in them myself.”

Damon nodded. “But will you ever find a mermaid if you don’t believe in them?” he asked, not really talking about mermaids at all.

Haley shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really care. Maybe I wouldn’t even recognize a mermaid if I saw one.”

Damon leaned closer, his gaze locked upon her. “What about Garrett?” he asked softly. “How does he fit into this?”

Haley was shocked. “Garrett?”

How did Damon know about Garrett?

His gaze was unswerving. “You say his name in your sleep.” He nodded. “And smile.”

Haley looked down at her plate, appalled that she had been so indiscrete. Even asleep. “That’s not your business.”

Damon grinned. “That’s what I thought.”

Haley caught her breath, hearing his implication that she was deluding herself, if not him as well. “Garrett was a mistake,” she admitted, her words husky. “I broke my own rule, and proved to myself how right it was.”

“You loved him?” Damon was very interested in her reply, so interested that Haley found herself blushing. She knew