was something familiar that stirred in her heart, a bloom of awareness that allowed Jane to see past her own fears and insecurities. She sensed neither of them knew what to expect. Normally confident, Danny looked as nervous as she felt. Seeing it on his face, and in his eyes, which now appeared to be a smoky dark blue, pushed her jangled nerves into overdrive. But it also provided common ground.
Shaking off her armchair analysis, Jane chided herself for overthinking. They were old friends. This was JUST dinner.
But was it? If life had taught her anything, it was that sometimes you needed to question what you thought to be true. Based on the way he looked at her, it was possible Jane wasn’t as clued in as she’d thought.
She stood there, hands clasped so tight she thought she might twist off her fingers. The wave hit her all at once, reality crashing into the memories. Jane couldn’t quite contain the emotions that she’d been bottling up since he walked into her store last week. Nothing had prepared her for the rush of feelings that filled her head and her heart.
The sharp bark from behind her broke the trance. “Oh. Oh, hi.”
His smile bloomed. “Hi. You look…beautiful.”
Looking down, she smoothed the front of her dress. “Thank you, so do you. I mean. Um…” He grinned and Jane wondered when she’d lost her power to speak. How old was she? Fifteen? A deep breath helped her regroup. “You look very nice. Handsome.”
Danny rubbed his hand on his chin where he had a perpetual five-o’clock shadow. “I clean up okay.”
“Come in.” Jane stepped back from the door. “I’ll get my coat.”
Chloe had seated herself in anticipation of some attention, but the dog was vibrating with excitement. She and Danny had become buddies since he’d, surprisingly, been writing in the store every day. When he’d arrive, Chloe would abandon Jane and follow him to the round table, beg for his food, and then, regardless of whether he did or didn’t give in, she’d find a corner nearby to curl up. Yesterday, there’d been a spurt of activity during the day and he’d taken her out to do her business while Jane was helping customers.
It was kind and unexpected. Neighborly. But, considering how things had been since he’d been back, unexpected was becoming the norm. Like tonight. He was squatting down, stroking Chloe’s face while her Collie looked like she’d found a long-lost best friend. There was such ease. Such familiarity. Jane grabbed her black shawl-collared coat and almost hated to interrupt.
“Who is the sweetest girl?” he cooed. “You’re such a good girl.”
Chloe’s long snout was pressed to Danny’s nose while he scratched her jaw just under her puffing cheeks. There were no licks, but her ears were back, her eyes soft and loving.
“That dog is so easy.” The comment escaped before she could censor herself, and Danny’s response was a loud, bold laugh. He stood up and smiled.
“I believe we established earlier that she loves attention.”
“Yes. Shameless.”
“I need to watch out for her kind, I guess.” Reaching, he took the coat from her hand and held it out for her. Jane wasn’t used to such courtesies, but she slipped her arms in the sleeves. She also wasn’t expecting her insides to shiver when he lifted her hair from inside the collar, before trailing his hand down her back. Sweet Baby Jesus.
Standing behind her he was so close she could feel the heat radiating off his body, and his scent, something subtle and woodsy, completely surrounded her.
The response to his touch was unexpected, putting Jane immediately on guard. She should be beyond this silly crush of her youth. So much time had passed, they’d each lived a lifetime. But with the sparks and heat, there was comfort and familiarity. He seemed to belong in this space, and for a moment it felt like he belonged with her.
Before they left, he glanced around the entry hall. “It’s different than I remember.”
“It’s been a long time, and we’ve remodeled.”
“It doesn’t feel like a long time,” he confessed. “Not at all.”
It didn’t. Having him here felt natural, and right.
“Shall we go?”
With a last pat on the dog’s head, he opened the door and she stepped outside. The night was cold, and her breath came out in puffs as the moisture crystalized in the frosty air. Using the app on her phone she locked the door and adjusted the inside lights, feeling surprisingly tech savvy. That was until she