“So young I occasionally get mistaken for a student.” He winked. “Yeah, it’s young. Sometimes that works against me.”
“People don’t respect your opinion?”
“Being an outstanding professor requires life experience as well as a good academic record,” he said in a mock-stuffy voice before shaking his head. “I’ve got what it takes, without a doubt. That’s why writing my book and furthering my research for the next year will be really important. It’s a pivotal moment in my career that could mean the difference between getting a tenured position at an Ivy League school and being stuck…”
He trailed and shifted in his seat. The message was clear enough. “Being stuck here?” she said.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, it is.” Audrey swirled her Coke around in the plastic cup, half-melted ice cubes swishing on foamy brown waves. “Kissing Creek doesn’t provide the kind of life some people aspire to. It’s a slower pace, here. Everybody knows your business.”
“No joke. My first meeting with the senior faculty members proved they’d searched every inch of my history, right down to my favorite beer.”
“I believe it. And besides, you’ve seen what the world has to offer. You’ve been overseas and experienced exciting things. Why would you want to stay here after all that?” She said it as though reminding herself.
People with prospects who came into this town didn’t often stay. Sometimes they’d collect a spouse on the way out, whisking some lucky person off to greener pastures. Heck, Audrey had even had such an offer herself. A hunky Canadian named James had chatted her up at work, and they’d gone on a few dates, shared a few nights together, and then he’d packed his bags. He’d asked her to go to Vancouver with him, said he thought they might have a future.
She’d been younger then—twenty-two—and the possibility of exploring a new country and making her own life had tasted like candy on the tip of her tongue. But when she’d explained to him that she couldn’t leave her siblings, that maybe he could stay here with her for now—long enough for her to get her siblings out—he’d laughed and said he couldn’t afford to “waste” the best years of his life in Kissing Creek.
For a town that loved all things romance, it was a great irony.
“Do you like living here?” he asked.
“My family is here, and I love my family, so…yeah, I like living here.” She nodded. “The people here are kind for the most part, and I have steady work.”
“Ah, that’s right. Cappuccinos and crystals.” When he smiled, it went all the way to his eyes, setting off a flutter in Audrey’s tummy. “You’re a very interesting woman.”
“Because of the cappuccinos and crystals?”
“Because of all of it—the random facts, the mystery…everything.”
Around them, the crowd got to their feet as the home team trotted out to their positions on the field. But Audrey and Ronan were stuck, asses glued to the bleachers as they looked at each other. Nobody had ever called Audrey interesting before. Nobody had ever looked at her like that—with intensity. With curiosity. In a way that told her she mattered.
Her head blocked out all the noise around her, and her gaze dropped to Ronan’s mouth. It was perfect—full lips made for kissing and straight white teeth that needed a ping sound effect when he smiled. Sandy-brown hair covered his jaw, though it was neatly trimmed, in keeping with the rest of him. Would it feel good scratching against her skin if they kissed? Would he taste sweet like Coke and earthy like man? Would his hands fist in her hair and—
“Did you see him? Did you see him?” Deanna grabbed her arm, ripping Audrey from the intimate moment. Her little sister shook her drink so violently the lid popped off and some of the sticky liquid sloshed over the edge. “Oh my God, there he is!”
“You’re literally a bag of hormones,” Audrey grumbled as she stood. She could still feel the heat of Ronan’s gaze on her as he got to his feet beside her.
“Go Flames!” Deanna bounced up and down on the spot.
“I should never have given you so much sugar.”
The crowd settled, and out of the corner of her eye, Audrey noticed a man with salt and pepper hair approaching them.
“Ronan! I didn’t know you were coming to the game.” The man grinned. “We’ve got a spot for staff on the other side. You should come sit with us; I’ll introduce you around.”