all right.” She shot him a smile. “It’ll keep for a snack later.”
“How late do you work?”
“I’m closing tonight.”
He tried to remember the etching on the door proclaiming the hours when he’d entered. “So what? Nine? Ten?”
She paused, frowning. “Why?”
Her hesitation had him fumbling forward. “I figure I owe you a meal since I kept you from this one. I could take you out after you get off work.”
“Oh.” Her easy smile had him returning it. “Thanks, but that’s okay. I have school tomorrow and my first class starts early.”
“Another time then?”
She zipped up her backpack and studied him for a long moment. Her eyes were dark, like her hair. A deep shade of brown lightened by specks of gold. They were as simple and interesting as her.
He waited her out, hoping against the odds that she’d agree. Which in itself was odd since he normally didn’t care enough to bother hoping. There was always another woman who’d go out with him, so a rejection usually meant little to him.
Usually.
“I’m really busy right now,” she started, his stomach dropping. “But I’m flattered by your offer.”
“Right,” he agreed, unwilling to give up. “But you have to eat. So it wouldn’t hurt anything if I bought you a meal.”
She puffed out a soft agreement. Or was it a laugh? “I usually eat while I’m studying. Double-tasking is more efficient.”
“And lonely.” He leaned in, warming to the challenge. “What about Saturday night? I have an event I’d love to take you to.”
Her head was shaking as she slung her backpack over one shoulder and stood. “No way. Thanks. But that’s not me. Plus I have to work on Saturday.”
He grabbed his shopping bag and followed her out of the shop, suddenly desperate to get her to agree to something. Anything. “Okay,” he said, coming up beside her. “No party. Is dinner still an option though? Tomorrow?” She shook her head. “Thursday?” Another headshake. “Next week?” Her head was swiveling before he finished the word.
He stepped around to cut off her path, forcing her to stop. Her deep sigh signaled her displeasure but that didn’t detour him.
“Lunch then?” Silence. “Breakfast?”
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, lips pursing. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that begging isn’t becoming?”
“You obviously haven’t met my mother.” Her brows winged up, and he bit his tongue, regretting his flippant comeback. He rushed on to cover the remark. “I thought determination was admirable.”
“Determination? That’s what this is?”
He shrugged. It’d sounded good when he’d said it.
“And I suppose you’re used to getting what you want.”
“No. Not at all.” The hollow truth cut a jagged path through his chest. He so rarely got what he really wanted, he wasn’t sure he knew what it felt like.
Her challenging grin fell away as she slowly sobered. She hefted her backpack higher on her shoulder and tucked her hair behind her ear as she stared up at him. The top of her head barely reached his shoulders, and he liked that. He could see himself wrapping her in his arms and protecting her from the ugly world.
“That was rude of me. Again.” She wet her lips. “I’m sorry.”
“No harm.” He fisted his hands to keep from reaching for her. To see if her hair was as soft as it looked and her skin as smooth. He swallowed and tried to find something that would persuade her. He finally thought of his grandmother’s advice and went with the simple approach. “Have lunch with me. Please. I could meet you at school or somewhere close.”
“I don’t understand why this is so important to you.”
“Me neither. But it is.”
Music blared from a passing car, an indistinguishable tune pounding into the night. He kept his focus on her though. Her face was a blank mask that hid whatever was going through her head.
“Lunch. Thursday. One o’clock.” Her small smile let his breath expel in a long release. “Does that work for you?”
He did a mental check of his preseason game schedule and nodded. He’d be in town that day. He’d make it work even if it didn’t. “Perfect. Near your school?” Her surprised look had him filling in the gaps. “Max told me where you went.”
“Oh. Right. That sounds good.”
He tugged his phone out of his pocket. “Can I get your number? In case something changes?” He added the last when she hesitated. “And to finalize our plans.”
Her disgruntled exaggeration of a sigh had him grinning. He had her. At least for one meal. And that