Take the Chance (Top Shelf Romance #9) - Brittainy Cherry Page 0,125

was leaning over her, my shoulder against the doorjamb, and she was right there, her breath on my chin and her eyes so blue with light and life.

Darlene is full of the life Judge Miller wants. I’m the machine that has to keep going and going until there’s nothing left of me.

I straightened and smiled faintly. “Thanks for taking good care of Olivia, Darlene.”

Darlene’s smile was brilliant and her words, seemingly innocuous, hit me right in the chest and sank in.

“Thank you, Sawyer, for the lovely compliment.”

Chapter 9

Darlene

I went back to my little place with a smile on my face that made my cheeks hurt, and a warmth in my chest that wouldn’t quit. Max’s text said he wanted to grab dinner before the NA meeting tonight, so I jumped in the shower. After, I did my makeup in the mirror.

Can’t help getting caught up in you.

My cheeks turned pink without blush, and my eyes looked bluer than I’d ever seen them.

I pointed my mascara wand at my reflection. “Stop right there. You are doing great at this responsibility stuff. Don’t mess it up now.”

But visions of Sawyer Haas looking devastatingly handsome in his suit, tangled with those of him looking deliciously sexy in his pajamas. And his compliment, like a song stuck in my head, played over and over, except I didn’t want it to stop.

It was only going to get harder to mind my own business, I thought, as I put on my usual smoky eyeshadow. My attraction to Sawyer was bad enough, but his little girl was an angel too. Watching her smile and hearing her talk or build block towers or even eat her ‘cheece’ were like special little gifts, the kind of mini-joys you never knew you wanted in your life until you had them.

My reflection’s smile slipped.

Back off, girl. He’s got too much going on and you…

“I’m working on me.”

Another tiny thought whispered that maybe part of who I was here in SF might have something to do with Sawyer and Olivia, but I bottled it up quick.

I grabbed my old gray sweater and headed out.

Mel’s Drive-In on Geary Blvd was a hopping, 1950’s style hamburger joint that pleasantly assaulted the senses with its red and white décor, chrome details, and posters of the movie American Graffiti on every wall. The air smelt of French fries and milkshakes. On the jukebox, Chuck Berry sang about a country boy named Johnny B. Goode.

“I’m in love already,” I said, plopping down across from Max in a red-upholstered booth.

“With Sawyer the Lawyer?”

The question shocked me so much I nearly knocked my silverware into my lap.

“What? No. With this diner! It’s super cute.” I shot Max a dirty look. “Why on earth was that your first thought?”

Max held up his hands. He looked like he’d stepped out of one of the American Graffiti posters himself, with his gelled hair and black leather jacket. “You wear your heart on your sleeve, Dar,” he said with a grin. “I took a shot.”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Well, I’m not. I’ve been in love hundreds of times. I know what it feels like. It’s not like that with Sawyer. It’s…not the same.”

Max raised his eyebrows.

“Never mind.” I flapped my hands at him. “There is no ‘with Sawyer’ anyway. I babysat for him earlier today, and left his place without making a fool of myself.” I held up my hands. “And here I am.”

“Here you are, looking radiant,” Max said, a dry grin on his lips. “Hence, my supposition that it was Mr. ‘the Lawyer’ who was responsible.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, stop. I met the guy a few days ago. Even I don’t fall that fast.”

“Right. You need a week, minimum.”

I chucked a sugar packet at him, as a waitress wearing a 50’s uniform with a cap on her head appeared. Her nametag read Betty.

Betty put a pen to her pad. “You ready, hon?”

“I’ll have a jack cheeseburger—extra pickles—fries, and a Coke with three cherries in it,” I said, and gave Max a scolding look. “And bring him something to put in his mouth before I get mad.”

Max laughed, and ordered a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a root beer.

“I thought you were all for me not getting involved with someone,” I said when Betty had gone.

“I don’t know,” Max said with a wistful smile. “I have my own good days and bad. Today wasn’t great. Your happiness seems more like something to boost up instead of tear down with a