Two to Tangle (A Tangle Valley Romance #2) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,91
the details. Let’s talk refreshments for this thing so I can chase my troubles away with my food fantasies.” Gabriella was beginning to understand that maybe Ryan’s pulling away wasn’t just about the delay on the jobsite, and sooner or later they’d have to discuss it. They chatted here and there about surface level things. The weather, softball, the restaurant. They touched, but only in a PG-13 manner. Once in a while, they flirted. Ryan was infinitely too tired to see her at night, though…which seemed weird.
“Is this a Ryan thing?” Joey asked. “It’s morning, but we can break out a nip of sangria.” She headed behind the bar, probably already in search of a growler full.
Gabriella waved off the Ryan idea. “It’s dumb. I’m probably overreacting, but she’s not really available anymore. I miss her. A lot.” She glanced at the clock. “It’s late morning. Haul out the fruit wine.”
“Ryan’s been working night and day out there. I heard the floor went in and looks fantastic. Does she sleep?” Madison asked. “Because anytime I pass Tangled, the maroon truck’s out front, and she’s in there, lights on, working.”
“And that drive she took? Quite the gesture,” Joey said. “I think she’s really trying to make all of this up to you. She seems guilt-ridden.”
“Maybe.” Gabriella shrugged. “I don’t like the idea of her working so hard, but she’s not talking to me much about it, or about anything for that matter. We’re the masters of small talk.”
She remembered their last conversation at dinnertime yesterday, when Gabriella swung by to drop off a chicken parmigiana for Ryan’s meal. If Ryan was going to work so hard, she needed to eat. No arguments. She’d channel Grandma Filomena and shake a fist covered in flour if she had to.
Ryan stared in appreciation at the plate, complete with a leafy green salad and roasted peppers. “You are so sweet to go out of your way. You didn’t have to do this.” She lifted the tent over the plate and shook her head. “Looks amazing. I’m drooling.”
“Least I can do for the hard work. I’d feel better if you took a break, though.” She looked around at the dining room, now gorgeous, with tables and chairs dotting the beautiful tiled floor. “You’ve made amazing progress. The place looks like it could open today.”
“I’m fine,” Ryan said with a grin.
She’d been doing a lot of grinning lately, but they didn’t feel authentic. She knew Ryan’s real smiles. The lazy, sexy one, the sincerely touched version. The having a blast version was one of her favorites. This fake polite model? Less than convincing. She’d seized on the word then and there.
“You’re extra polite these days. Stop it.”
Ryan stole a bite of salad before replacing the tent over the plate and silverware. “I can’t. Joanna Jacks raised me.” She winked, a deflection.
“Fine.” She gestured with her chin. “How are those arms holding up? They’re my favorite, you know.” She came around Ryan and placed her hands on Ryan’s shoulders, feeling her tense beneath her black T-shirt. She applied pressure and felt everything in Ryan begin to surrender. Now this felt better, the contact, the slow relaxation. She continued to knead Ryan’s shoulders, her arms, her neck. For better access, she slipped her hands beneath Ryan’s shirt and laid her hands on bare shoulders and felt Ryan sit up straighter.
“As much as I’m in heaven, I gotta get back to work.” Ryan turned around. “Thank you for my amazing dinner. I’ll be out of here soon.” Then a thought seemed to strike. “Oh, I meant to tell you. Everything’s in order for the opening. We passed our inspection with a little hiccup on a grease interception issue, but we were given some wiggle room to correct the problem, and it’s done. You have the permits, and you’re good to go for Saturday.”
Gabriella blinked. “We are? You didn’t even tell me they were coming out today. How did you get us scheduled on such short notice?”
“I called in a favor, a big one. Small towns do have their benefits.”
Gabriella burst into a smile and launched herself into Ryan’s arms. “I don’t know how you managed to pull this off after this major a setback, but I owe you.” A kiss. God, it was a good one. Another. “Want to stop by my place afterward?” Gabriella whispered against Ryan’s mouth. “You don’t have to stay over, and we can be quick. In fact, I like our quickies. We’re good at them.”