Way to Her Heart - By Melanie Schuster Page 0,12
a lot of information about me. I can only assume that you’ve been talking to my grandmother, because nothing is a secret with her.”
Sherri laughed and admitted that most of her intel actually came from Alexis. “She’s very chatty and she’s told me quite a bit about the VanBuren family. But Ms. Delilah is no slouch either. When she found out that I don’t have a man in my life she asked me if I preferred women,” she said with a wicked grin.
“That’s her to a tee.” Lucas laughed. “What comes up comes out with her—she doesn’t hold anything back. So, you know a lot about me, but I don’t know nearly as much about you. I know you’re a pediatrician, that you and Emily and Alexis are lifelong friends and that you have an amazing, engaging little girl. But aside from that I know nothing. Alexis might talk about my family in general, but she doesn’t talk about you.”
“God bless her,” Sherri said wryly. “If she ever decided to run her mouth she could bury me because she knows everything there is to know about me.” Her fingers were tracing patterns on Lucas’s palm, very lightly, but with just enough pressure to start his temperature soaring. It felt good to have her touching him.
“I don’t want to find out things secondhand. I want to know you better, but I want it on your terms. I don’t want to pick up random bits of hearsay here and there. I want you to be able to tell me anything that’s on your mind.”
Sherri didn’t answer him immediately. She continued her gentle exploration of his hand, inching up his forearm. “What is it that you want to know, Lucas?”
“Everything. Some of it’s just mundane stuff, like what you like to eat, what you do for fun, what’s your biggest vice. Some of it’s really personal, like why you wanted to be a doctor, what your hopes are for the future and why Sydney’s father seems to be missing in action.”
To his surprise and utter gratification, Sherri moved a little closer to him. It wasn’t a bold move—she didn’t try to straddle him or anything. She just leaned in his direction in a graceful and subtle manner. He could feel her warmth and smell her delicate fragrance more strongly. Without making a big deal of it, he slid closer to her. She gave him a long, calculating look before she answered him.
“I’m not that interesting, really. I’m a total omnivore, for one thing. I will eat any and everything as long as it’s prepared well. What I do for fun is pretty much what I do anyway. I take care of my baby and I try to always set a good example for her. I like to grow things, as you can see by all the plants around here. I also have a flower garden on the patio and we have a plot in the community garden where we grow vegetables,” she told him. “As you can see, I’m pretty boring. I like music and plays and art and I love being a mommy. Now as far as my vices go, well, they’re kind of embarrassing,” she admitted.
Lucas was already intrigued and encouraged her to talk. “This is just between you and me, sweetheart. You can tell me anything.”
“Okay, my vices are chocolate and potato chips. I’ve never met a potato chip I didn’t love. Plain, salt and vinegar, lime-flavored, kettle chips, any kind you name, I love. I never bring them home because I don’t want to hook my child on greasy junk food. But I’m an absolute sucker for potato chips. I also love chocolate, especially dark chocolate. In fact, if you’ve never had a wavy potato chip coated in chocolate you haven’t lived,” she said fervently.
Lucas burst out laughing. “I thought it was going to be something scandalous going by the look on your face. Potato chips? If you really like them, wait until you taste mine. I make the best chips in the world and I’ll be happy to keep you supplied. And you’re not the only one with weird food addictions. I’m a fiend for ice cream and I love pickles of any kind. In fact, I’m known for making pickles out of strange things like nectarines, radishes, plums, anything that looks good. So far you haven’t revealed anything too strange,” he said.
Sherri gave him an enigmatic smile and suddenly she was even closer to him. Now she