Page 99 of Recipe for Rivals
Focus, man.“Want to go to the fundraiser with me Saturday?”
Nova went still, her body straightening like a soldier and holding there.
Which meant, for some stupid reason, I felt the need to keep talking. “Low key, I promise. We can grab dinner and go to the fundraiser as friends. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
But it would mean something to me, and I was pretty sure she could sense that.
“Can I…actually…” She drew in a breath and let it out. “Sure.”
My body exploded, fireworks going off in my head, but I tried to look cool and nodded. “Great. I’ll text you later and we can work out the details.”
“Sounds good.” She hovered for a second, turning the wrong way and then spinning back the right direction, a smile playing on her lips and her cheeks going rosy.
I felt like I’d scored a million bucks. I shoved a bite of pancakes in my mouth to hide my grin, but when I looked up and found Gigi watching me, the food turned to sludge. Her mouth was in a flat line, her worried eyes shifting to her niece, and I tried to give her a reassuring nod.
To my utter surprise, she returned it with a subtle nod of her own. Did I have Gigi’s approval? It sure seemed like it.
My chest glowed with warmth and anticipation, and I had a hard time finishing my meal because of the excessive smiling. This was a huge step for Nova and a turning point for us. I’d never lacked for dates when I wanted them, but I also never kept one girlfriend for long. It was hard to commit when I battled the reality that some people left for good without a backwards glance. With Nova, I knew it could be different.
After I paid my check and made it back to my truck to head to Pleasant Gardens, I found the puzzle of the United States leaning against my windshield with a note taped to the box.
I’m going to assume the puzzle shopping wasn’t a gentle letdown and save you the trouble of shopping for a new one. Looking forward to Saturday.
—N
I drove to Beeler with a sappy grin. Pretty sure I was going to marry this woman.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
NOVA
The last timeI had gone on a first date, Carter had taken me to a seedy little dive bar in Queens where a buddy of his was playing a gig. He’d started law school when I was beginning my sophomore year of college at NYU—we had been introduced by my roommate’s older brother. At the time, I’d been so starry-eyed, I didn’t care how long it took to get to the bar because he was holding my hand, or how dirty the bar was because he’d bought my drink, or how terrible the music was because we weren’t really listening to the music anyway. I’d been so sunk for Carter, nothing else mattered.
Now, more than a decade later, the entire contents of my measly closet were strewn all over my bed, and nothing seemed good enough for an adult first date with a full-grown man who had his own house and career and opinions. The stakes for dating had risen exponentially in all the ways—my kids, my life, my baggage.Hislife and baggage. Just agreeing to this date was a step I hadn’t known I was ready for until it was presented to me. My kids hadn’t told me how they felt about Dusty yet, but I wanted to go out with him first and see how it felt before bringing it to them.
IfI went on this date. I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to happen, because nothing in my closet sent the messagemore than friends. Everything pretty much just shoutedI’m a tired mom!!!
I sat on a pile of various colored T-shirts and held my phone up to my mouth, where my sister-in-law was standing by on speakerphone to approve my clothing choice. “I didn’t bother bringing date clothes, Blair. I havenothing.”
“You aren’t really freaking out because of the clothes. You know that, right?” she asked, her voice filling the room. Kids were playing in the background and something was beeping—probably a microwave.
“Honestly, Noves,” Jason said way too loudly. I could imagine my brother leaning over his wife and shouting to be heard, which made a smile tug at my lips. “It doesn’t really sound like this guy will care what you’re wearing. Wear that Neon Trees shirt you won’t get rid of. Then you’ll at least be comfortable.”
“Terrible advice,” Blair said, her feet stomping across the room. “Don’t wear that shirt.”
I glanced down. I was wearing the shirt right now—itwasthe most comfortable thing I owned.
Also, how did my brother know anything about Dusty? “What have you told him?” I asked Blair.
“I don’t know enough to tell him anything.” Blair closed a door and it grew much quieter. “He called Gigi.”
“Hewhat?”
“I told him about the date yesterday when you called me, and he wanted to vet the guy.”
“Kind of a weird time for him to jump in as a protective brother. I’m an old lady and a mother. Does he seriously think some guy is going to take advantage of me? Or that Gigi, of all people, would let that happen?”
Blair was silent for a moment. “He cares about you.”