“I think I might like bikers who look like those guys,” Sally added and Paula laughed.
“They are a very good-looking bunch of men. Most of them served in the military while others are involved with law enforcement and community services. I think there are a few doctors in there, too,” Paula told them as they stood watching them. That was when she noticed Matt and Tyler Depolis.
She quickly turned away as they caught her looking.
“Let’s head over to the farmer’s market. We can grab some things for dinner to go with the chicken Ava’s cooking,” Sally suggested, so they crossed the road and walked in the same direction as the motorcycle brigade.
* * * *
Paula was looking at some local arts and crafts on sale by the farmer’s market while Sally stood in line to pay for the vegetables they’d picked out. Alexa was talking with two of the men who were part of the Delite Warriors.
Paula tried to lift up the large hand-painted vase to see the price of it as she held her bags in the other hand.
She felt the hand on her waist then the male voice.
“Do you need help with that?”
Jimmy was there again, and she had a funny feeling in her gut. Is he following me?
She wondered as she took in the sight of him and saw the bag he carried with what appeared to be tomatoes and potatoes.
“That’s okay,” she began to say, but he helped her anyway.
“It’s twenty-five dollars.”
“Wow. Okay, no big deal. Thanks.” She began to walk away.
“Do you really like it?” he asked her.
“Not enough to pay twenty-five dollars.”
“I’ll buy it for you if you really like it, Paula.”
Her mouth dropped, and she quickly recovered so she wouldn’t look like too much of an idiot.
“That’s not necessary.”
He touched her wrist and smiled at her.
“Let me buy it for you. It will make me feel better about last night. Please, Paula. Let me.”
She swallowed hard and shook her head. “No, it’s really not necessary, and I really don’t like it that much.”
“Are you sure? It’s not a problem. I have the money. I’m a firefighter full time over in Cellar County.” She absorbed the fact that Jimmy did have a great body. He was muscular and fit. He smiled at her as if he noticed her checking him out. She took a deep breath and looked around them, suddenly feeling awkward.
He touched her hand and played with her fingers.
“Maybe sometime you’ll let me take you out on a real date once you truly forgive me for last night.”
He winked at her and she couldn’t help but shake her head as she smiled. He had the most adorable dimples.
“You don’t give up do you?”
“Not known as a quitter, honey. Never have been.”
She pulled her fingers from his. “I need to go. I’ll see you around.”
“You bet you will.” He winked then walked away. When she turned, she saw Alexa and Sally talking with a few men from the motorcycle club, including Tyler and Matt. She cringed a moment, worried that they had seen her talking with Jimmy. Then she reminded herself that neither man was attracted to her or even cared. Shoulders back and all filled with confidence, she walked closer, smiling wide. She was good at putting on a great, big, happy smile on her face when things weren’t so happy at all.