She took a seat beside me, and the warm energy burning off of her helped me relax. She was definitely one of those super friendly people who got along with anyone and everyone.
“Oh, nice. I’m just having a bite to eat in between assignments.”
Deon set my plate down in front of me, then took the woman’s order. Thankfully, he seemed to have met her before, and called her by name. Miranda. It suited her. Deon looked as starstruck as me as he grinned at her. Was that just because she was new, or was there something special about her that captivated us all?
“So, how has work been?” Miranda asked me. “Have you been busy today?”
“Oh yeah, always busy. You know how it is. Twin Lakes has a lot going on.”
She tossed her head back and let out a musical-sounding laugh that I found so infectious I couldn’t help but join in. She really was intoxicating.
“Well, I like the way it doesn’t have a lot going on. I think that’s the best thing about it. Places with lots of drama often suck me into that, and I don’t have the heart for it.”
I ran my eyes all over her face, trying to imagine this shining beauty in a city, but I really couldn’t see it. She didn’t have the hustle and bustle in her. I sensed her thriving in the fresh air of the countryside, a bit like me.
Perhaps it was just the way that my brain had been today, thinking about my own little piece of domestic bliss in a lake house, that had her sitting in the picture as well.
Seriously, what the hell was wrong with me? Who had I become today?
I couldn’t stop watching her out the corner of my eye, enjoying the way she looked lost in a daydream for a moment, probably imagining a wonderful future just like I was. Although she had only just met me, some random guy in Deon’s Diner, so I couldn’t imagine I featured in any of her fantasies. I was on my own with that one.
“Anyway.” Miranda took a couple sips of her coffee as she checked her watch. “I’m running a bit late. I better get going, but thank you again for everything.” She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, blanking any questions I might have had for her from my brain. “You’re a super star. I will see you on Saturday night. Seven o’clock at the Trattoria, right? Looking forward to it already.”
“Uh…”
“See ya!”
“Yeah, right… I will see you soon.”
Whoa, did she just ask me on a date? Now that was hot as hell. I wasn’t even about to question it, not that I was given a chance to do so anyway. She was out the door, and on her way to wherever she needed to be. But not without giving me a nice glimpse of her ass on the way out. She had curves for days, and a body which I hoped I could see more of over the weekend.
“Wow.” I turned at the sound of Deon’s voice to find his eyebrows wiggling suggestively. “That was pretty cool. Looks like you have a date this weekend, playboy.”
People were going to find out about that because it had happened at Deon’s, but I really didn’t care. I was so thrilled that Miranda was so into me that she asked me out without even asking for my name. But she had obviously come from the city where things were faster paced, so I could go with the flow. I liked it a lot, and it only sparked new passion within me. I was already waiting impatiently for Saturday night to roll around already so I could see her again
“Looks like it.” I grinned back, unable to contain myself. “Let’s see how that goes.”
I tucked in to my lunch eagerly, relishing every bit of the bacon sandwich, no longer worrying about Mr. Thompson or anyone who decided to look down on me. Who gave a shit? Certainly not me, because I had a date lined up with the most captivating woman I had ever seen in Twin Lakes. Who knew this day was going to turn out so damn good? Maybe I wouldn’t have been so quick to complain if I knew things were going to go my way after all.