He grimaced and eyed the tumbler like he wished he hadn’t sculled the lot in one go. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have run off like that.’
Heidi was too old to sidestep minefields. ‘Why did you?’
‘Because I’m old.’
‘Doesn’t mean you’re dead.’
He barked out a laugh and waggled a finger at her. ‘That’s why I like you. That blunt, dry humour.’
Heidi liked Jem but did she have the time or the inclination to play games? She didn’t need the complication of some guy hung up on his age taking out his insecurities on her. That’s why dating younger men on Happy had been so easy. Risk-free, no emotional entanglements, casual fun.
But hadn’t she grown tired of the meaninglessness of it all and that was why she’d taken the plunge with Jem in the first place?
‘Why do you want to go on a picnic?’
‘Because I like you. I had fun last night but I want to take things slow.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m old-fashioned like that.’
‘Is that what you meant when you said you’re old?’
‘Yeah. Though the age thing could be a problem too.’ He pretended to count on his fingers and got to ten before giving up. ‘Seriously, Heidi, I’m not sure what a vibrant woman like you sees in an old coot like me.’
‘Don’t you dare old coot me. You’re the one who’s vibrant and that’s why I kissed you.’ Heat flooded her cheeks. ‘And groped you. I got carried away because I haven’t really liked a guy in forever, but it won’t happen again.’
‘Now, now, let’s not get too hasty.’
She laughed as he intended and he joined in. ‘So will you come on a picnic with me? Take things slow?’
‘From this moment on, my middle name is snail,’ she said, finding it comforting when he placed his hand on the table palm up, and she rested hers on it.
She had no idea where this was going but she was willing to find out.
CHAPTER
20
‘Karly’s running a few minutes late,’ Jeremiah said as Hudson entered the agency. ‘She sends her apologies. I’ll be in the back room so holler when she gets here.’
‘No worries,’ Hudson said, and placed his laptop case on her desk, knowing it would rile her. Considering he valued punctuality, her little stunt of running late didn’t impress him. He didn’t like game-playing. She’d already made it more than clear how much she opposed this sale and this had to be a subtle act of rebellion, making him wait.
As if making a mockery of his thoughts, she breezed into the office carrying a tray with three takeaway coffee cups from the Vegan Vault. ‘Apologies for being a minute late.’ She sent a pointed glare his way as if she could read his mind and he bit back a grin. ‘But some doofus left a box of fresh veggies on my doorstep, inviting every native animal within cooee to feast on it.’
Considering he’d left a note in the box, she knew he’d placed the vegetables on her doorstep and was taking great delight in accentuating his ignorance when it came to country life.
‘Maybe the person who left the produce was trying to do a good deed?’
‘Maybe the doofus should’ve knocked on my door rather than leaving it like a cat leaves a dead rat as a gift in the middle of the night?’
She eyeballed him, the caramel flecks in her eyes flashing, and damned if sparring with her didn’t turn him on.
‘Maybe the kind soul didn’t want to disturb you?’
‘Hasn’t stopped the doofus before.’
And just like that, he remembered why he’d left the veggies on her doorstep last night and hadn’t knocked: because the night before he’d revealed too much personal stuff and he didn’t want her getting the wrong idea.
What idea’s that? You might actually like her?
But he couldn’t muddy this deal with personal feelings. Not that he had feelings per se—more a relentless attraction to this intriguing woman that begged to be explored. Which is exactly why he had to get their business dealings out of the way.