I laugh. He knows full well I’m afraid of heights, but I always do end up enjoying myself. “It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
“I’m actually enjoying getting to know you better.”
“I’m enjoying getting to know you better too, although your life is an open book, Cason. They write about you in the papers enough.”
“Don’t believe everything you read,” he says as we walk the downtown streets.
“Right here,” I say and slide my hand into his to drag him around the corner. We come across a newly renovated building, merely a few blocks from the waterfront. I smile up at Cason, then peer into the window. He stands next to me, the scent of his freshly showered skin teasing my senses.
“This is it, huh?” he asks.
>
I nod. “I think it’s perfect. I honestly can’t even believe it hasn’t been rented yet. It’s such an amazing location.” I step back. “I can almost see my sign hanging right over the door.”
“Have you been inside?” he asks.
“No.” I crinkle my nose. “I don’t want to get myself too excited, you know.”
He shrugs. “It wouldn’t hurt to just look.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
He looks into the window. “I guess I owe you an apology.”
My head snaps up. “For what?”
“I opened my big mouth and mentioned the restaurant to your parents. I told you, I have a knack for saying the wrong things.”
“It’s okay.” I nudge him playfully. “You can make it up to me later.”
A wide smile lights up his handsome face. “My pleasure.”
“Mine, too,” I say and chuckle.
He shoves his hands into his pockets, his eyes narrowing in on me. “How come you didn’t want them to know?”
“I think they still hold out hope that I’ll fail at this and realize I need to go back to law school. I can’t even believe they brought up Evan, right in front of you, like now that he’s a partner, I’ll go running back to him.”
“That was a douche move, for sure, and you won’t fail at this Kinsley.”
I smile. “I love your faith in me.”
“I’ve eaten your food. It’s amazing.”
“Wait, did you just call my folks douches?”
“Sorry.”
I laugh. “Maybe it’s your honesty that gets you into trouble.”
“It could be. I probably shouldn’t have said that. You mad?”
“No, and I know my food is good, I just hope my truck holds together for a little while longer.” I turn back to the restaurant. “I’d rather put the money into this, over the truck.”
“Tell me how you’d design it,” he says, and I love the interest on his face. It’s real and genuine, and for a minute makes me forget that while we’re actually married, we’re in a pretend relationship.
I throw my hands up and animatedly tell him everything I want to do. From sourcing locally, with the market being so close, to helping those living on the streets. This is such a perfect location for that.