Why hadn’t Moira said anything? She knew he had a thing for her cousin. Maybe she was the one who’d put Jimmy up to making him get the cake. That definitely sounded like a Moira move. But to get Jimmy involved, that took skill. Moira was obviously better than he’d given her credit for.
Deirdre returned carrying a box. She slid it on the counter between them and lifted the lid. “Here you go.”
He barely glanced at it. No one would care if something was misspelled. His gaze locked on hers as she lowered the lid.
“Would you like to go out sometime?”
She stared at him for so long, he began to wonder if he’d really spoken aloud.
“Uh . . . I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh.” The disappointment hit him hard. Again, he had to question why Moira wouldn’t tell him. This was the kind of pertinent information you gave a guy before he made a fool of himself.
“Your order is all paid for.” She nudged the box forward so he’d take the hint.
He scrambled for what to say to ease the tension. “Maybe you’d like to go out and do some sightseeing. As friends. You’re new to Chicago, and I could show you around.”
“Maybe.” Her eyes shifted away. It seemed no matter what he said, he made her nervous.
“Are staying with the O’Learys again?”
“Yes.”
“I’m right across the street. Stop by any time.”
She nodded and he took the cake from the counter. Not quite the answer he was looking for, but at least she hadn’t totally shot him down. She didn’t seem completely uninterested.
But boyfriend?
Were they doing a long-distance thing? Tommy wondered about her relationship. This was her second trip to Chicago in under a year.
Maybe there wasn’t a boyfriend and she was trying to be nice.
Shit. He hated when that happened.
He set the cake on the passenger seat and looked back through the front window of the bakery. Deirdre stood behind the counter, staring at his car. It was dark enough out that he didn’t think she could still see him, but he smiled anyway.
Boyfriend or not, she was interested.
SHANNYN SCHROEDER
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shannyn Schroeder is a former high school and middle school English teacher. She holds a BA in English and MAs in Special Education and Gifted Education. After having her third child, she decided to stay at home. She’s since worked as an editor for a couple of e-publishers and currently works as an editor for an education company that publishes online current events assignments. She juggles writing around the kids’ schedules.
In her spare time, Shannyn loves to bake and watches far too much TV, especially cop shows. She started her first book on a dare from her husband and has never looked back. She came to reading romance later than many, but lives for the happy ending, and writes contemporary romance because she enjoys the adventure of new love.
Readers can visit Shannyn online at www.shannynschroeder.com and follow her on Twitter @SSchroeder_.
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