“Madeline,” she corrected, no longer caring that it would annoy him. “I prefer to be called Madeline.”
“I know. I know. Don’t get all upset about it.” He made a calming hand motion like she was an irate child.
She had to work not to grit her teeth at him. He had a way of making her feel like she was unreasonable and annoying, even when she knew very well that she wasn’t. “Do you really think I look upset?”
“You never did. But I obviously upset you if you jump down my throat for a nickname.”
“I didn’t jump down your throat.” She didn’t know why she was bothering to argue. He wasn’t going to listen to her. He never had. And for year after year, she’d told herself it was normal. That it was just the way men were.
God, what an idiot she’d been for way too long.
“Okay. Okay. No big deal.” He was smiling broadly. He might as well have been patting her on her head. “How’s everything going with you?”
“It’s going great. Business keeps booming.” She knew better than to give Josh any details about Second Chance Flower Shop. He never wanted to hear them. He’d never been really happy about her success.
Sometimes she wondered if he was jealous that she was making more money than he made from sales at his father’s car dealership.
“That’s good,” Josh said with the same feigned interest he’d always used. “Real good. Dating yet?”
“Thinking about it. Have to find someone I’m interested in first.”
Josh was dating. He seemed serious about Gina Burkhardt, who’d just graduated from high school two years ago and currently worked in a beauty salon in a neighboring town. She was a nice girl. Madeline couldn’t think of anything wrong with her. She wasn’t much of a thinker, but that was probably a benefit for a girl who dated Josh.
If they were happy, she was glad for them. But that didn’t mean she wanted to have a heart-to-heart with Josh about their relationship.
“Anyway, I better get going,” she added quickly before he could say anything else that annoyed her. “Good to see you, Josh.” She started to walk so he couldn’t extend the conversation.
He called out, “See you!” to her back.
She made a face at the words, although they were perfectly harmless. They irritated her just the same.
Unfortunately, she made the face right as Ken stepped out of the town offices, which were located on the corner of Main and Monroe.
He saw her. She knew he did. He’d had on his normal expression of laid-back good nature, but his mouth turned down into a frown when he saw her. “What’s the matter?” he asked as she approached him.
She wasn’t walking toward him on purpose, of course. That was just the direction she was heading.
She composed herself into a more neutral look. “Nothing,” she said, feeling ridiculously flustered at his sudden appearance. And also at how hot he looked in his uniform. She wasn’t sure why the brown-and-tan polyester struck her as hot. It definitely shouldn’t have been. But her heart jumped a few times just the same. “Why do you ask?”
“Because you looked like you wanted to shake something.” Ken’s blue eyes scanned her face closely. Then his gaze flickered back over her shoulder to the sidewalk behind her. “Ah. Never mind. I see what the problem was.”
She turned back to see Josh walking away in the other direction. “He was fine. Just being friendly.”
“Uh-huh.”
“He was. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Didn’t he?”
“Maybe he kind of made me feel like I was a little kid. I hate it when guys patronize me.”
“Between the two of you,” Ken drawled, “I don’t think you’re the one who should be treated like a little kid.”
The words surprised her, making her giggle softly. Then she said in a different tone, “I shouldn’t get so annoyed by him. He is what he’s always been. It’s just that I spent so many years, swallowing over the things that bothered me, and once I had finally admitted them, they just... really started bugging me. Like all the years of repression exploded.”
“Sounds pretty natural. Not sure how you were as patient as you were for so long.”
“Me either, if you want to know the truth. But I guess we fool ourselves all the time.” She sighed. “When it comes to love, I mean.”
“Yeah.”
She slanted him a quick look, wondering what he was thinking, wondering if he was remembering kissing her the way she was remembering it herself.
He cleared his throat. “You got plans for tonight?”
She blinked. “What?”
“You heard me, I think.”
“Well, yeah, but... but... I’m confused. Do you want to date me?” She sounded too shocked. She really needed to work on that. Other women weren’t astounded like that when a guy happened to be interested.
“Didn’t say that. Just asked if you had plans.”
“Oh. Well, I don’t.”
“Supermoon tonight. I was thinking ’bout hiking up Canterbury Hill to get a good look at it.”
“Hiking in the middle of the night?” Her eyes were wide now. “That doesn’t sound very safe.”
He shrugged and gave her a quirk of a smile. “I thought you said you wanted to be a little bad. Didn’t you mean it?”
The truth was she wasn’t entirely sure if she meant it or not, but she could hardly admit it to Ken. “Maybe.”
“So come with me. Might be fun.”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure...”
“Not expecting anything but a hike. You don’t have to kiss me again... unless you really want to.” His blue eyes got hot for just a moment before the mood passed.
The heat snatched her breath. Her heartbeat throbbed in her ears. “So you don’t want to date me?”
“Seems like you’re not too comfortable with that idea, so I’m telling you that’s fine with me. We can have some fun without dating.” He paused, still watching her closely like he was trying to read her reaction. “No one else has to know.”
“Really? We could keep it secret?”
“Of course we could. I’m not a big fan of gossip,
