She was about to correct that last impression, but he touched a finger to her lips.
“I know what you’ve said, but it’s not the fact that I told you I’d leave here eventually,” he said. “It goes deeper than that.”
She sat back in her chair, shaken by his insight.
“How’d I do?” he asked.
“Pretty good,” she admitted. “Especially for someone who hardly knows me.”
“That’s what I find intriguing,” he said. “Even people who are close to you, who’ve known you far longer than I have, don’t know any more than what you’ve allowed them to see. There’s a part of your past you’re hiding and it’s something that’s obviously significant. It’s shaped who you are.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about his ability to read her so well. “Not the way you mean,” she argued. “There are just some things I don’t like to talk about, things I don’t like remembering.”
“If they’re too difficult to talk about, too disturbing to remember, then they’re important,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s healthy to keep such things bottled up inside. Burdens are eased when they’re shared with friends, and you have some good friends.”
“Where’s your couch, Dr. McDonald?” she inquired testily. “I had no idea I was going to be psychoanalyzed tonight.”
To her relief, he instantly backed down, his lips curving into a smile.
“No couch,” he said with exaggerated sorrow. “And no house to put it in, anyway.”
Grateful for the change of topic and for the arrival of the waitress with their food, she took advantage of the moment to gather her thoughts before asking, “Where are you living? Are you still at the Serenity Inn?”
He nodded.
“Those rooms are tiny. I stayed there when I first moved here, but I couldn’t wait to find someplace bigger.” She put a slice of the steaming pizza on her plate, drew in a deep, appreciative breath, then blew on it to cool it down.
Tom’s gaze seemed to be fixed on her mouth. The intensity of his fascination was disconcerting.
“Tom,” she said quietly, then more emphatically, “Tom!”
“Hmm?” He shook his head. “Sorry. I got distracted.”
“I noticed,” she said with amusement.
“What were we talking about?”
“You said you were living at the inn and I said that I’d lived there when I first got to town,” she reminded him. “Do you plan on staying there? After all, you’ve made it clear you don’t plan to stick around Serenity that long, so why bother with a home?”
He frowned. “Actually, I’ve been looking for a house.”
“I’m sure Mary Vaughn would be delighted to help with that,” she said.
“She’s offered,” he said in a tone that suggested he didn’t like what else she was offering. “I think I can handle the house hunting on my own.” He paused, then added, “Unless you’d like to help.”
To her surprise, she found herself saying, “I could spare a couple of hours late tomorrow afternoon if you really want another opinion.”
He seemed as startled by the offer as she had been. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. Why not?” she said breezily. What was a couple of hours? They’d be driving around Serenity, not parking someplace for a long, intimate chat. And she’d been considering moving out of her own rental apartment and buying a house. This would be the perfect opportunity to see what was available.
“Should I pick you up at the spa?” he asked.
“Yes. It’ll save time if I don’t have to go home after work.”
“When should I be there?”
“My last client will be finished at quarter to four. I can be ready by four. That won’t give us a lot of time, but we should be able to check out a couple of the open houses anyway.”
“I’ll get the paper and map out the ones that seem most interesting,” he said. “That’ll save time.”
“Great idea.”
“Okay, then, it’s a date,” he said.
She had a hunch he’d chosen the word deliberately, but she let it pass.
“Since we’re discussing living arrangements,” he continued, “I realized earlier tonight that I have no idea where you live or how to get in touch with you except at the spa. When I couldn’t find a number in the phone book, I took a chance you’d be at the football game.”
She ignored the unspoken request for her address and phone number. “You were actually there looking for me? I thought maybe Cal had invited you because Maddie made him. She’s sneaky that way.”
“So I’ve gathered, but no. It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision after I struck out on my attempt to reach you at work.” He studied her. “You going to give me a home number or a cell-phone number, or do you intend to do everything possible to keep the mystery alive?”
She weighed his question, then grinned. “Actually, the mystery thing seems to be working well for me, if it has you chasing around town trying to find me,” she said.
“A phone call would be quicker and more rewarding,” he suggested.
“Maybe for you, but I kind of like knowing you’ll have to try harder.”
“That perverse streak of yours is a challenge,” he said.
“You’d be bored in no time without a few challenges in your life,” she guessed. “I suspect most women fall for you the second you meet. You’re handsome, funny, rich. That makes you quite a catch.”
“But you’re not interested?” he concluded, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Interested, yes,” she conceded. “Hooked? Nope. You’ll have to work harder to reel me in.”
“Careful, Jeanette,” he warned. “I’ve already warned you that I get a little crazy when it comes to challenges and dares. You sure you’re ready for that?”
There was something in his tone, something in the electricity sizzling all around them that made her reckless. She lifted her gaze to his. “Bring it on.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, as soon as she saw the dangerous sparks in his eyes, she knew she’d crossed a line from living safely within her comfort zone to a situation filled with risks. Somehow, though,
