you’ll excuse us. We’ll leave you two alone.”
He didn’t move. “Is this going to hit the gossip train or however it works?”
Diane shook her head. “We weren’t the ones who started analyzing you. It was—”
Annabeth gave her sister a hard pinch on the arm. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s clear you’re not the person everyone thought.”
Sam eased to the side of the doorway. “I think that could be said for more than just me.”
Annabeth threw a glance at Julia and nodded.
“Maybe you should spread that news around.”
“I’ll get on it, Chief.” The two women hurried out of the salon, and Sam pulled the door shut behind them.
“I’m a real man?” he said, repeating Julia’s earlier comment. “I’m glad you think so, Ms. Morgan.”
Julia slumped into a chair, breathing as if she’d just finished a marathon run. Her eyes were bleak as they met his. “It’s pointless, Sam. This is never going to work.”
Sam stared at Julia. Her blond hair curled around her shoulders and fell forward, covering one high cheekbone. His fingers itched to smooth it back from her face, to touch her skin and wipe the pain from those large gray eyes. She looked so alone sitting in the oversized stylist’s chair.
Sam knew what it felt like to be alone. Hell, he’d courted solitude for most of his life. He’d learned early on only to depend on himself, because when he relied on other people for his happiness he got hurt. First when his mother died and his dad had almost lost it. Then, later, in the relationship that had ended with his fiancée cheating on him.
He’d come to believe that happiness was overrated. He wanted to work hard and make a difference—the only way he knew to chase the demons away for a little peace.
When he’d heard Julia defending his character, something tight in his gut unwound. He was used to making things happen and having people depend on him. He prided himself on not needing anyone. It bothered him to know that women were spreading rumors about him, but he would have soldiered through with his head held high. Hearing Julia take on those ladies had made him realize he liked not feeling totally alone.
Her declaration that they couldn’t make it work made no sense. “Why the change of heart?” He moved closer to her. “You convinced Annabeth and Diane.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-three.”
“Why do you only date younger women?”
He stopped short. “I don’t.”
“Are you sure? I’ve heard you average women at least four years younger. I’m thirty-two. My birthday’s in two months.”
“I don’t ask a woman about her age before we go out. If there’s a connection, that’s what I go on.”
“You never asked me out.”
“I asked you to marry me,” he said, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Doesn’t that count?”
She shook her head. “I mean when you first came to town. When you were making the rounds.”
“I didn’t make the rounds. Besides, you were pregnant.”
“I haven’t been pregnant for a while.”
“Did you want me to ask you out?” The attraction he’d denied since the first time he saw her roared to life again.
She shook her head again. “I’m just curious, like most of the town is now. We’ve barely spoken to each other in the last two years.”
“I thought the idea was that we were keeping the relationship under wraps.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Green,” he answered automatically then held up a hand. “What’s going on? I don’t understand why you think this won’t work. You made a believer of Annabeth Sullivan, the town’s main gossip funnel.”
Julia stood and glanced at her watch. “The girls will start coming in any minute. I don’t know, Sam. This is complicated.”
“Only if you make it complicated.”
“What’s my favorite food?”
“How the heck am I supposed to know?”
“If we were in love, you’d know.”
Sam thought about his ex-fiancée and tried to conjure a memory of what she’d like to eat. “Salad?” he guessed.
Julia rolled her eyes. “Nobody’s favorite food is salad. Mine is lobster bisque.”
Sam tapped one finger on the side of his head. “Got it.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Come to dinner tonight,” he countered.
“Where?”
“My place. Five-thirty. I talked to my dad this morning. He didn’t mention delving into my emotions once. Huge progress as far as I’m concerned. He can’t wait to spend more time with you.”
“That’s a bad idea, and I have Charlie.”
“The invitation is for both of you.” He took her shoulders between his hands. “We’re going to make this work, Julia. Bring your list of questions tonight—favorite color, food, movie, whatever.”
“There’s more to it than—”
“I know but it’s going to work.” As if by their own accord, his fingers strayed to her hair and he sifted the golden strands between them. “For both of us.”
At the sound of voices in the salon, Julia’s back stiffened and her eyes widened a fraction. “You need to go.”
“We’re engaged,” he reminded her. “We want people to see us together.”
“Not here.”
He wanted to question her but she looked so panicked, he decided to give her a break. “Dinner tonight,” he repeated, and as three women emerged from the hallway behind the salon’s main room, he bent forward and pressed his lips against hers.
Her sharp intake of breath made him smile. “Lasagna,” he whispered against her mouth.
“What?” she said, her voice as dazed as he felt.
“My favorite food is lasagna.”
She nodded
