Page 36

Tasting her was all I could think about. Shoving any thoughts of taking her lips with mine, I did my best to play guide.

We admired the produce at the Ramirez booth, and I tilted my chin, acknowledging Eduardo.

“Hey, Ty. What can I get you today?”

I bit back answeringa brain that doesn’t spit out double entendres when I’m trying to play it cooland forced a smile. Andi swooped in before I could answer, asking if he had any leeks and giving me a cheeky smile before inquiring about fennel. “I hear you have the firmest fennel around.”

Thankfully, Eduardo ignored any less-than-innocent glances Andi shot my way and simply nodded. “Yes, all of our produce is farm fresh, picked this morning.”

Andi made a few purchases, tucking them away in a canvas bag slung over her shoulder.

“What else do you want to get? I didn’t realize you were shopping.”

She winked. “Just anything that strikes my fancy.”

I rolled my lips between my teeth to keep the smile in. Maybe I wasn’t the only one falling back into comfortable catchphrases.

“See anything you like?” I asked innocently, spreading my arms wide.

“A few things,” she answered, her expression cagey. “But right now, I’m positively aching for … a tamale.”

The flirtatious light in her eyes could have kept me entertained for days but feeding her had been part of the deal.

“You got it. Sara’s stand is around the corner.”

I placed a hand at the small of her back, using it to shelter her from the growing crowd as we wound our way between groups toward the south end of the park. Sara’s Tamales had a long line out in front, and we took our place in the queue.

“I’m glad you joined me today,” I admitted, admiring the sun shining on her dark hair.

“Yeah? Me too,” she said softly, watching me steadily. “It was unexpected, after you brushed me off the other night at Haven.”

Was she referring to the first time, or the second time? I held back my wince. With our track record, it was a wonder Andi had given me another chance. Would it help or hurt my case if she knew part of the reason I’d held back was Jimmy?

We reached the head of the line, saving me from answering. After receiving our tamales, we found seats on a bench at the nearby school. Andi dug into her pork tamale, and the look of pleasure as she bit into the steaming mixture of masa, meat, and chiles had me shifting in my seat, pausing to watch. Her blissed-out expression was one I’d like to see again. Over and over. But maybe not publicly.

“So, do you miss it?”

Her question caught me off guard. “Miss what?”

“Soccer.”

I chewed, giving myself time to consider my answer. Poking at the spot where my regrets lived, seeing if it still hurt. And more than a little surprised when I came away pain-free.

“For a while, yeah. But now? Not so much,” I admitted. “I really do like being an operator, as much as some days are hard.” Not wanting the shadow of difficult days to impact our time together, I rushed into my own question. “What about you? Do you enjoy your work?”

“Most days. Lately, there’s been a lot of turmoil and management changes at work. I’m not sure where that leaves me.”

Sensing her disquiet, I searched for a happier topic. “What about outside of work? I know you’re a regular at trivia, but any other hobbies?”

“Reading, travel, food, Toastmasters, the usual.”

Andi sold herself short too often. Everything about her was exceptional.

“Ah, Andi. That’s where you’re wrong. You’re anything but usual. What is Toastmasters? A drinking club?”

Her chuckle confirmed I’d guessed wrong.

“It’s a public speaking organization. We meet weekly and work on developing our skills and compete.”