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“How so?”

“You bought this store, and that’s huge. I think you could really make something out of people coming here after work once or twice a week. Keep telling me about the days after school with your grandma.”

“There’s not much more to tell. She’d bake banana bread, and I’d spin in circles. Then we’d eat said banana bread and sing along to the records.”

“She have a crocheted blanket on the back of her couch?”

She nods and smiles. “How’d you know?”

“All the good ones do.” I pause for a moment, looking over her store. It’s a completely different world than mine, but the concept is similar. She’s building a brand that people can rely on. I clear my throat before saying, “What if you rebranded to give off an‘after school at Grandma’s’type of vibe? You could get avintage couch, toss the blanket over the back, play records, and serve baked goods. You’d have half the town in here socializing and buying anything they could get their hands on.”

She stares toward me with a slow smile as though she likes the idea. “I don’t hate it. I could bring in some houseplants and organize the records on the wall like Grandma did. The part that sucks, though, is that people love browsing, but no one wants to buy.”

“Maybe you feature a record every week. People buy things that are showcased. Maybe not everyone, but probably more than enough. They’ll want to support a place that feels like family. Trust me on this one. The guys and I did the same thing with our shop out in Texas, except we held a party welcoming bikers. It had music and drinks, all the bullshit. All the sudden, we had more repairs than we could have dreamed of. We thought about doing the same up here, but we haven’t had the best reception.” I let out a heavy breath. “There you go. Solved all your problems… except the one about the gummy worm still being locked away.”

Her eyes roll to the side as she jots down the ideas we’ve just conjured in her notebook. “I can’t figure why you don’t have a girlfriend.You seem very romantic.”

“Am I supposed to be romantic right now?”

A blush of pink covers her cheeks as she darts her gaze away. “No.”

“Was your ex romantic when you met him?”

“Very much. He was the sweetest guy ever. Roses, little notes, presents galore.”

“And look how that turned out.”

Her mouth drops open as though she wasn’t expecting my response.I get that a lot.“You’re saying I shouldn’t look for romance?”

“Don’t know what I’m saying.” I step toward her slow and steady, watching her carefully. She shifts her weight as though she’s deciding whether to stay or walk away as her fingers toy with the hem of the flannel. The flicker in her gaze isn’t fear, but it’s something close. Wariness maybe. She bites the inside of her cheek almost imperceptibly, as though she’s trying not to make any sudden moves. “What is it that you really want?” I continue. “The good thing about this conversation is that we’re only here until the rain stops. We don’t have to hold back. You can tell me everything you’ve never told anyone, and I’ll be gone before you have to worry how embarrassing it is.”

She exhales, eyes darting to the window like she’s weighing her words. “I want adventure. Something different. Something that wakes me up, ya know? I feel like I’ve been sleeping, watching life from the outside, not really experiencing any of it.”

I grin. “Hence the gummy worm.”

She grins back. “Hence the gummy worm. I dream about a life where I can travel and feel like I’m a prize to someone. I just don’t know how to make any of those things happen.”

“I think you just go online and pick a place you want to see. That one is easy. Money and time equals travel. And men, we’re everywhere. Keep baiting your line and you’ll catch what you’re looking for. From what I’ve seen, you just need to learn which ones to throw back.”

“Yeah, well… if it were that easy, I’d have done it.”

“So it wasn’t the banker holding you back?”

“I only broke up with him two hours ago!”

“Then time is wasting. Which of these adventures are you checking off first? Where have you always wanted to go?”

“I don’t have the money to go anywhere,” she laughs. “Isn’t that funny? I think the wildest thing I’ve done in years was geton the back of your bike, followed closely by this conversation. You’re kind of unhinged.”

“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I’m sure you will. You seem like that kind of guy.” She pauses, and her fingers trace the edge of the counter absentmindedly. “You ever have a moment where you did something completely reckless? Something that felt like a bad idea, but you did it anyway?”

I could list half a dozen right now, but none she’d want to hear. Combat stories, close calls, the kind of shit that strains your mind long after it’s over.

She pauses for a long moment as though she’s checking herself, then says, “What’s the craziest sex you’ve ever had?”

Damn, this is going to be disappointing! Why couldn’t she have asked me about the military or kills? I have a million crazy stories for those categories. “Not sure I’m going to be much entertainment there. It’s been years since I’ve been with anyone, and it was an in and out kind of thing.”