Page 15 of Homebody (The Long Road Home #21)

Chapter Fourteen

J ust down the road from his parents’ house Dean parked along the curb in front of the address Tessa had texted him, but he hadn’t even reached the porch stairs yet when she opened her door and stepped outside.

The change in her since the last time he’d seen her that morning in the library had him speechless.

She looked great. It wasn’t just the clothing she wore either, though her outfit didn’t hurt. It was everything.

Tonight, unlike this morning, Tessa emitted a confidence. It was obvious from the way she carried herself. The surety in her stride, even the lift of her chin as she pulled the door closed and walked forward to meet him on the path leading up to the house.

From the loose-cut wide-legged cream-colored pants cinched at the waist with a shiny red belt, to the tight tank-top she wore beneath the open button-down long-sleeved blouse in the same color as the pants, nothing she wore was overtly sexy.

Nothing was obviously revealing. To the contrary, she was mostly covered from the flipped-up collar of the shirt to the closed pointed toes of her red leather shoes that peeped out from beneath the long legs of the pants as she walked. Yet the overall effect was sexy as hell.

Dean knew nothing about fashion but he knew what he liked. And he liked what he saw.

In fact, it was becoming painfully obvious to him that he just plain liked Tessa. In spite of the obstacles. In spite of his vow to not get involved, he couldn’t deny he liked her. All of her.

She was smart. Pretty. Funny. But all in a way that made it seem as if she didn’t realize all the assets she possessed. Didn’t notice how heads turned her way, like they had when she’d been playing pool at the bar the first time he’d laid eyes on her.

She paused in front of him now and all he could think was holy shit .

Luckily those words didn’t actually come out of his mouth. Instead, he managed a calm, cool, “You clean up nice.”

The color in her cheeks deepened before she finally cocked up a brow and said, “Do I? Thanks. So do you.”

His gaze moved past her to the house she’d emerged from. “So, you’re the one who lives in the infamous pink Victorian on Main Street. What’s that like?”

He’d love to see inside the big old turn-of-the-century house firsthand. See if the inside was as ornate as the outside. Strictly out of architectural curiosity, of course. Not because he wanted to get inside Tessa’s bedroom…

Ha! Yeah, right. That was exactly where his mind had gone.

Dean squelched that thought. This wasn’t supposed to be that kind of date. That wasn’t why he’d originally asked her out, although it seemed his motives had changed of late when it came to spending time with Tessa.

“Infamous, huh? Well, a bunch of other people live in there too. Not just me. I rent a one-bedroom apartment. That only takes up half of the first floor. It’s pretty nice… if you don’t mind people walking around above your head day and night and playing music too loudly.” She lifted one shoulder.

“Ah. Yeah. I can definitely relate.” Dean nodded. “Try living aboard a ship with a couple of thousand sailors for a few months.”

He realized she was staring at him, waiting as they stood facing each other on the walkway in front of the house.

She was probably wondering where they were going…and when they’d be leaving since he stood there, not moving, making inane small talk like he’d never been on a date before.

“So, uh, I had a few ideas of where to go for dinner tonight. But I thought I’d let you pick.”

“Me?” Her eyes flew wide. The move was made more prevalent by the length and thickness of her lashes. “Oh, no. You pick. Please.”

“All right. Dealer’s choice it is. I hope you’re hungry.” He turned toward the curb where he’d parked the car.

Spotting his mother’s knitting bag on the floor of the passenger side, he reached in, grabbed it and tossed it in the back seat.

“Sorry about the toy car. It’s Mom’s. I didn’t bother renting a vehicle for this trip, but this thing is way smaller than what I’m used to. Beggars can’t be choosers, I guess.”

“I don’t even own a car so I’m not in any position to judge,” she said as she sat.

He lifted a brow at that information.

Once around on the driver’s side, he slid in behind the wheel and then turned toward Tessa. “Really? You don’t have a car? How do you get around?”

“I walk or ride my bicycle. If I need something that’s too far away, I have it delivered.” She shrugged.

“Hmm. Good for you,” he said as he started the engine.

She certainly was an interesting character. Unlike any woman he’d ever known before. And since his track record with women of late hadn’t been stellar, that had to be a good thing.

“So I thought maybe we’d eat at the Otesaga in Cooperstown, if that’s all right with you,” he said and glanced at her for a reaction.

He didn’t get much of one as she said, “Sounds good.”

All righty. It seemed she really did mean it when she told him to choose. He wasn’t used to that. Juniper had rarely meant what she’d said.

So far, Tessa was nothing like Juniper. He had to think that was a very good thing, even if she was still a mystery to him in so many ways.

The Hawkeye Bar and Restaurant located inside the historic Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown was a nice place. As in really nice. Even Tessa stumbled to a stop when she saw the amazing view of the lake from their table when the hostess seated them.

She might have seemed unimpressed when he’d told her his choice of restaurants, but she was clearly impressed now. That gave him a warm feeling—pride maybe—in the vicinity of his chest.

Maybe he had been trying to impress her by choosing this for their date, as wrong as that was. They were only fake dating, right? Just going out to keep his match-making mother off his back and his ex at bay. Dean had a feeling that wasn’t completely true anymore.

No matter what his motivation, dinner in Cooperstown with Tessa had been interesting… and Dean wasn’t just thinking about the food when that thought crossed his mind.

Yes, the menu could be considered interesting.

Intriguing even. A mix of classic meals and modern innovations.

He’d dared to order the Thai spring roll appetizer before his usual main course of the steakhouse burger.

And then he’d tried mango creme br?lée with house-made coconut ice cream for the first time in his life when he and Tessa had shared dessert.

But it was not the meal they shared but rather the woman herself that intrigued him.

How she’d pause before speaking, as if she were weighing every word first before voicing it aloud. How so often she looked as if she wanted to say one thing then changed her mind and said something else.

How she nursed one glass of wine throughout the whole meal when, after seeing her guzzle down that margarita at the Muddy River Inn he’d expected her to be a bigger drinker.

She was an enigma. A puzzle he wouldn’t mind solving.

And not one of those mundane jigsaw puzzles featuring some landscape that his parents liked.

More like one of those Chinese—or was it Japanese—puzzle boxes.

The kind you had to solve before it opened so you could see what was inside.

Because he had no doubt there was more inside Tessa than met the eye.

Now, in the passenger seat with the bag of leftovers sitting on her thighs, she didn’t seem as on edge as she had in the restaurant while they’d been talking.

Maybe that was because she just wasn’t talking.

She sat silently, watching the scenery pass, very possibly counting the minutes until this date was over.

But she’d seemed like she had a good time at the restaurant. Hadn’t she?

Dammit . This was why he didn’t date women who were too deep. They made him have to think too hard. Shallow was the way to go. Women who dated him just for the uniform. Or for the sex. Or because he’d bought them a drink.

Lara wouldn’t have him second guessing this date, the way he was now with Tessa.

And hell, he could have taken Juniper out for a twenty-dollar meal at the Mudville Diner and she’d have been all over him in the car on the short drive home after it.

There’d be no need to guess what she was thinking. Or second-guess himself.

He’d wined and dined Tessa at one of the best restaurants in the county, held up his portion of the conversation, and was the perfect gentleman. Yet here he was wondering if he’d even see Tessa again. Or if she was just waiting to get out of the car so she could ghost him.

He drew in a breath. She was either into him or she wasn’t. He might as well find out now.

Glancing in her direction, he asked, “Did you have a good time?”

Her eyes widened and this time she didn’t pause as she said, “Yes. Everything was amazing. The view. The food. Thank you so much for dinner. I feel bad. You didn’t have to pay. We should have split the bill?—”

He laughed. “No. Not gonna happen. I invited you out, remember? That means I pay. And I was happy to do it.”

That was no lie. Watching her enjoyment of the restaurant and of her meal was worth every penny. The woman savored every bite with an appreciation that made it seem as if she’d never had a really good meal before.

“Well, thank you again. Maybe I can buy you a beer as a thank you,” she offered shyly.

“Tonight?” In town. Where Juniper and who knew who else would be there watching. Where he’d have to share Tessa’s attention with the circus of the MRI surrounding them instead of having it focused solely on him.

Tessa must have seen his reaction. She looked horrified as she rushed to say, “Never mind. Maybe some other time. I know it’s getting late.”

She’d misunderstood his reaction. It was definitely not her he wanted to get away from. It was everyone else in town.

“It’s not that. Believe me. I’d be happy to spend more time with you. It’s just the bar is going to be so loud and crowded this time of night. We wouldn’t be able to hear ourselves think. Forget about trying to talk to each other.”

“Mmm. You are right about that. I love me some good old school head-banging rock and roll, but my ears were still ringing from the loud music when I got home last night.”

Had it only been last night that they’d first met? It felt like he’d known her for so much longer.

“Good to know… about your taste in music, not your possible ear damage.” He laughed.

“Yeah. I got it.” She smiled, but then remained quiet for a moment before she said, “I do have a six-pack of beer in my fridge…”

That casual tidbit dropped into the conversation like it was nothing had Dean swerving just a bit as he glanced at Tessa. Was she inviting him back to her place?

Say yes, dummy!

Listening to the devil on his shoulder he said, “Uh, yeah. Sure. A beer at your place sounds good.”

“Oh. Okay. Good.” She shot a sideways glance in his direction then stared back down at the leftover bag in her lap.

Tessa had invited him home with her but then was too shy to make eye contact. He stood by his previous evaluation. She was definitely an enigma. One he’d like to unravel. Over a beer at her place was the perfect time to do it.