Page 14 of One Small Spark (Love in Sunshine #4)

ELEVEN

WREN

I’ve suspected before, and occasionally been accused, but now it’s official. I am a terrible date.

Rhett is cute, funny, and friendly to everyone. He’s got a soft, Texas accent that makes everything he says sound vaguely complimentary. He’s engaging and interesting and close with my closest friends. This would be a great evening if I could just stop thinking about Callahan.

The best kiss of his life? What? Who even says something like that out loud? I mean, yes, I was thinking it, but he really just went and said it.

“Is this a safe space, Wren?” Rhett levels me a serious look. “Can I tell you something in confidence?”

We’re at a small booth in the new ramen restaurant, waiting for our orders. It’s reasonably crowded for a Saturday night in Sunshine, so I’m not sure it’s really the best location for an ultra-private conversation. I’m probably not the best pick for one, either, as distracted as I am.

But I gesture for him to proceed. “Sure.”

His smile lights up. “When Leo Dalesandro came over to our table last night, I played it cool, but inwardly I was screaming like a six-year-old on a waterslide.”

I laugh at the vivid imagery. “It takes some getting used to.”

He visited once or twice a year when he was in the NFL, but it’s a totally different ballgame when he’s here full time.

Pun intended. We’ve got a handful of sleazy guys who hang around hoping to take a picture of him doing just about anything they can sell.

Getting coffee. Picking up his mail at the post office.

Having a throw down make-out session with another big-name celebrity.

I mean, I assume that’s what they’re hoping for.

“I’ve been glued to his career since he signed with the Austin Hornets.

” Rhett’s doing an admirable job of keeping his enthusiasm at a reasonable level, but the light in his eyes is awfully bright.

“We’ve been to a bunch of games over the years—Magnolia Ridge isn’t that far outside of Austin.

I could have brought merch for him to sign if it wouldn’t have made me look like a total nut job fanatic. ”

“Don’t tell me you sleep with his trading card under your pillow.”

He slips an index finger in front of his mouth. “Shh.”

“Grant didn’t give you the heads-up about our homegrown celebrity?” Grant doesn’t really seem like he’s into that kind of stuff, but it’d at least be worth a mention.

“Grant’s too busy praising Lila to talk about anybody else.” He shakes his head, looking around the restaurant as if Leo might show up again. “I knew Dalesandro had retired to Oregon, but I had no idea it was to here .”

“Lila’s probably adding it to her spreadsheet of reasons you should move here when the store opens up in the spring.”

His eyes sparkle. “Caught onto that, did you?”

“Is that a possibility?” I’m curious, but I don’t want to sound eager, like I’m trying to get him to move to my hometown on the first date.

Especially when I wish this wasn’t a date.

“I never thought about it. I’ll be back when the store opens, for sure. Maybe even before then, who knows. Right now, I’m just getting a feel for how the social media and promo stuff for the new store should go. It’s a totally different vibe out here than Magnolia Ridge.”

“Examples, please.”

“Easier access to different sports and activities, like mountaineering and whitewater rafting. The store will have a slightly different focus for what we sell based on what people are most likely to do here. We try to carry a bit of everything, but make sure products make sense for the area.”

I’ve never really thought about what Grant’s store will sell. Since it’s outdoor stuff, the details sort of slide out of my head. But now, I’m questioning how the new store will affect other businesses in town. Whether or not there will be overlap. If it will cause problems.

“Do your stores sell bikes?” I ask.

“No.”

“That’s good.” I exhale a squeaky laugh. “I mean, that’s too bad. That you don’t sell bikes.”

“Are you in the market for one?”

“ No . No way. Bikes and I don’t go together.

Don’t want one, don’t need one. I don’t even know the first thing about them or where I would ride one.

I know they say you never forget, but I bet I can’t ride a bike anymore.

That’s how little they mean to me.” I take a sip of water to stop myself from talking any more about how I definitely don’t bike.

He watches me with an amused tilt to his mouth. “Huh. I kind of thought everyone was a biker around here with the way Lila and that guy?— ”

“Callahan.” I bite my lips between my teeth.

“I thought his name was Shepherd.”

“Shepherd Callahan.” Shut up, Wren. Just shut it.

“Right. They made it sound like biking’s a big deal here. But not for you?”

Our waiter appears and sets two steaming bowls in front of us before ducking away again. The spicy fragrance wafting up from the noodles, chicken, and soft-boiled eggs smells amazing. We both grab our ramen spoons and chopsticks and set to work.

“I’m not really outdoorsy,” I say, wrangling noodles.

Rhett tsks . “Are you trying to break my heart?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the heartbreaker here.”

“Maybe sometimes. Unintentionally.” He lifts a shoulder. “Things happen.”

“Uh-huh.” Neither of us is trying all that hard on this date.

From his extremely laid-back attitude about most things tonight, I don’t get the impression he’s on the hunt for his one true love.

Which doesn’t mean he couldn’t stumble onto someone, but Rhett seems like the type to fend off love with holy water and garlic.

“But enough about my fear of commitment. Tell me more about your granny crafts.”

I blow on my soup. “I really only have the one granny craft. Crocheting my little guys is it for me.”

“Do you have any pictures of them? I’m not picturing ‘weirdos’ in my head.”

I fish my phone out of my purse and pull up my camera roll. I’ve been sending pictures to Hope when I finish them. I like the validation.

I scroll through to find my most recent creation. He’s dark purple, with floppy ears and a tail. “Not quite a bunny, not quite a fish.”

I show him a couple more mashups. They’re goofy little guys, but I love them.

“Cute. Is the truck yours, too?”

“Uh, no.” I close the app and tuck my phone away.

I may or may not collect photographic evidence of Callahan parking in my spot behind our businesses. Most days, he can’t. My work in the bakery starts hours before Get in Gear opens its doors. But those days when I have a late start? He always takes my space.

Until today.

The weird ache in my chest when I saw his truck parked two spots over made no sense. Reminding myself that he stole Blackbird’s investor isn’t the healing salve it used to be.

“That’s it for my granny crafts,” I say a little too brightly. “But I do have some granny friends, and those are pretty close.”

“You run with a wild crowd.”

“So crazy. Their favorite topics are the weather forecast and Callahan’s forearms.”

The only explanation for my continual Callahan-vomit is that he’s messed with my brainwaves this week. I normally never talk about him, but here I am, yapping away and dropping his name like I’m getting paid for it.

But your honor, “You were supposed to go out with me” is a hard line to recover from.

“Your grannies spend a lot of time around Callahan’s forearms, do they?”

At least Rhett doesn’t seem annoyed that I keep bringing up another man. Not as annoyed as I am.

“Uh, we’re all in the same book group.”

“Yeah? What kind of books?”

I hunch over and slowly slurp up my ramen broth. This conversation is all downhill from here, I can tell already.

“Romance. ”

He mirrors my action, his eyes practically dancing. “Tell me more.”

“That’s probably a bad idea all around.”

He smiles even wider. “I’ll take ‘Incriminating Subjects’ for one thousand, Alex.”

I raise a hand to stop his train of thought. “No. No way. That’s not it. It’s more that…”

Yeah. I’ve got nothing. I drop my hand.

Rhett just chuckles over his soup, unbothered.

“I’m really sorry.” For accepting his invitation when I knew I was a mess, for bringing up Callahan all night, for being a general wreck of a person.

I should be delighted to be on a date with a guy who by all accounts is excellent at his job, smells nice, and is fun to talk to. Rhett is so cute, he almost hurts to look at. And he seems to be interested in me at least a little, which is all kinds of flattering.

And yet…no spark.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m having a good time learning about Sunshine and making a friend.” He seems to really mean it, at least.

And I did say I wanted more single friends. I just didn’t specify a gender.

“When you come back to town, I’ll give you names and numbers of half a dozen single women.”

He holds his hand out over the table. “Done deal.”

I shake his hand, relieved he’s not offended.

He releases me. “Did you want to talk about Cal?—”

“ No .”

“Oh, thank God. I’d make a terrible therapist, but I figured I should at least offer.”