Page 7 of Sweet Cinnamon and the Mountain Man (Festival of Hearts #2)
Reginald
I’m an idiot. I can’t seem to help myself. I order twice as much food and an extra thick banana shake and then walk back, keeping my eyes open for her.
As I’m walking, I see her tiny, lush figure ahead of me.
She’s slogging along like she’s exhausted and my heart twinges in my chest. I honestly don’t know what my fascination is with Cinnamon Walker but it’s just growing the more time I spend with her, talking to her and watching her talk to others.
She’s sweet and smart and driven in what she wants to do and that’s also one of my issues with her.
If she’s so driven would she try to help a guy do something a little dishonest if she could make enough money to get that storefront she’s looking for?
I don’t know. My heart tells me she wouldn’t. But my head has seen an awful lot of stuff over the years and people you think you can trust, you can’t. It’s a sad state of affairs but there it is. Everyone is out for themselves.
Even women who seem just short of being heaven-sent.
I jog up to her and grasp her shoulder. “Hey, Cinnamon! I’m glad I caught you. Aren’t you going to try and get something to eat from one of the booths. You’ve still got time.”
She glances around and I can see that the crowds have dwindled and some of the food booths are already closing up. She turns to me, her lips pressed together, her pretty eyes drooping.
“I think I’m a little late but I’m also just too dang tired to wait around and then drive home to eat.”
“I know someplace close by and I got enough food for both of us. I can drive and then bring you back here to get your car and make sure you get home alright.”
Her brows lift. “That’s very nice of you. But I know you have to be tired too. I don’t want to put you out.”
Shaking my head, I hold up the bag and shake up. “I’ve got pizza and chili cheese fries and even extra-thick banana shakes.”
Her full lips curl into a sleepy smile. “You know all my favorite things don’t you? It’s like you can read my mind.”
Or like I have a geriatric fairy godmother that’s quite happy to pass along any information I want if it gets her a date for her granddaughter.
Shooting her a little smile I hold up the bag again and shake it back and forth, opening the top just enough for the delicious smells to waft out and hit us both in the face.
She groans and then sighs. “Fine,” she gives in. “I’d appreciate the dinner and ride. I hope that I don’t fall asleep on you though. I’m seriously tired.”
Grinning, I toss my keys up in the air. “If my sparkling wit doesn’t keep you awake, hopefully the food does. Come on. My truck is over here.”
I lead her over to the left and we trek through every different kind of car imaginable until we find my big, black truck with the huge wheels and silver rims.
Her head cocks and she groans. “I hope you’ve got a spare stepladder around here.”
“I’ve got something better than that.” I open the door and toss the food onto the middle of the bench seat. Then I hand her the drink carrier with the milkshakes and she stares at me, her mouth hanging open.
“What are you do…?” Her voice cuts off in a squeal as I pick her up easily and toss her up on the seat.
“Ummm.” She takes a deep breath and swallows roughly, her pale cheeks a soft pink that makes me smile. “I didn’t expect that.”
I grab the buckle and pull it across her, snugging it tight. “I bet. I’m glad I can surprise you.”
“You sure can.” I slam the door shut on her curious stare and run around the front of the truck, supremely conscious of her eyes on me. I feel a little bit like a teenage boy on his first date. Off balance, confused and a little shocked at how much I like this girl.
I hop in the truck and smile over at her. “Just relax. I’ll have us there in no time.”
“Are you gonna give me a hint where we’re going?”
“Nope. It’s a surprise.”
She leans back and closes her eyes and I watch her carefully, trying to keep from hitting pot holes or anything else that might disturb her.
She looks like an angel right now. Glowing with light and just too sweet to be believed.
Should I let myself get sucked into things with this woman? I don’t really know.
But I can’t seem to help myself.
Her eyes don’t open but she asks me, “Tell me something about you that I don’t know, Reginald.”
“Nobody but you calls me Reginald. Everybody else calls me Reggie.”
“Oh shoot. I’ll make sure that I call you what you like, Reggie. You should have told me that a long time ago.”
“I don’t mind it when you call me that. It’s like our own secret language. I just don’t want anyone else to call me that.”
Her head turns on the seat and she smiles at me. “Are you deliberately trying to throw me off by being sweet, Mr. Hawks?”
Shaking my head, I grin at her. “Nope. You just bring it out in me.”
“Humph!” she snorts. “That’s funny cause you sure didn’t act like it before this.”
“You also confuse me.”
Her mouth falls open. “Why on earth would I confuse you? I’m an open book.”
“You’re nice and you smile to everyone else in town but me. Why?”
“Because whenever I do it just seems to tick you off even more. So I stopped.”
I turn to her, my eyes intent in the dark. “Don’t ever stop being you because of me. You’re too special for that.”
Her mouth falls open and her eyes widen in the dark. I can see a glint of tears in her eyes. “That has to be the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me.”
“Then everyone else are fools.”
Her head shakes and she smiles briefly. “You’re gonna make me like you here, Reginald.”
Good. That’s what I’m going for.
I smile softly and keep my eyes on the road, driving carefully. I’ve got precious cargo after all.