Page 5 of Sweet Temptation (Honeysuckle, Texas #3)

Immediately, her hand flattened against her. “Sorry.”

“No need, but I could stand a little food myself. Care to join me for breakfast?” His gaze shifted to the clock on the dashboard. “Okay, brunch.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “I think that would be nice.”

“Great.” He was almost surprised at how pleased he was that she’d agreed. “There’s a nice little place across the street from where we left your car.”

“Good plan.”

It only took a few more minutes to pull into the Cracked Egg parking lot. The car in park, he rounded the hood and reached her door before she could shove it open herself.

“Thank you.” Her smile was dim, but at least it wasn’t a fearful frown.

Inside, the hostess led them to a booth near the far corner of the place. A few heads turned in their direction; they were definitely a bit overdressed for the time of day.

Her nose buried in the menu, Garret took the time to observe her freely. She was prettier than he remembered, or maybe it was just the light of day that showed her beauty. That almost made him laugh, one good deed and he was waxing poetic.

“Need some time or ready to order?” The waitress stood over them, a pad in her hand, while another person set two glasses of water in front of them.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Jacqueline nodded. “Yes, I’ll have a cheese and spinach omelet, a side of bacon, two blueberry pancakes, no toast, and a glass of orange juice.”

If nothing else, the woman had a healthy appetite. Fortunately for him, working on a ranch kept him burning the carbs. “I’ll have the same.”

The two glasses of juice arrived first. Jacqueline took her first sip and Garret tried not to stare.

“I want to apologize.”

“For what?” He reached for his glass.

“Whatever I did last night.”

“Whatever?” No wonder she was so quiet, she didn’t remember.

“I, uh, don’t remember much after ordering a drink and sitting down.”

“There’s a good reason for that.”

Her eyes lit up. “There is?”

“Sorry, but as my grandmother used to say, you were three sheets to the wind.”

“I figured as much. I don’t usually have more than a glass of wine. Two if it’s a really long dinner with a lot of food.”

“I see.” He nodded. “Want to tell me what happened?”

Fiddling with the paper napkin, she twirled it between her fingers.

“You don’t have to. We can just eat.”

“I was an idiot.”

Not what he was expecting to hear.

“I gave up everything—my apartment, my job, most of my belongings—to follow a man.”

Somehow, that didn’t surprise him. “He wasn’t happy to see you?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Now both hands worried the napkin. “His wife answered the door.”

“Ouch.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Sorry.”

“No.” She nodded. “That about says it all. After I cried my eyes out in the parking lot, too embarrassed to call my friend, too mortified to go home, especially when I thought about not having anything to go home to, a glass of wine and a few dances sounded like a good idea. Something to get my mind off what a mess I’ve made of my life. ”

“What’s that expression, it’s always darkest before the dawn? I’m sure you’ll work it all out.”

“Glad someone is.”

He didn’t like the frown that settled softly between her brows. “Don’t you have family you can turn to?”

She shook her head. “My parents divorced when I was a toddler. Mom raised me on her own for a while and then moved in with my grandparents. By the time I was ten, Mom left and we never heard from her again. My grandparents didn’t have much, but they took good care of me, gave me lots of love.

I moved away after graduating college. My grandfather died shortly thereafter, but Gramma is a rock.

She still sends me care packages of baked goods.

” Her gaze softened and a smile teased her lips. “Just in case I’m not eating well.”

“That’s sweet.”

She nodded, her somber expression returning. “I can’t go back like this with my unemployed and brokenhearted tail between my legs.”

“I’m sorry.” What more could he say? His Grandma Davis died at least a decade ago and every once in a while, a wave of missing her would catch him by surprise, but he would have done anything to avoid disappointing that sweet old lady.

She sat back as the server set their meals on the table. Between bites, he told her about growing up with five siblings, how the twins, the babies of the family, had everyone wrapped around their finger. Reminiscing had kept him smiling through the meal.

“I really do—sorry, did —love my job, but I have to admit, I wasn’t fond of Houston. I grew up in Tyler, East Texas, and Houston is hot, and muggy, and humid, and rainy, and soggy, and crowded, and it feels like we live on the freeways, stuck in traffic.”

He laughed. “Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?”

“Oh, I can be quite opinionated when I’m not feeling foolish, and a bit embarrassed.”

“There’s nothing wrong with following your heart. I know it seems awful now, but maybe this is for the best, getting you out of Houston.”

“Maybe.” Though she didn’t look convinced.

The server encouraged them to try the Boston cream pie special.

“Oh, my. This is good.” Jacqueline stabbed at the pie with unexpected gusto.

“You’d get along with my sister Rachel.”

Her gaze lifted to meet his. “I would?”

“Yeah, she has that same fervor for life…and pie… as you seem to.”

“Thank you.” Using her fork to poke at the pie on her plate, she didn’t look up. “Is there a lot of work in Honeyville?”

“Honeysuckle. And it depends on what you do, but we’re growing. New businesses are coming to town, and so are the tourists with all the festivals.”

“Festivals?”

“The corn hole championship is the longest and busiest one, but we have more. Folks like gathering to celebrate pretty much anything.”

“Sounds nice.”

“I think so.” Finishing up, he closed his knife and fork, and set his napkin down beside his empty plate. “You planning on staying here for a while?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but at least I’ve remembered the name of my motel.”

“Hey,” he grinned at her, “that’s progress.”

To his surprise, she actually chuckled. “I guess it is.” Lifting her water glass in a mock toast, she waited for him to do the same. “To progress.”

“Progress.” Taking a sip and looking at her over the rim of his glass, all he could think was, what a shame they hadn’t met at a different place or time. Really a shame.